US3723680A - Acceleration responsive switching device - Google Patents
Acceleration responsive switching device Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US3723680A US3723680A US00173711A US3723680DA US3723680A US 3723680 A US3723680 A US 3723680A US 00173711 A US00173711 A US 00173711A US 3723680D A US3723680D A US 3723680DA US 3723680 A US3723680 A US 3723680A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- ball
- apex
- support surface
- casing
- switching device
- 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.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
- 230000001133 acceleration Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 27
- 230000000994 depressogenic effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 abstract description 4
- 206010039203 Road traffic accident Diseases 0.000 abstract description 3
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 abstract description 3
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000004020 conductor Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000004907 flux Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000009191 jumping Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000035699 permeability Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000004043 responsiveness Effects 0.000 description 1
Images
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
- An acceleration responsive switching device which comprises a casing having, at its bottom portion, a reverse cone-shaped inner wall, a weight ball movably put in the casing and normally positioned on said reverse cone-shaped inner wall at its central portion, a switch means provided in the casing at the center ofv thebottom portion and being normally in contact with said weight ball and adapted to be disengaged from the contact with said ball when the ball is upwardly moved along an inclined face of said reverse coneshaped inner wall due to an acceleration given.
- the present switching device is exactly and instantaneously responsive to an excessive acceleration, thereby enabling the traffic accident to be effectively avoided.
- the device is simple in construction and easy to manufacture at a reasonable cost.
- FIG.1 A first figure.
- This invention relates to a switching device, and more particularly to a switching device adapted to be provided in a movable body such as a motor car and actuated responsive to an acceleration exceeding a predetermined level.
- safety devices such as safety belt and air bag provided in a motor car have been put into practical use.
- the rolling-up type safety belt and the air bag respectively employ a locking device and an exploder device which are adapted to detect an acceleration of the motor car.
- the weight ball having a magnetic permeability is used to detect an acceleration by making use of magnetic flux change caused by movement of the weight ball.
- Such conventional devices require a number of parts and are complicated in structure, leading to high cost of manufacturing.
- Such conventional devices need also a relatively long time to detect an acceleration and are lack of instant responsiveness.
- An object of this invention is to provide an acceleration responsive switching device which is simple in construction and exactly and instantaneously responsive to the acceleratiom
- Another object of this invention is to provide an acceleration responsive switching device of the character described, which requires a reduced number of elements or parts in constructions.
- an acceleration responsive switching device which comprises a casing having, at its bottom portion, a reverse cone-shaped inner wall, a weight ball movably put in the casing and normally positioned on said reverse cone-shaped inner wall at its central portion, a switch means provided in the casing at the center of the bottom portion and being normally in contact with said weight ball and adapted to be disengaged from the contact with said ball when the ball is upwardly moved along an inclined face 'of said reverse cone-shaped inner wall due to an acceleration given.
- FIG. I shows a vertically sectioned elevation of an acceleration responsive switching device embodying this invention
- FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the device shown in FIG.
- FIG. 3 shows a vertically sectional elevation of another acceleration responsive switching device embodying this invention.
- FIG. 4 is a sectional-view of the device shown in FIG. 3 taken along the line IV-IV.
- an acceleration responsive switching device which comprises a cylindrical casing 1 having, at its-bottom portion, a reverse cone-shaped inner wall 3.
- the casing l is closed with a closure 4 threadedly fitted into said casing 1.
- the casing 1 has also a mounting plate 2 connected integrally therewith at the outer cylindrical side wall and adapted to be mounted on a vertical plane in the interior of a motor car at a suitable place.
- a weight ball 5 which is normally positioned on the inner wall 3 of the bottom at its lowest or central portion.
- the casing l is provided with a vertical opening 6 at the central portion of the bottom wall.
- a pushing rod 8 for movement in vertical directions.
- the pushing rod 8 has an upper surface 9 of a spherical shape to be snugly in contact with spherical surface of the weight ball 5 put in the casing 1.
- the upper sur- 7 face of the pushing rod'8 forms a part of the inner surface of the bottom wall.
- Said pushing rod 8 has also a bottom which is supported on a self-returning push button 11 and is provided at its center with a small hole to be engaged with the upper end of said self-returning push button 11 which extends from a microswiteh l0 fixedly mounted on a suitable place, for example on a support plate 7 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
- the support plate 7 is formed integrally with the casing 1 and the casing mounting plate 2, and extends from both of the bottom wall and said casing mounting plate in a vertical plane at a distance from the hole 6.
