Automobile electric rear cover opening and closing device

Abstract

An opening and closing device for an electric rear cover of an automobile relates to the technical field of accessories and solves the problem that a mechanism for triggering opening and closing of the electric rear cover by stepping on a physical pedal does not exist in the existing market. The device is used for triggering the electric rear cover to be opened and closed through a foot treading action; according to the device, a physical mechanism is arranged in a suitable area of the rear bumper of the vehicle, the physical mechanism comprises but is not limited to a pedal form, and detection can be carried out through any available sensing technology as long as pedal type foot treading actions are carried out. For example, a pedal of a groove structure suitable for a car type, an exposed independent pedal suitable for an SUV type or an electric rotary pedal can be designed; each pedal detects the distance change after a foot steps on the pedal through a sensor, and finally opening and closing of the electric rear cover are achieved. The pedal of the device is simple in structural design and low in cost; the foot treading action of the user is more standardized, operation is comfortable, and the action is simple.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of accessories technology, specifically to an electric rear cover opening and closing device for automobiles. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the opening and closing of electric tailgates in passenger vehicles are generally triggered by leg / foot movements. This frees up the driver's hands, making it more convenient to retrieve items from the trunk and avoid having to open and close the tailgate while holding items. Existing technologies for detecting leg / foot movements fall into two main categories: the first uses dual-capacitor cables located within the rear bumper; the second uses infrared ranging technology that projects light and shadow onto the ground. While both are widely used, each has its own unresolved problems.

[0003] In the first approach, the user triggers the action by kicking the user and then saving their data. Figure 1 As shown in the Y-section of the vehicle, the rear bumper contains two staggered capacitor lines arranged vertically and horizontally to sense kicking motions. Users frequently complain that the rear cover cannot be kicked open for the following reasons:

[0004] 1. The capacitor is sensitive to ice / snow / water. When there is ice / snow / water on the back cover surface, it will greatly interfere with the capacitor wire's detection of kicking motion.

[0005] 2. To avoid false triggering, the motion detection principle is generally designed so that the red and green capacitor lines in the figure below will detect the approach and departure of the leg / foot respectively to recognize it as a valid kicking action. However, it is difficult for different people to kick in a standard way. When the rear bumper surface is dirty, users will subconsciously avoid kicking too close, which may also fail to reach the threshold of the detection signal.

[0006] Third, vehicle manuals usually say to kick the middle of the rear bumper, but the middle of the rear bumper is a vague term and not a specific target, which can lead to inconsistent and non-standard kicking actions by users.

[0007] In the second approach, light and shadow projection is combined with an infrared ranging system, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the system projects a positioning light and shadow onto the ground below the rear bumper. When a person steps on this light and shadow, the infrared rangefinder detects that the distance between their foot and the ground has decreased (reducing the thickness of the person's foot), and the system uses this to recognize the person's trigger action. While the system has a certain technological feel, the projected light and shadow are difficult to see clearly in daylight, rendering it ineffective as a guide for the user. Furthermore, the projection light module and infrared rangefinder module in the system are not inexpensive, resulting in a high overall system cost.

[0008] In summary, both solutions have their drawbacks: capacitive or radar sensing systems lack operational indicators, are less sensitive to improper kicking movements or environmental interference, and are prone to false triggering. In contrast, the indicator lights projected into the light projection infrared ranging system are difficult to see in strong light, resulting in weak indicative capabilities; furthermore, the system cost is high.

[0009] Since there is currently no way to trigger the electric opening and closing of the rear cover by stepping on a physical pedal, this utility model provides a rear cover opening and closing triggering system that is simple to operate, has reliable signal detection, and is low in cost, in order to avoid the problems of the mainstream systems mentioned above. Utility Model Content

[0010] This utility model addresses the problems existing in the prior art by providing an electric rear cover opening and closing device and method for automobiles.

[0011] An electric tailgate opening and closing device for automobiles, which is used to trigger the opening and closing of the electric tailgate by a foot pedal action; the device includes at least one recessed pedal provided on the rear bumper, and a sensor is provided on the top of the recessed pedal.

