Need this waveform. How to generate it?


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  1. #1
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    Question Need this waveform. How to generate it?

    I have a circuit here which generates a loud alarm , a very loud alarm, using a piezo transducer. The sound part of the circuit is the following:
    Name:  Circuit.jpg
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    • I would like to ask firstly, why is there a 3 pin inductance? Is there any technical reason as to why a 2 pin inductance cannot/should not be used?
    Inductance from point a to b is around 85mH and b to c is around 100mH and a very little inductance between a to c.
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    There is an 8 pin IC which is feeding in the following waveform through a diode to the base of the transistor.
    Name:  Waveform.jpg
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    The name of the IC has been erased by the manufacturer.
    • Does anyone know what IC this could be OR how to generate this waveform?

    The whole circuit is running on two AAA batteries.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Need this waveform. How to generate it?

    You are correct that a "3 pin inductor" would not be particularly useful. Do a web search on "autotransformer", used in this case to create a voltage more useful to the transducer.
    I can think of many ways to create a waveform that looks like that. However, a lot more detail of what you are doing is required to help you.

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    Default Re: Need this waveform. How to generate it?

    Quote Originally Posted by Charlie View Post
    I can think of many ways to create a waveform that looks like that. However, a lot more detail of what you are doing is required to help you.
    Charlie, I am trying to build a alarm using a piezo, the idea is to make it as loud as possible with 5v supply and minimum possible number of components. I will have a PIC in the circuit as well, so if it helps I can use it to facilitate something in this circuit.

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    Default Re: Need this waveform. How to generate it?

    that looks like the ringing of the inductor by a single pulse of say a few milliseconds ??

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    Default Re: Need this waveform. How to generate it?

    Many piezo devices are available that have 110dB+ outputs but users seldom drive them according to the manufacturers spec, particularly the correct 'resonant' frequency they are designed to run at. Find a suitable piezo (voltage range) and output (dB) and use it according to the specifications and it will be loud enough!
    All that the circuit does that you have posted is rely on the resonant frequency of the L/piezo (effectively a parallel tuned crystal circuit) which is being 'rung' by the applied waveform - much like ringing a bell.
    Last edited by kellyseye; - 29th July 2012 at 15:11.

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    Default Re: Need this waveform. How to generate it?

    Piezo speakers have a high impedance hence they require a relative higher driver Voltage. 2 AAA batteries may supply about 1V RMS at best. That is why you need a step up transformer which in your case happens to be an autotransformer. The primary coil is A-C, the secondary coil is B-C. Since this is an auto transformer the secondary coil includes the primary coil in series, as a result the primary Voltage adds to the secondary Voltage.
    The number of turns is directly proportional to the Voltage across the coil. For instance if the primary coil is 3 turns and the secondary coil is 30 turns you will get in case of 1 V RMS input 10+1 Volts = 11 Volts RMS.
    Of course the previously mentioned posts about the ringing and self resonant of the Piezo element are all true.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Need this waveform. How to generate it?

    Thanks for the answers. I am trying to find a autotransformer but I cannot find any which resembles this component, the search on google always shows auto-transformers for mains. Is there any other term as well for this?
    I also checked the peak voltage when this components operates and it gives around 25v amplitude to the piezo which is very close what the max limit of this piezo is (30vpk), so everything said above makes perfect sense.

    From more checks, primary side has 106R & secondary side has 2R resistance.
    At 3.5Khz I literally went deaf for few seconds

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