Electro-mechanical protector for vehicle latches during crash conditions and method for operating the same

• US 20080269990A1
• Filed: 04/25/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Niesluchowski, Matt A., Clark, Todd N., Ghannam, Mahmoud Yousef, Tippy, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,174,597 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0027 Post collision measures, e.g. notifying emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01252 Devices other than bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electronic mechanical protector system for vehicle door latches during crash conditions, vehicle door equipped with such a system, and methods for operating the system.

Claims

1. An electro-mechanical protector system for vehicle door latches during vehicle crash conditions, comprising:

a Restraint Control Module (RCM) having memory and tables therein, said restraint control module electronically connected to at least one sensor to transmit data signals from said sensors to said restraint control module during pre-crash, crash and post crash events;

said restraint control module further electronically connected to an electro-mechanical apparatus;

said apparatus responsive to electrical signals from said restraint control module to transfer said sensor signal to mechanical energy to secure a vehicle door latch to prevent said door from opening during crash events and permitting said door latches to operate during post crash events to open said vehicle door.

2. The electro-mechanical protector system for vehicle door latches of claim 1, wherein said electro-mechanical energy is a reciprocating door plunger adapted to move into cooperative engagement with a detent in said vehicle latch during a crash event to prevent operation of said door latch during a crash event and move out of cooperative engagement with said door latch detent during pre-crash and post crash events to permit operation of said vehicle door latch.

3. The electro-mechanical protector system of claim 1, wherein at least one said sensor is a pressure sensor.

4. The electro-mechanical protector system of claim 1, wherein at least one said sensor is an accelerometer sensor.

5. The electro-mechanical protector system of claim 1, wherein at least one said sensor is any type of sensor that provides signal to the RCM.

6. The electro-mechanical protector system of claim 1, further including an accelerometer to detect lateral and longitudinal acceleration of said vehicle;

said accelerometer electronically connected to said RCM to transmit signals to the RCM;

said RCM actuating said vehicle door latch at least in part responsive to signals from said accelerometer.

7. The electro-mechanical protector system of claim 1, wherein said electro-mechanical apparatus is a plunger in a housing reactive to a motor, said motor responsive to signals from said responsive crash module to reciprocate said plunger into and out of engagement with said latch detent according to signals received from said sensor indicative of pre-crash, crash and post-crash events.

8. The electro-mechanical protector system of claim 6, wherein said plunger includes a spring in cooperative engagement with said plunger to assist in deployment of the plunger into engagement with the detent during pre-crash and crash events.

9. The electro-mechanical protector system of claim 1, wherein said RCM receives signals from at least one of a Lateral Warning System, Blindspot Detection System, Adaptive Cruise Control;

brake pressure;

brake pedal position, steering wheel angle;

wheel speed;

vehicle roll rate and lateral and longitudinal acceleration to predict pre-crash events to determine whether to activate said electro-mechanical protector to prevent operation of said vehicle latch.

10. A vehicle door safety system, comprising:

a vehicle door pivotally connected at one end to a vehicle support member and equipped at its opposite end with a vehicle door latch mechanism comprised of a latch with a detent;

said latch cooperatively engagable with a striker positioned on said vehicle

a Restraint Control Module (RCM) having memory and tables therein,

at least one sensor electronically connected to said RCM to transmit data signals from said sensors to said RCM during pre-crash, crash and post crash events;

an electro-mechanical apparatus;

said apparatus reactive to a motor responsive to electrical signals from said RCM to transfer said sensor data signal to mechanical energy to secure a vehicle door latch to prevent said door from opening during crash events and pre-crash events and permitting said door latches to operate during post crash events to open said vehicle door.

11. The vehicle door safety system of claim 10, further including a remote accelerometer electronically connected to said RCM;

said accelerometer to detect and transmit vehicle lateral and longitudinal acceleration to said RCM;

said RCM to actuate said electro-mechanical apparatus at least in part responsive to said accelerometer.

12. The vehicle door safety system of claim 10, wherein at least one said sensor is a pressure sensor.

13. The vehicle door safety sensor of claim 10, wherein at least one said sensor is an acceleration sensor.

14. The vehicle door safety sensor of claim 10, wherein at least one said sensor is any sensor provides sensor to the RCM.

15. The vehicle door safety system of claim 10, wherein said electro-mechanical apparatus is a plunger in a housing responsive to signals from said responsive crash module to reciprocate said plunger into and out of engagement with said latch detent according to signals received from said sensor indicative of pre-crash, crash and post-crash events.

16. The vehicle door safety system of claim 14, wherein said plunger includes a spring in cooperative engagement with said plunger to assist in deployment of the plunger into engagement with the detent during pre-crash and crash events.

17. The vehicle door safety system of claim 10, wherein said RCM receives signals from at one of a Lateral Warning System, Blindspot Detection System, Adaptive Cruise Control;

brake pressure;

brake pedal position, steering wheel angle;

wheel speed;

vehicle roll rate and lateral and longitudinal acceleration to predict pre-crash events to determine whether to activate said electro-mechanical protector to prevent operation of said vehicle latch.

18. A method to operate a vehicle door latch safety system to prevent said door latch from operating during pre-crash and crash events, comprising;

determining whether a pre-crash threat event is imminent;

engaging an electro-mechanical safety apparatus to engage said latch to prevent said door latch from operating to open said door;

determining whether a crash event has occurred;

determining whether a post crash event has occurred;

releasing said electro-mechanical safety device to permit operation of the vehicle door latch.

19. The method of claim 18, further including determining whether said pre-crash event has passed and releasing said electro-mechanical safety device when said pre-crash threat has passed.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said electro-mechanical safety apparatus is motor driven reciprocatable plunger biased with a spring;

said plunger moveable in response to signals from said RCM responsive to signal data input indicative of a imminent pre-crash threat or crash event to engage a cooperative detent in a vehicle latch to prevent said latch from operating during said pre-crash or crash event;

said plunger further disengaged from said detent in said vehicle latch to permit vehicle door operation responsive to signals from said RCM indicative that said pre-crash threat or post crash event have lapsed.