Geometrical instruments – Indicator of direction of force traversing natural media – Level or plumb – terrestrial gravitation responsive
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-09
2002-12-31
Gutierrez, Diego (Department: 2859)
Geometrical instruments
Indicator of direction of force traversing natural media
Level or plumb, terrestrial gravitation responsive
C033S366240, C200S06145M
Reexamination Certificate
active
06499220
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an inclination sensor for detecting inclination of a vehicle, industrial machinery, and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Inclination sensors of the kind, such as those shown in FIG.
45
A and FIG.
45
B and FIG.
46
A and
FIG. 46B
have been suggested in the past. The inclination sensor shown in FIG.
45
A and
FIG. 45B
confines an amount of mercury
202
within a hermetically sealed container
201
. Terminals
203
and
204
are provided with one end of each protruding in the sealed container. When the inclination sensor is in a level position, the mercury
202
is situated as shown in
FIG. 45A
so that the terminals remain in an open state. If the inclination sensor tilts, the mercury
202
moves as shown in
FIG. 45B
into contact with the terminals
203
and
204
so that the two terminals turn into a state of conduction.
An inclination sensor shown in FIG.
46
A and
FIG. 46B
, in which a magnet
212
and magnetic fluid
213
are confined in a hermetically sealed container
211
, can detect an inclination by means of switching operation of contacts of a reed switch
214
provided beneath the container due to a variation of magnetic force, since the magnet
212
floating within the container
211
moves with an inclination of the container.
FIG.
46
A and
FIG. 46B
depict the hermetically sealed container
211
, the magnet
212
, the magnetic fluid
213
and the reed switch
214
. The magnet
212
and the magnetic fluid
213
confined in the hermetically sealed container
211
are freely movable within the hermetically sealed container
211
. When the hermetically sealed container
211
is at a level, the magnet
212
and the magnetic fluid
213
are in the position as shown in
FIG. 46A
, so that contacts of the reed switch
214
are in their open state. If, however, the hermetically sealed container
211
tilts, the relative position between the magnet
212
in the hermetically sealed container
211
and the reed switch
214
changes, because the magnet
212
and the magnetic fluid
213
tend to maintain their position in a direction of gravity, as shown in FIG.
46
B. This causes the magnet
212
to get closer to the contacts of the reed switch
214
, so as to turn the contacts into a state of conduction (i.e., closed), and the inclination is perceived.
The inclination sensors that use mercury
202
are not suitable for mass production, because they require careful handling and secure facilities in production.
Also, with inclination sensors that use magnetic fluid
213
, it is not only difficult to maintain the property of the magnetic fluid
213
stable for a long time, but also such sensors have a shortcoming in that the liquidity decreases at low temperature, thereby exacerbating movements of the magnet
212
. This raises the problem of reduced accuracy of detecting inclination.
Moreover, these sensors have yet another problem of producing erroneous signals, as the mercury and the magnetic fluid are liable to splash due to external disturbances, such as vibration and an impact, which tend to short-circuit the contacts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is intended to solve the above problems, and it aims at providing an inclination sensor that is superior in rotational performance and long term stability, and is high in detecting accuracy, resistant to external disturbances and reliable.
In order to solve the above problems, the inclination sensor of the present invention comprises divided frames provided within a fixation body to be fixed to a mounting body, a pendulum mounted rotatably to the divided frames, a magnetic flux generation means mounted on the pendulum, a reed switch mounted on a part of the divided frames in a manner to correspond with a rotational path of the magnetic flux generation means, and a damping body having nonmagnetic and electrically good conductive properties positioned on the divided frames along the rotational path of the magnetic flux generation means. The above structure can realize an inclination sensor that is superior in rotational performance and long term stability, and is high in detecting accuracy, resistant to external disturbances and reliable.
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Katsuki Nobuharu
Nakagaki Toshiya
Ushihara Masaharu
Gutierrez Diego
Prunchnic, Jr. Stanley J.
RatnerPrestia
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