Vehicle system and a method for activating and / or deactivating personal protection devices of the vehicle system

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle system comprising a vehicle (5) and a first personal protection device (21), wherein the first personal protection device (21) is designed and / or suitable for preventing a direct impact of a person (3) onto a road surface (7) and for cushioning and / or dampening an indirect impact of the person (3) onto the road surface (7), wherein the person (3) has previously collided with the vehicle (5). According to the invention, the first personal protection device (21) can be activated and deactivated, preferably multiple times.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle system according to the preamble of claim 1 and according to claim 10 to a method for activating and / or deactivating personal protection devices of the vehicle system.

[0002] A generic vehicle system comprises a vehicle and a passenger protection device formed by an airbag. In the event of a crash, the passenger protection device cushions and / or dampens the impact of a person colliding with the vehicle on the road surface on which the vehicle is located. The passenger protection device, i.e., the airbag, of the vehicle system is activated in the event of a crash and must then always be replaced. The vehicle system therefore has the disadvantage that the passenger protection device can only be used in a precisely predefined driving situation of the vehicle, namely the crash situation.

[0003] A vehicle is known from DE 10 2019 000 453 A1. WO 2007 / 097666 A1 discloses a bumper airbag. A pedestrian protection system is known from DE 103 19 284 A1.

[0004] An object of the invention is to provide a vehicle system comprising a vehicle and a personal protection device, in which the personal protection device is flexible and can be used in different driving situations of the vehicle.

[0005] This object is achieved by the features of the independent claims. Preferred developments of the invention are disclosed in the subclaims.

[0006] According to the invention, a vehicle system is proposed comprising a vehicle and a first personal protection device, wherein the first personal protection device is designed and / or suitable for preventing a direct impact of a person on a road surface and for cushioning and / or dampening an indirect impact of the person on the road surface, wherein the person has previously collided with the vehicle.

[0007] According to the invention, the first personal protection device can be activated and deactivated, preferably multiple times. The first personal protection device can thus be activated not only when a collision between the person and the vehicle has already occurred or is certainly imminent, but can also be activated in a pre-crash situation in which a collision is at least likely. If, for example, a collision between the person and the vehicle does not occur as a result of the pre-crash situation, the first personal protection device can be deactivated and subsequently reactivated. The multiple activation capability makes the first personal protection device flexible and suitable for use in different vehicle driving situations.

[0008] In order to be able to use the advantages of the vehicle system, for example in public road traffic, it is preferably provided that the personal protection device is designed and / or suitable for cushioning and / or dampening the direct impact of the person colliding with the vehicle on the part of the road surface and / or an indirect impact of the person colliding with the vehicle on the part of the road surface, which part of the road surface is located in front of and / or next to and / or behind the vehicle with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

[0009] For example, it can be provided that the first personal protection device is formed by an airbag, preferably arranged or fastened to an underbody of the vehicle, and that the personal protection device is designed and / or suitable for the airbag to be activated in the event of a pre-crash situation and to unfold laterally next to the vehicle.

[0010] In order to ensure that the first personal protection device can be accommodated in a space-saving manner and that the road surface can be shielded from the impact of the person with the road surface with short travel distances of the first personal protection device, a preferred embodiment provides that the first personal protection device is arranged on an underbody of the vehicle, preferably fastened to the underbody.

[0011] In order to be able to produce the first personal protection device cost-effectively and robustly, it is provided in an exemplary embodiment that the first personal protection device has a fastening element, preferably a fastening plate, and a setting plate and an intermediate layer which is arranged, preferably with respect to a vertical axis of the vehicle, between the fastening plate and the setting plate, wherein it is preferably provided that the fastening plate is fastened to the underbody of the vehicle.

[0012] In order to achieve a cushioning and / or damping effect of the first personal protection device in a structurally simple manner, a preferred embodiment provides that the material of the intermediate layer is a preferably compressible material, particularly preferably a memory foam or a rubber mat or a foam.

[0013] In order to be able to use the first personal protection device as needed and at an early stage, it is provided in an exemplary embodiment that the vehicle system has a control and / or regulating unit which is in signal connection with the first personal protection device, and that the control and / or regulating unit is designed and / or suitable for detecting a pre-crash situation for the vehicle system with the person and, when a pre-crash situation is detected, for activating the first personal protection device and for transferring it from a deactivated state of the first personal protection device, preferably electromechanically, to an activated state of the first personal protection device.Preferably, it can be provided that the control and / or regulating unit is designed and / or suitable for deactivating the first personal protection device and, preferably electromechanically, transferring it from the activated state to the deactivated state, provided that no collision has occurred between the vehicle system and the person.

[0014] Preferably, it can be provided that the control and / or regulating unit determines a probability value for detecting the pre-crash situation, and that the control and / or regulating unit detects the presence of a pre-crash situation when a predefined probability value, preferably 99%, is exceeded.

[0015] In order to be able to detect the pre-crash situation particularly reliably and at an early stage, it is provided, for example, that the control and / or regulating unit has a pre-crash sensor system, wherein it is preferably provided that the pre-crash sensor system has one or more environmental sensors, wherein it is particularly preferably provided that at least one of the environmental sensors is a radar sensor or a lidar sensor or a camera.

[0016] In order that the first personal protection device does not impair the comfort of use of the vehicle in its deactivated state, it is provided in a specific embodiment that the adjusting plate is in its rest position in the deactivated state of the first personal protection device, and that the adjusting plate is located, preferably completely, below the vehicle in the rest position, wherein it is preferably provided that, in the deactivated state of the first personal protection device, the material of the intermediate layer is compressed, preferably completely, between the fastening plate and the adjusting plate.

[0017] It is preferably provided that the setting plate in the rest position, when viewed from above onto the vehicle, does not protrude laterally and / or forwards and / or backwards over the vehicle.

[0018] In order for the first personal protection device to be able to reliably prevent or at least cushion and / or dampen an impact of the person who has collided with the vehicle onto the road surface, a preferred embodiment provides that the positioning plate and at least partially the intermediate layer, which is preferably fastened to the positioning plate, in the activated state of the first personal protection device, when viewed from above onto the vehicle and / or in the negative vehicle vertical axis direction, protrude beyond the vehicle to the front of the vehicle and / or to one of the vehicle sides and / or to the rear of the vehicle.

[0019] Preferably, it can be provided that the positioning plate extends substantially parallel to the road surface in the activated state of the first passenger protection device. Alternatively or additionally, it can preferably be provided that, in the activated state of the first passenger protection device, the material of the intermediate layer is decompressed, i.e., preferably not compressed.

[0020] In order to reliably protect the person colliding with the vehicle from an impact on the entire road surface around the vehicle, it is provided in an exemplary embodiment that the vehicle system has a plurality of personal protection devices, preferably the first personal protection device and further personal protection devices, and that the personal protection devices are each in signal connection with the control and / or regulating unit and are functionally identical to one another, wherein it is preferably provided that the personal protection devices differ, preferably exclusively, in their arrangement position and / or fastening position on the underbody of the vehicle.

[0021] In order for the vehicle system to be practical and energy-saving, a specific embodiment provides that the control and / or regulating unit is designed and / or suitable for activating only the personal protection devices on which the person will impact after the collision with the vehicle system.

[0022] According to the invention, a method is further proposed for activating and / or deactivating personal protection devices, preferably a first personal protection device, of a vehicle system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control and / or regulating unit detects a pre-crash situation for the vehicle system with the person and, when the pre-crash situation is detected, activates the first personal protection device and transfers it from a deactivated state of the first personal protection device to an activated state of the first personal protection device, wherein it is preferably provided that the control and / or regulating unit, if no collision has occurred between the vehicle system and the person, deactivates the first personal protection device and transfers it from the activated state to the deactivated state.

[0023] Embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0024] They show: Fig. 1 in a top view a vehicle system and a person in a pre-crash situation; Fig. 2 in a rear view the vehicle system with a first personal protection device in the deactivated state; Fig. 3 in a view from behind the first personal protection device in a standalone position and in the activated state, and Fig. 4 in a purely schematic view from above, several selectively activatable personal protection devices of the vehicle system.

[0025] In the Fig. 1 shows a top view of a vehicle system 1 in a pre-crash situation. Additionally, a person 3 is depicted who will collide with the vehicle system 1, specifically with the front left corner of a vehicle 5 of the vehicle system 1. The vehicle system 1 and the person 3 are located on a road surface 7. After the collision of the vehicle system 1 with the person 3, the person will bounce off the vehicle system 1 and impact the part of the road surface 7 depicted by the dashed-dotted line.

[0026] In order to mitigate the consequences of an impact of the person 3 on the road surface 7 after the collision, the vehicle system 1 has several, in the Fig. 4 purely schematically illustrated and arranged on an underbody of the vehicle 5 and functionally identical personal protection devices P, which are each and together designed and suitable for preventing a direct impact of the person 3 on the road surface 7 located in front of, behind or to the side of the vehicle 5 and for cushioning and / or dampening the indirect impact of the person 3 on the road surface 7 with the interposition of one or more of the personal protection devices P. The personal protection devices P can each be activated and deactivated multiple times.

[0027] The structure of all personal protection devices P is described below using a first personal protection device 21. In the Fig. 2, the vehicle system 1 is shown looking in the positive vehicle longitudinal axis direction of the vehicle longitudinal axis L. As shown in the Fig. 2, the first personal protection device 21 comprises a fastening element, which here is formed merely by way of example by a fastening plate 23, and a positioning plate 25 and an intermediate layer 27 made of compressible material, specifically memory foam, which is merely by way of example. The fastening plate 23 is fastened to the underbody of the vehicle 5. The intermediate layer 27 is arranged, particularly with respect to a vertical axis H of the vehicle 5, between the fastening plate 23 and the positioning plate 25. In the Fig. 2 shows the first personal protection device 21 in the deactivated state. In the deactivated state, the adjusting plate 25 is in its rest position, in which the adjusting plate 25 is located completely beneath the vehicle 5, with the material of the intermediate layer 27 between the mounting plate 23 and the adjusting plate 25 being compressed.

[0028] In the Fig. 3, the first personal protection device 21 is shown in isolation and in the activated state. In the activated state of the first personal protection device 21, the adjusting plate 27 and partially the intermediate layer 27, here merely as an example, protrude laterally beyond the vehicle 5. In the activated state, the material of the intermediate layer 27 is not covered by the fastening plate 23 in the positive vehicle vertical axis direction H, so that the material of the intermediate layer 27 decompresses in the positive vehicle vertical axis direction. If the person 3 bounces off the vehicle 3 after the collision, the person 3 bounces indirectly, namely with the intermediate layer 27 interposed, onto the road surface 7. The intermediate layer 27 interposed cushions and dampens the impact of the person 3. In addition, the adjusting plate 25 can also be designed to be elastically deformable.

[0029] The vehicle system 1 has a control and / or regulating unit (not shown) which is designed and suitable for detecting a pre-crash situation between the vehicle system 1 and the person 3. For this purpose, the control and / or regulating unit can have a pre-crash sensor system with, for example, a radar sensor, a lidar sensor or a camera as an environment sensor. The pre-crash situation is detected by the control and / or regulating unit taking into account sensor signals from the pre-crash sensor system as well as driving parameters such as driving speed, yaw angle or acceleration. A pre-crash situation exists if the control and / or regulating unit assesses the collision between the vehicle system 1 and the person 3 as highly probable, i.e. with a probability of 99%, or as certain based on the sensor signals and the driving parameters.

[0030] A method for activating and deactivating the personal protection devices P of the vehicle system 1 is described below. In order to electromechanically transfer the first personal protection device 21 from the activated state to the deactivated state, the vehicle system 1 has the control and / or regulating unit (not shown), which is in signal transmission connection with all personal protection devices P. If a pre-crash situation has been detected by the control and / or regulating unit, the control and / or regulating unit activates, as needed and / or selectively, the personal protection devices P that are located in the area that the person 3 will impact after the collision with the vehicle system 1. This is Fig.4, whereby only the three personal protection devices P located at the top with respect to the drawing sheet were activated to protect person 3 riding on the bicycle and subsequently colliding with the vehicle system 1. If person 3 ultimately does not collide with the vehicle system 1, the personal protection devices P are deactivated again by the control and / or regulating unit and are ready for reuse. List of reference symbols 1 vehicle system 3 people 5 vehicle 7 Road surface 21 first personal protection device 23 Mounting plate 25 base plate 27 Intermediate layer H Vehicle vertical axis L Vehicle longitudinal axis P Personal protection device QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2019 000 453 A1

