2506results about "Electrical locking circuits" patented technology

A safety sensing system for a compartment of a vehicle is operable to detect an occupant within the vehicle compartment. The system may be operable to sense ambient conditions in the vehicle compartment, and may generate a control signal in response to the sensed conditions. The system may actuate indicators to notify operators of the vehicle that there is a person or animal detected in the compartment. Optionally the system may open the vehicle compartment in response to a detection of an occupant and the sensed conditions. The safety system includes a false trigger protection means that limits or reduces false detections of a person or animal within the compartment.

A capacitive proximity switch for detecting the change in the capacitance relative to a setpoint capacitance by the approach or retreat of an object in the sensitive area of a proximity switch, especially for use in the door handle of a motor vehicle, provides reliable error detection and error suppression at a fundamentally high sensitivity of the capacitive proximity switch by utilizing an evaluation unit that evaluates a measured value of the change in capacitance over time and depending on the time behavior of the measured value activates changes the operating threshold from a first threshold (which can be caused by a false object coming into or out of the sensitive area of the proximity switch) to a higher second threshold which can be reached only at a relatively greater change in capacitance caused by a target object coming into or out of the sensitive area of the proximity switch.

An ultrasound transducer array includes a multiplicity of subelements interconnected by a multiplicity of microelectronic switches, each subelement comprising a respective multiplicity of micromachined ultrasound transducer (MUT) cells. The MUT cells within a particular subelement are hard-wired together. The switches are used to configure the subelements to form multiple concentric annular elements. This design dramatically reduces complexity while enabling focusing in the elevation direction during ultrasonic image data acquisition.

A handle/liftgate assembly for a door of a vehicle is mounted to a handle region of a vehicle door and includes a handle control and a handle sensor. The handle control is responsive to the handle sensor to detect the presence of or proximity of a user or operator at the vehicle door. The handle control actuates a door latch of the vehicle door to open the vehicle door independent of a door zone module or passive entry system of the vehicle door.

A door handle assembly for a door of a vehicle includes a handle portion and an illumination module. The handle portion is disposed at the vehicle door and movable to actuate a locking mechanism of the vehicle door to open the vehicle door. The illumination module includes at least one illumination source and an icon element and a cover element. The illumination source, when operated, backlights the icon element so that an icon of the icon element is viewable through the cover element at an exterior surface of the handle portion. The icon element includes a security icon and the illumination module is operable to backlight the security icon when a security system of the vehicle is operational.

A handle assembly for a vehicle includes a base, which is adapted to mount to a vehicle, and a handle portion, which is movably mounted to the base. The handle portion is adapted to connect to a vehicle latching mechanism. The handle assembly includes at least one switch mounted to the handle portion and an electrical circuit, which is adapted to connect to a locking control system for the vehicle latching mechanism. The switch is adapted to open and close the electrical circuit to generate electrical signals to the locking control system to unlock the vehicle latching mechanism.

A flush door handle includes a powered actuator that shifts the handle from a fully retracted position to an intermediate position. A user can then grasp the handle, and pull the handle to a fully open position to thereby unlatch the door latch. After a user releases the handle, it shifts to a closed position due to spring force or a powered actuator. The door latch may also comprise a fully powered version wherein the handle shifts from a closed position to an open position, and a powered door latch releases the door latch if predefined conditions are detected.

The present invention relates to a device for actuating a moving part (10) of a vehicle (1), particularly a trunk lid (10.1), a side door (10.2), or the like, without contact, comprising a first detection means (11) for detecting an object in a first detection area (11a) and a second detection means (12) for detecting an object in a second detection area (12a) so that the actuation of the moving part (10) can be activated through the detection means (11, 12). According to the invention, the first detection means (11) is designed as a first capacitance sensor (11), and the second detection means (12) is designed as a second capacitance sensor (12), wherein means (13, 14) are provided, with which the detection areas (11a, 12a) can be specified in areas separated from each other.

