Seismonastic switches

(54) Designation: Depending on the inertia, the coupling device t acts and the operation. Other publications including said coupling apparatus (56) Published publications: DE 2,343,118 (H01H 35/14), DE 2,228,683 (H01H 35/14), US 3 769 472 (200-6145)

7S02770-5

The invention relates to a coupling device acting in dependence on inertia forces, more particularly a coupling apparatus of the kind specified in the preamble of claim 1, and further to an operating apparatus comprising such a coupling apparatus.

In a particularly effective embodiment of a coupler of this category, a ball is provided in a frusto-conical seat. When the clutch is subjected to lateral acceleration as a result of a laterally impacted impact load, the ball is accelerated in relation to the seat in a direction opposite to the impact of the impact load. The ball therefore behaves as if it were affected by a side force unaligned and proportional to the impact load on the coupler. If the resultant of this imagined side force and the gravity acting on the ball has its line of action lying outside the support defined by the contact zone between the ball and the seat, the ball will move up the side of the seat, namely with an acceleration proportional to the component parallel to the seat of the seat. the resulting force, and into contact with a coupling means.

If the coupling means is a displaceable element, e.g. a piston pushed in by the ball ensures that the ball's acceleration ensures that sufficient movement energy is rapidly imparted to the ball so that it can push in the piston element and thereby effect the functioning of the coupling apparatus.

For a coupling apparatus of this kind, where the frusto-conical seat sides tilt an angle α toward the central axis of the seat and the ball is affected by a resultant force F₂ acting along a line forming angle β towards the central axis of the seat, the component F the force F ^ which strives to drive the ball along the side of the seat is expressed:

F = -F -cos (α + β) ar

Thus, if (α + β) is greater than 90 ° C, the resulting force F F will exert the ball from its seat with an acceleration proportional to the force component F, whereby a coupling device where the sides of the seat has a certain slope, angle α, reacts depending on the slope, angle β, of the line of action of the resulting force F_r on the ball.

In practice, this principle is applied for operation of coupling7602770-5. 2 apparatus in response to the variation in the slope of a resultant force acting on a ball arranged in a frusto-conical seat when this variation in the slope towards the central axis is a consequence either of the application of a laterally acting impact load on the ball, for example in switches arranged to act in response to impact loads, or to tilt the coupling device so that the slope of the line of action of the gravity acting on the ball changes; for example in switches or other switching devices arranged to function in tilting or rolling movements.

To ensure that a coupling device is designed to operate on this site^4- does not function in response to directional signals below a certain threshold - for example, at variations of less than 15 ° in the slope of the resulting force acting on the ball - so that the sensitivity of the coupler is reduced, it is necessary to reduce the angle α and thereby increase the steepness at the truncated conical seat sides. However, this results in a long reaction time in that the ball needs a certain amount of time to accelerate to a sufficiently high speed; for example, a speed at which the ball's energy of movement is sufficient for the work required to depress a piston element.

One way to reduce this disadvantage is to use a ball of ferromagnetic material and apply a magnetic restraining effect to the ball by means of a magnet arranged under the frustoconical seat. This retention effect produced by magnetic attraction on the ball is such that it prevents the ball from leaving its rest position too early, ie. before the coupling device is subjected to a direction of a value greater than the desired threshold value. This restraining action also decreases rapidly as the ball departs from its rest position, thereby increasing the resulting force component that strives to move the ball up along the side wall of the seat, thereby shortening the time it takes for the ball to reach the required speed or obtain the moving energy. required for depressing a piston element.

Although a considerable reduction in reaction time can be achieved by applying a magnetic retention effect to the ball often, the reaction time can be reduced by a factor of between 10 and 20 - this reduction is not always sufficient; in many cases

7602770-5 requires even greater reduction of the reaction time, for example for switchgear intended to put safety devices into operation in the event of a vehicle collision.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a less complicated construction of a coupling device which does not function until it is affected by a direction of predetermined strength, but which, when affected, functions faster than a conventional coupler where a ball is arranged to move along a truncated conical seat surface.

