Electric power conversion systems – Current conversion – With voltage multiplication means
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-03
2001-04-10
Han, Jessica (Department: 2838)
Electric power conversion systems
Current conversion
With voltage multiplication means
Reexamination Certificate
active
06215676
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a selective voltage multiplier for an electric toy model train which includes an audio speaker system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electric toy model trains typically include an electronic audio speaker system incorporated within the locomotive engine car of the train to provide simulated locomotive warning horn or whistle sounds. Typically, voltage power is supplied to the audio speaker system of the locomotive engine car via one of the rails of the train track.
Toy model trains typically include an electronic user control box electrically connected to one or more of the train track rails. The control box typically has one or more levers, dials, or buttons which are manually adjustable and manipulatable by the user. In this way, the control box enables the user to manually control the voltage levels supplied to the electronic systems and motor of the locomotive engine car to control the toy train's speed, direction, and sounds.
In the past, a problem would often arise when the user would decrease the voltage supplied to the locomotive engine car to slow it down or stop it. Such a decrease in voltage supplied to the engine car would then make it impossible to activate the audio speaker system in the engine car because the decreased supply voltage would be inadequate to drive the speaker system. To solve this problem, a voltage doubler circuit or other voltage multiplier circuit was incorporated within the audio system of the engine car to ensure that the audio system could be properly activated with appropriately high voltage levels, even when the locomotive engine car itself was slowed down or stopped.
However, providing a voltage doubler created other problems. In particular, when a user increased the voltage supplied to the locomotive engine car to move the engine car at high rates of speed along the train track, the voltage doubler would automatically step up the voltage supplied to the audio system. As a result of such an increase in voltage, the various electrical components incorporated within the audio system needed to have higher voltage capacities. Despite the relatively high cost of such high capacity components, they often overheated and occasionally catastrophically failed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides for a method and an apparatus which selectively multiplies an input voltage applied to an audio speaker system in an electric toy model train. The method includes establishing a reference voltage and comparing the input voltage to the reference voltage. The input voltage is then multiplied if the reference voltage exceeds the input voltage.
The invention also provides for an electric audio speaker system for a toy model train powered by an input voltage which includes a selectively activated voltage multiplier which supplies a particular voltage to the audio system depending on whether the input voltage is below a pre-determined voltage level.
One aspect of the invention includes an audio system for an electric toy model train which includes a multiplier circuit, which multiplies an input voltage, and a means for establishing a reference voltage. A comparator circuit is also provided which compares the input voltage with the reference voltage. The comparator circuit produces an output signal generally depending on whether the reference voltage exceeds the input voltage. An optical enabler enables the multiplier circuit and is electrically connected between the comparator circuit and the multiplier circuit. The optical enabler selectively enables the multiplier circuit depending on the output signal of the comparator circuit.
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patent: 3713018 (1973-01-01), Tscheuschner
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Forrest M. Mims III,Getting Started in Electronics, p. 102, Cat. No. 62-5003 (Radio Shack—A Division of Tandy Corporation, 13th edition, 1996), No Month.
Forrest M. Mims III,Engineer's Mini-Notebook—Basic Semiconductor Circuits, p. 19, Cat. No. 62-5013 (Radio Shack—A Division of Tandy Corporation, 7th edition, 1997), No Month.
Han Jessica
Lionel Trains, Inc.
Young & Basile P.C.
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