US3812308A - Ball actuated inertia switch - Google Patents

Ball actuated inertia switch Download PDF

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Publication number
US3812308A
US3812308A US00283243A US28324372A US3812308A US 3812308 A US3812308 A US 3812308A US 00283243 A US00283243 A US 00283243A US 28324372 A US28324372 A US 28324372A US 3812308 A US3812308 A US 3812308A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
mass
hole
wire
base
contact
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
Application number
US00283243A
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English (en)
Inventor
L Bell
W Gruber
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.)
TRW Technar Inc
Original Assignee
TRW Technar Inc
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 TRW Technar Inc filed Critical TRW Technar Inc
Priority to US00283243A priority Critical patent/US3812308A/en
Priority to DE19732341564 priority patent/DE2341564A1/de
Priority to GB3960873A priority patent/GB1418569A/en
Priority to CA179,334A priority patent/CA999663A/en
Priority to IT69499/73A priority patent/IT994639B/it
Priority to JP48093941A priority patent/JPS4985574A/ja
Priority to FR7330647A priority patent/FR2197220B1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3812308A publication Critical patent/US3812308A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime 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
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S200/00—Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
    • Y10S200/29—Ball

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT Inertia switch with mass freely movable in chamber and energizing switch means upon reception in chamber.
  • This invention relates to a G switch which embodies a mass removably mounted at the base of inclined apertured structure for biasing electrical contact means in one position when stationed partially within said aperture, and in a second position when said mass has moved from said aperture and is on the incline as a result of certain G forces.
  • the invention comprises a spherical mass or ball, in one embodiment, freely mounted for movement within a cylinder having an apertured inclined base.
  • a contact wire biased into a position near the base which, when engaged by the spherical mass located within the aperture, moves to a position to engage another contact wire and implement the function of the switch.
  • the diameter of the aperture in the base in which the mass rests and the angle of incline determines the level of G forces needed to get and keep the spherical mass out of the apertured base and on the incline and thus out of contact with the contact wire.
  • the cylinder containing the mass is of such height that the mass may escape the aperture and incline entirely when the sensor is inverted, such as by a rollover of an automobile, to break contact with the contact wire.
  • FIG. 1 shows the ball in rest position in one embodiment of the sensor
  • FIG. 2 shows an end view of FIG. 1
  • FIG. 3 shows the sensor of FIG. 1 with the mass having escaped the apertured base and on the incline thereof;
  • FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 1 In the embodiment of FIG. 1 is shown a cylindrical casing 2 of an inertia sensor 1. Freely movable about within the casing, which forms a chamber 70, is a spherical mass or ball 3 which is held within the casing by its side wall 30, a base 4 integral therewith and a top 5 mounted on the side walls.
  • the base 4 is inclined interior of the casing at an upward angle toward the side wall of the casing 2.
  • the spherical member when it rests, sits within the aperture or hole 7 in the base 4 and between the inclines 14 and extends therethrough at the bottom.
  • a spring contact wire 5a which is biased so as to tend to lie close to the base 4.
  • the contact wire 5a may be preferably, in one embodiment, mounted in a groove 6 in the underside of the base 4 to enhance contact of the wire with the ball.
  • an electrical contact arm 8 which is in electrical contact with the wire 5a (see FIG. 2).
  • a second contact arm 9 which has extending therefrom a contact wire 10 mounted so as to over-lie the contact wire 5a.
  • the wire 5a may be fastened by welding to the contact arm 8 on the underside of the base at 12.
  • the wire 5a advantageously is free at the opposite end for movement under the influence of the mass 3.
  • the contact wire 10 may be fastened to the base 4 at the end opposite to arm 9, as at 13, and is in electrical contact at the other end with arm 9.
  • the spherical mass 3 When the spherical mass 3 is located in the hole 7, it bears against the contact wire 50 and pushes it against its own bias outward (away from the base) so as to be in contact with the wire 10 and complete the electrical circuit from the arm 8, through the wires 5 and 10 to the arm 9.
  • the contact wire 5a When the spherical mass leaves the hole 7 and moves onto the incline (the incline being shown at 14), the contact wire 5a, under the influence of its bias, moves toward the base and out of contact with the wire 10, see FIG. 3.
  • the base 4 is substituted in function for the wire 10 so that the circuit is completed through the sphere 3, which must be conductive, from the base to the wire 50 when the sphere is in the hole 7.
  • the inertia sensor described In operation, such as, but not limited to, automotive useage as an inertia switch for locking seat belt retractors, the inertia sensor described is mounted so as to be sensitive to acceleration force in the vehicle. As a result of a sufficient enough G force level, the mass 3 moves from the hole up the incline breaking the electrical contact.
  • the inertia sensor could beutilized to look a seat belt retractor on occurrences of such G force, as disclosed in' US. Pat. No. 3,610,361, patented Oct. 5, 1971, for example.
  • the diameter of the hole and the angle of the incline will effect the forces necessary to move the mass against the forces of inertia and gravity out of the hole and up the incline. When such G forces have sufficiently declined or have disappeared, the mass will resettle in its rest position in the hole.
  • the normal functioning state of the sensor will be as shown in FIG. 1, the sensor being normally mounted so as to be horizontal on line AA when the vehicle is horizontal.
  • An inertia switch comprising an insulative chamber formed by top, sidewalls and base having a hole therein, a freely movable mass contained within said chamber and larger in diameter than said hole so as to be removably positioned in said hole under rest conditions, said chamber having inclined means for returning said mass to said position in said hole, switch means including a movable biased wire electrical contact underlying said hole mounted on said base for contacting a portion of said mass, said freely movable mass extending through said hole when in said hole and contacting said wire, said switch means moving as a result of said contact with said mass in a direction against its bias.

Landscapes

  • Switches Operated By Changes In Physical Conditions (AREA)
  • Control Of Position, Course, Altitude, Or Attitude Of Moving Bodies (AREA)
  • Level Indicators Using A Float (AREA)
US00283243A 1972-08-23 1972-08-23 Ball actuated inertia switch Expired - Lifetime US3812308A (en)

Priority Applications (7)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US00283243A US3812308A (en) 1972-08-23 1972-08-23 Ball actuated inertia switch
DE19732341564 DE2341564A1 (de) 1972-08-23 1973-08-17 Traegheitsschalter
GB3960873A GB1418569A (en) 1972-08-23 1973-08-21 Inertia switch
CA179,334A CA999663A (en) 1972-08-23 1973-08-21 Seated ball inertia switch
IT69499/73A IT994639B (it) 1972-08-23 1973-08-22 Commutatore elettrico
JP48093941A JPS4985574A (en(2012)) 1972-08-23 1973-08-23
FR7330647A FR2197220B1 (en(2012)) 1972-08-23 1973-08-23

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US00283243A US3812308A (en) 1972-08-23 1972-08-23 Ball actuated inertia switch

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3812308A true US3812308A (en) 1974-05-21

Family

ID=23085172

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00283243A Expired - Lifetime US3812308A (en) 1972-08-23 1972-08-23 Ball actuated inertia switch

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US3812308A (en(2012))
JP (1) JPS4985574A (en(2012))
CA (1) CA999663A (en(2012))
DE (1) DE2341564A1 (en(2012))
FR (1) FR2197220B1 (en(2012))
GB (1) GB1418569A (en(2012))
IT (1) IT994639B (en(2012))

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3955356A (en) * 1974-03-19 1976-05-11 Texas Instruments Incorporated Watch having positioned controlled display actuator
US4022998A (en) * 1972-06-13 1977-05-10 Foehl Artur Acceleration and retardation responsive electric control device
US4071723A (en) * 1975-05-13 1978-01-31 Inertia Switch Limited Plunger-release shock responsive control apparatus having adjustable seat for sensor mass
US4097698A (en) * 1975-03-12 1978-06-27 Inertia Switch Limited Seismonastic switches with inertia responsive controller
US4373155A (en) * 1981-11-12 1983-02-08 Amp Incorporated Brake fluid level indicator
US4433317A (en) * 1982-01-18 1984-02-21 Mechanical Enterprises, Inc. Controlled floating contactor switch
US4503298A (en) * 1983-10-31 1985-03-05 Garford Andrew M Wheel motion indicator
US5334963A (en) * 1992-10-22 1994-08-02 The University Of Alabama In Huntsville Inertia and inductance switches
US5546076A (en) * 1995-06-06 1996-08-13 Kalidon Technology, Inc. Earth-tremor-responsive light
US5639999A (en) * 1995-10-23 1997-06-17 Hsu; Yu-Liang Universally tilted inclination switch
US5955713A (en) * 1997-10-03 1999-09-21 Circle Seal Corporation Tilt switch array for electronic orientation detection
US6559396B1 (en) * 2002-06-13 2003-05-06 Tien-Ming Chou Tilt switch
US6604422B2 (en) * 2001-10-05 2003-08-12 Jung-Tsung Wei Vibration sensor device
US6852935B2 (en) 2002-10-30 2005-02-08 Itron, Inc. Tilt switch
US6972386B1 (en) 2004-07-20 2005-12-06 Knowles Electronics, Llc Digital pulse generator and manufacturing method thereof
ES2348529A1 (es) * 2010-05-03 2010-12-09 Manuel Dominguez Lopez Batidora de cocina.
US20180252523A1 (en) * 2017-03-03 2018-09-06 Philip Schafer Tilt sensor

