Device for acquiring signals from sensors installed in a motor vehicle

• US 8,358,206 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2004
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nexans Incorporated (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nexans Incorporated (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Huscher, Rainer, Mayer, Udo, Schrer, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/869,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20050242666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,143 Days
• Field of Search: 340/449, 340/426.25, 340/436, 340/438, 439/34
• US Class Current: 340/449
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0207 Wire harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0232 for measuring vehicle parameters and indicating critical, abnormal or dangerous conditions

Abstract

The invention pertains to a device for acquiring signals from sensors (1) installed in a motor vehicle, where at least two sensors, which are connected by electrical conductors to a source of electrical voltage (2) and to an evaluation unit (3), are mounted in different positions in the vehicle. To simplify the installation of the device, the sensors (1) are attached a certain distance apart to a common ribbon cable (4) with parallel electrical conductors, which cable has at least one conductor which can be connected to the voltage source (2) to supply power to the sensors (1) and several signal conductors, which can be connected to the evaluation unit (3) and possibly also to the voltage source (2), the number of which corresponds to the number of sensors to be connected. All of the sensors (1) are connected to the power-supply conductor, and each one is connected individually to one of the signal conductors.

Claims

1. Device for detecting signals from sensors installed in a motor vehicle comprising:

at least two sensors installed at separate positions in the vehicle and connected by electrical conductors to an electric voltage source and to an evaluation unit, wherein;

the sensors are connected at distance apart from one another to a common ribbon cable with parallel electrical conductors, at least one which conductors can be connected to the voltage source to supply the sensors with power, and with several signal conductors, the number of which corresponds to the number of sensors to be connected and which can be connected to the evaluation unit and the voltage source; and

in that

all of the sensors are connected to the power-supply conductor, and each one is also connected individually to one of the signal conductors by use of substantially identical connecting elements onto which the sensors can be set and which are provided at each point where the sensors are to be connected.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the ribbon cable has two conductors for supplying power to the sensors and several signal-transmitting conductors, the number of which corresponds to the number of sensors to be connected.

3. Device according to claim 1, said substantially identical connecting elements are substantially identical plug elements, which are connected to the conductors of the ribbon cable and onto which the sensors can be set, are mounted at each of the points where the sensors are to be connected.

4. Device according to claim 3, wherein in that the plug elements have contact blades for establishing electrical contact with the conductors of the ribbon cable, the number of blades corresponding to the number of conductors.

5. Device according to claim 1, wherein identical L-shaped pins, onto which the sensors can be set, are provided at each point where the sensors are to be connected, the pins of each set being connected to the two conductors which supply power to the sensors but to only one of the signal conductors of the ribbon cable, to the signal conductor assigned to the sensor in question.

6. Device according to claim 5, wherein, at each of the connection points, the pins are arranged at equal distances from each other in the form of a triangle, the vertices of which they form.

7. Device according to claim 1, wherein the ribbon cable is designed as a flat conductor ribbon cable.

8. Device according to claim 1, wherein the ribbon cable has a common go conductor to supply power to all the sensors and also several conductors serving as return lines, which serve simultaneously as signal conductors, the number of signal conductors being the same as the number of sensors to be connected, where each sensor is connected to one of the return lines.

9. Use of a device according to claim 1 for a park control system, in which the sensors are installed in the area of at least one of the vehicle'"'"'s bumpers, at the rear or at the front of the vehicle.

10. Use of a device according to claim 1 for a temperature detection unit in the climate-control system of a vehicle, in which the sensors, which are designed as temperature sensors, are installed in the interior of the vehicle.