Abstract: A shock sensor has a housing with two portions. A first portion resiliently engages a reed switch which has staple formed leads. A second portion extends adjacent one of the reed switch leads and has modular components which permit consistent shock-sensing results to be obtained from reed switches of varying sensitivity by selection of appropriate components. The second portion is a closed-ended hollow tube in which a bobbin with a centrally located guide bar is inserted. A first disk extends outwardly from the guide bar. A self-test coil is positioned on the bar between the first disk and a second disk. A biasing spring extends between the closed end of the tube and the magnet, which is mounted on the bar. The magnet is abutted against a second disk which extends from the bar. The second disk positions the actuation magnet with respect to the reed switch when it is in its non-actuated position.

Abstract: A housing has a vertical subframe in which is mounted one or more reed switches. A magnet is mounted to a carriage which is mounted about the reed switch by a two-degree-of-freedom joint. The carriage forms a cup with a base aperture which surrounds the subframe. The aperture defines a semi-spherical surface which rides on a semi-spherical surface at the base of the subframe. A shell is fixed to the housing and the inside surface of the shell has a semi-spherical surface concentric with the semi-spherical surfaces defined by the annulus of the aperture and the semi-spherical base of the subframe. The carriage has semi-spherical surface portions which engage the shell interior and is thereby constrained to rotate about the point of concentricity common to the shell, the carriage, the annular aperture, and the semi-spherical base of the subframe. The carriage is biased to an upright position by springs which extend between the base of the housing and an upper lip of the carriage.

Abstract: A shock sensor achieving the advantages of extended minimum dwell and extended total dwell employs a reed switch in a housing mounted coaxial to the reed switch. The shock sensor employs a magnet of cylindrical shape, which is coaxial with the reed switch and slidably mounted to activate the reed switch. The shape of the activation magnet, which also serves as an acceleration detecting mass, is that of a cylindrical shell which extends along the axis of the reed switch. The shell has a ring portion extending radially inward and of short axial extent on the end of the magnet which lags in activation. A spring extends between an abutment and the magnet within the shell. When the shock sensor is subjected to an acceleration, the magnet is moved by the acceleration force from a non-activating position. Further extending the activation dwell time of the sensor and, in addition, providing an extended minimum dwell time, is the shape of the magnetic field created by the ring at the first abutting end of the magnet.

Abstract: A shock sensor has a housing defining an axially extending bore, a reed switch is centered within the bore by means of its axially extending leads and a transverse section of the housing which has an axially extending hole which centers one of the leads of the reed switch with the housing. The other lead of the reed switch is centered by a first retainer, which is fixed within the bore to align the reed switch within the housing with the axis of the housing. An activation magnet, is slidably mounted within the bore of the housing, and has a central hole passing over one of the axially extending leads. The magnet is biased by a spring away from the end activation region of the reed switch, which is near an end of the glass capsule which encloses the reed switch. The spring biases the activation magnet against a second retainer so that when the housing is not undergoing acceleration the activation magnet is biased to a position where the switch is not activated.

Abstract: A multiple reed switch module includes multiple reed switches aligned in fixed, spacial relation by thermoplastic side rails attached to the switch leads, with lead ends extending perpendicularly from the leads in parallel relation. The side rails function as a spacing mechanism and facilitate handling of the switches, and the efficient insertion of the multiple parallel lead ends in circuit board assemblies.