Dual-chamber impact detector
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An impact detector comprising:
- a first chamber having a first cross-sectional area at a first end thereof and a second cross-sectional area at a second end thereof, the first cross-sectional area being greater than the second cross-sectional area;
a second chamber adjacent to the first chamber such that first and second ends thereof coincide with the respective first and second ends of the first chamber, the second chamber having a first cross-sectional area at the first end thereof and a second cross-sectional area at the second end thereof, the second cross-sectional area being greater than the first cross-sectional area;
a first sensor detecting a pressure internal to the first chamber; and
a second sensor detecting a pressure internal to the second chamber.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An impact detection system has two chambers disposed adjacent to one another. The two chambers have opposing tapered shapes, so that an impact anywhere along them will create a different pressure wave or pulse in each chamber. A pressure sensor module incorporating two pressure sensors is disposed at one end of the dual-channel unit, and comparison of the signals from the sensors can be used to discriminate both the location and severity of a pedestrian impact.
19 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. An impact detector comprising:
-
a first chamber having a first cross-sectional area at a first end thereof and a second cross-sectional area at a second end thereof, the first cross-sectional area being greater than the second cross-sectional area; a second chamber adjacent to the first chamber such that first and second ends thereof coincide with the respective first and second ends of the first chamber, the second chamber having a first cross-sectional area at the first end thereof and a second cross-sectional area at the second end thereof, the second cross-sectional area being greater than the first cross-sectional area; a first sensor detecting a pressure internal to the first chamber; and a second sensor detecting a pressure internal to the second chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. Apparatus comprising:
-
an impact detector adapted for mounting to a forward structure of a motor vehicle to extend approximately laterally relative to the vehicle, the detector having adjacent upper and lower chambers extending between opposite first and second ends of the detector, the upper chamber having a cross-sectional area varying between a minimum value at the first end and a maximum value at the second end, and the lower chamber having a cross-sectional area varying between a maximum value at the first end and a minimum value at the second end; a first sensor at either of the first end and the second end of the detector and detecting a pressure internal to the first chamber; a second sensor at either of the first end and the second end of the detector and detecting a pressure internal to the second chamber; and an ECU receiving signals from the first and second sensors and utilizing the signals to detect an impact on the detector. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method comprising:
-
monitoring a first pressure inside a first hollow member, the first member having a first cross-sectional area at a first end and tapering to a second cross-sectional area at a second end, the first cross-sectional area being greater than the second cross-sectional area; monitoring a second pressure inside a second hollow member, the second member adjacent to the first member such that first and second ends of the second member coincide with the respective first and second ends of the first member, the second member having a first cross-sectional area at the first end and tapering to a second cross-sectional area at the second end, the second cross-sectional area being greater than the first cross-sectional area; and comparing changes in the first pressure and the second pressure to determine at least one of a magnitude of an impact on the first and second members and a location of the impact between the first and second ends of the members. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
-
Specification