Collision sensing apparatus
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsJialiang Le, Manoharprasad K. Rao, David James Tippy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus includes a center component defining a center chamber therein and first and second side components defining first and second chambers therein, respectively. The first and second side components are coupled to opposing ends of the center component with the first and second chambers in fluid communication with the center chamber. The center, first side and second side components are configured to extend substantially across a width of a vehicle. The apparatus further includes first, second and third pressure sensors in communication with the first, second and center chambers, respectively.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a center component defining a center chamber therein;
- first and second side components defining first and second chambers therein, respectively, the first and second side components coupled to opposing ends of the center component with the first and second chambers in fluid communication with the center chamber, the center, first side and second side components being configured to extend substantially across a width of a vehicle;
- first, second and third pressure sensors in communication with the first, second and center chambers, respectively.
An assembly comprising:
- a bumper beam configured to extend substantially across a width of a vehicle;
- an energy absorber coupled to and extending along the bumper beam;
- a sensing apparatus coupled to the bumper beam and the energy absorber, the sensing apparatus extending substantially across the width of the vehicle, the sensing apparatus including a center component defining a center chamber therein and first and second side components defining first and second chambers therein, respectively, the first and second side components coupled to opposing ends of the center component with the first and second chambers in fluid communication with the center chamber, the sensing apparatus further including first, second and third pressure sensors in communication with the first, second and center chambers, respectively;
- and
- a front fascia component overlapping the sensing apparatus, the energy absorber and the bumper beam substantially across the width of the vehicle.
A system, comprising a computer in a vehicle, the computer comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the computer is configured to:
- receive signals from left, center and right pressure sensors coupled to left, center and right chambers, respectively, the left, center and right chambers substantially extending across the vehicle proximate a front end of the vehicle;
- determine that at least one of the signals of the left and right pressure sensors at least meets a processing threshold stored in the memory;
- calculate a difference between the at least one of the signals of the left and right pressure sensors and the signal from the center pressure sensor;
- determine that the difference at least meets an oblique impact threshold stored in the memory;
- determine that the at least one of the signals of the left and right pressure sensors identifies one of right and left oblique impact modes;
- select operational parameters for at least one collision mitigation system of the vehicle corresponding to the one of the right and left oblique impact modes;
- and
- apply the selected operational parameters to operation of at least one collision mitigation system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.