U.S. patent number 3,621,307 [Application Number 04/787,077] was granted by the patent office on 1971-11-16 for touch responsive control circuit.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Raven Electronics Corporation. Invention is credited to Leonard M. Moser, Richard C. Raven.
United States Patent |
3,621,307 |
|
November 16, 1971 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
TOUCH RESPONSIVE CONTROL CIRCUIT
Abstract
A miniaturized solid state, touch responsive circuit wherein a
touchplate connected to a regenerative feedback network of a
transistor amplifier is operative when touched to supply sufficient
capacitive impedance in the feedback network to dispose the circuit
in an oscillatory condition. In a preferred form of the invention,
an electrical detection circuit is connected to the amplifier and
feedback network to respond to the touch induced signal
oscillations and provide a rectified control signal for actuating a
load switch or the like. Also a hold circuit is provided for
sustaining the oscillatory condition of the amplifier circuit
automatically after being momentarily actuated by touch, and
wherein a second touch plate is provided for terminating this
sustained condition again in response to touch.
Inventors: |
Richard C. Raven (Reno, NV),
Leonard M. Moser (Reno, NV) |
Assignee: |
Raven Electronics Corporation
(N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
27114723 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/787,077 |
Filed: |
December 26, 1968 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
327/517; 331/65;
340/562; 361/181; 307/652 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H03K
17/962 (20130101); H03K 2217/96076 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H03K
17/94 (20060101); H03K 17/96 (20060101); H03k
023/22 () |
Field of
Search: |
;317/146,123D
;328/6,5,150 ;340/258,258C ;331/65 ;307/308 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Donald D. Forrer
Assistant Examiner: B. P. Davis
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Warren, Rubin, Brucker and
Chickering
Parent Case Text
The present invention relates in general to control circuitry and
more particularly to the type of circuit in which a change in the
operating condition thereof is induced by an operator's touch as
described in apllicants's prior copending application, Ser. No.
747,324 filed July24, 1968, in respect to which application the
present application is a continuation-in-part now abandoned.
Claims
1. In a touch responsive circuit having voltage supply, output, and
common terminals; a transistor having base, collector and emitter
electrodes, said collector electrode being connected to said output
terminal; a pair of resistors connected in series to and between
said voltage supply and common terminals and providing a
mid-voltage terminal therebetween connected to said base electrode;
bias impedance connected to and between said emitter electrode and
common terminal; said resistors and impedance cooperating with the
supply voltage to bias said transistor in a active amplifying
region; and an inductor connected to and between said collector
electrode and voltage supply terminal; the improvement comprising:
a capacitor connected to and between said collector and emitter
electrodes; and a touch plate connected to said emitter electrode
and mounted for human body contact for providing a capacitive
impedance between said emitter electrode and common terminal; said
inductor and capacitor having valves providing, when, and only
when, said capacitive impedance is present, a regenerative feedback
causing said
2. A circuit as defined in claim 1, the values of said inductor and
capacitor being selected to provide a phase shift approaching zero
at a
3. A circuit as defined in claim 1, and a capacitor connected to
and between said emitter electrode and said touch
4. The circuit as defied in claim 3: a metallic housing for the
aforesaid circuit components and having an aperture; said touch
switch comprising a member of dielectric material mounted in said
aperture and having opposed conducting surfaces on opposite sides
thereof insulated from said housing and exposed internally and
externally of said housing, said internal conducting surface being
connected to said emitter electrodes, and said external conducting
surface being positioned
5. A circuit as defined in claim 1 and an electrical detector
comprising: a second transistor having a base, emitter and a
collector; a capacitor connected to and between said output
terminal and said second transistor base; a biasing resistor
connected between said second transistor base and emitter; said
second transistor collector being connected to said voltage supply
terminal; and an output circuit connected to and between said
second transistor emitter and common terminal and including a
capacitor connected across said output
6. A touch responsive circuit comprising: circuit means including
an amplifier having an input and a feedback network connected
between said input and output and being adapted to receive a
capacitive impedance for producing regenerative signal oscillations
at said amplifier output; a touch plate adapted for human body
contact connected to said feedback network and providing when
touched said capacitive impedance; an electrical detector connected
to said output and providing a rectified control signal in response
to said signal oscillations; a capacitor; second circuit means
connected to said capacitor and said first named circuit means and
said detector and having first and second states in which said
capacitor is effectively connected and disconnected respectively to
said feedback network for sustaining and not sustaining said
oscillatory condition; said second circuit means assuming said
first state in response to said control signal and assuming said
second state in the absence thereof; and
7. The circuit defined in claim 6, wherein said second circuit
means comprises, a diode connected between said feedback network ad
capacitor and being connected to said detector means and responsive
to the presence of said control signal to assume a forward biased
