MOTOR VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A motor vehicle includes a body component and a wing element pivotably coupled to the body component such that the wing element pivots relative to the body component about a pivot axis between a neutral starting position and a first pivot position. A control device of the motor vehicle detects an impending collision of the motor vehicle with a collision object located in the surroundings of the motor vehicle. Upon detecting the impending collision, the control device automatically pivots the wing element toward the body component from the neutral starting position to the first pivot position. The control device of the motor vehicle evaluates a severity of the collision and, depending upon the severity, automatically pivots the wing element away from the body component from the first pivot position to the neutral starting position.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A motor vehicle comprising: a body component; a wing element pivotably coupled to the body component such that the wing element is configured to pivot relative to the body component about a pivot axis between a neutral starting position and a first pivot position; an actuator configured to pivot the wing element about the pivot axis between the neutral position and the first pivot position; an environment sensor configured to transmit a signal indicating a state of surroundings of the motor vehicle; and a control device configured to receive the signal from the environment sensor and to detect an impending collision of the motor vehicle with a collision object located in the surroundings of the motor vehicle based on the signal from the environment sensor and a current journey parameter of the motor vehicle, wherein if the impending collision is detected, the control device is configured to control the actuator such that the wing element pivots toward the body component from the neutral starting position to the first pivot position, and wherein the control device is further configured to evaluate a severity of the collision and, based on the evaluation of the severity, to control the actuator such that the wing element pivots away from the body component from the first pivot position toward the neutral starting position.

12. The motor vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the signal indicating the state of the surroundings of the motor vehicle indicates a current distance of the collision object from the motor vehicle, and wherein the control device is further configured to control the actuator to pivot to the first pivot position only when the current distance falls below a predetermined threshold value.

13. The motor vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the control device is further configured to hold the wing element at the first pivot position and to control the actuator to pivot the wing element from the first pivot position to the neutral starting position only when the current distance reaches or exceeds the predetermined threshold value again.

14. The motor vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the control device is further configured to hold the wing element at the first pivot position and to control the actuator to pivot the wing element from the first pivot position to the neutral starting position only after a manual user release.

15. The motor vehicle according to claim 11, further comprising: a compressible expansion element compressed between the wing element and the body component when the wing is set at the first pivot position, wherein the compressible expansion element is configured to apply a restoring force against the wing element set at the first pivot position such that the restoring force assists in pivoting the wing element to the neutral starting position.

16. The motor vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the expansion element comprises a compressible sealing lip disposed between the wing element and the body component.

17. The motor vehicle according to claim 11, further comprising: a closure device comprising a first closure element disposed on the wing element and a second closure element disposed on the body component, wherein the first closure element is configured to engage the second closure element at a closure position such that the wing element is locked at the first pivot position, wherein the control device is further configured to control the actuator to pivot the wing element back and forth to release the first closure element from the closure position to a neutral position such that the wing element is free to pivot to the neutral starting position.

18. The motor vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the closure device further comprises a self-retraction lock.

19. The motor vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the wing element comprises one of the following: a side door of the motor vehicle, an engine hood of the motor vehicle, or a trunk lid of the motor vehicle.

20. A method for operating a motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle includes a body component and a wing element pivotably coupled to the body element such that the wing element is configured to pivot relative to the body component about a pivot axis between a neutral starting position and a first pivot position, the method comprising: receiving, by a control device of the motor vehicle, a signal from an environment sensor of the motor vehicle, wherein the signal indicates a state of surroundings of the motor vehicle; detecting, by the control device, an impending collision of the motor vehicle with a collision object located in the surroundings of the motor vehicle based on the signal from the environment sensor and a current journey parameter of the motor vehicle; controlling, by the control device, an actuator of the motor vehicle such that the wing element pivots toward the body component from the neutral starting position to the first pivot position; evaluating, by the control device, a severity of the collision; and controlling, by the control device, the actuator based on the evaluation of the severity such that the wing element pivots away from the body component from the first pivot position to the neutral starting position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE

[0032] In the following, exemplary embodiments of the invention are described. In the figures:

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a motor vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0034] FIG. 2 is a schematic detail view of a connection region between a wing element and a body component according to an embodiment of the invention; and

[0035] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a method for operating a motor vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE

[0036] The exemplary embodiments described below are preferred embodiments of the invention. In the exemplary embodiments, the described components of the embodiments each represent individual features of the invention that are to be considered independently of one another, each also further developing the invention independently of one another. For this reason, the disclosure is also intended to include other combinations of the features of the embodiments than those described. Additionally, the described embodiments can also be complemented by additional, already described features of the invention.

[0037] In the figures, the same reference signs refer to functionally identical elements.

