Hands-Free Vehicle Door Access With Proximity Sensing and Kneeling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Electric medium-duty vehicles face packaging constraints due to large battery packs, requiring efficient height adjustment and automated door systems for easy loading, unloading, and user access, especially when carrying loads.
Innovation Solution
An automated door system using a key fob with RFID and photoelectric sensors to control door locking, unlocking, and opening, integrated with a vehicle control unit that adjusts door status and floor height based on user proximity and vehicle state, allowing hands-free operation and kneeling position adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a large battery pack is positioned low in the vehicle to meet packaging constraints, then energy storage capacity is improved, but the vehicle floor height is reduced making loading and unloading difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle floor is made dynamically adjustable through an automated floor adjustment system that can change the floor height between a first position (for normal operation) and a second, lower position (for loading/unloading). This allows the system to adapt to different operational requirements, providing both adequate battery packaging space and ease of cargo handling when needed.
2Ease of operation
If the vehicle floor is lowered to a kneeling position to facilitate loading and unloading, then ease of operation is improved, but the vehicle structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automated floor adjustment system operates autonomously based on detected user intent or operational conditions. The system self-adjusts the floor height without requiring manual intervention, reducing the operational complexity for the user while maintaining the automated control mechanisms needed for floor position changes.
3Reliability
If manual door unlocking is required when carrying loads, then security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to inability to hands-free operation
Solution Approach 1:
The door system incorporates sensors that detect the presence of objects in the user's hands or the user's approach to the vehicle. This feedback triggers automated door unlocking and opening sequences, allowing hands-free operation when loads are being carried while maintaining security through controlled access based on detected conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical door unlocking mechanism is supplemented or replaced with an automated electromagnetic locking system controlled by the vehicle control unit. This allows the door lock to be actuated electronically based on sensor input, enabling hands-free operation while maintaining secure locking when not in use.
4Ease of operation
If automated door opening is implemented to assist with loading, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automated door system is integrated with the existing vehicle control unit and sensor network, allowing the same control architecture to manage multiple functions including door operation, floor adjustment, and security monitoring. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity.
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
Enhances user safety and convenience by enabling hands-free door operation and adjustable floor height, reducing manual effort and improving loading/unloading efficiency while maintaining vehicle balance and energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the set of sensors includes one or more of an RFID tag and a photoelectric sensor
Implementation Method 2
the set of sensors includes one or more of an RFID tag and a photoelectric sensor
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for an automated door system for a vehicle. In one example, the automated door system may include a key fob configured with a transmitter. A set of sensors may be located at a door of the vehicle which may be communicatively linked to a vehicle control unit. A position of the key fob relative to the door may be monitored by the set of sensors to provide hands-free actuation of the door motor.