Reed switch apparatus and method of using same

• US 8,866,570 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2012
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trackit Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Glendell N. Gilmore
• Inventors: Gilmore, Glendell N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Talpalatski, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US13/368,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20120139671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 335205-207
• US Class Current: 335/205
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/02 Internal fittings of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/44
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/00 Large containers component parts, details or accessories B65D90/00; construction or assembling of bulk storage containers employing civil engineering techniques in situ or off the site E04H7/00; gas holders of variable capacity F17B; vessels for containing or storing compressed, liquefied or solidified gases F17C
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/12 specially adapted for transport associated with vehicles, see the relevant subclasses of B60 - B64
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/008 Doors for containers, e.g. ISO-containers locking E05B83/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/08 by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/66 Contacts sealed in an evacuated or gas-filled envelope, e.g. magnetic dry-reed contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 36/0006 Permanent magnet actuating reed switches H01H35/147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 36/0046 Limit switches, also fail-safe operation or anti-tamper considerations
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/16 Magnetic circuit arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49764 with testing or indicating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A reed switch apparatus utilizes one or more reed switches to communicate with one or more devices. In one configuration, the reed switch apparatus utilizes a single magnetic field to simultaneously activate two or more reed switches. In another configuration, two or more reed switches, each acting independent of one another are simultaneously activated by a single magnetic field. Additionally, a method of controlling at least two devices includes exposing a reed switch apparatus to a single magnetic field. Yet another method includes activating a device via the use of a single reed switch mounted to a portion of a warehouse structure.

Claims

1. A reed switch assembly attached to an opening assembly in a structure, the opening assembly having an open position and a closed position, the reed switch assembly comprising:

a single reed switch having a plurality of reed contacts directly communicating with a plurality of control module sense circuit devices having sense terminals and systems;

means for generating a first magnetic field for activating said plurality of reed contacts; and

an enclosure housing said single reed switch, said enclosure having an attachment device for mounting said enclosure proximate the opening assembly wherein at least one of said control module sense circuit devices includes an activation time or a deactivation time and isolation characteristics to control a high voltage device upon said control module sense circuit device receiving or not receiving a low voltage control signal from at least one said reed contact.

2. The reed switch assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a biasing metal alloy magnet member,

wherein said plurality of reed contacts have a magnetic field present state and an opposite state, said plurality of reed contacts are biased to said magnetic field present state by the constant presence of a biasing magnetic field generated by said metal alloy magnet member exposed to said plurality of reed contacts,

said plurality of reed contacts are activated to said opposite state by introducing the first magnetic field in close proximity of said plurality of reed contacts and said biasing metal alloy magnet member.

3. The reed switch assembly of claim 1, wherein said plurality of reed contacts includes at least one reed contact connected to a sense terminal of a control module sense circuit device controlling high voltage to a light.

4. The reed switch assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one said control module sense circuit device controls a high voltage device, said control module sense circuit device receives a control signal from at least one said reed contact for activation or deactivation, said control signal is a low potential control signal relative to the ground potential of said control module sense circuit device and is in intermediate relation to a high potential control signal relative to the operating voltage of said control module sense circuit device.

5. The reed switch assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one said reed contact is connected to an alarm system to pass or not pass a low voltage control signal to said alarm system to communicate the status of the opening assembly.

6. The reed switch assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one said reed contact is in communication with at least one control module sense circuit device having sense terminals comprising of a mechanical or solid state switching device and a power source in conjunction with an optional step down transformer/rectifier circuit and an optional off or on timing circuit.

7. The reed switch assembly of claim 1, wherein the communication of at least one said reed contact with a separate system or control module sense circuit device is wireless.

8. The reed switch assembly of claim 1, wherein at least two of said plurality of control module sense circuit devices having sense terminals and systems share the same common control signal reference point.

9. The reed switch assembly of claim 1, wherein said control module further comprises a self-contained power source for providing electrical power to said control module.