Patent · US Expired

Strobe circuit utilizing optocoupler in DC-to-DC converter

US5446349A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
8References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 10, 1994
Grant dateAug 29, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 10, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH05B41/34
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A strobe alarm circuit which utilizes an optocoupler in the DC-to-DC converter portion of the circuit for repetitively connecting and disconnecting an energy-storing inductor across a DC power source. The light-emitting diode portion of the optocoupler is connected in parallel with a resistor network which continuously monitors the current flowing through the inductor; when the inductor current has attained a value at which the sum of the voltages developed across the resistors of the network is sufficient to turn on the LED, the switch portion of the optocoupler is turned on and disconnects the inductor from across the source. A thermistor connected in parallel with one of the resistors of the resistor network compensates for changes in values of the elements of the optocoupler which may occur due to temperature changes.

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