Patent ID: 6448517
Filing Date: 2002-09-10
Classification: H01H

Abstract:
A gravity responsive attitude switch which controls a circuit in response to positioning the switch relative to true vertical comprising:a housing defining a chamber, said chamber having a concave hemispherical outer wall and a convex hemispherical inner wall, wherein said outer wall is electrically conductive; a conductive pathway disposed on the inner wall of said chamber; a magnet disposed within said inner wall; a gravity responsive member comprising an electrically conductive metal ball, whereby said magnet retains said ball suspended from and in contact with said inner wall; an electrically conductive liquid disposed within said chamber, said conductive liquid present in sufficient quantity to contact said ball but not said inner wall, thereby electrically connecting said ball to said outer wall; whereby said gravity responsive member, dependent on the orientation of said switch relative to true vertical, either contacts said pathway forming a closed circuit in combination with said conductive liquid or does not contact said pathway leaving an open circuit.