A device for opening the vehicle hood electrically

Abstract

An apparatus (200) for controlling a lock (102) of a vehicle hood (105) is described. The apparatus (200) has an operating element (106) that can be operated by a user to close an electrical circuit and thereby open the lock (102) of the vehicle hood (105). Additionally, the apparatus (200) has a circuit breaker (204) configured to prevent the operating element (106) from closing the electrical circuit when a vehicle door (108) of the vehicle (100) is closed and to allow the operating element (106) to close the electrical circuit when a vehicle door (108) of the vehicle (100) is open.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle hood, in particular to a device for fully electric opening of the front hood of a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Dual-track vehicles typically have a front hood (also called bonnet) in the front area of ​​the vehicle, in front of the passenger compartment of the vehicle, which covers a front space of the vehicle, in which, for example, the drive motor of the vehicle can be arranged and / or which can be formed as a trunk.

[0003] A lever may be provided in the passenger compartment that may be operated by a vehicle occupant to open the front hood. Operation of the lever mechanically transitions the front hood from a latched position to a forward latched position. The front hood is then typically still retained by a claw hook that may be manually moved by a vehicle user to open the front hood. This ensures that the front hood does not open while the vehicle is moving and obstruct the driver's view of the vehicle. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In particular in the case of electric vehicles, the front space of the vehicle can be used as a trunk, so that the user opens and / or closes the front hood relatively frequently. This document deals with the technical problem of being able to open the vehicle hood, in particular the front hood, of a vehicle in a safe manner (in particular according to ASIL-D) in a comfortable manner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] This problem is solved by the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are especially set out in the dependent claims. It is to be pointed out that additional features of claims dependent on an independent patent claim, either without the features of the independent patent claim or only in combination with some of the features of the independent patent claim, can form an invention of their own, independent of the combination of all the features of the independent patent claim, which can be the subject of an independent patent claim, a divisional application or a subsequent application. This also applies to technical teachings given in the description, which can form an invention independent of the features of the independent patent claims.

[0006] According to one aspect, an apparatus for controlling a lock of a vehicle hood is described. The vehicle hood may be a front hood (particularly an engine hood) of a vehicle disposed in front of a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The vehicle hood lock includes a latch mechanism that engages a bolt of the lock to transition the vehicle hood from a pre-latched position to a latched position. Additionally, the lock may include a pre-latch actuator (e.g., an electric motor) configured to automatically transition the bolt of the lock from the latched position to the pre-latched position.

[0007] Additionally, the lock may include a claw hook configured to hold the vehicle hood in the forward latched position and prevent further opening of the vehicle hood, and may include a claw hook actuator (e.g., an electric motor) configured to move the claw hook to allow further (fully) opening of the vehicle hood.

[0008] The device may have an operating element (e.g. a key) that can be operated by a user to close the current circuit. The operating element can be operated by a user to (automatically) open the vehicle hood. The operating element may be arranged in a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The operating element may be arranged to automatically open the vehicle hood (by means of a front latch actuator and a claw hook actuator) in response to operation of the operating element and, if necessary, to fully open the vehicle hood.

[0009] The operation of the operating element can be indicated to the control module of the device by closing an electric current circuit. For this purpose, the operating element may have a switch element which is closed upon operation of the operating element, thereby closing the electric current circuit. The electric current circuit can be connected to the control module of the device, in particular to a port of the control module.

[0010] The device further comprises a circuit breaker, which may be formed, for example, as a mechanical switch, a semiconductor-based switch and / or a relay, the circuit breaker being configured to prevent the operating element from closing the current circuit when (at least one) vehicle door (e.g., the driver's door) of the vehicle is closed and / or when all vehicle doors of the vehicle are closed. Additionally, the circuit breaker may be configured to allow the operating element to close the current circuit when a vehicle door (e.g., a driver's door) of the vehicle (or at least one vehicle door of the vehicle) is open.

[0011] The circuit breaker may be disposed in a current circuit, and in an open state the circuit breaker may prevent the current circuit from being closed (even by operating an operating element), whereas in a closed state the circuit breaker may allow the current circuit to be closed by operating an operating element.

[0012] The device may thus be configured to check whether a vehicle door (in particular the driver's door) is open or closed (e.g. according to ASIL-B). Furthermore, the device may be configured to detect the operation of an operating element (e.g. according to ASIL-B). Automatic opening of the lock of the vehicle hood can, if required, be enabled or functioned only if both an open vehicle door and the operation of an operating element are detected. In this way, the vehicle hood can be automatically opened with high operational safety (e.g. according to ASIL-D).

[0013] The circuit breaker may be configured to be (directly) operated by the vehicle door, in particular to be opened or closed (e.g. by a mechanical switch arranged directly on the vehicle door). The operation of the circuit breaker may take place in particular in such a way that when the vehicle door is closed, the circuit breaker is open, thereby preventing the current circuit from closing, and / or when the vehicle door is open, the circuit breaker is closed, thereby allowing the current circuit to close. The circuit breaker may therefore, if required, be integrated directly into the vehicle door, for example into the frame of the vehicle door. In this way, it may be possible to automatically open the vehicle hood with a particularly high operational safety.

[0014] Alternatively or additionally, the control module of the device may be configured to open the circuit breaker to prevent the current circuit from being closed or to close the circuit breaker to allow the current circuit to be closed depending on the sensor data of a (separate) door contact sensor of the vehicle door, in such a way that the vehicle hood can be opened automatically and safely in a particularly efficient manner.

[0015] The control module may be configured to check whether the current circuit is closed or interrupted, and then, in particular only if it is determined that the current circuit is closed, cause the at least one actuator to unlock the vehicle hood, thereby making it possible to open the vehicle hood safely and securely.

[0016] The control module may be configured to obtain speed information (in particular based on a speed sensor of the vehicle) relating to a travel speed of the vehicle. In this case, depending on the speed information, the at least one actuator may be caused to open the lock of the vehicle hood. The control module may in particular be configured to check whether the travel speed of the vehicle is below a certain speed threshold (for example 0 km / h or between 0 km / h and 5 km / h) based on the speed information. Furthermore, the control module may be configured to cause the at least one actuator to open the lock of the vehicle hood if, in particular only if, it is determined that the travel speed of the vehicle is below the speed threshold. By further taking into account the travel speed of the vehicle, the operational safety when automatically opening the vehicle hood can be further increased.

[0017] As already explained above, the lock may have a claw hook actuator for a claw hook of the lock to hold the vehicle hood in place and / or a front latch actuator for unlatching the locking bolt. The control module may be configured to control exactly one actuator of a set of actuators including the claw hook actuator and / or the front latch actuator when a current circuit is determined to be closed.

[0018] Additionally, the control module may be configured to determine whether the vehicle door is open or closed (individually) based on sensor data from the door contact sensor, and in this case, when the vehicle door is determined to be open, another actuator of the set of actuators may be controlled in a complementary manner.

[0019] Thus, it is possible to determine in various ways whether the vehicle door is open or closed, and furthermore, both actuators of the lock may be controlled separately depending on the respectively determined vehicle door state, thereby further increasing the operational safety for automatically opening the vehicle hood.

[0020] The device may have a claw hook control module for controlling the claw hook actuator and a separate pre-latch control module for controlling the pre-latch actuator, which may further enhance the operational safety of the device.

[0021] According to yet another aspect, a (road) motor vehicle, in particular a car or a truck or a bus, is described which may be equipped with the device described herein.

[0022] Vehicles typically have vehicle doors that are mounted within a vehicle door frame and are configured to be moved from a closed state to an open state to allow a user of the vehicle access to the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

[0023] Furthermore, the vehicle has a vehicle hood with an electrically operable lock. The vehicle hood may in particular be designed so that it can be opened automatically (by opening the lock) (e.g. so that the hood emerges automatically from the hood frame). As already explained above, the vehicle hood may be a front hood of the vehicle, which is arranged in front of the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

[0024] The vehicle may further comprise an operating element (e.g., a switch or a key) configured to be operated by a user to cause the vehicle hood lock to automatically open. The operating element may be configured to close a current circuit, in particular a current circuit that supplies energy to the lock, in response to operation of the operating element.

[0025] The operating element may be arranged on a door frame of the vehicle such that it can be operated by a user (and for this purpose is accessible to the user) when the vehicle door is in the open position and cannot be operated by a user (and in particular is not accessible to the user) when the vehicle door is in the closed position, thereby making it possible to open the vehicle hood safely and automatically in a particularly efficient manner.

[0026] The door frame usually has one inner surface facing the vehicle door. In a preferred embodiment, the operating element is arranged on the inner surface of the door frame (so that the operating element is not accessible to the user when the vehicle door is in the closed position). In this way, it is possible in a particularly reliable manner to ensure that the operating element can only be operated when the vehicle door is open.

[0027] It should be noted that the devices and systems described herein may be used alone or in combination with other devices and systems described herein. Furthermore, any aspect of the devices and systems described herein may be combined in various ways. In particular, the features of the claims may be combined with each other in various ways.

[0028] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an exemplary vehicle equipped with a front hood as an example of a typical vehicle hood. [Figure 2a]1A-1C illustrate different states of an exemplary device for controlling a lock on a vehicle hood. [Figure 2b] 1A-1C illustrate different states of an exemplary device for controlling a lock on a vehicle hood. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary door frame with an operating element. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] As explained at the beginning, this specification deals with the comfortable and safe opening of a vehicle hood. In this context, FIG. 1 shows exemplary components of a vehicle 100 with a front hood 105 as an example of a vehicle hood. The vehicle 100 has a lock 102 by means of which the vehicle hood 105 can be locked. Here, the lock 102 has a latched position, in which the vehicle hood 105 can be fully closed. Furthermore, the lock 102 has a pre-latched position, in which the vehicle hood 105 is unlatched but still retained by a claw hook. The vehicle hood 105 can be moved from the pre-latched position to the latched position (or vice versa) by a pre-latch actuator as required. Furthermore, the vehicle 100 can be equipped with a claw hook actuator, which operates the claw hook to fully release the vehicle hood 105. The actuator or actuators can be controlled via a control module 101 of the vehicle 100.

[0031] Vehicle 100 may further include an operating element 106 (e.g., within an interior space or passenger compartment of vehicle 100) that a user can operate to open vehicle hood 105. Vehicle 100 may further include a door contact sensor 104, via which vehicle 100 may detect whether a door (e.g., driver's door or passenger door) of vehicle 100 is open or closed.

[0032] 2a and 2b show different states of a device 200 for opening a vehicle hood 105. The device 200 is particularly adapted to control a front latch actuator 220 and a claw hook actuator 210 of the lock 102 of the vehicle hood 105, thereby allowing the vehicle hood 105 to be opened safely and comfortably.

[0033] The apparatus 200 comprises a claw hook control module 211 configured to control the claw hook actuator 210 and a front latch control module 221 configured to control the front latch actuator 220. The front latch control module 221 may be configured to obtain status information regarding the status of the vehicle 100. This status information includes, among other things: Status information regarding one or more vehicle doors (which may be provided by the door contact sensor 104), the status information indicating whether at least one vehicle door is open; and / or Status information regarding vehicle speed (this may be provided, for example, by a speed sensor 201 in the vehicle 100).

[0034] The front latch control module 221 can be configured to check, based on the status information, whether the front latch actuator 220 can be operated to automatically transition the vehicle hood 105 from the latched position to the front latched position.

[0035] The device 200 comprises a circuit breaker 204 that is configured to open or close depending on the state of one or more doors of the vehicle 100. In particular, the circuit breaker 204 can be open (as shown in FIG. 2a) when all doors of the vehicle 100 are closed. On the other hand, the circuit breaker 204 can be closed (as shown in FIG. 2b) when at least one door of the vehicle 100 is open (in particular the driver's door).

[0036] As explained above, the vehicle 100 is provided with an operating element 106 (e.g. a key) that can be operated by an occupant of the vehicle 100 to automatically open the vehicle hood 105. In this case, for example, operation of the operating element 106 can cause a current circuit to be closed. A circuit breaker 204 can be arranged in this current circuit (in series with the operating element 106), so that operation of the operating element 106 can close the current circuit only if the circuit breaker 204 is closed.

[0037] As a result, the circuit breaker 204 can be configured to allow operation of the operating element 106 to be detected by the control modules 211, 221 of the device 200 only when the circuit breaker 204 is closed (and thus at least one door of the vehicle 100, particularly the driver's door, is open).

[0038] The claw hook control module 211 can be configured to control the claw hook actuator 210 to release the claw hook when an operation of the operating element 106 is detected. However, an operation of the operating element 106 can be detected, if desired, only when the circuit breaker 204 is closed (and thus at least one door of the vehicle 100 is open). Furthermore, if desired, status information regarding the travel speed of the vehicle 100 can be taken into account. In this way, it is possible to ensure that an automatic opening of the vehicle hood 105 while the vehicle 100 is traveling is avoided.

[0039] Thus, an apparatus 200 is described that allows the front hood 105 of the vehicle 100 to be opened in a fully electric manner (without the user of the vehicle 100 having to manually release the claw hooks). The apparatus 200 here meets the requirements of ASIL-D for operational safety (whereas the operating element 106 typically only meets the requirements of ASIL-B) to prevent unintentional opening while the vehicle 100 is moving.

[0040] The device 200 is configured in such a way that the operating element 106 (e.g. a switch or a key) for opening the front hood 105 can only be operated when the driver's door is open. This can be actuated, for example, by a microswitch 204, which closes the current circuit for the key 106 only when the door is in a fully open position. Alternatively or additionally, this can be actuated by a switch in the control device 101, 211, 221, which reads the sensor data of the ASIL-B door contact sensor 104. The switch in the control device 101, 211, 221 can pass current to the operating key 106 when the door contact sensor 104 indicates that the door is open. On the other hand, this switch can be opened (to prevent current supply to the operating key 106), for example according to ASIL-B, when the door contact is closed and / or when a speed signal related to the vehicle speed exceeds a preset threshold value.

[0041] In this way, the circuit breaker 204 can be integrated into the power supply of the operating element 106 for opening the front hood 105. The position (open / closed) of the circuit breaker 204 can be closely coordinated with the position of the door (driver's door). In the "door open" position, the circuit breaker 204 is closed, so that pressing the operating element 106 closes the current circuit and thus transmits an operation request to the control device 211, which reads it. In the "door closed" position, the circuit breaker 204 is open, so that operating the operating element 106 does not close the current circuit and therefore no operation request can be made via the operating element 106.

[0042] The circuit breaker 204 can be embodied as a microswitch in the door frame of the vehicle door. Alternatively or additionally, a semiconductor-based circuit breaker and / or relay (each designed according to ASIL-B) can be integrated into the control device 101, 211, 221 that reads the operating element 106 and supplies the voltage for the operating element. The circuit breaker 204 in the control device 101, 211, 221 can then be coordinated with the state of the door contact sensor 104 (which meets the requirements of ASIL-B). When the door contact sensor 104 indicates "door open", the closing of the circuit breaker 204 energizes the operating element 106, so that the user can operate the operating element 106 to close the current circuit in order to open the vehicle hood 105.

[0043] As already explained above, by the measures described herein, it is necessarily possible with a high degree of functional safety to automatically open the vehicle hood 105. In particular, it must be ensured here that the vehicle hood 105 opens automatically in response to an operation of the operating element 106 only when at least one vehicle door, in particular the driver's door, is open. Figure 1 shows an exemplary vehicle door 108, in particular the driver's door, which is arranged in a door frame 107. The door frame 107 is typically part of the bodywork of the vehicle 100. Here, the door frame 107, in particular the inner surface of the door frame 107 facing the vehicle door 108, is typically only accessible to the user of the vehicle 100 when the vehicle door 108 is open.

[0044] 3 specifically shows a door frame 107 for a vehicle door 108, on which an operating element 106 for opening the vehicle hood 105 is provided (in particular on the inner surface of the door frame 107). The operating element 106 is particularly provided such that the operating element 106 is inaccessible to a user when the vehicle door 108 is closed. In other words, the operating element 106 is provided on the door frame 107 such that the user of the vehicle 100 cannot operate the operating element 106 when the vehicle door 108 is closed (i.e. the operating element 106 is covered).

[0045] By arranging the operating element 106 in this way, it is possible (even without an additional circuit breaker 204) to operate the vehicle hood 105 so that it is automatically opened with a high degree of functional safety only when at least one vehicle door 108, in particular the driver's door, is open.

[0046] The measures described herein make it possible to automatically open the vehicle hood 105 with high functional safety.

[0047] It should be noted that the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, and in particular that the specification and drawings are intended only to illustrate the principles of the proposed devices and systems by way of example.

