Touch lamp, latching AC solid state touch switch usable with such lamp, and circuits for the same

• US 3,899,713 A
• Filed: 06/20/1974
• Issued: 08/12/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George E. Brayman, Harold Barkan, Jerome Swartz
• Original Assignee: George E. Brayman, Harold Barkan, Jerome Swartz
• Inventors: Barkan, Harold, Swartz, Jerome, Brayman, George E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kominski, John
• Application Number:
  US05/481,304
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 307/252,308 328/5 315/34,72,200,205,353,362
• US Class Current: 315/34
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/725 for ac voltages or currents H03K17/722, H03K17/735 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/00 Circuit arrangements or apparatus for igniting or operating discharge lamps structurally associated with the discharge lamps H01J61/54, H01J61/56

Abstract

A lamp having at least two areas such that when one is touched a solid state latching AC powered switch turns the lamp on and when another is touched the latching action is disabled to turn the lamp off. Circuits are disclosed utilizing solid state avalanchetype devices which have a simple arrangement for maintaining the devices latched in conducting mode during commutating periods. The switches and circuits may be of the two- or three-wire type and have general utility as well as specialized utility for touch lamps. A single area can be employed to control a solid state latching AC powered switch to successively turn a lamp on and off upon sequential touching thereof.

Claims

1. In combination, A. an electrically actuatable load, B. an on touch element having no parts which are movable as a requisite to the actuation of the load, C. an off touch element having no parts which are movable as a requisite to the deactuation of the load, and D. totally solid state circuitry means to energize said load upon touching said on touch element and to de-energize said load upon touching said off touch element, E. said solid state circuitry means being engageable with so as to be energizeable by an AC source of power, said solid state circuitry means including i. input terminals connectable to said AC source of power, ii. a power handling solid state switch having a. a cathode terminal, b. an anode terminal and c. a control terminal, iii. means connecting said cathode and anode terminals through the load to said input terminals, iv. a solid state amplifier means having a. input means and b. output means, v. means connecting the amplifier input means to the touch elements, vi. means connecting the amplifier output means to the control terminal of a solid state switch whereby when said on touch element is touched the solid state switch is placed in a conductive mode and the load thereby is energized, vii. capacitor means between the cathode and control terminals, a. said capacitor means being of such value that upon energization of the solid state switch it will be charged sufficiently to latch the solid state switch in conductive mode after the same is placed in such mode, and viii. circuit means connected to the output means of the solid state amplifier means and activated by contacting the off touch element after the load is energized for discharging the capacitor means so as to disable the latching means and thereby return the solid state switch to a non-conductive mode so as to de-energize the load.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the load is a lamp.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein the touch elements are rings carried by the support, electrically insulated from each other and spaced apart verticaLly.

4. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the solid state switch is a silicon controlled rectifier.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the solid state amplifier means includes a pair of transistors, one associated with the on touch element and the control terminal and the other associated with the capacitor means.

6. In combination, A. an electrically actuatable load, B. an off/on touch means having no parts which are movable as a requisite to actuation or deactuation of the load, and C. totally solid state circuitry means to turn said load off or on upon touching said touch means, D. said solid state circuitry means being engageable with so as to be energizeable by an AC source of power, said solid state circuitry means including i. input terminals connectable to said AC source of power, ii. a power handling solid state switch having a. a cathode terminal, b. an anode terminal and c. a control terminal, iii. means connecting said cathode and anode terminals through the load to said input terminals, iv. a solid state amplifier means having a. an input and b. an output, v. means connecting the input of the amplifier means to the touch means, vi. means connecting the output of the amplifier means to the control terminal of a solid state switch whereby when said touch means initially is touched the solid state switch is placed in a conductive mode and the load thereby is energized, vii. capacitor means between the cathode and control terminals, a. said capacitor means being of such value that upon energization of the solid state switch it will be charged sufficiently to latch the solid state switch in conductive mode after the same is placed in such mode, and viii. circuit means connected to the output of the solid state amplifier means and activated by subsequently contacting the touch means after the load is energized for discharging the capacitor means so as to disable the latching means and thereby return the solid state switch to a non-conductive mode so as to deenergize the load.

7. A combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein the load is a lamp.

8. A combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein the solid state switch is a silicon controlled rectifier.