Patent · US Expired

Binary capacitor

US4173032A · kind A · utility

1Cited by
3References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 19, 1977
Grant dateOct 30, 1979
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 19, 1997

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01G4/28
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A binary capacitor consists of a piston having a metallized band on its periphery. The piston is movable between first and second positions within a cylinder which carries two spaced metallized bands. One of the positions of the piston defines a position of maximum capacitance, i.e. where the band on the piston overlaps both of the cylinder bands. The second position of the piston defines a position of minimum capacitance; i.e. where the piston band clears at least one of the cylinder bands. The piston is latched in its stable minimum and maximum states by fixed permanent magnets located at the ends of the piston in combination with soft iron slugs at the ends of the cylinder. The piston is moved by appropriately energizing electromagnetic coils wound over the soft iron slugs on the cylinder.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.