IP Library Granted Patent US 12,509,934
Granted Patent B2
US 12,509,934 · App. 17/794,529 · Granted Dec 30, 2025

Sensor device

Inventors: Igor Alexander Gorenzweig (Wuppertal, DE); Steffen Leib (Ratingen, DE); Yevgen Dementyev (Wuppertal, DE); Sven Hild (Hagen, DE); Andreas Gornik (Gevelsberg, DE)
Assignee: Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH & Co. KG
E05F15/73B60J5/06B60Q9/00G01D5/24H05K1/18E05Y2400/44E05Y2400/852E05Y2900/531H05K2201/10098H05K2201/10151
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,509,934
App. No.
17/794,529
Granted
Dec 30, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a sensor device ( 100 ) for actuating a movable part ( 101 ), in particular a sliding door, of a vehicle ( 1 ), comprising: a capacitive sensor unit ( 10 ) with a plurality of sensor elements ( 11 ) for motion detection, in particular gesture detection, of a user to trigger opening and/or closing of the movable part ( 101 ), an NFC antenna ( 30 ) for communicating with a vehicle-side security system ( 2 ) and/or a user-side mobile handheld device ( 4 ) in order to trigger unlocking and/or locking of the movable part ( 101 ), and a circuit board ( 20 ) for accommodating the capacitive sensor unit ( 10 ) and the NFC antenna ( 30 ).

Claims (60)

1 . A sensor device for actuating a movable part of a vehicle, comprising:

a capacitive sensor unit having a plurality of sensor elements for movement detection of a user to at least trigger opening or closing of the movable part,

an NFC antenna for communicating with at least a vehicle-side security system or a user-side mobile handheld device to trigger at least unlocking or locking of the movable part,

and a circuit board for receiving the capacitive sensor unit and the NFC antenna,

wherein at least the sensor elements are arranged in the form of a matrix with more than three columns or more than three rows of independent contactless sensor elements,

wherein each of the sensor elements comprise a plurality of branch elements for contactlessly sensing a capacitive change of the vehicle's environment, and

wherein each of the sensor elements comprise two galvanically isolated shield frames.

2 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein at least the sensor elements carry out the movement detection on the basis of a capacitive change in the vehicle's environment, or that the sensor elements are connected in the rows, the columns, or individually.

3 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein at least the sensor elements, complementary shield elements and the shield frames for the sensor elements are at least arranged in different layers of the circuit board or form a 3D sensor structure, or the sensor elements are produced photolithographically on the circuit board.

4 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein

at least the sensor elements each form a single sensor unit,

or the sensor elements each have a supply line.

5 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the shield frames are arranged at least on a same side or in a same layer of the circuit board as the sensor elements.

6 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the circuit board has an electronics unit for driving at least the capacitive sensor unit, the NFC antenna, an LDC sensor unit, a further sensor unit or a lighting unit.

7 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the capacitive sensor unit is configured at least for contactless or contact-based movement detection.

8 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the capacitive sensor unit is configured at least to detect movement in a first direction of movement or to detect movement in a second direction of movement.

9 . The sensor device according to claim 8 , wherein

the movement detection in the first direction of movement is provided for opening the movable part and the movement detection in the second direction of movement is provided for closing the movable part.

10 . The sensor device according to claim 8 , wherein

the first direction of movement and the second direction of movement are opposite.

11 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the NFC antenna is arranged at least along an outer edge of the circuit board,

or wherein at least the capacitive sensor unit, an electronics unit, an LDC sensor unit, a further sensor unit or a lighting unit are/is at least partially surrounded by the NFC antenna.

12 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein

at least the NFC antenna is substantially loop-shaped or substantially O-shaped, such that the NFC antenna forms a coil,

or that the NFC antenna has one winding.

13 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein

at least the NFC antenna is configured at least in part at least to shield or to shape a capacitive field of the capacitive sensor unit,

or the capacitive sensor unit is off when the NFC antenna is in sensor operation, and that the NFC antenna is off when the capacitive sensor unit is in sensor operation.

14 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the NFC antenna is configured at least for authenticating the user or for exchanging at least personal or security-related data.

15 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein

an LDC sensor unit is arranged on the circuit board.

16 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein

at least a face recognition sensor, a capacitive communication unit, a transponder, a BLE antenna or a UWB antenna are/is arranged on the circuit board.

17 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein

a further sensor unit is arranged on the circuit board.

18 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein

a lighting unit, is arranged on the circuit board.

19 . The sensor device according to claim 18 , wherein

the lighting unit is configured to output a status message when the movable part is actuated.

20 . The sensor device according to claim 18 , wherein

at least the lighting unit is configured to output an indication for actuating the capacitive sensor unit, or the lighting unit, is configured to output, with a specific order or sequence of light signals, at least one direction of movement for actuating the capacitive sensor unit,

or a program code is provided for the lighting unit, which is stored in a memory unit of an electronic unit and which, when executed in a computing unit of the electronic unit, programs the lighting unit for use on a left-hand door or right-hand door of the vehicle.

21 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein

a housing case or a holding frame for the circuit board is provided in order to arrange the sensor device in the form of an electronics box in a receiving seat on the vehicle.

22 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein a frame for a lighting unit of the sensor device is provided, which is arrangeable on a front side of the circuit board facing the movable part, in order at least to frame the lighting unit on the circuit board of the sensor device, to avoid the scattering effects between lighting elements of the lighting unit, to shape the light field of the lighting elements of the lighting unit, or to allow potting of the sensor device without covering the lighting unit.

23 . The sensor device according to claim 22 , wherein

an aperture is provided for the lighting unit of the sensor device.

24 . The sensor device according to claim 23 , wherein

the aperture is arranged on a front side of the sensor device facing the movable part.

25 . The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein

in that a pad is provided for the capacitive sensor unit in order to prevent at least disruptive dirt particles or moisture from penetrating into a sensor area of the capacitive sensor unit.

26 . A movable part for a vehicle, comprising:

a receiving seat for a sensor device for actuating the movable part, wherein

the sensor device is formed according to claim 1 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2022
From: LEIB, STEFFEN; DEMENTYEV, YEVGEN; HILD, SVEN; GORNIK, ANDREAS
To: HUF HÜLSBECK & FÜRST GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 060597/0001 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2020 102 972.1 · Feb 5, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230175305A1 · Jun 8, 2023
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