condition providing said first state and to assume a reverse biased
condition in the absence of
8. The circuit defined in claim 6, said terminating means
comprising, a second touch plate adapted for human body contact for
providing a second capacitive impedance, said amplifier being
connected to said second touch plate and being responsive to the
capacitive impedance provided thereby to
9. The touch responsive circuit defined in claim 7, wherein said
detector means is provided by a transistor biased at the threshold
of its cut off region and being connected and responsive to said
amplifier to rectify said signal oscillations, a load capacitor
connected to said transistor to receive such rectified signal
oscillations and assume a voltage charge in response thereto
providing said control signal, and an isolating impedance
effectively connecting said diode across said load capacitor such
that said diode responds to said voltage charge to assume its
forward biased
10. The touch responsive circuit defined in claim 7, wherein said
amplifier circuit is provided by a second transistor having base,
emitter and collector electrodes biased for signal amplification
between an input associated with said emitter electrode and an
output associated with said collector electrode and an inductor
connected between said output and a common AC reference and a
capacitance connected between said input and output, and said touch
plate being connected to said input for providing when touched said
capacitive impedance relative to said common AC reference which
forms together with said inductor and capacitance regenerative
oscillatory signal coupling between said output and input, said
diode being connected between said input and said detector circuit
and responsive to said control signal to assume its forward biased
condition, and said capacitor being connected between said common
AC reference and the connection of said diode with said detector
circuit.
11. The touch responsive circuit defined in claim 10, wherein said
terminating means comprises a second touch plate adapted for human
body contact for providing a second capacitive impedance, said
additional touch plate being connected to said output for providing
when touched said second capacitive impedance relative to said
common AC reference substantially terminating said signal
oscillations at said output, and said detector means being
connected to said output and responsive to the termination of said
oscillations to terminate said control signal.
Description
Touch responsive circuits as known in the art are characterized by
their ability to produce a control signal such as the closing of a
switch, by merely bringing an operator's finger or other part of
the body close to or upon a portion of the circuit. In general, the
principle of operation of these devices is based upon one form or
another of the electrical characteristics of the human body which
are employed to induce an electrical change in the circuit's mode
of operation.
Touch responsive circuits or switches have a number of advantages
over the conventional manually operated switches among which is the
absence of mechanically reciprocating or moving parts thereby
providing longer and more reliable operative service without
replacement.
While such touch responsive circuits or switches have the potential
of replacing mechanical switches in a substantial number of
applications due to their advantageous features, it has been found
that these devices are by and large limited to relatively few
commercially significant uses. It is believed that the inability of
these existing circuits to find wider acceptance in industry
relates to their expense, instability and/or large size.
Additionally, many of the available touch responsive circuits or
switches are impractical in a large number of applications due to
their substantial power consumption.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
touch responsive circuit having high characteristic stability
together with proper touch sensitivity for providing exceedingly
positive and reliable switching operation.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a
circuit having only a few inexpensive and low tolerance component
parts for heretofore unobtainable miniaturization, low power
consumption and low cost, wherein all of the components may be
arranged in a package of a size comparable with conventional
manually actuated mechanical switches.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a
circuit having stable "on" and "off" modes of operation, in which
the circuit may be switched between these modes by momentary touch
actuation.
The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage,
some of which of the foregoing will be set forth in the following
description of the preferred form of the invention which is
illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of this
specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in
the showing made by the drawings and description may be adopted
within the scope of the invention as set forth in claims.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a detailed schematic diagram of a touch responsive
circuit constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a front elevation of an assembled touch responsive switch
containing the circuit of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the assembled switch shown in
FIG. 2 having a partial cross section taken generally along lines
3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a rear elevation of the switch assembly taken along lines
4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the circuit of FIG. 1 having
additional circuit components for providing stable "on" -"off"
operation in response to separate touch elements;
FIG. 6 is a front elevation of an assembled "on" -"off" touch
switch for the circuit shown in FIG. 5
FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of the assembly shown in FIG. 6
having a partial cross section taken generally along lines 7-7
thereof; and
FIG. 8 is a rear elevation of such switch assembly taken along
lines 8-8 of FIG. 7.