[0003] WO 2007 / 097666 A1

[0003] DE 103 19 284 A1

[0003]

Claims

[1] Vehicle system with: a vehicle (5), and a first personal protection device (21), wherein the first personal protection device (21) is designed and / or suitable for preventing a direct impact of a person (3) on a road surface (7) and for cushioning and / or dampening an indirect impact of the person (3) on the road surface (7), wherein the person (3) has previously collided with the vehicle (5), characterized by that the first personal protection device (21) can be activated and deactivated, preferably several times. [2] Vehicle system according to claim 1, characterized by that the first personal protection device (21) is arranged on an underbody of the vehicle (5), preferably fastened to the underbody. [3] Vehicle system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat the first personal protection device (21) has a fastening element, preferably a fastening plate (23), and an adjusting plate (25) and an intermediate layer (27) which is arranged, preferably with respect to a vehicle vertical axis (H) of the vehicle (5), between the fastening plate (23) and the adjusting plate (25), wherein it is preferably provided that the fastening plate (23) is fastened to the underbody of the vehicle (5). [4] Vehicle system according to claim 3, characterized by that the material of the intermediate layer (27) is a preferably compressible material, particularly preferably a memory foam or a rubber mat or a foam. [5] Vehicle system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized byin that the vehicle system (1) has a control and / or regulating unit which is in signal communication with the first personal protection device (21), and in that the control and / or regulating unit is designed and / or suitable for detecting a pre-crash situation for the vehicle system (1) with the person (3) and, when a pre-crash situation is detected, for activating the first personal protection device (21) and for transferring it, preferably electromechanically, from a deactivated state of the first personal protection device (21) to an activated state of the first personal protection device (21), wherein it is preferably provided that the control and / or regulating unit is designed and / or suitable for deactivating the first personal protection device (21) and, preferably electromechanically, from the activated state to the deactivated state, provided that no collision has occurred between the vehicle system (1) and the person (3). [6] Vehicle system according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized by that the adjusting plate (25), in the deactivated state of the first personal protection device (21), is in its rest position, and that the adjusting plate (25) in the rest position is located, preferably completely, below the vehicle (5), wherein it is preferably provided that, in the deactivated state of the first personal protection device (21), the material of the intermediate layer (27) is compressed, preferably completely, between the fastening plate (23) and the adjusting plate (25). [7] Vehicle system according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized byin that the adjusting plate (25) and at least partially the intermediate layer (27), which is preferably fastened on the adjusting plate (25), protrude towards the front of the vehicle and / or towards one of the sides of the vehicle and / or towards the rear of the vehicle beyond the vehicle (5) when the first personal protection device (21) is in the activated state, when viewed from above onto the vehicle (5) and / or in the negative direction of the vehicle's vertical axis, wherein it is preferably provided that the adjusting plate (25) extends substantially parallel to the road surface (7) when the first personal protection device (21) is in the activated state, and / or wherein it is preferably provided that the material of the intermediate layer (27) is decompressed, that is to say is preferably not compressed, when the first personal protection device (21) is in the activated state. [8] Vehicle system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the vehicle system (1) has a plurality of personal protection devices (P), preferably the first personal protection device (21; P) and further personal protection devices (P), and that the personal protection devices (P) are each in signal connection with the control and / or regulating unit and are functionally identical to one another, wherein it is preferably provided that the personal protection devices (P) differ, preferably exclusively, in their arrangement position and / or fastening position on the underbody of the vehicle (5). [9] Vehicle system according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized by that the control and / or regulating unit is designed and / or suitable for activating only the personal protection devices (P) on which the person (3) will impact after the collision with the vehicle system (5). [10] Method for activating and / or deactivating personal protection devices, preferably a first personal protection device, of a vehicle system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control and / or regulating unit detects a pre-crash situation for the vehicle system (1) with the person (3) and, upon detection of the pre-crash situation, activates the first personal protection device (21) and transfers it from a deactivated state of the first personal protection device (21) to an activated state of the first personal protection device (21), wherein it is preferably provided that the control and / or regulating unit, if no collision has occurred between the vehicle system (1) and the person (3), deactivates the first personal protection device (21) and transfers it from the activated state to the deactivated state.

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