Impact indicator

• US 8,234,994 B1
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shockwatch Incorporated (Media Recovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Shockwatch Incorporated (Media Recovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Branch, Clinton A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, R. A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COURSON, TANIA C
• Application Number:
  US13/415,961
• Time in Patent Office: 151 Days
• Field of Search: 116200-201, 116/203, 116/211, 116/212, 116/215
• US Class Current: 116/203
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 23/00 Devices or apparatus for measuring or indicating or recording rapid changes, such as oscillations, in the pressure of steam, gas, or liquid; Indicators for determining work or energy of steam, internal-combustion, or other fluid-pressure engines from the condition of the working fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/00 Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0052 measuring forces due to impact G01L5/0061, G01L5/14 take precedence; impact testing of structures G01M7/08; impact testing of material G01N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 3/30 by applying a single impulsive force, e.g. by falling weight
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/02 by making use of inertia forces using solid seismic massesG01P15/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/03 by using non-electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/036 for indicating predetermined acceleration values
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/04 for indicating maximum value
• 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 9/16 Indicators for switching condition, e.g. "on" or "off"

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a device and technique for impact detection and indication is disclosed. The device includes a housing; a mass member located within the housing, the housing configured to enable movement of the mass member from a first position to a second position within the housing in response to receipt by the housing of an acceleration event; and first and second spring members disposed within the housing and configured to bias the mass member to the first position, wherein, in response to receipt by the housing of the acceleration event, the mass member is configured to overcome the biasing force of the first spring member and move from the first position to the second position, and wherein each of the first and second spring members extends across a medial portion of the mass member.

Claims

1. An impact indicator, comprising:

a housing;

a mass member located within the housing, the housing configured to enable movement of the mass member from a first position to a second position within the housing in response to receipt by the housing of an acceleration event; and

first and second spring members disposed within the housing and configured to bias the mass member to the first position, wherein, in response to receipt by the housing of the acceleration event, the mass member is configured to overcome the biasing force of the first spring member and move from the first position to the second position, and wherein each of the first and second spring members extends across a medial portion of the mass member.

2. The impact indicator of claim 1, wherein the first and second spring members are biased toward each other when the mass member is in the first position.

3. The impact indicator of claim 2, wherein, in response to receipt by the housing of the acceleration event, the first and second spring members are biased in a same direction to bear upon the mass member to retain the mass member in the second position.

4. The impact indicator of claim 3, wherein, in response to receipt by the housing of another acceleration event that causes the mass member to overcome the bias of the first and second spring members, the first and second spring member are configured to cause the mass member to move from the second position, past the first position, to a third position.

5. The impact indicator of claim 4, wherein the housing comprises a window located in each of the second and third positions to enable a visual indication of the mass member located in either the second or third position.

6. The impact indicator of claim 4, wherein the first and second spring members are biased in a same direction to bear upon the mass member to retain the mass member in the third position.

7. The impact indicator of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a window to enable a visual indication of movement of the mass member indicating that the housing has experienced the acceleration event.

8. The impact indicator of claim 1, wherein the first and second spring members each comprises a leaf spring member having a length greater than a width of the mass member and disposed transversely to a direction of movement of the mass member.

9. The impact indicator of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of sidewalls forming a translation path for movement of the mass member from the first position to the second position, and wherein each end of the first and second spring members is disposed in a respective seat located in the sidewalls when the mass member is in the first position.

10. The impact indicator of claim 9, wherein, in response to receipt by the housing of the acceleration event, the second spring member is drawn out of its respective seats in the sidewalls and is prevented from returning to its seats in the sidewalls by indents formed in the sidewalls.

11. An impact indicator, comprising:

a housing;

a mass member located within the housing, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of sidewalls forming a translation path for movement of the mass member within the housing; and

at least one spring member having ends located in respective seat positions on the sidewalls, the spring member retaining the mass member in a first position within the housing; and

wherein, in response to receipt by the housing of an acceleration event;

the mass member is configured to move from the first position to a second position within the housing; and

the ends of the spring member are drawn out of the seat positions to prevent the mass member from reseating in the first position.

12. The impact indicator of claim 11, wherein the ends of the spring member are prevented from returning to the respective seat positions by indents formed in the sidewalls.

13. The impact indicator of claim 11, wherein the spring member comprises a leaf spring member having a length greater than a width of the mass member and disposed transversely to a direction of movement of the mass member.

14. The impact indicator of claim 11, wherein the spring member extends across a medial portion of the mass member.

15. An impact indicator, comprising:

a housing;

a mass member located within the housing, wherein the housing is configured to enable movement of the mass member in response to receipt by the housing of an acceleration event; and

first and second spring members configured to bias the mass member to a non-activated position, and wherein, in response to receipt by the housing of a first acceleration event in a first direction, the mass member is configured to overcome the bias and move from the non-activated position to a first activated position, and in response to receipt by the housing of a second acceleration event in a second direction opposite the first direction, the first and second spring members are configured to cause the mass member to move from the first activated position to a second activated position.

16. The impact indicator of claim 15, wherein the first and second spring members comprise first and second leaf spring members each having a length greater than a width of the mass member and disposed transversely to a direction of movement of the mass member.

17. The impact indicator of claim 15, wherein the first and second spring members are biased toward each other in the non-activated position.

18. The impact indicator of claim 15, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of sidewalls forming a translation path for movement of the mass member within the housing, and wherein the first and second spring members each have ends located in respective notch seat positions on the sidewalls when the mass member is located in the non-activated position, and wherein in response to the mass member moving to the first activated position, the first spring member ends are drawn out of its respective notch seat positions.

19. The impact indicator of claim 18, wherein, in response to the mass member moving from the first activated position to the second activated position, the second spring member ends are drawn out of its respective notch seat positions.

20. The impact indicator of claim 19, wherein the sidewalls comprise an intermediate notch seat position disposed between the notch seat positions holding the first and second spring member ends when the mass member is located in the non-activated position, and wherein:

in response to the mass member being located in the first activated position, the first spring member ends become located in the intermediate notch seat position; and

in response to the mass member moving from the first activated position to the second activated position, the first and second spring member ends become located in the intermediate notch seat position.