Impact sensor arrangements for active hood systems of motor vehicles
First Claim
1. An impact sensor arrangement for an active hood system of a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle including a vehicle body with a front bumper and a hood attached to the vehicle body, the active hood system including an actuator attached to the vehicle body and selectively actuable to displace the hood, the impact sensor arrangement comprising:
- a sensing tube;
a sensor connected to the sensing tube and configured to detect a characteristic change of the sensing tube and responsively output a signal to thereby trigger the actuator; and
first and second blocks each formed from a high-density material and configured to attach to the vehicle body adjacent the front bumper, the first and second blocks collectively defining an internal channel within which is nested the sensing tube,wherein the first block is slidably coupled via a sliding dovetail joint to the second block to displace along a rectilinear path such that displacement of the first block with respect to the second block initiates the characteristic change of the sensing tube.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are impact sensor arrangements for active hood systems, methods for making and for using such impact sensor arrangements, and motor vehicles with active hood systems using such impact sensor arrangements. Disclosed, for example, is an impact sensor arrangement for an active hood system of a motor vehicle. An active hood system actuator is selectively actuable to displace the vehicle'"'"'s engine hood. The impact sensor arrangement includes a sensor connected to a sensing tube to detect a characteristic change of the sensing tube and responsively output an actuator trigger signal. First and second blocks, each formed from a high-density material, attach to the vehicle body adjacent the bumper and collectively define an internal channel within which is nested the sensing tube. The first block is movably attached to the second block such that displacement of one block with respect to the other initiates the characteristic change of the sensing tube.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An impact sensor arrangement for an active hood system of a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle including a vehicle body with a front bumper and a hood attached to the vehicle body, the active hood system including an actuator attached to the vehicle body and selectively actuable to displace the hood, the impact sensor arrangement comprising:
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a sensing tube; a sensor connected to the sensing tube and configured to detect a characteristic change of the sensing tube and responsively output a signal to thereby trigger the actuator; and first and second blocks each formed from a high-density material and configured to attach to the vehicle body adjacent the front bumper, the first and second blocks collectively defining an internal channel within which is nested the sensing tube, wherein the first block is slidably coupled via a sliding dovetail joint to the second block to displace along a rectilinear path such that displacement of the first block with respect to the second block initiates the characteristic change of the sensing tube. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A motor vehicle, comprising:
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a vehicle body with an engine compartment and a bumper crossbeam forward of the engine compartment; an engine hood pivotably attached to the vehicle body adjacent the engine compartment; a bumper fascia attached to the vehicle body adjacent the bumper crossbeam; an electronic control unit (ECU); and an active hood system comprising; an actuator attached to the vehicle body and selectively actuable to displace the engine hood away from the engine compartment; a compressible sensing tube; a sensor connected to the sensing tube, the sensor being configured to detect a characteristic change in the sensing tube and output a signal indicative thereof to the ECU to thereby trigger the actuator; and first and second high-density foam blocks attached to the vehicle body, disposed between the bumper fascia and the bumper crossbeam, the first and second foam blocks collectively defining an internal channel within which is nested the sensing tube, wherein the first foam block is slidably coupled to the second foam block via a sliding dovetail joint such that rectilinear rearward displacement of the first block with respect to the second block compresses the sensing tube and thereby initiates the characteristic change in the sensing tube.
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15. A method of constructing an impact sensor arrangement for an active hood system of a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle including a vehicle body with a bumper and a hood attached to the vehicle body, and the active hood system including an actuator attached to the vehicle body and selectively actuable to displace the hood, the method comprising:
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receiving a sensing tube; connecting a sensor to the sensing tube, the sensor being configured to detect a characteristic change of the sensing tube and responsively output a signal to thereby trigger the actuator; and nesting the sensing tube within an internal channel collectively defined by first and second blocks each formed from a high-density material, the first and second blocks being configured to attach to the vehicle body adjacent the bumper, wherein the first block is movably attached to the second block via a sliding dovetail joint such that displacement of the first block with respect to the second block initiates the characteristic change of the sensing tube. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification