Safety system for a closed compartment of a vehicle

• US 6,783,167 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2002
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Teowee, Gimtong, Hoekstra, Eric J., Uhlmann, Eugenie V., Taylor, David W., McCarthy, Kevin C., Schofield, Kenneth, Lynam, Niall R., Bingle, Robert L., Koops, Roger L., Bos, Brent J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, D. Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gutman, H.
• Application Number:
  US10/301,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20030102688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 296/76, 495/03, 491/41, 702/56, 702/64, 292/347, 292/336.3, 292/DIG.29, 292/DIG.43, 292/DIG.65, 292/1, 340/522, 340/425.5, 362/488, 362/496, 362/501, 362/540, 362/276, 362/802, 362/464, 362/155
• US Class Current: 296/76
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/30 for compartments other than passenger or driving compartments, e.g. luggage or engine compartments
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/10 Illuminating devices on or for locks or keys; Transparent or translucent lock parts; Indicator lights
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 79/20 using flexible connections, e.g. Bowden cables
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/54 Electrical circuits for locking several wings simultaneously E05B77/48
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/77 comprising sensors detecting the presence of the hand of a user
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/26 Emergency opening means for persons trapped in the luggage compartment
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/12 Inner door handles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00174 Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19 using infrared-radiation detection systems G08B13/194 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/183 Single detectors using dual technologies G08B13/1672, G08B13/2448, G08B13/2494 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/43 Rear deck lid latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/65 Emergency or safety

Abstract

A safety sensing and/or release system for opening a closed compartment of a vehicle comprises a sensing element for sensing the presence of an occupant within the closed compartment of the vehicle, a control responsive to the sensing element, and a release system. The control is operable to provide an output signal in response to a detection of an occupant by the sensing element. The control may be selectably locked to limit providing an unintentional output signal. The release system is operable to open the closed compartment in response to the output signal of the control. The control may be selectably locked in response to an input signal indicative of at least one of the vehicle ignition being on and the vehicle moving, in order to prevent the compartment from unexpectedly opening while the vehicle is moving.

Claims

1. A safety system for opening a closed compartment of a vehicle, the closed compartment of the vehicle comprising at least one of a trunk compartment of the vehicle and a cabin of the vehicle, said safety system comprising:

a sensing element for sensing the presence of an occupant within the closed compartment of the vehicle, said sensing element comprising at least one of a capacitive sensing element, a resistive sensing element, a thermal sensing element and a pressure sensing element;

a control responsive to said sensing element, said control being operable to provide an output signal in response to a detection of the occupant by said sensing element, said control being selectably locked to limit providing an unintentional output signal, said control being selectably locked in response to an input signal indicative of at least one of the vehicle ignition being on and the vehicle moving; and

a release system operable to open the closed compartment in response to said output signal of said control, wherein said release system comprises a manual release device and a release mechanism, said manual release device being configured to actuate said release mechanism to open the compartment irrespective of said output signal.

2. The safety system of claim 1, wherein said safety system is configured to open a deck lid of the trunk compartment of the vehicle.

3. The safety system of claim 1, wherein said safety system is configured to open a door or window of the cabin of the vehicle.

4. The safety system of claim 1, wherein said sensing element comprises the capacitive sensing element.

5. The safety system of claim 1, wherein said sensing element comprises the resistive sensing element.

6. The safety system of claim 1, wherein said sensing element comprises the thermal sensing element.

7. The safety system of claim 1, wherein said sensing element comprises the pressure sensing element.

8. The safety system of claim 1, wherein said control is selectably locked in response to the input signal being indicative of the vehicle ignition being on.

9. The safety system of claim 1, wherein said control is selectably locked in response to the input signal being indicative of the vehicle moving.

10. The safety system of claim 1, wherein said manual release device is positionable within the compartment and actuatable by the occupant within the compartment.

11. The safety system of claim 10, wherein said manual release device comprises at least one of a handle, a push button and a switch.

12. The safety system of claim 10, wherein said release system comprises a release assist device which is operable to actuate said release mechanism in response to at least one of said output signal and said manual release device.

13. The safety system of claim 12, wherein said manual release device is configured to at least occasionally actuate said release mechanism independent of said release assist device.

