Rear Closure Safety System with Sensor-Triggered Blocking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The risk of impact from a closing rear closure member in motor vehicles is not adequately addressed, as users may not notice others, especially children, in the rear compartment, leading to potential collisions when closing the heavy tailgate or trunk lid.
Innovation Solution
A motor vehicle equipped with a top-hinged rear closure member and an electronically controlled mechanism that prevents closure when rear parking sensors detect more than one object within a defined protection zone, using solenoid actuators or pumps to halt the closing motion, ensuring safety by maintaining the closure member in an open position until the area is clear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a heavy rear closure member is used to provide access to the rear compartment, then the structural strength and security are improved, but the risk of impact to persons in the rear compartment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of objects in the rear compartment using parking sensors before the closure member is operated. When objects are detected, the system preemptively prevents closure by activating the electronically controlled mechanism, thereby avoiding potential impact to persons or objects in the compartment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the rear compartment environment using parking sensors and provides feedback to the control unit. Based on this feedback, the system dynamically controls the electronically controlled mechanism to either permit or prevent closure of the rear closure member, creating a closed-loop safety system.
2Reliability
If an electronically controlled mechanism is added to prevent closure when objects are detected, then the safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electronically controlled mechanism serves multiple functions: it acts as a blocking mechanism to prevent closure when objects are detected, and it also functions as a support to hold the rear closure member in the open position. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and minimizes overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the existing parking sensor infrastructure of the vehicle, which is already present for other purposes such as parking assistance. By repurposing these sensors for safety monitoring, the system avoids adding dedicated detection hardware and leverages existing vehicle systems to reduce overall 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
This solution significantly reduces the risk of accidental impacts by preventing the rear closure member from closing when objects are detected within the protection zone, enhancing safety by ensuring the area is clear before allowing the closure process to continue.
Implementation Method 1
The electronically controlled mechanism may be an electronically controlled latching mechanism comprising a solenoid actuator having a latching pin moveable into engagement with a hinge member
Implementation Method 2
The electronically controlled mechanism may comprise a pump drivingly connected between first and second hinge members forming a hinge mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
A motor vehicle is disclosed having a safety system that includes an electronic controller controlling an electronically controlled mechanism in response to inputs from a number of rear parking sensors to prevent movement of a rear closure of the motor vehicle in a closing direction when more than one object is sensed to be within a rear protection zone and the rear closure member is in a fully open position.