[0012] This utility model also provides an electric rear cover opening and closing device for automobiles. The device is used to trigger the opening and closing of the electric rear cover by a foot pedal action. The device is designed as an independent, normally exposed pedal. The pedal consists of a pedal base, a pedal arm, a pedal base, and a sensing device disposed on the pedal base. The pedal base, pedal arm, and pedal base are either integrally designed or separately fixedly installed. The pedal base is fixed to the rear bumper or installed on the rear metal anti-collision beam of the body-in-white.

[0013] This utility model also provides another electric rear cover opening and closing device for automobiles, which is used to trigger the opening and closing of the electric rear cover by foot pedal action; the device is designed as an electric rotary pedal; the electric rotary pedal includes a motor, a rotating shaft, a pedal base, a pedal arm, a pedal base, and a sensing device disposed on the pedal base;

[0014] The motor output shaft is connected to the rotating shaft, and the rotating shaft is rigidly connected to the pedal arm; the pedal base, pedal arm, and pedal mounting base are an independent pedal designed as a whole or fixedly installed separately, and are fixed to the rear bumper or the rear metal anti-collision beam of the body-in-white through the pedal base.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0016] The electric rear cover opening and closing device for automobiles described in this utility model features a foot-operated physical structure (pedal) for comfortable operation: stepping on the pedal makes the operation clear and direct, the operation action is simple, and the psychological experience is better.

[0017] The electric tailgate opening and closing device for automobiles described in this utility model has a higher sensor detection success rate compared to current mainstream solutions. This is because the triggering action is highly standardized, making it easier for the sensor to detect, and the radar probe is not affected by environmental factors, resulting in higher reliability of signal sensing; thus, the sensor detection success rate is greatly improved.

[0018] The electric rear cover opening and closing device for automobiles described in this utility model has a simple pedal structure design, lower system cost, and is relatively economical. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a Y-axis cross-sectional view of a foot-kick rear-end protection (dual-capacitor antenna) in the existing technology;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a foot-operated infrared ranging system that triggers the opening and closing of the back cover in the prior art.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the recessed foot pedals on both sides of the rear bumper (viewed from the outside of the vehicle).

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the recessed foot pedals on both sides of the rear bumper (raised when viewed from inside the vehicle).

[0023] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the recessed pedal in the middle of the rear bumper;

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the outer side view of the radar probe at the top of the grooved pedal;

[0025] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the inner side view of the radar probe at the top of the grooved pedal;

[0026] Figure 8 The circuit diagrams are for the electric tailgate opening and closing device of the automobile described in Specific Implementation Method 1 and Specific Implementation Method 2.

[0027] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of a normally exposed independent pedal structure located below the center of the rear bumper on a Jeep.

[0028] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of a standalone, normally exposed, independent pedal structure;

[0029] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of an electrically operated rotary pedal structure located below the center of the rear bumper on a Jeep.

[0030] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the electric rotary pedal from the side view of the vehicle.

[0031] Figure 13A schematic diagram of a standalone electric rotary pedal structure;

[0032] Figure 14 This is a circuit diagram of the electric rear cover opening and closing device for automobiles as described in Specific Implementation Method 3.

[0033] In the diagram: 1. Grooved pedal, 2. Unpainted base plate, 3. Sensor, 4. Back structure of the grooved pedal, 5. Motor, 6. Shaft, 7. Pedal base, 8. Pedal arm, 9. Pedal base. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Specific Implementation Method 1: Combination Figures 3 to 8 This embodiment describes an electric tailgate opening and closing device for automobiles. The device includes a physical mechanism located in a suitable area of ​​the vehicle's rear bumper. This physical mechanism includes, but is not limited to, a foot pedal. Any foot-operated action, such as stepping on a pedal, can be detected using any available sensing technology. This device standardizes the user's foot-operated action, ensuring that the signal is triggered only when the foot is on this pedal.

