Collision obstacle discrimination device for vehicle

• US 7,721,838 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Takahashi, Hisashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Freedman; Laura
• Application Number:
  US11/390,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20060220808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: 180/274, 280/735, 280/784, 293/4, 296/187.01, 296/187.09, 296/187.11, 340/436, 340/437, 340/903, 701/45, 701/301
• US Class Current: 180/274
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/34 Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians B60R19/02 takes precedence

Abstract

A collision obstacle discrimination device for a vehicle has at least one upper detection unit arranged between a bumper and side members and at least one lower detection unit disposed at a lower side of the upper detection unit. The upper detection unit detects at least a component of a side-member extension direction of a collision energy when an obstacle collides with the bumper. The lower detection unit detects a collision energy which is closer to the ground than the component of the side-member extension direction of the collision energy detected by the upper detection unit. A discrimination unit is further provided to sort-distinguish the obstacle by comparing the collision energy detected by the upper detection unit and that detected by the lower detection unit.

Claims

1. A collision obstacle discrimination device for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one upper detection unit which is arranged between a bumper and side members of the vehicle,

the upper detection unit detecting at least a component of a collision energy when an obstacle collides with the bumper, the component being in an extension direction of the side members;

at least one lower detection unit which is disposed at a lower side of the upper detection unit with respect to a direction perpendicular to a ground,

the lower detection unit detecting a collision energy which is closer to the ground than the component of the side-member extension direction of the collision energy detected by the upper detection unit; and

a discrimination unit which sort-discriminates the obstacle by comparing the collision energy detected by the upper detection unit and the collision energy detected by the lower detection unit;

wherein

the discrimination unit determines that the obstacle is not fixed on the ground, in the case where the collision energy detected by the upper detection unit is larger than or equal to a threshold value;

the discrimination unit determines that the obstacle is not fixed on the ground, in the case where the collision energy detected by the upper detection unit is smaller than the collision energy detected by the lower detection unit with a difference therebetween larger than or equal to a first threshold value during a first predetermined period and the collision energy detected by the lower detection unit is smaller than the collision energy detected by the upper detection unit with a difference therebetween larger than or equal to a second threshold value during a second predetermined period, and

the second predetermined period being after the first predetermined period.

2. The collision obstacle discrimination device according to claim 1, wherein the threshold value, the first threshold value and the second threshold value are adjustable responding to at least one of an ambient temperature and age deterioration degrees of the upper detection unit and the lower detection unit.

3. A collision obstacle discrimination device for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one upper detection unit which is arranged between a bumper and side members of the vehicle,

the upper detection unit detecting at least a component of a collision energy when an obstacle collides with the bumper, the component being in an extension direction of the side members;

at least one lower detection unit which is disposed at a lower side of the upper detection unit with respect to a direction perpendicular to a ground,

the lower detection unit detecting a collision energy which is closer to the ground than the component of the side-member extension direction of the collision energy detected by the upper detection unit; and

a discrimination unit which sort-discriminates the obstacle by comparing the collision energy detected by the upper detection unit and the collision energy detected by the lower detection unit;

wherein

the discrimination unit determines that the obstacle is fixed on the ground, in the case where the collision energy detected by the lower detection unit is larger than or equal to a threshold value; and

the discrimination unit determines that the obstacle is fixed on the ground and higher than an arrangement position of the upper detection unit, in the case where the collision energy detected by the lower detection unit is larger than the collision energy detected by the upper detection unit with a difference therebetween, which is larger than or equal to a third threshold value and smaller than a fourth threshold value.

4. The collision obstacle discrimination device according to claim 3, wherein the threshold value, the third threshold value and the fourth threshold value are adjustable responding to at least one of an ambient temperature and age deterioration degrees of the upper detection unit and the lower detection unit.

5. A collision obstacle discrimination device for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one upper detection unit which is arranged between a bumper and side members of the vehicle,

the upper detection unit detecting at least a component of a collision energy when an obstacle collides with the bumper, the component being in an extension direction of the side members;

at least one lower detection unit which is disposed at a lower side of the upper detection unit with respect to a direction perpendicular to a ground,

the lower detection unit detecting a collision energy which is closer to the ground than the component of the side-member extension direction of the collision energy detected by the upper detection unit; and

a discrimination unit which sort-discriminates the obstacle by comparing the collision energy detected by the upper detection unit and the collision energy detected by the lower detection unit;

wherein

the discrimination unit determines that the obstacle is fixed on the ground, in the case where the collision energy detected by the lower detection unit is larger than or equal to a threshold value; and

the discrimination unit determines that the obstacle is fixed on the ground and lower than an arrangement position of the upper detection unit, in the case where the collision energy detected by the upper detection unit is smaller than the collision energy detected by the lower detection unit with a difference therebetween larger than or equal to a fourth threshold value.