Device for measuring the angular velocity of a pivotally mounted vehicle element

• US 6,742,388 B1
• Filed: 11/26/2002
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Corporation (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Osentoski, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rogers, David A.
• Application Number:
  US10/306,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20040099069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 734/88, 734/89, 734/91, 734/92, 735/03, 735/033, 735/040.1, 735/040.2, 735/040.3, 735/040.8, 735/041.8, 735/06, 735/140.2, 735/142.6, 738/653, 734/86
• US Class Current: 73/503.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/047 characterised by the opening or closing movement
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/486 delivered by photo-electric detectors

Abstract

A vehicle is provided, including a vehicle body; at least one vehicle element pivotally mounted to the vehicle, the vehicle element configured to pivot through an angle not more than 360 degrees; and a measuring arrangement configured to measure an angular velocity of the at least one vehicle element.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body;

at least one vehicle element pivotally mounted to the vehicle body, the vehicle element configured to pivot through an angle not more than 360 degrees, wherein the at least one vehicle element includes at least one of a vehicle door, a lift-gate, a trunk, a hood, a seat-back, a tilt wheel, and a glove compartment; and

a measuring arrangement configured to measure angular velocity of the vehicle element, the measurement arrangement including a piezoelectric gyroscope rate sensor positioned on the vehicle element and configured to produce an analog output in accordance with the angular velocity of the at least one vehicle element.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the measuring arrangement is configured to measure the angular velocity during at least one of an opening and a closing of the at least one vehicle element.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one vehicle system;

wherein the measuring arrangement is configured to communicate angular velocity information to the at least one vehicle system in accordance with the angular velocity of the at least one vehicle element.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the at least one vehicle system includes a storage unit configured to store at least a portion of the angular velocity information.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the storage unit includes at least one of a RAM, a hard disk, a flash memory, an EPROM, an EEPROM, and a mini-disk.

6. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the at least one vehicle system further includes a peak detecting arrangement configured to detect a peak angular velocity of the angular velocity information.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the peak detecting arrangement is configured to communicate the peak angular velocity to the storage unit, the storage unit being configured to store the peak angular velocity.

8. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the at least one vehicle system includes a user interface arrangement configured to communicate the portion of the angular velocity information to at least one external device.