Darrell L Perkins

US Patent:

20030218462, Nov 27, 2003

Filed:

May 23, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/152816

Inventors:

Geoffrey Dick - Winter Park FL, US
Darrell Perkins - Goldenrod FL, US

International Classification:

G01R031/00
G01R027/08

US Classification:

324/502000, 324/691000

Abstract:

An apparatus for measuring the resistance of a squib, including an input for receiving a power supply and a circuit connected to the input for limiting the power supplied to the squib. The circuit includes a voltage limiter which limits voltage output of the circuit to a level insufficient to ignite the squib, and a current limiter for limiting the current output of the circuit, the current limiter being responsive to a current supplied upon activation of the voltage limiter to limit the total energy supplied by the circuit to a predetermined level following activation of the voltage limiter. The voltage limiter can be a parallel arrangement of diodes connecting first and second conductive leads. The current limiter can include fuses which open when diodes conduct current through the conductive leads. This apparatus prevents squib activation even if an overcurrent or overvoltage occurs in the ac power supply.