# US 2021/0080296 A1 · Methods and apparatus to facilitate active protection of peripheral sensors

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- Number: US 2021/0080296 A1
- Document ID: US20210080296A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/103,707
- Filed: 2020-11-24
- Published: 2021-03-18
- Earliest claimed: 2018-08-20
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Somak Datta Gupta; Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam; Swadad A. Carremm
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210080296A1

## CPC

- G01D 11/02: Bearings or suspensions for moving parts
- G01D 11/245: {Housings for sensors}
- G07C 5/0808: {Diagnosing performance data (testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005)}
- G05D 1/0231: {using optical position detecting means (position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16)}
- G05D 1/0257: {using a radar (radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931)}
- G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES

## Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for facilitating active protection of peripheral sensors. An example vehicle includes a sensor and a sensor protector. The example sensor protector is configured to, responsive to a vehicle collision, obtain diagnostic information from the sensor. The example sensor protector is also configured to determine whether to move the sensor from a first position to a second position based on the diagnostic information. The example sensor protector is also configured to cause the sensor to from the first position to the second position based on the determination.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-14. (canceled)

### Claim 15

An apparatus comprising:
a housing including a front upper bracket, a front lower bracket, and a groove; and
a sensor mounted to the housing and positioned between the front upper bracket and the front lower bracket,
wherein the housing and the sensor rotate along the groove of the housing.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the housing is mounted to a bracket including a bracket arm.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the bracket is attached to a structure of a vehicle.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the bracket arm includes a longitudinal groove.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the housing and the sensor retract from a first position to a second position along the longitudinal groove of the bracket arm.

### Claim 20

The apparatus of 15, wherein the housing includes a first electrical contact, the sensor includes a second electrical contact, and wherein the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are aligned.