Load-sensing closure panel
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsStuart C. Salter, David Brian Glickman, Peter Phung, Paul Kenneth Dellock, Pietro Buttolo, John Robert Van Wiemeersch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle includes a body, an aperture defined by the body, a closure panel, and a load sensor. The closure panel is movable between an open position and a closed position. The closure panel covers at least a portion of the aperture when the closure panel is in the closed position. The load sensor is coupled to the closure panel. The load sensor senses a load that is applied to the closure panel.
Claims20
A vehicle, comprising:
- a body;
- an aperture defined by the body;
- a first closure panel coupled to the body via a hinge and movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the first closure panel covers at least a portion of the aperture when the first closure panel is in the closed position;
- and
- a load sensor positioned within the hinge and coupled to the first closure panel, wherein the load sensor senses a load that is applied to the first closure panel.
A vehicle, comprising:
- a body;
- an aperture defined by the body;
- a first closure panel that is movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the first closure panel covers at least a portion of the aperture when the first closure panel is in the closed position;
- a load sensor coupled to the first closure panel, wherein the load sensor senses a load that is applied to the first closure panel;
- and
- a second closure panel that is movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the second closure and covers at least a portion of the aperture when the second closure panel is in the closed position, and wherein the second closure panel comprises a projection-based display device, and wherein the load sensed by the load sensor is communicated to a user as a numerical output of the projection-based display device.
A method of evaluating a load exposure of a closure panel that is coupled to a body via a hinge of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining the closure panel is in an open position;
- sensing a load is present on the closure panel with a load sensor;
- displaying a measured weight based on an output of the load sensor that is positioned within the hinge;
- determining the load is above a first predetermined threshold;
- and
- communicating to a user that the measured weight has exceeded the first predetermined threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.