Patent · US Active

Operator sensing circuit for disabling motor of power equipment

US7795882B2 · kind B2 · utility

41Cited by

16References

34Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Gustav Magenwirth GmbH & Co. · DE

Inventors

Markus Kirchner · Neuffen, DE
Markus Neidert · Owen, DE
Ralph Sauter · Neuffen, DE
Bernhard Mittmann · Neu-Ulm, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Aug 15, 2006
Grant date	Sep 14, 2010
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Aug 15, 2026

Classification

Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
CPC primaryH03K2217/960725
WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An electrical characteristic in an operator-sensing circuit having a microcontroller that commands a charge sensor to send a sensor charge signal to a capacitive sensing element. The charge sensor outputs a corresponding raw data signal to the microcontroller that in turn sends a signal that disables the motor of a unit power equipment upon the absence of an operator's hand on a hand-gripping surface of the equipment. Capacitive means for operating within a predetermined charge range that includes preselected values that designate hands-off and hands-on conditions on the hand-gripping surface. The capacitor charge range is effective to distinguish between the presence of an operator's hand and foreign material on the gripping surface for avoiding a false hands-on-signal.

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