Pressure sensor for detecting collision

• US 7,398,670 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2006
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Takehara, Satoru, Katsu, Taiki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS, OCTAVIA L
• Application Number:
  US11/417,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20060266101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 73/120.9, 731/29
• US Class Current: 73/12.09
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01006 Mounting of electrical components in vehicles
• 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

A pressure sensor, which is mounted on a vehicle for detecting a collision, has a detecting part for detecting a change of pressure and a housing for housing the detecting part therein. The housing is located in a hollow body defined in a part of the vehicle. The housing forms a passage hole for allowing communication between an inside of the housing and the hollow body. The passage hole has a first end opening adjacent to the detecting part and a second end opposite to the first end. The second end is located lower than the first end. The passage hole defines a passage area that increases from the first end toward the second end.

Claims

1. A pressure sensor for detecting a collision of a vehicle, comprising:

a detecting part for detecting a pressure;

a housing for housing the detecting part therein, the housing located in a hollow body defined in a part of the vehicle, wherein

the housing is formed with a passage hole for allowing communication between an inside of the housing and an inside of the hollow body,

the passage hole has a first end adjacent to the detecting part and a second end opposite to the first end, the second end is located at a position lower than the first end and the second end is open to the inside of the hollow body, and

the passage hole defines a passage area that increases from the first end toward a middle portion of the passage hole and increases further from the middle portion to the second end, the middle portion being located between the first and second ends.

2. The pressure sensor according to claim 1, wherein the passage hole has a cross-sectional shape, dimensions of which increase with respect to two directions, with a distance from the first end.

3. The pressure sensor according to claim 1, wherein the passage area of the passage hole continuously increases from the first end toward the second end.

4. The pressure sensor according to claim 1, wherein the passage area of the passage hole increases stepwise from the first end toward the second end.

5. The pressure sensor according to claim 1, wherein the passage hole defines a rectangular cross-section.

6. The pressure sensor according to claim 1, wherein the passage hole defines an elliptical cross-section.

7. The pressure sensor according to claim 1, wherein the hollow body is defined in a side part of the vehicle.

8. A pressure sensor for detecting a collision of a vehicle, comprising:

a detecting part for detecting a pressure; and

a housing including a housing body portion disposed in an inside of a hollow body of a part of the vehicle, wherein

the detecting part is housed in an inside of the housing body portion,

the housing further including a passage hole that allows communication between the inside of the housing body portion and the inside of the hollow body,

the passage hole includes a first end that is open to the inside of the housing body portion and a second end that is open to the inside of the hollow body,

the second end is located lower than the first end and is open in a downward direction, and

a cross-sectional area of the passage hole continuously increases from the first end toward the second end.

9. The pressure sensor according to claim 8, wherein the passage hole has a cross-sectional shape, dimensions of which increase with respect to two directions, with a distance from the first end.

10. The pressure sensor according to claim 8, wherein the passage area of the passage hole continuously increases from the first end toward the second end.

11. The pressure sensor according to claim 8, wherein the passage area of the passage hole increases stepwise from the first end toward the second end.

12. The pressure sensor according to claim 8, wherein the passage hole defines a rectangular cross-section.

13. The pressure sensor according to claim 8, wherein the passage hole defines an elliptical cross-section.

14. The pressure sensor according to claim 8, wherein the hollow body is defined in a side part of the vehicle.

15. A pressure sensor for detecting a collision of a vehicle, the pressure sensor comprising:

a housing located in a hollow body defined by the vehicle;

a pressure detector disposed within a chamber defined by the housing;

wherein

the housing defines a passage hole extending between the chamber defined by the housing and an inside of the hollow body;

the passage hole has a first end open to the chamber defined by the housing and a second end open to the inside of the hollow body, the second end being below the first end; and

the passage hole has a cross-sectional area that continuously increases from the first end to the second end.

16. The pressure sensor according to claim 15, wherein the cross-sectional area of the passage hole increases with respect to two directions of the cross-sectional area.

17. The pressure sensor according to claim 15, wherein the cross-sectional area of the passage hole continuously increases from the first end to the second end.

18. The pressure sensor according to claim 15, wherein the cross-sectional area of the passage hole increases stepwise from the first end to the second end.

19. The pressure sensor according to claim 15, wherein the passage hole defines a rectangular cross-section.

20. The pressure sensor according to claim 15, wherein the passage hole defines an elliptical cross-section.