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US 12,384,217 B1Granted
Water drainage systems and methods for vehicles
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsRobert Short, Michael Patrick Kirbitz, Bryan J. Miller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for draining water from surfaces of vehicles. The systems may include a mechanism onboard the vehicle configured to adjust a pitch angle or a roll angle of the vehicle, and a controller configured to, by one or more processors, determine a stance of the vehicle relative to gravity, and adjust, with the mechanism, the pitch angle or the roll angle of the vehicle to define an adjusted stance of the vehicle sufficient for a surface of the vehicle to exceed a drainage angle and thereby promote a directional flow of water from the surface.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- monitoring, with a controller having one or more processors onboard a vehicle, for a first criteria that includes the vehicle being in park and a presence of water on a surface of the vehicle, based on signals received by the controller from the one or more sensors;
- determining, with the controller, a stance of the vehicle relative to gravity in response to detection of the first criteria;
- monitoring, with the controller, for second criteria that includes the vehicle being shutdown and an indication of a driver exiting the vehicle, based on signals received by the controller from one or more sensors;
- maintaining, with the controller, an active state of the one or more sensors, the controller, and a suspension system of the vehicle, while the vehicle is shutdown and a battery module of the vehicle is charging;
- and
- adjusting, with the suspension system of the vehicle in response to detection of the second criteria, a pitch angle or a roll angle of the vehicle to define an adjusted stance of the vehicle sufficient for the surface of the vehicle to exceed a drainage angle and thereby promote a directional flow of the water from the surface.
3 more elements
A system for a vehicle, comprising:
- a suspension system onboard the vehicle configured to adjust a pitch angle or a roll angle of the vehicle;
- one or more sensors onboard the vehicle;
- and
- a controller configured to, by one or more processors:
- monitor for first criteria includes the vehicle being in park and an indication of a presence of water on the surface, based on signals received by the controller from the one or more sensors;
- determine a stance of the vehicle relative to gravity in response to detection of the first criteria;
- monitor for second criteria that includes the vehicle being shutdown and an indication of a driver exiting the vehicle, based on signals received by the controller from the one or more sensors;
- maintain an active state of the one or more sensors while a battery module of the vehicle is charging;
- and
- adjust, with the suspension system in response to detection of the second criteria, the pitch angle or the roll angle of the vehicle to define an adjusted stance of the vehicle sufficient for the surface of the vehicle to exceed a drainage angle and thereby promote a directional flow of the water from the surface.
7 more elements
A vehicle, comprising:
- a suspension system configured to adjust a pitch angle or a roll angle of the vehicle;
- one or more sensors onboard the vehicle;
- and
- a controller in operable communication with the suspension system and the one or more sensors, the controller configured to, by one or more processors:
- monitor for first criteria that includes the vehicle being in park and an indication of a presence of water on a surface of the vehicle based on signals received by the one or more sensors;
- determine a stance of the vehicle relative to gravity in response to detection of the first criteria;
- select a stance adjustment mode based on the stance of the vehicle;
- monitor for second criteria that includes the vehicle being shutdown and an indication of a driver exiting the vehicle based on signals received from the one or more sensors;
- maintain an active state of the one or more sensors, the controller, and a suspension system of the vehicle, while the vehicle is shutdown and a battery module of the vehicle is charging;
- and
- adjust, with the suspension system, the pitch angle or the roll angle of the vehicle to define an adjusted stance of the vehicle sufficient for the surface of the vehicle to exceed a drainage angle and thereby promote a directional flow of water from the surface, wherein the pitch angle or the roll angle is adjusted based on the stance adjustment mode and in response to detection of the second criteria.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.