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0172005A3 (en) * 1984-08-10 1987-06-10 Maximal Security Products Limited Shock sensor switch
GB2190244A (en) * 1986-05-02 1987-11-11 Inertia Switch Ltd Inertia sensor
FR2647950B1 (fr) * 1989-05-30 1993-01-08 Cardon Albert Dispositif de securite pour vehicules en cas d'accident par choc ou renversement
DE4124514A1 (de) * 1991-07-24 1993-01-28 Bosch Gmbh Robert Beschleunigungssensor, insbesondere zum selbsttaetigen ausloesen von insassenschutzvorrichtungen in kraftfahrzeugen

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR748860A (fr) * 1932-04-01 1933-07-12 Dispositif permettant la suppression automatique du courant électrique dans les moteurs à explosion d'automobile en cas d'accident
JPS4221431Y1 (en(2012)) * 1965-02-15 1967-12-09

Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4022998A (en) * 1972-06-13 1977-05-10 Foehl Artur Acceleration and retardation responsive electric control device
US3955356A (en) * 1974-03-19 1976-05-11 Texas Instruments Incorporated Watch having positioned controlled display actuator
US4097698A (en) * 1975-03-12 1978-06-27 Inertia Switch Limited Seismonastic switches with inertia responsive controller
US4071723A (en) * 1975-05-13 1978-01-31 Inertia Switch Limited Plunger-release shock responsive control apparatus having adjustable seat for sensor mass
US4373155A (en) * 1981-11-12 1983-02-08 Amp Incorporated Brake fluid level indicator
US4433317A (en) * 1982-01-18 1984-02-21 Mechanical Enterprises, Inc. Controlled floating contactor switch
US4503298A (en) * 1983-10-31 1985-03-05 Garford Andrew M Wheel motion indicator
US5334963A (en) * 1992-10-22 1994-08-02 The University Of Alabama In Huntsville Inertia and inductance switches
US5546076A (en) * 1995-06-06 1996-08-13 Kalidon Technology, Inc. Earth-tremor-responsive light
US5639999A (en) * 1995-10-23 1997-06-17 Hsu; Yu-Liang Universally tilted inclination switch
US5955713A (en) * 1997-10-03 1999-09-21 Circle Seal Corporation Tilt switch array for electronic orientation detection
US6604422B2 (en) * 2001-10-05 2003-08-12 Jung-Tsung Wei Vibration sensor device
US6559396B1 (en) * 2002-06-13 2003-05-06 Tien-Ming Chou Tilt switch
US6852935B2 (en) 2002-10-30 2005-02-08 Itron, Inc. Tilt switch
US6972386B1 (en) 2004-07-20 2005-12-06 Knowles Electronics, Llc Digital pulse generator and manufacturing method thereof
ES2348529A1 (es) * 2010-05-03 2010-12-09 Manuel Dominguez Lopez Batidora de cocina.
WO2012004428A1 (es) * 2010-05-03 2012-01-12 Dominguez Lopez Manuel Batidora de cocina
US20180252523A1 (en) * 2017-03-03 2018-09-06 Philip Schafer Tilt sensor
US10317208B2 (en) * 2017-03-03 2019-06-11 Philip Schafer Tilt sensor

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT994639B (it) 1975-10-20
DE2341564A1 (de) 1974-02-28
FR2197220A1 (en(2012)) 1974-03-22
CA999663A (en) 1976-11-09
JPS4985574A (en(2012)) 1974-08-16
GB1418569A (en) 1975-12-24
FR2197220B1 (en(2012)) 1977-05-13

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