Heated footrest and system for additive manufacturing of motor vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a heated running board and system for additive manufacturing of a motor vehicle. A heated running board for a motor vehicle includes a substrate formed by an additive manufacturing process and a prefabricated heater embedded within the substrate. The prefabricated heater is not formed by the additive manufacturing process. A system for operating a heated running board of a motor vehicle includes the heated running board, at least one sensor, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a signal from the at least one sensor and to power the pre-heater to control a temperature of the pre-heater based on at least one operating characteristic from the at least one sensor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to running boards for motor vehicles, and more particularly, to a method of making a heated running board and a system for operating the heated running board. Background Art

[0002] The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.

[0003] Motor vehicles are often equipped with running boards that extend along the entry area of ​​the motor vehicle to assist passengers in entering and exiting the motor vehicle. In some motor vehicles, the running boards are permanently attached to the side of the motor vehicle, while in other configurations, they can be deployed when the motor vehicle door is opened. However, in both cases, because they are on the exterior of the motor vehicle, they are subject to weather and other factors. For example, they may be covered with dust, they may become wet, or in certain weather conditions they may be covered with ice.

[0004] The present disclosure solves these problems associated with running boards being covered with dirt, debris or ice. Summary of the invention

[0005] This section provides a general summary of the disclosure and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

[0006] In one form, the present disclosure provides a heated running board for a motor vehicle. The heated running board includes a base plate formed by an additive manufacturing process and a prefabricated heater embedded in the base plate. The prefabricated heater is not formed by the additive manufacturing process.

[0007] In a variation of the heated footboard that may be implemented individually or in any combination: the substrate includes a plurality of holes, and the prefabricated heater defines a trace pattern extending around the plurality of holes; the heated footboard also includes a plurality of LEDs (light emitting diodes) embedded in the substrate and positioned across at least a portion of the plurality of holes; the prefabricated heater includes a resistive heating element surrounded by a dielectric core, the dielectric core being surrounded by a protective sleeve; the prefabricated heater includes a radiant fluid channel configured to contain a heating fluid; the prefabricated heater is disposed proximate an upper surface of the substrate; the heated footboard also includes an ice detector embedded in the substrate; the heated footboard also includes at least one temperature sensor embedded in the substrate; the substrate is a unitary material; the heated footboard also includes a plurality of embedded prefabricated heaters disposed in predetermined positions along the length of the substrate; each of the plurality of prefabricated heaters is independently controlled; and the heated footboard also includes an electronic circuit embedded in the substrate.

[0008] The present disclosure also provides a heated running board for a motor vehicle. The heated running board includes: a substrate formed by an additive manufacturing process; a prefabricated heater embedded in the substrate and arranged near the upper surface of the substrate; and a plurality of LEDs (light emitting diodes) embedded in the substrate. The substrate includes a plurality of holes. The prefabricated heater defines a trace pattern extending around the plurality of holes. The LED is positioned across at least a portion of the plurality of holes.

[0009] In another form, the present disclosure provides a system for operating heated running boards of a motor vehicle. The system includes a heated running board, at least one sensor, and a controller. The heated running board includes a substrate formed by an additive manufacturing process and a prefabricated heater embedded in the substrate. The controller is configured to receive a signal from the at least one sensor and to supply power to the prefabricated heater to control a temperature of the prefabricated heater based on at least one operating characteristic from the at least one sensor.

[0010] In a variation of the system that may be implemented alone or in any combination: the at least one sensor is a temperature sensor and the at least one operating characteristic is outside air temperature (OAT); the at least one sensor is a vibration sensor and the at least one operating characteristic is ice accumulation; the at least one sensor is an external camera mounted to the motor vehicle and the at least one operating characteristic is accumulation of foreign matter along the baseboard; the at least one sensor is a resistive heating element of the prefabricated heater, the resistive heating element defining a sufficient temperature coefficient of resistance to function as both a heater and a sensor; when the motor vehicle is started, the controller provides power to the prefabricated heater based on a predetermined schedule; and the controller is configured to deploy the heated running boards based on the at least one operating characteristic.

