Electromagnetic impedance sensor and passenger protection system

• US 7,893,691 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawaura, Masanori, Nonaka, Toshihito, Sanma, Norio, Kakuya, Yuuji, Suzuki, Kyojiro
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITTINGTON, KENNETH
• Application Number:
  US12/009,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20080180091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 324/207.15, 324/207.16, 324/207.17, 324/207.18, 324/207.24, 324/207.25, 324/207.26, 324/222, 324/228, 324/232, 324/239, 336/226, 336/227, 336/232
• US Class Current: 324/239
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2006 by influencing the self-induction of one or more coils G01D5/22 takes precedence

Abstract

An electromagnetic impedance sensor detects an object made of conducting material or soft magnetic material with contact-free. The sensor includes: a detection coil; and a detection circuit for supplying electricity to the coil and for measuring electromagnetic impedance change in the coil. The detection coil includes multiple coil portions provided by one wire. One coil portion has a side adjacent to a corresponding side of another coil portion. The side and the corresponding side extend along with a direction, and the side has a current flowing direction, which is the same as the corresponding side.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic impedance sensor for detecting an object with contact-free, wherein the object is made of conducting material or soft magnetic material, the sensor comprising:

a detection coil having a coil surface, which faces a detection area in which the object is disposed; and

a detection circuit for supplying alternating electricity to the detection coil and for detecting the object by measuring change of an electromagnetic impedance in the detection coil, wherein

the detection coil includes a plurality of coil portions, which are provided by one wire,

each coil portion is disposed on the coil surface to have a predetermined arrangement,

the plurality of coil portions is sequentially arranged along with a first direction and includes one coil portion adjacent to another coil portion,

the one coil portion has a side, which is adjacent to a corresponding side of the another coil portion,

the side of the one coil portion extends along with a second direction, and the corresponding side of the another coil portion extends along with the second direction,

the first direction is different from and perpendicular to the second direction,

the side of the one coil portion has a current flowing direction, which is the same as a current flowing direction of the corresponding side of the another coil portion,

each coil portion includes a first side and a second side,

the first side extends along with the first direction, and the second side extends along with the second direction, and wherein

the plurality of coil portions includes first to sixth coil portions,

the first to third coil portions are arranged along with the first direction, and the fourth to sixth coil portions are arranged along with the first direction,

the first and fourth coil portions, the second and fifth coil portions and the third and sixth coil portions are arranged along with the second direction, respectively, and

each coil portion provides an at least two-turn coil.

2. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein

each coil portion provides a multiple-turn coil,

the one wire has a first end and a second end,

the first end is adjacent to the second end, and

the one coil portion and the another coil portion are connected with the one wire in such a manner that the one wire is bent by a straight angle at a connection portion between the one coil portion and the another coil portion.

3. The sensor according to claim 2, wherein

each coil portion has a square shape,

the second coil portion is adjacent to the first coil portion along with the first direction so that the second side of the first coil portion is adjacent to the second side of the second coil portion,

the second side of the first coil portion has a current flowing direction, which is the same as a current flowing direction of the second side of the second coil portion, the current flowing direction being parallel to the second direction,

the fourth coil portion is adjacent to the first coil portion along with the second direction so that the first side of the first coil portion is adjacent to the first side of the fourth coil portion, and

the first side of the first coil portion has another current flowing direction, which is the same as a current flowing direction of the first side of the fourth coil portion, the another current flowing direction being parallel to the first direction.

