Pedestrian collision detection device

• US 8,864,196 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2010
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Shamoto, Takehisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Daniels, Jason S
• Application Number:
  US13/640,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20130127190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 293/107, 293/109, 293/110, 293/117, 293/120, 293/122, 296/1.04, 296/187.04, 340/436
• US Class Current: 293/117
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/04 formed from more than one section in a side-by-side arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/18 characterised by the cross-section; Means within the bumper to absorb impact
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/483 with obstacle sensors of electric or electronic type
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/188 Blow molded structures
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/1886 Bumper fascias and fastening means therefor on fenders B60R2019/247
• 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

A pedestrian collision detection device is obtained that is capable of improving pedestrian detection performance in the vicinity of a bumper corner portion. A pedestrian collision detection device includes a chamber member disposed with pressure detectors, and an ECU is connected to the pressure detectors. Terminal portions of the chamber member are wrapped around so as to cover vehicle width direction outside end faces of bumper reinforcement at bumper corner portion sides. When a load of a specific value or greater is input to the terminal portions of the chamber member from a bumper cover side during a collision, the terminal portions obtain a reactive force from the bumper reinforcement and undergo compression deformation towards the vehicle width direction inside, and the pressure inside a pressure chamber of the chamber member changes.

Claims

1. A pedestrian collision detection device applied to a vehicle bumper including a bumper reinforcement disposed with length direction oriented in a vehicle width direction as a bumper framework member spanning between vehicle front-rear direction outside end portions of a pair of left and right side members and a bumper cover disposed at a vehicle front-rear direction outside of the bumper reinforcement, with length direction oriented in the vehicle width direction along the bumper reinforcement and with both length direction end portions bent towards the vehicle front-rear direction inside, the pedestrian collision detection device comprising:

a chamber member disposed adjacent to a vehicle front-rear direction outside face of the bumper reinforcement, with length direction oriented in the vehicle width direction along the bumper reinforcement and an inside portion of the chamber member configured as a pressure chamber;

a spacer disposed at a back face of the bumper cover at a location corresponding to a vehicle width direction outside terminal portion of the chamber member;

a pressure detector that is disposed in the chamber member and that outputs a signal according to changes in pressure inside the pressure chamber; and

a collision determination section that determines whether or not a collision with a pedestrian has occurred based on output from the pressure detector,

wherein a vehicle width direction outside terminal portion of the chamber member is wrapped around so as to cover a vehicle width direction outside end face of the bumper reinforcement at a bumper corner portion side, and is configured such that when a load of a specific value or greater is input from a lateral side of the bumper cover during a collision, the spacer is configured to transmit the load from the bumper cover to the chamber member and the vehicle width direction outside terminal portion of the chamber member obtains reaction force of the bumper reinforcement and undergoes compression deformation towards the vehicle width direction inside.

2. The pedestrian collision detection device of claim 1, further comprising:

a bumper absorber for impact absorption, which is interposed between the bumper cover and the bumper reinforcement with length direction oriented in the vehicle width direction, and which is disposed alongside the chamber member over a range excluding the terminal portion of the chamber member.

3. The pedestrian collision detection device of claim 1, further comprising:

a bumper absorber for impact absorption, which is interposed between the bumper cover and the bumper reinforcement with length direction oriented in the vehicle width direction, and which is disposed alongside the chamber member over a range including the terminal portion of the chamber member,

wherein a cut away portion is formed to flange portions of circular arc shaped wheel arches formed at both length direction end portions of the bumper cover.

4. The pedestrian collision detection device of claim 1, wherein a cap is attached to both vehicle width direction outside end faces of the bumper reinforcement, and faces of the caps that face the spacers across the chamber member are configured parallel to the vehicle front-rear direction.

5. The pedestrian collision detection device of claim 2, wherein a cap is attached to both vehicle width direction outside end faces of the bumper reinforcement, and faces of the caps that face the spacers across the chamber member are configured parallel to the vehicle front-rear direction.

6. The pedestrian collision detection device of claim 3, wherein a cap is attached to both vehicle width direction outside end faces of the bumper reinforcement, and faces of the caps that face the spacers across the chamber member are configured parallel to the vehicle front-rear direction.