Capacitive Sensor for Vehicle Door Entrapment Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle systems lack effective anti-entrapment mechanisms to prevent accidents involving objects or people when vehicle doors or lift gates close, particularly in detecting both conductive and non-conductive objects.
Innovation Solution
A capacitive sensor system integrated into vehicle panels and lift gates that changes capacitance in response to objects, allowing for real-time detection and prevention of closure when an object is present, using a controller to manage the movement of doors or lift gates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a capacitive sensor system is integrated into vehicle panels to detect objects, then safety against entrapment is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The capacitive sensor system is designed to detect both conductive and non-conductive objects using a single sensor type and detection mechanism. The controller is configured to monitor capacitance changes that indicate the presence of either conductive objects (like human bodies) or non-conductive objects (like plastic containers), eliminating the need for separate sensor systems for different object types.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical entrapment detection systems (such as mechanical switches, pressure sensors, or physical barriers) with a capacitive sensing system. This electronic substitution allows for more reliable detection without mechanical wear and enables the system to detect a broader range of objects including both conductive and non-conductive materials.
2Measurement precision
If the sensor is positioned on the movable panel perpendicular to the closure, then detection accuracy is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is positioned on the movable panel rather than the fixed closure, allowing the sensor to move with the panel during opening and closing operations. This dynamic positioning maintains the perpendicular orientation relative to the closure surface throughout the motion range, ensuring consistent detection accuracy without requiring precise fixed positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The system monitors changes in capacitance parameters as the panel moves between opened and closed positions. By detecting capacitance variations that occur during movement, the system can identify object presence regardless of the exact panel position, reducing sensitivity to manufacturing tolerances in sensor placement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The capacitive sensor system effectively prevents entrapment by detecting both conductive and non-conductive objects, ensuring safe operation of vehicle doors and lift gates by halting or reversing their closure when an object is detected, enhancing safety and preventing accidents.
Implementation Method 1
The sensor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to the closure of the vehicle body such that capacitance of the sensor changes
Data Source
AI summary
An illustrative assembly includes a panel and a capacitive sensor. The panel is movable between an opened position and a closed position relative to a closure of a vehicle body. The sensor is positioned on the panel such that at least a portion of the sensor is perpendicular to the closure of the vehicle body as the panel moves between the opened and closed positions. The sensor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to the closure of the vehicle body such that capacitance of the sensor changes.