Attitude responsive switch for vehicle safety system

Claim 2

An attitude responsive electrical switch comprising: a body of insulating material defining a generally cup-shaped reservoir having a bottom and a sidewall extending upwardly therefrom to an opening in the body; an electrically conductive liquid in said reservoir only partially filling the same, said body having a normal position in which the reservoir is in a level attitude and may be rotated about a vertical axis without causing said liquid to flow along said sidewall, said body presenting a continuous edge at said opening circumscribing said reservoir; and cover means on said body closing said opening and provided with a pair of spaced, normally electrically isolated contact elements adjacent said edge, said sidewall diverging from said axis in preselected angular relationship thereto as the sidewall extends from said bottom to said opening, whereby said reservoir may be tilted in a predetermined direction to an extent to cause said liquid, at a selected degree of tilt, to gravitate along said sidewall to said edge and bridge said elements, thereby closing the switch, one of said elements extending completely around said opening substantially at said edge, the other of said elements being disposed in said opening aNd having a peripheral portion closely spaced from said edge inwardly therefrom completely around said opening, whereby tilting of the reservoir in any direction to a sufficient extent will cause the liquid to bridge the elements, said one element overlying said body and having an aperture therein registering with said opening, said other element having a shape conforming to the configuration of said opening.

Claim 3

The switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said body is provided with an upper surface having said opening therein, and wherein said body has a recess therein at said opening presenting said reservoir.

Claim 4

In safety apparatus for a self-propelled vehicle where electrically responsive means is coupled with the engine of the vehicle for disabling the engine when the vehicle reaches a dangerous position, the improvement in said apparatus comprising: an attitude responsive electrical switch for actuating said electrically responsive means, said switch including a pair of terminals, a body of insulating material defining a generally cup-shaped reservoir having a bottom and a sidewall extending upwardly therefrom to an opening in the body, an electrically conductive liquid in said reservoir only partially filling the same, said body having a normal position in which the reservoir is in a level attitude and may be rotated about a vertical axis without causing said liquid to flow along said sidewall, said body presenting a continuous edge at said opening circumscribing said reservoir, and cover means on said body closing said opening and provided with a pair of spaced, normally electrically isolated contact elements adjacent said edge and electrically connected with corresponding terminals; circuit means connecting said terminals to said electrically responsive means; and means for mounting said switch on said vehicle with said reservoir in said level attitude when the vehicle is in its normal operating position, said sidewall of the reservoir diverging from said axis in preselected angular relationship thereto as the sidewall extends from said bottom to said opening, whereby said reservoir may be tilted by the vehicle in a predetermined direction to an extent to cause said liquid, at a critical degree of tilt, to gravitate along said sidewall to said edge and bridge said elements, thereby closing the switch to actuate said electrically responsive means to disable the engine, one of said elements extending completely around said opening substantially at said edge, the other of said elements being disposed in said opening and having a peripheral portion closely spaced from said edge inwardly therefrom completely around said opening, said elements defining a narrow, annular space therebetween adjacent said edge, whereby tilting of the reservoir in any direction to a sufficient extent will cause the liquid to bridge the elements, said one element overlying said body and having an aperture therein registering with said opening, said other element having a shape conforming to the configuration of said opening.

Claim 5

In safety apparatus for a self-propelled vehicle where electrically responsive means is coupled with the engine of the vehicle for disabling the engine when the vehicle reaches a dangerous position, the improvement in said apparatus comprising: an attitude responsive electrical switch for actuating said electrically responsive means, said switch including a pair of terminals, a body of insulating material defining a generally cup-shaped reservoir having a bottom and a sidewall extending upwardly therefrom to an opening in the body, an electrically conductive liquid in said reservoir only partially filling the same, said body having a normal position in which the reservoir is in a level attitude and may be rotated about a vertical axis without causing said liquid to flow along said sidewall, said body presenting a continuous edge at said opening circumscribing said reservoir, and cover means on said body closing said opening and provided with a pair of spaced, normally electrically isolated contact elements adjacent said edge and electrically connected with corresponding terminals; circuit means connecting said terminals to said electrically responsive means; and means for mounting said switch on said vehicle with said reservoir in said level attitude when the vehicle is in its normal operating position, said sidewall of the reservoir diverging from said axis in preselected angular relationship thereto as the sidewall extends from said bottom to said opening, whereby said reservoir may be tilted by the vehicle in a predetermined direction to an extent to cause said liquid, at a critical degree of tilt, to gravitate along said sidewall to said edge and bridge said elements, thereby closing the switch to actuate said electrically responsive means to disable the engine, one of said elements extending completely around said opening substantially at said edge, the other of said elements being disposed in said opening and having a peripheral portion closely spaced from said edge inwardly therefrom completely around said opening, said elements defining a narrow, annular space therebetween adjacent said edge, whereby tilting of the reservoir in any direction to a sufficient extent will cause the liquid to bridge the elements, said one element overlying said body and having an aperture therein registering with said opening, said other element having a shape conforming to the configuration of said opening.

Claim 6

The improvement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said sidewall has a first portion diverging from said axis to a degree dependent upon the critical angle of pitch of the vehicle, and a second portion diverging from said axis to a different degree dependent upon the critical angle of roll of the vehicle.

Claim 7

The improvement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said electrically responsive means includes an electrically operated shut-off valve adapted to be interposed in the fuel line to said engine.

Claim 8

An attitude responsive electrical switch comprising: a body of insulating material defining a generally cup-shaped reservoir having a bottom and a sidewall extending upwardly therefrom to an opening in the body; an electrically conductive liquid in said reservoir only partially filling the same, said body having a normal position in which the reservoir is in a level attitude and may be rotated about a Vertical axis without causing said liquid to flow along said sidewall, said body presenting a continuous edge at said opening circumscribing said reservoir; and cover means on said body closing said opening and provided with a pair of spaced, normally electrically isolated contact elements adjacent said edge, said sidewall diverging from said axis in preselected angular relationship thereto as the sidewall extends from said bottom to said opening, whereby said reservoir may be tilted in a predetermined direction to an extent to cause said liquid, at a selected degree of tilt, to gravitate along said sidewall to said edge and bridge said elements, thereby closing the switch, one of said elements extending completely around said opening substantially at said edge, the other of said elements being disposed in said opening and having a peripheral portion closely spaced from said edge inwardly therefrom completely around said opening, whereby tilting of the reservoir in any direction to a sufficient extent will cause the liquid to bridge the elements, said one element comprising an electrically conductive plate overlying said body and having an aperture therein registering with said opening, said other element having a shape conforming to the configuration of said opening, said elements defining a narrow, annular space therebetween adjacent said edge.

Claim 9

An attitude responsive electrical switch comprising: a body of insulating material defining a generally cup-shaped reservoir having a bottom and a sidewall extending upwardly therefrom to an opening in the body; an electrically conductive liquid in said reservoir only partially filling the same, said body having a normal position in which the reservoir is in a level attitude and may be rotated about a Vertical axis without causing said liquid to flow along said sidewall, said body presenting a continuous edge at said opening circumscribing said reservoir; and cover means on said body closing said opening and provided with a pair of spaced, normally electrically isolated contact elements adjacent said edge, said sidewall diverging from said axis in preselected angular relationship thereto as the sidewall extends from said bottom to said opening, whereby said reservoir may be tilted in a predetermined direction to an extent to cause said liquid, at a selected degree of tilt, to gravitate along said sidewall to said edge and bridge said elements, thereby closing the switch, one of said elements extending completely around said opening substantially at said edge, the other of said elements being disposed in said opening and having a peripheral portion closely spaced from said edge inwardly therefrom completely around said opening, whereby tilting of the reservoir in any direction to a sufficient extent will cause the liquid to bridge the elements, said one element comprising an electrically conductive plate overlying said body and having an aperture therein registering with said opening, said other element having a shape conforming to the configuration of said opening, said elements defining a narrow, annular space therebetween adjacent said edge.

Claim 10

The switch as claimed in claim 6, wherein said cover means includes a cover member overlying said plate and secured to said body, and wherein electrically conductive means is provided mounting said other element on said member therebeneath and extending upwardly through said member to present a first switch terminal, there being a second switch terminal on said member connected with said plate.