[0011] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein.It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] In order that the present disclosure may be better understood, various forms of the present disclosure will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0013] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a motor vehicle having a heated running board constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A top perspective view of one form of heated running boards;

[0015] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The heated running boards are along Figure 2 a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of ;

[0016] Figure 4 is a perspective cutaway view of a tubular heater constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure;

[0017] Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing a heated running board according to the teachings of the present disclosure; and

[0018] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system for operating heated running boards in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0019] The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts and features.

[0021] refer to Figures 1 to 3 , a heated running board 20 is shown for an exemplary motor vehicle 10. The heated running board 20 is configured as a long generally rectangular surface disposed along the motor vehicle 10 to assist passengers in entering or exiting the motor vehicle 10. In one form (not shown), the heated running board 20 is configured to extend from a retracted position to an extended position and back to provide a streamlined shape to the motor vehicle 10.

[0022] The heated step plate 20 generally includes a base plate 22 formed by an additive manufacturing process and a prefabricated heater 24 embedded in the base plate 22. As explained in more detail below, the prefabricated heater 24 is not formed by an additive manufacturing process, but is preformed or manufactured prior to the actual additive manufacturing process of forming the base plate 22 and embedding the prefabricated heater 24 in the base plate 22.

[0023] The base plate 22 is made by an additive manufacturing method, as described in more detail below. Because the base plate 22 is made by additive manufacturing technology, the base plate 22 can be made as a single integral component rather than an assembly of individual parts. Therefore, the integral structure of the base plate 22 reduces potential stress caused by welding or other joining methods (such as mechanical), and also provides flexibility to enable embedding of prefabricated heaters 24 and other components, as described in more detail below.

[0024] In one form, the substrate 22 is made of a metal such as aluminum, stainless steel, or mild steel. In another form, the substrate 22 is made of a polymer such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyamide, polypropylene, etc. In yet another form, the substrate 22 may be made of a composite or hybrid material, such as, for example, a thermoset or thermoplastic matrix with embedded fibers. In one form, the substrate 22 is monolithic, i.e., the same material throughout, having the same material properties in each direction. In another form, more than one type of material may be used in manufacturing the substrate 22, for example, a polymer on the bottom and an aluminum material on the top. Additional examples and details of various additive manufacturing methods are provided in more detail below.

[0025] Specific reference Figure 3, the base plate 22 includes a lower portion 26 and an upper portion 28. The upper portion 28 includes an upper surface 30 and, in one form, includes a plurality of protrusions 32. The optional protrusions 32 (or other surface shaping / texturing) provide more traction for the operator and / or passenger on the upper surface 30. As further shown, the base plate 22 includes a plurality of holes 34 (also in the lower surface 31) extending from the upper surface 30 through the base plate 22 to the lower surface 31. Figure 2 Holes 34 are typically provided to reduce the weight of the entire heated step board 20 while also providing drainage for precipitation or debris that may form on the upper surface 30 of the heated step board 20. In another form not shown, the heated step board 20 does not include any holes 34.

[0026] The preformed heater 24 is embedded within the base plate 22 between the lower portion 26 and the upper portion 28 and in this form is disposed proximate to the upper surface 30 of the base plate 22. This brings the heat from the preformed heater 24 closer to the ice / accumulation on the upper surface 30 and helps provide improved traction on the upper surface 30 of the heated running board 20. However, it should be understood that the preformed heater 24 may be placed at any of a number of locations within the base plate 22 depending on the requirements of a particular application while falling within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0027] Also refer to Figure 2 , the prefabricated heater 24 defines a trace pattern (or path) extending around the plurality of holes 34 as shown. The trace pattern is configured to provide heat in a predetermined area of ​​the substrate 22, and the trace pattern as shown is therefore merely exemplary.

[0028] In one form not shown, the heated step board 20 includes a plurality of embedded pre-fabricated heaters 24 disposed in predetermined positions along the length of the base plate 22. Each of the plurality of pre-fabricated heaters 24 may be independently controlled, or alternatively, some of the plurality of pre-fabricated heaters 24 may be controlled together or simultaneously.

