Tilt detector

• US 6,706,978 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2003
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kuwabara, Shuichi, Wagatsuma, Tadashi, Yoshida, Yoshiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, James R.
• Application Number:
  US10/356,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20030196878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 411 Days
• Field of Search: 200/61.45, 200/61-8-, 200/277, 200/DIG.29
• US Class Current: 200/61.45R
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 2009/068 resistive
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 2009/107 spheres
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/06 Electric or photoelectric indication or reading means
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/10 by using rolling bodies , e.g. spheres, cylinders, mercury droplets
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/02 Switches operated by change of position, inclination or orientation of the switch itself in relation to gravitational field tilting mercury container H01H29/20; change of position due to change of liquid level H01H35/18
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/025 the switch being discriminative in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 200/29 Ball

Abstract

A spherical movable contact is housed in housing portions of a first case and a second case so as to be able to roll, and is to come into or go out of contact with a first fixed contact and a second fixed contact. The first case and the second case are fixed to each other so as to form an integral body in such a manner that the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact are opposed to each other. At least one of the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact is divided. The movable contact is disposed so as to roll while bridging the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact. Contact portions where the movable contact is to contact the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact assume arc shapes, respectively.

Claims

1. A tilt detector comprising:

a first case that has a housing portion and in which a first fixed contact is provided on a bottom surface of the housing portion;

a second case that has a housing portion and in which a second fixed contact is provided on a bottom surface of the housing portion; and

a spherical movable contact that is housed in the housing portions of the first case and the second case so as to be able to roll and that is to come into or go out of contact with the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact, wherein;

the first case and the second case are fixed to each other so as to form an integral body in such a manner that the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact are opposed to each other;

at least one of the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact is divided;

the movable contact is disposed so as to roll while bridging the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact; and

contact portions where the movable contact is to contact the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact assume arc shapes, respectively.

2. The tilt detector according to claim 1, wherein both of the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact are divided into at least two parts, and at least two divisional parts of the first fixed contact and at least two divisional parts of the second fixed contact are opposed to each other in such a manner as to be deviated from each other by 90°

.

3. The tilt detector according to claim 1, further comprising a first recess and a second recess that are formed at centers of the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact so as to project toward the bottom surfaces of the housing portions, respectively, wherein the movable contact comes into or goes out of contact with the contact portions as it rolls across the first recess and the second recess that are opposed to each other.

4. The tilt detector according to claim 1, further comprising arc-shaped first openings and arc-shaped second openings that are formed by punching at centers of the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact, respectively, and contact receiving members that are metal plates and are formed on the bottom surfaces of the housing portions, respectively, so as to be opposed to each other with the first openings and the second openings interposed in between, wherein the movable contact comes into or goes out of contact with the contact portions as it rolls in the first openings and the second openings that are opposed to each other.