Omnidirectional sensor

Claim 2

An omnidirectional sensor comprising, a support including an axial guide, an operator mounted on the guide for axial movement relative thereto, resilient means biasing the operator to an actuated position, the operator including a generally axial bore and a plurality of radial apertures opening to the bore and to a radial shoulder on the support when the operator is in a predetermined nonactuated axial position, a plurAlity of balls, each respective to one of the apertures and movable therewithin between a blocking position in engagement with the aperture walls and support radial shoulder to block movement of the operator, and a nonblocking position within the apertures and out of engagement with the support shoulder to permit movement of the balls with the operator to actuated position by the resilient means, a member axially movable into and out of the bore to respectively and alternately engage the balls and force the balls into engagement with the support radial shoulder or release the balls for movement within the apertures, a generally frustoconically shaped seismic mass, means mounting the seismic mass on the support for movement between a normal position wherein the longitudinal axis of the mass is coplanar with a vertical plane normal to the horizontal, and an actuated position wherein the longitudinal axis of the mass and the vertical plane define a predetermined included angle, means exerting a predetermined force maintaining the seismic mass in normal position, means operatively connecting the seismic mass to the axially movable member for selective and alternate movement of the member into and out of the operator bore upon movement of the seismic mass between normal and actuated positions, an acceleration pulse of predetermined amplitude and time overcoming the predetermined force and moving the seismic mass to actuated position to move the axially movable member out of the operator bore and release the operator for movement to actuated position.

Claim 3

An omnidirectional sensor comprising, a support including an axial guide, an operator mounted on the guide for axial movement relative thereto, resilient means biasing the operator to an actuated position, the operator including a generally axial bore and a plurality of radial apertures opening to the bore and to a radial shoulder on the support when the operator is in a predetermined nonactuated axial position, a plurality of balls, each respective to one of the apertures and movable therewithin between a blocking position in engagement with the aperture walls and support radial shoulder to block movement of the operator, and a nonblocking position within the apertures and out of engagement with the support shoulder to permit movement of the operator to actuated position by the resilient means, a member axially movable into and out of the bore to respectively and alternately engage the balls and force the balls outwardly of the apertures into engagement with the support radial shoulder or release the balls for movement within the apertures, a generally frustoconically shaped seismic mass having a generally planar portion thereof seated in coplanar relationship on a planar portion of the support, means operatively connecting the mass to the axially movable member for selective and alternate movement of the member into and out of the operator bore upon movement of the seismic mass planar portion into and out of coplanar relationship with the support planar portion, and means exerting a predetermined force seating the seismic mass planar portion on the support planar portion, an acceleration pulse of predetermined amplitude and time moving the seismic mass planar portion out of coplanar relationship with the support planar portion and against the action of the predetermined force means to move the member out of the bore and release the operator.

Claim 4

An omnidirectional sensor comprising, a support including an axial guide, an operator mounted on the guide for axial movement relative thereto, resilient means biasing the operator to an actuated position, the operator including a generally axial bore and a plurality of radial apertures opening to the bore and to a radial shoulder on the support when the operator is in a predetermined nonactuated axial position, a plurality of balls, each respective to one of the apertures and movable therewithin between a blocking position in engagement with the aperture walls and support radial shoulder to block movement of the operator, and a nonblocking position within the apertures and out of engagement with the support shoulder to permit movement of the operator to actuated position by the resilient means, a member axially movable into and out of the bore to respectively and alternately engage the balls and force the balls outwardly of the apertures into engagement with the support radial shoulder or release the balls for movement within the apertures, a generally frustoconically shaped seismic mass having a generally planar portion thereof seated in coplanar relationship on a planar portion of the support, means operatively connecting the mass to the axially movable member for selective and alternate movement of the member into and out of the operator bore upon movement of the seismic mass planar portion into and out of coplanar relationship with the support planar portion, and means exerting a predetermined force seating the seismic mass planar portion on the support planar portion, an acceleration pulse of predetermined amplitude and time moving the seismic mass planar portion out of coplanar relationship with the support planar portion and against the action of the predetermined force means to move the member out of the bore and release the operator.

Claim 5

An omnidirectional sensor comprising, a support including an axial guide, an operator mounted on the guide for axial movement relative thereto, resilient means biasing the operator to an actuated position, the operator including a generally axial bore and a plurality of radial apertures opening to the bore and to a radial shoulder on the support when the operator is in a predetermined nonactuated axial position, a plurality of balls, each respective to one of the apertures and movable therewithin between a blocking position in engagement with the aperture walls and support radial shOulder to block movement of the operator, and a nonblocking position within the apertures and out of engagement with the support shoulder to permit movement of the operator to actuated position by the resilient means, a member axially movable into and out of the bore to respectively and alternately engage the balls and force the balls outwardly of the apertures into engagement with the support radial shoulder or release the balls for movement within the apertures, a generally frustoconically shaped seismic mass having a generally planar one end portion thereof seated on a planar portion of the support, means operatively connecting the mass to the axially movable member for selective and alternate movement of the member into and out of the operator bore upon movement of the seismic mass end portion into and out of coplanar relationship with the support planar portion, and means exerting a predetermined force seating the seismic mass end portion against the support planar portion, an acceleration pulse of predetermined amplitude and time moving the seismic mass end portion out of coplanar relationship with the support planar portion and against the action of the predetermined force means to move the member out of the bore and release the operator.

Claim 6

An omnidirectional sensor comprising, a support including an axial guide, an operator mounted on the guide for axial movement relative thereto, resilient means biasing the operator to an actuated position, the operator including a generally axial bore and a plurality of radial apertures opening to the bore and to a radial shoulder on the support when the operator is in a predetermined nonactuated axial position, a plurality of balls, each respective to one of the apertures and movable therewithin between a blocking position in engagement with the aperture walls and support radial shOulder to block movement of the operator, and a nonblocking position within the apertures and out of engagement with the support shoulder to permit movement of the operator to actuated position by the resilient means, a member axially movable into and out of the bore to respectively and alternately engage the balls and force the balls outwardly of the apertures into engagement with the support radial shoulder or release the balls for movement within the apertures, a generally frustoconically shaped seismic mass having a generally planar one end portion thereof seated on a planar portion of the support, means operatively connecting the mass to the axially movable member for selective and alternate movement of the member into and out of the operator bore upon movement of the seismic mass end portion into and out of coplanar relationship with the support planar portion, and means exerting a predetermined force seating the seismic mass end portion against the support planar portion, an acceleration pulse of predetermined amplitude and time moving the seismic mass end portion out of coplanar relationship with the support planar portion and against the action of the predetermined force means to move the member out of the bore and release the operator.

Claim 7

An omnidirectional sensor comprising, a support including an axial guide, an operator mounted on the guide for axial movement relative thereto, resilient means biasing the operator to an actuated position, the operator including a generally axial bore and a plurality of radial apertures opening to the bore and to a radial shoulder on the support when the operator is in a predetermined nonactuated axial position, a plurality of balls, each respective to one of the apertures and movable therewithin between a blocking position in engagement with the aperture walls and support radial shoulder to block movement of the operator, and a nonblocking position within the apertures and out of engagement with the support shoulder to permit movement of the operator to actuated position by the resilient means, an axially movable member having a flange at one end thereof and the other end thereof movable into and out of the bore to respectively and alternately engage the balls and force the balls into engagement with the support radial shoulder or release the balls for movement within the apertures, a generally frustoconically shaped seismic mass having an apertured planar flange at one end thereof receiving the axially movable member therethrough and seated on a planar portion of the support, the member flange overlying the seismic mass flange to operatively connect the mass to the axially movable member for selective and alternate movement of the member into and out of the operator bore upon movement of the seismic mass flange into and out of coplanar relationship with the support planar portion, and means exerting a predetermined force on the member flange seating the seismic mass flange against the support planar portion, an acceleration pulse of predetermined amplitude and time moving the seismic mass flange out of coplanar relationship with the support planar portion and against the action of the predetermined force means to move the other end of the member out of the bore and release the operator.

