Pressure Hose Sensor Frontal Impact Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing impact sensor systems struggle to differentiate between actual crashes and misuse scenarios, such as driving over a curb, due to similar acceleration signals, leading to potential incorrect triggering of occupant protection systems.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a pressure hose sensor, situated in the front bumper of a vehicle, to provide a distinct signal for frontal impacts, which is used in conjunction with an impact sensor system to adjust triggering thresholds and validate signals, ensuring accurate and robust activation of occupant protection systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If acceleration sensors are used for crash detection, then the system can detect impacts through chassis signals, but the system cannot reliably differentiate between actual crashes and misuse scenarios such as driving over curbs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the detection system into two independent sensor subsystems: acceleration sensors (for general impact detection) and pressure hose sensors (for frontal impact verification). By segmenting the detection function across different sensor types with different signal characteristics, the system can differentiate between misuse and actual crashes more reliably
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure hose sensor acts as an intermediary verification mechanism. Its signal serves as a mediator that confirms whether acceleration sensor signals represent genuine frontal crashes or misuse scenarios. The pressure hose sensor's distinct signal characteristics provide an intermediate layer of validation between the acceleration signal and the final triggering decision
2Loss of time
If the impact sensor system is positioned in the foremost area of the vehicle for early detection, then triggering can occur earlier, but the sensor may be destroyed directly on impact
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure hose sensor is positioned in the front bumper area as an intermediary that can detect frontal impacts early without being as vulnerable to destruction as sensors placed deeper in the vehicle structure. It serves as a forward detection element that can signal impending crashes before the main impact zone is reached
3Loss of time
If a pressure hose sensor is exposed in the front bumper area for early impact detection, then early triggering is possible, but the sensor may output false signals in non-hazardous situations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the signals from two different sensor types (acceleration sensor and pressure hose sensor) into a unified detection logic. By combining these signals with different characteristics and thresholds, the system achieves both early detection capability and improved signal accuracy, reducing false positives while maintaining early triggering potential
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
This approach enables early and reliable triggering of occupant protection systems during actual crashes while avoiding false activations from non-hazardous situations, ensuring the effectiveness of the protection systems and maintaining robustness even in defective sensor conditions.
Implementation Method 1
importing a pressure hose sensor signal, which represents a change in a pressure in a pressurized pressure hose of the pressure hose sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A method for detecting an impact of a collision object on a vehicle, which has a pressure hose sensor, includes the task of importing a pressure hose sensor signal, which represents a change in a pressure of a pressurized hose of the pressure hose sensor. This method also includes activating an occupant protection system using the pressure hose sensor signal.