Vehicle door active and passive control device

• US 8,068,959 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Shahidi, Bijan K., Tien, Jason C. S., Zhang, Zhen Steven, Huang, XianLi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATTON, SPENCER D
• Application Number:
  US11/834,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20090043456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/49, 296/1.03, 296/146.1, 296/146.9, 296/207, 335/285, 335/295, 292/251.5
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01252 Devices other than bags
• 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

An apparatus for vehicle door deflection and movement control. The apparatus includes a primary electromagnetic device disposed generally in a vehicle door frame or generally in an area of a vehicle body adjacent the vehicle door frame, and a controller for activating the primary electromagnetic device to push or pull the vehicle door frame. The apparatus may further include a sensor for measuring vehicle door deflection during vehicle movement. The controller may activate the primary electromagnetic device based on deflection measurements by the sensor to pull the vehicle door frame to generally cancel the vehicle door deflection.

Claims

1. An apparatus for vehicle door deflection and movement control comprising:

at least one primary electromagnetic device disposed in or on a vehicle door frame or an area of a vehicle body adjacent the vehicle door frame;

a deflection sensor measuring vehicle door deflection due to air during vehicle movement; and

a controller activating said primary electromagnetic device based on the measured vehicle door deflection received through an active feedback control scheme to pull the vehicle door frame to generally cancel the vehicle door deflection.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one bumper disposed adjacent said primary electromagnetic device for providing a contact surface during said pulling of the vehicle door frame.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said bumper is a magnetic bumper.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one secondary electromagnetic device disposed adjacent said primary electromagnetic device for providing a contact surface during said pulling of the vehicle door frame.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the deflection sensor comprises a strain gauge.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a door handle sensor for detecting movement of a door handle, said controller activating said primary electromagnetic device based on the detected movement of the door handle to push the vehicle door frame to assist with opening of the vehicle door.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controller activates said primary electromagnetic device upon vehicle movement greater than a predetermined speed.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controller activates said primary electromagnetic device upon detection of at least one of vehicle drive position, air bag deployment, and vehicle on/off condition.

9. An apparatus for vehicle movable component deflection and movement control comprising:

at least one primary electromagnetic device disposed in or on a vehicle movable component or an area of a vehicle body adjacent the vehicle movable component;

a sensor measuring vehicle component deflection due to air during vehicle movement; and

a controller activating said primary electromagnetic device based on the measured vehicle component deflection received through an active feedback control scheme to pull the vehicle movable component to generally cancel the vehicle component deflection.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising at least one bumper disposed adjacent said primary electromagnetic device for providing a contact surface during said pulling of the vehicle movable component.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said bumper is a magnetic bumper.

12. An apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising at least one secondary electromagnetic device disposed adjacent said primary electromagnetic device for providing a contact surface during said pulling of the vehicle movable component.

13. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the sensor comprises a strain gauge.

14. An apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a handle sensor for detecting movement of a handle for opening the vehicle movable component, said controller activating said primary electromagnetic device based on the detected movement of the handle to push the vehicle movable component to assist with opening of the vehicle movable component.

15. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said controller activates said primary electromagnetic device upon vehicle movement greater than a predetermined speed.

16. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said controller activates said primary electromagnetic device upon detection of at least one of vehicle drive position, air bag deployment, and vehicle on/off condition.

17. An apparatus for vehicle door deflection and movement control comprising:

an electromagnetic device disposed in or on a vehicle door frame or body adjacent the vehicle door frame;

a deflection sensor measuring vehicle door deflection due to air during vehicle movement; and

a controller activating said electromagnetic device based on the measured vehicle door deflection received through an active feedback control scheme to pull the vehicle door frame to generally cancel the vehicle door deflection.

18. An apparatus for vehicle door deflection and movement control comprising:

an electromagnetic device disposed in or on a vehicle door frame or body adjacent the vehicle door frame;

a deflection sensor measuring vehicle door deflection due to air during vehicle movement; and

a controller activating said electromagnetic device based on the measured vehicle door deflection received through an active feedback control scheme to apply force to the vehicle door frame to generally cancel the vehicle door deflection.