- the closure 4 in the casing has an inner wall having a profile to leave a space in the casing 1 to allow the weight ball to slide upwardly along the inclined face of the bottom wall.
- the inner wall of the closure 4 has at its central portion a downwardly projecting part 13 which prevents the weight ball from jumping up at the central position.
- Theclosure 4 is similarly constructed and functions in another embodiment as in FIGS. 3 and In operation, when an acceleration is given to a device-carrying motor car in a direction perpendicular to the vertical axis of the casing 1, namely in a horizontal direction, the weigh ball 5 is slidingly moved upwardly along the inclined face 3 of the bottom wall. Then, the weight ball 5 moves from the upper surface 9 of the pushing rod 8.
- FIG. 3 and 4 show another embodiment of this invention.
- the illustration of the same components or parts as employed in the foregoing embodiment is omitted to avoid repetition.
- the casing l is not necessary to be provided with members such as the support plate 7 and the central opening as shown in FIG. 1. Instead, there are employed, at the bottom wall of the casing, two or more electric contacts l2, 12' connected to an electrical circuit (not shown) as depicted. The upper ends of the electric contacts are placed closely onto the inner face 3 and normally in contact with the weight ball 5. In operation, a horizontal acceleration is given to a device-carrying motor car to move the weight ball in the same manner as described referring to FIG.
- An acceleration responsive switch device comprising:
- casing means including a bottom wall portion having an upwardly facing and upwardly diverging conical support surface, said bottom wall portion having an opening extending substantially vertically therethrough substantially at the apex of said-conical support surface;
- switch means adapted to be actuated by said ball when same is moved toward to or away from said apex, said switch means including actuator means movably positioned within said opening and positioned for engagement with said ball when said ball is located at said apex, said actuator means being depressed by said ball when said ball is located at said apex.
- said switch means comprises, a microswitch having a push button for actuating same, and said actuator means in-.
- a switch device wherein said push button is disposed in engagement with the lower end of said push rod, said push button urging said push rod upwardly so that the upper end thereof projects beyond said conical support surface when said ball is moved upwardly along said support surface away from said apex.
- a switching device wherein the upper end of said push rod has an upper surface having a spherical shape compatible with the spherical configuration of said ball.
- said casing means includes an upper wall portion disposed above and spaced from said bottom wall portion so as to define a chamber therebetween in which is positioned said ball, and said upper wall portion having projection means fixedly secured thereto and projecting downwardly therefrom toward said apex, said projection means being disposed closely adjacent said ball when same is positioned at said apex for preventing said ball from moving vertically upwardly away from said support surface.
Landscapes
- Switches Operated By Changes In Physical Conditions (AREA)
Abstract
An acceleration responsive switching device which comprises a casing having, at its bottom portion, a reverse cone-shaped inner wall, a weight ball movably put in the casing and normally positioned on said reverse cone-shaped inner wall at its central portion, a switch means provided in the casing at the center of the bottom portion and being normally in contact with said weight ball and adapted to be disengaged from the contact with said ball when the ball is upwardly moved along an inclined face of said reverse cone-shaped inner wall due to an acceleration given. The present switching device is exactly and instantaneously responsive to an excessive acceleration, thereby enabling the traffic accident to be effectively avoided. The device is simple in construction and easy to manufacture at a reasonable cost.
Description
ilriited States Patent 1' Suzuki et al.
[ 1 3,723,680 1 Mar. 27, 1973 [54] ACCELERATION RESPONSIVE SWITCHING DEVICE [75] Inventors: Masaru Suzuki, Chiryu; Masayoshi Iwata, Hajima; Takeo Matsui, Gifu, all of Japan [22] Filed: Aug. 18, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 173,711
[30] Foreign Application Priority Data 200/153 T, 166 BB; 340/261, 262
[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1960 Mishler ..200/6l.45R
3,621,163 11/1971 Hitchcock ..200/6l.45 M 3,379,059 4/1968 Wiley ..200/61.45 M 3,578,930 5/1971 Tiefenthaler et al ..200/1 53 T Primary ExaminerRobert K. Schaefer Assistant ExaminerM. Ginsburg Attorney-Woodhams, Blanchard and Flynn [57] ABSTRACT An acceleration responsive switching device which comprises a casing having, at its bottom portion, a reverse cone-shaped inner wall, a weight ball movably put in the casing and normally positioned on said reverse cone-shaped inner wall at its central portion, a switch means provided in the casing at the center ofv thebottom portion and being normally in contact with said weight ball and adapted to be disengaged from the contact with said ball when the ball is upwardly moved along an inclined face of said reverse coneshaped inner wall due to an acceleration given. The present switching device is exactly and instantaneously responsive to an excessive acceleration, thereby enabling the traffic accident to be effectively avoided. The device is simple in construction and easy to manufacture at a reasonable cost.
