IP Library Granted Patent US 7,206,678
Granted Patent B2
US 7,206,678 · App. 10/918,751 · Granted Apr 17, 2007

Motor vehicle with a pre-safe-system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,206,678
App. No.
10/918,751
Granted
Apr 17, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A motor vehicle includes a pre-safe system, which contains at least one vehicle periphery detection device and a suspension and shock absorber unit. The suspension and shock absorber unit is arranged between a chassis and a vehicle body and can be activated as a function of signals that are detected by the vehicle periphery detection device and evaluated in a data evaluation device. The data evaluation unit of the vehicle periphery detection device is connected to a control device of an active chassis control system, which activates the suspension and shock absorber unit, to perform a vehicle level adjustment that is predefined for the respective impact situation.

Claims (24)

1. A motor vehicle with a pre-safe system, comprising:

at least one vehicle periphery detection device including a data evaluation unit; and

a suspension and shock absorber unit that is arranged between a vehicle chassis and a vehicle body; wherein,

the suspension and shock absorber unit can be activated as a function of signals that are detected by the vehicle periphery detection device and evaluated in a data evaluation device;

for activating the suspension and shock absorber unit, the data evaluation unit is connected to a control device of an active chassis control system;

the chassis control system performs a vehicle level adjustment that is substantially a lifting motion;

the level adjustment is predefined for a respective impact situation;

the lifting motion for the vehicle level adjustment occurs in a controlled fashion upon detection of an impact situation; and

the adjusting time for the vehicle level adjustment is variable as a function of relative speed between the vehicle and a collision object.

2. The motor vehicle pursuant to claim 1 , wherein the height and speed of the vehicle level adjustment are predefined by the control device as a function of one of a detected impact situation and a detected collision object.

3. The motor vehicle pursuant to claim 1 , wherein:

the control device is connected to a transmit-receive unit, which transmits a signal representative of the vehicle type and is designed to receive a signal representing a vehicle type from a potential collision partner; and

wherein the control device changes a level of the body upon processing this signal representing the vehicle type and corresponding vehicle level data stored in the control device.

4. The motor vehicle pursuant to claim 1 , wherein a lifting motion occurs for vehicle level adjustment purpose upon detection of an impact situation.

5. The motor vehicle pursuant to claim 4 , wherein the body is adjusted to a maximum height position upon detection of an impact situation.

6. The motor vehicle pursuant to claim 1 , wherein the maximum height position of the body is at least 40 mm to 50 mm above a zero position of the body and an adjusting time until the level adjustment into the maximum height position is 0.2 to 0.4 sec.

7. The motor vehicle pursuant to claim 6 , wherein the maximum height position of the body is at least 80 to 90 mm above a zero position of the body.

8. The motor vehicle pursuant to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle periphery detection device is part of a safety sensor system, which further comprises at least one of a vehicle state sensor, an impact sensor and an interior space sensor.

9. The motor vehicle pursuant to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle periphery detection device is a radar near-field sensor, with a range of approximately 20m to 30m and a tracking range of about 6m.

10. The motor vehicle pursuant to claim 9 , wherein said sensor is a 24GHz radar near field sensor.

11. The motor vehicle pursuant to claim 1 , wherein:

the suspension and shock absorber unit includes a plunger for each vehicle wheel;

the plungers are arranged in series with a passive spring element as well as parallel to a hydraulic shock absorber; and

the plungers can be activated individually.

Assignments (1)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. 10/567,810 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 020976 FRAME 0889. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Jul 1, 2020
From: DAIMLERCHRYSLER AG
To: DAIMLER AG
Reel/Frame 053583/0493 →