System and method for minimizing injury after a loss of control event

• US 6,814,173 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2001
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dynamotive IP LLC
• Original Assignee: Dynamotive LLC
• Inventors: Wielenga, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US09/915,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20020011373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 180/282, 180/197, 180/271, 180/275, 303/181, 303/183, 303/194, 303/177, 318/585, 188/303, 188/191, 188/193
• US Class Current: 180/282
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/14 responsive to accident or emergency, e.g. deceleration, tilt of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/00 Vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator fittings acting on two or more sub-units B60W30/14; speedometers G01P; systems or devices for controlling speed in general G05D13/00 ; in traffic anti-collision system for road vehicles G08G1/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/024 Collision mitigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/082 Vehicle operation after collision
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0265 Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering

Abstract

A system for use with a motor vehicle that minimizes injury after a loss of control event. The motor vehicle has at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel and an engine. The system includes a control which detects a loss of control event and automatically actuates a brake system and/or a steering system and/or commands an engine controller to reduce power output of an engine.

Claims

1. A system for use with a motor vehicle having at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel, comprising:

a brake system for applying pressure to resist the rotation of the at least one front wheel and/or the at least one rear wheel;

a sensor for detecting an occurrence of a collision of the motor vehicle and responsively producing a loss of control signal; and

,

a controller for receiving the loss of control signal and automatically actuating the brake system to slow and reorient the motor vehicle.

2. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the collision is a non-rear end collision.

3. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller controls the brake system to apply pressure to one of:

all of the front wheels, one of the front wheels, and all of the front wheels and all of the rear wheels in response to receiving the loss of control signal.

4. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sensor is an accelerometer, or the sensor measures yaw rate of the motor vehicle, or the controller calculates a body slip angle or rear tire slip angle.

5. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sensor is included in an air bag system.

6. A system for use with a motor vehicle having at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel, comprising:

a brake system for applying pressure to resist the rotation of the at least one front wheel and/or the at least one rear wheel;

a sensor for detecting an occurrence of a loss of control event of the motor vehicle and responsively producing a loss of control signal; and

,

a controller for receiving the loss of control signal and automatically actuating the brake system to reorient the motor vehicle.

7. A system, as set forth in claim 6, the motor vehicle having an engine controller further for automatically reducing a power output of the engine in response to receiving the loss of control signal.

8. A system, as set forth in claim 7, wherein the sensor is an accelerometer or the sensor measures yaw rate of the motor vehicle or the controller calculates a body slip angle or a rear tire slip angle.

9. A system, as set forth in claim 6, the motor vehicle having an engine, further comprising

an engine control system coupled to the engine and including a cruise-control function,

controller further for automatically canceling the cruise-control function in response to receipt of the loss of control signal.

10. A system, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the sensor is an accelerometer or the sensor measures yaw rate of the motor vehicle or the controller calculates a body slip angle or rear tire slip angle.

11. A system, as set forth in claim 6, including an energy absorbing structure.

12. A system, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the controller is adapted to reorient the motor vehicle such that the energy absorbing structure absorbs energy from a subsequent collision.

13. A system, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the controller is adapted to reorient the motor vehicle such that the energy absorbing structure is between passengers in the motor vehicle and objects within a path of the motor vehicle.

14. A system, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the controller controls the brake system to apply pressure to one of:

all of the front wheels, one of the front wheels, and all of the front wheels and all of the rear wheels in response to receiving the loss of control signal.

15. A system, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the sensor is an accelerometer or the sensor measures yaw rate of the motor vehicle or the controller calculates a body slip angle or rear tire slip angle.

16. A system for use with a motor vehicle having at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel, comprising:

a brake system for applying pressure to resist the rotation of the at least one front wheel and/or the at least one rear wheel;

a steering system for controllably steering the at least one front wheel and/or the at least one rear wheel;

a sensor for detecting an occurrence of a loss of control event of the motor vehicle and responsively producing a loss of control signal; and

,

a controller for receiving the loss of control signal and automatically reorienting the motor vehicle through application of the brake system and/or the steering system.

17. A system, as set forth in claim 16, wherein the controller controls the brake system to apply pressure to one of:

all of the front wheels, one of the front wheels, and all of the front wheels and all of the rear wheels in response to receiving the loss of control signal.

18. A system, as set forth in claim 16, wherein the sensor is an accelerometer or the sensor measures yaw rate of the motor vehicle or the controller calculates a body slip angle or rear tire slip angle.

19. A method for use with a motor vehicle having at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel and a brake system for applying pressure to resist the rotation of the at least one front wheel and/or the at least one rear wheel, the method comprising:

detecting an occurrence of a collision of the motor vehicle; and

,

automatically actuating the brake system in response to detecting the loss of control event to slow and reorient the motor vehicle.

20. A method, as set forth in claim 19, wherein the collision is a non-rear end collision.

21. A method, as set forth in claim 19, including the step of applying pressure to one of:

all front wheels, one of the front wheels, and all of the front wheels and all of the rear wheels.

22. A method, as set forth in claim 19, wherein the step of detecting a collision of the motor vehicle includes one of the steps of:

sensing an acceleration of the motor vehicle, measuring yaw rate of the motor vehicle, and calculating a body slip angle or rear tire slip angle.

23. A method for use with a motor vehicle having at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel and a brake system for applying pressure to resist the rotation of the at least one front wheel and/or the at least one rear wheel, comprising:

detecting an occurrence of a loss of control event of the motor vehicle; and

,

automatically actuating the brake system in response to detecting the loss of control to reorient the motor vehicle.

24. A method, as set forth in claim 23, wherein the controller controls the brake system to apply pressure to one of:

all of the front wheels, one of the front wheels, and all of the front wheels and all of the rear wheels in response to receiving the loss of control signal.

25. A method, as set forth in claim 23, wherein the step of detecting a loss of control event of the motor vehicle includes one of the steps of sensing an acceleration of the motor vehicle, measuring yaw rate of the motor vehicle, and calculating a body slip angle or rear tire slip angle.

26. A method for use with a motor vehicle having at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel and a brake system for applying pressure to resist the rotation of the at least one front wheel and/or the at least one rear wheel, wherein the motor vehicle includes a steering system for controllably steering the at least one front wheel and/or the at least one rear wheel comprising:

detecting an occurrence of a loss of control event of the motor vehicle; and

,

reorienting the motor vehicle through application of the brake system and/or the steering system after the loss of control event has occurred.