VEHICLE CRASH DETECTION DEVICE

• US 20130147498A1
• Filed: 04/18/2011
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hironaka, Ryouji
• Granted Patent: US 8,773,150 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/705
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/007 Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/20 Inrush current reduction, i.e. avoiding high currents when connecting the battery
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0891 with indication of predetermined acceleration values G01P15/135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/14 Measuring resistance by measuring current or voltage obtained from a reference source G01R27/16, G01R27/20, G01R27/22 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A metal plate (14) is buried in a gasket (12) of a case (10) for accommodating an electric device such as an inverter. The metal plate (14) is connected to a control board (400) in the case (10), and the voltage of the metal plate (14) is determined. A reference voltage is applied to the metal plate (14), and the case (10) is grounded. When the metal plate (14) is brought into contact with the case (10) or disconnected due to a crash, the voltage of the metal plate (14) is thereby changed, and the control board (400) detects a crash, based on the change in the voltage.

Claims

1. A vehicle crash detection device, comprising:

a case for accommodating an electric device,

wherein the case has

gaskets provided on a circumference of the case,

a conductor provided in the gasket so as to be electrically insulated from the case, and

detection means for determining an electric conductive state of the conductor to thereby detect a crash,

the vehicle crash detection device further comprising a reference voltage source for applying a reference voltage to the conductor, wherein

the case is grounded, and

the detection means detects a crash when a voltage of the conductor is identical to a ground voltage or the reference voltage.

2. The vehicle crash detection device according to claim 1, wherein the gasket is placed in a flange of the case.

3. The vehicle crash detection device according to claim 1, wherein the detection means is accommodated in the case.

5. The vehicle crash detection device according to claim 1, wherein

the case has a grommet, and

the conductor has relatively high rigidity in a part of the case where the grommet is provided compared to in other parts.

6. The vehicle crash detection device according to claim 1, wherein the conductor is a metal plate.

4. (canceled)