VEHICLE ASSEMBLY HAVING A CAPACITIVE SENSOR

• US 20130311039A1
• Filed: 07/23/2013
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uusi LLC (Nartron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Uusi LLC (Nartron Corporation)
• Inventors: Washeleski, John, Newman, Todd R., Blank, Andrew E., Shank, David W., Cox, Edward J. II, Warnke, Douglas M., Taylor, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,051,769 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/40 Safety devices, e.g. detection of obstructions or end positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/46 responsive to changes in electrical capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailgates

Abstract

An illustrative assembly includes a panel and a capacitive sensor. The panel is movable between an opened position and a closed position relative to a closure of a vehicle body. The sensor is positioned on the panel such that at least a portion of the sensor is perpendicular to the closure of the vehicle body as the panel moves between the opened and closed positions. The sensor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to the closure of the vehicle body such that capacitance of the sensor changes.

Claims

1. An assembly for a vehicle, the assembly comprising:

a panel movable between an opened position and a closed position relative to a closure of a vehicle body; and

a capacitive sensor mounted on the panel, wherein the sensor is sized and positioned on the panel such that at least a portion of the sensor is perpendicular to the closure of the vehicle body as the panel moves between the opened and closed positions;

wherein the sensor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to the closure of the vehicle body such that capacitance of the sensor changes.

2. The assembly of claim 1 comprising:

a controller configured to control movement of the panel based on the capacitance of the sensor.

3. The assembly of claim 1 comprising:

a second capacitive sensor fixed in position on the vehicle body adjacent the closure of the vehicle body.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein

the sensors respectively function as an emitter and a detector which move toward one another as the panel moves toward the closed position;

and

the sensors capacitively couple to one another as the panel moves toward the closed position such that capacitance of the sensors change.

5. The assembly of claim 4 comprising a controller configured to determine position of the panel relative to the vehicle body based on the capacitance of the sensors.

6. The assembly of claim 1 comprising

a gas strut coupling the panel to the vehicle body such that the panel is movable between the opened and closed positions relative to the closure of the vehicle body;

wherein the strut is electrically coupled to the sensor and is electrically isolated from the vehicle body.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the sensor includes an electrically conductive portion and a non-electrically conductive portion, wherein the electrically conductive portion is encapsulated by the non-electrically conductive portion.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein both portions are plastic.

9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the portions are flexible such that the capacitance of the sensor changes when the sensor is flexed.

10. The assembly of claim 1 comprising an intermediate bracket, wherein the bracket mounts the sensor on the panel.

11. The assembly of claim 2 wherein

the controller includes a module having a plurality of storage capacitors of various values, wherein the value of one of the storage capacitors is such that the one of the storage capacitors corresponds to the sensor;

and

the controller selects the storage capacitor corresponding to the sensor in order to sense the capacitance of the sensor.

12. The assembly of claim 2 wherein:

the controller is configured to control movement of the panel based on a comparison of a proximity profile gesture with the capacitance of the sensor.

13. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body;

a capacitive sensor; and

an intermediate bracket mounting the sensor on a portion of the vehicle body;

wherein the sensor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to the portion of the vehicle body such that the capacitance of the sensor changes.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the portion of the vehicle body includes a bumper.

15. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the portion of the vehicle body includes a trim panel.

16. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the sensor includes a non-electrically conductive portion and an electrically conductive portion encapsulated by the non-electrically conductive portion.

17. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the sensor includes front and rear non-electrically conductive carriers and an electrically conductive body located between the front and rear carriers.

18. The vehicle of claim 13 comprising a controller configured to control a vehicle function based on the capacitance of the sensor.

19. The vehicle of claim 18 wherein

the controller includes a module having a plurality of storage capacitors of various values, wherein the value of one of the storage capacitors is such that the one of the storage capacitors corresponds to the sensor;

and

the controller selects the storage capacitor corresponding to the sensor in order to sense the capacitance of the sensor.

20. The vehicle of claim 18 wherein the controller is configured to control movement of the panel based on a comparison of a proximity profile gesture with the capacitance of the sensor.

21. The vehicle of claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to adjust an acceptable comparison based on a change in temperature.

22. The vehicle of claim 20, wherein the controller adapts a predefined signal profile responsive to changes in a detected user gesture, if the changes are within an acceptable range.

23. A sensor assembly, comprising:

at least one capacitive element situated relative to a portion of a vehicle body where the capacitive element couples with an electrically conductive object near the capacitive element, the capacitive element providing an output that has a profile corresponding to movement of the electrically conductive object relative to the capacitive element; and

a controller that determines whether the profile of the capacitive element corresponds to a predefined profile and instigates an operation of at least one component associated with the vehicle if the profile of the capacitive element sufficiently corresponds to the predefined profile.

24. The assembly of claim 23, wherein

there are a plurality of predefined profiles corresponding to a plurality of different operations;

and

the controller determines which of the operations to perform based on determining which of the predefined profiles most closely corresponds to the capacitive element output profile.

25. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the controller is configured to adjust how the controller determines whether the profile of the capacitive element output corresponds to the predefined profile based on at least one of an ambient temperature or a temperature of the capacitive element.

26. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the controller alters the predefined profile based on detected changes in a profile resulting from a repeatedly detected user gesture if the detected changes are within an acceptable range.

27. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the controller creates a new profile based on the controller being in a teach mode wherein the profile resulting from teach mode becomes a predefined profile that the controller uses with a corresponding operation.