US 12,017,596 B2
Acceleration sensor
Neil G. Murray, Jr., Wixom, MI (US); Mark W. Ramsay, Livonia, MI (US); and Brilleasha M. Moore, Clinton Township, MI (US)
Assigned to ZF ACTIVE SAFETY AND ELECTRONICS US LLC, Livonia, MI (US)
Appl. No. 17/276,206
Filed by ZF ACTIVE SAFETY AND ELECTRONICS US LLC, Livonia, MI (US)
PCT Filed Sep. 17, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/051411
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 15, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/076464, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 16, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/743,599, filed on Oct. 10, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0032868 A1, Feb. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. G01P 1/02 (2006.01); B60R 21/0132 (2006.01); G01P 15/08 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 21/0132 (2013.01) [G01P 1/023 (2013.01); G01P 15/0891 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for measuring vehicle acceleration, comprising:
a housing comprising an interior space;
one or more contacts supported in the housing, each of the contacts comprising a pin portion that extends outside the housing and a spring contact portion positioned above an ASIC receptacle inside the housing;
an accelerometer ASIC positioned in the ASIC receptacle in the housing, wherein the accelerometer ASIC comprises contact pads that engage the spring contact portions of the one or more contacts and cause the spring contact portions to deflect, the resilient spring characteristics of the spring contact portions applying a retention force on the accelerometer ASIC; and
a retention clip connected to the housing and having a portion extending into the interior space, the retention clip comprising a portion that engages the housing to secure the retention clip in an installed condition in the housing, wherein the retention clip comprises portions that engage the one or more contacts and maintain the position of the one or more contacts inside the housing, and portions that engage the accelerometer ASIC and maintain the position of the accelerometer ASIC inside the housing.