US3749863A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Spring band biased movable contactor for hybrid crash sensor switch
Assignee: Eaton Corp
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Filing: 1971-12-30
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Granted: 1973-07-31
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Expires: 1991-12-30
Abstract
Abstract A multidirectional sensor for a passive restraint system for a vehicle. The sensor includes a housing and a mass in the form of a disk located in a cavity defined within the housing. The disk is free to move in the cavity from an initial position to one of a number of actuation positions under the influence of a ''''g'''' force created in a collision situation. The sensor acts as a switch in an electrical circuit. The switch is open when the disk is in the initial position and closed when the disk is in one of the actuation positions. A spring is secured to the disk to retain the disk in the initial position and resist movement of the disk to one of the actuation positions. The spring is designed and arranged so that, in any direction of movement of the disk, the resultant or composite movement of the spring mass is in the same general direction as the movement of the disk so that the time it takes the disk to move to one actuation position is relatively equivalent to the time it takes the disk to move to any other actuation position. In the preferred embodiment, the spring comprises a thin metal band prestressed to wind upon itself; the band is wound around the periphery of the disk with its free end anchored to the housing so that the disk is normally held against a suitable backing surface by the band. In a collision situation, the disc, during movement to an actuation position, rotates and partially unwinds itself from the band.
Inventors
- 👤 H Kaiser
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 02:00
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01P; G01P15/00; G01P15/02; G01P15/08; G01P15/135; H; H01; H01H; H01H35/00; H01H35/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
167 words
An apparatus to sense a change in velocity of a moving body, said apparatus comprising: a. means defining an initial position on said body; b. means defining a plurality of actuation positions on said body spaced from said initial position and located in a plurality of directions from said initial position; c. a member movable between said initial position and said actuation positions in response to changes in velocity of said body; d. a yieldable resilient band holding said movable member and prestressed to wind upon itself into a tightly wound coil; and e. means mounting said band 1. to normally urge said movable member to and yieldably hold said movable member in said initial position in response to self-winding of said band upon itself, and 2. to allow said band to unwind in response to movement of said movable member to one of said actuation positions during a change in velocity of said body, whereby the unwinding band yieldably resists the movement of the movable member.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
167 words
An apparatus to sense a change in velocity of a moving body, said apparatus comprising: a. means defining an initial position on said body; b. means defining a plurality of actuation positions on said body spaced from said initial position and located in a plurality of directions from said initial position; c. a member movable between said initial position and said actuation positions in response to changes in velocity of said body; d. a yieldable resilient band holding said movable member and prestressed to wind upon itself into a tightly wound coil; and e. means mounting said band 1. to normally urge said movable member to and yieldably hold said movable member in said initial position in response to self-winding of said band upon itself, and 2. to allow said band to unwind in response to movement of said movable member to one of said actuation positions during a change in velocity of said body, whereby the unwinding band yieldably resists the movement of the movable member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: f. said body includes two connected walls located at an angle with respect to one another and having outer ends; g. said initial position is located at the connection of said walls; and h. said plurality of actuation positions are spaced along an arcuate line that terminates adjacent said outer ends of said walls.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
to allow said band to unwind in response to movement of said movable member to said actuation position during a change in velocity of said body, whereby the unwinding band yieldably resists the movement of the movable member from said initial position to said actuation position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
to allow said band to unwind in response to movement of said movable member to said actuation position during a change in velocity of said body, whereby the unwinding band yieldably resists the movement of the movable member from said initial position to said actuation position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
to allow said band to unwind in response to movement of said movable member to one of said actuation positions during a change in velocity of said body, whereby the unwinding band yieldably resists the movement of the movable member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
to allow said band to unwind in response to movement of said movable member to one of said actuation positions during a change in velocity of said body, whereby the unwinding band yieldably resists the movement of the movable member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
to move away from said one configuration toward its other configuration to yieldably allow movement of said movable member toward any one of said actuation positions upon a change in velocity of said housing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
to move away from said one configuration toward its other configuration to yieldably allow movement of said movable member toward any one of said actuation positions upon a change in velocity of said housing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
to allow said band to unwind in response to movement of said third and fourth movable members to said second actuation positions during a change in velocity of said body.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
to allow said band to unwind in response to movement of said third and fourth movable members to said second actuation positions during a change in velocity of said body.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein: i. one of said connected walls is bifurcated and has an upper and a lower portion; and a portion of said band is located intermediate said upper and lower portions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
99 words
An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein: k. said band is electrically conductive; l. an electrically conductive contact is located at said actuation positions; m. said band and said contact are adapted to be connected in series to an electrical circuit; n. a portion of said band is wound around said movable member; and o. said band engages said contact when said movable member is in one of said actuation positions whereby a path for electrical particles is created when said movable member is in one of said actuation positions through said apparatus between said band and said contact.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein: p. said contact includes a plurality of resilient fingers adapted to be moved from a first position to a stressed position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
121 words
An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein: i. a contact is located at said actuation positions and includes an upper contact having a plurality of resilient upper fingers and a lower contact having a plurality of resilient lower fingers, said upper and lower contacts being spaced from one another and being electrically conductive and adapted to be connected in series to an electrical circuit, said fingers being movable from an initial position to a position in which they are stressed; and j. said movable member is electrically conductive whereby a path for electrical particles is created when said movable member is in one of said actuation position through said apparatus between said upper contact, said movable member and said lower contAct.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: f. said mounting means includes first and second drums mounted for rotational movement on said body; g. said band has a first end wound around said first drum; h. said band has a second end wound around said second drum; and i. said band engages said disk intermediate said first and second ends.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 further including: f. electrical means to define an open electrical circuit across said apparatus when said movable member is positioned at said initial position and a closed electrical circuit across said apparatus when said movable member is positioned at one of said actuation positions.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
86 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 further including: f. a second member movable between said initial position and said actuation positions in response to changes in velocity of said body; and g. wherein said means further mounts said band to normally urge said second movable member and yieldably hold said second movable member in said initial position and allow said band to unwind in response to movement of said second movable member to one of said actuation positions during a change in velocity of said body.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein: h. said resilient band has first and second ends, said first end is wound around said first movable member in one clockwise direction and said second end is wound around said second movable member in the other clockwise direction.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
128 words
An apparatus according to claim 9 further including: h. means defining a second plurality of actuation positions on said body spaced from and located adjacent to said first plurality of actuation positions; i. means defining a second initial position on said body spaced from and located adjacent to said first initial position; j. a third member movable between said second initial position and said second actuation positions in response to changes in velocity of said body; k. a fourth member movable between said second initial position and said second actuation positions in response to changes in velocity of said body; l. a yieldably resilient band holding said third and fourth movable members and prestressed to wind upon itself into a coil; and m. means mounting said second band
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
146 words
An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein: n. said first plurality of actuation positions include a first electrically conductive contact; o. said second plurality of actuation positions include a second electrically conductive contact connected to said first contact by a conductor; p. said first and second movable members and said first resilient band are electrically conductive; q. said third and fourth movable members and said second resilient band are electrically conductive; r. a first electrical lead is attached to said first resilient band; and s. a second electrical lead is attached to said second resilient band whereby movement of either said first or second movable members into engagement with said first contact together with movement of either said third or fourth movable members into engagement with said second contact will define a path for electrical particles to flow between said first lead and said second lead.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
108 words
An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein: n. said first plurality of actuation positions include a first electrically conductive contact; o. said second plurality of actuation positions include a second electrically conductive contact connected to said first contact by a conductOr; p. said movable members and said first and second resilient bands are electrically conductive; q. a first electrical lead is attached to said first and second resilient bands; and r. a second electrical lead is attached to said contacts whereby movement of any movable member into engagement with a respective contact will define a path through which electrical particles can flow between said first and second leads.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said resilient band has a substantially constant resisting force.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
182 words
An apparatus for sensing a change of velocity comprising: a. a housing; b. a first wall in said housing having a first backing surface and an outer end; c. a second wall in said housing having a second backing surface and an outer end, said first and second backing surfaces together partially defining a cavity in said housing; d. a plurality of actuation positions located proximate and between said outer ends of said first and second walls; e. a first disk located in said cavity and contacting said first surface, said first disk being movable from said first surface to one of said actuation positions in response to a change in velocity of said housing; f. a second disk located in said cavity and contacting said second surface, said second disk being movable from said second surface to one of said actuation positions in response to a change in velocity of said housing; and g. resilient means connected to said disks to urge each of said disks toward their respective surfaces and yieldably resist movement of said disks toward said actuation positions.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
182 words
An apparatus for sensing a change of velocity comprising: a. a housing; b. a first wall in said housing having a first backing surface and an outer end; c. a second wall in said housing having a second backing surface and an outer end, said first and second backing surfaces together partially defining a cavity in said housing; d. a plurality of actuation positions located proximate and between said outer ends of said first and second walls; e. a first disk located in said cavity and contacting said first surface, said first disk being movable from said first surface to one of said actuation positions in response to a change in velocity of said housing; f. a second disk located in said cavity and contacting said second surface, said second disk being movable from said second surface to one of said actuation positions in response to a change in velocity of said housing; and g. resilient means connected to said disks to urge each of said disks toward their respective surfaces and yieldably resist movement of said disks toward said actuation positions.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein: h. a vane is pivotally connected to said housing intermediate said first and second walls, said vane extending from said point of pivotal connection to a location adjacent said contact intermediate said first and second disks.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
74 words
