Collision detecting device and passive safety system
First Claim
1. A collision detecting apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
- at least one impact receiving member operatively connected to a frame member of a vehicle; and
at least one speed detector mounted in a vehicle to be at a predetermined distance from a portion of the impact receiving member to measure deformation speed of the impact receiving member portion around an end or side of the vehicle, the deformation speed being the rate at which a change in the predetermined distance occurs due to the impact receiving member portion moving towards the speed detector in a direction toward the vehicle due to a collision with an object, the speed detector being configured and arranged to immediately detect and begin to measure deformation speed without any delay immediately upon and after the vehicle collision regardless of the level of the impact forces on the impact receiving member causing the change in the predetermined distance.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A collision detecting device providing the accurate and early determination of a collision with a vehicle or the like and a passive safety system using this collision detecting device. A low-rigid portion and a crash box are arranged ahead of the high-rigid portion in a front portion of a frame. The front end of a rod is fixed to a bumper. The rod is inserted into a magnetic detector disposed on the high-rigid portion. In the rod, a number of magnets are aligned in the longitudinal direction of the rod such that their N poles and S poles are alternatively arranged. As a vehicle collides, the crash box is first deformed so that the rod moves backward, whereby a collision can be detected before large acceleration is generated.
102 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A collision detecting apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
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at least one impact receiving member operatively connected to a frame member of a vehicle; and at least one speed detector mounted in a vehicle to be at a predetermined distance from a portion of the impact receiving member to measure deformation speed of the impact receiving member portion around an end or side of the vehicle, the deformation speed being the rate at which a change in the predetermined distance occurs due to the impact receiving member portion moving towards the speed detector in a direction toward the vehicle due to a collision with an object, the speed detector being configured and arranged to immediately detect and begin to measure deformation speed without any delay immediately upon and after the vehicle collision regardless of the level of the impact forces on the impact receiving member causing the change in the predetermined distance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 21, 22)
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16. A collision detecting apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
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at least one impact receiving member operatively connected to a frame member of a vehicle; and at least one speed detector mounted in a vehicle to be at a predetermined distance from a portion of the impact receiving member to measure deformation speed of the impact receiving member portion around an end or side of the vehicle, the deformation speed being the rate at which a change in the predetermined distance occurs due to the impact receiving member portion moving towards the speed detector in a direction toward the vehicle due to a collision with an object, wherein the speed detector continuously measures the deformation speed of the change in the distance from displacement of the at least one impact receiving member relative to a frame member of a vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A passive safety system comprising:
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an occupant protection device; a collision detecting device including at least one impact receiving member disposed along a frame member of a vehicle, a speed detector mounted in the vehicle a predetermined distance from the impact receiving member to measure a deformation speed of at least a portion around an end of the vehicle, the deformation speed being the rate at which a change in the predetermined distance occurs in a direction toward the vehicle due to a collision with an object, and an acceleration detector for detecting acceleration acting on the vehicle; and a controller configured to determine whether a collision that warrants actuation of the occupant protection device has occurred based on criteria related to the detected acceleration with the controller operable to vary the criteria based on the measured deformation speed due to the collision. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A collision detecting apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
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at least one impact receiving member operatively connected to a frame member of a vehicle; and at least one speed detector mounted in a vehicle to be at a predetermined distance from a portion of the impact receiving member to measure deformation speed of the impact receiving member portion around an end or side of the vehicle, the deformation speed being the rate at which a change in the predetermined distance occurs due to the impact receiving member portion moving towards the speed detector in a direction toward the vehicle due to a collision with an object, wherein a speed detector is disposed on at least both left and right front portions of a vehicle and further comprises a controller to evaluate size and position of a collided object at the vehicle by comparing the deformation speed from the right and left speed detectors.
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25. A collision detecting apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
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at least one impact receiving member operatively connected to a frame member of a vehicle; at least one speed detector mounted in a vehicle to be at a predetermined distance from a portion of the impact receiving member to measure deformation speed of the impact receiving member portion around an end or side of the vehicle, the deformation speed being the rate at which a change in the predetermined distance occurs due to the impact receiving member portion moving towards the speed detector in a direction toward the vehicle due to a collision with an object, wherein the frame member has a low rigid portion and a high rigid portion, at least a portion of the speed detector is mounted to the high rigid portions, and the speed detector comprises an energy emitter mounted to the high rigid portion.
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26. A collision detecting apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
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at least one impact receiving member operatively connected to a frame member of a vehicle; at least one speed detector mounted in a vehicle to be at a predetermined distance from a portion of the impact receiving member to measure deformation speed of the impact receiving member portion around an end or side of the vehicle, the deformation speed being the rate at which a change in the predetermined distance occurs due to the impact receiving member portion moving towards the speed detector in a direction toward the vehicle due to a collision with an object; and a controller to estimate, from a profile generated from deformation speeds measured over time and a load-deformation characteristic of the distance, a relative velocity between a vehicle and an object which the vehicle come in collision with or the working mass of the object. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification