Patent ID: 8490487
Filing Date: 2013-07-23
Classification: G01P

Abstract:
1. An acceleration sensor comprising: a housing; a release lever having a proximal end and a distal end, said release lever pivotally mounted to said housing at said proximal end and configured to pivot from a first non-activated position to a second activated position; said release lever distal end further comprising a release catch; said release lever further comprising an outward facing surface, an inward facing surface and an aperture extending through said release lever; a calibration spring operatively attached to said housing and said release lever and configured to impart a predetermined force upon said release lever to maintain said release lever in said first non-activated position; a stem extending through said first level aperture; an inertia mass mounted to said stem adjacent to the outward facing surface; a rocker mass having a top surface, a bottom surface and a hole of sufficient diameter to allow said stem to be disposed through said rocker mass, said rocker mass seated on a portion of said housing, said housing portion further having an opening sized to allow stem displacement; a second lever having a proximal end and a distal end and pivotally mounted to said housing at a point between the proximal and distal ends of said second lever, said second lever proximal end positioned for operable contact with said stem, said second lever distal end positioned for operable contact with said release lever, said second lever configured to pivot such that the distal end of said second lever pivots said release lever from said first non-activated position to said second activated position in response to an acceleration event that displaces said stem into contact with said second lever proximal end with a force sufficient to pivot said second lever; and said rocker mass further comprising a substantially circular circumference having a diameter about its face opposing the inward face of said release lever, the release lever configured to pivot from said first non-activated position to said second activated position in response to an acceleration event that causes the inertia mass to tip and the rocker mass to contact the inward face of the release lever.