Impact sensor

• US 10,436,656 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2015
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IEE International Electronics & Engineering SA (Aerospace Hi-Tech Holding Group Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: IEE International Electronics & Engineering SA (Aerospace Hi-Tech Holding Group Company Limited)
• Inventors: Pelt, Thomas, Bour, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Harshad R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Tran M.
• Application Number:
  US15/525,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20170322096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/02 containing distinct electrical or optical devices of particular relevance for their function, e.g. microelectro-mechanical systems [MEMS] B81B7/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/16 using properties of piezoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/18 using properties of piezo-resistive materials, i.e. materials of which the ohmic resistance varies according to changes in magnitude or direction of force applied to the material
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/20 by measuring variations in ohmic resistance of solid materials or of electrically-conductive fluids of piezo-resistive materials G01L1/18; by making use of electrokinetic cells, i.e. liquid-containing cells wherein an electrical potential is produced or varied upon the application of stress
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0052 measuring forces due to impact G01L5/0061, G01L5/14 take precedence; impact testing of structures G01M7/08; impact testing of material G01N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/08 with conversion into electric or magnetic values
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/122 by metal resistance strain gauges, e.g. wire resistance strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/123 by piezo-resistive elements, e.g. semiconductor strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/092 Forming composite materials
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/852 Composite materials, e.g. having 1-3 or 2-2 type connectivity

Abstract

An impact sensor for a vehicle. The impact sensor includes at least one strain-sensitive sensor element which comprises a sensor material, and at least two terminals, between which the sensor material is electrically connected. The sensor material is a metal-containing carbon material.

Claims

1. An impact sensor for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one strain-sensitive sensor element which comprises a sensor material disposed as a layer on a carrier element, said sensor material being a nickel-containing hydrogenated amorphous carbon material, and

at least two terminals disposed at opposite ends of the carrier element, between which the sensor material is electrically connected.

2. The impact sensor according to claim 1, wherein the layer of sensor material has a thickness of 10-100 nm.

3. The impact sensor according to claim 2, wherein the layer is a sputtered layer.

4. The impact sensor according to claim 2, wherein the terminals are screen printed onto said carrier element.

5. The impact sensor according to claim 1, wherein the carrier element is a polymer sheet.

6. The impact sensor according to claim 1, wherein a maximum dimension of the impact sensor is less than 200 mm.

7. An impact detection system for a vehicle, comprising at least one impact sensor, said impact sensor comprising:

at least one strain-sensitive sensor element which comprises a sensor material disposed as a layer on a carrier element, said sensor material being a nickel-containing hydrogenated amorphous carbon material, and

at least two terminals disposed at opposite ends of the carrier element, between which the sensor material is electrically connected.

8. The impact detection system according to claim 7, further comprising an exterior component for the vehicle, in which the at least one impact sensor is disposed.

9. The impact detection system according to claim 8, a plurality of impact sensors which are staggered along the exterior component.

10. The impact detection system according to claim 7, further comprising a processing unit, which is connected to the at least one impact sensor, said processing unit being configured to identify an impact situation based on a variation of the electrical resistance of the at least one impact sensor.

11. The impact detection system according to claim 10, wherein the processing unit is connected and configured to individually measure the resistance of each of a plurality of subsets of a plurality of impact sensors.

12. The impact detection system according to claim 10, wherein the processing unit is configured to identify an impact location based on a location of at least one impact sensor which shows a variation of its electrical resistance.

13. The impact detection system according to claim 10, wherein the processing unit is configured to determine an impact energy based on a combination of the variations of the electrical resistances of several impact sensors.

14. The impact detection system according to claim 7, wherein the layer of sensor material has a thickness of 10-100 nm.

15. The impact detection system according to claim 14, wherein the layer is a sputtered layer.

16. The impact detection system according to claim 14, wherein the carrier element is a polymer sheet.

17. A method for impact detection for a vehicle, with at least one impact sensor, said impact sensor comprising:

at least one strain-sensitive sensor element which comprises a sensor material disposed as a layer on a carrier element, said sensor material being a nickel-containing hydrogenated amorphous carbon material, and

at least two terminals disposed at opposite ends of the carrier element, between which the sensor material is electrically connected;

the method comprising the steps of;

measuring the electrical resistance of the at least one impact sensor; and

identifying an impact situation based on a variation said electrical resistance.