Abstract: A ferromagnetic shunt is pivotally mounted to a housing to form a pendulum which swings between a reed switch and a magnet. As long as the shunt remains between the reed switch and the magnet the reed switch remains open. The shunt is held or biased between the magnet and the reed switch by the force of the magnetic attraction between the shunt and the magnet. The mass of the shunt acts as both a tilt sensor which responds to gravity and an accelerometer sensitive to crash-induced accelerations. The reed switch, magnet and shunt are mounted in a housing which positions the reed switch and magnet and controls the maximum range of motion of the shunt. The magnet is located between two sidewardly spaced pendulum arms, which allow the shunt to swing out from between the reed switch and the magnet in two opposite directions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improved tool set-up and adjustment using thin tactile sensors. A method is provided comprising the steps of affixing a plurality of sensing cells to the tool at spaced locations thereon, electrically connecting the sensing cells to a measuring instrument, establishing a measurement event threshold for each electrically connected sensing cell, detecting occurrences of the measurement events for each electrically connected sensing cell, and, in response to detecting these occurrences, adjusting the tool set-up consistent with the measurement events.

Abstract: A force sensor employing a segmental electrode construction, with a portion of one of its pair of electrodes being printed on a first backing sheet and another portion of the one electrode being printed on a second sheet. When they are juxtaposed they form a continuous electrode. The other of the pair of electrodes is also formed on the first backing sheet and cooperates with the first electrode to indicate when a load is applied to a zone in which the pair of electrodes overlie one another.

Abstract: A silicon capacitive microsensor which is sensitive to acceleration forces includes a silicon capacitive sensing element 10 comprising three silicon layers 12,16,26 having glass dielectric layers 14,24 between each pair of silicon layers with the middle silicon layer 16 consisting of a proof mass 18 suspended between the two glass dielectric layers 14,24 by a silicon hinge 20 which is connected to a slightly thicker silicon support layer 17 around the periphery (FIG. 3 ) between the glass layers 14,24 (FIG. 1 ). Three metallic bond pads 40,42,44 on the surface 45 of the silicon layers 26,16,12, respectively, are soldered to circuit trace pads 108 on a circuit board 100 which has a glass upper layer 104 and a silicon support layer 102. The thermal expansion coefficient between the glass layer 104 and the sensing element 10 are substantially the same, thereby minimizing thermally induced stresses on the sensing element 10 and minimizing inaccuracies associated therewith.