In general, the invention provides a touch responsive circuit shown
in FIG. 1, comprising a touch plate 11 adapted to receive a
capacitive impedance 12 with respect to a common 15 provided by
contact of the human body with touch plate 11. Touch plate 11 is in
turn connected to a feedback network 13 of a transistor amplifier
14, wherein feedback network 13 is adapted to receive capacitive
impedance 12 and thereupon assume a zero phase shift regenerative
feedback path about amplifier 14. This zero phase shift feedback
path causes regenerative signal oscillations to appear within the
circuit. By virtue of this construction, amplifier 14 together with
feedback network 13 provide a circuit means 16 having a normally
inactive or nonoscillatory condition and being adapted to receive a
capacitive impedance 12 in the range provided by the human body and
in response thereto assume an oscillatory condition. The signal
oscillations within circuit means 16 may thereupon be converted
into a direct current control signal by detection means 17 as
hereinafter discussed.
As an important feature of the present invention, it has been found
that amplifier 14 may be provided by a single transistor 21 having
a base electrode 22, a collector electrode 23 and an emitter
electrode 24 connected to biasing means for maintaining transistor
21 in a normally active or amplifying region. The biasing means is
provided in this instance by resistors 26, 27 ad 28, wherein
resistors 26 and 27 connected between a source of potential +V and
common 15 form a voltage divider network connected to base
electrode 22. These resistors are selected to bias transistor 21 in
its active conduction region in which the collector-base junction
is reverse biased while the emitter-base junction is forward
biased. This disposition provides that transistor 21 will operate
as an amplifier to provide a source of energy for sustaining
oscillations of circuit means 16 when touch plate 11 is contacted
by the body preferably the finger of the operator. As only a single
transistor is required for producing a signal in response to touch,
the advantages of extremely low power consumption, miniaturization
and low cost production are realized.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, feedback network 13
is selected to form in combination with amplifier 14 a portion of a
Colpitts oscillator. The complete oscillator of this type comprises
a feedback network including an inductor and a pair of capacitors
connected to provide a zero phase shift between the output and
input of a power gain amplifier. In the present invention,
(assuming the absence of an isolation capacitor 32, the function of
which will be discussed herein) inductor 29 and capacitor 31 form
two branches of such a network while circuit means 16 is adapted to
receive the remaining capacitive branch across junctions 18 and 19.
Accordingly, upon touching of touch plate 11 capacitive impedance
12 is inserted into feedback network 13 providing together with
inductor 29 and capacitor 31 a zero phase shift or regenerative
feedback path about transistor amplifier 14 thereby causing circuit
means 16 to oscillate as a Colpitts oscillator. In the absence of
body capacitance, impedance 12, the regenerative feedback path is
incomplete, therefore, disabling the oscillatory condition of the
circuit. This provides for rapid cut off of the oscillator signal
output immediately upon removal of the operatr's finger from touch
plate 11 as such rapid operation is desired in a number of
applications.
Transistor amplifier 14 is connected to provide power gain
amplification between an input and an output thereof which are
connected across feedback network 13. For this purpose, emitter
electrode 24 of transistor 21 is connected as an input for
receiving a signal with respect to common 15 while collector
electrode 23 is connected as an output issuing a power gain signal
also with respect to common 15. Base electrode 22 is biased at a
constant potential relative to common 15.
In order for circuit means 16 to enter a sustained oscillatory
condition, two electrical characteristic conditions must exist.
First, transistor amplifier 14 must provide sufficient power gain
to overcome circuit losses and establish a gain slightly greater
than unity around feedback network 13. The second condition resides
in the selection of feedback components, inductor 29 and capacitor
31 in conjunction with the typical value of body capacitance,
impedance 12, to provide a zero phase shift around the closed loop
formed by amplifier 14 and network 13. That is, in order to
regenerate the amplifier input from the output thereof to provide a
regenerative oscillatory condition, network 13 must provide a phase
shifted signal at the amplifier input aiding the instantaneous
signal appearing at the amplifier output.
The frequency at which this zero phase shift or regenerative effect
may occur, defines the frequency of oscillation of circuit means
16. It has been found that the capacitance provided by touching
conductor 11 ranges from approximately 50 to 300 pico-farad (pico
=10 .sup..sup.-12) depending upon the pressure exerted by the
operatr's finger on touch plate conductor 11. Accordingly, feedback
components inductor 29 and capacitor 31, are selected to provide a
zero phase shift for a value of capacitive impedance 12 approaching
or within this above defined range. The circuit of the present
invention performs most satisfactorily when the value of capacitive
impedance 12 required for oscillation is somewhat less than the
minimum touch capacitance (50 pico-farad) of the above defined
range. This insures positive and dependable actuation of the
circuit for even the lightest touch on plate 11. In one embodiment
of the invention, a capacitance of about 14 pico-farad was selected
as a threshold value for impedance 12 from which the values for
inductor 29 and capacitor 31 and 32 were calculated. A value of 120
micro-henries for inductor 29, a value of 27 pico-farads for
capacitor 31, and a value of 47 pico-farads for isolation capacitor
32 were found satisfactory in this example for use with a typical
transistor 21. A circuit constructed using components having these
particular design values will oscillate when actuated at a
frequency centering around 2 megacycles.
While the circuit shown in FIG. 1 is provided with a ground
connection to common 15, it will be apparent that the +V line
connected to terminal 35 is at the same signal or reference level
for AC signals as common 15 and thus in a alternative arrangement
terminal 35 may be grounded and a -V DC potential applied to
terminal 38. Moreover it has been unexpectedly found that the
circuit of the present invention will work effectively without a
conventional ground. For example, operation has been obtained where
the battery source is connected across terminals 35 ad 38 and both
these terminals are isolated from any ground and likewise the
person touching plate 11 is similarly isolated from ground. While
the capacitive effect of the body touching plate 11 in such
instances is not fully understood the operational result, i.e.,
production of oscillation, is the same as the placing of a
capacitance across junctions 18 and 19 as above explained.
The preferred embodiment of the invention incorporates an isolation
capacitor 32 connected in series between touch plate 11 and the
junction of emitter electrode 24 and capacitor 31. Capacitor 32
provides direct current isolation between circuit means 16 and
touch plate 11, which generally exposes a conductive surface to
touch, for protecting the circuit in the case of an inadvertent
direct current short between touch plate conductor 11 and common 15
when grounded. It will be noted that in calculating the appropriate
values for inductor 29 and capacitor 31 as above discussed, that
the added capacitance of capacitor 32, when included, should be
taken into consideration. Accordingly, if it is desired to provide
a threshold body capacitance of around 14 pico-farad to actuate the
circuit, this value should be combined with the value of capacitor
32 to arrive at a total value of capacitance between emitter 24 and
terminal 19 for use in selecting inductor 29 and capacitor 31 for
proper feedback oscillation.
It is anticipated that the touch responsive signal oscillation
provided by circuit means 16 may be employed to signal or control a
variety of receptive electrical devices. However, the preferred
embodiment of the invention provides a detector means 17 operative
to convert the selective signal oscillations appearing at output
terminal 36 of circuit means 16 into a rectified or direct current
output control signal at terminals 37 and 38 for controlling a load
33. For example, load 33 may take the form of a solid state
multivibrator switch operative in response to the output signal
appearing at terminals 37 and 38 to control an external system.
In its preferred form, detection means 17 comprises a transistor 34
biased at the threshold of its cut-off region and coupled to
terminal 36 for rectifying the oscillating signal appearing
thereat. More particularly, a base electrode 39 of transistor 34 is
coupled through a DC blocking capacitor 40 to the output terminal
36 of circuit means 16 while collector and emitter electrodes 41
and 42 are serially connected with a load capacitor 43 between a
source of +V common 15. Resistor 44 connected between emitter
electrode 42 ad base electrode 39 maintain transistor 34 at the
threshold of its cut off region where the collector-base junction
and the emitter-base junction are both reversed biased. Transistor
34 accordingly responds to the alternating current oscillations
passed by capacitor 40 to base electrode 39 and periodically enters
its active conduction region. That is, in the presently illustrated
embodiment, positive excursions of the oscillation signal appearing
at base electrode 39 cause transistor 34 to turn "on " and thereby
assume a low impedance condition between collector and emitter
electrodes 41 and 42 during each positive half period of the
oscillating signal. This periodically assumed low impedance between
these electrodes provides a pulsating charging current for
capacitor 43 which stores each pulse charge and rapidly assumes a
voltage thereacross approximately equal to the supply voltage +V
applied to terminal 35. Thus, the direct current or rectified
control signal issued across terminals 37 and 38 is provided by the
voltage charge assumed by capacitor 43 pursuant to oscillations of
circuit means 16.
Of particular advantage, the above-described detection circuit
provides an output signal of substantial power in response to a
low-voltage and low-power output signal from circuit means 16.
Specifically, the input to transistor 34 requires only a nominal
amount of current flow for actuation and thereby reduces the
loading of circuit means 16 at terminal 36 insuring its proper
functioning when placed in an oscillatory condition. Moreover, as
resistor 44 is connected to the junction of emitter electrode 42
and capacitor 43, transistor 34 is maintained near the threshold of
its cut off region independently of the instantaneous voltage
across capacitor 43. This permits an extremely low level amplitude
excursion of the oscillating signal at base electrode 39 in order
to drive transistor 34 into its active or conductive region. For
example, a voltage amplitude of less than one positive volt of the
oscillating signal has been found sufficient to turn transistor 34
on and thereby charge capacitor 43. This low-voltage operation
permits circuit means 16 to operate over a wider range of output
characteristics giving a wider latitude in its design criteria and
component tolerances. In selecting capacitor 43, consideration
should be taken of the impedance of a particular load 33 with which
the circuit is utilized. It is preferred that the combined
impedance of capacitor 43 and that of load 33 be selected to
provide a time constant greater than the period of the signal
oscillation provided by circuit means 16. This insures that
capacitor 43 will properly charge to a maximum value approximating
the source potential, +V, in response to actuation of touch plate
11.
Due to the few number of component parts of the circuit of FIG. 1
and the use of only two solid state devices for the active
components, the entire touch responsive circuit may be packaged
into a compact miniaturized switch as shown in FIG. 3.
Particularly, the circuit of FIG. 1 is preferably preassembled into
a package 46 and thereupon encapsulated by a cylindrical metallic
shield 47 to protect the circuit from spurious external electrical
and magnetic fields. To provide for exposing and thereby presenting
touch plate 11 for contact by the body and particularly the finger
of an operator, shield 47 is formed with a cylindrical aperture 48
in which conductor 11 is disposed insulated from shield 47.
This arrangement provides a convenient mount for the formation of
isolating capacitor 32 which is provided by the disposition of
plate conductor 49 internally of shield 47 in parallel registration
with plate conductor 11 and separated therefrom by discoidal
insulator 51. The connection of isolation capacitor 32 to the
junction of feedback capacitor 31 and emitter electrode 24 of
circuit means 16 is provided by spring 52 formed of a conductive
material and placed in compression between plate conductor 49 and
electrical contact 53 of circuit package 46. As noted above,
isolation capacitor 32 in this instance provided by the proximity
of touch plate 11 and plate conductor 49 provides direct current
isolation protection of circuit package 46 and furthermore by this
isolation eliminates the possibility of the operator receiving a
shock from the circuit.
It is preferred that conductive touch plate 11 be formed with a
discoidal shape as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 to provide a surface area
approximately the size of a finger tip. This will insure a
substantial and sufficiently uniform capacitive impedance 12 upon
fingertip engagement with touch plate 11 and thereby enhance the
positive and reliable operation of circuit means 16.
Electrical access to circuit package 46 is provided by terminal
posts 56, 57 ad 58 corresponding to terminals 35, 37 and 38 of the
circuit of FIG. 1. Insulating plug 59 mounted within an open end 61
of metallic shields 47 provides a mount for terminal posts 56, 57
and 58 and insures insulation therebetween.
In the assembly of the touch responsive switch, discoidal insulator
51 having attached thereto conductive touch plate 11 and plate
conductor 49 is inserted through open end 61 of metallic shield 47
to abut against shoulder 62 thereof. Spring 52 and circuit package
46 mounted within cylindrical insulating sleeve 63 are then
introduced through open end 61 to force sleeve 63 against disoical
insulator 51. Insulating plug 59 with terminal posts 56, 57 and 58
is thereupon inserted in open end 61 and held firm therein by
locking pin 64 inserted within a mated opening formed within shield
47 and plug 59 as shown. The entire touch plate switch assembly as
shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 provides a compact device comparing
favorably with conventional manually operated electromechanical
switches. This miniaturized size and self-contained package offers
many advantages in apparatus and instrumentation where a
multiplicity of such switches are required in a closely spaced
array.
