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US 12,552,460 B2Granted
Vehicle body structure
AssigneeNissan North America, Inc.
InventorsDavid Kovie, Christopher J Herrala, Derrick Diver, Dion Richter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle body structure includes a vehicle outer panel, a trim member, a mounting bracket and a radar device. The vehicle outer panel has an outboard surface. The trim member is installed to the outboard surface of the vehicle outer panel. The mounting bracket is installed to an inboard side of the trim member. The radar device is installed to the mounting bracket.
Claims20
A vehicle body structure, comprising:
- a vehicle side door assembly having a vehicle outer panel having defining an outboard surface, the vehicle side door assembly being pivotally attached to a vehicle for movement between a closed position and an open position;
- a trim member installed to the outboard surface of the vehicle outer panel, the outboard surface of the outer door panel facing in a direction transverse to a forward direction of the vehicle, an outboard surface of trim member being an externally exposed surface;
- a mounting bracket fixedly attached directly to an inner surface of the trim member;
- a radar device installed to the mounting bracket such that the radar device is adjacent to the outboard surface of the vehicle outer panel, and capable of detecting an object in the direction transverse to the forward direction of the vehicle and movement of the object toward the outboard surface of the vehicle side door;
- an airbag system including airbags;
- and
- an electronic controller connected to the radar device and the airbag system such that in response to the radar device detecting the movement of the object toward the outer door panel, the electronic controller sends a signal to deploy the airbags,
- the mounting bracket being configured such that a gap is disposed between an inner surface of the trim member and an outer surface of the radar device without structural elements of the trim member being disposed in the gap.
5 more elements
A vehicle body structure, comprising:
- a vehicle side door assembly having a vehicle door assembly with an outer door panel defining an outboard surface, the vehicle door assembly being pivotally attached to a vehicle for movement between a closed position and an open position;
- a trim member installed to the outboard surface of the outer door panel, the outboard surface of the outer door panel facing in a direction transverse to a forward direction of the vehicle, an outboard surface of trim member being an externally exposed surface;
- a mounting bracket fixedly attached directly to an inner surface of the trim member;
- a radar device installed to the mounting bracket such that the radar device is adjacent to the outboard surface of the vehicle outer panel, and capable of detecting an object in the direction transverse to the forward direction of the vehicle and movement of the object toward the outboard surface;
- a door lock system with at least a portion thereof installed within the vehicle door;
- an airbag system including airbags;
- and
- an electronic controller connected to the radar device and the door lock system such that in response to the radar device detecting the movement of the object toward the outer door panel, the electronic controller locks the door lock system preventing the vehicle door from opening, and sends a signal to deploy the airbags,
- the mounting bracket being configured such that a gap is disposed between an inner surface of the trim member and an outer surface of the radar device without structural elements of the trim member being disposed in the gap.
6 more elements
A vehicle body structure, comprising:
- a vehicle door assembly having an outer door panel with an outboard surface, the vehicle side door assembly being pivotally attached to a vehicle for movement between a closed position and an open position;
- a trim member installed to the outboard surface of the vehicle outer panel, the outboard surface of the vehicle outer panel facing in a direction transverse to a forward direction of the vehicle, an outboard surface of trim member being an externally exposed surface;
- a mounting bracket fixedly attached directly to an inner surface of the trim member, the mounting bracket having a plurality of inboard facing surface portions;
- a radar device installed to the mounting bracket such that the radar device is held against the inboard facing surface portions and such that the radar device is adjacent to the outboard surface of the vehicle outer panel, and capable of detecting an object in the direction transverse to the forward direction of the vehicle and movement of the object toward the outboard surface;
- an airbag system including airbags;
- and
- an electronic controller connected to the radar device and the airbag system such that in response to the radar device detecting the movement of the object toward the outer door panel, the electronic controller sends a signal to deploy the airbags,
- the mounting bracket being configured such that a gap is disposed between an inner surface of the trim member and an outer surface of the radar device without structural elements of the trim member being disposed in the gap.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.