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a motor vehicle 10 having a body component 12 and a wing element 14. The wing element 14 is held on the body component 12 so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis 16, relative to the body component 12. The wing element 14 shown in FIG. 1 is designed as a trunk lid of the motor vehicle 10. It is held pivotably about a pivot axis 16 arranged in the upper rear roof region of the motor vehicle 10for example, by means of a hinge. A pivoting of the wing element 14 leads to a displacement of the wing element 14 along the pivoting direction 18. The wing element 14 can be pivoted between at least two pivot positions, relative to the body component 12. One of the pivot positions can be a neutral starting position or a closed position of the trunk lid 14 shown here.

[0039] The motor vehicle 10 of FIG. 1 also has a control device 20 which operates communications connections to at least one motor controller 22, a user interface 24, at least one environment sensor 26, and an actuator 28. The control device 20 can be designed to receive a signal 30 describing the surroundings of the motor vehicle 10 from the environment sensor 26. The signal 30 can describe a current distance 32 between the motor vehicle 10 and a collision object 34. At the same time, the control device can be designed to receive at least one current journey parameter 36, e.g., a current travel speed of the motor vehicle 10, from the motor controller 22. The control device 20 can be designed to detect an impending collision of the motor vehicle 10 with the collision object 34 from the signal 30 and the journey parameter 36. The control device 20 can also be designed to automatically control the at least one actuator 28, when the imminent collision is detected, in such a way that the wing element 14, starting from the neutral starting position, is pulled into the at least one further pivot position in the direction of the body component 12. By pulling the wing element 14 towards the body component 12, damage to the wing element 14 can be prevented during the imminent collision.

[0040] The control device 20 can evaluate a severity of the collision on the basis of signals from deformation sensors, not shown here, of the motor vehicle 10. Depending upon the severity, the control device 20 can control the actuators 28 in such a way that the wing element 14 is automatically pushed back from the body component 12 into the neutral starting position.

[0041] According to a preferred embodiment, the control device 20 can be designed to receive, alternatively or additionally, a confirmation signal 38 which may have been input by a user of the motor vehicle 10 via the user interface 24. The activation of the actuator 28 can be made dependent upon whether or not the confirmation signal 38 is present. The confirmation signal 38 can be a release signal that allows the activation of the actuators 28 for restoring the neutral starting position.

[0042] With reference to the components shown and described in connection with FIG. 1, FIG. 2 shows a detail view of the connection region between the wing element 14 and the body component 12. In the illustration shown here, an expansion element 40 is arranged between the wing element 14 and the body component 12. The expansion element 40 can be a compressible sealing lip.

[0043] The pivot position of the wing element 14 shown in FIG. 2 corresponds to the neutral starting position, wherein the expansion element 40 is in a non-compressed state in the neutral starting position. Activation of the actuator 28 can, starting from the position shown here, lead to the latter performing a rotation of the first closure element 42 in a counter-clockwise direction, so that the closure element 42 continues to engage with the second closure element 44. In other words, an activation of the actuator 28 can result in an increased engagement of the first closure element 42 or the lock hook with the second closure element 44 or with the lock hoop. As a result, the wing element 14 is pulled in the direction of the body component 12 towards the latter. As a result, the at least one further pivot position can be established, wherein, in the at least one further pivot position, the expansion element 40 is compressed. If the actuator 28 is subsequently released again, e.g., by means of a corresponding confirmation signal 38, decompression of the compressed expansion element 40 can assist in restoring the neutral starting position.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of a method for operating a motor vehicle 10 with reference to the components denoted and described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2. The motor vehicle 10 has a body component 12 and at least one wing element 14, wherein the wing element 14 is held on the body component 12 so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis 16 between a neutral starting position and at least one further pivot position, relative to the body component 12. In a method step S1, a control device 20 of the motor vehicle 10 receives a signal 30 describing a surroundings of the motor vehicle 10 from at least one environment sensor 26 of the motor vehicle 10. In a step S2, the control device 20 receives at least one current journey parameter 36 of the motor vehicle 10 and detects an impending collision of the motor vehicle 10 with a collision object 34 in the surroundings of the motor vehicle 10 on the basis of the signal 30 and the at least one current journey parameter 36. In a step S3, when the imminent collision is detected, the control device 20 automatically controls actuators 28 of the wing element 14 in such a way that the wing element 14, starting from a neutral starting position, is initially pulled into the at least one further pivot position in the direction of the body component 12. In a step S4, the control device 20 of the motor vehicle 10 evaluates a severity of the collision and, depending upon the severity, automatically controls the actuators 28 in such a way that the wing element 14, starting from the at least one further pivot position, is pushed away from the body component 12 in order to restore the neutral starting position.

[0045] Overall, the examples show how a predictive trunk lid retraction with an integrated reset function can prevent damage to a vehicle trunk lid in a low-speed crash.