5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENT EDHAR271975 FIG.3
FIG.1
INVENTORS MASARU SUZUKI BY MASAYOSHI IWATA TAKEO MATSUI WOODHAMS, BLANCHARI) and FLYNN Apturncy ACCELERATION RESPONSIVE SWITCHING DEVICE This invention relates to a switching device, and more particularly to a switching device adapted to be provided in a movable body such as a motor car and actuated responsive to an acceleration exceeding a predetermined level.
Recently, rapid increase of road vehicles has incurred many traffic accidents. In order to avoid such accidents, safety devices such as safety belt and air bag provided in a motor car have been put into practical use. Of such safety devices, the rolling-up type safety belt and the air bag respectively employ a locking device and an exploder device which are adapted to detect an acceleration of the motor car.
In known forms of acceleration responsive switching devices, especially in those utilizing a weight ball, the weight ball having a magnetic permeability is used to detect an acceleration by making use of magnetic flux change caused by movement of the weight ball. Such conventional devices require a number of parts and are complicated in structure, leading to high cost of manufacturing. Such conventional devices need also a relatively long time to detect an acceleration and are lack of instant responsiveness.
An object of this invention is to provide an acceleration responsive switching device which is simple in construction and exactly and instantaneously responsive to the acceleratiom Another object of this invention is to provide an acceleration responsive switching device of the character described, which requires a reduced number of elements or parts in constructions.
These and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent'to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and the appended claims.
Essentially, according to the present invention, there is provided an acceleration responsive switching device which comprises a casing having, at its bottom portion, a reverse cone-shaped inner wall, a weight ball movably put in the casing and normally positioned on said reverse cone-shaped inner wall at its central portion, a switch means provided in the casing at the center of the bottom portion and being normally in contact with said weight ball and adapted to be disengaged from the contact with said ball when the ball is upwardly moved along an inclined face 'of said reverse cone-shaped inner wall due to an acceleration given.
This invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. I shows a vertically sectioned elevation of an acceleration responsive switching device embodying this invention;
FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the device shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 shows a vertically sectional elevation of another acceleration responsive switching device embodying this invention; and
FIG. 4 is a sectional-view of the device shown in FIG. 3 taken along the line IV-IV.
Like portions and parts are designated by like numerals in FIGS. 1 to 4.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown an acceleration responsive switching device which comprises a cylindrical casing 1 having, at its-bottom portion, a reverse cone-shaped inner wall 3. The casing l is closed with a closure 4 threadedly fitted into said casing 1. The casing 1 has also a mounting plate 2 connected integrally therewith at the outer cylindrical side wall and adapted to be mounted on a vertical plane in the interior of a motor car at a suitable place.
In the interior of the casing l is movably put in a weight ball 5 which is normally positioned on the inner wall 3 of the bottom at its lowest or central portion.
The casing l is provided with a vertical opening 6 at the central portion of the bottom wall. Into said vertical opening 6 is slidably inserted a pushing rod 8 for movement in vertical directions. The pushing rod 8 has an upper surface 9 of a spherical shape to be snugly in contact with spherical surface of the weight ball 5 put in the casing 1. In the normal position, the upper sur- 7 face of the pushing rod'8 forms a part of the inner surface of the bottom wall. Said pushing rod 8 has also a bottom which is supported on a self-returning push button 11 and is provided at its center with a small hole to be engaged with the upper end of said self-returning push button 11 which extends from a microswiteh l0 fixedly mounted on a suitable place, for example on a support plate 7 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The support plate 7 is formed integrally with the casing 1 and the casing mounting plate 2, and extends from both of the bottom wall and said casing mounting plate in a vertical plane at a distance from the hole 6.
