Deformation components and documentation system for deformable components for use in a motor vehicle

• US 6,710,712 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2001
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Hollasch, Christian, Jantzen, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US09/948,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20020043794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.11, 340/572.1, 340/425.5, 340/572.8, 340/572.7, 340/572.5, 340/5.86, 340/5.61, 361/737, 342/51, 280/729, 280/735, 280/751
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/00 Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles B60R22/00; devices, apparatus or methods for life-saving in general A62B; safety devices for propulsion unit control specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles B60K28/00; seats constructed to protect the occupant from the effect of abnormal g-forces, e.g. crash or safety seats, B60N2/42; energy-absorbing arrangements for hand wheels for steering vehicles B62D1/11; energy-absorbing arrangements for vehicle steering columns B62D1/19; harnessing in aircraft B64D25/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/04 Padded linings for the vehicle interior ; Energy absorbing structures associated with padded or non-padded linings
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 15/00 Tags attached to, or associated with, an object, in order to enable detection of the object record carriers for use with machines having a detectable tag or marker G06K19/00

Abstract

The invention relates to a deformable component (1) for use in a motor vehicle, a deformable component having as an integral component at least one passive, inductive identification element (2) which performs a read-only function. The invention also relates to a documentation system for deformable components comprising at least one deformable component (1I, 1II) with a passive, inductive identification element (2I, 2II) which performs a read-only function as an integral component, and a central unit (14) in which the information stored in the individual identification elements (2I, 2II) may be scanned and processed.

Claims

1. A deformable padding component mounted adjacent an outer body surface of a vehicle between the interior compartment and the outer body surface comprising, as an integral component, at least one passive, inductive identification element containing data related to the deformation component and performing a read-only function.

2. A deformable component as specified in claim 1, wherein the identification element is nondetachably embedded in the deformable component.

3. A deformable component as specified in claim 1, wherein the identification element is a transponder.

4. A deformable component as specified in claim 1, wherein the identification element is a coil.

5. A deformable component as specified in claim 1, wherein the identification element is extrusion coated.

6. A deformable component as specified in claim 1, wherein the deformable component comprises an energy absorbing material.

7. A deformable component as specified in claim 1, wherein the deformable component is a foamed plastic material.

8. A vehicle having a plurality of deformable components as specified in claim 1, further comprising a means for immobilizing the vehicle when at least one deformable component is not installed or installed incorrectly.

9. A documentation system for a vehicle comprising:

at least one deformable component mounted adjacent an outer body surface of the vehicle between the interior compartment and the outer body surface and integral with a structural frame of the vehicle, each deformable component having, as an integral component, a passive, inductive identification element performing a read-only function; and

a central unit that receives and processes information stored in each identification element of the system.

10. A documentation system as specified in claim 9, wherein a warning or safety mechanism is activated by the central unit on the basis of the information stored in at least one identification element.

11. A documentation system as specified in claim 10, wherein the warning or safety system comprises a vehicle immobilizer for immobilizing the vehicle when at least one of said deformable components is installed incorrectly or not installed.

12. A deformable component mounted adjacent an outer body surface of a vehicle between the interior compartment and the outer body surface and integral with a structural frame of the vehicle comprising, as an integral component, at least one passive, inductive identification element containing data related to the deformation component and performing a read-only function.

13. A deformable component as specified in claim 12, wherein the deformable component is selected from the group consisting of ribbed plastics formed by injection molding, metal honeycombs, flex tubing, deformation plates, cylindrical rod elements, and sheet metal.

14. A vehicle having a plurality of deformable components as specified in claim 12, further comprising a means for immobilizing the vehicle when at least one deformable component is not installed or installed incorrectly.

15. A deformable component as specified in claim 12, wherein the identification element is a transponder.

16. A deformable component as specified in claim 12, wherein the identification element is a coil.

17. A deformable component as specified in claim 12, wherein the identification element is nondetachably mounted on the deformable component.