Patent ID: 8610555

Claim:
A sensor ( 10 ) for actuating a vehicle warning signal, comprising: a housing ( 1 ); a magnetically activated switch ( 5 ) located on an outside surface of the housing ( 1 ); and an electrical connection ( 6 ) for connecting the switch ( 5 ) to a warning signal device ( 12 ) of the vehicle ( 9 ), the housing ( 1 ) comprising a cavity ( 7 ) located inside the housing ( 1 ), a first spring ( 2 ) located inside the cavity ( 7 ), and a moveable magnetic weight element ( 3 ) located inside the cavity ( 7 ) adjacent the spring, wherein, in a first in-use condition the weight element is located in a first resting (P 1 ), non-activating position remote from said switch ( 5 ), wherein, in a second in-use condition, during a deceleration of the vehicle, the weight element ( 3 ) moves to compress the first spring ( 2 ) so that the weight element ( 3 ) moves from the first position to a second activating position (P 2 ) magnetically proximate the switch so that the switch is closed by magnetic interaction with the weight element ( 3 ), the closing of the switch causing the warning signal device ( 12 ) to be activated to provide a deceleration warning to following vehicles, and wherein, in normal driving of the vehicle, the first spring keeps the weight element ( 3 ) from moving to the second position proximate the switch.