An electronic door latch includes a sensor mounted inside of an outer surface of the door. The sensor may be a proximity sensor, a touch sensor or other suitable sensor configured to determine if a user's hand is present. The door latch release system further includes a powered latch that selectively retains the door latch in a closed position. The system may include a handle formed by a flange or other structure extending across a portion of a recess or pocket in the door. The system may include a receiver that utilizes a signal from a security transmitter (e.g. keyless entry fob).

A closing device for a vehicle door lock is actuated by a hand lever. The lock can be switched between a secured, inoperative position of the hand lever and an operative position in which the lock can be opened by the hand lever. An electric control device arranged within the vehicle effects via an antenna of a vehicle-correlated transmission and reception unit a data request directed to a data carrier external to the vehicle held by a vehicle user. The data carrier has a transmission and reception unit transmitting a data reply via the antenna of the vehicle-correlated transmission and reception unit to the control device which, for a positive identification of the data carrier, triggers securing, respectively, release of the lock. The antenna of the transmission and reception unit is arranged in the hand lever in addition to at least some further components of the transmission and reception unit.

A handle 16 for exterior use in a vehicle to authorize a mechanism (18) to unlatch an access door has a structural part (34); a cover (36); and a pair of sensors or switches (28, 29) between the structural part (34) and the cover (36). A first sensor or switch (28) to interact with one or more fingers of a user's (26) hand (2) and a second sensor or switch (29) spaced from said first sensor (28) to be activated by a user's (26) different finger or the user's (26) thumb. The combination of the two switches or sensors (28, 29) signal the mechanism (18) to unlatch the access door and wherein the activation of only the second sensor or switch (29) in the absence of touching the first sensor or switch (28) authorizes a mechanism (18) to lock the access door. Preferably, the first and second sensors or switches (28, 29) are electrically coupled such that activation of both authorizes an unlatching of the access door while the activation of only the second sensor or switch (29) authorizes a lock only feature. Accordingly, the second sensor or switch (29) changes authorization from unlatch to lock dependent on the use or non-use of the first sensor or switch (28).

An apparatus automatically locks the doors of a vehicle based on mutual communications between a portable unit and a vehicle-side control unit. After the doors are closed and locked after all the passengers get off the vehicle, the user of a portable unit unlocks the doors in order to allow a person without the portable unit to fetch something left in the vehicle. After the person opens a door, takes whatever he or she needs, and closes the door, the doors are automatically locked. When a door sensor is operated to unlock the doors, and one of the doors is opened, a memory means stores information indicating that the portable unit is present in a predetermined range outside of the vehicle. If the memory means stores information that the doors are unlocked, then the doors are automatically locked.

In order to reduce the stresses occurring during the closing of a manually closable body component, e.g. a door, a method of controlling the closing movement is proposed in which,

• • during the closing movement, departing from an opened position, the body component passes through a first movement range in which the body component is moved towards the closed position without any action by a control member, and,
  • following the first movement range, the body component passes through a second movement range in which the closing movement of the body component is varied in such a manner by the action of the control member that the residual kinetic energy of the body component does not exceed a predetermined limit value after passing through the second movement range, irrespective of the initial speed.

The residual kinetic energy is not sufficient to close the body component automatically. The body component is therefore automatically drawn in a third movement range following the second movement range until a pre catch or main catch of a lock is reached.

The invention relates furthermore to a corresponding control device.

The invention relates to an external door handle for the side door, rear door or boot of a motor vehicle, said door handle being fitted with a flap (1) that retracts automatically when the handle is used. The flap is fitted with a sensor (5) which detects the presence of a hand opposite said flap. When the flap is not in use, it is closed in such a way as to be perfectly flush with the external surface (2) of the door and it is held in position by a spring recall system. An actuation device, which is controlled by a computer, is designed to retract the flap at the appropriate moment in order to provide access to the door opening control (8). Said flap system can be connected to an electric-or mechanical-type-opening control. The inventive handle affords the advantage of being very practical to use and having a value-enhancing style and appearance.