Collision detection system

• US 20070103283A1
• Filed: 10/23/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Nonaka, Toshihito, Wanami, Shingo, Fujioka, Minoru, Takehara, Satoru
• Granted Patent: US 7,605,691 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21 in vehicle side panels, e.g. doors pillar mounted arrangements B60R21/213

Abstract

A collision detection system for a vehicle is provided with multiple hollow members which are arranged at a periphery portion of the vehicle and define therein substantially closed spaces, at least one housing defining therein a substantially closed space, multiple transferring members for respectively communicating the spaces in the hollow members with the space in the housing, at least one detection unit which is arranged in the housing to detect a status of air in the housing, and a control unit. The control unit determines whether or not there occurs a collision of the vehicle based on detection signals from the detection unit.

Claims

1. A collision detection system for a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of hollow members, each of which is arranged at a periphery portion of the vehicle and defines therein a substantially closed space;

at least one housing which defines therein a substantially closed space;

a plurality of transferring members for respectively communicating the spaces in the hollow members with the space in the housing;

at least one detection unit which is arranged in the housing to detect a status of air in the housing; and

a control unit for determining whether or not there occurs a collision of the vehicle based on detection signals from the detection unit.

2. The collision detection system according to claim 1, wherein:

the single housing and the single detection unit are provided; and

all of the transferring members are connected with the single housing.

3. The collision detection system according to claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of housings and the plurality of detection units are provided, the number of the housings being the same with that of the detection units and being smaller than that the hollow members; and

the housings are shared by the transferring members to be respectively connected with the different transferring members.

4. The collision detection system according to claim 1, wherein

the detection unit is a pressure detection unit for detecting a pressure of the air in the housing.

5. The collision detection system according to claim 1, wherein

the detection unit is a flow-rate detection unit for detecting a flow rate of the air in the housing.

6. The collision detection system according to claim 1, wherein

the detection unit is a sound detection unit for detecting a sound in the housing.

7. The collision detection system according to claim 1, wherein

the detection unit is a temperature detection unit for detecting a temperature of the air in the housing.

8. The collision detection system according to claim 1, wherein

the transferring member is substantially tubular and has two ends which are open, the one end being communicated with the space in the hollow member and the other end being communicated with the space in the housing.

9. The collision detection system according to claim 8, further comprising

a plurality of flow detection units, which are respectively positioned at the other ends of the transferring members to detect air flow from the hollow members toward the housing.

10. The collision detection system according to claim 9, wherein

the flow detection unit includes:

a valve member which is arranged at the other end of the transferring member, the valve member becoming open due to the air flow from the hollow member toward the housing; and

an opening/closing detection member which detects opening/closing of the valve member.

11. The collision detection system according to claim 10, wherein

the control unit further determines which of the hollow members there occurs the collision at, based on detection signals from the opening/closing detection members.

12. The collision detection system according to claim 10, wherein

the opening/closing detection member is a switch which becomes ON when the valve member is open.

13. The collision detection system according to claim 1, wherein

the hollow members are arranged at a right side surface and a left side surface of the vehicle.