1460718318-d4c60975-b44a-4318-9cfb-086a6a114bb9

1. A stall protection circuit for use with a motor comprising:
a switch for controlling powering of the motor, the switch being operable to first, second, and third states, the first state powering the motor with current flowing in a forward direction, the second state powering the motor with current flowing in a reverse direction, and the third state preventing powering of the motor;
a single current sensor configured to sense current flowing in both of the forward and reverse directions;
a stall detection circuit configured to compare current sensed by the single current sensor to a current threshold and to output a first signal if the current is less than the threshold and to output a second signal if the current is greater than the threshold;
a first switch connected on one side of the motor and a second switch connected to an other side of the motor, each switch being controllable to an open or closed position; and
a latching circuit configured to receive the first and second signals and for connecting or disconnecting the motor from the powering associated with the first or second state depending on whether the first or second signal is received, the latching circuit connecting the motor by closing both switches when the first signal is received and disconnecting the motor by opening at least one of the switches when the second signal is received.
2. The circuit of claim 1 further comprising a first diode connected across the first switch and a second diode connected across the second switch, the first diode preventing current flow in the forward direction and the second diode preventing current flow in the reverse direction.
3. The circuit of claim 2 wherein the latch circuit opens both of the switches if the second signal is received.
4. The circuit of claim 2 farther comprising two diodes connected in series across the motor and between both of the switches and diodes.
5. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the stall detection circuit includes a first comparator for comparing current flowing in the forward direction to the current threshold and a second comparator for comparing the current flowing in the reverse direction to the current threshold.
6. The circuit of claim 5 wherein the first comparator outputs a first value if the current in the forward direction is less than the current threshold or the current is in the reverse direction and a second value if the current in the forward direction is greater than the current threshold.
7. The circuit of claim 6 wherein the second comparator outputs the first value if the current in the reverse direction is less than the current threshold or the current is in the forward direction and the second value if the current in the reverse direction is greater than the current threshold.
8. The circuit of claim 7 wherein the stall detection circuit includes a comparator for comparing the first value to the second value, the comparator issuing the first signal if both of the comparators output the first value and the second signal if either one of the comparators outputs the second value.
9. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the stall detection circuit determines a stall condition if the current is greater than the threshold and without sensing a speed of the motor.
10. The circuit of claim 1 wherein stall detection circuit is unable to output the second signal unless the switch is held in the first or second states.
11. A stall protection circuit for use with a motor comprising:
a switch for controlling powering of the motor, the switch being operable to first, second, and third states, the first state powering the motor with current flowing in a forward direction, the second state powering the motor with current flowing in a reverse direction, and the third state preventing powering of the motor;
a first switch connected on one side of the motor and a second switch connected to an other side of the motor, each switch being controllable to an open or closed position;
a stall detection circuit configured to simultaneously compare a voltage drop across each of the switches to a threshold and to output a first signal if the voltage drop is less than the threshold and to output a second signal if the voltage drop is greater than the threshold; and
a latching circuit configured to receive the first and second signals and for connecting or disconnecting the motor from the powering associated with the first or second state depending on whether the first or second signal is received, the latching circuit connecting the motor by closing both switches when the first signal is received and disconnecting the motor by opening at least one of the switches when the second signal is received.
12. The circuit of claim 11 further comprising a first diode connected across the first switch and a second diode connected across the second switch, the first diode preventing current flow in the forward direction and the second diode preventing current flow in the reverse direction.
13. The circuit of claim 12 wherein the latch circuit opens both of the switches if the second signal is received.
14. The circuit of claim 12 further comprising two diodes connected in series across the motor and between both of the switches and the diodes.
15. The circuit of claim 11 further comprising:
the stall detection circuit including a first pair of amplifiers for amplifying a first sensed voltage and a second sensed voltage and a second pair of amplifiers for amplifying a third sensed voltage and a fourth sensed voltage;
wherein the first and second sensed voltages respectively correspond with sensed voltage on first and second sides of the first switch;
wherein the third and fourth sensed voltages respectively correspond with sensed voltage first and second sides of the second switch; and
wherein the stall detection circuit relies on the amplified sensed voltages in determining the first and second signals.
16. The circuit of claim 15 wherein the stall detection circuit further includes operational amplifiers connected to outputs of the first and second pairs of amplifiers, the operational amplifiers configured to calculate the voltage drop across the switches based on the amplified sensed voltages.
17. The circuit of claim 16 wherein the stall detection circuit includes a first comparator for comparing the voltage drop across the first switch to the threshold and a second comparator for comparing the voltage drop across the second switch to the threshold, the first and second signals being determined from the outputs of the first and second comparators.
18. A seating system comprising:
a switch for controlling movement of a motor used to position the seat between stops included on opposite ends of a seat rail, the switch being operable to first, second, and third states, the first state moving the seat forwardly with current flowing through the motor in a forward direction, the second state moving the seat rearwardly with current flowing through the motor in a reverse direction, and the third state preventing movement of the seat by preventing current flow through the motor, wherein the current flowing in the forward directions has a forward polarity opposite to a reverse polarity of the current flowing in the reverse direction;
a stall detection circuit configured to disconnect power to the motor when the seat abuts one of the stops, the stall detection circuit has a first comparator configured to compare current flowing with the forward polarity to a current threshold and a second comparator configured to compare current flowing with the reverse polarity to the current threshold and to output a signal if the current associated with either one of the forward and reverse polarities is greater than the threshold; and
a latching circuit configured to disconnect power to the motor upon receipt of the signal.
19. The system of claim 18 further comprising;
a first switch connected on one side of the motor and a second switch connected to an other side of the motor;
a first diode connected across the first switch and a second diode connected across the second switch, the first diode preventing current flow in the forward direction and the second diode preventing current flow in the reverse direction
wherein the stall detection circuit opens both of the switch to disconnect power to the motor; and
wherein both of the switches must be closed to allow current to flow through the motor.
20. The system of claim 19 wherein stall detection circuit is unable to output the second signal unless the seat abuts one of the stops and the switch is held in one of the first or second states.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A fluid purification device comprising:
a device main body including:
an inner tube composed of a non-conductive material;
an outer tube composed of a non-conductive material, said outer tube being spaced apart from said inner tube by a predetermined distance and being arranged concentrically with respect to said inner tube, each of said inner tube and said outer tube being transparent or semi-transparent to ultraviolet light; and
a conductive member attached to a part of an inner surface of said outer tube to form an electrode;

a photocatalyst material of titanium or titanium alloy located within said inner tube; and
an ultraviolet light source arranged to irradiate an outer peripheral surface of said outer tube with ultraviolet light;
wherein said device main body is configured so that, when a voltage is applied between said first electrode and said second electrode, a discharge in a space between said inner tube and said outer tube is created so as to cause a gas flowing through said space to react to generate ozone;
wherein said device main body is configured to allow the ozone to mix with a gas flowing within said inner tube so as to purify the gas; and
wherein said photocatalyst material is activated by the ultraviolet light received from the discharge in said space and from said ultraviolet light source.
11. The fluid purification device according to claim 10, wherein said ultraviolet light source is an electrodeless discharge tube.
12. The fluid purification device according to claim 11, further comprising a compression device for compressing the gas flowing in said space between said outer tube and said inner tube to a pressure in a range of 0.2 MPa to 1 MPa, and a fluid controller for adjusting a flow of the gas flowing in said space to a flow in a range of 1 Lmin to 20 Lmin.
13. The fluid purification device according to claim 11, further comprising a compression device for compressing the gas flowing in said space between said outer tube and said inner tube to a pressure in a range of 0.2 MPa to 1 MPa, an air dryer for drying the compressed gas from said compression device, and a fluid controller for adjusting a flow of the gas flowing in said space to a flow in a range of 1 Lmin to 20 Lmin.
14. The fluid purification device according to claim 11, further comprising a tubular body attached to an upstream side of said device main body, and a hair catcher detachably incorporated into said tubular body.
15. The fluid purification device according to claim 10, further comprising a compression device for compressing the gas flowing in said space between said outer tube and said inner tube to a pressure in a range of 0.2 MPa to 1 MPa, and a fluid controller for adjusting a flow of the gas flowing in said space to a flow in a range of 1 Lmin to 20 Lmin.
16. The fluid purification device according to claim 10, further comprising a compression device for compressing the gas flowing in said space between said outer tube and said inner tube to a pressure in a range of 0.2 MPa to 1 MPa, an air dryer for drying the compressed gas from said compression device, and a fluid controller for adjusting a flow of the gas flowing in said space to a flow in a range of 1 Lmin to 20 Lmin.
17. The fluid purification device according to claim 10, further comprising a tubular body attached to an upstream side of said device main body, and a hair catcher detachably incorporated into said tubular body.
18. The fluid purification device according to claim 10, wherein said first conductive member is belt-shaped with an approximately C-shaped cross section and a width in a range of 10 mm to 50 mm.
19. A fluid purification method comprising:
providing an inner tube composed of a non-conductive material, and an outer tube composed of a non-conductive material, and spacing the outer tube apart from the inner tube by a predetermined distance so that the outer tube is arranged concentrically with respect to the inner tube, each of the inner tube and the outer tube being transparent or semi-transparent to ultraviolet light;
attaching a conductive member to a part of an inner surface of the outer tube to form an electrode;
arranging a photocatalyst material of titanium or titanium alloy within the inner tube;
irradiating an outer peripheral surface of said outer tube with ultraviolet light using an ultraviolet light source;
applying a voltage to the electrode to create a discharge in a space between the inner tube and the outer tube using a liquid flowing within the inner tube as an earth electrode so as to cause a gas flowing through the space to react to generate ozone;
mixing the ozone with the liquid flowing within the inner tube; and
activating the photocatalyst material using the ultraviolet light received from the discharge in the space and from the ultraviolet light source so as to purify the liquid.
20. A fluid purification method comprising:
providing an inner tube composed of a non-conductive material, and an outer tube composed of a non-conductive material, and spacing the outer tube apart from the inner tube by a predetermined distance so that the outer tube is arranged concentrically with respect to the inner tube, each of the inner tube and the outer tube being transparent or semi-transparent to ultraviolet light;
attaching a first conductive member to a part of an inner surface of the outer tube to form a first electrode;
attaching a second conductive member to a part of an inner surface of the inner tube to form a second electrode, the second conductive member having a width equal to or larger than a width of the first conductive member;
arranging a photocatalyst material of titanium or titanium alloy within the inner tube;
irradiating an outer peripheral surface of the outer tube with ultraviolet light using an ultraviolet light source;
applying a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode to create a discharge in a space between the inner tube and the outer tube so as to cause a gas flowing through the space to react to generate ozone;
mixing the ozone with the gas flowing within the inner tube; and
activating the photocatalyst material using the ultraviolet light received from the discharge in the space and from the ultraviolet light source so as to purify the gas.