Claims

1. An apparatus (200) for controlling a lock (102) of a vehicle hood (105) of a vehicle (100), comprising: An operating element (106) that can be operated by a user to close an electric current circuit and thereby open the lock (102) of the vehicle hood (105); A circuit breaker (204); The circuit breaker is configured to: Prevent the electric current circuit from being closed by the operating element (106) when the vehicle door (108) of the vehicle (100) is closed; Enable the electric current circuit to be closed by the operating element (106) when the vehicle door (108) of the vehicle (100) is open. The apparatus (200) is formed as such.

2. The apparatus (200) according to claim 1, wherein the circuit breaker (204) is operated by the vehicle door (108) and is formed to be opened or closed particularly by the vehicle door (108). Specifically, When the vehicle door (108) is closed, the circuit breaker (204) is open, thereby preventing the electric current circuit from being closed; When the vehicle door (108) is open, the circuit breaker (204) is closed, thereby enabling the electric current circuit to be closed. The apparatus is formed as such.

3. The apparatus (200) according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a control module (211, 221), which is configured to open the circuit breaker (204) to prevent the electric current circuit from being closed or to close the circuit breaker to enable the electric current circuit to be closed according to sensor data of a door contact sensor (104) of the vehicle door (108).

4. The apparatus (200) according to claim 1, comprising a control module (211, 221), which is configured to: Check whether the electric current circuit is closed or interrupted; When it is determined that the electric current circuit is closed, particularly only in that case, cause at least one actuator (210, 220) to open the lock (102) of the vehicle hood (105). The apparatus (200) is formed as such.

5. The apparatus (200) according to claim 4, wherein the control module (211, 221) is configured to: Obtain speed information regarding the traveling speed of the vehicle (100) based particularly on a speed sensor (201) of the vehicle (100). In response to the speed information, at least one of the actuators (210, 220) is caused to unlock the lock (102) of the vehicle hood (105). An apparatus configured as such. **Claim 6** The apparatus (200) according to claim 5, wherein the control module (211, 221) checks whether the traveling speed of the vehicle (100) is equal to or lower than a certain speed threshold based on the speed information, and when it is determined that the traveling speed of the vehicle (100) is equal to or lower than the speed threshold, particularly only in that case, at least one of the actuators (210, 220) is caused to unlock the lock (102) of the vehicle hood (105). An apparatus configured as such. **Claim 7** The apparatus (200) according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the lock (102) includes a claw hook actuator (210) for the claw hook of the lock (102) for retaining the vehicle hood (105) and a pre-latch actuator (220) for releasing the locking bolt, and the control module (211, 221) controls exactly one actuator out of the set of actuators including the claw hook actuator (210) and the pre-latch actuator (220) when it is determined that the current circuit is closed. An apparatus formed as such. **Claim 8** The apparatus (200) according to claim 7, wherein the control module (211, 221) acquires sensor data of a door contact sensor (104) of the vehicle door (108), identifies whether the vehicle door (108) is open or closed based on the sensor data, and controls another actuator in a complementary manner out of the set of actuators including the claw hook actuator (210) and the pre-latch actuator (220) when it is determined that the vehicle door (108) is open. An apparatus formed as such. **Claim 9** The apparatus (200) according to claim 7, comprising a claw hook control module (211) for controlling the claw hook actuator (210) and a separate pre-latch control module (221) for controlling the pre-latch actuator (220). **Claim 10** A vehicle door (108) that is disposed within a door frame (107) of a vehicle (100) and is configured to be moved from a closed state to an open state so that a user of the vehicle (100) can enter a passenger compartment of the vehicle (100), A vehicle hood (105) having an electrically operable lock, An operating element (106) configured to be operated by the user to automatically open the lock (102) of the vehicle hood (105), the operating element (106) being disposed on the door frame (107) of the vehicle (100), The operating element (106) can be operated by the user when the vehicle door (108) is in an open state, The operating element (106) cannot be operated by the user when the vehicle door (108) is in a closed state and is arranged in such a manner, Vehicle (100).

11. The vehicle (100) according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle hood (105) is a front hood of the vehicle (100) disposed in front of the passenger compartment of the vehicle (100).

12. The vehicle (100) according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the operating element (106) is configured to close a current circuit, particularly a current circuit for supplying energy to the lock, in response to an operation of the operating element (106).

13. The vehicle (100) according to claim 10 or 11, The door frame (107) has an inner surface facing one of the vehicle doors (108), The operating element (106) is disposed on the inner surface, and the vehicle.

14. The vehicle (100) according to claim 10 or 11, having the device (200) according to claim 1 or 2.

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