[0035] The electric rear hatch opening and closing device of the car described in this embodiment includes at least one recessed pedal 1 installed on the rear bumper. An unpainted base plate 2 is installed at the bottom of the recessed pedal 1. The width of the recessed bottom surface together with the base plate is 12 cm, and the depth is at least 10 cm. The unpainted base plate 2 can be made of PP-EPDM-T10 material. A sensing device 3 is installed on the top of the recessed pedal 1. The distance between the surface of the sensing device 3 and the unpainted base plate 2 installed at the bottom of the recessed pedal 1 is at least 17 cm, facilitating the sensing device 3 to detect changes in distance after the foot is stepped on.

[0036] The electric tailgate opening and closing device for automobiles described in this embodiment takes into account the different chassis heights of vehicles. The pedal requires different design considerations for sedans and jeeps. For sedans with low chassis and correspondingly low rear bumper height, the pedal can be directly designed into the rear bumper, making it an integral part of the rear bumper. This way, the pedal height is not excessive, making it easy for the user to step on. Furthermore, integrating the pedal directly into the rear bumper saves costs and simplifies the engineering design, eliminating the need for a separate pedal fixing structure.

[0037] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, two recessed foot pedals 1 are located on both sides of the rear bumper, just large enough for an average person to insert one foot. Since the rear bumper is a front and rear ejector tool, this is technically feasible from the perspective of the ejector tool angle. Having a foot pedal on each side facilitates foot access, as users may be positioned slightly to one side of the rear bumper when retrieving items from the trunk, thus providing foot access on both sides.

[0038] In this embodiment, considering that the rear bumper is a painted part, the paint on the footrest surface of the recessed pedal is easily worn down by long-term foot pressure. Therefore, a separate unpainted base plate 2 can be installed on the footrest surface. For aesthetics and visibility, the surface of the unpainted base plate 2 can be treated with high-gloss electroplating, such as chrome plating. A sensing device 3 is arranged on the top of the recessed pedal 1. Figure 3 (Not visible from outside the vehicle, but visible from inside). Users can trigger the electric rear cover opening and closing by stepping on the unpainted base plate 2. Figure 4 As shown, Figure 4 This is the view from inside the car of the rear bumper's recessed pedal structure on the back; the recessed pedals on both sides of the rear bumper are raised.

[0039] like Figure 5 As shown in this embodiment, considering manufacturing costs, only one grooved pedal 1 can be designed in the middle of the rear bumper. The user can trigger the electric opening and closing of the rear cover by stepping on the grooved pedal in the middle; it is convenient for the user to step on it.

[0040] The electric rear cover opening and closing device of the car described in this embodiment is one of the foot pedal implementation schemes for opening and closing the rear cover of a car. Considering that the car chassis is low, the grooved pedal 1 should be preferentially set on the rear bumper, which is simple and direct.

[0041] In this embodiment, the sensing device 3 preferably uses a low-cost ultrasonic radar sensor (ultrasonic radar probe). The ultrasonic radar sensor is positioned with the top of the recessed pedal facing downwards. The radar probe can be fixed to the rear bumper using 3M adhesive or hot-melt bonding with a bracket. The probe, facing downwards, detects the distance to the bottom of the recessed pedal (the unpainted black base plate 2). The detection distance decreases once a foot is placed on it. The axis of the radar probe should be aligned with the center of the black surface. Considering that different specifications of ultrasonic radar probes have different minimum detection distances, the distance between the top and bottom of the recessed pedal must also be designed to account for the thickness of a foot wearing shoes, ensuring that the ultrasonic radar probe can detect the remaining distance after the foot is inserted.

[0042] In this embodiment, based on the internal height difference of the rear bumper recessed pedal, an AK1 ultrasonic radar probe can be selected. Through electronic drive control, its minimum detection distance can approach 10cm. Its industry cost is only about 15 RMB. The AK1 radar, according to its performance parameters, meets the signal detection requirements of the recessed pedal. Table 1 shows the basic performance parameters of the AK1 radar.

