VEHICLE DOOR ACTIVE AND PASSIVE CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20090043456A1
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Shahidi, Bijan K., Tien, Jason C. S., Zhang, Zhen Steven, Huang, XianLi
• Granted Patent: US 8,068,959 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01252 Devices other than bags
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus for vehicle door deflection and movement control. The apparatus includes a primary electromagnetic device disposed generally in a vehicle door frame or generally in an area of a vehicle body adjacent the vehicle door frame, and a controller for activating the primary electromagnetic device to push or pull the vehicle door frame. The apparatus may further include a sensor for measuring vehicle door deflection during vehicle movement. The controller may activate the primary electromagnetic device based on deflection measurements by the sensor to pull the vehicle door frame to generally cancel the vehicle door deflection.

Claims

1. An apparatus for vehicle door deflection and movement control, said apparatus comprising:

at least one primary electromagnetic device disposed generally in or on a vehicle door frame or generally in or on an area of a vehicle body adjacent the vehicle door frame; and

a controller for activating said primary electromagnetic device to push or pull the vehicle door frame.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one bumper disposed adjacent said primary electromagnetic device for providing a contact surface during said pushing or pulling of the vehicle door frame.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said bumper is a magnetic bumper.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one secondary electromagnetic device disposed adjacent said primary electromagnetic device for providing a contact surface during said pushing or pulling of the vehicle door frame.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a strain gauge for measuring vehicle door deflection during vehicle movement, said controller activating said primary electromagnetic device based on deflection measurements by said strain gauge to pull the vehicle door frame to generally cancel the vehicle door deflection.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor for measuring vehicle door deflection during vehicle movement, said controller activating said primary electromagnetic device based on deflection measurements by said sensor to pull the vehicle door frame to generally cancel the vehicle door deflection.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor for detecting movement of a door handle, said controller activating said primary electromagnetic device based on detected movement of the door handle to push or pull the vehicle door frame to respectively assist with opening or closing of a vehicle door.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controller activates said primary electromagnetic device upon vehicle movement greater than a predetermined speed.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controller activates said primary electromagnetic device upon detection of at least one of vehicle drive position, air bag deployment, and vehicle on/off condition.

10. An apparatus for vehicle movable component deflection and movement control, said apparatus comprising:

at least one primary electromagnetic device disposed generally in or on a vehicle movable component or generally in or on an area of a vehicle body adjacent the vehicle movable component; and

a controller for activating said primary electromagnetic device to push or pull the vehicle movable component.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, Further comprising at least one bumper disposed adjacent said primary electromagnetic device for providing a contact surface during said pushing or pulling of the vehicle movable component.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said bumper is a magnetic bumper.

13. An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising at least one secondary electromagnetic device disposed adjacent said primary electromagnetic device for providing a contact surface during said pushing or pulling of the vehicle movable component.

14. An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a strain gauge for measuring vehicle movable component deflection during vehicle movement, said controller activating said primary electromagnetic device based on deflection measurements by said strain gauge to pull the vehicle movable component to generally cancel the vehicle movable component deflection.

15. An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a sensor for measuring vehicle movable component deflection during vehicle movement, said controller activating said primary electromagnetic device based on deflection measurements by said sensor to pull the vehicle movable component to generally cancel the vehicle movable component deflection.

16. An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a sensor for detecting movement of a handle for opening the vehicle movable component, said controller activating said primary electromagnetic device based on detected movement of the handle to push or pull the vehicle movable component to respectively assist with opening or closing of the vehicle movable component.

17. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said controller activates said primary electromagnetic device upon vehicle movement greater than a predetermined speed.

18. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said controller activates said primary electromagnetic device upon detection of at least one of vehicle drive position, air bag deployment, and vehicle on/off condition.