System and method for sensing vehicle door edge movement

• US 6,039,345 A
• Filed: 01/16/1998
• Issued: 03/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Automotive Systems Laboratory, Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Systems Laboratory, Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Talley, David B., Cech, Leonard S., Sewell, Michael R., Gillis, Edward J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Application Number:
  US09/007,990
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 180/274, 180/282, 280/735, 307/10.1, 340/436, 340/668, 340/669, 701/45, 73/514.31
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/11 by inductive pick-up

Abstract

In accordance with a preferred embodiment, a vehicle crash discrimination system (10) comprises a plurality of coil sensors (18) permanently mounted to a vehicle pillar, and a magnet 20 either mounted to a door (14) edge surface juxtaposed to the coils, or to the pillar if a suitable ferromagnetic flux collector is mounted on the door edge. The shape, size and spacing of the coils is predetermined to provide output signals in the coils responsive to the change in the magnetic field caused by movement of the door surface. The change in magnetic field is analyzed to indicate a vehicle crash.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash, comprising:

a. a motor vehicle comprising a first set of two proximal elements that undergo relative motion responsive to the crash;

b. a first magnetic circuit spanning between proximal portions of said two proximal elements of said motor vehicle, wherein said first magnetic circuit has both a magnetic field and a reluctance, the magnetic field of said first magnetic circuit is responsive to the reluctance of said first magnetic circuit, the reluctance of said first magnetic circuit responsive to said relative motion, and said first magnetic circuit comprises;

i). a first plurality of coils responsive to the magnetic field of said first magnetic circuit;

ii). at least one first permanent magnet as the source of magnetomotive force for said first magnetic circuit; and

iii). at least one first air gap between said two proximal elements of said motor vehicle, wherein said at least one first air gap defines a first separation zone; and

c. a processor operatively connected to said first plurality of coils, wherein said magnetic field of said first magnetic circuit is responsive to said relative motion of said first set of two proximal elements of said motor vehicle, each of said first plurality of coils generates a signal responsive to the changes in said magnetic field of said first magnetic circuit, and said processor controls the activation of said motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to said signal.

2. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 1, wherein one of said two proximal elements of said motor vehicle comprises an edge wall of a first door of said motor vehicle and the other of said two proximal elements of said motor vehicle comprises a fixed portion of said motor vehicle proximate thereto.

3. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 2, wherein an axis of each of said first plurality of coils is substantially normal to said first separation zone.

4. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 3, wherein said first plurality of coils are attached to said fixed portion of the vehicle and said at least one first permanent magnet is attached to said fixed portion of the vehicle.

5. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 4, wherein said first magnetic circuit further comprises a ferromagnetic structure attached to said edge wall of said first door of the vehicle.

6. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 1, wherein an axis of each of said at least one first permanent magnet is substantially parallel to the direction of said relative motion.

7. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 1, wherein an axis of each of said at least one first permanent magnet is substantially perpendicular to the axis of each of said first plurality of coils.

8. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safty restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 1, wherein an axis of said first plurality of coils are located proximate a common plane.

9. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 1, wherein at least two of said first plurality of coils are located so as to be subjected to substantially the same crash induced motion.

10. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor discriminates said relative motion in more than one direction.

11. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 1, wherein one of said two proximal elements is proximate a relatively rigid structural element for transferring a crash signal from the point of crash impact to said one of said two proximal elements.

12. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 11, wherein said relatively rigid structural element is a reinforcing beam of a door.

13. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

a. a second magnetic circuit spanning between proximal portions of a second set of two proximal elements of a motor vehicle which undergo relative motion responsive to the crash, wherein said second magnetic circuit comprises;

i). a second plurality of coils responsive to the magnetic field of said second magnetic circuit;

ii). at least one second permanent magnet as the source of magnetomotive force for said second magnetic circuit; and

iii). at least one second air gap between said second set of two proximal elements of the motor vehicle, wherein said at least one second air gap defines a second separation zone, said processor is operatively connected to said second plurality of coils, said magnetic field of said second magnetic circuit is responsive to said relative motion of said second set of two proximal elements of said motor vehicle, each of said second plurality of coils generates a signal responsive to the changes in said magnetic field of said second magnetic circuit, one of said second set of two proximal elements of said motor vehicle comprises an edge wall of a second door of said motor vehicle and the other of said second set of two proximal elements of said motor vehicle comprises a fixed portion of said motor vehicle adjacent thereto, and both said other of said first set of two proximal elements and said other of said second set of two proximal elements comprise the B-pillar of said motor vehicle.

14. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 1, wherein said first plurality of coils consists of two coils.

15. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 1, wherein said first plurality of coils are located on two opposing planes disposed about an axis of said at least one first permanent magnet.

16. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 15, wherein two of said first plurality of coils are located in each of said two opposing planes.

17. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 1, further comprising an accelerometer operatively connected to one of said two proximal elements, whereby said processor is operatively connected to said accelerometer and said processor is further responsive to the signal from said accelerometer.

18. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash, comprising:

a. a motor vehicle comprising a first set of two proximal elements that undergo relative motion responsive to the crash, wherein one of said two proximal elements of said motor vehicle comprises an edge wall of a first door of the vehicle and the other of said two proximal elements of the motor vehicle comprises a fixed portion of the vehicle proximate thereto;

b. a first magnetic circuit spanning between proximal portions of said first set of two proximal elements of said motor vehicle, wherein said first magnetic circuit comprises;

i) at least one first air gap between said two proximal elements of the motor vehicle, wherein said at least one first air gap defines a first separation zone;

ii) a first plurality of coils responsive to the magnetic field of said first magnetic circuit, wherein an axis of each of said first plurality of coils is substantially normal to said first separation zone and said first plurality of coils are attached to said fixed portion of the vehicle and said at least one first permanent magnet is attached to said edge wall of said first door of the vehicle; and

iii) at least one first permanent magnet as the source of magnetomotive force for said first magnetic circuit; and

c. a processor operatively connected to said first plurality of coils, wherein said magnetic field of said first magnetic circuit is responsive to said relative motion of said two proximal elements of the motor vehicle, each of said first plurality of coils generates a signal responsive to the changes in said magnetic field of said first magnetic circuit, and said processor controls the activation of the motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to said signal.

19. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 18, wherein said first plurality of coils comprise a plurality of coils located substantially on a plane.

20. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash, comprising:

a. a motor vehicle comprising a first set of two proximal elements that undergo relative motion responsive to the crash, wherein one of said two proximal elements of said motor vehicle comprises an edge wall of a first door of the vehicle and the other of said two proximal elements of the motor vehicle comprises a fixed portion of the vehicle proximate thereto;

b. a first magnetic circuit spanning between proximal portions of said first set of two proximal elements of said motor vehicle, wherein said first magnetic circuit comprises;

i) at least one first air gap between said two proximal elements of the motor vehicle, wherein said at least one first air gap defines a first separation zone;

ii) a first plurality of coils responsive to the magnetic field of said first magnetic circuit, wherein an axis of each of said first plurality of coils is substantially normal to said first separation zone and said first plurality of coils are attached to said edge wall of said first door of the vehicle and said at least one first permanent magnet is attached to said fixed portion of the vehicle; and

iii) at least one first permanent magnet as the source of magnetomotive force for said first magnetic circuit; and

c. a processor operatively connected to said first plurality of coils, wherein said magnetic field of said first magnetic circuit is responsive to said relative motion of said two proximal elements of the motor vehicle, each of said first plurality of coils generates a signal responsive to the changes in said magnetic field of said first magnetic circuit, and said processor controls the activation of the motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to said signal.

