Vehicle sensor for detecting impact sound

• US 7,856,880 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2005
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Weichenberger, Lothar, Huber, Dietmar, Fendt, Gúnter, Babutzka, Wilfried, Hrabi, Joachim, Schillinger, Jakob
• Primary Examiner(s): Saint Surin; Jacques M
• Application Number:
  US10/593,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20070288139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,105 Days
• Field of Search: 735/87, 735/17.R, 735/18, 735/143.2, 29/254.1
• US Class Current: 73/587
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/00 Measuring characteristics of vibrations in solids by using direct conduction to the detector G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence

Abstract

Disclosed is a vehicle sensor (4) for detecting impact sound, including a measured-value sensor (4.1) for detecting an impact sound. The measured-value sensor (4.1) includes several individual, separate measured-value sensing elements (4.1.x), each of which is coupled to a vehicle structure (5) in such a way that impact sound waves are transmitted by the vehicle structure (5) to the measured-value sensing elements (4.1.x).

Claims

1. A vehicle sensor (4) for detecting impact sound, the sensor comprising:

a measured-value sensor (4.1) for detecting the impact sound; and

multiple individual, separate measured-value sensing elements (4.1.x), each of which is coupled to a vehicle structure (5) in such a way that impact sound waves are transmitted by the vehicle structure (5) to the measured-value sensing elements (4.1.x), wherein the measured-value sensing elements (4.1.x) are coupled to the vehicle structure (5) by an elastic (7.1) or a visco-elastic (7.2) coupling layer for transmitting the impact sound waves wherein a matrix is arranged between the measured-value sensing elements (4.1.x) and the vehicle structure (5), the matrix having recesses between the measured-value sensing elements (4.1.x) and the vehicle structure (5), and the visco-elastic coupling layer (7.2) is embodied in form of fillings (7.2.3) of the recesses.

2. A vehicle sensor according to claim 1, wherein the visco-elastic coupling layer (7.2) is formed as a mutual layer extending over the surface of all measured-value sensing elements (4.1.x) between the measured-value sensing elements (4.1.x) and the vehicle structure (5) or is embodied in form of separate nubs (7.2.1) between the measured-value sensing elements (4.1.x) and the vehicle structure (5).

3. A vehicle sensor according to claim 1, wherein the measured value sensor is a piezoelectric, piezoresistive or capacitive sensor and the individual, separate measured-value sensing elements are arranged at the measured-value sensor as electrodes in form of a facet structure or of an array.

4. A vehicle sensor according to claim 1, wherein the measured-value sensing elements (4.1.5, 4.1.6) are arranged in form of a digital structure or of a self-testing structure.

5. A vehicle sensor according to claim 1, wherein dimensions of the measured-value sensing elements (4.1.x) are smaller than a smallest wave length to be detected of the impact sound.

6. A vehicle sensor according to claim 1, wherein dimensions of the measured-value sensing elements (4.1.x) are greater than a greatest wave length to be detected of the impact sound.

7. A vehicle sensor according to claim 1 further comprising:

a carrier (4.3) for the measured-value sensor (4.1), wherein the carrier is embodied as a substrate, a wiring carrier or a foil.

8. A vehicle sensor according to claim 7, wherein the measured-value sensor (4.1) is connected to the carrier (4.3) via a force-fit and form-fit connection (4.8.1, 4.8.3).

9. A vehicle sensor according to claim 8, wherein the form-fit connection (4.8.1, 4.8.3) between the measured-value sensor (4.1) and the carrier (4.3) is a glued spot or a contact layer.

10. A vehicle sensor according to claim 1 further comprising:

an acceleration sensor (4.4).

11. A vehicle sensor according to claim 1, wherein the measured-value sensing elements (4.1.x) are coupled to the vehicle structure (5) via at least one mechanical contact point (11.1) for transmitting the impact sound waves.

12. A vehicle sensor according to claim 11, wherein the mechanical contact point is cone shaped, the base area of the cone being circular or oval.

13. A vehicle sensor according to claim 11, wherein distances between the mechanical contact points (11.1) are smaller than the smallest wave length to be detected of the impact sound.

14. A vehicle sensor according to claim 11, wherein distances between the mechanical contact points (11.1) are greater than the greatest wave length to be detected of the impact sound.

15. A vehicle sensor according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle sensor is used in conjunction with a safety device of a vehicle.

16. A vehicle sensor according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle sensor is used in conjunction with a diagnostic device of a vehicle.

17. A vehicle sensor (4) for detecting impact sound, the sensor comprising:

a measured-value sensor (4.1) for detecting the impact sound; and

multiple individual, separate measured-value sensing elements (4.1.x), each of which is coupled to a vehicle structure (5) in such a way that impact sound waves are transmitted by the vehicle structure (5) to the measured-value sensing elements (4.1.x), wherein the measured-value sensing elements (4.1.x) are coupled to the vehicle structure (5) by an elastic (7.1) or a visco-elastic (7.2) coupling layer for transmitting the impact sound waves and the multiple individual, separate measured-value sensing elements comprise at least eight measured-value sensing elements (4.1.3, 4.1.4).

18. A vehicle sensor (4) for detecting impact sound, the sensor comprising:

a measured-value sensor (4.1) for detecting the impact sound; and

multiple individual, separate measured-value sensing elements (4.1.x), each of which is coupled to a vehicle structure (5) in such a way that impact sound waves are transmitted by the vehicle structure (5) to the measured-value sensing elements (4.1.x), wherein the measured-value sensing elements (4.1.x) are coupled to the vehicle structure (5) by an elastic (7.1) or a visco-elastic (7.2) coupling layer for transmitting the impact sound waves wherein the vehicle sensor is provided in a vehicle for evaluating superimposed impact sound waves, which are independent from each other or for differentiating between superimposed impact sound waves, which are independent from each other, as a variable band pass and/or effective value creator or as a parameter estimator or for the determination of statistic characteristics.