Vehicle deceleration sensor and indicator
First Claim
1. A deceleration sensor and indicator system for measuring a rate of deceleration experienced by a vehicle and signaling the rate of deceleration to persons outside of the vehicle, the system comprising:
- a shaft having a longitudinal axis, a first end and a second end;
a pendulum fixed to the shaft between the ends thereof;
a first rotary electric switch having a first part housing a plurality of spaced electrical contacts and a second part movable with respect to the first part for sequentially making contact with the electrical contacts, the second part being attached to the first end of the shaft for rotation therewith;
means for mounting the first part of the rotary switch to the vehicle such that the shaft and the second part of the rotary switch rotate as the pendulum swings by inertia with respect to the vehicle about the longitudinal axis of the shaft to actuate the rotary switch; and
signaling means connected to the rotary switch for actuation thereby to provide a visual indication of the rate of deceleration of the vehicle as determined by the amount of rotation of the shaft about the longitudinal axis.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An inertial sensor for measuring the rate of deceleration experienced by a vehicle includes a pendulum fixed to a horizontally disposed shaft, each end of which is connected to the selector knob of a rotary electrical switch. The rotary switches are mounted to the vehicle such that the axis of the shaft is perpendicular to the direction in which deceleration is to be measured. Each of the rotary switches is connected to a separate electric circuit comprising a plurality of cascaded circuit loops, each circuit loop supplying power to a single indicator lamp in a lamp array mounted on the rear of the vehicle. Deceleration of the vehicle causes the pendulum to swing forward with respect to the vehicle'"'"'s direction of motion, rotating the selector knobs so that each rotary switch sequentially closes the cascaded circuit loops, such that greater rotation of the selector knob results in a greater number of lamps being illuminated. The number of lamps illuminated indicates to the driver of a trailing vehicle how rapidly the vehicle using the invention system is decelerating. The lamp array has two groups of lamps, each group energized by a separate circuit connected to one of the two rotary switches. A backstop mounted to the vehicle immediately behind the pendulum prevents the pendulum from swinging rearwardly due to acceleration of the vehicle.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A deceleration sensor and indicator system for measuring a rate of deceleration experienced by a vehicle and signaling the rate of deceleration to persons outside of the vehicle, the system comprising:
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a shaft having a longitudinal axis, a first end and a second end; a pendulum fixed to the shaft between the ends thereof; a first rotary electric switch having a first part housing a plurality of spaced electrical contacts and a second part movable with respect to the first part for sequentially making contact with the electrical contacts, the second part being attached to the first end of the shaft for rotation therewith; means for mounting the first part of the rotary switch to the vehicle such that the shaft and the second part of the rotary switch rotate as the pendulum swings by inertia with respect to the vehicle about the longitudinal axis of the shaft to actuate the rotary switch; and signaling means connected to the rotary switch for actuation thereby to provide a visual indication of the rate of deceleration of the vehicle as determined by the amount of rotation of the shaft about the longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A deceleration sensor and indicator system for measuring a rate of deceleration experienced by a vehicle and signaling the rate of deceleration to persons outside of the vehicle, the system comprising:
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a shaft having a longitudinal axis, a first end and a second end; a pendulum fixed to the shaft between the ends thereof; a first rotary electric switch attached to the first end of the shaft; a second rotary electric switch attached to the second end of the shaft; means for mounting the first and second rotary switches to the vehicle such that the shaft and the pendulum are suspended between the rotary electric switches and are rotatable with respect to the vehicle about the longitudinal axis of the shaft to actuate the rotary switches by inertia; a first and a second group of lamps; a first electric circuit for energizing the first group of lamps and having a plurality of cascaded circuit loops configured to be closed in a sequential manner by the first rotary switch, each of said loops being connected to at least one of the lamps of the first group such that rotation of the first rotary switch results in illumination of an increasing number of the lamps of the first group; and a second electric circuit for energizing the second group of lamps and having a plurality of cascaded circuit loops configured to be closed in a sequential manner by the second rotary switch, each of said loops being connected to at least one of the lamps of the second group such that rotation of the second rotary switch results in illumination of an increasing number of the lamps of the second group. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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Specification