IP Library Granted Patent US 12,344,178
Granted Patent B2
US 12,344,178 · App. 18/068,574 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

Sensor assembly with airbag

Inventors: Tyler D. Hamilton (Farmington, MI); Michael Robertson, Jr. (Garden City, MI); Venkatesh Krishnan (Canton, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
B60R21/0134B60R21/20B60R21/36B60R2021/138B60R2021/346
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,344,178
App. No.
18/068,574
Granted
Jul 1, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An assembly includes a housing. The assembly includes an optical sensor supported within the housing. The assembly includes an airbag supported within the housing and deployable from a stowed position internal of the housing to an inflated position external of the housing. The airbag in the inflated position adjacent the optical sensor.

Claims (32)

1. An assembly, comprising:

a housing having a base and a cover supported by the base;

an optical sensor supported by the base; and

an airbag supported by the base and being inflatable from a stowed position to a deployed position, the airbag being contained within the housing in the stowed position and extending external to the housing in the deployed position;

the cover including an orifice and a door movable relative to the orifice between a closed position and an open position, the door in the closed position covering the orifice and the airbag in the stowed position, and the airbag extending through the orifice external to the housing with the door in the open position when the airbag is in the deployed position.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor defines a field-of-view and the airbag in the inflated position is free from covering at least a portion of the field-of-view.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the optical sensor is a camera, and further comprising a LIDAR sensor supported by the housing, the airbag in the inflated position extending along the LIDAR sensor.

4. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the airbag in the inflated position defines an opening, and the field-of-view extends through the opening.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the airbag is resettable to the stowed position.

6. The assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a compressed air cartridge in fluid communication with the airbag.

7. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the door is movable to the closed position after the airbag is reset to the stowed position.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cover is removable from the base, and further comprising a sensor configured to inhibit deployment of the airbag upon detecting the cover is removed from the base.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the airbag in the inflated position extends along opposing sides and a top of the of the housing.

10. A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body;

a housing supported by the vehicle body, the housing having a base and a cover supported by the base;

an optical sensor supported by the base within the housing; and

an airbag supported by the base within the housing and deployable from a stowed position to an inflated position, the airbag being contained within the housing in the stowed position and extending external to the housing in the deployed position, the airbag in the inflated position being adjacent the optical sensor;

the cover including an orifice and a door movable relative to the orifice between a closed position and an open position, the door in the closed position covering the orifice and the airbag in the stowed position, and the airbag extending through the orifice external to the housing with the door in the open position when the airbag is in the deployed position.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the vehicle body includes a front quarter-panel, and the housing is supported by the front quarter-panel.

12. The vehicle of claim 10 , further comprising a computer programmed to deploy the airbag in response to detecting a pending impact to the housing from a pedestrian.

13. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the optical sensor defines a field-of-view and the airbag in the inflated position is free from covering at least a portion of the field-of-view.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the optical sensor is a camera, and further comprising a LIDAR sensor supported by the housing, the airbag in the inflated position extending along the LIDAR sensor.

15. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the airbag in the inflated position defines an opening, and the field-of-view extends through the opening.

16. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the airbag is resettable to the stowed position.

17. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the cover is removable from the base, and further comprising a sensor configured to disarm the airbag upon detecting the cover is removed from the base.

18. A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body;

a housing supported by the vehicle body;

an optical sensor supported within the housing; and

an airbag supported within the housing and deployable from a stowed position to an inflated position, the airbag in the inflated position being adjacent the optical sensor; and

a computer programmed to deploy the airbag in response to detecting a pending impact to the housing while the vehicle is in a park mode.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2022
From: HAMILTON, TYLER D.; ROBERTSON, MICHAEL, JR.; KRISHNAN, VENKATESH
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 062153/0891 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240198942A1 · Jun 20, 2024
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