Collision preventing device for vehicle

• US 20030197601A1
• Filed: 04/08/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Takagi, Kunio, Kotera, Yasuo
• Application Number:
  US10/409,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20030197601A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08

Abstract

An obstacle preventing device includes an obstacle detecting sensor, a steering wheel, a vibrator secured to the steering wheel, a controller for controlling driving of the vibrator, and a vehicle velocity detecting sensor. When the distance between a vehicle body and an obstacle becomes equal to a predetermined threshold distance, the controller outputs a drive signal to the vibrator in order to vibrate the steering wheel by the vibrator.

Claims

1. A collision preventing device for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one obstacle detecting sensor disposed at a vehicle body;

at least one actuator for exerting outside force upon any inside equipment with which the body of a driver contacts when driving; and

controlling means for controlling driving of the at least one actuator,

wherein, when the at least one obstacle detecting sensor detects an obstacle, the controlling means repeatedly calculates the distance between the vehicle body and the obstacle, so that, when the calculated distance between the vehicle body and the obstacle has become equal to a threshold distance previously set in the controlling means, the controlling means drives the at least one actuator to exert the outside force upon the any inside equipment.

2. A collision preventing device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, in accordance with the calculated distance between the vehicle body and the obstacle, the controlling means changes the outside force exerted upon the any inside equipment by the at least one actuator.

3. A collision preventing device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controlling means determines the position of the obstacle with respect to the vehicle body and, in accordance with the determined position of the obstacle with respect to the vehicle body, changes the outside force exerted upon the any inside equipment by the at least one actuator.

4. A collision preventing device for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a vehicle velocity detecting sensor for detecting the velocity of the vehicle, wherein, based on a velocity signal output from the vehicle velocity detecting sensor, the controlling means changes the outside force exerted upon the any inside equipment by the at least one actuator.

5. A collision preventing device for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a steering angle detecting sensor for detecting the steering angle of a steering wheel, wherein, based on a steering angle signal output from the steering angle detecting sensor, the controlling means changes the outside force exerted upon the any inside equipment by the at least one actuator.

6. A collision preventing device for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a steering angle detecting sensor for detecting the steering angle of a steering wheel and a travel direction detecting sensor for detecting the direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein, based on a steering angle signal output from the steering angle detecting sensor and a travel direction signal output from the travel direction detecting sensor, the controlling means changes the outside force exerted upon the any inside equipment by the at least one actuator.

7. A collision preventing device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the any inside equipment upon which the outside force is exerted by the at least one actuator is any one of a steering shaft, a steering wheel, and a seat.

8. A collision preventing device for a vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the controlling means exerts the outside force upon the steering shaft by driving the at least one actuator in order to resist steering in the direction of the obstacle.

9. A collision preventing device for a vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the controlling means drives the at least one actuator in order to vibrate any one of the steering shaft, the steering wheel, and the seat for warning the driver.

10. A collision preventing device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one obstacle detecting sensor is disposed at a side mirror.

11. A collision preventing device for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a speaker disposed at the vehicle body, wherein, when the at least one obstacle detecting sensor detects the obstacle, the controlling means repeatedly calculates the distance between the vehicle body and the obstacle, so that, when the calculated distance between the vehicle body and the obstacle has become equal to a threshold distance previously set in the controlling means, the controlling means drives the at least one actuator to exert the outside force upon the any inside equipment and drives the speaker to generate a warning sound by the speaker.