The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 28, 1995
Filed:
Jul. 18, 1994
Michael W Malesko, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc., Farmington Hills, MI (US);
Abstract
An improved acceleration sensor (10) includes a housing (12) having an internal passage (14) defined therein, a sensing mass (18) located within the passage which moves from a first position within the passage towards a second position therein in response to acceleration inputs to the sensor housing, and a pair of electrical contacts (22) projecting into the passage so as to be bridged by the sensing mass when it reaches its second position within the passage, thereby closing an electrical circuit. The supported end (28) of each of the contacts includes diametrical arms (32) which are themselves secured to the housing only at their outboard ends (36). The arms are thus free to rotate elastically when the sensing mass deflects the contact's cantilevered free end (30), thereby permitting greater elastic travel of the contact's free end, with its enhanced reliability and an attendant increase in contact dwell.