Mercury type tilt switch
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A tilt switch comprising:
- a gravity responsive conductive ball;
a housing defining an enclosure for said gravity responsive conductive ball;
annular shelf means adjacent one end of said housing;
means defining a depression adjacent said one end of said housing and surrounded by said annular shelf;
contact means including;
at least one switch extending through said housing and exposed at said depression, andat least one additional contact,said gravity responsive conductive ball being freely movable in said enclosure in response to tilting of the switch between a first portion supported, out of contact with said at least one switch contact exposed at said depression, on said annular shelf means against a portion of the housing projecting therebeyond and a second position extending into said depression in contact with said at least one switch contact exposed at said depression and with said at least one additional contact;
said gravity responsive conductive ball being operable to assume said second position only when the switch is oriented within a solid angle including a generally upright position; and
said housing comprising;
a header having an inwardly extending flange defining said annular shelf means, a central closure portion of insulating material by which said depression is defined, and an outwardly extending, metal peripheral portion; and
a metal cap welded to said peripheral portion of said header to seal the enclosure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tilt switch of the mercury type wherein at least one electrode extends into the switch chamber containing a mercury-like globule which is movable back and forth between a first position resulting in the switch being in a state of conductivity or non-conductivity when it is oriented within a first solid angle and the opposite state when it is oriented outside that solid angle. The chamber is of at least generally dry wall construction and may be of small size for use in activating a LED or LCD display of a battery-powered wristwatch.
32 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A tilt switch comprising:
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a gravity responsive conductive ball; a housing defining an enclosure for said gravity responsive conductive ball; annular shelf means adjacent one end of said housing; means defining a depression adjacent said one end of said housing and surrounded by said annular shelf; contact means including; at least one switch extending through said housing and exposed at said depression, and at least one additional contact, said gravity responsive conductive ball being freely movable in said enclosure in response to tilting of the switch between a first portion supported, out of contact with said at least one switch contact exposed at said depression, on said annular shelf means against a portion of the housing projecting therebeyond and a second position extending into said depression in contact with said at least one switch contact exposed at said depression and with said at least one additional contact; said gravity responsive conductive ball being operable to assume said second position only when the switch is oriented within a solid angle including a generally upright position; and said housing comprising; a header having an inwardly extending flange defining said annular shelf means, a central closure portion of insulating material by which said depression is defined, and an outwardly extending, metal peripheral portion; and a metal cap welded to said peripheral portion of said header to seal the enclosure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A tilt switch according to claim 28 wherein:
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said gravity responsive ball is a liquid conductive globule; said at least one switch contact and said at least one additional contact are comprised of two spaced switch contacts extending through said closure portion of insulating material at a position such that said liquid conductive globule bridges said switch contacts when the switch is within said solid angle including a generally upright position; and said switch contacts being so spaced relative to the size of said globule that the extent of said solid angle over which said globule bridges said contacts is smaller in a plane including said contact than in a plane perpendicular thereto.
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Specification