Electric series circuit
First Claim
1. An electric circuit comprising:
- a) plural loads connected in series; and
b) plural solid state switching means, each said switching means connected in parallel with one of said loads, and each said solid state switching means comprises a sidac;
c) wherein each said switching means conducts current when the load that it is connected in parallel with does not conduct current.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
An electric series circuit with plural loads such as light bulbs connected in series and plural solid state switching devices, with each switching device connected in parallel with one of the loads. Each switching device conducts current when the load that it is connected in parallel with does not conduct current because the load is burned out. The solid state switching means may be any device with a breakthrough voltage which is high enough that it does not conduct when all of the loads conduct current normally. When one of the loads is burned out, that load does not conduct current and the entire line voltage appears across the switching means in parallel with the burned out load. The switching means breaks down. Accordingly, the switching means conducts current and current flows to the remaining loads. Accordingly, the remaining light bulbs in a string of light bulbs continue to light. The burned out load may be immediately detected and replaced. The switching means may be a sidac. Alternatively, a combination of an SCR and a zener diode controlling the gate of the SCR are also disclosed as the switching means. A diac may replace the zener diode.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. An electric circuit comprising:
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a) plural loads connected in series; and b) plural solid state switching means, each said switching means connected in parallel with one of said loads, and each said solid state switching means comprises a sidac; c) wherein each said switching means conducts current when the load that it is connected in parallel with does not conduct current.
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2. An electric circuit comprising:
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a) plural loads connected in series; and b) plural solid state switching means, each said switching means connected in parallel with one of said loads, and each of said solid state switching means comprises a device which is two directional, and has IV characteristics which are symmetrical, and include a breakthrough voltage where current conducts and a sudden decrease in voltage from the breakthrough voltage as current increases in forward and reverse directions; c) wherein each said switching means conducts current when the load that it is connect in parallel with does not conduct current. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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6. An electric circuit comprising:
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a) plural loads connected in series; b) plural solid state switching means, each said switching means connected in parallel with one of said loads, and each said solid state switching means has IV characteristics which include a breakthrough voltage where current conducts; c) wherein each of said switching means conducts current when the load that it is connected in parallel with does not conduct current. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. An electric circuit comprising:
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a) plural loads connected in series; and b) plural solid state switching means, each said switching means connected in parallel with one of said loads, and each of said solid state switching means comprises; c) a silicon controlled rectifier connected across the load in parallel with the load; d) an anode of said silicon controlled rectifier at a higher voltage than a cathode of said silicon controlled rectifier; and e) a zener diode connected between a gate and said anode of said silicon controlled rectifier; f) wherein each of said switching means conducts current when the load that it is connected in parallel with does not conduct current. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. An electric circuit comprising:
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a) plural loads connected in series; b) plural solid state switching means, each said switching means connected in parallel with one of said loads, and each said solid state switching means comprises; c) a silicon controlled rectifier connected across the load in parallel with the load; d) an anode of said silicon controlled rectifier at a higher voltage than a cathode of said silicon controlled rectifier; and e) a diac connected between a gate and said anode of said silicon controlled rectifier; f) wherein each of said switching means conduct current when the load that it is connected in parallel with does not conduct current.
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12. A method of powering plural low voltage loads connected in series even if one load stops conducting current comprising the steps of:
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a) connecting solid state switching means in parallel with each said low voltage load, and each said switching means is a sidac; and b) conducting current through one of said switching means to pass current to the remaining loads when a load in parallel with said switching means stops conduction current.
