Acceleration or inclination sensors

Claim 1

A sensor for sensing the acceleration or inclination of a body to which the sensor is attached, said sensor comprising: a flat plate reference electrode; a flat plate detection electrode opposite said reference electrode and extending in a plane spaced from and parallel to said reference electrode, said detection electrode comprising at least three separate flat plate detection electrode portions each of which cooperates with said reference electrode to act as a condenser therewith whereby at least three condensers are provided, said at least three separate flat plate electrode portions being adjacent one another at a common location on said plane; magnetic fluid between said reference electrode and said detection electrode at said common location, said magnetic fluid being flowable between and relative to said reference electrode and said detection electrode when the body is accelerated in any direction parallel to said plane or is inclined to any angle relative to said plane; a magnetism-generating means adjacent said condensers for generating a magnetic field acting upon said magnetic fluid to attract said magnetic fluid to said common location and to confine at least a portion of the magnetic fluid thereat, whereby when said body accelerates in any direction parallel to said plane or is inclined to any angle relative to said plane said magnetic fluid remains at said common location but elongates in a direction away from said common location thereby producing a relative change in the capacitance of the at least three condensers.