An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein: h. said resilient means is a band having first and second ends, said band being prestressed to wind upon itself to form a coil, said first end is wound around said first disk and said second end is wound around said second disk and said band is attached intermediate said first and second ends to said housing at a location intermediate said first and second backing surfaces.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
53 words
An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein: h. said disks are electrically conductive; i. an electrically conductive contact is located at said actuation positions; and j. the engagement of one of said disks with said contact creates a path for electrical particles to flow through said apparatus between said disk and said contact.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
57 words
An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein: h. said contact includes a plurality of resilient, spaced fingers, said fingers being adapted to move when engagement is made by them with one of said disks to absorb the momentum of said contacting disk and yieldably resist further movement of said disk in the disk''s projected path of travel.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
81 words
An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein: h. said housing has an upper surface and a lower surface, said upper and lower surfaces being parallel and spaced to define a portion of said cavity; i. said disks are adapted to slide on said lower surface; and j. the distance between said upper and lower surfaces is slightly greater than the dimension of the corresponding portions of said disks to restrain said disks from moving normal to said upper and lower surfaces.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein: h. said resilient means comprises a coil spring having first and second arms, said first arm being connected to said first disk and said second arm being connected to said second disk.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said resilient means yieldably resists movement of said disks with a substantially constant biasing force.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
177 words
An apparatus to sense a change of velocity comprising: a. a hOusing having a cavity; b. means defining an initial position in said cavity; c. means defining a plurality of actuation positions in said cavity spaced from said initial position and located in a plurality of directions from said initial position; d. a member of a given mass in said cavity; said member being adapted to move from said initial position to one of said actuation positions upon a change in velocity of said housing; and e. resilient means connected to said movable member and normally operative to urge said movable member to said initial position, said resilient means being arranged so that, in response to movement of said movable member toward any of said actuation positions, the resultant movement of the mass of said resilient means is in the same general direction as the movement of the movable member so that the effect of the mass movement of said resilient means is always additive with respect to the effect of the movement of the movable member.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
177 words
An apparatus to sense a change of velocity comprising: a. a hOusing having a cavity; b. means defining an initial position in said cavity; c. means defining a plurality of actuation positions in said cavity spaced from said initial position and located in a plurality of directions from said initial position; d. a member of a given mass in said cavity; said member being adapted to move from said initial position to one of said actuation positions upon a change in velocity of said housing; and e. resilient means connected to said movable member and normally operative to urge said movable member to said initial position, said resilient means being arranged so that, in response to movement of said movable member toward any of said actuation positions, the resultant movement of the mass of said resilient means is in the same general direction as the movement of the movable member so that the effect of the mass movement of said resilient means is always additive with respect to the effect of the movement of the movable member.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said resilient means yieldably resists movement of said movable member from said initial position to any of said actuation positions with a substantially constant force.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
114 words
An apparatus to sense a change of velocity comprising: a. a housing having a cavity; b. means defining an initial position in said cavity; c. means defining a plurality of actuation positions in said cavity spaced from said initial position and located in a plurality of directions from said initial position; d. a member in said cavity adapted to move from said initial position to one of said actuation positions upon a change in velocity of said housing; and e. an elongated spring member having a relatively straight configuration and a relatively coiled configuration and being prestressed to move toward one of said configurations, said spring member engaging said movable member and being operative
Claim 37
Independent Claim
114 words
An apparatus to sense a change of velocity comprising: a. a housing having a cavity; b. means defining an initial position in said cavity; c. means defining a plurality of actuation positions in said cavity spaced from said initial position and located in a plurality of directions from said initial position; d. a member in said cavity adapted to move from said initial position to one of said actuation positions upon a change in velocity of said housing; and e. an elongated spring member having a relatively straight configuration and a relatively coiled configuration and being prestressed to move toward one of said configurations, said spring member engaging said movable member and being operative
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said elongated spring member exerts a substantially constant biasing force in moving from one of its configurations to the other configuration.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
86 words
An apparatus to sense a change in velocity of a moving body, said apparatus comprising: A. means defining an initial position on said body; B. means defining an actuation position on said body spaced from said initial position; C. a member movable between said initial position and said actuation position in response to a change in velocity of said body; D. a yieldable resilient band holding said movable member and prestressed to wind upon itself into a tightly wound coil; and E. means mounting said band
Claim 40
Independent Claim
86 words
An apparatus to sense a change in velocity of a moving body, said apparatus comprising: A. means defining an initial position on said body; B. means defining an actuation position on said body spaced from said initial position; C. a member movable between said initial position and said actuation position in response to a change in velocity of said body; D. a yieldable resilient band holding said movable member and prestressed to wind upon itself into a tightly wound coil; and E. means mounting said band
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said band is of constant width and thickness to provide a substantially constant biasing force on said movable member.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-07-30 | 1977-01-29 | 1977-07-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-30 | 1981-01-29 | 1981-07-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-30 | 1985-01-29 | 1985-07-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |