EP0764959A2 - Aufprallsensor für Kraftfahrzeuge - Google Patents

Aufprallsensor für Kraftfahrzeuge Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0764959A2
EP0764959A2 EP96830392A EP96830392A EP0764959A2 EP 0764959 A2 EP0764959 A2 EP 0764959A2 EP 96830392 A EP96830392 A EP 96830392A EP 96830392 A EP96830392 A EP 96830392A EP 0764959 A2 EP0764959 A2 EP 0764959A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sensor
inertial mass
actuated position
slider
cup spring
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP96830392A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0764959A3 (de
Inventor
Gianluigi Pilotti
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Cavis SRL
Original Assignee
Cavis SRL
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Cavis SRL filed Critical Cavis SRL
Publication of EP0764959A2 publication Critical patent/EP0764959A2/de
Publication of EP0764959A3 publication Critical patent/EP0764959A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H35/00—Switches operated by change of a physical condition
    • H01H35/14—Switches operated by change of acceleration, e.g. by shock or vibration, inertia switch

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an impact sensor, which has been specifically designed for application to motor vehicles.
  • Prior inertial devices usually comprise operating elements having a single operating axis including a mass-spring system moving inside a conventionally cylindric seat.
  • the displacement of the mass is proportional to the deceleration amount and, if such a displacement exceed a given value, then a temporary electric contact or a "reed” electric contact is closed, depending on the type of device.
  • a second type of inertial device comprises an inertial switch having a stable-type of SPDT contact, provided for driving all those devices requiring an input stable drive.
  • the main application of this device is that of switching off the fuel supplying apparatus, i.e. this device operates to switch-off the electric power supply to the fuel pump, in the case of an impact.
  • a further application of this device is that of switching off the motor vehicle battery, i.e. so as to automatically switch-off the motor vehicle battery in the case of an impact, to prevent possible shorts from occurring thereby drastically reducing the possibilities of fire.
  • This second type of inertial device is essentially provided with three characteristics: it must have two stable positions, i.e. an on and an off position; it must be adapted to be manually reset; and it must not be of a servo-assisted type, i.e. the switching on-off operation must be a true mechanical operation, without the use of solenoids, relays, and so on, to assure the on-off switching operation also in the case of a stopped motor vehicle.
  • the aim of the present invention is to provide an improved impact sensor allowing an operation both in the X-Y plane and along the Z-axis.
  • a main object of the present invention is to provide such an impact sensor in which the force required for displacing the inertial mass is so designed as to limit in a maximum degree the bouncing of the electric contact.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide such an impact sensor which is very simple from a constructional standpoint as well as of reliable operation.
  • an impact sensor specifically designed for motor vehicles, comprising an inertial mass housed in a seat and defining a non actuated stable position and an actuated position of an electric contact, characterized in that said seat has a conical configuration and said inertial mass is held in a stable non actuated position by a cup spring.
  • the impact sensor which has been generally indicated by the reference number 1, is provided to be rigidly connected to a motor vehicle body, preferably in the passenger compartment, and comprises a box-like body, or bottom 2, provided with fins 16 and closed by a top closing cover 3.
  • the box-like body 2 comprises a frustum of cone shaped seat or recess 4 for housing therein an inertial mass, constituted by a steel material ball 5.
  • the steel ball 5 is held in a set position on the bottom of the frustum of cone shaped seat, corresponding to a not actuated position of the impact sensor, by means of a cup or disc like spring 6.
  • the cup like spring 6 bears against a slot of the conical seat 4 and is held in its set position by the top cover 3.
  • the conical seat is made of highly resistant to wear and low friction materials, such as metals, teflon or the so-called techno-polymers.
  • the cup spring 6 comprises a centering hole 7 and four radially extending slots 8 provided for receiving four corresponding fins 9 of a push-button 10 constituting means for resetting or recovering the impact sensor.
  • the push-button 10 is held in the top cover 3 and operates on the steel ball 5 by means of the fins 9, as counter-biassed by a recovering spring 11.
  • the bottom of the frustum of cone shaped seat 4 is provided with a hole for receiving the end portion of a slider 12, driven by a resilient element, constituted, in this embodiment, by a snap spring 13.
  • the slider 12 is operatively connected to a movable contact 14 in turn connected to contact blades 15.
  • Figure 1 shows the impact sensor in its normal operating condition, i.e. in the running condition of the motor vehicle.
  • the ball 5 is centered inside the conical seat 4 and is held in this position by means of the cup spring 6.
  • the slider 12 operates on the movable contact 14 so as to hold said movable contact 14 pressed on the fixed contact.
  • Figure 5 schematically illustrates the forces operating on the system, under static conditions.
  • cup spring 6 will be upwardly urged and/or displaced, and the steel ball 5 will start to move along the slanted surface of the conical seat 4.
  • Figure 6 schematically illustrates the forces operating on the system under dynamic conditions, and from this figure it should be apparent that if the impact force has a sufficiently great value, so as to cause a displacement at least corresponding to lmin, then the ball will be further urged outwardly by the turning moment caused by the snap force F M .
  • the force necessary for displacing or driving the steel ball is increased up to the point P, where it starts to abruptly decrease.
  • the switching of the electric contact occurs after the point P, and this in order to limit in a degree as large as possible the bouncing movements of said electric contact.
  • the electric switching mechanism constituted by the slider 12, the movable contact 14 and the snap spring 13 be so designed to prevent it from reclosing upon opening.
  • the operation diagram of the electric switching mechanism can be schematized by the diagram shown in figure 8, in which the relationship between the snap or switching force and the displacement is shown.
  • This operation is that typical of a mechanical hysteresis mechanism, where the point A is that point in which is arranged the mechanism during a normal operation, whereas the point B represents a tripped condition.
  • the switching from the point A to the point B is performed according to the A-B path, requiring a tripping power E(AB), whereas the switching from the point B to the point A occurs according to the B-A path, requiring a tripping energy or power of E(BA) > E(AB).
  • the ball 5 will press on the slider 12, thereby causing the movable contact 14 to trip to the closing condition thereof.
  • the cup spring 6 will be deflected downwardly, thereby allowing the steel ball 5 to be centered in the centering hole 7 of the cup spring.
  • the impact sensor will be ready for a new operation.
  • a great advantage of the invention is that of using a contact element or microswitch, of very quick operation, adapted to supply both high currents (25-30 A) and weak currents (100 mA).
  • a further advantage is that the bottom is provided with a hole, at the snap spring, to be traversed by a sensing or pick-up element, connected to a testing apparatus, in order to control the load of the disc spring, during the automatic assembling operation of the device, so as to provide an end product of a very high quality.
  • the used materials, as well as the contingent size and shapes of the elements constituting the subject impact sensor can be varied, depending on the requirements and the status of the art.

Landscapes

  • Switches Operated By Changes In Physical Conditions (AREA)
  • Seats For Vehicles (AREA)
  • Air Bags (AREA)
EP96830392A 1995-09-20 1996-07-15 Aufprallsensor für Kraftfahrzeuge Withdrawn EP0764959A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITMI950639U 1995-09-20
ITMI950639 IT237159Y1 (it) 1995-09-20 1995-09-20 Sensore di impatto particolarmente studiato per veicoli

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0764959A2 true EP0764959A2 (de) 1997-03-26
EP0764959A3 EP0764959A3 (de) 2000-03-15

Family

ID=11371129

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP96830392A Withdrawn EP0764959A3 (de) 1995-09-20 1996-07-15 Aufprallsensor für Kraftfahrzeuge

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0764959A3 (de)
IT (1) IT237159Y1 (de)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2006072136A1 (en) * 2005-01-10 2006-07-13 Christopher Fox Damage alerting system

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3743849A (en) * 1970-09-21 1973-07-03 Mitsubadenkiseisakusho Co Ltd Apparatus for automatically disconnecting power circuit for vehicles due to impact
US3818168A (en) * 1972-12-01 1974-06-18 Gen Switch Co Latch mechanism for toggle actuated circuit breaker
FR2634585A1 (fr) * 1988-07-25 1990-01-26 Simpa Sa Source d'energie commutable sous l'action d'une force d'inertie
EP0644568A1 (de) * 1993-09-17 1995-03-22 IMOS ITALIA S.r.l. Sicherheitsschalter
WO1995024727A1 (fr) * 1994-03-10 1995-09-14 Patrice Leboucq Coupe-batterie inertiel pour accumulateur electrique d'engins auto-mobiles

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3743849A (en) * 1970-09-21 1973-07-03 Mitsubadenkiseisakusho Co Ltd Apparatus for automatically disconnecting power circuit for vehicles due to impact
US3818168A (en) * 1972-12-01 1974-06-18 Gen Switch Co Latch mechanism for toggle actuated circuit breaker
FR2634585A1 (fr) * 1988-07-25 1990-01-26 Simpa Sa Source d'energie commutable sous l'action d'une force d'inertie
EP0644568A1 (de) * 1993-09-17 1995-03-22 IMOS ITALIA S.r.l. Sicherheitsschalter
WO1995024727A1 (fr) * 1994-03-10 1995-09-14 Patrice Leboucq Coupe-batterie inertiel pour accumulateur electrique d'engins auto-mobiles

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2006072136A1 (en) * 2005-01-10 2006-07-13 Christopher Fox Damage alerting system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ITMI950639V0 (it) 1995-09-20
IT237159Y1 (it) 2000-08-31
EP0764959A3 (de) 2000-03-15
ITMI950639U1 (it) 1997-03-20

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