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13. A method of powering plural low voltage loads connected in series even if one load stops conducting current comprising the steps of:
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a) connecting solid state switching means in parallel with each said low voltage load, and each said solid state switching means comprises a device which is two directional, and has IV characteristic which are symmetrical, and include a breakthrough voltage where current conducts and a sudden decrease in voltage from the breakthrough voltage as current increases in forward and reverse direction; and b) conducting current through one of said switching means to pass current to the remaining loads when a load parallel with said switching means stops conducting current. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of powering plural low voltage loads connected in series even if one load stops conducting current comprising the steps of:
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a) connecting solid state switching means in parallel with each said low voltage load, and each said solid state switching means comprises b) a silicon controlled rectifier connected across the load in parallel with the load; c) an anode of said silicon controlled rectifier at a higher voltage than a cathode of said silicon controlled rectifier; and d) a zener diode connected between a gate and said anode of said silicon controlled rectifier; and e) conducting current through one of said switching means to pass current to the remaining loads when a load in parallel with said switching means stops conducting current. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method of powering plural low voltage loads connected in series even if one load stops conducting current comprising the steps of:
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a) connecting solid state switching means in parallel with each said low voltage load, and each said solid state switching means comprises; b) a silicon controlled rectifier connected across the load in parallel with the load; c) an anode of said silicon controlled rectifier at a higher voltage than a cathode of said silicon controlled rectifier; and d) a diac connected between a gate and said anode of said silicon controlled rectifier; and e) conducting current through one of said switching means to pass current to the remaining loads when a load in parallel with said switching means stops conducting current.
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20. A method of powering plural low voltage loads connected in series even if one load stops conducting current comprising the steps of:
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a) connecting solid state switching means in parallel with each said low voltage load, and each said solid state switching means has IV characteristics which include a breakthrough voltage where current conducts; and b) conducting current through one of said switching means to pass current to the remaining loads when a load in parallel with said switching means stops conducting current. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A solid state switching circuit coupled in parallel with a low voltage load and across a two line source of AC power so that current flows through said switching circuit when current is not able to flow through said load comprising:
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a) a silicon controlled rectifier having an anode terminal, a cathode terminal and a gate terminal; b) first means for coupling said anode terminal to one side of a load and to one line of said source of AC power; c) second means for coupling said cathode terminal to the second side of a load and to the second line of said source of AC power; and d) a conduction control circuit connected between said gate terminal and said anode terminal. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A system for maintaining current flow through a series connection of a plurality of low voltage loads when at least one of the low voltage loads are non-conducting comprising:
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a) a plurality of solid state switching circuits, one for each of said plurality of low voltage loads, each of said solid state switching circuits coupled in parallel with one of said low voltage loads so that current flows through said switching circuit when current is not able to flow through an associated low voltage load; b) a two conductor source of AC power; c) each of said solid state switching circuits comprising a silicon controlled rectifier having an anode terminal, a cathode terminal and a gate terminal; d) first means for coupling said anode terminal of each of said silicon controlled rectifiers to one side of an associated load and to one conductor of said source of AC power; e) second means for coupling said cathode terminal of each of said silicon controlled rectifiers to the other side of an associated load and to the second conductor of said source of AC power; and f) a conduction control circuit connected between each of said silicon controlled rectifier gate and anode terminals. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A solid state switching circuit coupled in parallel with a low voltage load so that current flows through said switch-circuit when current is not able to flow through said load comprising:
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a) a silicon controlled rectifier having an anode terminal; b) first means for coupling said anode terminal to one side of a load; c) second means for coupling said cathode terminal to the second side of said load; and d) a conduction control circuit connected between said gate terminal and said anode terminal. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A system for maintaining current flow through a series connection of a plurality of low voltage loads when at least one of the low voltage loads are non-conducting comprising:
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a) a plurality of solid state switching circuits, one for each of said plurality of low voltage loads, each of said solid state switching circuits coupled in parallel with one of said low voltage loads so that current flows through said switching circuit when current is not able to flow through an associated low voltage load; b) each of said solid state switching circuits having an input terminal and an output terminal; c) means to connect said output terminals of said solid state switching circuits to said input terminals of adjacent solid state switching circuits to place said solid state switching circuits in an open ended chain; d) each of said solid state switching circuits comprising a silicon controlled rectifier having an anode terminal, a cathode terminal and a gate terminal; e) first means for coupling said anode terminal of each of said silicon controlled rectifiers to one side of an associated load; f) second means for coupling said cathode terminal of each of said silicon controlled rectifiers to the other side of an associated load; and g) a plurality of conduction control circuits, one for each of said solid state switching circuits, each connected between said silicon controlled rectifier gate and anode terminals. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification