Retractable pillar sensing system

• US 10,295,382 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2016
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Williams, Paxton S., Prokhorov, Danil V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pape, Joseph D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ivey, Dana D
• Application Number:
  US15/178,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20170356769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 293117, 29619306, 701 45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0082 collapsible, e.g. for storing after use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0092 with motorization
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/30 Supports specially adapted for an instrument; Supports specially adapted for a set of instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93273 on the top of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/027 Constructional details of housings, e.g. form, type, material or ruggedness

Abstract

A vehicle sensor system includes a first sensor pod mounted to a pillar structure of the vehicle and a second sensor pod mounted to the pillar structure. A sensor pod deployment mechanism is operatively coupled to the first sensor pod and to the second sensor pod for deploying the first and second sensor pods from the pillar structure. The deployment mechanism is operable to move the first sensor pod between a stowed position and a deployed position of the first pod, and operable to move the second sensor pod between a stowed position and a deployed position of the second pod.

Claims

1. A vehicle sensor system comprising:

a first sensor pod mounted to a pillar structure of the vehicle;

a second sensor pod mounted to the pillar structure; and

a sensor pod deployment mechanism operatively coupled to the first sensor pod and to the second sensor pod for deploying the first and second sensor pods, the mechanism being operable to move the first sensor pod between a stowed position and a deployed position, and operable to move the second sensor pod between a stowed position and a deployed position.

2. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein the first sensor pod is structured to be flush with an exterior surface of the pillar structure when the first sensor pod is in the stowed position, and the second sensor pod is structured to be flush with an exterior surface of the pillar structure when the second sensor pod is in the stowed position.

3. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein the deployment mechanism comprises a stalk mounted in the pillar structure so as to be movable within the pillar structure, the stalk including an end portion coupled to the first sensor pod such that movement of the stalk in a first direction moves the first sensor pod toward a deployed position.

4. The sensor system of claim 3 wherein the stalk includes a ramp portion structured for engaging the second sensor pod so as to move the second sensor pod toward a deployed position during movement of the stalk in the first direction.

5. The sensor system of claim 4 wherein the second sensor pod includes a stalk-engaging element structured to engage the stalk ramp portion so as to move the second sensor pod toward the deployed position during movement of the stalk in the first direction.

6. The sensor system of claim 5 wherein the stalk-engaging element comprises a roller.

7. The sensor system of claim 5 wherein the stalk-engaging element comprises a sloped surface configured to complementarily engage the stalk ramp portion.

8. The sensor system of claim 3 wherein the deployment mechanism further comprises a driving mechanism operatively coupled to the stalk so as to move the stalk in the first direction within the pillar structure and in a second direction within the pillar structure, the second direction being opposite the first direction.

9. The sensor system of claim 8 wherein the stalk end portion is coupled to the first sensor pod such that a movement of the stalk in the second direction moves the first sensor pod in a retraction direction toward a first sensor pod housing.

10. The sensor system of claim 3 wherein the stalk is structured such that movement of the stalk in the first direction moves the second sensor pod from a stowed position toward a deployed position while moving the first sensor pod from a stowed position toward a deployed position.

11. The sensor system of claim 3 wherein the stalk is structured such that movement of the stalk a first movement distance in the first direction moves the first sensor pod from a stowed position to a deployed position a first deployed distance from the pillar structure, without moving the second sensor pod.

12. The sensor system of claim 11 wherein the stalk is structured such that movement of the stalk a second movement distance in the first direction greater than the first movement distance moves the first sensor pod to a second deployed distance from the pillar structure that is greater than the first deployed distance, and also moves the second sensor pod from a stowed position to a deployed position.

13. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein the second sensor pod is operatively coupled to a second sensor pod housing by a biasing mechanism structured to bias the second sensor pod toward a stowed position of the second sensor pod within the housing.

14. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein the deployment mechanism comprises:

a first driving mechanism operatively coupled to the first sensor pod and configured for moving the first sensor pod between the first sensor pod stowed position and the first sensor pod deployed position, and;

a second driving mechanism separate from the first driving mechanism, the second driving mechanism being operatively coupled to the second sensor pod and configured for moving the second sensor pod between the second sensor pod stowed position and the second sensor pod deployed position.

15. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein the deployment mechanism comprises a motor and one or more gears operatively coupled to the motor.