INERTIA SENSING SWITCH WITH CONDUCTIVE CATCH RIM MEANS FOR RETAINING MOVABLE CONTACT IN CLOSED POSITION

• US 3,859,483 A
• Filed: 05/02/1973
• Issued: 01/07/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gregory L. Laserson, Harry W. Hopper Jr
• Original Assignee: Gregory L. Laserson, Harry W. Hopper Jr
• Inventors: Laserson, Gregory L., Hopper, Harry W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, James R.
• Application Number:
  US05/356,575
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 200/61.08,61.41,61.45R,61.5,61.51,61.53,163,61.47
• US Class Current: 200/61.45R
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/135 by making use of contacts which are actuated by a movable inertial mass
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/145 operated by a particular acceleration-time function

Abstract

A detector secured to a projectile, which closes a switch at the end of a deceleration period after an initial acceleration period of the projectile. The detector components are housed in a small cylindrical container having two normally open switch terminals. A movable mass is resiliently positioned at one end of the detector to act as an inertia operator to drive a latch through a wall when a deceleration of the projectile is sensed. When the projectile comes to rest, the movable mass is returned to its original position and the switch is closed.

Claims

1. An inertia operated switch for connecting two contacts mounted in spaced relation after the switch has been stopped comprising:

a housing made of insulative material and including first and second electrical terminals secured in spaced relation;

a primary conductive mass axially movable within the housing and normally in contact with said first terminal;

said primary conductive mass having an axial cavity therein;

a secondary conductive mass also axially movable within the housing;

a first resilient expansion means mounted between an insulator ring in the housing and a flange on said secondary conductive mass to normally maintain the two masses in contact with each other and the primary mass in contact with the first electrical terminal;

a second electrically conductive resilient expansion means disposed in the axial cavity of the primary conductive mass and mounted between the two masses for moving them apart, said second resilient means having less force than the first resilient means;

a conductive latch secured to said secondary mass in axial alignment with the housing;

a conductive ring secured to one end of the housing and connected to the second electrical terminal;

said conductive ring including a resiliently deformable catch rim adapted to retain the latch in its operated position whenever the latch is forced through the rim due to the deceleration of the housing above a predetermined value.

2. A switch according to claim 1 wherein said first and second electrical terminals are connected to conductors external to the housing for connection to a utilization device.

3. A switch according to claim 2 wherein said catch rim comprises a series of inwardly extending fingers longitudinally separated from each other for at least a portion of the distance toward the conductive ring.

4. A switch according to claim 1 wherein said secondary conductive mass is formed with an axial cavity for containing a portion of the primary mass and said second resilient means.

5. A switch according to claim 1 wherein said first resilient means is a helical expansion spring.

6. A switch according to claim 1 wherein said second resilient means is a helical expansion spring.

7. A switch according to claim 1 wherein said latch is mounted on an axial rod secured to the secondary mass and is formed with a frusto-conical surface of revolution.

8. A switch according to claim 1 wHerein said conductive ring is formed with an axial recess, supporting said catch rim at the bottom thereof.

9. A switch according to claim 1 wherein said catch rim comprises a series of inwardly extending fingers longitudinally separated from each other for at least a portion of the distance toward the conductive ring.

10. A switch according to claim 9 wherein an insulator ring is mounted adjoining said conductive ring and surrounds the axial recess therein, said ring forming a limit for the secondary mass during a deceleration operation.

11. A switch according to claim 1 wherein said catch rim is a prescored deformable diaphragm.