Integrating Impact Switch
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a first electrical contact;
a second electrical contact, wherein the second electrical contact is movable with a first motion with respect to the first electrical contact;
a first reservoir containing a first fluid, wherein the volume of the first reservoir is based on the position of the second electrical contact with respect to the first electrical contact;
a second reservoir containing the first fluid; and
a first channel, wherein the first channel fluidically couples the first reservoir and the second reservoir;
wherein the first motion is based on (1) a first acceleration and (2) the rate of flow of the first fluid through the first channel.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An integrating impact switch that can discriminate between accelerations due to different stimuli is provided. Embodiments of the present invention actuate only in response to an acceleration whose magnitude is equal to or greater than an acceleration threshold for a predetermined continuous period of time. Embodiments of the present invention comprise an impact switch having a throw that is operatively coupled with a viscous damper that dampens motion of the throw. As a result, a stimulus that imparts an acceleration that meets or exceeds an acceleration threshold for a time period less than a predetermined time-period threshold does not actuate the switch. A stimulus that imparts an acceleration whose magnitude is equal to or greater than the acceleration threshold for a time period equal to the time-period threshold, however, does actuate the switch.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a first electrical contact; a second electrical contact, wherein the second electrical contact is movable with a first motion with respect to the first electrical contact; a first reservoir containing a first fluid, wherein the volume of the first reservoir is based on the position of the second electrical contact with respect to the first electrical contact; a second reservoir containing the first fluid; and a first channel, wherein the first channel fluidically couples the first reservoir and the second reservoir; wherein the first motion is based on (1) a first acceleration and (2) the rate of flow of the first fluid through the first channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus comprising:
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a switch that actuates in response to a first acceleration; and a viscous damper, wherein the viscous damper and the switch are operatively coupled, and wherein the viscous damper is dimensioned and arranged to enable actuation of the switch only when the first acceleration is equal to or greater than the first threshold for a predetermined continuous period of time. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method comprising:
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providing a first module comprising a first electrical contact; providing a second module comprising a throw comprising a second electrical contact, wherein the throw is dimensioned and arranged to move along a first direction in response to a first acceleration; arranging the first module and second module such that the first electrical contact and second electrical contact are separated along the first direction by a first spacing, wherein the throw and the first electrical contact collectively define a switch; and providing a viscous damper, wherein the viscous damper and throw are operatively coupled such that the viscous damper retards a motion of the throw along the first direction; wherein the viscous damper enables actuation of the switch only when the first acceleration is equal to or greater than the first threshold for a predetermined continuous period of time. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification