Vehicle assemblies having fascia panels with capacitance sensors operative for detecting proximal objects
First Claim
1. A vehicle lift gate assembly comprising:
- a movable lift gate having a metal construction;
an electrically non-conductive fascia panel mounted to the lift gate, the fascia panel having a perimeter, a central section, an interior surface directed towards the lift gate, and an exterior surface directed away from the lift gate;
an electrical conductor being an array of electrically conductive strips placed vertically and horizontally across the central section of the fascia panel in electrical connectivity to each other and mounted to the interior surface of the fascia panel such that the electrical conductor is spaced apart from the metal of the lift gate, the electrical conductor functioning as one portion of a capacitor and the metal of the lift gate functioning as another portion of the capacitor;
a controller in communication with the electrical conductor for driving the electrical conductor with an electrical charge to monitor a capacitive coupling of the electrical conductor and for measuring a capacitance of the capacitive coupling to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the fascia panel and operable to control movement of the lift gate as a function of whether the electrically conductive object is proximal to the fascia panel; and
wherein the electrical conductor capacitively couples to the electrically conductive object proximal to the exterior surface of the fascia panel while the electrical conductor is driven with the electrical charge such that a capacitance indicated by the electrical conductor changes due to the electrical conductor capacitively coupling with the electrically conductive object.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle assembly includes an electrically non-conductive fascia panel and an electrical conductor mounted to the fascia panel. The conductor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to the fascia panel while the conductor is driven with an electrical charge such that capacitance of the conductor changes due to the conductor capacitively coupling with the object. The assembly may further include a controller operable for driving the conductor with the electrical charge and for measuring the capacitance of the conductor to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the fascia panel. The controller controls a vehicle function such as movement of a movable panel like a lift gate associated with the fascia panel depending on whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the fascia panel.
126 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A vehicle lift gate assembly comprising:
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a movable lift gate having a metal construction; an electrically non-conductive fascia panel mounted to the lift gate, the fascia panel having a perimeter, a central section, an interior surface directed towards the lift gate, and an exterior surface directed away from the lift gate; an electrical conductor being an array of electrically conductive strips placed vertically and horizontally across the central section of the fascia panel in electrical connectivity to each other and mounted to the interior surface of the fascia panel such that the electrical conductor is spaced apart from the metal of the lift gate, the electrical conductor functioning as one portion of a capacitor and the metal of the lift gate functioning as another portion of the capacitor; a controller in communication with the electrical conductor for driving the electrical conductor with an electrical charge to monitor a capacitive coupling of the electrical conductor and for measuring a capacitance of the capacitive coupling to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the fascia panel and operable to control movement of the lift gate as a function of whether the electrically conductive object is proximal to the fascia panel; and wherein the electrical conductor capacitively couples to the electrically conductive object proximal to the exterior surface of the fascia panel while the electrical conductor is driven with the electrical charge such that a capacitance indicated by the electrical conductor changes due to the electrical conductor capacitively coupling with the electrically conductive object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A vehicle lift gate assembly comprising:
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a movable lift gate having a metal construction; an electrically non-conductive fascia panel mounted to the lift gate, the fascia panel having a perimeter, a central section, an interior surface directed towards the lift gate, and an exterior surface directed away from the lift gate; and an electrical conductor being an array of electrically conductive strips placed vertically and horizontally across the central section of the fascia panel in electrical connectivity to each other and mounted to the fascia panel such that the electrical conductor is spaced apart from the metal of the lift gate, the electrical conductor functioning as one portion of a capacitor and the metal of the lift gate functioning as another portion of the capacitor, wherein the electrical conductor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to the exterior surface of the fascia panel while the electrical conductor is driven with an electrical charge such that a capacitance indicated by the electrical conductor changes due to the electrical conductor capacitively coupling with the electrically conductive object; wherein the electrical conductor is mounted to the exterior surface of the fascia panel. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A vehicle lift gate assembly comprising:
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a movable lift gate having a metal construction; an electrically non-conductive fascia panel mounted to the lift gate, the fascia panel having a perimeter, a central section, an interior surface directed towards the lift gate, and an exterior surface directed away from the lift gate; an electrical conductor being an array of electrically conductive strips placed vertically and horizontally across the central section of the fascia panel in electrical connectivity to each other and mounted interior to the interior surface and exterior surface of the fascia panel such that the electrical conductor is spaced apart from the metal of the lift gate, the electrical conductor functioning as one portion of a capacitor and the metal of the lift gate functioning as another portion of the capacitor; and wherein the electrical conductor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to the exterior surface of the fascia panel while the electrical conductor is driven with the electrical charge such that a capacitance indicated by the electrical conductor changes due to the electrical conductor capacitively coupling with the electrically conductive object. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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Specification