Tilt switch array for electronic orientation detection
First Claim
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1. A tilt switch array, comprising:
- an outer housing;
an inner assembly disposed within the outer housing, the inner assembly having a first pair of apertured, opposing sides;
a first plate disposed between each respective side of the first pair of opposing sides and the outer housing, each first plate having a projection thereon to form an electrode region, the first plates being electrically isolated from each other and the inner assembly, each electrode region and associated aperture perimeter in a respective opposing side forming a switch gap; and
an electrically conductive element movable within the inner assembly so as to make electrical contact across one of the switch gaps by contacting one of the electrode regions and an associated aperture perimeter.
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Abstract
A tilt switch array is used to determine the orientation of an object relative to an upwards direction. The array includes at least one pair of electrodes within a housing, diametrically opposed along a measurement axis. A conductor equidistantly surrounds each electrode to form a tilt switch gap therebetween. A moveable conducting element within the housing closes the gap between one electrode and its associated conductor under certain orientation conditions of the measurement axis relative to an upwards direction. A number of pairs of electrodes may be placed within the housing, with associated measurement axes so that the orientation of any one of the measurement axes may be detected.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A tilt switch array, comprising:
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an outer housing; an inner assembly disposed within the outer housing, the inner assembly having a first pair of apertured, opposing sides; a first plate disposed between each respective side of the first pair of opposing sides and the outer housing, each first plate having a projection thereon to form an electrode region, the first plates being electrically isolated from each other and the inner assembly, each electrode region and associated aperture perimeter in a respective opposing side forming a switch gap; and an electrically conductive element movable within the inner assembly so as to make electrical contact across one of the switch gaps by contacting one of the electrode regions and an associated aperture perimeter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A tilt switch array for detecting orientation, the tilt switch array comprising:
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a housing having a first axis; a first electrode pair having first and second electrodes aligned parallel to the first axis and disposed within the housing, the first and second electrodes opposing each other to form a first space therebetween, a first conducting perimeter substantially surrounding the first electrode within the housing and a second conducting perimeter substantially surrounding the second electrode within the housing, the first and second conducting perimeters each being nonparallel to the first axis; an inner assembly, electrically isolated from the electrodes, with first and second apertures, conducting edges of first and second apertures forming the first and second conducting perimeters, respectively; plates disposed between the inner assembly and the housing, the plates having projecting portions thereon to form the electrodes; and a conducting element movable within the first space so as to contact one of the electrodes and the conducting perimeter surrounding the one of the electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification