VEHICLE AND VEHICLE DOOR CLEARANCE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM

• US 20160355127A1
• Filed: 06/03/2015
• Published: 12/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Compton, Grant A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,751,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1071 specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/43 responsive to disruption of energy beams, e.g. light or sound
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/624 Arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/638 Cams; Ramps
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

A vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes a door and a controller. The door is configured to transition to a partially opened position between a fully opened position and a closed position. The controller is programmed to issue an insufficient door clearance notification in response to an object being detected within a swing radius of the door between the closed position and the partially opened position. The controller may be further programmed to issue the insufficient door clearance notification in response to an object being detected within an egress path from the partially opened position of the door.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a door, having a swing radius, configured to transition to a first partially opened position between a fully opened position and a closed position; and

a controller programmed to, in response to an object being detected within the swing radius of the door between the closed position and the first partially opened position, issue a first insufficient door clearance notification.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to an object being detected within the swing radius of the door between the closed position and a clearance distance beyond the first partially opened position, issue the first insufficient door clearance notification.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to an object being detected within an egress path from the first partially opened position of the door, issue the first insufficient door clearance notification.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to an absence of an object being detected within the swing radius of the door between the closed position and the first partially opened position and an absence of an object being detected within the egress path from the first partially opened position of the door, issue a first sufficient door clearance notification.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein door is also configured to transition to a second partially opened position between the fully opened position and the closed position, and wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to an object being detected within the swing radius of the door between the closed position and the second partially opened position, issue a second insufficient door clearance notification.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to an object being detected within the swing radius of the door between the closed position and a clearance distance beyond the second partially opened position, issue the second insufficient door clearance notification.

7. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to an object being detected within an egress path from the second partially opened position of the door, issue the second insufficient door clearance notification.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to an absence of an object being detected within the swing radius of the door between the closed position and the second partially opened position and an absence of an object being detected within the egress path from the second partially opened position of the door, issue a second sufficient door clearance notification.

9. A vehicle comprising:

a door having a swing radius;

a detent arm configured to retain the door in at least one partially opened position; and

a controller programmed to, in response to an object being detected within the swing radius of the door between a closed position and a first partially opened position, issue a first insufficient door clearance notification.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to an object being detected within the swing radius of the door between the closed position and a clearance distance beyond the first partially opened position, issue the first insufficient door clearance notification.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to an object being detected within an egress path from the first partially opened position of the door, issue the first insufficient door clearance notification.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to an absence of an object being detected within the swing radius of the door between the closed position and the first partially opened position and an absence of an object being detected within the egress path from the first partially opened position of the door, issue a first sufficient door clearance notification.

13. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to an object being detected within the swing radius of the door between the closed position and a second partially opened position, issue a second insufficient door clearance notification.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to an object being detected within the swing radius of the door between the closed position and a clearance distance beyond the second partially opened position, issue the second insufficient door clearance notification.

15. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to an object being detected within an egress path from the second partially opened position of the door, issue the second insufficient door clearance notification.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to an absence of an object being detected within the swing radius of the door between the closed position and the second partially opened position and an absence of an object being detected within the egress path from the second partially opened position of the door, issue a second sufficient door clearance notification.

17. A method of warning a user of an obstruction between an object and a vehicle door that is configured to transition to a first partially opened position:

issuing a first insufficient door clearance notification in response to an object being detected within a swing radius of the door between a closed position and the first partially opened position.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising issuing the first insufficient door clearance notification in response to an object being detected within an egress path from the first partially opened position of the door.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising issuing a second insufficient door clearance notification in response to an object being detected within the swing radius of the door between the closed position and a second partially opened position.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising issuing the second insufficient door clearance notification in response to an object being detected within an egress path from the second partially opened position of the door.