[0029] Return to reference Figure 3 In one form, the heated running board 20 also includes a plurality of LEDs (light emitting diodes) 35 embedded within the substrate 22 and positioned across at least a portion of the plurality of holes 34. The LEDs 35 illuminate the heated running board 20 and thus help the operator or passenger more easily locate and place their feet on the heated running board 20. The LEDs 35 may also be located in other areas of the heated running board 20 while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure, and thus the positions shown herein are merely exemplary. For example, the LEDs 35 may be located at the outer edge 37 so that the heated running board 20 is visible from the outside of the motor vehicle 10.

[0030] In additional forms, at least one sensor 62 is embedded within the substrate 22. Various types of sensors 62 may be utilized, including but not limited to ice detectors or temperature sensors. The sensor 62 will be described in more detail below.

[0031] The heated running board 20 also includes electronic circuitry 36 embedded within the substrate 22. The electronic circuitry 36 is used to provide power to the pre-heater 24, the LED 35, the sensor 62, or any other electrical components in or on the substrate 22. The electronic circuitry 36 may also be used to receive communications from a controller 64 or sensor 62 on the motor vehicle 10.

[0032] As previously described, the prefabricated heater 24 is preformed or fabricated during the additive manufacturing process prior to being embedded in the substrate 22. Thus, the prefabricated heater 24 is not fabricated by additive manufacturing at the same time as the substrate 22 is formed by additive manufacturing. Figure 4 , the prefabricated heater 24 is a "tubular" heater construction that generally includes a resistive heating element 42 surrounded by a dielectric core 44, which is surrounded by a protective sheath 46. The resistive heating element 42 may also define a sufficient temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) to function as both a heater 24 and a temperature sensor (i.e., changes in resistance are calibrated to the TCR characteristics of the resistive heating element 42 to calculate temperature). In another form, the prefabricated heater 24 is a radiant fluid channel (not shown) that is configured to accommodate a heating fluid (e.g., engine cooling fluid) provided / routed from a system of the motor vehicle 10.

[0033] Reference now Figure 5 , a method of manufacturing a heated step plate 20 is shown. First, a lower portion 26 of a substrate 22 is manufactured by additive manufacturing. For example, in one form, the lower portion of the substrate 22 is manufactured by fuse fabrication, wherein multiple polymer layers are accumulated until a desired shape is formed. Next, a prefabricated heater 24 is placed on the lower portion 26 of the substrate 22. In one form, a recess is left in the lower portion 26 during printing, and the prefabricated heater 24 is placed in the recess. Finally, an upper portion 28 of the substrate 22 is manufactured by additive manufacturing, thereby embedding or encapsulating the prefabricated heater 24. In additional variations of the method, similar to the prefabricated heater 24, additional components (such as circuits 36, LEDs 35, or sensors 62) are also embedded in the substrate 22 at specific predetermined locations.

[0034] The substrate 22 is additively manufactured using known or yet to be developed additive manufacturing techniques. In one form, the substrate 22 is manufactured from metal powder by methods such as, but not limited to, selective laser melting (SLM), direct metal laser sintering (DMSL), direct metal laser melting (DMLM), and electron beam melting (EBM). In another form, the substrate 22 is manufactured from polymers by methods such as, but not limited to, fused filament fabrication (FFF), selective laser sintering (SLS), stereolithography (SLA), etc.

[0035] Additive manufacturing provides flexibility in producing heated running boards having a base plate with embedded components (e.g., prefabricated heaters 24, LEDs 35, sensors 62) while allowing for varying compositions throughout the volume of the heated running board 20. For example, the upper portion 28 may be a wear-resistant material such as ABS or nylon, while the lower portion 26 is a lower density material such as polypropylene to reduce weight. In one form, the base plate 22 is additively manufactured to include a plurality of small voids in predetermined locations such that the density of the base plate varies throughout the volume of the heated running board 20.

