7732 results about "Car door" patented technology

An optical transmission tube for illumination is uniquely incorporated into any one of a variety of automotive, commercial, retail, structural, architectural, safety, or other products including running boards, vehicle interior compartments such as a glove box, approximate the license plate attachment area on a vehicle, a trunk, a vehicle hood, on a vehicle door, a vehicle bumper, a vehicle luggage rack, a picture frame, a flashlight, a building, a guard rail, a construction barrier, a bicycle, a sign, an appliance interior compartment such as a refrigerator, a part bin, a retail display shelf, a clipboard, a step, a tractor trailer, a desk, a walkway, a room or storage chamber, a runway, an instrument panel, a railroad crossing gate, an emergency sign, an elevator doorway, a swimming pool, a dog collar, a fish tank, a baby crib a hand rail, an inline skate an island in a parking lot or on a street, affixed to a curb, or on safety clothing.

The child safety seat includes a seat body that is attached to a base that is held in place by the vehicle seat belt. The base provides for movement of the seat body around at least one axis. A turntable allows the seat body to be rotated from a safe-riding position to face the car door to facilitate positioning the child in the seat or to make it easier to grasp and maneuver a separable child carrier with the child in it. Inadvertent rotation of the turntable is prevented by a locking mechanism that remains engaged until released by the parent or caregiver. In one embodiment, a second axis of movement allows the seat body to be reclined so that the child's head is supported when he or she falls asleep. The reclining adjustment is a motorized motion which can be remotely controlled by the parent or caregiver sitting in the front of the vehicle via wires connected to a remote control.

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

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

Child safety seats with alarms notify the driver of a vehicle that an infant is in its carrier inside of the vehicle when a door is opened. Forgetting a child inside of the vehicle can result in severe injury to or the death of the child from extreme temperature conditions and/or dehydration. Child safety seats with alarms not only protect the child in the event of accident, but also detect the opening of a vehicle door and remind the driver of the presence of the child through visual and audio alerts. The detector and alarm system are automatically engaged when the buckle of the child safety seat is closed. The condition of the batteries powering the detector and alarm system are also monitored so that the user can be confident that the detector and alarm system have adequate power to function. A pressure transducer is employed as a detector to sense the changing air pressure caused by the opening or closure of a vehicle door. When such a condition is detected, red LEDs light up and an alarm is sounded from a speaker.

An in-vehicle monitor detects the occurrence of a meta-event related to the operation of a vehicle, such as the vehicle's operation over a maximum allowable speed, operation in a prohibited geographic area, operation during a specific time frame, or combinations thereof. The monitor signals a server via a wireless data link, and the server determines an appropriate deferred action to be taken by an in-vehicle controller, such as disabling the engine, limiting vehicle speed, and locking vehicle doors, upon occurrence of a second meta-event including conditions such as time delays, vehicle speed and direction, and vehicle location. The system can thereby allow orderly and safe control of vehicle functions for purposes such as terminating a pursuit, enforcing legal sentences and operator restrictions, and controlling fleet vehicle operations.

A vision system for a vehicle includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at an exterior portion of a door of a vehicle, an imaging sensor having a field of view exterior the vehicle and a video display screen operable to display video images captured by the imaging sensor. The video display screen is disposed at an interior portion of the vehicle door at which the exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted. The exterior rearview mirror assembly and the video display screen may be part of a mirror and display module that is mountable at the vehicle door as a unit. The camera may be disposed at the exterior rearview mirror assembly.

The invention is a unitary cantilever liftgate that attaches to the vehicle body instead of the vehicle chassis. The liftgate may be fully assembled and tested prior to installation on the vehicle body. This greatly reduces installation time while improving performance and reliability. Various features such as steps, bumpers and brackets are integrated into the liftgate. Further, the liftgate is preferably configured so that multiple units can be stacked together for shipping and ease of unloading and loading. The stackability of the liftgates simplifies storing as well, by removing the necessity of storing several components separately.

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

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

A method for alerting a driver of an automotive vehicle (or other responsible party) to the presence or inferred presence of an object, a person, or a pet animal in rear seating rows of the vehicle. The open/closed condition of rear vehicle doors is monitored to determine whether the driver may have placed an object, child, or pet in the rear seating rows prior to the start of a drive-cycle, and an alert is generated at the end of the drive-cycle to remind the driver to check the rear seat. Sound detection and analysis may also be used to identify sounds characteristic of a human (a young child, for example) or a non-human animal (a pet, for example) and thereby verify that a child or pet is present.

