Patent US4879491A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5351539A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5351539A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Sensor for measuring acceleration and tilt with a bubble level
Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
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Filing: 1990-11-13
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Granted: 1994-10-04
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Expires: 2010-11-13
Abstract
Abstract A sensor is proposed which is used for detecting the acceleration and the inclination of a movable object (10), in particular a motor vehicle. A bubble level (11) is fixed on the object (10). The bubble level (11) comprises a housing (12), a liquid (16) contained in the housing (12) and a gas bubble (17) contained in the housing (12). The liquid (16) and the gas bubble (17) together completely fill the hollow chamber (15) enclosed by the housing (12), so that the gas bubble (17) is not completely enclosed by the liquid (16), but lies against the interior of the housing (12), so that the surface separating the liquid and the gas pushes against the interior of the housing (12). The gas bubble (17) is in an initial position inside the housing (12) when the acceleration and the inclination of the bubble level (11) are equal to zero or their effects are mutually canceled out. On the inside of the housing (12), within that area over which the gas bubble (17) extends in the said initial position, an electrically heatable, temperature-sensitive electrical circuit element (RS) is disposed, which is a component of an evaluation circuit, which generates an output signal (U D ) which is a function of the acceleration and the inclination of the bubble level (11).
Inventors
- 👤 Botho Ziegenbein
- 👤 Ulrich Kippelt
- 👤 Uwe Foell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 23:34
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C9/00; G01C9/18; G01C9/24; G01C9/36; G01C9/02; G01C9/06; G01P; G01P15/00; G01P15/006; G01P15/008; G01P15/02; G01P15/08; G01P15/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
274 words
A sensor for detecting the acceleration and the inclination of a movable object (10), with the aid of a bubble level (11) secured to the movable object (10), comprising a housing (12), a liquid (16) partially filling the housing (12), while leaving a gas bubble (17) in a portion of the housing, where the liquid (16) and the gas bubble (17) together completely fill a hollow chamber (15) defined by the housing (12), so that the gas bubble is not completely enclosed by the liquid (16), but lies against the interior of the housing (12), so that an interface separating the liquid and the gas contacts the interior of the housing (12) and where the gas bubble (17) is in an initial position inside the housing (12) when the acceleration and the inclination of the bubble level (11) are equal to zero or their effects cancel each other, where furthermore the sensor has an electrically heatable, temperature-sensitive electrical circuit element (RS) and the electrical circuit element (RS) is a component of an evaluation circuit, which generates an output signal (U D ) which is a function of the acceleration and the inclination of the bubble level (11), and wherein, on the inside of the housing (12), within that area over which the gas bubble (17) extends in said initial position, the housing (12) consists of a lower housing body (13) and a cover plate (14), the electrical circuit element (RS) is disposed on a surface side of the cover plate (14) oriented towards the lower housing body (13), and the circuit element (RS) is formed on the cover plate (14) by thick-film production techniques.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
274 words
A sensor for detecting the acceleration and the inclination of a movable object (10), with the aid of a bubble level (11) secured to the movable object (10), comprising a housing (12), a liquid (16) partially filling the housing (12), while leaving a gas bubble (17) in a portion of the housing, where the liquid (16) and the gas bubble (17) together completely fill a hollow chamber (15) defined by the housing (12), so that the gas bubble is not completely enclosed by the liquid (16), but lies against the interior of the housing (12), so that an interface separating the liquid and the gas contacts the interior of the housing (12) and where the gas bubble (17) is in an initial position inside the housing (12) when the acceleration and the inclination of the bubble level (11) are equal to zero or their effects cancel each other, where furthermore the sensor has an electrically heatable, temperature-sensitive electrical circuit element (RS) and the electrical circuit element (RS) is a component of an evaluation circuit, which generates an output signal (U D ) which is a function of the acceleration and the inclination of the bubble level (11), and wherein, on the inside of the housing (12), within that area over which the gas bubble (17) extends in said initial position, the housing (12) consists of a lower housing body (13) and a cover plate (14), the electrical circuit element (RS) is disposed on a surface side of the cover plate (14) oriented towards the lower housing body (13), and the circuit element (RS) is formed on the cover plate (14) by thick-film production techniques.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 1, further comprising means for heating the electrical circuit element is heatable by causing an electric current to flow through the electrical circuit element (RS).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein the electrical circuit element (RS) is an ohmic resistance element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 3, wherein the ohmic resistance element (RS) is a film resistance element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 4, wherein the ohmic resistance element (RS) is housed in a bubble (21) consisting of a glass-ceramic material, which is arched on the inside of the housing (12), on the surface side of the cover plate (14) oriented towards the lower housing body (13).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 5, wherein the bubble (21) contains a diaphragm (23) produced in thick-film technique, on which the film resistance element (RS) is disposed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that further electric circuit elements (RT 1 , RT 2 , D 1 , D 2 , D 3 ) are applied to the cover plate (14) formed as a hybrid plate, which are components of the evaluation circuit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 7, wherein said further electric circuit elements (RT 1 , RT 2 , D 1 , D 2 , D 3 ) are disposed on the surface side of the cover plate (14) oriented towards the lower housing body (13).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 1, wherein the hollow chamber (15) enclosed by the housing (12) has the shape of a truncated cone, at least in the vicinity of the initial position of the gas bubble (17).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 9, wherein the gradient of slope of the truncated cone is 21°.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 2, characterized in that further electric circuit elements (RT 1 , RT 2 , D 1 , D 2 , D 3 ) are applied to the cover plate (14) formed as a hybrid plate, which are components of the evaluation circuit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that further electric circuit elements (RT 1 , RT 2 , D 1 , D 2 , D 3 ) are applied to the cover plate (14) formed as a hybrid plate, which are components of the evaluation circuit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 4, characterized in that further electric circuit elements (RT 1 , RT 2 , D 1 , D 2 , D 3 ) are applied to the cover plate (14) formed as a hybrid plate, which are components of the evaluation circuit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 5, characterized in that further electric circuit elements (RT 1 , RT 2 , D 1 , D 2 , D 3 ) are applied to the cover plate (14) formed as a hybrid plate, which are components of the evaluation circuit.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
A sensor in accordance with claim 6, characterized in that further electric circuit elements (RT 1 , RT 2 , D 1 , D 2 , D 3 ) are applied to the cover plate (14) formed as a hybrid plate, which are components of the evaluation circuit.
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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) | 1997-10-03 | 1998-04-04 | 1998-10-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-10-03 | 2002-04-04 | 2002-10-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-10-03 | 2006-04-04 | 2006-10-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |