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ATTITUDE RESPONSIVE SWITCH FOR VEHICLE SAFETY SYSTEM

  • US 3,833,084 A
  • Filed: 01/12/1973
  • Issued: 09/03/1974
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1973
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An attitude responsive electrical switch comprising:

  • a body of insulating material defining a generally cup-shaped reservoir having a bottom and a sidewall extending upwardly therefrom to an opening in the body;

    an electrically conductive liquid in said reservoir only partially filling the same, said body having a normal position in which the reservoir is in a level attitude and may be rotated about a vertical axis without causing said liquid to flow along said sidewall, said body presenting a continuous edge at said opening circumscribing said reservoir; and

    cover means on said body closing said opening and provided with a pair of spaced, normally electrically isolated contact elements adjacent said edge, said sidewall diverging from said axis in preselected angular relationship thereto as the sidewall extends from said bottom to said opening, whereby said reservoir may be tilted in a predetermined direction to an extent to cause said liquid, at a selected degree of tilt, to gravitate along said sidewall to said edge and bridge said elements, thereby closing the switch, one of said elements extending completely around said opening substantially at said edge, the other of said elements being disposed in said opening aNd having a peripheral portion closely spaced from said edge inwardly therefrom completely around said opening, whereby tilting of the reservoir in any direction to a sufficient extent will cause the liquid to bridge the elements, said one element overlying said body and having an aperture therein registering with said opening, said other element having a shape conforming to the configuration of said opening.

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