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Motion captor (with ball)

Julien

Aug 3, 2014
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Aug 3, 2014
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Hello,

we have at home an baby mat that should play music when the baby is moving and shaking the mat. But the motion captor seems to be faulty. We have to shake it really too hard if we want it to activate the music. So I'm searching to replace it.

I don't have so much knowledge about electronic. If someone knows what kind of name is given to such a component could already help me a little. Is it called motion captor for example? It is a 1 cm tall cylinder with a 1 cm diameter. There is inside a small ball to detect the motion. On it there is the following number: A16R-MA4562-PCB3. I attached also a picture of it. Of course if someone knows where we can find exactly the same component that would be very great.

Thank you,

Julien
 

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Harald Kapp

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Nov 17, 2011
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This component most probably operates by the ball inside closing a contact between the two wires. I don'T know where to buy such a device, but you can try to revive this unit: open it carefully and see if cleaning the electrical contacts helps. There are "contact sprays" (sorry, I don't know what they are called in English) that help to clean and protect the contacts.

If this doesn't help, you can buy a cheap blinking ball and remove the "sensor" from it. These "sensors" are simple springs that close a contact when hit. Typically they are not enclosed (as the unit in you mat), you may need to protect the spring from your baby's handling by a self constructed housing. If you are lucky it fits within the original housing of the mat's sensor.
 

shrtrnd

Jan 15, 2010
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If you're interested in the rolling-ball type tilt switch, these are a couple of mfgrs:
C & K Switch RB Series Rolling Ball Sensor Switch
Mountain Switch also makes rolling ball tilt switches.
 

Julien

Aug 3, 2014
2
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Aug 3, 2014
Messages
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Thank you all of you for the replies. I followed the suggestion of Harald Kapp and I managed to open the unit. As expected there was inside just a metal ball closing the contact when it was rolling in the middle of the unit. I clean the all thing and it works now really better (and surely as it should be). So I think it is ok now. If this unit is still causing me some troubles I will then replace it . Thanks to your replies I know now also how it is called ("tilt switch").

Thank you,

Julien
 
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