Abstract:
A unitary lens and light emitting device combination is provided that produces a highly uniform beam of light, corrected for distortions and gaps in illumination, throughout a full output beam width. The unitary lens incorporates all of the necessary optical surfaces to provide the output beam, including a pattern-correcting spherical refracting surface that smooths intensity variations in the overall illumination pattern.
Abstract:
A controller for use with a multi-segment electroluminescent display 1. Control signals C1–CN control a plurality of half H-bridges H and Hc, the terminals of the half H-bridges being connected respectively to ground and to a high voltage DC supply 9. One of said half H-bridges provides a common output Vcommon and the remaining H-bridges provide drive voltages V1–VN for the segments of the display. The H bridges are driven by an oscillator 14 so that an AC voltage is selectively applied to the segments of the display. A power supply 24 provides a predetermined amount of power per unit area of the display. This is controlled by an area summation engine 22 having a segment data input, a segment counter and a memory containing area data corresponding to the segment(s) of the display. Based on the input from the segment data input, the area(s) of the segment(s) that are to be lit are obtained from the memory and summed to provide the total area to be lit. This is fed to the power supply 24, which then feeds the correct amount of power to display 1 via the half H-bridges.
Abstract:
An illumination assembly for a handheld fluorescent task lamp, comprising first and second elongated compact fluorescent bulbs positioned in an upright orientation side by side; a self starting electronic driver circuit operable to start and run the at least first and second compact fluorescent bulbs; and first and second receptacles for connecting the first and second compact fluorescent bulbs to the driver circuit and orienting the first and second compact fluorescent bulbs at a predetermined optimum angle with respect to each other such that an enhanced forward emission field is provided.
Abstract:
A computer-implemented universal automotive maintenance component controller apparatus that may be used as common core enabling a user to interface with, control, and analyze data from, various modular automotive maintenance or diagnostic equipment and/or components regardless of the type or manufacturer of the component. The universal controller of the invention may include a processor and a control application, the control application including one or more software modules that enable the processor to control one or more connected automotive maintenance components. The universal controller may also include one or more component interfaces operatively connected to the processor, wherein each of the one or more component interfaces is configured for one of the plurality of automotive maintenance components. Each of the one or more component interfaces may also include one or more component modules specific to one of the plurality of automotive maintenance components and a port for operatively connecting one of the plurality of automotive maintenance components to the apparatus.
Abstract:
Certain materials are electroluminescent, and this electroluminescent effect has been used in the construction of backlights for displays. Such a backlight commonly consists of a transparent front layer (11) known as the substrate carrying over its rear face a transparent electrically-conductive film (12) forming the backlight's front electrode and covered by a layer of electroluminescent/phosphor material (13) over the rear face of which is a high-dielectric dielectric layer (16) bearing on its rear face a conductive film (17) forming the back electrode. The whole is positioned behind a mask (18) that defines whatever characters the display is to show. This use of a mask has some disadvantages, some of which can be overcome by utilizing an array of suitably shaped individual electrodes (21) instead of a continuous one; however, this itself has drawbacks, since the lead (22) to each electrode acts as an electrode in its own right, activating the phosphor to show faint but distracting additional illumination.
Abstract:
A portable fluorescent task lamp comprising at least two fluorescent bulbs of any wattage up to forty Watts and of either a non-starting type or a self-starting type; and an electronic ballast circuit for use therewith including an SPST function switch disposed in series with each fluorescent bulb, wherein the fluorescent bulbs may be ignited and sustained in illumination in parallel, simultaneously or individually, as determined by the respective SPST switches.
Abstract:
An electroluminescent display has a transparent front-electrode, rear electrodes, and a layer of electroluminescent material located between the first and second electrodes. Conductive tracks are electrically connected to the rear electrodes and supply a driving voltage for the electroluminescent material to the rear electrodes. A backplane layer is provided between the electroluminescent material layer and the conductive tracks, and is electrically connected to the front electrode such that the potential difference across the electroluminescent material layer in the region of the conductive tracks is substantially zero. In this way, when the conductive track is supplying the driving voltage to the rear-electrodes, the electroluminescent material layer is not illuminated by an electric field between the conductive tracks and the front electrode. Gaps may be defined in the front electrode corresponding substantially to the location of the conductive tracks. This also prevents the voltage in the conductive tracks from illuminating the electroluminescent material layer. An addressable electroluminescent display may be included in an item of clothing.
Abstract:
An apparatus and a method for electromagnetically actuating engine valves to obtain soft seating. The magnitude and duration of current pulses applied to the armature attracting coils are determined based upon a total mechanical energy and a total energy loss of the armature obtained from the armature position.
Abstract:
A fluid flow meter comprises a pair of transducers spaced apart in the direction of fluid flow. A transmitter causes acoustic signals to be transmitted in both directions through the fluid by the transducers. A processor determines information relating to the fluid flow by monitoring the time of flight of acoustic signals received by the transducers. Part of the space between the transducers defines a flow path consisting of a flow structure having a plurality of parallel fluid flow passages which extend axially in the direction of flow, wherein the cross-sectional diameters of the passages are chosen such that substantially plane acoustic waves only are transmitted through the passages by the fluid, and wherein under working conditions that fluid flows through each passage such that the ratio of the volume flow rate through the passage to the total volume flow rate remains substantially constant with respect to the total volume flow rate.