US3751613A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
A breakable collision detecting element for automobiles
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
•
Filing: 1972-03-29
•
Granted: 1973-08-07
•
Expires: 1992-03-29
Abstract
Abstract A cylindrical glass tube is provided with two metal lead tubes deposited respectively at both ends thereof and has a metal film formed on the inner surface thereof by an electrodeless plating technique; the cylindrical tube is evacuated or charged with an inert gas, to thus provide a breakable collision detecting element.
Inventors
- 👤 F Inose
- 👤 M Takahasi
- 👤 T Aida
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 04:20
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R21/00; B60R21/01; B60R21/013; B60R21/0136; C; C03; C03C; C03C17/00; C03C17/06; C03C17/10; H; H01; H01H; H01H35/00; H01H35/14; H01H35/146
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
130 words
A breakable collision detecting element for use in automobile collision detecting systems, comprising: a. a tubular-shaped member constituted of a fragile material and being sealed with an airtight space therein; b. two lead terminals provided apart from each other on opposite ends of said tubular-shaped member in such a manner that one end of each said lead terminal extends into the interior of said tubular-shaped member so as to be exposed to the airtight space of said member; and c. a metal film disposed on the inner surface of said tubularshaped member establishing an electrical path between said two lead terminals; and wherein a protective atmosphere for protecting said metal film is provided in the airtight space of said member for preventing changes in the electrical conductivity of said film.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
130 words
A breakable collision detecting element for use in automobile collision detecting systems, comprising: a. a tubular-shaped member constituted of a fragile material and being sealed with an airtight space therein; b. two lead terminals provided apart from each other on opposite ends of said tubular-shaped member in such a manner that one end of each said lead terminal extends into the interior of said tubular-shaped member so as to be exposed to the airtight space of said member; and c. a metal film disposed on the inner surface of said tubularshaped member establishing an electrical path between said two lead terminals; and wherein a protective atmosphere for protecting said metal film is provided in the airtight space of said member for preventing changes in the electrical conductivity of said film.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A breakable collision detecting element as defined in claim 1, in which said metal film is a silver film.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
evacuating air from the interior space through the other one of said lead tubes, whereby an evacuated atmosphere is provided in the inner space; and
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
evacuating air from the interior space through the other one of said lead tubes, whereby an evacuated atmosphere is provided in the inner space; and
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
sealing an outside edge of the other one of said lead tubes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
sealing an outside edge of the other one of said lead tubes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A breakable collision detecting element as defined in claim 1, in which said protective atmosphere is a vacuum.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A breakable collision detecting element as defined in claim 1, in which said protective atmosphere is an inert gas atmosphere.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
A breakable collision detecting element as defined in claim 1, in which each of said two lead terminals is a metal tubular-spaced lead having an open end extending into said airtight space and an outer hermetically sealed end extending from said tubular-shaped member, whereby the inner surface of the tubular-shaped lead communicates with the airtight space.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
A breakable collision detecting element as defined in claim 5, in which said protective atmosphere is a vacuum.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
A breakable collision detecting element as defined in claim 5, in which said protective atmosphere is an inert gas atmosphere.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
124 words
A breakable collision detecting element for use in automobile collision detecting systems comprising: a tubular-shaped member made of a fragile material and having an airtight space therein; a pair of tubular-shaped lead terminals having one end open and the other end sealed, said open end extending into said tUbular-shaped member so as to be in contact with said airtight space; a metallic film uniformly disposed on the interior surface of both said tubular-shaped member and said tubular-shaped lead terminals, forming an electrical connection between said member and said between said member and said terminals; and means provided in said airtight space for protecting said metallic film from change of electrical conductivity, whereby conduction by said tubular-shaped member is terminated when said member is broken.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
124 words
A breakable collision detecting element for use in automobile collision detecting systems comprising: a tubular-shaped member made of a fragile material and having an airtight space therein; a pair of tubular-shaped lead terminals having one end open and the other end sealed, said open end extending into said tUbular-shaped member so as to be in contact with said airtight space; a metallic film uniformly disposed on the interior surface of both said tubular-shaped member and said tubular-shaped lead terminals, forming an electrical connection between said member and said between said member and said terminals; and means provided in said airtight space for protecting said metallic film from change of electrical conductivity, whereby conduction by said tubular-shaped member is terminated when said member is broken.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
A breakable collision detecting element according to claim 8, wherein the open end of each lead terminal internally extends into each end, respectively, of said tubular-shaped member such that the metallic film is disposed on the outer surface portion of the lead terminals contained within said airtight space.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
A breakable collision detecting element according to claim 8, wherein said means comprises a vacuum.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
A breakable collision detecting element according to claim 8, wherein said means comprises an inert gas atmosphere.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
A breakable collision detecting element according to claim 8, wherein said film is silver.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
183 words
A method of producing a breakable collision detecting element comprising the steps of: a. welding two lead metal tubes at respectively opposite ends of a basic tube member constituted of a fragile material; b. filling an interior space of said tube member and of said lead tubes with a fluid solution which contains a water soluble salt of a metal to be plated on an inner surface of said tube member and a reducing agent capable of reducing said salt into the metal; c. maintaining said tube member in the filled condition with the solution for a certain period of time sufficient to form a film with a certain thickness of the metal on the inner surface of said tube member and of said lead tubes; d. exhausting said solution from the interior space of said tube member and of said lead tubes; e. providing a protective atmosphere for protecting said film of the metal from changes in properties thereof in said interior space; and f. sealing the outside edges of said lead tubes to isolate the interior space from the ambient atmosphere.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
183 words
A method of producing a breakable collision detecting element comprising the steps of: a. welding two lead metal tubes at respectively opposite ends of a basic tube member constituted of a fragile material; b. filling an interior space of said tube member and of said lead tubes with a fluid solution which contains a water soluble salt of a metal to be plated on an inner surface of said tube member and a reducing agent capable of reducing said salt into the metal; c. maintaining said tube member in the filled condition with the solution for a certain period of time sufficient to form a film with a certain thickness of the metal on the inner surface of said tube member and of said lead tubes; d. exhausting said solution from the interior space of said tube member and of said lead tubes; e. providing a protective atmosphere for protecting said film of the metal from changes in properties thereof in said interior space; and f. sealing the outside edges of said lead tubes to isolate the interior space from the ambient atmosphere.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein said steps (e) and (f) comprise the steps of:
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein said step (e) comprises the step of filling the interior space of said tube member and of the lead tubes with an inert gas.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein said metal consists of a metal selected from the group consisting of Ag, Au, Cu, Ni, Cd, Co and Zn.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein said water soluble salt consists of a salt selected from the group consisting of ammonium salt, phosphate, cyanate and cyanide.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein said metal is silver and said water soluble salt is ammonium salt.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 13, further including the step of pre-treating the interior space of said tube member with a solution of Sn Cl2 2H2O.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3202754A
Cited
US3230327A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-08-06 | 1977-02-05 | 1977-08-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-08-06 | 1981-02-05 | 1981-08-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-08-06 | 1985-02-05 | 1985-08-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |