Touch control circuit

• US 3,275,897 A
• Filed: 06/22/1965
• Issued: 09/27/1966
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1965
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edison International
• Original Assignee: Carl E. Atkins
• Inventors: Atkins, Carl E.
• Application Number:
  US04/469,050
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• US Class Current: 361/181
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches

Claims

1. IN A TOUCH RESPONSIVE CIRCUIT OF THE TYPE HAVING A SWITCHING CIRCUIT WHICH IN RESPONSE TO CONTROLLING SIGNALS ENERGIZES A RELAY TO POSITION THE ARMATURE OF THE RELAY IN A FIRST POSITION AND DEENERGIZES THE RELAY TO POSITION THE ARMATURE OF THE RELAY IN A SECOND POSITION, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING:

(A) AN ELECTRIC SIGNAL MEANS INCLUDING AN OSCILLATOR COUPLED TO THE SWITCHING CIRCUIT PROVIDING A SERIES OF FIRST SIGNALS TO THE SWITCHING CIRCUIT WHEN THE ARMATURE IS IN THE FIRST POSITION TO KEEP THE RELAY ENERGIZED AND PROVIDING A SERIES OF SECOND SIGNALS TO THE SWITCHING CIRCUIT WHEN THE ARMATURE IS IN THE SECOND POSITION TO KEEP THE RELAY DEENERGIZED;

(B) A TOUCH RESPONSIVE MEANS COUPLED TO THE OSCILLATOR OF THE ELECTRIC SIGNAL MEANS WHICH WHILE TOUCHED WHEN THE RELAY IS IN THE FIRST POSITION AND CONTROLLED BY THE SERIES OF FIRST SIGNALS WILL DEENERGIZE THE RELAY AND WHICH WHILE TOUCHED WHEN THE RELAY IS IN THE SECOND POSITION AND CONTROLLED BY THE SERIES OF SECOND SIGNALS WILL ENERGIZE THE RELAY;

(C) MEANS COUPLED TO THE SWITCHING CIRCUIT AND OPERATIVE WHEN THE RELAY ARMATURE IS IN THE FIRST POSITION FOR KEEPING THE RELAY ARMATURE IN THE FIRST POSITION FOR A PERIOD AFTER THE RELAY ARMATURE IS INITIALLY POSITIONED IN THE FIRST POSITION IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER THE TOUCH RESPONSIVE MEANS IS TOUCHED OR NOT;

AND (D) MEANS COUPLED TO THE SWITCHING CIRCUIT AND INCLUDING A TRANSITION OSCILLATOR FOR KEEPING THE RELAY IN THE SECOND POSITION FOR A PERIOD AFTER THE RELAY ARMATURE IS INITIALLY POSITIONED IN THE SECOND POSITION, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER THE TOUCH RESPONSIVE MEANS IS TOUCHED OR NOT.