Sensor unit

• US 9,360,371 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2012
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Korea University Research and Business Foundation
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Korea University Research and Business Foundation
• Inventors: Kim, Hyunsang, Yang, Sanghyeok, Kim, Suki, Paik, Woohyun, Park, Hoyoung
• Primary Examiner(s): Sung, Christine
• Application Number:
  US13/711,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20140110580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 250/338.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/181 using active radiation detection systems

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a sensor unit that includes a mounting portion fixed on one side of the sensor unit; an elastic member including a first end and a second end, the first end being disposed on the mounting portion; a transmission portion configured to transmit a detectable signal, the transmission portion disposed on the second end of the elastic member; a reception portion configured to receive a reflection of the detectable signal; and a controller that determines whether the reflected signal indicates an impact, motion, or impending impact.

Claims

1. A sensor unit, comprising:

a mounting portion fixed on one side of the sensor unit on an interior wall of a vehicle;

an elastic member including a first end and a second end, the first end being disposed on the mounting portion;

a transmission portion configured to transmit a detectable signal, the transmission portion disposed on the second end of the elastic member;

a reception portion configured to receive a reflection of the detectable signal; and

a controller that determines whether the reflected signal indicates an impact, motion, or impending impact,

wherein the transmission portion includes an infrared LED that transmits an infrared signal, a transmission signal processing controller that modulates the infrared signal, and a LED driver that adjusts the modulated infrared signal of the transmission signal processing control portion and transmits the infrared signal via the infrared LED,

wherein the LED driver and the infrared LED transfer the infrared signal through the elastic member,

wherein a radiation surface of the transmission portion is a lattice type, and

wherein the lattice type radiation surface has one or more radiation surfaces configured to have one or more different radiation angles.

2. The sensor unit of claim 1, wherein the transmission portion is configured to move in response to the impact, motion, or impending impact.

3. The sensor unit of claim 1, wherein the transmission signal processing controller and the LED driver are disposed in the mounting portion.

4. The sensor unit of claim 1, wherein the reception portion includes:

a photo diode configured to receive an infrared signal reflected from a random body; and

an analog signal processing portion configured to receive the infrared signal of the photo diode to process the infrared signal, wherein the controller determines whether there is an impact or an invasion by using the signal that is processed by the analog signal processing portion.

5. The sensor unit one of claim 1, wherein the elastic member is a coil spring type.

6. A sensor unit, comprising:

a casing in which a space is formed therein;

a mounting portion fixed on one side of the space inside the casing on an interior wall of a vehicle;

an elastic member including a first end and a second end, the first end being disposed on the mounting portion;

a transmission portion disposed on the second end of the elastic member and configured to transmit a detectable signal at different angles;

a reflection body disposed on the other side of the space inside the casing relative to the mounting portion;

a reception portion that is disposed inside the casing and configured to receive the detectable signal that is reflected from the reflection body; and

a controller configured to determine whether the reflected signal indicates an impact, motion, or impending impact.

7. The sensor unit of claim 6, wherein the reception portion includes:

a photo diode configured to receive the detectable signal reflected from the reflection body; and

an analog signal processing portion configured to receive an infrared ray signal of the photo diode to process the infrared ray signal, wherein the control portion determines whether there is an impact or an invasion by using the signal that is processed by the analog signal processing portion.

8. The sensor unit one of claim 6, wherein the elastic member is a coil spring type.

9. A sensor unit, comprising:

a mounting portion fixed on one side on an interior wall of a vehicle;

an elastic member of which one end thereof is fixed on the mounting portion;

a transmission portion that is disposed at the other end of the elastic member to radiate a predetermined frequency length at different angles;

a reception portion that receives the frequency length reflected from other random object; and

a control portion that determines whether it is an abnormal condition according to the characteristics of the frequency length that is received by the reception portion.

10. The sensor unit one of claim 9, wherein the elastic member is a coil spring type.