4. A passenger protection system comprising:

an electromagnetic impedance sensor including;

a detection coil having a coil surface, which faces a detection area in which an object is disposed; and

a detection circuit for supplying alternating electricity to the detection coil and for detecting the object by measuring change of an electromagnetic impedance in the detection coil, wherein

the detection coil includes a plurality of coil portions, which are provided by one wire,

each coil portion is disposed on the coil surface to have a predetermined arrangement, and

the coil portions are non-concentrically positioned and sequentially arranged along with a first direction;

a collision determination element for determining collision between the vehicle and an external body based on an output from the sensor; and

a passenger protection element for protecting a passenger of a vehicle, wherein

the passenger protection element functions based on determination of the collision determination element;

wherein one of the plurality of coil portions includes at least two sides, wherein each of the at least two sides is closer to another side of another one of the plurality of coil portions than any other sides of the plurality of coil portions and has a current flowing direction, which is substantially the same as a current flowing direction of the another side of the another one of the plurality of coil portions.

5. The passenger protection system according to claim 4, wherein

the plurality of coil portions includes one coil portion adjacent to another coil portion,

the one coil portion has a side, which is adjacent to a corresponding side of the another coil portion,

the side of the one coil portion extends along with a second direction, and the corresponding side of the another coil portion extends along with the second direction,

the first direction is different from the second direction, and

the side of the one coil portion has a current flowing direction, which is the same as a current flowing direction of the corresponding side of the another coil portion.

6. The passenger protection system according to claim 5, wherein

the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction,

each coil portion includes a first side and a second side, and

the first side extends along with the first direction, and the second side extends along with the second direction.

7. The passenger protection system according to claim 6, wherein

the detection coil has a double-turn figure-eight shape, and

the second side of the one coil portion intersects with the second side of the another coil portion.

8. The passenger protection system according to claim 6, wherein

the plurality of coil portions includes first to sixth coil portions,

the first to third coil portions are arranged along with the first direction, and the fourth to sixth coil portions are arranged along with the first direction,

the first and fourth coil portions, the second and fifth coil portions and the third and sixth coil portions are arranged along with the second direction, respectively, and

each coil portion provides an at least two-turn coil.

9. The passenger protection system according to claim 8, wherein

each coil portion provides a multiple-turn coil,

the one wire has a first end and a second end,

the first end is adjacent to the second end, and

the one coil portion and the another coil portion are connected with the one wire in such a manner that the one wire is bent by a straight angle at a connection portion between the one coil portion and the another coil portion.

10. The passenger protection system according to claim 9, wherein

each coil portion has a square shape,

the second coil portion is adjacent to the first coil portion along with the first direction so that the second side of the first coil portion is adjacent to the second side of the second coil portion,

the second side of the first coil portion has a current flowing direction, which is the same as a current flowing direction of the second side of the second coil portion, the current flowing direction being parallel to the second direction,

the fourth coil portion is adjacent to the first coil portion along with the second direction so that the first side of the first coil portion is adjacent to the first side of the fourth coil portion, and

the first side of the first coil portion has another current flowing direction, which is the same as a current flowing direction of the first side of the fourth coil portion, the another current flowing direction being parallel to the first direction.

11. The passenger protection system according to claim 5, wherein

the plurality of coil portions are arranged along with both of the first direction and second direction.

12. The passenger protection system according to claim 5, wherein

each coil portion has a square shape, a triangular shape, a polygonal shape or a circular shape.

13. The passenger protection system according to claim 4, wherein

the detection coil further includes an outward coil and a homeward coil,

the outward coil provides a plurality of first halfway turns, which are sequentially connected to each other,

the homeward coil provides a plurality of second halfway turns, which are sequentially connected to each other, and

one of the plurality of first halfway turns and a corresponding one of the plurality of second halfway turns provide one of the coil portions.

14. The passenger protection system according to claim 4, wherein

the object is an outer plate of a door of a vehicle,

the detection coil is disposed on a side of an inner plate of the door, the side facing the outer plate,

the inner plate is spaced apart from the outer plate,

each coil portion has a width in a horizontal direction of the vehicle, and

the width is equal to or smaller than 240 mm.

15. The passenger protection system according to claim 4, wherein

the one side of the one of the plurality of coil portions intersects by a predetermined angle with the another side of the another one of the plurality of coil portions.