Vehicle impact sensing system
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsMahmoud Yousef Ghannam, Todd N. Clark, Eric Layton Stratten, Swadad A. Carremm
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An impact sensor system for a vehicle that includes a frame member having a cavity and a chamber arranged within the cavity. The chamber includes two ends with different cross-sectional areas. The impact sensor system further includes a sensor coupled to the chamber that generates a signal indicative of a pressure change within the chamber caused by an impact to the frame member.
Claims20
An impact sensor system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
- a vehicle frame member that defines a cavity;
- an exterior surface of the vehicle coupled to the vehicle frame member;
- a sensor chamber arranged within the cavity, the sensor chamber comprising a first end having a first cross-sectional area and a second end having a second cross-sectional area of a different size than the first cross-sectional area, wherein the first end is closer to the exterior surface than the second end;
- a sensor coupled to the sensor chamber, wherein the sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of a pressure change within the sensor chamber caused by an impact to the exterior surface of the vehicle;
- and
- a controller adapted to receive the signal and determine an occurrence of impact to the exterior surface of the vehicle based at least in part on an evaluation of the signal.
An impact sensor system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
- a vehicle frame member that defines a cavity;
- an exterior surface of the vehicle coupled to the vehicle frame member;
- a sensor chamber arranged within the cavity, the sensor chamber comprising a first section defined by a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is closer to the exterior surface than the second end, and a second section defined by the second end and a third end, wherein the second end is closer to the exterior surface than the third end;
- a sensor coupled to the sensor chamber, wherein the sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of a pressure change within the sensor chamber caused by an impact to the exterior surface of the vehicle;
- and
- a controller adapted to receive the signal and determine an occurrence of impact to the exterior surface of the vehicle based at least in part on an evaluation of the signal.
An impact sensor system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
- a frame member having a cavity;
- a chamber arranged within the cavity, the chamber having two ends with different cross-sectional areas;
- and
- a sensor coupled to the chamber that generates a signal indicative of a pressure change within the chamber caused by an impact to the frame member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.