Collision sensor system

• US 20080129474A1
• Filed: 11/13/2007
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dimitrie Marandiuc
• Original Assignee: Dimitrie Marandiuc
• Inventors: Marandiuc, Dimitrie
• Application Number:
  US11/983,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20080129474A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/436
• 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: G01D 5/25 Selecting one or more conductors or channels from a plurality of conductors or channels, e.g. by closing contacts

Abstract

A collision sensor for a vehicle includes a base, a spring, and a rod. The base is used for attaching the collision sensor to the vehicle. The spring is attached to the base and has a hollow interior area. The rod is coupled to an electrical source and is located in the hollow interior area of the spring. The rod is electrically insulated from the spring when the collision sensor is in an initial position, to stop electrical flow to an alarm generator. The rod is in electrical contact with the spring when the collision sensor is in a bent position, to allow electrical flow to the alarm generator.

Claims

1. A collision sensor for a vehicle comprising:

a base for attaching the collision sensor to the vehicle;

a spring attached to the base and having a hollow interior area; and

a rod coupled to an electrical source and located in the hollow interior area of the spring, the rod being electrically insulated from the spring when the collision sensor is in an initial position to stop electrical flow to an alarm generator, the rod being in electrical contact with the spring when the collision sensor is in a bent position to allow electrical flow to the alarm generator.

2. The collision sensor of claim 1, wherein the base is a metallic material.

3. The collision sensor of claim 1, wherein the spring is a stainless steel extension spring.

4. The collision sensor of claim 1, wherein the rod is a wire including at least one of an elastic metal or a superelastic metal.

5. The collision sensor of claim 1, further comprising a contact member attached to an end of the spring, the contact member being in contact with an obstacle in the bent position of the collision sensor.

6. The collision sensor of claim 1, further comprising an electrical insulator located at least partially inside the hollow interior area of the spring for supporting the rod, the electrical insulator having an aperture for receiving an end of the rod, the electrical insulator electrically insulating the end of the rod in the initial position and the bent position of the collision sensor.

7. The collision sensor of claim 1, wherein the rod is located along an axis of the spring and having a first end and a second end, the first end being permanently separated from contacting the spring via a tubular insulator, the second end being separated from the spring by a gap when the collision sensor is in the initial position, the second end being in contact with the spring when the collision sensor is in the bent position.

8. The collision sensor of claim 1, further comprising a cable for coupling the rod to the electrical source, the electrical source being a cigarette lighter of the vehicle.

9. The collision sensor of claim 1, wherein the alarm generator produces an alarm selected from a group consisting of an audio alarm and a visual alarm.

10. A method for manufacturing a collision sensor for use in a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a base for attaching the collision sensor to the vehicle;

attaching a spring to the base, the spring having a hollow interior space;

locating a rod at least partially inside the hollow interior space of the spring;

electrically insulating the rod from the spring when the collision sensor is in a default position to have an open electrical path between an electrical source and an alarm generator; and

in response to the rod being in contact with the spring when the collision sensor is in a deformed position, closing the electrical path to produce an alarm.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the spring is partially inserted in the base.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the rod is locates along a central axis of the spring.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising attaching a contact ball at one end of the spring for contacting an obstacle when the collision sensor is in the deformed position, the end of the spring being opposite another end of the spring that is attached to the base.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the rod is a wire selected from a group consisting of an elastic metal and a superelastic metal, the rod having the ability to change between a distorted shape and an undistorted shape when the collision sensor changes between the deformed position and the default position.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising locating a tubular insulator between the rod and the spring at one end of the spring for supporting the rod, the tubular insulator having an aperture for receiving the rod.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the alarm includes an audio sound for alerting a driver of the vehicle that the collision sensor has collided with the obstacle.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the alarm includes a visual message for alerting a driver of the vehicle that the collision sensor has collided with the obstacle.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting a wireless signal for activating the alarm.

19. A collision sensor for a truck comprising:

a metallic base for attaching the collision sensor to a cabin of the truck;

an extension metallic spring having a central axis, a first spring end, and a second spring end, the first spring end being attached to the base;

a tubular electrical insulator having a central aperture, the electrical insulator being located at least in part inside the metallic spring near the first spring end; and

an elastic metallic wire having a first wire end and a second wire end, the first wire end being coupled to an electrical source and located inside the central aperture of the electrical insulator, the second wire end being separated by a gap from the second spring end when the collision sensor is in an initial position to open a electrical path including a sound generator, the second wire end being in contact with the second spring end when the collision sensor is in a bent position to close the electrical path.

20. The collision sensor of claim 19, wherein the electrical source is selected from a group consisting of a cigarette lighter of the truck and a self-contained battery of the collision sensor.