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Combination arming/discriminating inertia switch

  • US 5,059,751 A
  • Filed: 08/27/1990
  • Issued: 10/22/1991
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A passive automotive vehicle occupant restraint system comprising an electrically-fired occupant restraint device which is deployed in response to the concurrence of the closure of an arming switch means and of the closure of a discriminating switch means in an electrical firing circuit for the restraint device, characterized in that said arming switch means comprises an arming switch which has normally closed contacts that are caused to be held open by the attraction of a magnetically responsive inertial sensing mass to a magnet means with respect to which said inertial sensing mass is relatively movable until velocity change sensed by said inertial sensing mass creates inertial force in a direction opposite that of the magnetic attraction of said inertial sensing mass to said magnet means to move said inertial sensing mass along a defined path of motion to a point beyond which said inertial sensing mass ceases to hold said contacts of said arming switch open, there is provided means to impose damping on motion of said inertial sensing mass along said path in said direction, and said discriminating switch means comprises a discriminating switch which has normally open contacts that remain open until closed by said inertial sensing mass having executed an amount of motion along said path in said direction sufficient to have caused said inertial sensing mass to cease holding said contacts of said arming switch open so that as a consequence concurrence of the closure of said contacts of said arming switch and of the closure of said contacts of said discriminating switch is attained upon said inertial sensing mass having executed said amount of motion along said path in said direction.

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