Velocity change sensors
First Claim
1. A velocity change sensor comprising a body, a mass mounted on said body for swinging motion about an axis that lies transverse to the direction in which velocity change is sensed by the sensor, means on said body and said mass, including a permanent magnet, forming a magnetic circuit for biasing said mass about said axis to an initial position from which said mass swings in response to certain velocity changes applied to the sensor, electrical switch means comprising a pair of electrical contacts mounted on said body at least one of which said pair is resiliently held in non-conducting relationship with the other of said pair coincident with occupancy of said initial position by said mass and which assumes a conducting relationship with said other of said pair only after said mass has swung a predetermined arcuate distance from said initial position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments of sensors are disclosed which contain an inertial mass that is magnetically biased to an initial position. In response to a certain deceleration, the mass is caused to swing about an axis and operate a switch. In some embodiments, the switch is one that is held open by the inertial mass'"'"' presence in its initial position and closes when the inertial mass swings away from its initial position, while in other embodiments it is one whose contacts are bridged by a conductive portion of the inertial mass only after the inertial mass has been displaced from its initial position, while in still other embodiments it is a reed switch that is magnetically operated. Motion of the inertial mass can be undampened or dampened. If dampening is desired, it can be accomplished either pneumatically or electromagnetically.
35 Citations
33 Claims
- 1. A velocity change sensor comprising a body, a mass mounted on said body for swinging motion about an axis that lies transverse to the direction in which velocity change is sensed by the sensor, means on said body and said mass, including a permanent magnet, forming a magnetic circuit for biasing said mass about said axis to an initial position from which said mass swings in response to certain velocity changes applied to the sensor, electrical switch means comprising a pair of electrical contacts mounted on said body at least one of which said pair is resiliently held in non-conducting relationship with the other of said pair coincident with occupancy of said initial position by said mass and which assumes a conducting relationship with said other of said pair only after said mass has swung a predetermined arcuate distance from said initial position.
- 9. A velocity change sensor comprising a body, a mass mounted on said body for swinging motion about an axis that lies transverse to the direction in which velocity change is sensed by the sensor, means on said body and said mass, including a permanent magnet, forming a magnetic circuit for biasing said mass about said axis to an initial position from which said mass swings in response to certain velocity changes applied to the sensor, electrical switch means comprising a pair of electrical contacts on said body which are operated by said mass in response to a predetermined velocity change detected by said sensor, wherein said body comprises an enclosure that closely surrounds said mass and contains a gaseous damping fluid so as to impart gaseous fluid dampening to said mass during at least a portion of the swing of said mass.
- 17. A velocity change sensor comprising a body, a mass mounted on said body for swinging motion about an axis that lies transverse to the direction in which velocity change is sensed by the sensor, means on said body and said mass, including a permanent magnet, forming a magnetic circuit for biasing said mass about said axis to an initial position from which said mass swings in response to certain velocity changes applied to the sensor, electrical switch means comprising a pair of electrical contacts on said body which are disposed in non-conducting relationship with each other coincident with occupancy of said initial position by said mass and which operate to assume a conducting relationship with each other upon said mass swinging from said initial position, wherein said mass comprises a non-magnetic, electrical conductor in which eddy current is generated by interaction thereof with the magnetic field of said permanent magnet as said mass swings from said initial position to thereby dampen the swing of said mass by electromagnetic dampening.
- 25. A velocity change sensor comprising a body, a mass mounted on said body for swinging motion about an axis that lies transverse to the direction in which velocity change is sensed by the sensor, means on said body and said mass, including a permanent magnet, forming a magnetic circuit for biasing said mass about said axis to an initial position from which said mass swings in response to certain velocity changes applied to the sensor, reed switch means mounted on said body and is operated in response to a predetermined arcuate displacement of said mass from said initial position, said mass comprising a shutter that is interactive with said magnet and said reed switch means for causing operation of said reed switch means.
- 29. A velocity change sensor comprising a body, a mass mounted on said body for swinging motion about an axis that lies transverse to the direction in which velocity change is sensed by the sensor, means on said body and said mass, including a permanent magnet, forming a magnetic circuit for biasing said mass about said axis to an initial position from which said mass swings in response to certain velocity changes applied to the sensor, switch means mounted on said body and is operated in response to a predetermined arcuate displacement of said mass from said initial position, said body having a ferromagnetic wall, and said magnet being on said mass and attracted to said wall to establish said initial position, wherein said mass is non-ferromagnetic and said magnet is embedded therein.
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33. A velocity change sensor comprising a body, a mass mounted on said body for swinging motion about an axis that lies transverse to the direction in which velocity change is sensed by the sensor, means on said body and said mass, including a permanent magnet, forming a magnetic circuit for biasing said mass about said axis to an initial position from which said mass swings in response to certain velocity changes applied to the sensor, switch means mounted on said body and is operated by a predetermined arcuate displacement of said mass from said initial position, and means for adjusting the setting of said initial position, wherein said means for adjusting the setting of said initial position comprises an adjustment mechanism on said body that is operable from the exterior of said body, and sealing and locking means disposed on the exterior of said body to seal around the adjustment mechanism and lock it in place once a desired setting has been attained for said initial position.
Specification