Communications: electrical – Land vehicle alarms or indicators – Of relative distance from an obstacle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-24
2001-03-20
Swarthout, Brent A. (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Land vehicle alarms or indicators
Of relative distance from an obstacle
C340S903000, C340S932200, C359S841000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06204753
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for the protection of projecting parts of motor vehicles, which has a controllable actuator mechanism at least for retracting and/or folding the projecting motor vehicle part.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In particular, projecting parts on the sides of motor vehicles, such as side view mirror housings, are often damaged or even ripped off by collisions with lateral objects during travel or parking of the vehicle. In order to avoid this, motor vehicles such as passenger cars and utility vehicles sold today are equipped with foldable side view mirror housings. The side view mirror housing is folded, for example, when the driver presses a button. If the driver's attention is distracted by other things, for example, by parking in narrow spaces or during the normal operation of the vehicle, it may still occur that a lateral obstacle damages or rips off the side view mirror housing. In addition, it is customary to fold the side view mirror housing manually or by pressing a button after parking.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a collision protection device to protect projecting parts of a motor vehicle that react automatically to a collision hazard and reliably fold or retract the projecting motor vehicle part, extending it automatically when there is sufficient distance to the collision hazard with no intervention on the part of the driver.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the projecting motor vehicle part, in particular the side view mirror housing, is to be folded automatically even after the vehicle has been parked.
To achieve this object, in a collision protection device according to the present invention, at least one distance detection sensor or proximity sensor, which is functionally connected to the actuating mechanism and detects the distance and/or proximity of an object constituting a collision hazard to a projecting motor vehicle part, is provided on the motor vehicle, and the actuating mechanism retracts or folds the respective motor vehicle part upon receiving a detection signal delivered by the sensor and indicating a collision hazard with such an object.
When parts of a motor vehicle, as in the case of side view mirror housings, project on both sides of the motor vehicle, it is preferable, according to the present invention, that a separate sensor be assigned to each projecting motor vehicle part. The respective sensor can be integrated in the projecting motor vehicle part.
In this manner, spaces or objects in or between which motor vehicles having projecting parts are at rest or move during travel are scanned with one or more distance sensing or proximity sensors, for example, forward, backward, sideways, up, and/or down, or also overlapping.
If there is a danger that a projecting motor vehicle part may collide with an object or body, this motor vehicle part is fully or partially folded or retracted according to the present invention.
According to a preferred embodiment of the collision protection device according to the present invention, a control device provided in the vehicle, which activates the actuating mechanism, is connected to the sensor(s), and is designed to determine the speed with which the object or body approaches the respective projecting part. The control device controls the folding or retraction speed as a function of the respective speed of approach.
The control device can also determine the retraction or folding procedure of the respective vehicle part(s) as a function of parameters such as vehicle speed, direction of travel, steering angle, road condition, parking conditions of the vehicle, etc. In that case, the retraction or folding speed of the respective actuating mechanism can be controlled as a function of these parameters.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control device controls the actuating mechanism to extend or fold out the projecting vehicle part after it has recognized from the control signal(s) that there is sufficient distance to the collision hazard.
In a further preferred embodiment of the collision protection device according to the present invention, it is used to determine the distance or the approach of an object to the side view mirror housing of the vehicle. In this case it is advantageous if the sensors assigned to the respective side view mirror housings are integrated in those side view mirror housings and their scanning areas are oriented forward. In addition, sensors with scanning areas oriented backward can be provided for collision protection when moving in reverse.
As an alternative, suitable existing distance or proximity sensors can be used if such sensors are already installed in or on the vehicle. Particularly suitable are proximity sensors whose scanning areas intersect and are basically oriented forward. Furthermore, the sensor signals can be combined with existing door contacts, ignition key contacts, or the like, whereby automatic parking, i.e., folding of the side view mirror housing when the vehicle is parked, can be achieved.
In addition to the actuating mechanism already present for the side view mirror housing, the actuating mechanism can have a rapid actuator, having a spring mechanism with a pre-stressed spring, which is used for rapidly folding/moving the projecting vehicle part, i.e., the respective side view mirror housing, and the existing servo motor can be used as a slow actuator for folding out the side view mirror housing into its projecting position, prestressing at the same time the spring of the rapid actuator.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the control device can inform the driver about the folding/retraction of the side view mirror housing via an existing or an additional warning device.
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Faust Arno
Haderer Guenter
Schenk Joachim
Kenyon & Kenyon
Robert & Bosch GmbH
Swarthout Brent A.
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