21. A method of controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash, comprising:

a. creating a magnetic field between proximal portions of two proximal elements of a motor vehicle which undergo relative motion responsive to the crash, wherein the strength of said magnetic field is responsive to said relative motion;

b. creating a plurality of signals responsive to said magnetic field, wherein each of said plurality of signals is responsive at a distinct location; and

c. controlling the activation of the motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to said plurality of signals.

22. A method of controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 21, further comprising the steps of measuring the magnitudes of said plurality of signals and determining which of said plurality of signals has the maximum amplitude, wherein the operation of controlling the activation of the motor vehicle safety restraint system is dependent upon the magnitude of the maximum amplitude signal.

23. A method of controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 21, further comprising the steps of measuring the magnitudes of said plurality of signals, determining which of said plurality of signals has the maximum amplitude, and measuring the width of the maximum amplitude signal, wherein the operation of controlling the activation of the motor vehicle safety restraint system is dependent upon said width of the maximum amplitude signal.

24. A method of controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 21, wherein the operation of controlling the activation of the motor vehicle safety restraint system is dependent upon the separation in time of said plurality of signals.

25. A method of controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 21, wherein said magnetic field is created by at least one permanent magnet and said plurality of signals are created by a plurality of coils, further comprising the step of setting the initial position of said permanent magnet relative to said plurality of coils.

26. A method of controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash, comprising:

a. creating a magnetic field between proximal portions of two proximal elements of a motor vehicle which undergo relative motion responsive to the crash, wherein the strength of said magnetic field is responsive to said relative motion;

b. creating a plurality of signals responsive to said magnetic field, wherein each of said plurality of signals is responsive at a distinct location; and

c. controlling the activation of the motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to said plurality of signals; and

d. estimating the direction of said relative motion from the magnitude and phase of said plurality of signals.

27. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash comprising:

a. a magnetic circuit spanning between proximal portions of two proximal elements of a motor vehicle which undergo relative motion responsive to the crash, wherein said magnetic circuit has a magnetic field and a reluctance, the magnetic field of said magnetic circuit is responsive to the reluctance of said magnetic circuit, the reluctance of said first magnetic circuit responsive to said relative motion, and said magnetic circuit comprises;

i). at least one coil responsive to the magnetic field of said magnetic circuit wherein said at least one coil is operatively connected to the first of said two proximal elements;

ii). at least one permanent magnet as the source of magnetomotive force for said magnetic circuit wherein said at least one permanent magnet is operatively connected to the first of said two proximal elements; and

iii). a ferromagnetic structure operatively connected to the second of said two proximal elements; and

b. a processor operatively connected to said plurality of coils, wherein said magnetic field of said magnetic circuit is responsive to said relative motion of said two proximal elements of said motor vehicle, each of said at least one coils generates a signal responsive to the changes in said magnetic field of said magnetic circuit, and said processor controls the activation of the motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to said signal.

28. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash as recited in claim 27, wherein said ferromagnetic structure is formed with a magnetic coating.

29. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash, comprising:

a. a magnetic circuit spanning between proximal portions of two proximal elements of a motor vehicle which undergo relative motion responsive to the crash, wherein said magnetic circuit comprises;

i). at least one coil responsive to the magnetic field of said magnetic circuit wherein said at least one coil is operatively connected to the first of said two proximal elements;

ii). at least one permanent magnet as the source of magnetomotive force for said magnetic circuit wherein said at least one permanent magnet is operatively connected to the first of said two proximal elements; and

iii). a ferromagnetic structure operatively connected to the second of said two proximal elements, wherein said ferromagnetic structure comprises a patterned surface and the spatial properties of said patterned surface provide inherent band pass filtering of said signal; and

b. a processor operatively connected to said plurality of coils, wherein said magnetic field of said magnetic circuit is responsive to said relative motion of said two proximal elements of the motor vehicle, each of said at least one coils generates a signal responsive to the changes in said magnetic field of said magmetic circuit, and said processor controls the activation of the motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to said signal.

30. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash, comprising:

a. a magnetic circuit spanning between proximal portions of two proximal elements of a motor vehicle which undergo relative motion responsive to the crash, wherein said magnetic circuit comprises;

i). at least one coil responsive to the magnetic field of said magnetic circuit wherein said at least one coil is operatively connected to the first of said two proximal elements;

ii). at least one permanent magnet as the source of magnetomotive force for said magnetic circuit wherein said at least one permanent magnet is operatively connected to the first of said two proximal elements; and

iii). a ferromagnetic structure operatively connected to the second of said two proximal elements, wherein said ferromagnetic structure comprises a patterned surface; and

b. a processor operatively connected to said plurality of coils, wherein said magnetic field of said magnetic circuit is responsive to said relative motion of said two proximal elements of said motor vehicle, each of said at least one coils generates a signal responsive to the changes in said magnetic field of said magnetic circuit, and said processor controls the activation of the motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to said signal.

31. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash comprising:

a. a magnetic circuit spanning between proximal portions of two proximal elements of a motor vehicle which undergo relative motion responsive to the crash, wherein said magnetic circuit comprises;

i). at least one coil responsive to the magnetic field of said magnetic circuit, wherein said at least one coil is operatively connected to the first of said two proximal elements;

ii). a permanent magnet as the source of magnetomotive force for said magnetic circuit wherein said permanent magnet is operatively connected to the second of said two proximal elements;

iii). a biasing mechanism for biasing said permanent magnet and said at least one coil against one another when said two proximal elements are proximate to one another; and

b. a processor operatively connected to said at least one coil coils, wherein said magnetic field of said magnetic circuit is responsive to said relative motion of said two proximal elements of said motor vehicle, each said at least one coil generates a signal responsive to the changes in said magnetic field of said magnetic circuit, and said processor controls the activation of the motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to said signal.

32. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash, comprising:

a. a motor vehicle comprising a first set of two proximal elements that undergo relative motion responsive to the crash,wherein one of said two proximal elements is at the distal end of a hinged member;

b. a first magnetic circuit spanning between proximal portions of said two proximal elements of said motor vehicle, wherein said first magnetic circuit comprises;

i). a first plurality of coils responsive to the magnetic field of said first magnetic circuit;

ii). at least one first permanent magnet as the source of magnetomotive force for said first magnetic circuit; and

iii). at least one first air gap between said two proximal elements of said motor vehicle, wherein said at least one first air gap defines a first separation zone; and

c. a processor operatively connected to said first plurality of coils, wherein said magnetic field of said first magnetic circuit is responsive to said relative motion of said two proximal elements of said motor vehicle, each of said first plurality of coils generates a signal responsive to the changes in said magnetic field of said first magnetic circuit, and said processor controls the activation of said motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to said signal.

33. A method of controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash, comprising:

a. creating a magnetic field between proximal portions of an edge wall of a door of a motor vehicle and a fixed portion of said motor vehicle, wherein said the strength of said magnetic field is responsive to relative motion of said proximal portions;

b. creating at least one signal responsive to said magnetic field, wherein said at least one signal is responsive at a distinct location;

c. controlling the activation of the motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to said at least one signal; and

d. calibrating said at least one signal responsive to the normal operation of said door.

34. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to a crash, comprising:

a. a magnetic circuit spanning between an edge wall of a door of a motor vehicle and a fixed portion of said motor vehicle adjacent thereto, wherein said magnetic circuit comprises;

i). at least one coil responsive to the magnetic field of said magnetic circuit; and

ii). at least one permanent magnet as the source of magnetomotive force for said magnetic circuit; and

b. a processor operatively connected to said at least one coil, wherein said magnetic field of said magnetic circuit is responsive to the motion of said edge wall of said door relative to said fixed portion of said motor vehicle, each said at least one coil generates a signal responsive to the changes in said magnetic field of said first magnetic circuit, and said processor controls the activation of the motor vehicle safety restraint system responsive to said signal.