Impact indicator

• US 8,863,683 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• 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., Kilpatrick, Jeffrey W., Hafen, Daniel B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Larkin, Daniel S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Campbell, Irving A
• Application Number:
  US13/415,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20120227661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 116/203
• 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 and a detection assembly configured to detect receipt by the housing of an acceleration event. In response to detecting the acceleration event, the detection assembly causes a display element coupled to the housing to provide an encoded indication of impact status.

Claims

1. An impact indicator, comprising:

a housing; and

a detection assembly configured to detect receipt by the housing of an acceleration event, the detection assembly comprising a display element having first and second encoded indicias located thereon, wherein the first encoded indicia is displayed in an unactivated state of the impact indicator, and wherein in response to detecting the acceleration event, the display element moves from a first position in the housing to a second position within the housing and displays the second encoded indicia, the second encoded indicia further comprising an encoded indication of a direction of the acceleration event.

2. The impact indicator of claim 1, wherein the first and second encoded indicias comprise at least one barcode indicia.

3. The impact indicator of claim 1, wherein the first and second encoded indicias comprise at least one encoded alphanumeric code indicia.

4. The impact indicator of claim 1, wherein the first encoded indicia comprises a first barcode indicia indicating the unactivated state of impact status and the second indicia comprises a second barcode indicia indicating impact status corresponding to the direction.

5. The impact indicator of claim 1, wherein the display element comprises a mass member movable within the housing in response to receipt by the housing of an acceleration event.

6. The impact indicator of claim 1, wherein the display element further comprises a third encoded indicia configured to display an encoded indication of an activated status in a second direction of impact different than the direction corresponding to the second encoded indicia.

7. An impact indicator, comprising:

a housing having a window; and

an element located within the housing, wherein the element is movable within the housing in response to receipt by the housing of an acceleration event, wherein the element comprises first and second encoded indicias alternately displayable within the window, the first and second encoded indicias being uninterpretable without a key or being machine-read, and wherein the first and second encoded indicias comprise respective first and second encoded portions, the first and second encoded portions providing an indication of impact activation and a direction of received impact.

8. The impact indicator of claim 7, wherein the first and second encoded indicias comprise at least one barcode indicia.

9. The impact indicator of claim 7, wherein the first and second encoded indicias comprise at least one encoded alphanumeric code indicia.

10. The impact indicator of claim 7, wherein the first and second encoded indicias comprise a first barcode indicia indicating impact status corresponding to a first direction of impact and a second barcode indicia indicating impact status corresponding to a second direction different than the first direction.

11. The impact indicator of claim 7, wherein the element further comprises a third encoded indicia alternately displayable in the window corresponding to a non-activated impact status.

12. An impact indicator, comprising:

a housing comprising at least one window for displaying an indication of impact status; and

a display element configured to move within the housing to alternately display within the at least one window a first, second or third encoded indicia, wherein each of the first second and third encoded indicias comprises an encoded indication of impact status, and wherein at least two of the first, second and third encoded indicias comprise an encoded indication of two different impact directions, the display element movable in response to receipt by the housing of a predetermined magnitude of acceleration event.

13. The impact indicator of claim 12, wherein the first, second and third encoded indicias comprise at least one barcode indicia.

14. The impact indicator of claim 12, wherein the first, second and third encoded indicias comprise at least one encoded alphanumeric code indicia.