PROGRAMMABLE LAMP ILLUMINATION DEVICE
First Claim
1. A device for creating sequential illumination patterns in a plurality of illumination sources comprising:
- a switching unit having first and second sets of output leads;
first sequential energizing means for sequentially energizing each lead in said first set of output leads;
second sequential energizing means for sequentially energizing each lead in said second set of output leads Each time one lead in said first set is energized; and
one or more logic circuits each including an OR gate having two or more inputs and further including an enable input, each logic circuit having an output connecting to one of the illumination sources and arranged to illuminate the illumination source when the enable input and one of the OR gate inputs are simultaneously energized;
circuit means connecting the inputs of the OR gate within each logic circuit to leads in one of said sets of output leads; and
circuit means connecting the enable input of each logic circuit to a lead in the other of said sets of output leads.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A programmable computer for controlling the sequential illumination of a plurality of light sources or lamps. Properly programmed, this unit can produce up to 400 different lighting patterns in a plurality of light sources. Provision is made for illuminating different lamps sequentially and also for including a single lamp in more than one illumination pattern. The computer and the light sources are intended for use as a guide to assemblers of wiring harnesses in the electronics industry. In addition to the above-mentioned illumination control facilities, the computer includes circuitry to aid in tracing out and separating the various wires contained in a multiconductor cable. A set of 40 leads are used to connect the light sources to the computer. Programming is achieved by interposing logic elements between these 40 leads and the light sources.
30 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A device for creating sequential illumination patterns in a plurality of illumination sources comprising:
- a switching unit having first and second sets of output leads;
first sequential energizing means for sequentially energizing each lead in said first set of output leads;
second sequential energizing means for sequentially energizing each lead in said second set of output leads Each time one lead in said first set is energized; and
one or more logic circuits each including an OR gate having two or more inputs and further including an enable input, each logic circuit having an output connecting to one of the illumination sources and arranged to illuminate the illumination source when the enable input and one of the OR gate inputs are simultaneously energized;
circuit means connecting the inputs of the OR gate within each logic circuit to leads in one of said sets of output leads; and
circuit means connecting the enable input of each logic circuit to a lead in the other of said sets of output leads.
- a switching unit having first and second sets of output leads;
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2. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second sets of output leads are energized with first and second signals differing from one another in potential, wherein the illumination sources are lamps having first and second terminals and operable on the power supplied by said output leads, wherein one or more of said logic circuits comprises a diode OR gate connected to the first terminal of a lamp, wherein the inputs to said diode OR gate are connected to leads in one of said sets and wherein the second terminal of the lamp is connected to a lead in the other of said sets to function as an enable input to said logic circuits.
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3. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second sets of output leads are energized with first and second signals differing from one another in potential, and wherein one or more of the logic circuits comprises:
- a diode and transistor logical circuit having its inputs connected to leads in one of said sets and having an emitter lead connected to a lead in the other of said sets; and
a source of illumination connected to the output of said diode and transistor logical circuit.
- a diode and transistor logical circuit having its inputs connected to leads in one of said sets and having an emitter lead connected to a lead in the other of said sets; and
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4. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one source of illumination is connected to the outputs of two or more logical circuits so as to be illuminated by any one of the logical circuits.
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5. A device for aiding in the assembly of wiring harnesses comprising:
- A first plurality of lamps each mounted adjacent a harness component storage compartment, and a second plurality of lamps mounted in a harness assembly area to serve as assembly guides, said lamps each having first and second terminals;
a switching unit having first and second sets of output leads and including means for sequentially energizing the leads in the first set with a first potential signal and for sequentially energizing the leads in the second set with a second potential signal each time a lead in said first set is energized;
a plurality of diodes, two or more connecting the first terminal of each lamp to leads in one of said sets of output leads; and
an interconnection between the second terminal of each lamp and a lead in the other of said sets of output leads.
- A first plurality of lamps each mounted adjacent a harness component storage compartment, and a second plurality of lamps mounted in a harness assembly area to serve as assembly guides, said lamps each having first and second terminals;
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6. A device in accordance with claim 5 wherein some of the lamps are interconnected so as to function together.
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7. A device in accordance with claim 5 wherein additional lamps are connected to the output leads in said sets by multiple input logic gates.
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8. A device for aiding in the placement of multiconductor cables within a wiring harness, said device comprising:
- a plurality of lamps each having first and second terminals;
a switching unit including a plurality of output leads connecting to the lamps and also including means for sequentially energizing the leads so as to sequentially illuminate the lamps;
a source of energizing potential for said lamps having first and second outputs;
a probe connected to one of said energizing potential outputs;
diodes connecting the other of said energizing potential outputs to one or more of the switching unit output leads connecting to the first terminals of said lamps; and
interconnections between a number of the cables comprising the multiconductor cables and the second terminals of some of said lamps;
whereby the placEment of a selected cable can be determined by touching the probe to the conductor and observing the illumination pattern.
- a plurality of lamps each having first and second terminals;
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9. A switching unit for sequentially energizing lines in a first group of lines, and for sequentially energizing lines in a second group of lines whenever a line in the first group is energized, said unit comprising:
- first and second wiper arms connected to an energization source and respectively arranged to sequentially make contact with the lines in the first and second groups;
first and second stepping relays respectively mechanically coupled to said first and second wiper arms, said relays each arranged to advance upon receipt of a pulse;
a pacer source of pulses for advancing said second stepping relay;
a pulse former source of pulses energized by said second stepping relay for advancing said first stepping relay one position for each complete rotation of said second stepping relay;
an additional wiper arm and set of wiper arm contacts for each stepping relay; and
a shorting switch for shorting the additional wiper arm contacts of each stepping relay;
whereby the stepping switches can be adjusted to slew past any specified number of positions.
- first and second wiper arms connected to an energization source and respectively arranged to sequentially make contact with the lines in the first and second groups;
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10. A switching unit for sequentially energizing lines in a first group of lines, and for sequentially energizing lines in a second group of lines whenever a line in the first group is energized, said unit comprising:
- first and second wiper arms connected to an energization source and respectively arranged to sequentially make contact with the lines in the first and second groups;
first and second stepping relays respectively mechanically coupled to said first and second wiper arms, said relays each arranged to advance upon receipt of a pulse;
a pacer source of pulses for advancing said second stepping relay;
a pulse former source of pulses energized by said second stepping relay for advancing said first stepping relay one position for each complete rotation of said second stepping relay; and
a slew switch connected to the pacer for accelerating the pacer and for routing the pacer pulses to either stepping relay.
- first and second wiper arms connected to an energization source and respectively arranged to sequentially make contact with the lines in the first and second groups;
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11. A switching unit for sequentially energizing lines in a first group of lines, and for sequentially energizing lines in a second group of lines whenever a line in the first group is energized, said unit comprising:
- first and second wiper arms connected to an energization source and respectively arranged to sequentially make contact with the lines in the first and second groups;
first and second stepping relays respectively mechanically coupled to said first and second wiper arms, said relays each arranged to advance upon receipt of a pulse;
a pacer source of pulses for advancing said second stepping relay;
a pulse former source of pulses energized by said second stepping relay for advancing said first stepping relay one position for each complete rotation of said second stepping relay; and
an external advance switch included within the pacer which advance switch, when depressed, causes the pacer to generate a pulse prematurely.
- first and second wiper arms connected to an energization source and respectively arranged to sequentially make contact with the lines in the first and second groups;
Specification