Motor vehicles – With belt or harness for restraining occupant – and means...
Patent
1982-11-10
1985-09-17
Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
Motor vehicles
With belt or harness for restraining occupant, and means...
280734, 280806, G05G 1502
Patent
active
045415048
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a device for activating a switching element by a deceleration thereof comprising a frame, as mass movable in at least one horizontal direction and carried by said frame and transmission means connected with the frame and engaging said mass for transferring movements of the mass to the switching element.
Such a device is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,401. Herein the mass is suspended like a pendulum. This known device has the disadvantage that when the mass laterally deflects due to a deceleration it additionally moves upwards. This upward movement is counteracted by gravity. The counteraction of the gravity strongly increases with an increasing deflection of the mass and hence with an increasing angle of the pendulum to the vertical. However, the switching effect can only occur at a given minimum deflection of the mass. As the deflection becomes larger, the ratio between the switching force to be produced and the counteracting force by gravity becomes more unfavourable. In order to have nevertheless a sufficient switching force available, the mass has to be relatively heavy so that the device becomes cumbersome. Moreover, for the same reason the spring force holding the mass in zero position must not be too high so that at a deceleration due to strong braking efforts the mass already deflects to some extent, which is annoyingly audible.
The invention has for its object to provide a device of the kind set forth in the preamble, which does not exhibit said disadvantages.
According to the invention this is achieved by guide means connected with the frame for slidably guiding the mass in a horizontal direction. Owing to the slidable support of the mass the latter does not move upwards when deflecting so that the switching force supplied by the mass is continuously equal to the product of the mass and the deceleration, independently of the deflection. Since in the device embodying the invention the force of gravity cannot counteract, the mass may be a light-weight structure as compared with the known embodiment.
When in accordance with the invention the mass has the shape of a disc an additional advantage is obtained in that the device has a small overall height.
According to the invention a reliably operating, preferred embodiment is obtained when the transmission means comprise a tilting element connected by a ball joint with the mass and journalled by a ball joint on the frame and provided with an annular tilting rim and a downwardly spring-loaded pressure element slidably journalled in the frame opposite the tilting rim and cooperating with the tilting rim.
Since the device embodying the invention a switching force independent of the deflection of the mass can be obtained, the transmission means may usefully comprise, in accordance with the invention, a delay device transferring the movements of the mass with time delay to the switching element. When once a given delay is exceeded the delay device will be fully stretched. In the device according to the invention it is not likely for the delay device to be stretched too little and hence for the transfer of the movements of the mass to the switching element not to be sufficiently delayed.
This is particularly important in the case in which in accordance with the invention the switching element is coupled with the lock bolt of a locking device of a safety belt for unlocking the same upon activation. It is desirable for a safety belt to automatically unlock some time after a collision so that the vehicle concerned can be easily left. It is obvious that premature unlocking of the locking device may have catastrophic consequences.
When the locking device for the safety belt comprises a blocking mechanism preventing, when exposed to tractive load, the switching element from unlocking injury due to an undesirable release of the safety belt is avoided.
According to the invention the device is not only suitable for unlocking a safety belt but also for unlocking a door lock. Moreover, the switching element according to the invention may be co
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Peters Jr. Joseph F.
Rice Kenneth R.
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