[0043] Table 1

[0044]

[0045] The detection of the aforementioned foot-stepping action can be achieved using infrared ranging (Tof) technology, which operates on a principle similar to that of ultrasonic radar probes. Alternatively, it can be based on capacitive sensing using capacitive wires / coils, or any other type of sensor, even a physical contact switch, as long as it can reliably detect / react the action of a person's foot stepping on the aforementioned pedal.

[0046] like Figure 8 As shown, the circuit principle used in this embodiment is as follows: the control ECU is electrically connected to the sensor, the anti-theft system controller, and the electric rear cover drive motor simultaneously.

[0047] When the foot pedal is pressed, the sensor detects the foot pressing action and sends a corresponding signal to the control ECU. The ECU checks whether the anti-theft system controller has authorized the opening of the back cover (this check is not required if the back cover is closed). Once authorization is granted, the back cover motor is driven to open the back cover or the back cover is closed directly without authorization detection.

[0048] Specific Implementation Method Two: Combination Figure 8 and Figure 10 This embodiment describes an electric tailgate opening and closing device for automobiles, specifically designed for the running boards of Jeeps. Jeeps have a high chassis, resulting in a correspondingly high rear bumper; running boards located inside the rear bumper would be uncomfortable for the user. Therefore, a separate physical running board, independent of the rear bumper, is designed directly below it. This running board should be lower than the lower edge of the rear bumper for easy access; however, its height should not be lower than the lowest point of the vehicle's chassis to avoid reducing the vehicle's ground clearance.

[0049] The electric rear cover opening and closing device of the car described in this embodiment is designed as a normally exposed pedal. The pedal consists of a pedal base 9, a pedal arm 8, a pedal mounting base 7, and a sensing device 3 disposed on the pedal base 7. The pedal is an independent pedal that is either an integral design or a separate fixed installation. The pedal can be fixed on the rear bumper or on the rear metal anti-collision beam of the body-in-white.

[0050] In this embodiment, considering the length of the pedal arm 8, the independent pedal can be made of plastic to reduce component weight and avoid mechanical damage caused by vibration during operation. Specifically, PP+EPDM-TD20 plastic material can be used. The pedal arm length design should take into account the assembly position and ensure the pedal extends sufficiently behind the rear bumper. Furthermore, for user convenience, the pedal base 9 should maintain a minimum length of ≥20cm and a width of ≥5cm. This pedal can be located below the rear bumper, and the user can trigger the electric opening and closing of the rear cover by stepping on the pedal base 9. A sensor 3 is arranged on the pedal base 7 to detect the user's foot movement.

[0051] The sensing device 3 described in this embodiment is the same as the sensing device described in Specific Embodiment 1, and the circuit principle is the same as that in Specific Embodiment 1.

[0052] Specific Implementation Method Three: Combination Figures 11 to 14 This embodiment describes an electric rear cover opening and closing device for automobiles, which is another type of electric rotary pedal designed for jeeps; the rotary pedal includes a motor 5, a rotating shaft 6, a pedal base 7, a pedal arm 8, a pedal base 9, and a sensing device 3 disposed on the pedal base.

[0053] The pedal is an independent pedal consisting of a pedal base 9, a pedal arm 8, and a pedal mounting base 7, either integrated or separately fixedly installed. The pedal base 7 (which itself does not move) is assembled to the vehicle. The output shaft of the motor 5 is connected to the rotating shaft 6. When the motor 5 rotates, the rotating shaft 6 rotates in both directions along its own axis. The pedal arm 8 is rigidly connected to the rotating shaft 6 and is driven by the rotating shaft 6 to perform a fan-shaped (or pendulum) motion. Figure 12 As shown, from the vehicle side view of the pedal, it can be seen that the pedal base 7 is closer to the front of the vehicle, and the pedal base 9 is closer to the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, the entire pedal arm 8 is tilted up and down, rather than straight up and down.

[0054] The working principle of the electric rotary pedal described in this embodiment is as follows:

[0055] When the vehicle is in motion, motor 5 starts to rotate, driving pedal arm 8 and pedal base 9 upwards via shaft 6, causing the pedals to retract behind the rear bumper. When the vehicle stops, motor 5 rotates in the opposite direction, causing the pedals to rotate downwards, exposing the pedal base under the rear bumper to the user. The direction of rotation is as follows: Figure 13 As shown; when the user steps on the pedal base 9, the sensor 3 on the pedal base 7 will detect the change in distance and thus sense the user's foot movement, thereby triggering the electric opening and closing of the rear cover by stepping on the pedal base 9.

[0056] The electrically operated rotary pedal described in this embodiment is another implementation of the split pedal system in Jeeps. OEMs can design it as electrically operated if they do not prefer the pedal to be normally exposed below the rear bumper. Figure 13 As shown, the pedal arm 8 can rotate up and down around the pivot 6. When the vehicle has speed, the pedal rotates along the upward arrow and retracts below the rear bumper (not visible from the rear). When the vehicle speed is zero, the pedal rotates along the downward arrow to below the rear bumper for the user to step on. The electric rotation of the pedal is a conventional motor drive control design in engineering. The motion control, boundary control, stall control, and the assembly layout of the entire mechanism in the rear bumper area are all standard engineering designs.

[0057] The sensing device 3 described in this embodiment is the same as the sensing device described in specific embodiment one. The circuit principle is as follows: Figure 14 The circuit principle used in this embodiment is as follows: the control ECU is simultaneously connected to the sensor, the anti-theft system controller, the electric rear cover drive motor, and the electric rotary pedal motor;

[0058] When the vehicle is moving, the ECU controls the pedal motor to drive the pedal to rotate upwards and retract behind the rear bumper; when the vehicle stops, the ECU controls the pedal motor to drive the pedal to rotate downwards and stop under the rear bumper, making it convenient for the user to use. When the user presses the pedal, the signal detection and related control are the same as in implementation methods one and two.

[0059] In this embodiment, the electrically operated rotary pedal, the recessed pedal in specific embodiment one, and the normally exposed pedal in specific embodiment two are all stationary when the foot is pressed on them. That is, pressing the foot on the pedal does not cause rotational movement like an accelerator or brake pedal. It merely serves as a trigger for signal sensing; therefore, the foot does not need to exert much force; simply placing the foot on the pedal triggers the signal sensing.

[0060] Specific Implementation Method Four: This implementation method is an example of actual operation testing of the pedal in the opening and closing device described in Specific Implementation Method One, Specific Implementation Method Two, or Specific Implementation Method Three.

[0061] In this embodiment, the operation experience, detection success rate, false trigger rate and cost are compared with the existing technology, as shown in Table 2.

[0062] User experience: Evaluation dimensions include whether the object of operation is clear and whether the triggering action is comfortable. If the object is unclear or the operation is difficult, the score should be lowered;

[0063] Detection success rate: If the system fails to detect human trigger actions under certain operating conditions, the score should be lowered;

[0064] False trigger rate: False triggering refers to a system issuing a trigger signal without any human intervention. If this occurs under certain operating conditions, the false trigger rate score should be increased.

[0065] Cost: refers only to the material cost associated with implementing the trigger action detection function;

[0066] Each of the above dimensions has three evaluation results: high, medium, and low.

[0067] Table 2

[0068]

[0069] The following is an explanation of some of the evaluation results in Table 2:

[0070] (1) In the existing technology, two capacitor antennas are arranged vertically / front and back. When kicking, the lower leg and the instep need to trigger two capacitor lines respectively to be effective. If the action is not standard, it will not be collected. In addition, the ice, snow and rain on the rear cover surface also affect the detection sensitivity of the capacitor lines. All of these factors affect the detection success rate of this solution.

[0071] (2) The existing technology uses a projection light module and an infrared detector module, which greatly increases the system cost. The mainstream price in the industry is over 200 yuan.

[0072] (3) The grooved pedal in the first embodiment of this utility model, the independent pedal in the second embodiment, and the electric rotating pedal in the third embodiment are all examples of this utility model. When the foot steps on the pedal, the radar probe will detect the change in distance, which has high detection reliability and a success rate of 100%.

