Patent · US Expired

Quick-response accelerometer

US5149925A · kind A · utility

16Cited by
5References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 5, 1990
Grant dateSep 22, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 5, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01H2300/052
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An acceleration sensor comprises a tube formed of an electrically-conductive, nonmagnetic material; an annular magnetically-permeable element, such as an iron washer, encircling a longitudinal portion of the tube; a magnetic sensing mass in the tube which magnetically interacts with the washer so as to be magnetically biased towards a first or "rest" position in the tube characterized in that a longitudinal portion of the sensing mass is situated within the portion of the tube encircled by the washer, the sensing mass being displaced from its rest position in the tube towards a second position therein in response to an accelerating force exceeding the magnetic bias thereon; and a switch operated by the sensing mass when the sensing mass is displaced to its second position in the tube. The instant accelerometer features a low threshold magnetic bias of the sensing mass to provide a quickened sensing mass response to acceleration inputs of short duration; and a magnetic bias which increases in a substantially linear manner with increasing sensing mass displacement from its rest position towards its second position within the tube.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.