[0036] Thus, the heated footboard 20 has several unique structural properties due to the additive manufacturing process combined with the prefabricated heater 24. For example, the properties of the substrate 22 are customized for a specific application and are also customized for the requirements of a specific location in the heated footboard by changing the material and / or material properties. In addition, the embedded components (prefabricated heater 24, sensor 62, LED 35, electronic circuit 36) can be set at any location in the substrate 22 in real time and without special tools, thus further customizing the design for a specific application. The customized position of the prefabricated heater 24 also allows heat to be precisely delivered to a specific location of the heated footboard 20 by adjusting the path / trace or distance of the prefabricated heater 24 from the upper surface 30. In addition, because additive manufacturing produces a one-piece substrate without joints or seams, the heated footboard 20 has higher strength and lighter weight than conventional manufacturing techniques.

[0037] Reference now Figure 6 , a system 60 for operating heated running boards 20 is shown as being integrally formed with an exemplary motor vehicle 10. The system 60 includes the heated running boards 20 as described above, and at least one sensor 62 in communication with a controller 64. As explained in more detail below, the controller 64 is configured to receive signals from the sensor 62 and to supply power to the pre-heater 24 to control the temperature of the pre-heater 24 based on at least one operating characteristic from the sensor 62.

[0038] At least one sensor 62 detects at least one operating characteristic. The at least one operating characteristic may include any of a variety of external environmental conditions and / or motor vehicle conditions. The operating characteristic may include, for example, temperature, vibration, light, ice accumulation, or motor vehicle speed, etc. In one form, the sensor 62 is a temperature sensor, and the operating characteristic is the temperature of the outside air or the temperature of the upper surface of the heated running board 20. The resistive heater 24 element of the prefabricated heater 24 may be used as a temperature sensor, or a separate temperature sensor may be included. In another form, the sensor 62 is a vibration sensor, and the operating characteristic is ice accumulation on the heated running board 20. If the heated running board 20 is retractable, the torque sensor 62 may identify ice accumulation in addition to or in place of the vibration sensor. In yet another form, the sensor 62 is a camera, and the operating characteristic is foreign matter accumulation on the base plate 22, which may include ice or a mixture of ice and mud. The camera may also be used to identify snow or ice in the environment surrounding the motor vehicle 10, thereby indicating a potential icing condition. An LED embedded in the base plate 22 may be used to assist in the visual identification of material accumulation. Other types of sensors 62 and operating characteristics may be utilized within the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, the various forms may be used in any combination. The sensor 62 is located on the motor vehicle 10 and may be embedded in the substrate 22, otherwise attached to the heated running board 20, or placed at another location on the motor vehicle 10.

[0039] The controller 64 is coupled to at least one sensor 62 that measures or detects external environmental conditions and motor vehicle conditions. In one form, the controller 64 is part of an electronic control unit (ECU) of the motor vehicle 10 that controls one or more electrical systems of the motor vehicle 10. In another form, the controller 64 is further configured to deploy or retract the heated running boards 20 based on the at least one operating characteristic. The controller 64 is configured as will be understood in the art and in one form includes a processor and a memory.

[0040] The controller 64 is configured to send power to the pre-heater 24 based on the signal received from the sensor 62 to apply heat to the heated step board 20. In one form, if the input from the sensor 62 indicates that the operating characteristic has met a predetermined threshold or range, the controller will send power to the pre-heater 24. The controller may continue to send power to the pre-heater 24 until the operating characteristic is no longer within the predetermined range. Alternatively, the controller 64 may provide power to the pre-heater 24 for a period of time. In another form, the controller 64 may cycle the pre-heater 24 on and off at predetermined intervals until the operating characteristic is no longer within the predetermined range.

[0041] In one form, the controller 64 provides power to the pre-heater 24 based on a predetermined schedule from events, such as when the motor vehicle 10 is started or shut down. In another form, the controller 64 provides power to the pre-heater 24 based on a weather forecast or other additional inputs. These and other various control schemes may be employed depending on specific operating requirements or user preferences while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0042] Unless otherwise expressly indicated herein, all numerical values ​​indicating mechanical / thermal properties, composition percentages, dimensions and / or tolerances or other characteristics when describing the scope of the present disclosure should be understood to be modified by the word "about" or "approximately". Such modifications are desirable for a variety of reasons, including: industrial practice; material, manufacturing and assembly tolerances; and testing capabilities.

[0043] As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A or B or C), using a non-exclusive logical "or", and should not be construed to mean "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C."

[0044] In this application, the terms "controller" and / or "module" may refer to, be part of, or include: an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital integrated circuit; a combinatorial logic circuit; a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code; a memory circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that stores code executed by the processor circuit; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality (e.g., an operational amplifier circuit integrator as part of a heat flux data module); or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system on a chip.

[0045] The term memory is a subset of the term computer-readable medium. The term computer-readable medium as used herein does not encompass transient electrical or electromagnetic signals propagated through a medium (such as on a carrier wave); therefore, the term computer-readable medium may be considered to be tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory tangible computer-readable media are non-volatile memory circuits (such as flash memory circuits, erasable programmable read-only memory circuits, or mask read-only circuits), volatile memory circuits (such as static random access memory circuits or dynamic random access memory circuits), magnetic storage media (such as analog or digital tape or hard drives), and optical storage media (such as CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs).

[0046] The apparatus and methods described in this application may be implemented partially or completely by a special-purpose computer, which is created by configuring a general-purpose computer to perform one or more specific functions embodied in a computer program. The functional blocks, flow chart components, and other elements described above are used as software specifications, which can be translated into a computer program by routine work of a technician or programmer.

[0047] The description of the present disclosure is merely exemplary in nature, and thus, variations that do not depart from the essence of the present disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the present disclosure. Such variations should not be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0048] The invention also features an ice detector embedded in the substrate, according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0049] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is also characterized by at least one temperature sensor embedded in the substrate.

[0050] According to the present invention, a heated running board for a motor vehicle is provided, the heated running board having: a substrate formed by an additive manufacturing process; a prefabricated heater embedded in the substrate, the prefabricated heater being arranged near the upper surface of the substrate; and a plurality of LEDs (light emitting diodes) embedded in the substrate, wherein the substrate includes a plurality of holes, and the prefabricated heater defines a trace pattern extending around the plurality of holes, and wherein the LEDs are positioned across at least a portion of the plurality of holes.

[0051] According to an embodiment, the at least one sensor is a resistive heating element of the prefabricated heater, the resistive heating element defining a sufficient temperature coefficient of resistance to function as both a heater and a sensor.

[0052] According to an embodiment, the controller is configured to deploy the heated running boards based on the at least one operating characteristic.

Claims

1. A heated running board for a motor vehicle, the heated running board comprising: a substrate formed by an additive manufacturing process; as well as A prefabricated heater is embedded in the substrate, wherein the prefabricated heater is not formed by the additive manufacturing process. 2 . The heated running board of claim 1 , wherein the substrate includes a plurality of holes and the prefabricated heater defines a trace pattern extending around the plurality of holes.

3. The heated step board of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of LEDs (light emitting diodes) embedded within the substrate and positioned across at least a portion of the plurality of apertures.

4. A heated running board as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the prefabricated heater comprises a resistive heating element surrounded by a dielectric core, the dielectric core being surrounded by a protective sheath.

5. A heated running board according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the prefabricated heater comprises a radiant fluid channel configured to contain a heating fluid.

6. A heated footboard according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the prefabricated heater is disposed proximate an upper surface of the base plate.

7. The heated running board of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a unitary material.

8. The heated running board of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of embedded prefabricated heaters disposed in predetermined locations along a length of the base plate.

9. The heated running board of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of prefabricated heaters is independently controlled.

10. The heated running board of claim 1 further comprising electronic circuitry embedded within the substrate.

11. A system for heating a running board of a motor vehicle, the system comprising: The heated footboard as claimed in claim 1; at least one sensor; as well as A controller is provided, wherein the controller is configured to receive a signal from the at least one sensor and to provide power to the prefabrication heater to control a temperature of the prefabrication heater based on at least one operating characteristic from the at least one sensor.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor is a temperature sensor and the at least one operating characteristic is outside air temperature (OAT).

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor is a vibration sensor and the at least one operational characteristic is ice accretion.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor is an external camera mounted to the vehicle and the at least one operating characteristic is accumulation of foreign matter along the substrate.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller provides power to the pre-heater based on a predetermined schedule when the motor vehicle is started.

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