Impact absorption device for vehicles

• US 7,395,896 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2005
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Jürgens, Heiko, Gerlach, Klaus, Stindl, Olaf
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Toan C
• Application Number:
  US11/155,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20050285430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 180/271, 180/274, 280/734, 280/735, 701/45, 701/47
• US Class Current: 180/274
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/32 Fluid shock absorbers , e.g. with coaxial coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558

Abstract

It is important to recognize the severity of an accident more accurately and reliably. To do so, the present invention consists of installing a compression element (25) that can be compressed reversibly into an impact absorption device (2) in order to dampen the impact on a vehicle component. A pressure sensor is integrated in this compression element (25) which detects the pressure during compression of the compression element (25). From the pressure signal, data such as the collision speed can be determined and a safety device such as an airbag can be triggered. By doing so, expensive early crash sensors and similar devices become unnecessary, while the severity of an accident can be reliably determined.

Claims

1. An impact absorption device for dampening an impact on a vehicle comprising a vehicle bumper being mounted to the vehicle through a compression element that can be compressed reversibly, wherein a pressure sensor is situated in the compression element which can detect the pressure during a compression process of the compression element, wherein the compression element comprises a compression space and a decompression space separate from said compression space.

2. An impact absorption device according to claim 1, wherein the compression element comprises a face plate which is mounted to the vehicle and a cylindrical section connected to said face plate and said cylindrical section receives a cylinder element which is mounted to said vehicle bumper.

3. An impact absorption device according to claim 1, wherein the compression element can be decompressed hydraulically or pneumatically.

4. An impact absorption device according to claim 3, wherein the sensor is located in the compression element'"'"'s hydraulic fluid.

5. An impact absorption device according to claim 1, wherein the course and/or the amount of the pressure increase in the compression element can be registered by the sensor.

6. A safety system for a vehicle with an impact absorption device according to claim 1, wherein a safety device can be triggered by a signal from the pressure sensor.

7. A safety system according to claim 6, wherein the safety device includes an airbag and/or a belt tightening device.

8. An impact absorption device for dampening an impact on a vehicle, comprising a vehicle bumper, a compression element comprising a face plate which is mounted to the vehicle and a cylindrical section connected to said face plate and said cylindrical section receives a cylinder element which is mounted to said vehicle bumper, wherein the compression element can be compressed reversibly, and a pressure sensor arranged in the compression element which can detect the pressure during a compression process of the compression element.

9. An impact absorption device according to claim 8, further comprising a sleeve welded on said cylinder element wherein said vehicle bumper is screwed into said sleeve.

10. An impact absorption device according to claim 8, wherein the compression element can be decompressed hydraulically or pneumatically.

11. An impact absorption device according to claim 10, wherein the sensor is located in the compression element'"'"'s hydraulic fluid.

12. An impact absorption device according to claim 8, wherein the course and/or the amount of the pressure increase in the compression element can be registered by the sensor.

13. A safety system for a vehicle with an impact absorption device according to claim 8, wherein a safety device can be triggered by a signal from the pressure sensor.

14. A safety system according to claim 13, wherein the safety device includes an airbag and/or a belt tightening device.

15. A vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the compression element comprises a compression space and a decompression space separate from said compression space.

16. A vehicle with an impact absorption device for dampening an impact on a vehicle component, comprising a vehicle bumper, a compression element comprising a face plate which is mounted to the vehicle and a cylindrical section connected to said face plate and said cylindrical section receives a cylinder element, a sleeve welded on said cylinder element wherein said vehicle bumper is screwed into said sleeve, wherein the compression element can be compressed reversibly, and a pressure sensor arranged in the compression element which can detect the pressure during a compression process of the compression element.

17. A vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the compression element comprises a compression space and a decompression space separate from said compression space.

18. A vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the compression element can be decompressed hydraulically or pneumatically.

19. A vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the sensor is located in the compression element'"'"'s hydraulic fluid.

20. A vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the course and/or the amount of the pressure increase in the compression element can be registered by the sensor.

21. A vehicle according to claim 16, further comprising a safety system, wherein a safety device can be triggered by a signal from the pressure sensor.

22. A vehicle according to claim 21, wherein the safety device includes an airbag and/or a belt tightening device.