US5396223A — Earthquake detecting apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 81 words

A vibration sensor comprising: a bell shaped casing having a closed end and a recess formed at said closed end, the recess having a flat bottom and slanted side walls so that an opening at the top of said recess is larger than said bottom of said recess, said casing serving as a first electrode; a predetermined quantity of mercury disposed in said recess so as to assume a drop-shape; and at least two second electrodes disposed circumferentially around said recess.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 81 words

A vibration sensor comprising: a bell shaped casing having a closed end and a recess formed at said closed end, the recess having a flat bottom and slanted side walls so that an opening at the top of said recess is larger than said bottom of said recess, said casing serving as a first electrode; a predetermined quantity of mercury disposed in said recess so as to assume a drop-shape; and at least two second electrodes disposed circumferentially around said recess.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 17 words

A vibration sensor as in claim 1, wherein a portion of said mercury protrudes from said recess.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 29 words

A vibration sensor as in claim 1, wherein the angle of said slanted side walls of said recess is set substantially equal to the wet angle of said mercury.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 66 words

A vibration sensor as in claim 1, wherein said mercury is 0.4-0.5 g in weight, said recess has a depth of 0.45-0.55 mm, said bottom of said recess has an inner diameter of 2.5-3.0 mm, said slanted walls of said recess are at an angle of 40-50 degrees and said second electrodes are normally spaced 0.5-1.5 mm from said mercury when said mercury is at rest.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 150 words

An earthquake detecting apparatus comprising: a vibration sensor for sensing vibrations, said vibration sensor including, a bell shaped casing having a closed end and a recess formed at said closed end, the recess having a flat bottom and slanted side walls so that an opening at the top of said recess is larger than said bottom of said recess, said casing serving as a first electrode, a predetermined quantity of mercury disposed in said recess so as to assume a drop-shape, and at least two second electrodes disposed circumferentially around said recess; and signal processing means, connected to said first electrode and said second electrodes, for producing an ON/OFF signal responsive to simultaneous contact of said mercury with said first electrode and one of said second electrodes due to vibrations applied to said casing, and for determining whether said vibrations are caused by an earthquake based on said ON/OFF signal.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 150 words

An earthquake detecting apparatus comprising: a vibration sensor for sensing vibrations, said vibration sensor including, a bell shaped casing having a closed end and a recess formed at said closed end, the recess having a flat bottom and slanted side walls so that an opening at the top of said recess is larger than said bottom of said recess, said casing serving as a first electrode, a predetermined quantity of mercury disposed in said recess so as to assume a drop-shape, and at least two second electrodes disposed circumferentially around said recess; and signal processing means, connected to said first electrode and said second electrodes, for producing an ON/OFF signal responsive to simultaneous contact of said mercury with said first electrode and one of said second electrodes due to vibrations applied to said casing, and for determining whether said vibrations are caused by an earthquake based on said ON/OFF signal.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 116 words

An earthquake detecting apparatus as in claim 5, wherein an ON-time of said ON/OFF signal occurs for a length of time that said mercury is in contact with said first electrode and one of said second electrodes; an OFF-time of said ON/OFF signal occurs for a length of time that said mercury is not in contact with said first electrode and any of said second electrodes; and said signal processing means determines that said vibrations are caused by an earthquake when three or more ON-times each greater than or equal to 40 ms occur during said ON/OFF signal within three seconds, and all OFF-times of said ON/OFF signal are greater than or equal to 40 ms.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 146 words

A vibration sensor for sensing vibrations, said vibration sensor comprising: a pot having a predetermined quantity of mercury disposed in a recess formed on a bottom of said pot so that the entire quantity of said predetermined quantity of mercury assumes a drop shape with space surrounding said mercury and electrodes disposed circumferentially around said recess in said surrounding space; a first vibration system based on surface tension of said mercury, wherein a portion of said mercury protruding from said recess undergoes vibration due to said surface tension of said mercury and vibrations received by said pot, such that said portion of said mercury contacts said electrodes when undergoing vibration; and a second vibration system based on a rolling motion of said mercury, wherein said mercury rolls out from said recess between said electrodes in response to vibrations received by said pot and contacts said electrodes.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 146 words

A vibration sensor for sensing vibrations, said vibration sensor comprising: a pot having a predetermined quantity of mercury disposed in a recess formed on a bottom of said pot so that the entire quantity of said predetermined quantity of mercury assumes a drop shape with space surrounding said mercury and electrodes disposed circumferentially around said recess in said surrounding space; a first vibration system based on surface tension of said mercury, wherein a portion of said mercury protruding from said recess undergoes vibration due to said surface tension of said mercury and vibrations received by said pot, such that said portion of said mercury contacts said electrodes when undergoing vibration; and a second vibration system based on a rolling motion of said mercury, wherein said mercury rolls out from said recess between said electrodes in response to vibrations received by said pot and contacts said electrodes.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 22 words

A vibration sensor as in claim 7, wherein the electrodes surrounding said mercury extend below an upper most portion of said mercury.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 185 words

A vibration sensor for sensing vibrations, said vibrations, said vibration sensor comprising: a pot having a predetermined quantity of mercury disposed in a recess formed on a bottom of sad pot so that the entire quantity of said predetermined quantity of mercury assumes a drop shape with space surrounding said mercury and electrodes disposed circumferentially around Said recess in said surrounding space; a first vibration system based on surface tension of said mercury, wherein a portion of said mercury protruding from said recess undergoes vibration due to said surface tension of said mercury and vibrations revved by said pot, such that said portion of said mercury contacts said electrodes when undergoing vibration; a second vibration system based on a rolling motion of said mercury, wherein said mercury rolls out from said recess between said electrodes in response to vibrations received by said pot and contacts said electrodes; and a third vibration system responsive to resonance of said mercury between said electrodes, wherein said mercury impacts said electrodes and receives energy therefrom to enter a resonance state in response to vibrations received by said vibration sensor.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 185 words

A vibration sensor for sensing vibrations, said vibrations, said vibration sensor comprising: a pot having a predetermined quantity of mercury disposed in a recess formed on a bottom of sad pot so that the entire quantity of said predetermined quantity of mercury assumes a drop shape with space surrounding said mercury and electrodes disposed circumferentially around Said recess in said surrounding space; a first vibration system based on surface tension of said mercury, wherein a portion of said mercury protruding from said recess undergoes vibration due to said surface tension of said mercury and vibrations revved by said pot, such that said portion of said mercury contacts said electrodes when undergoing vibration; a second vibration system based on a rolling motion of said mercury, wherein said mercury rolls out from said recess between said electrodes in response to vibrations received by said pot and contacts said electrodes; and a third vibration system responsive to resonance of said mercury between said electrodes, wherein said mercury impacts said electrodes and receives energy therefrom to enter a resonance state in response to vibrations received by said vibration sensor.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-03-06	1998-09-05	1999-03-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-03-06	2002-09-05	2003-03-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-03-06	2006-09-05	2007-03-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Earthquake detecting apparatus

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