A clearing system for external mirrors and side windows of a vehicle provides a flow of compressed warm air to an air distribution unit equipped with a number of openings to direct the flow of air towards the surface of the mirror or a side window. In one embodiment, the air compressor, the air heater and an optional air filter are located in the housing of the external mirror. In another embodiment, a supplemental air distribution unit is provided to be mounted along the door of the vehicle to increase the coverage area of the side window. In a further embodiment of the invention, the system is made adjustable for allowing the most appropriate angle for the air openings towards the mirror and the side window. Provisions are also made to use the system for newly designed vehicles and incorporate the elements of the system into the design of the vehicle door. Alternately, an add-on elements are described to allow existing vehicles to benefit from the system. Additional supplemental air disbribution units may be attached to the main system to improve visibility throughout the vehicle.

A system for indicating a past state of an apparatus through the use of a remote device by indicating the state with the remote device whether or not the remote device is still within communications range of the apparatus. In one embodiment, an indication can be made as to whether or not a vehicle door has been locked by providing such an indication at a remote keyless entry key remote control.

In a vehicle door control system, when a mobile terminal accepts door lock manipulation and a vehicle door control apparatus receives a door lock signal from the mobile terminal, the vehicle door control apparatus determines that a door should be locked and, at time of door locking, transmits the amount of charge of a secondary battery at that time. Then the door is locked.

The invention discloses a reservation system and a method for sharing automobile lease, relating to a reservation system and a method for carrying out the automobile lease conveniently and fast by using a GPS map of a mobile phone. The method comprises the following steps: an information center carries out real-time communication with a vehicle-mounted terminal and the mobile phone; the information center processes to-be-used positional information of a leased automobile and then loads the positional information to a GPS navigation map of the mobile phone of a user with an icon according to places; the user selects the icon of an automobile to be used at a specified place on the map; an internal program of the mobile phone transmits a selection action to the information center; the information center transmits user registration data to the vehicle-mounted terminal of the automatable to be used; the vehicle-mounted terminal assigns values on a door lock controller and an ignition controller; and simultaneously, the information center sends a short message to the mobile phone and the short message provides an automobile number of a reserved automobile to be used at the place as confirmation information. A user only needs to put a non-contact radio frequency card integrated with the mobile phone to be close to the vehicle door of the reserved automobile to be used, the vehicle door is automatically unlocked. The convenient and fast reservation operation of leasing the automobile is achieved.

An illumination module for a vehicle includes at least one illumination source for illuminating a target area at the vehicle. The illumination module may be mounted at a handle of a vehicle door and may be operable to illuminate the handle region and/or pocket region of the vehicle door and to illuminate a ground region adjacent to the vehicle and generally below the door handle assembly. The illumination module may include an icon established thereat and the at least one illumination source may back light the icon so that the icon, when the illumination module is activated, is viewable by a person viewing the vehicle. The illumination module may project or direct the illumination toward a targeted area so that the icon is discernible at the targeted area.

A weather strip for a vehicle door for being fitted to an upper edge flange of a door inner panel forming a window opening edge of the vehicle door having a lifting/lowering window pane. The weather strip includes: a main body portion having an insertion groove to be fitted to the upper edge flange; a seal lip portion projecting from the main body portion to be in resilient contact with the lifting/lowering window pane; and a resilient retainer to be resiliently engaged with a door trim. The main body portion includes a fixing portion to be engaged with the upper edge flange. The resilient retainer is projected outward from the main body portion in a substantially horizontal direction and perpendicular to an attaching portion provided at an upper portion of the door trim, when the insertion groove is fitted to the upper edge flange substantially.

A sensor system for protecting a door of a vehicle from damage includes an electronic sensor operable to detect when an object external to the vehicle is within close proximity to the door of the vehicle. The sensor system provides a signal indicative of the proximity of the external object. The sensor system also includes a blocking hinge mechanism coupled with the signal. The hinge mechanism blocks the opening of the door beyond a distance wherein the vehicle door would strike the object.

An apparatus and system for: combining independent driving vehicles into a single assembly for condensed, efficient, variable capacity transportation on common routes; and for separating into independent vehicles for flexibility on diverse routes. Connection logistics are exchanged locally via line of sight optical channel. Retractable coupling and mated coupling on opposing ends of the vehicles provide multiple degrees of freedom (DOF) to accommodate misalignment during initial dynamic engagement, and lock as rigidly coupled assembly with zero DOF. Mating vehicles' doors open during transit, permitting inter-vehicle movement and consolidation of passengers en route to urban locales, and release of empty vehicles. On return, independent vehicles combine to dense passenger vehicles from urban locales for redistribution of passengers in individual vehicles that later separate for diverse destinations. Slaved vehicle systems allow one vehicle to control coupled vehicles' systems of retractable suspension, coordinated steering, power sharing. Utility vehicles couple to assembly for service.

A door lock for locking a sliding door on a transit vehicle. The lock has a base for attachment to the transit vehicle and a lock cam having a slot for engaging a door lock element attached to the door. A pivot is connected to the base and to the lock cam to provide a rotary connection of the lock cam to the base. A lock actuator is attached to the base. The lock actuator includes a moveable actuator portion for engaging the lock cam to prevent rotation of the lock cam to lock the door. The actuator also has an energized actuator portion for withdrawing the moveable actuator portion from engagement with the lock cam to release the lock cam and unlock the door. The energized actuator portion is connectable with a control system for the transit vehicle door. The lock also has a manual release mounted to engage the moveable actuator portion to move it from engagement with the lock cam to release the lock cam and hence unlock the door. A sprag engaged with the manual release prevents locking of the door after the manual release has been used.

A vehicle door assembly combines features from cargo door systems and sliding door systems to provide remote access and keyless entry on both side and rear vehicle door assemblies. The vehicle door assembly includes a first door panel and a second door panel that cooperate to cover a rear or side door opening in a vehicle body. The first door panel slides relative to the second door panel on a sliding track mechanism to uncover a portion of the rear or side door opening. This movement can be achieved manually or by remote access. The first and second door panels can then be pivoted relative to the vehicle body to fully uncover the rear or side door opening. This allows cargo to be easily loaded and unloaded from the vehicle body.

The invention discloses an intelligent vehicle control system based on a digital key. The intelligent vehicle control system comprises a vehicle-mounted intelligent module, an intelligent mobile terminal and a cloud server, wherein the vehicle-mounted intelligent module is mounted in a vehicle and stores a digital key for controlling a vehicle door-lock system, receives a digital key sent by the intelligent mobile terminal, performs verification, sends out a corresponding control command to the vehicle door-lock system according to the verification result , and starts/closes a vehicle door or sends out an alarm; the intelligent mobile terminal transmits the digital key to the vehicle-mounted intelligent module at local so as to control a vehicle; the cloud server distributes a digital key generated at a cloud terminal to the intelligent mobile terminal for vehicle control, or receives the digital key generated and sent by the intelligent mobile terminal at local for backup management. The intelligent vehicle control system realizes the remote intelligent control for the vehicle. The intelligent vehicle control system is suitable for an individual to realize vehicle keyless entry, vehicle theft prevention and remote alarm, suitable for vehicle use with a key shared by multiple persons, and also suitable for cloud management of vehicle leasing, and the like.

A temporary vehicle door check mechanism suitable for use during vehicle painting operations comprises a hinge comprising door side and body side portions, and an intermediate bridge portion, all of which are rotatably connected at a common axis of rotation. A flexible prop button is mounted to either the door side or the body side portions of the hinge, and is adapted to releasably contact the intermediate bridge portion of the hinge as the door is rotated about the hinge, to releasably hold the door in a partially or fully open position.

A servo that is attachabley secured to the rail car frame at each door lock that is connected to the latch via a draw bar with sufficient modulus to withstand the repeated force required to move the latch thus opening the door. The servo provides a pulling action with the motive force being pneumatic pressure but not limited to pneumatic whereas hydraulic or electric energy can be supplied to the servo providing the motive force to pull the draw bar attached to the latch, that when said servo provides a pulling force sufficient to over come the friction ot the latch to the striker plate the latch moves in a upward direction thus releasing the door to open. A second element of the servo is to provide a pushing action via the draw bar to the door latch to drive it all the way into the closed position.

A system for hands-free vehicle door operation can selectively open a vehicle door on the approach of an operator. Thus, for example, with this system, a rear loading door of a delivery vehicle may open when the operator approaches so that the operator may enter the cargo bay when both hands are busy managing a load.

Apparatus for warning a driver of a car that a child, pet or valuable is still in the car when an attempt is made by the driver to lock the car doors after the car is parked and the engine is turned off comprising a keyless remote entry device having a door unlocking button and a door locking button; at least one button on the keyless remote entry device which, when first pressed, shows that a child, pet or valuable is being placed in the car; a control circuit coupled to the keyless remote entry device; and an alarm circuit controlled by the control circuit; wherein the keyless remote entry device cannot be used to lock the car doors when a child, pet or valuable is still in the car after the car engine is turned off and the button has not been pressed a second time to alert the remote entry device that the child, pet or valuable has been removed from the car.

A vehicle door handle assembly for opening a door of a vehicle includes a base which is mountable at the door of the vehicle and a handle portion which is operable to open the door via movement of the handle portion relative to the base. The handle portion includes a first portion having a first material hardness and a second portion having a second material hardness. The first material hardness is greater than the second material hardness, such that the second portion provides a softer feel to a user of the door handle assembly when opening the door of the vehicle. The door handle assembly may further include an illumination source for illuminating the handle portion and/or a heating element for heating the handle portion.

Motor vehicle door lock comprising: a latch (1); a pawl (3) which can adopt an "escapement" position; an operating member which, on the one hand, can adopt either an active position in which it acts, during its actuating movement, on the pawl to place it in the "escapement" position, or an inhibited position in which it has no effect on the pawl and, on the other hand, may experience an actuating movement in response to actuation of the door handle; and an electric device (15-24) which responds at least to an unlock signal by moving the operating member from its inhibited position as far as its active position, characterized in that the operating member consists of a set of two links (7, 11) articulated together by a hinge joint (10), of which one (11) of the links comprises a thrust surface (11a) which is positioned in such a way that, in the active position, the thrust surface comes up against and carries along a peg (25) on the pawl (3), during the actuating movement, until the said pawl has been placed in the "escapement" position, and that in the inhibited position, the thrust surface at most comes into contact with the said peg, during the actuating movement so that the operating member has no action on the pawl, and of which the other link (7) is articulated to an opening lever (5), the electric device comprising a lock/unlock lever (15) co-operating with the hinge joint (10) to make it pivot about the articulation (8).

An aftermarket, sound activated, wireless, vehicle door unlocking device comprising a sound sensor, processor, memory, and an RF transmitter, transponder, or transceiver capable of generating an unlocking signal, and method of using the device. The device may be easily installed by unskilled users without modifying the vehicle wires or structure. The operator of the device will program the device with an unlocking sound sequence, and the RF unlocking codes needed to unlock the vehicle door. The device continually monitors the sensor for unlocking sounds, and delivers a door unlocking signal when this sound is detected. Various embodiments, including embedded RF key embodiments, solar powered embodiments, and alternative ways of programming the device are also discussed.

The invention relates to an infrared vehicle interior environmental monitoring system based on a controlled area network (CAN)/ local interconnect network (LIN) bus. The infrared vehicle interior environmental monitoring system based on the CAN / LIN bus comprises a senor, a signal processing module, an analog/ digital (A/ D) conversion circuit, an electronic control unit (ECU) system, a vehicle-mounted computer, a CAN/ LIN data bus, an alarming circuit, a liquid crystal display (LCD) module, a wireless communication module and a power source. Signals obtained by the sensor are processed through the signal processing module at first, and then are converted through the A/ D conversion circuit to be input to the ECU system to be processed. The ECU system carries out synthetic judgment by combining sensor information and vehicle state information obtained through the CAN/ LIN bus from the vehicle-mounted computer. When the ECU system finds that an environment is poor or a person / life is left and vehicle doors are locked inside a vehicle, the ECU system starts the alarming circuit to give an alarm, a message prompt is sent through the wireless communication module and an instruction is sent to the vehicle-mounted computer through the CAN/ LIN bus, and the vehicle-mounted computer adjusts vehicle windows or controls starting of an air conditioner and outer circulation of the air conditioner. The power source supplies power for parts. According to the infrared vehicle interior environmental monitoring system based on the CAN / LIN bus, a safety guarantee is provided for the person who does not want to stay in the vehicle, and accidents are avoided.