This task is solved by designing the coupling device in accordance with claim 1.

When a coupling apparatus constructed in this way is subjected to a variation of the resultant force on the rolling body so that it is influenced by your force component acting parallel to the seat surface affected by the rolling body, the rolling body is accelerated from its rest position. As the rolling body touches the area of ​​the seating surface where the inclination of this surface towards the first axis increases, the rolling body changes its direction of movement so that the direction of movement more closely coincides with the direction of the forces acting on the coupling apparatus, whereby the force component which the roller surface strives to move . This increased force on the rolling body leads to an increased acceleration of the rolling body, so that it moves faster to the operating position.

In a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, the displaceable element is displaceable by the rolling body from a first position to a second position to effect the operation of the operating device whenever the rolling body moves from its resting position to the functioning position. In this embodiment, the increase of the force of the rolling body which arises as the rolling body passes over the area of ​​the seat surface where its inclination towards the central axis increases, gives rise to a stronger acceleration of the rolling body, so that the rolling body receives sufficient moving energy to be able to push it in. the slidable element faster than would otherwise be possible.

A coupling apparatus of the kind described above, in which the rolling body is arranged to push in a displaceable element, is particularly suitable for use as a tilt coupling apparatus when

7602770-5 it is important to prevent fuel outflow when a motor vehicle is tipping or turning.

The seat surface is in the form of a rotating surface extending around the central axis, and it is suitable for both functional and constructive reasons to carry out the area where the seat surface increases its inclination towards the central axis as a sharp edge or several sharp edges and allow each such edge to extend. along a circular line. However, there is no need for a gradual change of slope at this region, and the region may have an arcuate cross-section to provide a gradual transition in the slope of the surface.

Although the seat surface located within the area where the seat surface increases its inclination the coupling device's central axis may have a truncated conical shape such that the diameter of the edge of this truncated conical surface is greater than the diameter of the rolling body, it is preferable to design this area as a sharp a single-diameter edge smaller than the diameter of the rolling body, and in this case the seating surface within this sharp edge is suitably formed as a cylindrical surface. Thus, in the simplest embodiment, the seat can be formed simply by drilling a cylindrical hole perpendicularly into a flat surface.

In the case where it is necessary to provide a fast acting coupler suitable for use with operating devices which require more energy for actuation than can be provided by a coupler of the above described embodiment, it is necessary to include a trigger mechanism in the actuator.

A triggering mechanism suitable for this purpose comprises an elongated trigger which is the piston element of the coupling apparatus and is actuable by the displaceable element of the coupling apparatus and axially movable back and forth along a piston shaft line parallel to the central axis of the coupling apparatus as a movable axis axis, is reciprocally movable along the piston shaft line, a load means which loads the tubular member in a direction along the piston shaft line; and at least one locking member disposed between the trigger and the tubular member and movable transversely to the piston shaft line, the tubular member being formed with a sloping surface arranged to cooperate abutting one side of the locking member to load.

7602770-5 this in the direction of the trigger and the trigger is formed with a support surface which is arranged to abut the locking element to prevent movement of the locking element across the piston shaft line, and with a retracted part which has a reduced cross section and is axially separated from the support surface. and located on the same side of the support surface as the sliding element.

As the trigger under the action of the slidable element moves along the piston shaft line until the retracted trigger portion is opposite the locking element (s), the locking element or any transverse element in the transverse direction is displaced toward the trigger. ^cposition the tubular portion for movement along the second piston shaft line under the influence of the load means so that the tubular c.¹one manages an associated device.

The retracted release member is conveniently formed with a sloping surface arranged to cooperate with the locking element or each locking element, so that in case of cross movement of the locking element or locking elements under the influence of the load member on the tubular part in the same direction the locking element or locking element is actuated. sliding element.

The triggering mechanism preferably has a cross-sectional annular support member arranged between the trigger and the tubular member, wherein a plurality of balls disposed at respective angular distances from each other at the angular spacing of the support member may constitute the radially movable locking members.

In a preferred embodiment, a compression spring is arranged between radial flanges at one end of the holder member and on the tubular member respectively to load it in the direction of the radial flange of the holder member.

In a practical embodiment of such a release mechanism, the inclined surfaces of the trigger and the tubular member constitute an outer and an internally truncated conical surface, which converge towards the end provided with the flange of the support member. Upon axial movement of the tubular member for compression of the compression spring, the tubular member will engage and displace the trigger to contact the radially movable balls so that they are displaced radially outward. The balls are then pressed against a further surface of the trigger so that their return movement is prevented.

In an embodiment particularly suitable for preventing fuel outflow in a motor vehicle that has tipped or struck, the flange of the retainer member forms part of a housing formed with a valve seat, the end of the tubular member located at the greatest distance from the retainer member. flanged end is provided with a valve member which is operable against the valve seat when the tubular portion is released as a result of release movement of the trigger.

Exemplary embodiments of the apparatus of the invention are described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a sectional view_x of an electrical switching device comprising a switching device made in accordance with the invention and an electric switch j.

Fig. 2 shows in section an operating device in which a liquid valve is operated by a coupling device according to the invention.

As can be seen in Fig. 1, a steel ball 10 is provided in a chamber in a portion 11 of a housing produced by die casting of a zinc alloy. The chamber has a cylindrical upper wall 12, a flat, annular seating surface 13, a frusto-conical seating surface 14 and a circular bottom surface 15. Between the seating surfaces 13 and 14 is a circular edge 16, the diameter of which is greater than the diameter of the ball 10. resting on the bottom surface 15.

The slope a of the seat surface 14 against the central axis 17 of the coupling device is equal to 10 °, so that whenever the slope β of the resulting force F F exceeds 80 °, a force component F equals -F cos (α + β), which (X 3Γ strives to induce ball 10 to roll upwardly along seat surface 14 toward edge 16. When the ball 10 has completed this movement and reached the edge, it changes its direction of movement to then follow an arcuate path 18, the direction of which increasingly approaches the direction of the resulting force F, whereby the ball 10 rapidly accelerates to a speed at which it has sufficient moving energy to be able to lift a displaceable element formed by a plastic disc 19, namely against the effect of the weight of the plastic disc 19, on the one hand, the resistance of the actuator piston 20A in a microswitch 20, a distance 21 sufficient for

7602770-5 operation or closure of the microswitch 20 disposed in a portion 11A of the housing. As shown in Fig. 1, the housing parts 11 and 11A form a recessed portion of the chamber which limits the axial movement of the plastic sheet 19 to the distance 21.

By simple calculation, the diameter and axial length of the cylindrical wall 12 can be selected such that in a coupling apparatus with a ball 10 of a certain determined mass and with a micro-switch 20, whose piston 20A has a certain definite resistance, the ball 10 has displaced the disc 19 and the piston 20A over the stretch 21 and thereby fully depress these elements when it has come to rest against the wall 12. The wall 12, therefore, prevents the ball 10 from being clamped between the edge 16 and the disc 19, while ensuring that the ball 10 does not return to its original position, the silo position, before the angle a with which the resulting force F s the central axis 17, has fallen below a predetermined value. In practice, this value is normally of the order of 30 °.

In the actuator shown in Fig. 2, the actuator comprises a release mechanism and a gas shut-off valve. In this case, the displaceable element is in the form of a star-shaped element 19A with a central hub and three radial arms, which are free to move the stretch 21 in slots 22 formed in a collar 23 of a flange 24 which projects radially from the base of the a cross-sectional annular retaining member 25 produced by die casting of a zinc alloy. A piston in the form of a trigger 20C rests on the star-shaped element 19A and can be displaced axially within the holder member 25,

A tubular member in the form of a brass sheath sleeve 26 is axially movable on the outside of the holding member 25 and integrally formed with a shuttle cone 27 provided with a rubber sealing ring 28. A compression spring 29 inserted between the radial fin 24 of the holding member 25 and a radial flange 30 of the shuttle cone 27 loads the shuttle cone 27 toward a recess 31 in a valve enclosing portion 32 of a housing and thereby attempts to press the sealing ring 28 against a valve seat 33 at the orifice of recess 31 to prevent fluid from flowing from an inlet pipe 34 to an outlet pipe 35. While both tubes 34 and 35 are shown as separate parts, they may also be integral with housing portion 32 through

7602770-5 die casting of a zinc alloy.

The ball chamber in the housing portion 11 has an internally undercut collar '36, into which the flange 24 of the holder member 2b and a flange 37 of the lower end of the housing portion 32 are inserted. The collar 36 has an upper edge which is curved inwardly over a frusto-conical surface of the flange 37 to hold the various parts together. The internal portions enclosed in the housing portion 11 and the housing portion 32 are formed with holes so that liquid can fill the enclosed space, and a rubber sealing ring 39 is compressed between beveled edges of the collar 23 and the flange 37; As mentioned, this collar and this flange are held together by the collar J6. housing part 11.

In case of a change in the force field in which the valve device is located - example v. ' if in that case the coupling device is intended to function for tilting or rotating the device, an angle of more than 80 ° is rotated about an axis which is perpendicular to the figure plane in 2 - the ball 10 starts to roll down the surface 14, and when it reaches the edge 16 it falls against the wall 12, displacing the star-shaped element .19A along the axis 17.

As the star-shaped element 19A is displaced the distance 21, an abutment surface 40A bounded by the upper edge of a downwardly converging, truncated conical surface 40 on the trigger 20C will reach above the radial plane through the midpoints of a number of radially movable spherical barrier elements or beads 41 , which are inserted into radial openings 42 in the holding means 45. As soon as this occurs, the balls 41 are pressed inwardly by a downwardly converging, frusto-conical internal surface 43 of the shuttle 26, and this inward movement of the balls 41 contributes to displacing the trigger 20C the rest of the distance 21, so that the balls are radially displaced from the path of movement of the surface 43 and the shuttle cone 27 is thereby allowed to enter the opening 31 and press the sealing ring 28 against the valve seat 33.

Thus, as a result of the operation of the coupler and the associated consumption of a small amount of energy, a significantly larger amount of energy is released from the spring 29, which is used for operating the fluid valve.

In order for the valve assembly to be restored, it has a resilient piston 44, which is provided with a rubber sealing ring 45 and is displaceable axially in a coaxially projecting tubular neck 46 from the housing portion 32.

A thrust spring 47 loads the reset piston 44 in the direction of the shuttle cone 27. By depressing the reset piston 44 in contact with the shuttle cone 27 against the action of the spring 47, the shuttle sleeve 26 can be pressed down over the retaining member 25 until there is a sufficiently large radial clearance between the retaining member 25. the shuttle sleeve 26 so that the balls 41 can roll out radially outwardly in the radial openings 42. Upon continued depressing of the shuttle cone 27, the upper end of the trigger 20C is forced downward = the frusto-conical surface 40 is applied to the balls 41 thereby pushing them radially outward to their locking or locking position. Then, when the reset piston 44 is released, the return shaft is released to the rest position shown in Fig. 2 under the action of the spring 47, after which the anode is again ready for operation.

In the case where a switchgear and a triggering mechanism are arranged to act in combination as a ripping or rolling motion sensing device, this device may be electrically connected to or form part of a fuel valve which allows motor vehicles to meet the requirements stated in S5.1, S5.2 and S5.5 of the US Engine Vehicle Safety Standard No. 301 regarding fuel system safety, according to folding passenger vehicles and vehicles with GVWR of 2700 kg or less, shall have a fuel leakage of less than 28 grams per minute or a total of 422 grams when rotating around the longitudinal axis in successive 90 ° increments by uniform speed, with a 90 ° rotation occurring for a period of between 1 and 3 minutes and the vehicle being stationary for 5 minutes after each 90 ° rotation movement.

7602770-5