14. The safety system of claim 12, wherein said release assist device comprises a gas operable assist device.

15. The safety system of claim 10, including an illumination source positionable within the compartment and operable to at least occasionally illuminate said manual release device.

16. The safety system of claim 15, wherein said illumination source is operable to illuminate said manual release device for a period of time following an activating event.

17. The safety system of claim 16, wherein said activating event comprises at least one of a movement of said manual release device, a detection of a movement within the compartment by said sensing element and a detection of a predetermined temperature of an object within the compartment by said sensing element.

18. The safety system of claim 17, wherein said control is operable to activate at least one of an alarm, a lock release, a horn and at least one auxiliary illumination source on the vehicle in response to at least one of a movement of said manual release device and at least one output of said sensing element.

19. The safety system of claim 1, wherein said control is operable in response to said sensing element to provide an indicator signal to an indicator, said indicator receiving said indicator signal and outputting an indication in accordance with said indicator signal.

20. The safety system of claim 19, wherein said indicator is selected from the group consisting of a headlamp, a horn, a siren, a pager, a mirror indicator and a dashboard indicator.

21. The safety system of claim 1, including a temperature sensor operable to sense an ambient temperature within the vehicle.

22. The safety system of claim 21, wherein said control provides said output signal in response to said temperature sensor sensing the ambient temperature within the compartment which is greater than a predetermined temperature threshold.

23. A safety system for opening a closed compartment of a vehicle, the closed compartment of the vehicle comprising at least one of a trunk compartment of the vehicle and a cabin of the vehicle, said safety system comprising:

a sensing element for sensing the presence of an occupant within the closed compartment of the vehicle;

a control responsive to said sensing element, said control being operable to provide an output signal in response to a detection of the occupant by said sensing element, said control being selectably locked to limit providing an unintentional output signal, said control being selectably locked in response to an input signal indicative of at least one of the vehicle ignition being on and the vehicle moving; and

a release system operable to open the closed compartment in response to said output signal of said control, wherein said release system comprises a manual release device and a release mechanism, said manual release device being configured to actuate said release mechanism to open the compartment irrespective of said output signal.

24. The safety system of claim 23, wherein said safety system is configured to open a deck lid of the trunk compartment of the vehicle.

25. The safety system of claim 23, wherein said safety system is configured to open a door or window of the cabin of the vehicle.

26. The safety system of claim 23, wherein said sensing element comprises at least one of a capacitive sensing element, a resistive sensing element, a thermal sensing element and a pressure sensing element.

27. The safety system of claim 23, wherein said sensing element comprises a capacitive sensing element.

28. The safety system of claim 23, wherein said sensing element comprises a resistive sensing element.

29. The safety system of claim 23, wherein said sensing element comprises a thermal sensing element.

30. The safety system of claim 23, wherein said sensing element comprises a pressure sensing element.

31. The safety system of claim 23, wherein said control is selectably locked in response to the input signal being indicative of the vehicle ignition being on.

32. The safety system of claim 23, wherein said control is selectably locked in response to the input signal being indicative of the vehicle moving.

33. The safety system of claim 23, wherein said manual release device is positionable within the compartment and actuatable by the occupant within the compartment.

34. The safety system of claim 33, wherein said manual release device comprises at least one of a handle, a push button and a switch.

35. The safety system of claim 33, wherein said release system comprises a release assist device which is operable to actuate said release mechanism in response to at least one of said output signal and said manual release device.

36. The safety system of claim 35, wherein said manual release device is configured to at least occasionally actuate said release mechanism independent of said release assist device.

37. The safety system of claim 35, wherein said release assist device comprises a gas operable assist device.

38. The safety system of claim 33, including an illumination source positionable within the compartment and operable to at least occasionally illuminate said manual release device.

39. The safety system of claim 38, wherein said illumination source is operable to illuminate said manual release device for a period of time following an activating event.

40. The safety system of claim 39, wherein said activating event comprises at least one of a movement of said manual release device and at least one output of said sensing element.

41. The safety system of claim 40, wherein said sensing element comprises a motion detector and said activating event comprises a detection of a movement within the compartment by said sensing element.

42. The safety system of claim 40, wherein said sensing element comprises a thermal sensor and said activating event comprises a detection of a predetermined temperature of an object within the compartment by said sensing element.

