Motor Vehicle Door Locking Device Variable Braking Torque Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle door collision avoidance systems fail to reliably prevent collisions under various environmental conditions and vehicle situations, including slopes and windy weather, due to their complexity and inability to account for all vehicle conditions.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that evaluates signals from multiple sensors, including a vehicle position sensor and wind sensor, to control a hold-open device with variable braking torque, allowing for earlier braking initiation and increased torque when necessary, ensuring the door stops at a safe distance from obstacles regardless of conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a brake device with two brake elements and an additional brake actuator is used to prevent door collisions, then collision avoidance capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the braking function from the complex multi-element brake device and implements it through a simplified locking device that can generate variable braking torque. The locking device is controlled by a control unit that receives signals from sensors detecting door position, obstacle presence, vehicle slope, and wind conditions, allowing collision avoidance without requiring multiple brake elements and actuators.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking device is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both the primary door locking mechanism and the braking device for collision avoidance. By making the locking device universally functional, the patent eliminates the need for separate brake elements and actuators, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining collision avoidance capability.
2Reliability
If existing locking devices only use basic sensor signals without considering vehicle conditions like slope and wind, then device complexity remains low, but collision avoidance reliability deteriorates under various environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously receives feedback signals from multiple sensors including door position sensors, obstacle detection sensors, vehicle slope sensors, and wind condition sensors. Based on this real-time feedback, the control unit dynamically adjusts the braking torque generated by the locking device, enabling reliable collision avoidance under varying environmental conditions such as slopes and windy weather.
Solution Approach 2:
The braking torque generated by the locking device is made dynamic rather than fixed. The control unit adjusts the braking torque in real-time based on sensor inputs regarding door position, obstacle distance, vehicle slope, and wind conditions. This dynamic adjustment ensures optimal collision avoidance performance across different environmental conditions without requiring overly complex hardware.
3Reliability
If braking torque is fixed regardless of conditions, then device complexity is low, but braking distance increases and collision avoidance fails in critical situations
Solution Approach 1:
The braking torque is made variable and dynamically adjustable through the control unit. Based on sensor inputs regarding door position, obstacle distance, vehicle slope, and wind conditions, the control unit calculates and applies the appropriate braking torque. This allows the system to generate higher torque when needed (e.g., on slopes or against wind) and lower torque during normal operation, achieving reliable collision avoidance with optimized braking distances.
Solution Approach 2:
The braking torque parameter is changed dynamically based on operating conditions. The control unit modifies the braking torque magnitude according to sensor feedback about door position, obstacle proximity, vehicle slope angle, and wind force. This parameter adjustment enables the system to adapt to different situations, ensuring collision avoidance success while maintaining reasonable device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method and to a device for impinging on a motor vehicle door (1) in the sense of a deceleration, in particular for avoiding collisions. There is at least one sensor (9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) assigned to the motor vehicle door (1). Furthermore, as a function of signals from the sensor (9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15), the control unit (8) actuates the locking device (7) for locking the motor vehicle door (1). According to the invention, the locking device (7) applies a preferably variable braking torque to the motor vehicle door (1), taking into account a braking start predetermined by the control unit (8).