Claim 8

An omnidirectional sensor comprising, a support including an axial guide, an operator mounted on the guide for axial movement relative thereto, resilient means biasing the operator to an actuated position, the operator including a generally axial bore and a plurality of radial apertures opening to the bore and to a radial shoulder on the support when the operator is in a predetermined nonactuated axial position, a plurality of balls, each respective to one of the apertures and movable therewithin between a blocking position in engagement with the aperture walls and support radial shoulder to block movement of the operator, and a nonblocking position within the apertures and out of engagement with the support shoulder to permit movement of the operator to actuated position by the resilient means, an axially movable member having a flange at one end thereof and the other end thereof movable into and out of the bore to respectively and alternately engage the balls and force the balls into engagement with the support radial shoulder or release the balls for movement within the apertures, a generally frustoconically shaped seismic mass having an apertured planar flange at one end thereof receiving the axially movable member therethrough and seated on a planar portion of the support, the member flange overlying the seismic mass flange to operatively connect the mass to the axially movable member for selective and alternate movement of the member into and out of the operator bore upon movement of the seismic mass flange into and out of coplanar relationship with the support planar portion, and means exerting a predetermined force on the member flange seating the seismic mass flange against the support planar portion, an acceleration pulse of predetermined amplitude and time moving the seismic mass flange out of coplanar relationship with the support planar portion and against the action of the predetermined force means to move the other end of the member out of the bore and release the operator.

Claim 9

A sensor comprising, a support including an axial guide, an operator mounted on the guide for movement between first and second positions relative to the support, detent means movable between detented and undetented positions and engageable in detented position with the operator and support to hold the operator in the first position relative to the support, a seismic mass having a planar one end seated on a planar portion of the support, the seismic mass being movable between a normal seated position on the planar portion of the support and an actuated position wherein the planar one end of the mass is located at a predetermined angle to the planar portion of the support, means exerting a predetermined force seating the planar end of the mass on the support to maintain the mass in normal seated position, an acceleration pulse of predetermined amplitude and time overcoming the predetermined force and moving the seismic mass to actuated position, and means operatively connecting the seismic mass to the detent means for moving the detent means to undetented position upon movement of the seismic mass from normal position to actuated position to release the operator.

Claim 10

A sensor comprising, a support including an axial guide, an operator mounted on the guide for movement between first and second positions relative to the support, detent means movable between detented and undetented positions and engageable in detented position with the operator and support to hold the operator in the first position relative to the support, a seismic mass having a planar one end seated on a planar portion of the support, the seismic mass being movable between a normal seated position on the planar portion of the support and an actuated position wherein the planar one end of the mass is located at a predetermined angle to the planar portion of the support, means exerting a predetermined force seating the planar end of the mass on the support to maintain the mass in normal seated position, an acceleration pulse of predetermined amplitude and time overcoming the predetermined force and moving the seismic mass to actuated position, and means operatively connecting the seismic mass to the detent means for moving the detent means to undetented position upon movement of the seismic mass from normal position to actuated position to release the operator.

Claim 11

A sensor comprising, a support including an axial guide, an operator mounted on the guide for movement between first and second positions relative to the support, ball means mounted on the operator for movement between detented and undetented positions and engageable in detented position with the operator and support to hold the operator in the first position relative to the support, a seismic mass having a planar one end seated on a planar portion of the support, the seismic mass being movable between a normal seated position on the planar portion of the support and an actuated unseated position wherein the planar end of the mass is located at a predetermined angle to the planar portion of the support, means exerting a predetermined force seating the planar end of the mass on the support to maintain the mass in normal seated position, an acceleration pulse of predetermined amplitude and time overcoming the predetermined force and moving the seismic mass to actuated position, and means operatively connecting the seismic mass to the ball means for moving the ball means to undetented position upon movement of the seismic mass from normal position to actuated position.

Claim 12

A sensor comprising, a support including an axial guide, an operator mounted on the guide for movement between first and second positions relative to the support, ball means mounted on the operator for movement between detented and undetented positions and engageable in detented position with the operator and support to hold the operator in the first position relative to the support, a seismic mass having a planar one end seated on a planar portion of the support, the seismic mass being movable between a normal seated position on the planar portion of the support and an actuated unseated position wherein the planar end of the mass is located at a predetermined angle to the planar portion of the support, means exerting a predetermined force seating the planar end of the mass on the support to maintain the mass in normal seated position, an acceleration pulse of predetermined amplitude and time overcoming the predetermined force and moving the seismic mass to actuated position, and means operatively connecting the seismic mass to the ball means for moving the ball means to undetented position upon movement of the seismic mass from normal position to actuated position.

Claim 13

An omnidirectional sensor comprising, a support including a hollow axial guide and a radial shoulder, an operator mounted within the guide for movement axially thereof between first and second positions relative to the support, a plurality of balls slidably mounted on the operator for movement radially outwardly thereof to detented position and engageable in detented position with the radial shoulder of the support and the operator to hold the operator in the first position, a seismic mass having a planar one end seated on a planar portion of the support, the seismic mass being movable between a normal seated position wherein the one end of the mass is coplanar with the planar portion of the support and an actuated position wherein the one end of the mass is located at a predetermined included angle to the planar portion of the support, means exerting a predetermined force seating the one end of the mass on the planar portion of the support to maintain the seismic mass in normal position, an acceleration pulse of predetermined amplitude and time overcoming the predetermined force and moving the seismic mass to actuated position, and ball control means mounted on the support and engageable with the balls to move the balls radially outwardly of the operator to detented position and means for moving the ball control means out of engagement with the balls upon movement of the seismic mass from normal position to actuated position.

Claim 14

An omnidirectional sensor comprising, a support including a hollow axial guide and a radial shoulder, an operator mounted within the guide for movement axially thereof between first and second positions relative to the support, a plurality of balls slidably mounted on the operator for movement radially outwardly thereof to detented position and engageable in detented position with the radial shoulder of the support and the operator to hold the operator in the first position, a seismic mass having a planar one end seated on a planar portion of the support, the seismic mass being movable between a normal seated position wherein the one end of the mass is coplanar with the planar portion of the support and an actuated position wherein the one end of the mass is located at a predetermined included angle to the planar portion of the support, means exerting a predetermined force seating the one end of the mass on the planar portion of the support to maintain the seismic mass in normal position, an acceleration pulse of predetermined amplitude and time overcoming the predetermined force and moving the seismic mass to actuated position, and ball control means mounted on the support and engageable with the balls to move the balls radially outwardly of the operator to detented position and means for moving the ball control means out of engagement with the balls upon movement of the seismic mass from normal position to actuated position.

Claim 15

A sensor comprising, a support including a hollow annular axial guide and a radial shoulder, an operator mounted within the guide for axial movement relative to the support between first and second positions, resilient means biasing the operator to second position, the operator including a plurality of radial passages opening to the radial shoulder of the support when the operator is in the first position, a plurality of balls, each respective to one of the passages and movable therein between a detented position in engagement with the support shoulder to block movement of the operator to second position, and an undetented position within a respective passage out of engagement with the support shoulder to permit movement of the operator to second position by the resilient means, a control member movable axially of the balls and engageable therewith to force the balls into engagement with the support radial shoulder or release the balls for movemenT within the respective passage, a seismic mass mounted on the support for movement relative thereto, means operatively connecting the mass to the control member to move the member out of engagement with the balls upon movement of the mass relative to the support, and means exerting a predetermined force holding the seismic mass against movement relative to the support, an acceleration pulse of predetermined amplitude and time overcoming the action of the predetermined force and moving the seismic mass relative to the support to move the control member out of engagement with the balls to release the operator.

Claim 16

A sensor comprising, a support including a hollow annular axial guide and a radial shoulder, an operator mounted within the guide for axial movement relative to the support between first and second positions, resilient means biasing the operator to second position, the operator including a plurality of radial passages opening to the radial shoulder of the support when the operator is in the first position, a plurality of balls, each respective to one of the passages and movable therein between a detented position in engagement with the support shoulder to block movement of the operator to second position, and an undetented position within a respective passage out of engagement with the support shoulder to permit movement of the operator to second position by the resilient means, a control member movable axially of the balls and engageable therewith to force the balls into engagement with the support radial shoulder or release the balls for movemenT within the respective passage, a seismic mass mounted on the support for movement relative thereto, means operatively connecting the mass to the control member to move the member out of engagement with the balls upon movement of the mass relative to the support, and means exerting a predetermined force holding the seismic mass against movement relative to the support, an acceleration pulse of predetermined amplitude and time overcoming the action of the predetermined force and moving the seismic mass relative to the support to move the control member out of engagement with the balls to release the operator.