Preferably housing 47 is formed with a mounting flange 66 and
external threads 67 to facilitate its mounting in a control panel
or the like.
As an alternative arrangement to the circuit shown in FIG. 1, the
present invention provides additional circuitry for achieving
sustained "on" operation in response to momentarily touching a
first touch plate element, whereafter the switch may be returned to
its "off" condition either by an externally derived control signal
or as in the herein described and preferred embodiment, by
momentarily touching a second or "off" touch plate element. With
reference to FIG. 5, wherein circuit elements common to those of
FIG. 1 are assigned corresponding reference numerals with the
postscript "a," a further subcircuit 70 is provided for
automatically sustaining the oscillatory condition of circuit means
16a in response to the presence of the rectified control signal
provided by detection means 17a. For this purpose, subcircuit 70
comprises a capacitor 71 having one side thereof connected to
common 15a and having its other end adapted for connection into
feedback network 13a for providing an auxiliary capacitive
impedance therefor to sustain the regenerative feedback about
amplifier 14a and thus sustain its oscillating condition in place
of capacitive impedance 12a, when the latter disappears after an
operator releases his finger from touch plate conductor 11a.
Furthermore, this connection of capacitor 71 provided by the
momentary appearance of capacitive impedance 12a is maintained
until released by an external command signal or by actuating a
second touch plate element as hereinafter described. The circuitry
controlling the connection of capacitor 71 to feedback network 13a
is advantageously provided in this instance by a diode 72 connected
between the input of amplifier 14a and the output of detection
means 17a whereby diode 72 forms a solid state switching element
having a forward biased low impedance state and a reverse biased
high impedance state. These states of the diode respectively
connect and disconnect capacitor 71 between common 15a and a
terminal 73 connected in feedback network 13a at the junction
thereof with the input to amplifier 14a. In this instance, the
amplifier input is provided by emitter 24a of transistor 21a. In
order to drive diode 72 between its forward bias or "on" state and
its reverse biased or "off" state, it is arranged with its cathode
connected to terminal 73 and its anode connected through an
isolating resistor 74 to a terminal 76 which in turn is connected
to the junction of resistor 44a and load capacitor 43a receiving
thereat the control signal output of detection means 17a. In this
manner diode 72 is effectively connected across capacitor 43a
through resistors 28a and 74 such that the state of diode 72 is
dependent upon the instantaneous voltage appearing across load
capacitor 43a. Resistor 74 serves to effectively isolate capacitor
71 from load capacitor 43a. Accordingly, the switching of diode 72
and thus the controlled connection of capacitor 71 to feedback
network 13a occurs as follows:
Assuming that circuit means 16a is in a quiescent or nonoscillating
condition, the output of detection means 17a at terminal 37a
exhibits an essentially zero voltage. At this same time, a certain
amount of quiescent current flowing through the collector emitter
path of transistor 21a develops a slightly positive voltage across
resistor 28a relative to common 15a. This positive voltage is
presented at terminal 73 causing a higher voltage to appear at the
cathode of diode 72 than is provided at its anode, the latter of
which is connected through resistors 74 and terminal 76 to output
terminal 37a. Diode 72 thereby presents a relatively high impedance
between its cathode and anode effectively disconnecting capacitor
71 from feedback network 13a.
To turn the switch on, plate conductor 11a is touched, providing
capacitive impedance 12a and causing circuit means 16a to enter an
oscillating mode as above described. This in turn causes detection
means 17a to rectify the oscillating signal and develop a voltage
across load capacitor 43a approaching the V+ source applied at
terminal 35a. The rise in voltage across capacitor 43a, which
represents the rectified control signal output, is extended through
terminal 76 resistor 74 to the anode of diode 72 presenting a
higher voltage thereat than is present at its cathode, immediately
placing diode 72 in a forward biased or low impedance condition.
Thus, capacitor 71 is connected into feedback network 13a and
effectively takes the place of capacitive impedance 12a when the
operator removes his finger from touch plate conductor 11a and
maintains circuit means 16a in a continuing oscillatory condition
which in turn sustains the control signal output of detection means
17a at terminal 37. This sustained or latched "on" mode of the
touch responsive switch has thereby been accomplished through the
use of only three additional components, requiring a negligible
amount of additional operating power and occupying very little
additional space.
While it will be apparent that a number of circuit arrangements may
be utilized for releasing the circuit once placed in its sustained
"on" releasing mode of operation such as by momentarily removing +V
from collector 41a of transistor 39a, the present invention
provides an additional touch plate conductor 77 for accomplishing
this operation. Conductor 77 as i the case of touch plate conductor
11a consists of a generally flat plate formed of electrically
conductive material and having a lead extended therefrom which is
connected to the output of amplifier 14a or in this instance to
collector 23a of transistor 21a through a terminal 78. Furthermore,
the capacitive impedance provided by contact with conductor 77 by
the human body, such as an operator's finger, occurs relative to
common 15a and is represented in this instance by a capacitive
impedance 79 shown by dotted lines connected between common 15a and
conductor 77. In operation, and assuming that the circuit of FIG. 5
has been turned "on" by momentarily engaging touch plate 11a, the
switch may be subsequently turned "off" as desired by merely
touching plate 77. When this occurs, the signal oscillation emitted
by collector 23a of transistor 21a at the output of amplifier 14a,
is effectively short circuited common 15a through capacitive
impedance 79 thereby suppressing the oscillatory signal otherwise
presented to detection means 17a. In other words, touching
conductor 77 terminates the oscillating signal output of circuit
means 16a, whereupon detection means 17a ceases to provide the
rectified control signal at output terminal 37a as will be
evidenced by dissipation of the voltage charge across capacitor
43a. Furthermore, the decrease in voltage across capacitor 43a
returns diode 72 to its reverse biased condition in which capacitor
71 is disconnected from feedback network 13a and restores the
circuit to its nonoscillatory "off" mode.
In addition to the provision for subcircuit 70, the embodiment of
the invention shown in FIG. 5 includes low value (e.g., 100 ohm)
emitter resistors, resistors 25 and 45, connected respectively to
emitters 24a and 42a of transistor 21a and 34a. Resistors 25 and 45
function to stabilize the base-emitter circuit in each case and
thereby minimize changes in the switch performance due to
variations in the transistor parameters which vary within
production tolerance limits from transistor to transistor.
Compensation in this manner facilitates production of touch
responsive switches having substantially uniform capacitance
requirements for initiating the oscillating condition of circuit
means 16a and attendant uniform touch pressure.
In a manner similar to the circuit of FIG. 1, the components of
FIG. 5 may be arranged in a miniaturized switch assembly as shown
in FIGS. 6 through 8. With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, conductors
11a and 77 are formed with a rectangular shape and nested within
separate adjacent recesses of an insulating cap 81. The exposed
metallic surfaces of the touch plate conductors may be provided
with engraved or etched indications of their separate "on" and
"off" functions such as shown in FIG. 6. Each conductor plate is
provided with an extended terminal portion 82 extending inwardly of
cap 81. A pair of clip springs 83 serve to maintain touch plate
conductors 11a and 77 securely seated and leads 84 provide means
for connecting the separate touch plate to an electronic circuit
package 86 which houses the remaining components of the circuit
shown in FIG. 5. Encapsulating electronic package 86 is a hollow
rectangular sleeve 87 having an enclosed end 88 and being suitably
secured to cap 81 about the periphery of an open end 89 and
disposing package 86 in proximity with conductors 11a and 77 for
connection of leads 84 therebetween. A terminal header 91 is
mounted within sleeve 87 adjacent enclosed end 88, providing a
mounting board for connection of leads 90 from package 86 to
insulated terminals 92, 93 and 94 which extend through end 88 of
sleeve 87 for external access to terminal 35a (+V), terminal 37a
(output) terminal 38a (common) respectively, and a spare terminal
95 for optional connection to the circuit in special
installations.
At variance with the packaging shown in FIGS. 2 through 4,
isolation capacitor 32a for the circuit of FIG. 5 is a conventional
lumped impedance circuit element mounted within electronic package
86. In common with the former embodiment, advantageous miniature
size of the "on-off" switch assembly shown in FIGS. 6 through 8 is
provided, with typical dimensions being on the order of 1 inch in
width, 5/8 inch in thickness and about 1 5/8 inches long.
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