INERTIA SWITCH WITH RESILIENT CONDUCTIVE SUPPORT ARM IMMERSED IN SILICONE BASE VISCOUS FLUID MEDIUM

• US 3,790,727 A
• Filed: 12/13/1972
• Issued: 02/05/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gregory L. Laserson, Harvey Feinman, Mille Stand, Rocco Scappatura, Stephen G. Glatzer
• Original Assignee: Gregory L. Laserson, Harvey Feinman, Mille Stand, Rocco Scappatura, Stephen G. Glatzer
• Inventors: Laserson, Gregory L., Feinman, Harvey, Stand, Mille, Glatzer, Stephen G., Scappatura, Rocco
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, James R.
• Application Number:
  US05/314,609
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 200/61.48,61.52
• US Class Current: 200/61.49
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/02 Switches operated by change of position, inclination or orientation of the switch itself in relation to gravitational field tilting mercury container H01H29/20; change of position due to change of liquid level H01H35/18

Abstract

A force actuated electrical switch which discriminates between forces having varying time duration. A pendulum, including a conductive wire secured at one end and fastened to a conductive bob at the other end. The pendulum is enclosed in a cylindrical insulator containing a thick viscous fluid. At the lower end of the cylinder a metal ring is positioned adjacent to the bob and surrounding it. Under normal conditions the bob remains at the center of the ring and there is no contact. When the cylinder is moved in a horizontal direction for an extended time interval, contact is made between the bob and the ring and the switch is closed.

Claims

1. An inertia actuated electrical switch comprising;

a hollow cylindrical insulative container for supporting all the switch components;

a pendulum including a conductive suspension and a metal bob, the suspension secured to one end of the container and forming one of the switch terminals, the bob formed with an annular knife edge and normally in axial alignment with the cylinder;

an annular contact ring also mounted in the container adjacent to the bob and having a serrated inwardly extending surface for contact by the knife edge of the bob when the switch is actuated;

a quantity of viscous fluid positioned in the container and covering the pendulum bob and the contact ring; and

a stoppered conductive tube being disposed within the container and connected to the contact ring for filling the container with fluid, said conductive tube forming the other terminal of the switch.

2. A switch according to claim 1 wherein the container is made of plastic.

3. A switch according to claim 1 wherein the suspension is secured to the bob by soldering and the bob is terminated at its lower end by a cone.

4. A switch according to claim 1 wherein the serrated contact ring is part of a tubular insert, force-fitted into the lower portion of the container.

5. A switch according to claim 1 wherein the suspension is made of beryllium copper wire.

6. A switch according to claim 1 wherein the conductive tube is closed by a plug made of a self-setting plastic composition.

7. A switch according to claim 1 wherein the viscous fluid is a fluid silicone oil.

8. A switch according to claim 7 wherein the viscous fluid consists of three types of silicone fluid, neither of which comprises more than 50 percent of the total fluid.

9. A switch according to claim 7 wherein the viscous fluid consists of two types of silicone fluid, neither of which comprises more than 65 percent of the total fluid.

10. A switch according to claim 1 wherein the viscous fluid consists of two types of silicone fluid and bromo-fluoro-carbon oil.