United States Patent [191
`Schultz
`
`[11]
`
`[45]
`
`4,053,789
`Oct. 11, 1977
`
`[75]
`
`[54] TOUCH ACfUATED SYSTEM RESPONSIVE
`TO A COMBINATION OF RESISTANCE AND
`CAPACITANCE
`Inventor: Sheldon L. Schultz, Bloomington,
`Minn.
`[73] Assignee: Honeywell Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.
`[21] Appl. No.: 718,230
`Aug. 27, 1976
`[22] Filed:
`[51]
`Int. Cl,2 ............................................. H01H 35/00
`[52] u.s. Cl ......................................... 307/116; 328/5;
`200/DIG. 1
`[58] Field of Search .................... 307/116, 308; 328/5;
`340/365 C, 258 B, 258 C; 200/DIG. 1;
`361!179, 181
`
`[56]
`
`3,200,306
`3,666,988
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`8/1965 Atkins et al .......................... 361/179
`5/1972 Bellis .................................... 307/116
`
`3,728,501
`
`4/1973 Larson et al. ................. 200/DIG. 1
`
`Primary Examiner-Robert K. Schaefer
`Assistant Examiner-Eugene S. Indyk
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Alfred N. Feldman
`
`[57]
`ABSTRACT
`A system that is responsive to the touch of an animal,
`and is activated by a combination of the inherent body
`capacity of the animal and the application of a skin
`resistance to a detector means. A digital oscillator pro(cid:173)
`vides two pulse outputs that are compared in a pulse
`processing means. One of the pulse outputs is fed to a
`touch responsive area, that in turn is connected to the
`pulse processing me!fus, a buffer amplifier and a load.
`The touch responsive area activates the pulse process(cid:173)
`ing means whenever the touch responsive area is
`bridged by a resistance and at the same time a body
`capacitance exists tb' ground.
`
`10 Clainis, 3 Drawing Figures
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`
`U.S. Patent Oct. 11, 1977
`
`Sheet 2 of 2
`
`4,053,789
`
`FIGo 2
`
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`DIELECTRIC SUBSTRATE 63
`
`

`
`1
`
`4,053,789
`
`2
`contamination and spurious types of operation that
`might be present in systems that rely only on one elec(cid:173)
`trical condition being present before the system will
`operate.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`FIG. 1 is an electrical schematic of the present inven(cid:173)
`tion;
`FIG. 2 is a group of wave forms in different parts of
`the schematic of FIG. 1, and;
`FIG. 3 is one possible way of fabricating the touch
`responsive area that is used in the detector circuit.
`
`TOUCH ACfUATED SYSTEM RESPONSIVE TO A
`COMBINATION OF RESISTANCE AND
`CAPACITANCE
`
`5
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`There are numerous types of electrical control sys(cid:173)
`tems that are responsive to the touch of animals, such as
`humans, pets or domestic animals. These systems vary
`all the way from conventional electric contact devices 10
`to capacitive and resistive type devices that respond to
`the proximity of an animal or the shunting of the ani(cid:173)
`mals body resistance across an electric circuit. These
`systems are usually responsive to only one condition of
`presence of an animal, such as capacitive coupling as in 15
`a proximity switch, or actual physical movement as in
`the use of a conventional electric switch. Conventional
`·electric switches which require movements are suscep(cid:173)
`tible
`to contamination and mechanical
`failures.
`Switches which respond to electric capacity can be 20
`inadvertently actuated by the proximity of objects other
`than an animal. The deficiencies of these types of
`switching systems are overcome by the present inven(cid:173)
`tion.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention is directed to a reliable touch
`actuated system. This touch actuated system will be
`generally described as being responsive to the touch of
`an animal. It is understood that the term animal includes 30
`human beings, pets and domestic animals. The present
`touch actuated system relies upon the use of an oscilla(cid:173)
`tor or generating means which generates a pair of pulse
`outputs. The pair of pulse outputs are fed to a detector
`means that includes a touch responsive area. One of the 35
`pulse outputs is fed through an asymmetric current
`conducting means and resistor to one conductor of a
`pair of spaced electrical conductors that make up ·the
`touch responsive area. The second conductor from the
`touch responsive pair of conductors is fed to a pulse 40
`processing network that has been disclosed as an in(cid:173)
`verter and a flip-flop. The flip-flop receives the second
`of the pair of pulse outputs. The two pulse outputs are
`compared and are in tum fed to a load that is capable of
`actuating any type of electric circuitry that is desired. 45
`The touch responsive area has been disclosed as a grid
`of rectangular shape with interleaved conductors. Any
`type of configuration which utilizes a pair of conduc(cid:173)
`tors that are electrically separated and which can be
`bridged by the touch of an animal is satisfactory. The 50
`touching of the touch responsive area accomplishes two
`necessary functions before the system will respond.
`Firstly, the pair of conductors must be bridged resis(cid:173)
`tively to electrically connect the two spaced conduc(cid:173)
`tors. Secondly, a capacitance to ground, which is inher- 55
`ent in animals such as humans, pets and domestic ani(cid:173)
`mals is capable of being charged to a voltage supplied
`from a first ofthe pulse outputs. The simultaneous appli(cid:173)
`cation of the bridging resistance and the charging of the
`inherent animal capacitance to ground causes the pulse 60
`processing means to change state, thereby indicating
`that the detector means has been touched and the load
`is then operated.
`With the present system, a more reliable touch sens(cid:173)
`ing mechanism is provided than is available by mere 65
`capacitive proximity type touch devices or purely resis(cid:173)
`tive touch type devices. The present arrangement also
`has no moving parts and is therefor not subject to the
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT
`In FIG. 1 a schematic diagram of a digital touch
`actuated system is provided. The energizing circuits,
`power supplies and similar conventional portions have
`been omitted for clarity sake, and are well understood in
`the electrical arts.
`A pulse generating means 10 is shown encompassing
`the top portion of the figure, and utilizes conventional
`digital components to make up an oscillator circuit. The
`pulse generating means 10 has a pair of pulse outputs 11
`25 and 12. The pulse generating means 10 includes two
`NOR gates 13 and 14 that are connected through a pair
`of resistors 15 and 16 to a capacitor 17 so that a square
`wave is generated on conductor 18. The square wave is
`supplied to a binary ripple counter disclosed at 20 and to
`terminal "C" of a flip-flop 21. A NAND gate is also
`energized from the binary ripple counter 20 and
`supplies a further input to "D" of the flip-flop 21. A
`NOR gate 23 is also connected across the input and
`output of the flip-flop 21 with one input of the NOR
`gate common to a buffer amplifier 24 which provides
`the pulse output 12. The flip-flop 21 has a pair of circuit
`grounds 25, with the circuit ground 25 connected
`through a capacitor 26 to an earth ground 27.
`The pulse generating means 10, which is in the form
`of an oscillator circuit having a digital output of pulses
`on 11 and 12, can be fabricated in many different ways.
`The present pulse generating means 10 has the pair of
`pulse outputs 11 and 12 as shown in FIG. 2.
`The FIG. 2 the pulse output 12 is disclosed as the first
`voltage pulse with respect to time, and the pulse output
`11 is shown as the second voltage wave form with re(cid:173)
`spect to time. It will be noted that the pulse output 12 is
`substantially wider than the pulse output 11 and that the
`two pulse outputs are alternate in existence with respect
`to time. That is, the voltage of pulse output 12 occurs,
`and then drops to zero prior to the generation of the
`voltage pulse output 11. The voltage output 11 then
`returns to zero at the time the voltage pulse output 12
`reoccurs. These two wave forms have been schemati(cid:173)
`cally represented in FIG. 1 as existing on the pulse
`outputs 11 and 12 for reference sake as a matter of con-
`venience.
`Two detector means 30 have been disclosed, and it is
`understood that any number of detector means can be
`connected in the manner in which the two specific
`examples have been disclosed. Only one of the detector
`means 30 will be described in any detail, as all of the
`detector means 30 would be the same and would func(cid:173)
`tion in the same manner.
`The pulse output 12, which is the longer duration
`pulse, is connected through a diode 31 and a resistor 32
`that make up an asymmetric conducting impedance
`means. The resistor 32 is connected at 33 to the first of
`
`

`
`4,053,789
`
`3
`two spaced conductor means 34. The second of the
`spaced conductor means 35 is connected to a conductor
`36. The two spaced conductor means 34 and 35 have
`been disclosed as a grid-like configuration which is
`generally rectangular in shape. The configuration or S
`shape of the two spaced conductor means 34 and 35 is
`not material to the present invention. These could be
`spiral in nature, or any other plain geometric pattern
`that is convenient as long as two spaced conductors are
`provided and are electrically insulated from one an- 10
`other. An interelectrode capacitance 37 has been dis(cid:173)
`closed which would inherently exist in this type of
`electrical grid construction.
`The conductor 36 is connected to a bleed resistor 40
`which in tum is connected to the circuit ground 25. the 15
`conductor 36 is also connected to an inverter 41 which
`inverts the signal input on conductor 36 to the conduc(cid:173)
`tor 42. The conductor 42 is connected to a second flip(cid:173)
`flop 43 which is again connected having the circuit
`grounds 25. The resistor 40, the inverter 41 and the 20
`flip-flop 43 make up a pulse processing means 44 and is
`connected by a conductor 45 to the pulse output 11,
`which has been shown schematically as the shorter in
`time span of the pulses from the pulse generating means
`10. It will thus be noted that the flip-flop 43 has two 25
`different inputs one marked "C" and the other marked
`"D." These two inputs are compared by the flip-flop 43,
`as will be explained in connection with a description of
`the operation of the system.
`The pulse processing means 44 further includes an 30
`O!!_tput conductor SO connected to the inverted output
`"Q" of the flip-flop 43, and conductor 51 connected to
`the circuit ground 25. The output conductors SO and 51
`connect to a load 52 which can be any type of electrical
`load which would normally include a buffer amplifier 35
`and electrical switching device which could be used to
`control any type of electrical equipment in response to
`the touch actuated detector means 30. As has been pre(cid:173)
`viously indicated, any number of detector means 30 and
`loads 52 can be connected to the pulse output 11 and 12. 4Q
`The inherent capacitance of an animal has been dis(cid:173)
`closed at 60, connected between the conductor 34 and
`the earth ground 27. The inherent capacitance 60 of an
`animal is required, as an essential operating element, for
`the touch actuated system disclosed. It should be under- 45
`stood that in the present invention the term animal has
`been very broadly used to include human beings, do(cid:173)
`mestic animals and pets. The present touch actuated
`switch or system could be used by the application of a
`human's finger, an animal's paw or its nose. Any of SO
`these actuating functions would provide the two neces(cid:173)
`sary elements, that is a bridging resistance between the
`conductors 34 and 35, along with the application of the
`inherent body capacitance 60 to earth ground. The
`present touch actuated system, therefore, would not ss
`respond to inanimate objects, electrical transient, dirt or
`contaminates which might short the conductors 34 and
`35. The actual presence of an animal having an inherent
`capacitance to ground is essential, as will be understood
`in a description of operation of the system along with 60
`the voltage wave forms disclosed in FIG. 2.
`In FIG. 2 the volatage wave form of the pair of pulse
`outputs 11 and 12 have been disclosed and have been
`previously described. A voltage output with respect to
`time on conductor 36 is disclosed in the third of wave 65
`forms. It will be noted that the wave form is basically
`the same as the pulse output 12 at the portion indicated
`as not being touched. This wave form is generated by
`
`4
`the interelectrode capacitance 37 that would be present
`between the conductors 34 and 35. The last wave form
`disclosed is a voltage on conductor SO with respect to
`ground, and indicates that during the period of time
`when the touch responsive area is not being touched
`that the conductor SO has no voltage present.
`Considering the wave form of voltage at conductor
`36, when the touch responsive area is touched, for ex(cid:173)
`ample a human finger, the conductors 34 and 35 are
`shorted together by a relatively low resistance and at
`the same time the voltage indicated at 61 is applied
`across the inherent body capacity 60. This inherent
`body capacity is charged by the voltage 61 and the body
`holds this voltage level long enough so that the voltage
`on conductor 36 rises and is inverted by the inverter 41
`and applied to conductor 42 at the input "D" of the
`flip-flop 43. Due to the inverter 41, the voltage on con(cid:173)
`ductor 42 is now a logic 0 or the absence of voltage.
`This is the inverse of the voltage that was present when
`the touch responsive area was untouched. The input of
`a voltage pulse 11 at this time provides the flip-flop 43
`with a reversal of its previous output, thereby causing
`the conductor SO to have a rise in voltage as disclosed at
`62. This rise in voltage 62 remains as long as the touch
`responsive area is contacted by the finger. The load
`means 52 is arranged to receive the change in voltage to
`voltage 62 and to activate the load in any convenient
`manner.
`It can be seen from the above discussion that the
`presence of an element, such as the human finger, across
`the conductors 34 and 35 causes the voltage on conduc(cid:173)
`tor 36 to change state and be inverted by the inverter 41.
`This inversion by inverter 41 combined with the pulse
`output 11 causes the flip-flop 43 to change state and
`activate the load 52. The mere application of a short
`circuit between the conductors 34 and 35 does not pro(cid:173)
`vide the necessary charging delay of capacitor 60 and
`voltage which are necessary to actuate the present sys(cid:173)
`tem. The inherent body capacitance 60 of an animal is
`required.
`In FIG. 3 a pictorial representation of one possible
`switch structure or touch responsive area has been dis(cid:173)
`closed. A dielectric substrate material 63 is disclosed
`having surface conductors 64 deposited on the substrate
`surface along with a pair of pads 65 and 66 which are
`used for interconnection to the touch responsive area
`67. The touch responsive area 67 corresponds to the
`grid made up of conductors 34 and 35 in FIG. 1.
`A very simple, but highly reliable touch actuated
`system has been disclosed. A single pulse generating
`means 10 having two output pulses operates any num(cid:173)
`ber of detector means and touch responsive areas to
`control various loads. The exact configuration of the
`electronics is not material as long as the system is de(cid:173)
`signed to compare two pulse outputs in a pulse process(cid:173)
`ing means after one of the pulses has been fed through
`a touch responsive area that is made up of two spaced
`conductor means. Since the present invention can be
`carried out in many different modes and for utilization
`by different types of animals, the exact configuration
`and utilization of the present invention is left to the skill
`of those working in the art. The present invention
`should be limited only in scope by the appended claims.
`The embodiments of the invention in which an exclu(cid:173)
`sive property or right is claimed are defined as follows:
`1. A touch actuated system that responds to the touch
`of an animal, including: continuous pulse generating
`means for generating a pair of pulse outputs; at least one
`
`

`
`4,053,789
`
`5
`touch actuated detector means connected to receive
`said pair of pulse outputs; said detector means including
`a touch responsive area having two spaced conductor
`means which are adapted to be connected together
`resistively by an animal that has an inherent capacitance S
`to ground; said touch responsive area having a first of
`said spaced conductor means connected to a first of said
`pulse outputs through an asymmetrically conducting
`impedance means; said touch responsive area having a
`second of said spaced conductor means connected to 10
`pulse processing means; and said pulse processing
`means connected to a second of said pulse outputs with
`said pulse processing means changing state to operate a
`load when an animal contacts said touch responsive
`area to alter the resistance between said spaced conduc- 15
`tor means concurrently with said inherent capacitance
`being charged.
`2. A touch actuated system as described in claim 1
`wherein said two spaced condutor means includes a pair
`of closely spaced conductors formed in a pattern to 20
`define said touch responsive area.
`3. A touch actuated system as described in claim 2
`wherein said pulse processing means is electronic cir(cid:173)
`cuit means for comparing said second pulse output
`means with an output from said second of said spaced 25
`conductor means.
`4. A touch actuated system as described in claim 3
`wherein said pair of pulse outputs are alternate pulse
`
`6
`outputs so that in the absence of an animal contacting
`said touch responsive area said electronic circuit means
`receives said pulse outputs alternatingly and is not re(cid:173)
`sponsive thereto.
`5. A touch actuated system as described in claim 4
`wherein said pair of pulse outputs are different in time
`duration.
`6. A touch actuated system as described in claim 5
`wherein said pulse processing means includes an in(cid:173)
`verter and flip-flop circuit; and wherein said animal is a
`human being.
`7. A touch actuated system as described in claim 2
`wherein said pattern is a grid work.
`8. A touch actuated system as described in claim 7
`wherein said pulse outputs are alternate pulse outputs of
`different time duration; and said pulse processing means
`includes inverter and flip-flop circuit means.
`9. A touch actuated system as described in claim 8
`wherein said pulse processing means further includes a
`bleed resistor to a circuit ground; and said circuit
`ground is connected to earth ground by a capacitor.
`10. A touch actuated system as described in claim 9
`wherein said animal· is a human being capable of com(cid:173)
`pleting contact between said two spaced conductor
`means and said earth ground so that the inherent capaci(cid:173)
`tance of said human being is charged to control said
`pulse processing means to operate a load.
`• • • • •
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
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`
`55
`
`60
`
`65