Crash sensor with improved activation for stabbing primer
First Claim
1. In a crash sensor of the type comprising a first resilient means for storing energy, an element movable in response to deceleration forces during a crash, and release means adapted to release the energy stored in said first resilient means upon movement of said element to a predetermined position, the improvement comprising:
- said release means coacting with said first resilient means for constraining it in a stressed state for storing energy,and said first resilient means having a negative spring rate for some range of stored energy.
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Abstract
A crash sensor for automobiles of the type including a ball moving against viscous damping in a closed cylinder for releasing a firing pin for initiating a pyrotechnic sequence has an improved release mechanism. When the ball moves a predetermined distance from its normal or resting position during an automobile crash a release mechanism releases a belleville spring maintained under stress. The belleville spring thereupon initiates movement of a firing pin towards a stab primer. The release mechanism is a single piece of spring material having multiple levers extending radially inward from a torsionally elastic ring, each lever having a detent and a pivot. The firing pin is mounted on and driven by a snap disk which is normally in its position of higher energy equilibrium and is released to go to its position of lower energy equilibrium by pressure applied by the belleville spring.
19 Citations
13 Claims
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1. In a crash sensor of the type comprising a first resilient means for storing energy, an element movable in response to deceleration forces during a crash, and release means adapted to release the energy stored in said first resilient means upon movement of said element to a predetermined position, the improvement comprising:
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said release means coacting with said first resilient means for constraining it in a stressed state for storing energy, and said first resilient means having a negative spring rate for some range of stored energy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 11)
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6. In a crash sensor of the type comprising a first resilient means for storing energy, an element movable in response to deceleration forces during a crash, and release means adapted to release the energy stored in said first resilient means upon movement of said element to a predetermined position, the improvement comprising:
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said release means coacting with said first resilient means for constraining it in a stressed state for storing energy, and said release means comprising a ring having plural trigger levers extending inward. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. In a crash sensor of the type comprising a first resilient means for storing energy, an element movable in response to deceleration forces during a crash, and release means adapted to release the energy stored in said first resilient means upon movement of said element to a predetermined position, the improvement comprising:
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said release means comprising trigger means linked with said first resilient means for movement therewith and wherein, said trigger means urges said movable element away from said predetermined position by using energy stored in said first resilient means.
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12. In an occupant protection system of an automotive vehicle of the type comprising multiple crash sensors located near each other and each adapted to pierce a stab primer and initiate a chemical reaction in response to deceleration forces during a crash, the improvement comprising:
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each of said crash sensors being a unitary structure adapted to be placed in an occupant protection system, said crash sensors being grouped in manufactured which have one or more manufacturing circumstances in common, each sensor of said multiple crash sensors being drawn from a different one of said groups. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification