Potentiometer position switch circuit

A potentiometer position switch circuit which includes a meter mechanism having a low friction potentiometer coupled to move therewith. The output of the low friction potentiometer is coupled together with the output of a set point potentiometer across the input terminals of a comparator. A magnetic latching double pole, double throw relay having set and reset relay coils is connected to the output of the comparator through the gate of a first voltage operated transistor and through sufficient resistance to minimize current drain and also through an invertor to the gate of a second voltage operated transistor and through a second resistor of sufficient resistance to minimize current drain. The output of the first voltage operated transistor is connected from a second voltage source through the set relay coil to ground and the output of the second voltage operated transistor is connected from a voltage source through said reset relay coil to ground. One set of contacts on the relay are connected to ground the gate on said second transistor when the voltage on the gate of the first transistor is high and to ground the gate on the first transistor when the gate on the second transistor goes high. The other set of contacts are connected to actuate a utilization circuit in one or the other position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to a potentiometer position switch circuit and more 
particularly to an improved circuit employing a low friction potentiometer 
and low current drain voltage operated transistors to enable increased 
accuracy due to reduced loading and reduce the current drain on the 
battery supply. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The prior art known to applicants employs mechanically actuated switches 
coupled to the dial mechanism of pressure and .DELTA. pressure gauges. 
Compared to the present invention the prior art has relatively high 
loading and friction. 
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, it is an object to 
provide a new and improved low friction potentiometer position switch 
circuit which may be battery operated and feature long battery life. 
Another object is to provide such a circuit employing voltage operated 
transistors in such a manner as to minimize battery current drain. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The foregoing and other objects are accomplished by providing a 
potentiometer position switch circuit in which a meter mechanism has a low 
friction potentiometer coupled to move therewith. The output of the 
potentiometer and the output of a set point potentiometer are fed to a 
voltage comparator. A magnetic latching double pole, double throw relay 
having set and reset relay coils is connected to the comparator by 
connecting the output of the comparator to the gate of a first voltage 
operated transistor through sufficient resistance to minimize current 
drain and also through an invertor to the gate of the second voltage 
operated transistor through sufficient resistance to minimize current 
drain. The output of the first transistor is connected from a voltage 
source through the set relay coil to ground and the output of the second 
transistor is connected from the voltage source through the reset relay 
coil to ground. One set of contacts on the relay is connected to ground 
the gate on the second transistor when the voltage on the gate of the 
first transistor is high and to ground the gate on the first transistor 
when the gate on the second transistor goes high. The other set of 
contacts on the relay is connected to actuate a utilization circuit in one 
or the other position. 
The potentiometer position switch circuit may also employ a low battery 
detection circuit including means for producing a low battery output that 
is alternately low for a relatively long period of time and high for 
relatively short period when the voltage is low. The low battery output 
being connected to momentarily reverse the position of the relay. 
In an alternate embodiment a 4 to 20 milliamp IC may be connected with its 
input connected across the output of the low friction potentiometer and 
the output of a zero adjust potentiometer. The potentiometers being 
connected across a voltage reference diode. The IC is connected to a 
source of voltage in a control room and has a low reference current output 
connected through the reference diode to ground and through a capacitor to 
ground in order to provide a voltage source. 
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become 
apparent from a reading of the specification when taken in conjunction 
with the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Turning to the drawings the circuits disclosed in FIGs. 1A through 1D are 
interconnected at the terminals designated A through F. Referring to FIG. 
1B the block marked measuring instrument and meter movement are shown as 
mechanically coupled to the wiper of the position pot R10, the measuring 
instrument mechanically moving the meter movement and the meter movement 
in turn mechanically moving the wiper on the pot R10. In order to increase 
the accuracy of the measurement using reduced loading and friction, the 
pot R10 may be conductive plastic and have a nominal resistance of 20 K 
plus or minus 10% and a starting torque of 0.015 oz. inches max with a 
wiper velocity of 600.degree. per second max. Turning next to FIG. IC the 
4-20 milliamp circuit is implemented using U2 which is a 4-20 milliamp 
integrated circuit XTR 101 provided by Burr-Brown which transforms a 
voltage between the input pins 3 and 4 into an output current via pins 7 
and 8. The ground symbol on pin 7 is for circuit reference only and is not 
to be confused with system ground at the control room. The +24 volts is 
referenced to this system ground at the right hand end of FIG. 1C. The 
return current will flow through a load resistance in the control room to 
system ground. 
The inductor L1 and capacitors C3 through C6 are configured as an EMI 
filter to prevent high frequencies from entering the circuit from the 
external wires and causing bias errors. CR4 and CR5 are zener diodes which 
are used to protect the circuit from voltage transients induced on the 
external wires. Earth ground is a connection to the metal enclosure 
sometimes called pipe ground. The diode bridge CR3 enables the circuit to 
function in the event the input connections are reversed during 
installation. Transistor Q1 provides a shunt current path which is 
controlled by U2. Its function is to decrease the power and temperature 
rise in U2 and thus improve accuracy as recommended by the manufacturer. 
U2 furnishes a 2 milliamp reference current from pins 10 and 11. This 
current is used to power all the circuitry except the relay coils when the 
4-20 milliamp loop is energized. When the 4-20 milliamp loop is not 
energized, all the circuitry associated with the switch function and the 
low battery detector are powered by the battery illustrated in FIG. 1D, 
BT1 and BT2. 
Proper operation of U2 requires that the input voltages applied to pins 3 
and 4 must be within a window of 4-6 volts above ground, pin 7. When the 
differential voltage between the wiper of the zero adjust pot R9 in FIG. 
1B and the wiper of the position pot R10 is zero volts the return current 
will be four milliamps. This condition corresponds to an indicator reading 
of zero. When the indicator reading is full scale this differential 
voltage is about 0.35 volts and the return current will be 20 milliamps. 
The position pot R10 rotation is limited to 45.degree. out of a possible 
315.degree. by mechanical linkages that drive it. Diodes CR1, CR2 in FIG. 
1B and CR7 in FIG. 1D enable the potentionmeters, the switch circuit and 
the low battery detector circuit to operate from either the 2 milliamp 
reference current coming out of U2 on terminals 10 and 11 or from the 
battery BT1 and BT2 in FIG. 1D. When U2 is energized the voltage developed 
across R13 which is connected from terminals 10 and 11 of U2 to ground is 
approximately 7.3 volts and the voltage at the cathode of CR1 which is VCC 
is 6.7 volts. This will back bias CR7 and minimize the current drain from 
the battery. When U2 is not energized, current from the battery will 
forward bias CR7 and back bias CR1 and CR2. VCC will then be approximately 
5.4 volts. 
When the 4-20 milliamps circuit is energized, it is necessary that the 
voltage across the potentiometer be stabilized since the differential 
voltage supplied to pins 3 and 4 of U2 is directly proportional. U1, a 2.5 
shunt voltage reference to FIG. 1B, serves this purpose. CR2 and R2 
provide a path for bias current needed by U1. When the 4-20 milliamp 
circuit is not energized, the reduced voltage supplied to the network is 
insufficient to cause U1 to conduct. 
Referring now to the switch circuits, the switching of the voltage 
comparator depends on the position of the position pot R10 of FIG. 1B 
relative to the set point pot which may be either R5 or R6 in FIG. 1B. 
Since this is a null measurement, a stable voltage across the 
potentiometer circuit is not required. When the position pot R10 is 
upscale from the set point, for example R6 the comparator U3A output will 
be low. If E2 in FIG. 1A is jumpered to E3 as shown U4A will function as a 
non-inverting buffer with its output also low. If E7 is jumpered to E8 as 
shown in FIG. 1A the gate of Q2 will be biased low preventing Q2 from 
conducting. Since the input to U4C at 8 is low its output will be high. 
This would bias Q3 in the conducting state except that the gate is 
grounded by contacts of K1. 
When the position pot R10 is down scaled from the set point R6 the 
comparator U3A output will be high and the output of U4A will be high. The 
gate of Q2 will charge to the high potential through R20 causing it to 
conduct current through the set coil of K1 latch relay. K1 will switch the 
contacts reversing the position shown and short the gate of Q2 to ground. 
This will cause Q2 to be nonconducting and current will cease flowing 
through the set coil. The relay is magnetically latched in this state. 
The resistor network composed of R16 through R19 in FIG. 1B provides 
hysteresis for the voltage comparator U3A input. The hysteresis is 
normally about 3% of FS. The hysteresis can be increased by increasing the 
value of R19. 
The low battery detector circuit of FIG. 1D uses U8 which has a 1.15 volt 
reference. When the input at pin 3 of U8 is higher than 1.15 volts the 
output at pin 2 is high. R28 and R29 divide the battery voltage from the 
batteries BTI and BT2 for the input at pin 3. RN5D and R30 add a small 
amount of hysteresis in series with the voltage divider. With pin 2 of U8 
high, Q10 will conduct, effectively grounding the positive input of pin 5 
of voltage comparator U9B. The output of U9B on pin 7 will remain at logic 
low. Under low battery conditions, for example less than 4.7 volts, the 
output on pin 2 of U8 will be low which will bias Q10 off and effectively 
disconnect ground from the voltage comparator positive input. U9B is 
connected as an astable multivibrator which produces an output that 
alternately is low for 90 seconds and high for 2 seconds. The low period 
is controlled by C14 and R32+R33. The high period is determined by C14 and 
R32 since the diode CR8 shunts R33. 
The output of the low battery circuit is used to momentarily reverse the 
position of one or both switches by connecting the circuit to the 
exclusive-OR circuits U4A and U4B with jumpers E1 to E2 and E4 to E5. 
The relay coils require 40 milliamps to change state. This far exceeds the 
capability of the 2 milliamp reference current available from U2. A large 
capacitor could store sufficient charge to supply this current but 
repeated switching at a rapid rate would deplete this charge faster than 
it could be replenished and the relay could hang up in an in between state 
where there is no contact to either N/C or N/0. To circumvent this 
problem, the relay coils are energized from the battery. 
A second set point on R5 may be compared with the position potentiometer 
R10 in the comparator U3B as described above thus providing, for example 
both a high and a low alarm or actuator circuit. Connecting jumper E11 to 
E12 instead of E13 slaves switch 2 to switch 1 enabling a second set of 
relay contacts with a single set point. Jumpering E7 to E8 and E10 to E9, 
as shown in the schematic, permits operation of the two switches with 
separate set points. Note that the set points can be in any order. For 
example, set point 1 can be above or below set point 2 and they can be 
anywhere between zero and full scale. 
Jumpering E7 to EIO and E8 to E9 causes set point 1 to control the reset 
coil of K1 whereas set point 2 controls the set coil. Similarly, set point 
2 controls the reset coil of K2 and set point 1 controls the set coil. 
This combination provides controller function with an adjustable 
hysteresis. 
Typical values for the components shown in the circuit diagram are as 
follows: 
U1 is an LM 285 - 2.5 
U2 is an XTR 101 
U3A and B is a TLC3702 
U4A and B, C and D, is a 4070 
U8 is an ICL8212 
U9B is a TLC3702 
CR1 and CR2 are 1N914 A's 
CR3 is a VM18 
CR4 and CR5 are ICTE36's 
CR7 and CR8 are IN914 A's 
Q1 is a 2N2222 
Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5 and Q10 are VN 10K's 
C1--1,000.mu.f/10 V 
C2, C3, C4 and C5 are .01.mu.f 
C6--.01.mu.f/200 V 
C13--.1.mu.f 
C14--4.7.mu.f 
R1--6.65K.OMEGA. 
R2--8.87K.OMEGA. 
R3--22.1K.OMEGA. 
R4--4.99K.OMEGA. 
R5 and R6--100K.OMEGA. pots 
R9 a 5K.OMEGA. pot 
R10 a 20K.OMEGA. pot 
R11--22.1K.OMEGA. 
R12--19.1K.OMEGA. 
R13--4.32K.OMEGA. 
R14--274.OMEGA. 
R15--500 ohm pot 
R16--100K.OMEGA. 
R17, and R18--22M.OMEGA. 
R19, R20 and R21--2.2M.OMEGA. 
R22--100K.OMEGA. 
R23 and R24--22M.OMEGA. 
R25--2.2M.OMEGA. 
R26 and R27--2.2M.OMEGA. 
R28--10M.OMEGA. 
R29--3M.OMEGA. 
R30--20K.OMEGA. 
R31--22M.OMEGA. 
R32--220K.OMEGA. 
R33--22M.OMEGA. 
RN5A--RN5D are 4 2.2 m.OMEGA. network resistors 
L1--5 millihenries 
BT-1 and BT-2--BR--2/3A 3V lithium. 
Again the circuit is used to replace present mechanically actuated switches 
coupled to a meter movement such as shown in FIG. 1B which may be, for 
example, a Barton pressure and delta pressure gage. When a pressure is 
applied to high and low chambers surrounding bellows, any difference in 
pressure causes the bellows to move until the spring effect of the unit 
balances out force thus generated. The linear motion of the bellows which 
is proportional to the differential pressure is transmitted as a rotary 
motion through the torque tube assembly. For a direct functional 
replacement in such a unit external power may not be available and the 
circuit is battery operated and features long battery life. Novelty 
resides in the method of operating DPDT magnetic latching relays so as to 
minimize battery current drain. One set of the relay contacts in FIG. 1A 
are used to turn off the MOS transistors Q2 through Q5 that energize the 
relay windings after the relay switch is positioned. In the circuit shown 
the wiper of R10 is mechanically coupled to the dial mechanism or meter 
movement. The adjustment of R5 or R6 represents a switch setting desired. 
The output of U3A pin I will be at ground potential if the voltage 
potential of the wiper of R10 is more than a few millivolts more positive 
than the wiper of R6, R16, 17, 18 and 19 providing a small hysteresis. E7 
and E8 are shorted as are E9 and E10 for purposes of this discussion. If 
U3A pin I is at ground then U4A pin 3 will be high and U4C pin 10 will be 
at ground. With the relay contacts positioned as shown, the gate of Q2 
will charge positively causing Q2 to conduct energizing the set coil of 
K1. This action will cause the relay of the switch from the state shown to 
the closing of the contacts, grounding the gate of Q2. The gate of Q3 will 
remain at ground since the output of U4C is at ground. With the gate of Q2 
grounded by the relay contacts current will flow through R20. To minimize 
this drain on the battery R20 is made as large as practical. U3A, U3B, U4A 
and U4B are CMOS circuits and consume very little current. The 
potentiometers are the major current drain on the battery. One ampere hour 
of battery life is sufficient to switch the relays many millions of times. 
While a particular embodiment of the invention has been described, it will 
be understood of course that it is not intended to limit the invention 
thereto since many modifications may be made. It is therefore contemplated 
by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the 
true spirit and scope of the invention.