43. The safety system of claim 40, wherein said control is operable to activate at least one of an alarm, a lock release, a horn and at least one auxiliary illumination source on the vehicle in response to at least one of a movement of said manual release device and at least one output of said sensing element.

44. The safety system of claim 23, wherein said control is operable in response to said sensing element to provide an indicator signal to an indicator, said indicator receiving said indicator signal and outputting an indication in accordance with said indicator signal.

45. The safety system of claim 44, wherein said indicator is selected from the group consisting of a headlamp, a horn, a siren, a pager, a mirror indicator and a dashboard indicator.

46. The safety system of claim 23, including a temperature sensor operable to sense an ambient temperature within the vehicle.

47. The safety system of claim 46, wherein said control provides said output signal in response to said temperature sensor sensing the ambient temperature within the compartment which is greater than a predetermined temperature threshold.

48. A safety system for opening a closed compartment of a vehicle, the closed compartment of the vehicle comprising a trunk compartment of the vehicle, said safety system comprising:

a sensing element for sensing the presence of an occupant within the closed compartment of the vehicle;

a control responsive to said sensing element, said control being operable to provide an output signal in response to a detection of the occupant by said sensing element, said control being selectably locked to limit providing an unintentional output signal, said control being selectably locked in response to an input signal indicative of at least one of the vehicle ignition being on and the vehicle moving;

an ambient temperature sensor operable to sense an ambient temperature within the vehicle, said control providing said output signal in response to said ambient temperature sensor sensing an ambient temperature within the compartment which is greater than a predetermined temperature; and

a release system operable to open the closed compartment in response to said output signal of said control, wherein said safety system is configured to open a deck lid of the trunk compartment of the vehicle.

49. A safety system for opening a closed compartment of a vehicle, the closed compartment of the vehicle comprising at least one of a trunk compartment of the vehicle and a cabin of the vehicle, said safety system comprising:

a sensing element for sensing the presence of an occupant within the closed compartment of the vehicle, wherein said sensing element comprises a capacitive sensing element;

a control responsive to said sensing element, said control being operable to provide an output signal in response to a detection of the occupant by said sensing element, said control being selectably locked to limit providing an unintentional output signal, said control being selectably locked in response to an input signal indicative of at least one of the vehicle ignition being on and the vehicle moving;

an ambient temperature sensor operable to sense an ambient temperature within the vehicle, said control providing said output signal in response to said ambient temperature sensor sensing an ambient temperature within the compartment which is greater than a predetermined temperature; and

a release system operable to open the closed compartment in response to said output signal of said control.

50. A safety system for opening a closed compartment of a vehicle, the closed compartment of the vehicle comprising at least one of a trunk compartment of the vehicle and a cabin of the vehicle, said safety system comprising:

a sensing element for sensing the presence of an occupant within the closed compartment of the vehicle, wherein said sensing element comprises a pressure sensing element;

a control responsive to said sensing element, said control being operable to provide an output signal in response to a detection of the occupant by said sensing element, said control being selectably locked to limit providing an unintentional output signal, said control being selectably locked in response to an input signal indicative of at least one of the vehicle ignition being on and the vehicle moving;

an ambient temperature sensor operable to sense an ambient temperature within the vehicle, said control providing said output signal in response to said ambient temperature sensor sensing an ambient temperature within the compartment which is greater than a predetermined temperature; and

a release system operable to open the closed compartment in response to said output signal of said control.

51. A safety system for opening a closed compartment of a vehicle, the closed compartment of the vehicle comprising at least one of a trunk compartment of the vehicle and a cabin of the vehicle, said safety system comprising:

a sensing element for sensing the presence of an occupant within the closed compartment of the vehicle;

a control responsive to said sensing element, said control being operable to provide an output signal in response to a detection of the occupant by said sensing element, said control being selectably locked to limit providing an unintentional output signal, said control being selectably locked in response to an input signal indicative of at least one of the vehicle ignition being on and the vehicle moving;

an ambient temperature sensor operable to sense an ambient temperature within the vehicle, said control providing said output signal in response to said ambient temperature sensor sensing an ambient temperature within the compartment which is greater than a predetermined temperature; and

a release system operable to open the closed compartment in response to said output signal of said control, wherein said control is selectably locked in response to the input signal being indicative of the vehicle ignition being on.

52. A safety system for opening a closed compartment of a vehicle, the closed compartment of the vehicle comprising at least one of a trunk compartment of the vehicle and a cabin of the vehicle, said safety system comprising:

a sensing element for sensing the presence of an occupant within the closed compartment of the vehicle;

a control responsive to said sensing element, said control being operable to provide an output signal in response to a detection of the occupant by said sensing element, said control being selectably locked to limit providing an unintentional output signal, said control being selectably locked in response to an input signal indicative of at least one of the vehicle ignition being on and the vehicle moving;

an ambient temperature sensor operable to sense an ambient temperature within the vehicle, said control providing said output signal in response to said ambient temperature sensor sensing an ambient temperature within the compartment which is greater than a predetermined temperature; and

a release system operable to open the closed compartment in response to said output signal of said control, wherein said release system comprises a manual release device and a release mechanism, said manual release device being configured to actuate said release mechanism to open the compartment irrespective of said output signal.

53. The safety system of claim 52, wherein said safety system is configured to open a door or window of the cabin of the vehicle.

54. The system of claim 52, wherein said sensing element comprises at least one of a capacitive sensing element, a resistive sensing element, a thermal sensing element and a pressure sensing element.

55. The safety system of claim 52, wherein said sensing element comprises a resistive sensing element.

56. The safety system of claim 52, wherein said sensing element comprises a thermal sensing element.

57. The safety system of claim 52, wherein said control is selectably locked in response to the input signal being indicative of the vehicle moving.

58. The safety system of claim 52, wherein said manual release device is positionable within the compartment and actuatable by the occupant within the compartment.

59. The safety system of claim 58, wherein said manual release device comprises at least one of a handle, a push button and a switch.

60. The safety system of claim 58, wherein said release system comprises a release assist device which is operable to actuate said release mechanism in response to at least one of said output signal and said manual release device.

61. The safety system of claim 60, wherein said manual release device is configured to at least occasionally actuate said release mechanism independent of said release assist device.

62. The safety system of claim 60, wherein said release assist device comprises a gas operable assist device.

63. The safety system of claim 58, including an illumination source positionable within the compartment and operable to at least occasionally illuminate said manual release device.

64. The safety system of claim 63, wherein said illumination source is operable to illuminate said manual release device for a period of time following an activating event.

65. The safety system of claim 64, wherein said activating event comprises at least one of a movement of said manual release device and at least one output of said sensing element.

66. The safety system of claim 65, wherein said sensing element comprises a motion detector and said activating event comprises a detection of a movement within the compartment by said sensing element.

67. The safety system of claim 65, wherein said sensing element comprises a thermal sensor and said activating event comprises a detection of a predetermined temperature of an object within the compartment by said sensing element.

68. The safety system of claim 65, wherein said control is operable to activate at least one of an alarm, a lock release, a horn and at least one auxiliary illumination source on the vehicle in response to at least one of a movement of said manual release device and at least one output of said sensing element.

69. A safety system for opening a closed compartment of a vehicle, the closed compartment of the vehicle comprising at least one of a trunk compartment of the vehicle and a cabin of the vehicle, said safety system comprising:

a sensing element for sensing the presence of an occupant within the closed compartment of the vehicle;

a control responsive to said sensing element, said control being operable to provide an output signal in response to a detection of the occupant by said sensing element, said control being selectably locked to limit providing an unintentional output signal, said control being selectably locked in response to an input signal indicative of at least one of the vehicle ignition being on and the vehicle moving;

an ambient temperature sensor operable to sense an ambient temperature within the vehicle, said control providing said output signal in response to said ambient temperature sensor sensing an ambient temperature within the compartment which is greater than a predetermined temperature; and

a release system operable to open the closed compartment in response to said output signal of said control, wherein said control is operable in response to said sensing element to provide an indicator signal to an indicator, said indicator receiving said indicator signal and outputting an indication in accordance with said indicator signal.

70. The safety system of claim 69, wherein said indicator is selected from the group consisting of a headlamp, a horn, a siren, a pager, a mirror indicator and a dashboard indicator.