Flexible Vehicle Closure Pressure Sensor Neck Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional vehicle closure pressure sensing devices face challenges in accurately and repeatably measuring closing pressure due to misalignment and tortuous paths formed by closure members and vehicle bodies, leading to issues like water leaks, wind noise, and high effort required to close members.

Innovation Solution

A device comprising a pressure sensitive tip, a base, and a flexible neck with inner and outer layers, where the outer layer includes a permanent magnet and the inner layer is magnetically shielding, allowing the neck to conform to tortuous shapes and return to its original shape, coupled with a control module for visual and data output, enabling precise pressure measurement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional pressure sensors are used to measure closing pressure, then pressure detection function is provided, but the sensors are difficult to position accurately and repeatably due to tortuous paths formed by closure members and vehicle body

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure measurement accuracyVSAvoidsensor positioning difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The neck is made flexible rather than rigid, allowing it to adapt to tortuous paths between the base and pressure sensitive tip. This dynamic flexibility enables the sensor to reach difficult-to-access sealing areas while maintaining stable electrical connections through the flexible neck structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The neck is constructed as a flexible structure that can bend and conform to tortuous geometric paths. This flexible neck allows the pressure sensor to access sealing areas that are hidden or difficult to reach, while maintaining reliable electrical connections between the pressure sensitive tip and base.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Adaptability or versatility

If the neck is made flexible to conform to tortuous shapes, then the device can access hidden sealing areas, but maintaining structural support and electrical connection stability becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to conform to tortuous shapeVSAvoidelectrical connection stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The neck employs a composite structure combining flexibility for tortuous path conformance with embedded electrical conductors for stable signal transmission. This composite design integrates both adaptability and reliability requirements into a single functional component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Measurement precision

If magnetic components are added to the neck for positioning, then positioning accuracy improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidneck structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Magnetic components are introduced as an intermediary positioning mechanism between the neck and the closure member. These magnetic elements enable accurate and repeatable positioning of the pressure sensor without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms, thereby improving positioning accuracy while adding minimal complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 device provides accurate and repeatable pressure measurements across tortuous paths, reducing leaks and noise while ensuring easy operation, maintaining measurement consistency regardless of operator positioning.

Implementation Method 1

The outer layer includes a permanent magnet; the inner layer is a magnetically shielding material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetic field: Magnetic Field

Implementation Method 2

the neck is a resilient material configured to conform to a tortuous shape when the vehicle closure member is in a closed position and to return to an original shape when released from the vehicle closure member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS10942071B2Vehicle closure pressure sensor

Publication Date: 2021.03.09 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC

AI summary

A device for measuring a pressure of a vehicle closure member includes a pressure sensitive tip, a base, a plurality of electrical conductors, and a neck. The pressure sensitive tip is configured to output an electronic signal that corresponds to a pressure at the pressure sensitive tip. The electrical conductors electrically couple the pressure sensitive tip to the base. The neck includes an inner layer and an outer layer. The inner layer is disposed about the electrical conductors. The outer layer is disposed about the inner layer. The neck is flexible along a length of the neck.