Push-button operated electrical power source for an optical communication link

• US 4,412,355 A
• Filed: 10/14/1981
• Issued: 10/25/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Terbrack, William H., Hummel, Terry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin, John C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coles, Edward L.
• Application Number:
  US06/311,367
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 322/1, 322/2 A, 320/2, 455/603, 455/618, 455/617, 455/127, 455/308, 310/25, 354/135
• US Class Current: 398/111
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/076 Key stroke generating power
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/03 Application domotique, e.g. for house automation, bus connected switches, sensors, loads or intelligent wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 35/02 with moving magnets and stationary coil systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/50 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems

Abstract

In the present invention, a novel magnetic circuit maximizes the electrical power generated upon manual actuation of a push-button switch while minimizing the required weight of the magnetic materials. In particular, the magnetic circuit of the power supply of the present invention includes the following magnetic materials: an unmagnetized core (comprising iron) around which a coil is wound, the coil being connected to supply power to the transmitter; a permanent magnet (comprising iron having a permanent magnetic moment) mounted on a vibrating reed, at least one pole of the permanent magnet facing at least one end of the core. Actuation of the push-button switch induces oscillatory motion of the reed and of the permanent magnet. An advantage of this novel magnetic circuit is that, in at least one embodiment, the oscillatory motion of the permanent magnet causes a complete flux reversal through the coil during each cycle of the mechanical oscillation of the reed, a significant advantage.

Claims

1. A power supply, comprising:

an unmagnetized core;

a coil associated with said core and having two output terminals;

a permanent magnet;

means for oscillating said permanent magnet near said coils so as to induce a magnetic flux in said core, said core being otherwise unmagnetized;

means for permitting manual actuation of said oscillating means;

a transmitter;

a code generator associated with said transmitter;

means coupling electrical power from said coil to said transmitter and said code generator, whereby said transmitter transmits a code in synchronism with said code generator upon manual actuation of said oscillating means;

wherein said core comprises at least three legs and said permanent magnet comprises at least two legs, said coil being wound around at least one of said core legs, and said oscillating means cause said two magnet legs to face respective ones of alternate pairs of adjacent ones of said three core legs in alternate succession, whereby magnetic flux reversal through said core occurs in each motion cycle of said oscillating means.

2. The power supply of claim 1 further comprising manually actuated means controlling said core generator for selecting a particular code to be transmitted.

3. The power supply of claim 2 wherein said transmitter comprises an infrared optical link.

4. The communication link of claim 1 wherein said transmitter comprises an infrared optical transmitter.

5. The communication link of claim 1 further comprising a receiver associated with said transmitter for receiving said code.

6. The communication link of claim 1 further comprising manually actuated means for selecting a particular code to be transmitted, said selecting means operable prior to the manual powering of said generator for determining the code to be transmitted by said transmitter.

7. A power supply, comprising:

an unmagnetized core;

a coil associated with said core and having two output terminals;

a permanent magnet;

means for oscillating said permanent magnet near said coils so as to induce a magnetic flux in said core, said core being otherwise unmagnetized;

wherein saId core comprises at least three legs and said permanent magnet comprises at least two legs, said coil being wound around at least one of said core legs, and wherein said oscillating means cause said two magnet legs to face respective ones of alternate pairs of adjacent ones of said three core legs in alternate sucession, whereby magnetic flux reversal through said core occurs in each motion cycle of said oscillating means.