Method and an assembly for determining the existence and the size of a gap

• US 7,023,358 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2001
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kohlstrand, Kelly Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): DANG, HUNG Q
• Application Number:
  US09/683,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20030098797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,589 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.07, 340/825.32, 340/825.69, 340/825.52, 324/207.2, 324/226, 360/825.52, 360/825.69, 337/83, 335/019, 335/92, 335/04, 335/43, 335/42, 294/020.3, 294/070.5, 291/94
• US Class Current: 340/870.07
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B7/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/04 Arrangements for synchronous operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49721 with disassembling

Abstract

A method and an assembly 10 for identifying the existence and the size of a gap. Particularly, the assembly 10, in one embodiment, includes a member 50, which forcibly engages a staring gauge 16 as two members or portions abuttingly engage. The force is representative of the amount of space between the two members or portions and this information is wirelessly transmitted to a receiver and display assembly 40.

Claims

1. An assembly for identifying the existence of a gap between first and second surfaces, the assembly comprising:

a first housing disposed on the first surface and having a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting a first signal;

a second housing disposed on the second surface and spaced apart from the first housing, the second housing being adapted to receive the first signal and generate a second signal indicative of the existence of the gap based on the first signal.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the second housing further comprises a transceiver for receiving the first signal and wirelessly transmitting the second signal.

3. The assembly of claim 1 comprising a signal strength measurement portion that determines a strength of the first signal.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein said signal strength measurement portion comprises a transmitter and a transceiver that is communicatively coupled to said transmitter.

5. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a transceiver and display assembly adapted to receive the second signal.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the transmitter, a transceiver, and transceiver and display assembly are disposed in first, second, and third housings, respectively.

7. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said transmitter and said transceiver respectively comprise a radio frequency transmitter and a radio frequency transceiver assembly.

8. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said transmitter and said transceiver respectively comprise an infrared transmitter and an infrared transceiver assembly.

9. The assembly of claim 2 further comprising a transceiver and display assembly that is communicatively coupled to said transceiver.

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the first housing is disposed on a first vehicle portion and the second housing is disposed on a second vehicle portion.

11. The assembly of claim 10 wherein the gap is disposed between the first and second vehicle portions.

12. A vehicular gap sensing assembly comprising a housing which is adapted to be placed upon a first portion of a vehicle and including a force measurement assembly having an exposed surface and a member which is pivotally coupled to said housing and which is movable from a first position to a second position in which said member contacts said exposed surface, said force measurement assembly wirelessly transmitting a signal when said member contacts said surface;

and a receiver which is in communication with said force measurement assembly and which receives said signal and creates a display based upon said received signal.

13. The vehicle gap sensing assembly of claim 12 wherein said measurement assembly comprises a strain gauge;

a controller that is coupled to said strain gauge;

a transmitter that is coupled to said controller; and

a battery which is coupled to said controller and to said transmitter.

14. The vehicle gap sensing assembly of claim 12 wherein said member is generally flat.

15. A method for ascertaining the existence of a gap between two portions of a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of providing a gap measurement assembly;

placing the gap measurement assembly on a first of the two portions;

causing a second of the two portions to come into close proximity to the first of the two portions;

creating a certain signal as said second of said two portions comes into close proximity with said first of said two portions;

using said certain signal to ascertain the existence of a gap and the size of a gap;

providing a data acquisition assembly;

creating a second signal which is indicative of the existence and the size of a gap; and

wirelessly transmitting the second signal to the data acquisition assembly.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said gap measurement assembly comprises a strain gauge assembly.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of causing said second of said two portions to come into close proximity to said first of said two portions comprises the step of causing said second of said two portions to abuttingly engage said first of said two portions.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of creating said certain signal comprises the step of causing said second of said two portions to create a force upon a member;

and measuring said force.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein said certain signal comprises a signal strength signal.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein said first of said two portions comprises a certain portion of the frame of a vehicle and wherein said second of said two portions comprises a vehicular door.