Movable acceleration switch responsive to acceleration parallel to plane of substrate upon which the switch is fabricated and methods
US5990427A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 23, 1998 |
| Grant date | Nov 23, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 23, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H35/141
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A micro-miniature acceleration switch (240) has a substrate (242) and an inertial mass member ("IMM" 244) fabricated upon the substrate. The substrate (242) has a planar surface (246), and the IMM (244) can slide relative to the substrate from a first position to a second position when the switch (240) is accelerated along at least one direction parallel to the planar surface by acceleration of sufficient magnitude. Electrical contacts (e.g., 268) are fabricated upon the substrate (242) with at least one contact being coupled to the IMM (244). The contacts (268) move between closed and open positions when the IMM (244) slides between the first position and the second position. In one embodiment, an electrode (e.g., 292) provides an electrostatic force that opposes the acceleration forces and holds the IMM (244) in a holding position until overcome by the predetermined acceleration force. The predetermined acceleration force necessary to trigger the switch (240) may conveniently be adjusted by adjusting the electrostatic force applied by the electrode (292). The switch (240) is particularly useful as a safing switch in a system (140) for controlling a vehicle occupant protection dev…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.