Mercury tilt switch
US3978301A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 31, 1975 |
| Grant date | Aug 31, 1976 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 31, 1995 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H29/22
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A tilt switch formed of a cap and header welded together at their rims to form an enclosure, and assuming the rims to be horizontal, on electrode passing vertically through one of the cap and header via an insulator. The inside of the enclosure and the electrode are mercury wettable and only enough mercury is provided to wet the inner surface of the enclosure with a thin layer of mercury, plus a small pool of mercury into which the electrode extends while the electrode is vertical or within a predetermined small conical angle from the vertical, the pool of mercury responding to gravity to bare the electrode when the predetermined conical angle is exceeded by tilting the switch.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.