Vehicle impact sensor arrangement for detecting a side impact
First Claim
1. A vehicle impact sensor arrangement for sensing a side impact on a motor vehicle, said motor vehicle having a monocoque shell comprising at least a floor, a door cill and a B-post, and a door mounted on the monocoque shell, the sensor arrangement comprising at least one sensor which is directly or indirectly fixed to the B-post of the monocoque shell and which is responsive to a compressional force exerted on the sensor, the sensor arrangement further comprising a movable element constituted by a reinforcing element present in the door and which is separate from the monocoque shell, said movable element being initially located adjacent the sensor and being arranged and located to move relative to the monocoque shell to contact the sensor and exert a compressive force on the sensor, compressing the sensor between said movable element and said part of the monocoque shell to which the sensor is fixed, in response to an inward movement of a part of the door with respect to said part of the monocoque shell.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle impact sensor arrangement is provided for sensing a side impact. The arrangement comprises at least one sensor which is directly or indirectly fixed to the monocoque shell of a motor vehicle and which is responsive to inward movement of part of a door mounted on a motor vehicle. The part of the door adjacent the sensor is reinforced.
20 Citations
21 Claims
- 1. A vehicle impact sensor arrangement for sensing a side impact on a motor vehicle, said motor vehicle having a monocoque shell comprising at least a floor, a door cill and a B-post, and a door mounted on the monocoque shell, the sensor arrangement comprising at least one sensor which is directly or indirectly fixed to the B-post of the monocoque shell and which is responsive to a compressional force exerted on the sensor, the sensor arrangement further comprising a movable element constituted by a reinforcing element present in the door and which is separate from the monocoque shell, said movable element being initially located adjacent the sensor and being arranged and located to move relative to the monocoque shell to contact the sensor and exert a compressive force on the sensor, compressing the sensor between said movable element and said part of the monocoque shell to which the sensor is fixed, in response to an inward movement of a part of the door with respect to said part of the monocoque shell.
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19. A vehicle impact sensor arrangement for sensing a side impact on a motor vehicle, said motor vehicle having a monocoque shell comprising at least a floor, and a door mounted on the monocoque shell, the sensor arrangement comprising at least one sensor including a first part which is fixed to a part of the floor of the monocoque shell, a second part which is movable relative to the first part and includes an accelerometer, and a spring biassing the second part to a predetermined position relative to the first part, the sensor arrangement further comprising a movable element constituting a reinforcing element present in the door and which is separate from the monocoque shell, said movable element being arranged and located to move relative to the monocoque shell to apply a force to the second part of the sensor, the second part of the sensor being movable from the predetermined position against the bias of the spring in response to an inward movement of a part of the door with respect to the monocoque shell, the accelerometer in the second part of the sensor being adapted to respond to an acceleration of the second part in excess of a predetermined threshold.
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20. A vehicle impact sensor arrangement on a motor vehicle having a monocoque shell, for sensing a side impact, the sensor arrangement comprising at least one sensor which is directly or indirectly fixed to a B-post of the motor vehicle which forms part of the monocoque shell, the sensor being responsive to a compressive force exerted on the sensor, the vehicle further comprising at least one door, the door being provided with a substantially horizontally extending reinforcing bar, one end of the reinforcing bar being located adjacent the sensor for exerting a compressive force on the sensor in response to inward movement of the door with respect to the B-post.
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21. A vehicle impact sensor arrangement for sensing a side impact on a motor vehicle, said motor vehicle having a monocoque shell comprising at least a floor, a door cill and a B-post, and a door mounted on the monocoque shell, the sensor arrangement comprising at least one sensor which is responsive to a compressional force exerted on the sensor, the at least one sensor including a first part which is directly or indirectly fixed to a part of the monocoque shell of the motor vehicle, either adjacent a lower part of the door or on the B-post, a second part which is movable relative to the first part and includes an accelerometer, and a spring biassing the second part to a predetermined position relative to the first part, the sensor arrangement further comprising a movable element constituted by a reinforcing element present in the door and which is separate from the monocoque shell, said movable element being initially located adjacent the second part of the sensor and being arranged and located to move relative to the monocoque shell to contact the sensor and exert a compressive force on the second part of the sensor, the second part of the sensor being movable from the predetermined position against the bias of the spring in response to an inward movement of a part of the door with respect to the part of the monocoque shell, the accelerometer in the second part of the sensor being adapted to respond to an acceleration of the second part in excess of a predetermined threshold.
Specification