Mechanical inertia switch
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorGerhard Mader
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mechanical inertia switch in a housing has an elastic tongue with an inertial mass as well as a contact piece. The elastic tongue has a stable neutral position and can be moved in the direction of the contact piece against a force, for example a magnetic force or a force due to preloading of the elastic tongue, which acts in addition to a spring force of the elastic tongue. The compact mechanical inertia switch has a small number of components and short switching times. The elastic tongue is prevented from oscillating. It is thus possible to use the mechanical inertia switch as a safing sensor for detecting side impact.
Claims19
A mechanical inertia switch, comprising:
- a housing;
- an electrically conductive elastic tongue disposed at least partly in said housing and having a spring force;
- an inertial mass disposed at said elastic tongue, said inertial mass having a neutral position and being kept steadily in said neutral position by a force acting in addition to said spring force;
- and
- a contact piece disposed at least partly in said housing at a distance of less than 300 .mu.m from said elastic tongue in said neutral position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.