Anti-pinch Sensor Control for Powered Vehicle Doors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle door systems with powered opening mechanisms lack effective prevention of pinching injuries, as they do not adequately detect and respond to users' hands near closing doors, potentially causing harm when attempting to enter or exit the vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle door system equipped with anti-pinch sensors and electrically-powered latch mechanisms, along with a controller that actuates the door actuators to prevent closure if a user's hand is detected, ensuring safe opening and closing of doors by shifting them from a closed to a partially open position and maintaining that position until the hand is clear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a powered door opening mechanism is implemented, then the ease of operation is improved by eliminating external door handles, but the risk of pinching injuries increases due to lack of hand detection capability
Solution Approach 1:
An anti-pinch sensor is introduced as an intermediary detection device between the door mechanism and the user's hand. The sensor detects the presence of a hand in the door closing path and sends a signal to the controller, which then prevents the door from closing or reverses its motion, thereby eliminating the pinching hazard while maintaining the powered operation benefit
Solution Approach 2:
A feedback control system is implemented where the anti-pinch sensor continuously monitors the door closing area and provides real-time information to the controller. When a hand is detected, the controller adjusts the door actuator's operation to prevent closure, creating a closed-loop safety mechanism that responds dynamically to user presence
2Reliability
If anti-pinch sensors and control systems are added to detect hands, then the safety is improved by preventing pinching injuries, but the device complexity increases due to additional sensors and controllers
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-pinch sensor system is integrated with the existing powered door opening mechanism's control unit. The controller performs both the original function of actuating the door opener and the additional safety function of receiving sensor signals and preventing door closure when a hand is detected, thereby implementing multi-functionality without adding separate control hardware
Solution Approach 2:
The control functions for door operation and safety monitoring are merged into a single integrated control system. The controller receives inputs from both the door opening mechanism and the anti-pinch sensor, processes both functions together, and outputs unified control signals to the door actuator, reducing overall system complexity through functional integration
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a body and front and rear doors having front and rear powered latches, front and rear anti-pinch sensors, and front and rear electrically-powered door openers. The vehicle further includes a controller that is configured to receive an unlatch signal from unlatch sensors/switches and generate a signal to unlatch the front and rear powered latches and actuate the front and rear door openers after the front and rear powered latches are unlatched. The controller may also be configured to actuate the rear door opener to retain the rear door in an open position when the front pinch sensor detects a hand to thereby prevent pinching.