Air damped crash sensor and construction method thereof

Details Air damped crash sensor and construction method thereof Air damped crash sensor and construction method thereof

1995-06-07

1998-09-08

Donovan, Lincoln

Electricity: circuit makers and breakers

Special application

Change of inclination or of rate of motion responsive

200 6148, 200 6149, H01H 3514

Patent

active

058047832

ABSTRACT:
An air damped crash sensor including a thin planar hinged inertial sensing mass which rotates within a sealed housing with a small clearance between the edges of the mass and the walls of the housing so as to create a restriction to the flow of a gas from one side of the sensing mass to the other side as the sensing mass rotates in response to accelerations during a crash of an automobile. The flow of gas within the sealed housing is designed to be in the inertial regime such that the damping force on the mass is proportional to the velocity of the mass squared and thus affected by the gas density but not temperature. The sensor may include (i) a thin hinge which is insert molded into the sensing mass and sensor body through a unique two step molding process whereby the hinge, typically made of plastic, is supported so that it does not deform, (ii) gas storage reservoirs placed to the side of the main cavity, (iii) a biasing contact designed so that it remains in contact with the sensing mass during the crash, and (iv) optionally an integral connector. With these elements, the sensor is ideally suited for sensing side impacts for the purpose of deploying a side impact passenger protection device.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4664959 (1987-05-01), Flanagan et al.
patent: 5155307 (1992-10-01), Breed et al.
patent: 5231253 (1993-07-01), Breed et al.
patent: 5389751 (1995-02-01), Breed

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