Acceleration sensor

• US 5,374,793 A
• Filed: 06/08/1993
• Issued: 12/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Satoh, Ryo, Shimozono, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Friedhofer, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US08/102,783
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 200/61.45 R, 200/61.45 M, 200/61.48, 200/61.51, 200/61.52, 200/61.53, 200/269, 200/275
• US Class Current: 200/61.45M
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 49/105 using eddy currents
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/135 by making use of contacts which are actuated by a movable inertial mass
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/00 Testing or calibrating of apparatus or devices covered by the preceding groups
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/052 Controlling, signalling or testing correct functioning of a switch see also H01H2300/056 - H01H2300/066 and H01H11/0062
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/14 Switches operated by change of acceleration, e.g. by shock or vibration, inertia switch wherein the liquid constitutes a contact of the switch H01H29/002
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/142 Damping means to avoid unwanted response
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 47/002 Monitoring or fail-safe circuits

Abstract

The acceleration sensor is formed of a cylinder; an inertial member slidably mounted in the cylinder so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder; a conductive member fixed at least on an end surface of the inertial member facing one longitudinal end of the cylinder; a pair of electrodes fixed relative to the cylinder at one longitudinal end of the cylinder and which, when the conductive member of the inertial member makes contact with the electrodes, are caused to conduct via the conductive member; and an attracting member fixed relative to the cylinder near the other longitudinal end of the cylinder, for magnetically attracting the inertial member. The electrodes are formed by a metal sheet whose basal ends are held by an electrode holding member and whose front ends are protruding in the travel area of the inertial member, and one of planes of the metal sheet is disposed so that it faces to the inertial member. In the acceleration sensor, the edge portions of the sheet metal forming the electrode are bent in the direction opposite to the inertial member.

Claims

1. An acceleration sensor, comprising:

a cylinder,

an inertial member inserted in the cylinder so as to be movable in a longitudinal direction of the cylinder,

a conductive member fixed at least on an end surface of the inertial member facing one longitudinal end of the cylinder,

an attracting member fixed relative to the cylinder near the other longitudinal end of the cylinder for magnetically attracting said inertial member, and

a pair of electrodes fixed relative to the cylinder at said one longitudinal end of the cylinder, said electrodes, when the conductive member of said inertial member contacts the electrodes, being caused to conduct through the conductive member, said electrodes being formed of a metal sheet and having basal end portions and front end portions extending from the basal end portions and facing the inertial member in the cylinder, each front end portion having a main portion, a forward edge located at a position away from the basal end and two side edges located between the forward edge and the basal end portion, said side edges being bent relative to the main portion in a direction away from the inertial member so that when the inertial member contacts the electrodes, the main portion contacts the conductive member.

2. An acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein said front end portion is partly curved such that a part of the main portion projects toward the inertial member to be able to contact with the inertial member.

3. An acceleration sensor according to claim 2, further comprising an electrode holding member attached to the cylinder, said basal ends being held in the electrode holding member.

4. An acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein a surface layer made of a gold-silver alloy is provided on the main portion of said metal sheet facing to said inertial member through an intermediary of a substrate layer made of a silver-palladium alloy.

5. An acceleration sensor according to claim 1, wherein the edge portions of said metal sheet are slanted by 5°

to 45°

from the main portion of said metal sheet.