link to: http://boban-stojanovic.blogspot.com/
link to: http://boban-toys.blogspot.com/
P-04396YU (19.07.2006), WIPO-PCT/RS2007/000013(28.05.2007) No:-WO/2008/010739 )
P-2008/00063 (14.02 2008),P-2008/0097(04.03 2008), P-2008/98 (04.03 2008),P-2008/104 (07.03 2008),P-2008/469 (09.10. 2008) ,P-2008/495 (23.10.2008) ,P-2008/496 (23.10.2008) ,
PCT/RS2009/00007)-(02.03.2009),(PCT/RS2009/00005)-(13.02.2009)
Self-disconnecting flat iron :
By adding of just a bit of electronics, the iron can be active only when held in hand and a couple minutes afterwards. If it is left on and not used, it would disconnect on its own after a few minutes. The manufacturer chooses the period or it could be adjustable with a timer. Minimal period between the physical contact and the disconnection is a minimal period for the iron to heat up from minimum to maximum and it depends on the strength of a heater.
Sensor detects an electrolyte or a hand when on the iron. Sensor is obstruction resistant. It is placed on the top of the iron. When the iron is touched, the sensor induces the timer. The timer activates the optotriac or relay which bridges the main voltage of 220V. It is up to the manufacturer whether he is going to choose a solid-state switch (thyristor or triac) or electromechanical (relay). Since the irons are up to 2200W magnitude, it is easy to find thyristors of 16A which are not too expensive. Entire electronics is located in PCB of size about 2x5 cm but it is possible to adjust it to the certain type of the iron. The electronics operates at 3V voltage and the consumption is about 10 micro A in stand by regime. For such a small consumption, it is quite easy to make a voltage reducer and adjuster. The 220V voltage at about 10V is obtained by using two resistors. Because the circuit uses small amount of electric current, values in the resistor are big and there is no greater heating in them. It is possible instead of resistors to use voltage-reducing condensers from 220V to about 10V. For the stabilization of the voltage, I have used classical zanier diode but it is also possible to use integrated stabilizer for 3V. As a timer it is possible to use integrated timers or mono-stable multi-vibrator(osc). Greater part of the circuit is possible to realize in many ways depending of the size of PCB and component prices. The price of the iron supplement, which turns the iron off (electronics with PCB and montage), is no more than 3 dollars in mass production.
I believe that the operating mode is quite clear. Besides that, in my patent I have also covered, the activation of the iron at panel shift, photo reflection and wow, but it seems to me that the realization of the self-disconnecting iron with capacitive sensor is the most practical.
The capacitive sensor detects a conductor or an electrolyte such is hand at 0,3 to 2 cm distance. The sensor sensitivity is easily adjusted depending on the geometry of electrodes and the perimeters of the circuit.
As the device operates at 220V or 110V (there is a capacity between the electrodes and the ground), voltage variation is large, therefore, it is enough to use one electrode in the shape of wire which is relatively easily installed in the iron. For the activation of the iron, a capacity of 0,1pF between the electrode and the ground is sufficient. Human body is just a part of the serial in-line capacity, which is between the feet and the ground more than 5pF therefore for the device operation important just the capacity between the hand and the top of the iron. To my thinking, the best chosen geometry of the electrode and perimeters of the electrical circuit, would be when the iron that say its heater is turned on by a touch of a hand, but it is possible to set the sensor to turn the heater on in case the hand is at couple of millimeters distance from the plastic part of the iron. 
Reduction of consumption of wireless optical computer mouse:
Optical wireless computer mouse when not active uses approximately 300-100 micro A. I have tested the Microsoft Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 model. Depending on intensity of usage, its battery lasts about six months.
By adding the capacitive sensor, its consumption in stand by regime would be reduced about 50 times. It is easy to assume that for an average consumer the battery would last much longer. By adding the capacitive sensor, the life of the battery would be extended, and the sensor would pay off immediately because the price of the entire electronics in mass production is around 10-15 cents, which is similar to the difference between alkaline and regular battery.
The device is a part of my work of many years P-04396RS (19.07.2006), International application : (28.05.2007) No:-WO/2008/010739 for which there are several applications in national or international phase. I will describe the sensor in brief. The sensor consists of a-stabile multi-vibrator as an oscillator. Besides the astabile multivibrator , there are the two electrodes of sensor variable capacitor. The two pieces of 2cm copper wire could be used as electrodes. When there is a conductor or an electrolyte near electrodes and that can also be a hand, it makes the in-line containing power Cx=0,1pF in the variable capacitor Cx. The capacity induces the astbile multivibrator to oscillate with the adequate amplitude to induce the rest of the circuit. As inverted converters I have used six integrated inverters in IC IC4069 CMOS. The standard CMOS circuits of 4000B series give better results than in case of HCT or HC gates, because with smaller consumption they give greater sensitivity of the device. The device can be constructed with other gate series. For standard CMOS circuits and integrated circuit, CMOS 4069 here are some characteristics:
Operating voltage: from 2,3V to 3,1V.
Electric current consumption: from 3 to 5 micro A.Detection area: from 0.3-2 cm depending on circuit perimeters .
The sensitivity is easy to adjust even in arrange of 1cm. When an electrolyte or hand is detected the device is noise resistant. Even near the mobile phones, obstructions or errors are not induced. Forasmuch as the device with the variable capacitor is somewhat impractical to install in optical mouse, besides the classic sensor I have also added in my patent the realization of sensor with only one electrode. Capacitive sensor with one electrode consists of one electrode, which can be a piece of wire and a a-stabile multi-vibrator . The second electrode of the capacitive sensor Cx is a virtual electrode, which is the power supply i.e. the battery. This realization is more practical to upgrade since one piece of the wire can be easily put anywhere in the device and by that a hand could always be detected.
Whereas the device functions on operating voltage of 2,3 to 3 V for some optical mice which need 1,5V batteries it would be inapplicable. However, a voltage converter could be easily added from 1.5V to 3V. It can be realized with a transistor, converter and a couple of passive components. For it is necessary to power on the sensor with 3V and electric current of 5-10 micro A, voltage converter doesn’t have to work continually but also occasionally. In this manner, the consumption is slightly increased than in the case of 3V, but it is still at least 10 times smaller than when wireless optical mouse uses exclusively optics.
The capacitive sensor could be applied in computer keyboards, gamepads and remote controls:
If instead of a hand contact by pushing the button, we replace the construction and install the capacitive sensor, we would get the pushbutton that could not break down. For capacitive sensor, there is no need of any kind of contact. Electrodes of push buttons are insulated. When a finger pushes a button a rubber part of the button with electrodes makes some condenser which activates sensor. Suchlike construction of the buttons on a keyboard gives almost infinite lifetime of the keyboard. Beside the a-stabile multi-vibrator , it is necessary to add an analogue mixer and de-mixer. The price of theses keyboards would be similar and even if the additional electronics were made separately, it would be more economical for PCB keyboards since there is no need for a graphite therefore the construction of passive part of the keyboard is much simpler. 
The device is also possible to realize as a sensor matrix, therefore the detection of the finger would be possible, and as a quite practical usage, it could appear in remote controls and keyboards in which case there will not be need for contact or a chance for the devices to break. It happened to all of us that a button on a remote control would not work. By using the capacitive sensor in a keyboard or a remote control, breakdowns would be impossible.
Versions of the device:It is possible to use a loop controlled by the sols PLL instead of the filters .( Phase Locker Loop) The input of PLL is connected instead of filters. The range of VCO (voltage-controlled oscillator) corresponds the range of frequency of a-stable multi-vibrator (minimal and maximal frequencies of oscillating of a-stable multi-vibrator) At the output of the PLL analog voltage emerges as a function of the input power. This voltage is possible to treat analogy and digitally and it is proportional to the capacity between electrodes Cx1 and Cx2. Change of capacity occurs not only when the object is a lead or electrolyte but also in case of some insulators like wood, depending on dialectical constants of insulator.
Aplikant
Stojanovic Boban
35230 Cuprija
Serbia
TEL/FAX:+381-35-475-597
mob:+381-64-300-5375
mail to:
