Velocity change sensor with contact retainer
First Claim
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1. An accelerometer for sensing velocity changes comprising:
- a housing with a first end a second end opposite said first end and defining a chamber therebetween;
a pair of flexible contact means disposed at said first end and having contact ends extending into said chamber;
retaining means disposed in said housing for biasing said contact ends to a preselected position with respect to said first end;
a sensing element movably disposed in said housing; and
biasing means for generating a biasing force on said sensing element for urging said sensing element toward a first position, said sensing element being constructed and arranged to move toward a second position away from said first position in response to a deceleration force exceeding said biasing force, for contacting said contact ends in said preselected position.
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Abstract
An accelerometer for sensing velocity changes particularly suited for passenger restraint systems in a motor vehicle for the deployment of an air bag includes a housing with contact blades and a contacting element. The contacting element is arranged to move toward the contact blades when a deceleration exceeding a threshold level is sensed. A retaining element is provided to set the blades in a preselected position so that the blades are contacted by the contacting element simultaneously thereby improving the response time of the accelerometer.
16 Citations
12 Claims
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1. An accelerometer for sensing velocity changes comprising:
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a housing with a first end a second end opposite said first end and defining a chamber therebetween; a pair of flexible contact means disposed at said first end and having contact ends extending into said chamber; retaining means disposed in said housing for biasing said contact ends to a preselected position with respect to said first end; a sensing element movably disposed in said housing; and biasing means for generating a biasing force on said sensing element for urging said sensing element toward a first position, said sensing element being constructed and arranged to move toward a second position away from said first position in response to a deceleration force exceeding said biasing force, for contacting said contact ends in said preselected position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 12)
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5. A passenger restraint system for a motor vehicle comprising:
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an air bag disposed in the motor vehicle; a control unit for selectively deploying said air bag in said motor vehicle for protecting a passenger in a crash; and an accelerometer for sensing a velocity change of said motor vehicle couple to said control unit and comprising; a housing disposed in said motor vehicle and defining a chamber; a pair of flexible contact blades disposed in said housing and having blade ends extending into said chamber; contact closing means arranged said housing for closing an electrical contact between said contact blades when said motor vehicle decelerates at a level exceeding a threshold level; and contact retainer means arranged in said housing for biasing said contact blade ends in a preselected position wherein said contact closing means closes said contact blades substantially simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification