OSCILLATOR OUTPUT CIRCUIT CONFIGURATION

• US 3,624,484 A
• Filed: 12/03/1969
• Issued: 11/30/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John E. Colyer
• Original Assignee: John E. Colyer
• Inventors: Colyer, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beha, Jr., William H.
• Application Number:
  US04/881,901
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 321/2,16 128/422,423,21 331/112 315/221,225,135,129
• US Class Current: 363/18
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/32 alternating or intermittent currents applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling A61N1/40; microwave apparatus A61N5/02

Abstract

A circuit configuration and an electronic locator/stimulator device for medical purposes incorporating said circuit configuration in which a first pulse component of an output signal, which is clipped to a predetermined voltage amplitude, is impressed across load terminals of the circuit while a second pulse component of the output signal appears across a gas discharge indicator lamp.

Claims

1. An oscillator in circuit with a power supply and a primary winding of a transformer, and an output circuit connected across a secondary winding of said transformer;

said output circuit comprising a gas discharge lamp connected across said secondary winding and in series with a pair of load terminals, a forward conducting rectifier means connected across said gas discharge lamp, and a reference voltage rectifier means reverse connected in circuit with the first-mentioned rectifier means and across said load terminals.

2. In a circuit configuration comprising an oscillator in circuit with a powEr supply and a primary winding of a transformer, and an output circuit connected across a secondary winding of said transformer;

said output circuit comprising a gas discharge lamp connected across said secondary winding and in series with a pair of load terminals, a forward conducting diode connected across said gas discharge lamp, and a zener diode reverse connected in circuit with the first-mentioned diode and across said load terminals, whereby a first pulse component of the output signal appears across said load terminals, the voltage level of the output pulse being limited by the breakdown voltage of the zener diode, and a second pulse component of the output signal appears across said gas discharge lamp.

3. The circuit configuration as claimed in claim 2 including a second zener diode connected in series through a switching device with the first-mentioned zener diode whereby the output pulse voltage level is, with the switch open, a difference voltage between that of the first and second zener diodes.

4. The circuit configuration as claimed in claim 2 including a linear voltage control potentiometer connected across said load terminals.

5. The circuit configuration as claimed in claim 2 wherein the output pulse is clipped by the zener diode as an approximately square wave.

6. A nerve locator/stimulator comprising a power supply, a transistorized oscillator circuit including at least one transistor in circuit with a resistance-capacitance timing network, the effect impedance of which is variable to provide a selected output pulse repetition rate, a transformer having at least one primary winding in circuit with said oscillator, and an output circuit from which an output pulse is obtained connected across a secondary winding of the transformer;

said output circuit comprising a gas discharge lamp connected across said secondary winding and in series with a pair of load terminals, a forward conducting rectifier means connected across said gas discharge lamp, and a reference voltage rectifier means reverse connected in circuit with the first-mentioned rectifier means and across said load terminals.

7. A nerve locator/stimulator comprising a power supply;

an oscillator circuit including a single transistor in circuit with a resistance capacitance timing network, the effective impedance of which is variable to provide a selected output pulse repetition rate;

a transformer, said transformer having a first primary winding in circuit with the collector of the transistor and a second primary winding in circuit with the base of the transistor, and through which a reflected current is passed by way of a positive feedback loop to said transistor base; and

an output circuit from which an output pulse is obtained connected across a secondary winding of the transformer, said output circuit comprising a gas discharge lamp connected across said secondary winding an in series with a pair of load terminals, a forward conducting diode connected across said gas discharge lamp, and a zener diode reverse connected in circuit with the first-mentioned diode and across said load terminals, whereby a first pulse component of the output signal appears across said load terminals, the voltage level of the output pulse being limited by the breakdown voltage of the zener diode, and a second pulse component of the output signal appears across said gas discharge lamp.

8. A nerve locator/stimulator as claimed in claim 7 wherein there is a second zener diode connected in series, through a switching device, with the first mentioned zener diode whereby the output pulse voltage level is selectable at two levels, said voltage level being, with the switch open, a difference voltage between that of the first and second zener diodes.

9. A nerve locator/stimulator as claimed in claim 7 wherein there is a linear voltage control potentiometer connected across said load terminals.

10. A nerve locator/stimulator as claimed in claim 7 wherein said output pulse is clipped by the zener diode as An approximately square wave.

11. A nerve locator/stimulator as claimed in claim 7 wherein the impedance value of said timing network is variable by switching at least one capacitor component thereof into or out of circuit with the base-emitter electrodes of the transistor.