Profile for accommodating a sensor

• US 5,847,289 A
• Filed: 04/24/1996
• Issued: 12/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IEE International Electronics & Engineering SARL, Daimler-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: IEE International Electronics & Engineering SARL, Daimler-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Lehnen, Hans-Gunter
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, HARSHAD R
• Application Number:
  US08/624,582
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 73/756, 73/866.5, 73/432.1, 73/862.381, 73/862.541, 73/862.636, 73/862.637, 49/477.1, 49/26, 49/27, 49/28
• US Class Current: 73/862.381
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/00 Sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/443 specially adapted for vehicle windows or roofs
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/48 by transmission of mechanical forces, e.g. rigid or movable members
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/20 by measuring variations in ohmic resistance of solid materials or of electrically-conductive fluids of piezo-resistive materials G01L1/18; by making use of electrokinetic cells, i.e. liquid-containing cells wherein an electrical potential is produced or varied upon the application of stress

Abstract

A rubber-like section with one or several hollow chambers is provided as a sensor receiving section for housing and protecting pressure-actuated sensors, in particular for mounting behind screens and as window guiding sections, in particular for car windows with U-shaped window guiding frames. The design of the mounting space, i.e. the main hollow chamber, allows the sensor to be threaded into the section even over a longer axial distance, to be clamped therein without play and to be firmly held in its mounting position. The inner contour of the main hollow chamber, which is adapted to the sensor use, has a central or eccentric bead-like, heel-shaped projection that extends in the axial direction and projects into the hollow chamber. This geometry allows the sensor housed in the hollow chamber to provide its sensor functions. Other inventions related to the outer geometry of the section result therefrom.

Claims

1. A sensor accommodating profile of flexible, rubber-like extruded material, said profile having different regions with different deformability, and comprising:

a base portion with a main cavity, said main cavity extending axially through the profile and comprising an axially extending bead-like projection directed into the main cavity,

at least one deformation zone in a lateral region of said base portion, and

at least one axially extending, force transducing means, said force transducing means being attached at said lateral region of said base portion for transducing a force to said lateral region of said base portion, said lateral portion being deformed when a force is applied to said force transducing means thereby deforming the main cavity to activate an accommodated sensor.

2. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one deformation zone comprises two deformation zones, each of the deformation zones being located in a lateral region on either side of said base portion, and

two axially extending force transducing means, said force transducing means being attached on either side of the profile at said lateral regions of said base portion for transducing a force to said lateral regions of said base portion.

3. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 2, further comprising two subsidiary cavities located in said lateral region of said base portion on either side of said bead-like projection.

4. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 2, wherein said force transducing means are configured to allow free ends of said means to extend slightly beyond an upper end of a window guide frame when said profile is installed in said window guide frame.

5. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 4, wherein the profile generally has a U-shaped cross-section, said U-shape defining an axially extending opening.

6. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 5, wherein the free ends of said force transducing means comprise cover means for covering the axially extending opening in said U-shaped profile, said cover means extending normally to said force transducing means.

7. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 6, wherein the caps of said mushroom-shaped limbs form said cover means for covering the axially extending opening in said U-shaped profile.

8. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 7, wherein the caps of the mushroom-shaped limbs each have a cap width adapted to a right hand side or a left hand side proudness of a vehicle body.

9. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 2, wherein said force transducer means comprises mushroom-shaped limbs projecting from said base portion of said profile.

10. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one subsidiary cavity located in said lateral region of said base portion of said profile and extending parallel to the main cavity, said subsidiary cavity forming said deformation zone.

11. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 1, wherein said profile is adapted for installation in a U-shaped window guide frame of a motor vehicle.

12. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 11, further comprising securing means for securing said profile inside said window guide frame.

13. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 12, wherein said securing means comprises clamping lips fixed on said base portion of said profile, said clamping lips projecting outwardly in a direction normal to the profile axis.

14. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 1, the profile further comprising defined surface regions, said surface regions being constant along an axial dimension of the profile and being continuous or discontinuous along a longitude of the profile, said surface regions having a coating of lubricating material.

15. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 14, wherein the lubricating material is selected from a group consisting of flock, lubricant, varnish, and similar lubricating materials.

16. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 14, wherein the defined surface regions are provided at intervals.

17. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a sensor accommodated in said profile such that the sensor yields an output signal varying according to a sensitivity as a function of a magnitude of a pressure application.

18. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 17, wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensing element having a resistance that decreases as an applied pressure increases.

19. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 1, wherein the different regions with different deformability are co-extruded of different materials.

20. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 1, wherein the different regions with different deformability have different degrees of Shore hardness and bulk densities.

21. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 1, wherein the profile is adapted to accommodate and protect a pressure activatable sensor.

22. The sensor accommodating profile as claimed in claim 1, wherein the profile is adapted to form a window guide profile.