Gravity responsive attitude switch
AssigneePar Technology Corporation
InventorEverett Ogden
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gravity responsive attitude switch containing electrical contacts separated by a gap, the switch containing a bead liquid and a carrier liquid, the two liquids being immiscible and having different electric resistivity values, where the liquid bead may be disposed between the contacts by properly positioning the switch. The contacts are connected in an electronic circuit which senses the difference in resistivity dependent on whether the bead liquid or the carrier liquid is bridging the gap between the contacts, which in turn determines whether an operative electric circuit is opened or closed.
Claims20
A gravity responsive attitude switch having an operative status and an non-operative status, said switch comprising a housing defining a chamber having a wall, electrically conductive contact members disposed within said housing and separated by a gap, said contact members connected in a sensing circuit, a bead liquid and a carrier liquid disposed within said chamber, wherein said bead liquid is immiscible with said carrier liquid, wherein said bead liquid has a different electrical resistivity than said carrier liquid, and whereby said switch may be positioned either in a first status such that said bead liquid connects said contact members or in a second status such that said bead liquid does not connect said contact members;
- said switch further comprising means to sense the resistivity in said sensing circuit containing said contact members, wherein the resistivity in said sensing circuit containing said contact members is different when said bead liquid connects said contact members than when said bead liquid does not connect said contact members, and wherein said sensing circuit determines the operative or non-operative status of said switch dependent on the resistivity of said circuit containing said contact members.
A gravity responsive attitude switch for opening or closing an operative electric circuit, said switch comprising a housing defining a chamber having a wall, electrically conductive contact members disposed within said housing and separated by a gap, said contact members connected in a sensing circuit whereby the resistance encountered by an electric current passing through said contact members may be sensed, a bead liquid and a carrier liquid disposed within said chamber, wherein said bead liquid is immiscible with said carrier liquid and said bead liquid has a different electrical resistivity than said carrier liquid, and whereby said switch may be positioned either such that said bead liquid connects said contact members or such that said bead liquid does not connect said contact members;
- said switch further comprising means to sense the resistivity in said sensing circuit containing said contact members, wherein the resistivity in said sensing circuit containing said contact members is different when said bead liquid connects said contact members than when said bead liquid does not connect said contact members, and wherein said switch opens or closes an operative electric circuit dependent on the sensed resistivity of said circuit containing said contact members.
A gravity responsive attitude switch having an operative status and a non-operative status comprising a housing defining a chamber having a wall, electrically conductive contact members disposed within said housing and separated by a gap, means to sense the resistivity encountered by an electric current passing through said contact members, a bead liquid and a carrier liquid disposed within said chamber, wherein said bead liquid is immiscible with said carrier liquid and said bead liquid has a different electrical resistivity than said carrier liquid, and whereby said switch may be positioned either such that said bead liquid connects said contact members or such that said bead liquid does not connect said contact members, wherein the operative status and non-operative status of said switch is determined by the sensed resistivity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.