The closure 4 in the casing has an inner wall having a profile to leave a space in the casing 1 to allow the weight ball to slide upwardly along the inclined face of the bottom wall. The inner wall of the closure 4 has at its central portion a downwardly projecting part 13 which prevents the weight ball from jumping up at the central position. Theclosure 4 is similarly constructed and functions in another embodiment as in FIGS. 3 and In operation, when an acceleration is given to a device-carrying motor car in a direction perpendicular to the vertical axis of the casing 1, namely in a horizontal direction, the weigh ball 5 is slidingly moved upwardly along the inclined face 3 of the bottom wall. Then, the weight ball 5 moves from the upper surface 9 of the pushing rod 8. As a result, a pushing force is released from the rod 8. Therefore the pushing rod 8 is urged upwardly by the returning force of the pushing button 11 to allow the latter to move upwardly, whereby off-operation of the switch is completed. Once the acceleration decreases below a predetermined level, the weight ball 5 moves downwardly to give a pushing force onto the upper surface of the pushing rod 8. The pushing rod 8 is pushed down to in turn urge the push button 11 downwardly, whereby the microswitch is caused to turn on (normal position).
FIG. 3 and 4 show another embodiment of this invention. The illustration of the same components or parts as employed in the foregoing embodiment is omitted to avoid repetition.
The casing l is not necessary to be provided with members such as the support plate 7 and the central opening as shown in FIG. 1. Instead, there are employed, at the bottom wall of the casing, two or more electric contacts l2, 12' connected to an electrical circuit (not shown) as depicted. The upper ends of the electric contacts are placed closely onto the inner face 3 and normally in contact with the weight ball 5. In operation, a horizontal acceleration is given to a device-carrying motor car to move the weight ball in the same manner as described referring to FIG. 1 and 2 and when the acceleration exceeds a predetermined level the weight ball 5 is caused to disengage from the connection with at least one of the electric contacts 12, 12' whereby the electrical circuit which is closed through the electric contacts 12-, 12' and the weight ball 5 of electrical conductive material is now forced to open. With a drop of acceleration, the weight ball 5 is returned into contact with the contact surfaces of both electric contacts l2, 12'.
What is claimed is:
1. An acceleration responsive switch device, comprising:
casing means including a bottom wall portion having an upwardly facing and upwardly diverging conical support surface, said bottom wall portion having an opening extending substantially vertically therethrough substantially at the apex of said-conical support surface;
a ball movably supported on said support surface, the weight of said ball normally maintaining same at the apex of said conical support surface; and
electrical switch means adapted to be actuated by said ball when same is moved toward to or away from said apex, said switch means including actuator means movably positioned within said opening and positioned for engagement with said ball when said ball is located at said apex, said actuator means being depressed by said ball when said ball is located at said apex. 2. A switch device according to claim 1, wherein said switch means comprises, a microswitch having a push button for actuating same, and said actuator means in-.
cluding a push rod slidably disposed within said opening and having the upper end thereof positioned for engagement with said ball, the lower end of said push rod being interconnected with said button for actuating same.
3. A switch device according to claim 2, wherein said push button is disposed in engagement with the lower end of said push rod, said push button urging said push rod upwardly so that the upper end thereof projects beyond said conical support surface when said ball is moved upwardly along said support surface away from said apex.
4. A switching device according to claim 2, wherein the upper end of said push rod has an upper surface having a spherical shape compatible with the spherical configuration of said ball.
5. A switching device according to claim 1, wherein said casing means includes an upper wall portion disposed above and spaced from said bottom wall portion so as to define a chamber therebetween in which is positioned said ball, and said upper wall portion having projection means fixedly secured thereto and projecting downwardly therefrom toward said apex, said projection means being disposed closely adjacent said ball when same is positioned at said apex for preventing said ball from moving vertically upwardly away from said support surface.
Claims (5)
1. An acceleration responsive switch device, comprising: casing means including a bottom wall portion having an upwardly facing and upwardly diverging conical support surface, said bottom wall portion having an opening extending substantially vertically therethrough substantially at the apex of said conical support surface; a ball movably supported on said support surface, the weight of said ball normally maintaining same at the apex of said conical support surface; and electrical switch means adapted to be actuated by said ball when same is moved toward to or away from said apex, said switch means including actuator means movably positioned within said opening and positioned for engagement with said ball when said ball is located at said apex, said actuator means being depressed by said ball when said ball is located at said apex.
2. A switch device according to claim 1, wherein said switch means comprises a microswitch having a push button for actuating same, and said actuator means including a push rod slidably disposed within said opening and having the upper end thereof positioned for engagement with said ball, the lower end of said push rod being interconnected with said button for actuating same.
3. A switch device according to claim 2, wherein said push button is disposed in engagement with the lower end of said push rod, said push button urging said push rod upwardly so that the upper end thereof projects beyond said conical support surface when said ball is moved upwardly along said support surface away from said apex.
4. A switching device according to claim 2, wherein the upper end of said push rod has an upper surface having a spherical shape compatible with the spherical configuration of said ball.
5. A switching device according to claim 1, wherein said casing means includes an upper wall portion disposed above and spaced from said bottom wall portion so as to define a chamber therebetween in which is positioned said ball, and said upper wall portion having projection means fixedly secured thereto and projecting downwardly therefrom toward said apex, said projection means being disposed closely adjacent said ball when same is positioned at said apex for preventing said ball from moving vertically upwardly away from said support surface.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP8371170U JPS5016200Y1 (en) | 1970-08-21 | 1970-08-21 | |
JP1971009779U JPS5120464Y2 (en) | 1971-02-20 | 1971-02-20 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US3723680A true US3723680A (en) | 1973-03-27 |
Family
ID=26344575
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US00173711A Expired - Lifetime US3723680A (en) | 1970-08-21 | 1971-08-18 | Acceleration responsive switching device |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US3723680A (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3769472A (en) * | 1972-08-23 | 1973-10-30 | Technar Inc | Inertia sensor switch |
EP0401132A1 (en) * | 1989-05-30 | 1990-12-05 | Albert Cardon | Security device for vehicles in case of accident by impact or tilting |
Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2963562A (en) * | 1959-12-07 | 1960-12-06 | Charles G Mishler | Magnetic g load actuated switch |
US3379059A (en) * | 1966-05-04 | 1968-04-23 | Phillips Petroleum Co | Flow meter with gravity and liquid sensing switches |
US3578930A (en) * | 1968-04-06 | 1971-05-18 | Messerschmitt Boelkow Blohm | Multiple electric switch |
US3621163A (en) * | 1970-01-19 | 1971-11-16 | Acb Corp | Inertia switch |
-
1971
- 1971-08-18 US US00173711A patent/US3723680A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2963562A (en) * | 1959-12-07 | 1960-12-06 | Charles G Mishler | Magnetic g load actuated switch |
US3379059A (en) * | 1966-05-04 | 1968-04-23 | Phillips Petroleum Co | Flow meter with gravity and liquid sensing switches |
US3578930A (en) * | 1968-04-06 | 1971-05-18 | Messerschmitt Boelkow Blohm | Multiple electric switch |
US3621163A (en) * | 1970-01-19 | 1971-11-16 | Acb Corp | Inertia switch |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3769472A (en) * | 1972-08-23 | 1973-10-30 | Technar Inc | Inertia sensor switch |
EP0401132A1 (en) * | 1989-05-30 | 1990-12-05 | Albert Cardon | Security device for vehicles in case of accident by impact or tilting |
FR2647950A1 (en) * | 1989-05-30 | 1990-12-07 | Cardon Albert | VEHICLE SAFETY DEVICE IN CASE OF SHOCK OR REVERSE ACCIDENT |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US3816680A (en) | Acceleration responsive switch | |
US3748415A (en) | Acceleration responsive switch with magnetic actuator means | |
CA2033676C (en) | Inertial transducer and vehicle brake warning device | |
US3778572A (en) | Inertia sensor switch assemblies with magnetic holding means or the like | |
US4320384A (en) | Vehicle acceleration/deceleration warning system | |
GB2065347A (en) | Deceleration warning system | |
US3836739A (en) | Liquid contact tilt inertial switch with movable metallic conductive means responsive to acceleration and deceleration forces | |
AU1103483A (en) | An inertia switch device | |
US3723680A (en) | Acceleration responsive switching device | |
US2794084A (en) | Accident signalling device | |
US3734230A (en) | Emergency stop switch means for a mobilized sledge or the like | |
US4255629A (en) | Crash and rollover cutoff switch | |
US2176770A (en) | Circuit breaker | |
US2528115A (en) | Detent means for switches | |
US3022392A (en) | Impact-responsive switch device | |
US3466409A (en) | Circuit breaker for vehicle ignition system | |
US4184057A (en) | Inertia switch assembly | |
US3621163A (en) | Inertia switch | |
US4378475A (en) | Velocity sensitive impact switch | |
US3380046A (en) | Warning system and switches therefor | |
US3548137A (en) | Switch construction | |
US3721779A (en) | Sliding action electrical switch with ramp portions between contacts and insulating strips | |
DE4218315A1 (en) | Inertia activated hazard flasher for vehicle - has different levels of activation, with automatic reset for strong braking. | |
US2766345A (en) | Safety device to be used on moving automotive machinery and planes, etc. | |
US4877931A (en) | Switch having a visable indicator |