Tailgate arrangement for a motor vehicle and method for operating a tailgate arrangement
AssigneeBayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsMatthias Findeis, Maximilian Hartl, Jan Schieschang, Tobias Vill
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tailgate arrangement is provided for a vehicle, with a tailgate having a rear window and with at least one body component to which the rear window is adjacent when the tailgate is closed and from which the rear window is spaced apart further when the tailgate is open than when the tailgate is closed. A capacitive sensor is provided for monitoring a gap between the rear window and the at least one body component for presence of an object in the gap. At least one electrode of the capacitive sensor is arranged on the rear window. A method is provided for operating the tailgate arrangement for a motor vehicle.
Claims9
A tailgate arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising:
- a tailgate including a rear window;
- at least one vehicle body component, which the rear window adjoins when the tailgate is closed, and from which the rear window is spaced apart farther when the tailgate is open than when the tailgate is closed, the at least one body component including a gutter configured to drain water from the rear window;
- and
- a capacitive sensor for monitoring a gap between the rear window and the at least one body component for a presence of an object in the gap, wherein
- the capacitive sensor includes a first electrode and a second electrode,
- the first electrode and the second electrode of the capacitive sensor are arranged at an outermost lateral edge of the rear window,
- an inner side of the rear window faces toward a seal, which is held on the at least one body component, when the tailgate is closed,
- at least a part of the first electrode and the second electrode, viewed in a transverse direction of the rear window, is arranged between the seal and the at least one body component, and
- the first electrode and the second electrode are arranged on the inner side of the rear window such that an electric field generated by the first electrode and the second electrode remains outside of the gutter.
A method for operating a tailgate arrangement for a motor vehicle, which has a tailgate having a rear window and at least one vehicle body component, which the rear window adjoins when the tailgate is closed, and from which the rear window is spaced apart farther when the tailgate is open than when the tailgate is closed, the at least one body component including a gutter configured to drain water from the rear window, the method comprising:
- monitoring a gap between the rear window and the at least one body component for a presence of an object in the gap via a capacitive sensor that includes a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein
- the first electrode and the second electrode of the capacitive sensor are arranged at an outermost lateral edge of the rear window and are used to monitor the gap for the presence of the object,
- an inner side of the rear window faces toward a seal, which is held on the at least one body component, when the tailgate is closed,
- at least a part of the first electrode and the second electrode, viewed in a transverse direction of the rear window, is arranged between the seal and the at least one body component, and
- the first electrode and the second electrode are arranged on the inner side of the rear window such that an electric field generated by the first electrode and the second electrode remains outside of the gutter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.