Inclination sensor

• US 7,178,377 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asahi Denso Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Asahi Denso Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Suzuki, Michiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCALL, ERIC SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US11/111,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20050247118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 73/13.7, 73/13.8, 73/13.9, 73/17.5, 73/17.6, 73/17.7, 333/35, 333/36, 333/37, 333/40, 333/41, 333/43, 333/91, 701/38
• US Class Current: 73/1.75
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/415 Inclination sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/12 by using a single pendulum plumb lines G01C15/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/022 the switch being of the reed switch type
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/025 the switch being discriminative in different directions

Abstract

An inclination sensor is provided with a main body fixed to a vehicle, a pendulum supported by the main body so as to swing in response to an inclination of the vehicle, and a magnetic sensor that senses the inclination of the pendulum in order to detect as to whether or not the vehicle has been inclined. The pendulum is swingable around two axes as to both a width direction of the vehicle, and forward/backward directions thereof. A sensitivity of the pendulum as to the width direction is higher than a sensitivity thereof as to the forward/backward directions.

Claims

1. An inclination sensor, comprising:

a main body fixed on a vehicle;

a pendulum swingably supported by the main body and swings in response to an inclination of the vehicle; and

a sensor unit for sensing swinging motion of the pendulum in order to detect as to whether or not the vehicle has been inclined,

wherein the pendulum is swingable in two axes as to both a width direction of the vehicle and forward/backward direction thereof, and

a sensitivity to the width direction is higher than a sensitivity as to the forward/backward direction.

2. The inclination sensor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a ring member provided in the main body and swingable around a shaft portion,

wherein the shaft portion is provided on the ring member and extending along the width direction; and

a shaft member extending along the forward/backward direction within the ring member, wherein the pendulum is swingable around the shaft member.

3. The inclination sensor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a magnetic field area formed on the pendulum,

wherein the sensor unit senses the magnetic field area in a non-contact manner.

4. The inclination sensor according to claim 2, further comprising:

a magnetic field area formed on the pendulum,

wherein the sensor unit senses the magnetic field area in a non-contact manner.

5. An inclination sensor, comprising:

a main body;

a ring member provided in the main body and including a shaft portion extending in a first axis, wherein the ring member is swingable around the shaft portion;

a shaft member extending in a second axis and penetrating the ring member, wherein the first axis and the second axis are orthogonal; and

a pendulum provided on the shaft member and swingable around the shaft member.

6. The inclination sensor according to claim 5, further comprising:

a magnetic field area formed on the pendulum; and

a magnetic sensor for sensing a magnetic force line from the magnetic field area.

7. The inclination sensor according to claim 5, wherein the main body is fixed on a vehicle,

the first axis extends in a width direction of the vehicle,

the second axis extends in a forward/backward direction of the vehicle, and

the pendulum swings in response to an inclination of the vehicle.

8. The inclination sensor according to claim 5, wherein, as a result of the first and second axes, the pendulum is swingable in two axes and a sensitivity of the inclination sensor due to the swinging of the pendulum about one of the two axes is higher than a sensitivity of the inclination sensor due to the swinging of the pendulum about the other of the two axes.

9. The inclination sensor according to claim 5, wherein the ring member is swingable relative to the main body.