[0073] (4) The operation signal will only be triggered when the detection distance on the pedal changes, and the detection distance on the pedal is almost not easily changed by false triggering, so the false triggering rate is almost zero.

[0074] (5) In terms of cost, the cost of a single radar probe in the grooved pedal of the first specific implementation method is only about RMB15-20, and the system cost can be controlled at around RMB50.

[0075] (6) The electric rotating pedal in Specific Implementation 3 is based on the fact that, in addition to the components included in Specific Implementation 2, it also requires a rotating motor and related structures; here, the 100rmb evaluation is based on this.

[0076] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0077] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of this utility model, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these all fall within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An electrically operated rear hatch apparatus for a vehicle, characterized by: The device is used for triggering the opening and closing of the electric back cover through the foot stepping action; the device comprises at least one recessed pedal provided on the back cover, a sensing device is provided on the top of the recessed pedal, and a non-painted bottom plate is installed on the bottom of the recessed pedal.

2. The automobile electrically-driven rear cover opening and closing device according to claim 1, characterized by: The recessed pedal is provided at the middle position of the back cover or on both sides of the back cover.

3. The automobile electrically-driven rear cover opening and closing device according to claim 1, characterized by: The surface of the non-painted bottom plate is subjected to high-brightness electroplating treatment; the width of the bottom plate is 12 cm, and the depth is more than 10 cm; and the distance between the surface of the sensing device and the non-painted bottom plate is at least 17 cm or more.

4. The electrically-driven rear hatch opening and closing device for an automobile according to claim 3, characterized by: The material of the non-painted bottom plate can use PP-EPDM-T10.

5. The electrically-driven rear hatch opening and closing device for an automobile according to claim 1, characterized by: The sensing device adopts an ultrasonic radar sensor, which is arranged downward on the top of the recessed pedal and is fixed on the back cover by a support through 3M adhesive or plastic hot melting, and the probe of the ultrasonic radar sensor detects the distance from the non-painted bottom plate on the bottom of the recessed pedal.

6. An electrically operated opening and closing device for a rear cover of an automobile, characterized by: The device is used for triggering the opening and closing of the electric back cover through the foot stepping action; the device is designed as an independent normal exposed pedal, which is composed of a pedal base, a pedal arm, a pedal pedestal and a sensing device provided on the pedal pedestal; the pedal base, the pedal arm and the pedal pedestal are designed integrally or fixed and installed separately; and the pedal pedestal is fixed on the back cover or installed on the rear metal anti-collision beam of the body-in-white.

7. The electrically-driven rear hatch opening and closing device for an automobile according to claim 6, characterized by: The length of the pedal base is greater than or equal to 20 cm, and the width is greater than or equal to 5 cm.

8. The electrically-driven rear hatch opening and closing device for an automobile according to claim 6, characterized by: The pedal is provided directly below the back cover and is independent of the back cover; the height of the pedal is lower than the lower edge of the back cover and higher than the lowest position of the vehicle chassis.

9. An electrically operated opening and closing device for a rear cover of an automobile, characterized by: The device is used for triggering the opening and closing of the electric back cover through the foot stepping action; the device is designed as an electric rotary pedal; the electric rotary pedal comprises a motor, a rotating shaft, a pedal pedestal, a pedal arm, a pedal base and a sensing device provided on the pedal pedestal; The output shaft of the motor is connected with the rotating shaft, and the rotating shaft is rigidly connected with the pedal arm; The pedal base, the pedal arm and the pedal mounting pedestal are designed integrally or fixed and installed separately to form an independent pedal, which is fixed on the back cover or the rear metal anti-collision beam of the body-in-white through the pedal pedestal.

10. The electrically-driven rear hatch opening and closing device for an automobile according to claim 9, characterized by: The motor drives the rotating shaft to rotate and further drives the pedal linkage; after the vehicle stops, the pedal is turned down and stopped below the back cover; when the vehicle is running, the pedal is turned up and stored in the back cover.

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