Acceleration detecting device

• US 5,920,045 A
• Filed: 06/28/1995
• Issued: 07/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kyojiro, Kuwahara, Sadayuki, Nagura, Keiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Gellner, Michael L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Friedhofer, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US08/496,199
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 200/61.45 R-61.45 M
• US Class Current: 200/61.45R
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/135 by making use of contacts which are actuated by a movable inertial mass
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 11/06 Fixing of contacts to carrier ; Fixing of contacts to insulating carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/62 Contacts actuated by radial cams
• 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 9/02 Bases, casings, or covers accommodating more than one switch or a switch and another electrical component H02B1/26

Abstract

A weight (4) rotates with a shaft (5) as a rotational center during acceleration detection. A rotor (1) fixed on the weight (4) rotates integrally therewith. A first cam portion 1a of noncircular configuration on the rotor (1) contacts a plate spring (2) and a second cam portion (1b) of semicircular configuration contacts a plate spring (3), urging constantly the rotor (1) in a direction opposite to rotation direction thereof. The plate springs (2) and (3) have a contact-point function, and when the rotor (1) rotates in resistance to urging force thereof, contact is made with a contact points (2a) and (3a) on the plate springs (2) and (3) due to action of the first cam portion (1a) and second cam portion (1b), and the contacting state thereof is detected via a plate (6) and plate (7) as an electrical signal.

Claims

1. An acceleration detecting device comprising:

a weight to rotate in correspondence with acceleration;

a shaft which is fixed to said weight and becomes a rotational center when said weight rotates;

a rotor which includes a cam portion and which rotates integrally with said weight;

a pair of plate springs disposed with a predetermined gap interposed therebetween, said pair of plate springs including a first plate spring and a second plate spring, said first plate spring and said second plate spring having respective tip portions, where said tip portion of said first plate spring contacts said cam portion of said rotor for urging said rotor in a direction opposite to a direction of rotation of said rotor, said cam portion being for moving said first plate spring towards said second plate spring when said rotor rotates to make said first plate spring contact said second plate spring; and

first and second connection terminals to which said first and second plate springs are respectively connected is, said first and second connection terminals being for generating a first electrical signal indicative of contact of said first plate spring with said second plate spring.

2. An acceleration detecting device according to claim 1, wherein said cam portion of said rotor has a shape that reduces an amount of movement of said first plate spring with respect to an amount of rotation of said rotor as said rotor rotates.

3. An acceleration detecting device according to claim 1, wherein said cam portion of said rotor includes a first cam portion and a second cam portion, and said first and said second plate springs respectively contact said first cam portion and said second cam portion.

4. An acceleration detecting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an additional pair of plate springs and additional connection terminals connected thereto, said additional connection terminals being for generating a second electrical signal independent of said first electrical signal.

5. An acceleration detecting device according to claim 4, wherein said pairs of plate springs are disposed on two both sides of said weight.

6. An acceleration detecting device according to claim 1, wherein said tip portion of at least one said of said first plate spring and said second plate spring includes a slit.

7. An acceleration detecting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a housing to fix said shaft and said plate springs; and

a cover installed on said housing by mating so as to cover said shaft and said plate springs fixed to said housing wherein;

a mating portion of at least one of said housing and said cover is provided with a first mating portion whereby said cover and said housing mate loosely in an initial stage when said cover and said housing are mated, and a second mating portion whereby said cover and said housing mate tightly subsequently to said initial stage.

8. An acceleration detecting device according to claim 7, wherein said shaft is disposed proximate to a closed end of said cover, and

said plate springs are disposed proximate to said mating portion of said cover with said housing.

9. An acceleration detecting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a housing to fix said shaft and said pair of plate springs;

a cover installed on said housing so as to cover said shaft and said pair of plate springs fixed to said housing; and

a shock-reducing member which is disposed on at least one of said housing and said cover and which acts on said weight rotating further after said first plate spring makes contact with said second plate spring to reduce a rotation moment of said weight.

10. An acceleration detecting device according to claim 9, wherein said shock-reducing member is an elastic plate-shaped member that is formed integrally with said housing.

11. An acceleration detecting device according to claim 9, wherein said shaft is disposed proximate to a closed end of said cover, and

said plate springs are disposed proximate to an opening of said cover.

12. An acceleration detecting device according to claim 1, wherein said tip portion of at least one of said first and said second plate springs includes a plurality of slits of differing length.

13. An acceleration detecting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a housing for accommodating said shaft and said plate springs; and

bearings for supporting both ends of said shaft.

14. An acceleration detecting device according to claim 1, wherein said first plate spring has a substantially linear shape.

15. An acceleration detecting device according to claim 14, wherein said second plate spring has a curved portion that projects towards said first plate spring.

16. An acceleration detecting device according to claim 1, wherein said second plate spring has a curved portion that projects towards said first plate spring.

17. An acceleration detecting device comprising:

a weight to rotate in correspondence with acceleration;

a shaft which is fixed to said weight and becomes a rotational center when said weight rotates;

a rotor which includes a cam portion and which rotates integrally with said weight;

a pair of plate springs disposed with a predetermined gap interposed therebetween, said pair of plate springs including a first plate spring and a second plate spring, said first plate spring and said second plate spring having respective tip portions, where said tip portion of said first plate spring contacts said cam portion of said rotor for urging said rotor in a direction opposite to a direction of rotation of said rotor, said cam portion being for moving said first plate spring towards said second plate spring when said rotor rotates to make said first plate spring contact said second plate spring;

first and second connection terminals to which said first and second plate springs are respectively connected, said first and second connection terminals being for generating a first electrical signal indicative of contact of said first plate spring with said second plate spring;

a housing to fix said shaft and said plate springs; and

an installation terminal which protrudes from an outer peripheral surface of said housing to fix said housing to a substrate, wherein;

said installation terminal passes through a hole provided on said substrate, said installation terminal having a wide contacting portion for making contact with a first surface of said substrate when said installation terminal has passed through said hole and a notch portion disposed between said first surface and an opposite second surface of said substrate when said contacting portion is in contact with said first surface of said substrate and a tip portion of said installation terminal is protruding from said second surface of said substrate, and

said tip portion of said installation terminal bends along said second surface of said substrate from said notch portion to securely fix said housing to said substrate.

18. An acceleration detecting device according to claim 17, wherein said notch portion is formed adjacent to said contacting portion.

19. An acceleration detecting device comprising:

a weight to rotate in correspondence with acceleration;

a shaft which is fixed to said weight and becomes a rotational center when said weight rotates;

a rotor which includes a cam portion and which rotates integrally with said weight;

a pair of plate springs disposed with a predetermined gap interposed therebetween, said pair of plate springs including a first plate spring and a second plate spring, said first plate spring and said second plate spring having respective tip portions, where said tip portion of said first plate spring contacts said cam portion of said rotor for urging said rotor in a direction opposite to a direction of rotation of said rotor, said cam portion being for moving said first plate spring towards said second plate spring when said rotor rotates to make said first plate spring contact said second plate spring;

first and second connection terminals to which said first and second plate springs are respectively connected, said first and second connection terminals being for generating a first electrical signal indicative of contact of said first plate spring with said second plate spring; and

a housing for accommodating said shaft and said plate springs;

bearings for supporting both ends of said shaft;

wherein a press-fitting path leading to a bearing position and into which said shaft is press-fitted is formed in each of said bearings, and a narrow-diameter portion having a diameter narrower than a diameter of said shaft is formed in said press-fitting path.

20. An acceleration detecting device comprising:

a weight to rotate in correspondence with acceleration;

a shaft which is fixed to said weight and becomes a rotational center when said weight rotates;

a rotor which includes a cam portion and which rotates integrally with said weight;

a pair of plate springs disposed with a predetermined gap interposed therebetween, said pair of plate springs including a first plate spring and a second plate spring, said first plate spring and said second plate spring having respective tip portions, where said tip portion of said first plate spring contacts said cam portion of said rotor for urging said rotor in a direction opposite to a direction of rotation of said rotor, said cam portion being for moving said first plate spring towards said second plate spring when said rotor rotates to make said first plate spring contact said second plate spring;

first and second connection terminals to which said first and second plate springs are respectively connected, said first and second connection terminals being for generating a first electrical signal indicative of contact of said first plate spring with said second plate spring;

a housing for accommodating said shaft and said plate springs;

bearings for supporting both ends of said shaft; and

a dislodgment-preventing member inserted into said press-fitting path to prevent dislodgment of said shaft.

21. An acceleration detecting device comprising:

a weight to rotate in correspondence with acceleration;

a shaft which is fixed to said weight and becomes a rotational center when said weight rotates;

a rotor which includes a cam portion and which rotates integrally with said weight;

a pair of plate springs disposed with a predetermined gap interposed therebetween, said pair of plate springs including a first plate spring and a second plate spring, said first plate spring and said second plate spring having respective tip portions, where said tip portion of said first plate spring contacts said cam portion of said rotor for urging said rotor in a direction opposite to a direction of rotation of said rotor, said cam portion being for moving said first plate spring towards said second plate spring when said rotor rotates to make said first plate spring contact said second plate spring;

first and second connection terminals to which said first and second plate springs are respectively connected, said first and second connection terminals being for generating a first electrical signal indicative of contact of said first plate spring with said second plate spring;

a housing for accommodating said shaft and said plate springs; and

bearings for supporting both ends of said shaft;

wherein said bearings are groove portions formed in said housing, and

two ends of said shaft contact bottom surfaces of said groove portions.