QUICK-RESPONSE ACCELEROMETER WITH INCREASED CONTACT DWELL TIME

摘要

An acceleration sensor (10) includes a nonmagnetic tube (14); an iron washer (18) encircling a longitudinal portion of the tube (14); a magnetic sensing mass (30) located in the tube (14) and magnetically biased by the washer (18) toward a first position such that a longitudinal portion of the mass (30) is encircled by the washer (18), the mass (30) is displaced from a first position to a second position due to an accelerating force exceeding the magnetic bias to close contacts (28). The magnetic bias varies with sensing mass (30) displacement. The bias has a relatively-low first value (A) when the mass (30) is in the first position to provide a quickened mass (30) response to acceleration inputs of short duration, a peak second value (C) when the mass (30) reaches an intermediate position, and a third value (D), greater than the first value but less than the second value, when the mass (30) is in the second position for maximizing switch contact dwell time.