Vehicle deceleration sensor
First Claim
1. A vehicle deceleration sensor for detection of deceleration or acceleration greater than a certain threshold level and for releasing energy from an energy source, said sensor comprising:
- an energy releasing member;
a sensor mass pivotally mounted for motion along a first direction in a casing and is urged by first biasing means along the first direction so as to oppose an inertia force that will applied to the sensor mass as it experiences deceleration or acceleration which is to be detected;
second biasing means which resiliently urges the energy releasing member in a direction to move said energy releasing member into releasing energy from an energy source; and
a trigger member which is moveably supported and comprises a first free end which is adapted to engage the energy releasing member and a second free end which is adapted to engage with an engagement portion of the sensor mass so as to keep the first free end engaged with the energy releasing member against the urging force of the second biasing means under normal condition and to permit the motion of the trigger member to disengage the energy releasing means from the first free end of the trigger member when the sensor mass is subjected to acceleration or deceleration greater than the threshold level.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A deceleration sensor for detection for deceleration greater than a certain threshold level, comprising: a firing pin; a sensor mass which is guided for motion along a first direction in a casing and is urged by a first spring member along the first direction so as to oppose an inertia force that will be applied to the sensor mass as it experiences deceleration which is to be detected; a trigger arm which is pivoted at its base end and comprises a first free end which is urged by a second spring member into activating the firing pin and a second free end which is engaged with the sensor mass so as to oppose a rotational motion of the trigger arm under a biasing force of the second spring member; and a shoulder surface provided in the sensor mass for holding the trigger arm against the biasing force of the second spring member be being engaged with the trigger arm under a normal condition and releasing the trigger arm by being disengaged from the trigger arm when the sensor mass experiences acceleration greater than the threshold level. Since the frictional force involved in the engagement between the sensor mass and the trigger arm is drastically reduced, the state of the engagement can be controlled very precisely.
15 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A vehicle deceleration sensor for detection of deceleration or acceleration greater than a certain threshold level and for releasing energy from an energy source, said sensor comprising:
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an energy releasing member; a sensor mass pivotally mounted for motion along a first direction in a casing and is urged by first biasing means along the first direction so as to oppose an inertia force that will applied to the sensor mass as it experiences deceleration or acceleration which is to be detected; second biasing means which resiliently urges the energy releasing member in a direction to move said energy releasing member into releasing energy from an energy source; and a trigger member which is moveably supported and comprises a first free end which is adapted to engage the energy releasing member and a second free end which is adapted to engage with an engagement portion of the sensor mass so as to keep the first free end engaged with the energy releasing member against the urging force of the second biasing means under normal condition and to permit the motion of the trigger member to disengage the energy releasing means from the first free end of the trigger member when the sensor mass is subjected to acceleration or deceleration greater than the threshold level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A vehicle deceleration sensor for detection of deceleration in a given direction greater than a predetermined threshold level and for releasing energy from an energy source when said deceleration exceeds said threshold level, said sensor comprising:
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sensor mass means, pivotally mounted for movement in said deceleration direction; first biasing means for resisting movement of said sensor mass means in said deceleration direction; energy releasing means, mounted for movement in a first direction; second biasing means for urging said energy releasing means in said first direction; trigger member means, responsive to movement of said sensor mass means in said deceleration direction, for releasably preventing said energy releasing means from moving in said first direction when said deceleration is below said predetermined threshold level and for releasing said energy releasing means to move in said first direction when said deceleration is above said predetermined threshoId level, wherein said sensor mass means comprising a pair of planar members connected by a pair of spaced apart connecting members, said pair of planar members being mounted for pivotal movement in a plane parallel to said planar members; said trigger member means includes means for pivotally mounting said trigger member for at least partial rotation about a pivot axis, said trigger member means including a latch means for engaging said energy releasing means and preventing movement of said energy releasing means in said first direction during latching engagement, said trigger member means further including a free end in contact with one of said connecting members so as to prevent rotation of said latch means out of said latching engagement when said deceleration is below said predetermined threshold value.
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Specification