Pinch sensing arrangement for a motor vehicle power liftgate

A pinch sensing arrangement in combination with a motor vehicle having a body and a closure member mounted to the body, the closure member driven by a drive mechanism between an open position and a closed position, the pinch sensing arrangement comprising:

• a mounting track adapted to be attached to one of the closure member and the body portion of the vehicle, said mounting tracks resiliently deflectable in a first direction under a first predetermined load;
• a sealed sensor attached to said mounting track and elongated in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction, said sensor operative for generating an electrical signal when compressed in a third direction by a second predetermined load, said third direction being substantially parallel to said second direction;
• and
• a control module in electrical communication with said sensor, said control module adapted to control said drive mechanism to articulate the closure member to the open position upon receiving said signal;
• wherein said second predetermined load is less than said first predetermined load, the mounting track and the sensor are discrete elements and the mounting track permitting the sensor to be displaced after the electrical signal has been generated.

A motor vehicle comprising:

• a body;
• a liftgate mounted to the body for articulation about a laterally extending pivot axis between an open position and a closed position;
• a drive mechanism for driving said closure member between said open position and said closed position;
• a mounting track coupled to the liftgate, the mounting track being resiliently deflectable in a first direction under a first predetermined load;
• a sealed sensor fixedly coupled to the mounting track and carried by said liftgate, said sensor operative for generating an electrical signal when compressed in a second direction under a second predetermined load, said second predetermined direction being substantially parallel to said first predetermined direction said second predetermined load being less than said first predetermined load;
• and
• a control module in electrical communication with said sensor, said control module for controlling said drive mechanism to articulate the liftgate to the open position upon receiving said signal;
• wherein the mounting track and the sensor are discrete elements.