Collision detection sensor

• US 7,747,386 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Hitachi Cable Limited (Proterial Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Hitachi Cable Limited (Proterial Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sato, Hisashi, Kobayashi, Shigenori, Takahashi, Hiroyuki, Suzuki, Akira, Hishida, Yasuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Figueroa; Jaime
• Application Number:
  US11/511,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20070053647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: 701/301, 385/12, 385/137, 250/227.14, 250/227.16, 427/163.1, 427/163.2
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01095 optical
• 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 collision detection sensor for detecting a collision of a vehicle and a collision object by converting the collision into a change in optical transmission characteristics of an optical fiber. The collision detection sensor has the optical fiber, a molding material formed on the periphery of the optical fiber, and a convex portion formed on the surface of the molding material.

Claims

1. A collision detection sensor for detecting a collision of a vehicle and a collision object by converting the collision into a change in optical transmission characteristics of an optical fiber, said collision detection sensor comprising:

the optical fiber;

a molding material formed on a periphery of the optical fiber; and

a convex portion formed on an outer periphery surface of the molding material.

2. The collision detection sensor according to claim 1, wherein the outer periphery surface of the molding material comprises a flat surface facing one direction, and

wherein a plurality of the convex portions are formed on the flat surface at intervals in a longitudinal direction of the optical fiber.

3. The collision detection sensor according to claim 1, wherein the outer periphery surface of the molding material comprises a first flat surface facing one direction and a second flat surface facing an opposite direction to the one direction, and

wherein a plurality of the convex portions are formed on the first and second flat surfaces at intervals in a longitudinal direction of the optical fiber.

4. The collision detection sensor according to claim 3, wherein:

the convex portion formed on the first flat surface is disposed at a different position from the convex portion formed on the second flat surface in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber.

5. The collision detection sensor according to claim 3, wherein:

the convex portion formed on the first flat surface is disposed at a same position as the convex portion formed on the second flat surface in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber.

6. The collision detection sensor according to claim 1, wherein:

the convex portion is molded integrally with the molding material by using a mold with a concave portion.

7. The collision detection sensor according to claim 1, wherein the outer periphery surface of the molding material comprises a flat surface, and

wherein the convex portion is attached onto the flat surface of the molding material.