Velocity sensitive impact switch
OwnerFrederick A. McNielinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An impact switch sensitive to horizontally directed forces and to inversion of the switch is disclosed. The switch includes a U-shaped ball chase in which is mounted a movable actuating mass such as a steel ball. A permanent magnet located at the bottom of the ball chase defines a ball seat. An upper ball chase wall above the ball seat limits vertical motion of the ball to restrict switch actuation to horizontal impact forces. Switch actuators operating a common switch are located at the top ends of the U-shaped ball chase, whereby impact forces which move the ball off the ball seat will, if sufficiently large, cause the ball to run up one of the ball chase legs to strike one or the other of the switch actuators.
Claims5
An impact switch responsive to horizontal impact forces exceeding a predetermined minimum value non-responsive to vertical impact forces, comprising:
- a housing having an interior chamber;
- a switch assembly plate mounted within and extending transversly across said chamber to form an upper chamber and a lower chamber;
- a U-shaped guide channel formed within said lower chamber, said guide channel being defined by upwardly curved, spaced apart upper and lower surfaces, said U-shaped channel having first and second upper leg portions joined at a base portion;
- movable switch actuating means in said guide channel, said switch actuating means normally being located in said base portion of said guide channel;
- means for retaining said switch actuating means in said base portion;
- a switch assembly mounted on said switch assembly plate and located in said upper chamber, said switch assembly including first and second switch arms pivotally interconnected to form an over-center, snap-action switch element movable between an open position and a closed position, said first switch arm comprising a movable electrical contact;
- fixed electrical contact means mounted in said upper chamber and adapted to be contacted by said first switch arm when said snap-action switch element is shifted to its closed position;
- first and second switch actuators mounted and extending through said switch assembly plate, said actuators extending into said first and second upper leg portions, respectively, each said actuator being adapted, upon impact of a predetermined magnitude by said movable switch actuating means on either one of said actuators, to pivot said first and second switch arms to shift said snap-action switch element to its closed position;
- and
- reset means for manually shifting said snap-action switch element to its open position, said movable switch actuating means being responsive to a horizontal impact force of predetermined minimum magnitude applied to said impact switch to move away from said base portion of said guide channel and along said curved lower surface thereof, upwardly into one of said upper leg portions to strike the corresponding switch actuator located therein with sufficient force to shift said snap-action switch element to thereby close said impact switch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.