Device for actuating a moving part of a vehicle without contact

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for actuating a moving part (10) of a vehicle (1), particularly a trunk lid (10.1), a side door (10.2), or the like, without contact, comprising a first detection means (11) for detecting an object in a first detection area (11a) and a second detection means (12) for detecting an object in a second detection area (12a) so that the actuation of the moving part (10) can be activated through the detection means (11, 12). According to the invention, the first detection means (11) is designed as a first capacitance sensor (11), and the second detection means (12) is designed as a second capacitance sensor (12), wherein means (13, 14) are provided, with which the detection areas (11a, 12a) can be specified in areas separated from each other.

Claims

1. A device for actuating a moving part of a vehicle without contact comprising: a first detection means for detecting a first object in a first detection area, and a second detection means for detecting a second object separate from the first object in a second detection area separate from the first detection area, such that actuation of the moving part is activated by means of the detection means, wherein the first detection means is configured as a first capacitance sensor and the second detection means is configured as a second capacitance sensor and wherein specifying means are provided with which the detection areas are specified in individually separate areas wherein the capacitance sensors for a trunk lid are arranged at the rear end of the vehicle, wherein the capacitance sensors for a side door are arranged in a door sill area of the vehicle, wherein the first capacitance sensor in or on the rear bumper, respectively at a bottom of the side door of the vehicle, is arranged such that the horizontally-extending detection area of the first capacitance sensor detects at least a leg of at least one upright moving person wherein the control unit is configured such that the moving part is only actuated when the first capacitance sensor detects the leg prior to the second capacitance sensor detecting the foot, wherein the first and second detection areas have no common area external of the vehicle and the first detection area is spatially separated from the second detection area such that the separation reduces power consumption of the first and second capacitance sensors, wherein the first and second detection areas enable first and second objects to be detected independently, wherein the first capacitance sensor initially detects the movement of a leg, wherein the second capacitance sensor first switches on, wherein the foot needs to be promptly pulled back out of the second detection area as applicable in order to trigger the actuating of the moving part, wherein not until an ID transmitter is present and thus an authentication conducted is the moving part actuated by the motion pattern concurrently detected by the capacitance sensors; and wherein the sensor electrodes are a component of the rear bumper, the side door or the door sill, or are adhesively affixed or secured with fastening means in the interior of same, wherein the capacitance sensors are arranged in a U-shaped opening and the respective detection area of the capacitance sensors is situated in front of the U-shaped opening of a shield, and the first capacitance sensor is disposed in a vertically extending area and the second capacitance sensor is disposed in a horizontally extending area.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said means are configured such that the first detection area exhibits a substantially horizontal extension and said means are configured such that the second detection area exhibits a substantially vertical extension.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second capacitance sensor in or on the rear bumper, respectively at the bottom of the side door of the vehicle is arranged such that the vertically-extending detection area of the second capacitance sensor can detect at least a foot of at least one upright moving person.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the capacitance sensors are configured in a form of a wire or a foil and extend substantially over an entire width of the bumper.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the specifying means are designed in a form of a metallic shield extending to a side of the capacitance sensors facing away from the first and the second detection area and surround the capacitance sensors as a half shell.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the metallic shields respectively exhibit a same potential as the capacitance sensors.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one capacitance sensor is additionally provided with a ground electrode to align the respective detection area.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein a control unit is provided which is connected to the capacitance sensors and operatively connected to an actuating unit for the trunk lid of the vehicle.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the ID transmitter is operatively connected to the control unit, preferably by means of a wireless communication link.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the control unit is designed such that the moving part is not actuated until said control unit detects the presence of the ID transmitter.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is designed such that the moving part is actuated when the first capacitance sensor detects the presence of a leg within the first detection area and the second capacitance sensor detects the presence of a foot within the second detection area.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is designed such that the moving part is only actuated when the first capacitance sensor detects the leg prior to the second capacitance sensor detecting the foot.

13. A method for actuating a moving part of a vehicle including the following steps: providing a first detection means; detecting a first object in a first detection area with the first detection means; providing a second detection means; detecting a second object separate from the first object in a second detection area separate from the first detection area such that actuation of the moving part can be activated by the second detection means; wherein the first detection means is configured as a first capacitance sensor and the second detection means is configured as a second capacitance sensor and specifying the detection areas in individually separate areas with specifying means, wherein the capacitance sensors for a trunk lid are arranged at the rear end of the vehicle, wherein the capacitance sensors for a side door are arranged in a door sill area of the vehicle, wherein the first capacitance sensor in or on the rear bumper, respectively at a bottom of the side door of the vehicle, is arranged such that the horizontally-extending detection area of the first capacitance sensor detects at least a leg of at least one upright moving person wherein the control unit is configured such that the moving part is only actuated when the first capacitance sensor detects the leg prior to the second capacitance sensor detecting the foot, wherein the first and second detection areas have no common area external of the vehicle and the first detection area is spatially separated from the second detection area such that the separation reduces power consumption of the first and second capacitance sensors, wherein the first and second detection areas enable first and second objects to be detected independently, wherein the first capacitance sensor initially detects the movement of a leg, wherein the second capacitance sensor first switches on, wherein the foot needs to be promptly pulled back out of the second detection area as applicable in order to trigger the actuating of the moving part, wherein not until an ID transmitter is present and thus an authentication conducted is the moving part actuated by the motion pattern concurrently detected by the capacitance sensors; and wherein the sensor electrodes are a component of the rear bumper, the side door or the door sill, or are adhesively affixed or secured with fastening means in the interior of same, wherein the capacitance sensors are arranged in a U-shaped opening and the respective detection area of the capacitance sensors is situated in front of the U-shaped opening of a shield, and the first capacitance sensor is disposed in a vertically extending area and the second capacitance sensor is disposed in a horizontally extending area.

14. A vehicle comprising a device in accordance with claim 1.

15. A device for actuating a moving part of a vehicle without contact comprising: a first detection means for detecting a first object in a first detection area and a second detection means for detecting a second object separate from the first object in a second detection area separate from the first detection area such that actuation of the moving part is activated by means of the detection means, wherein the first detection means is configured as a first capacitance sensor and the second detection means is configured as a second capacitance sensor and wherein specifying means are provided with which the detection areas are specified in individually separate areas, wherein a control unit is provided which is connected to the capacitance sensors and operatively connected to an actuating unit for a trunk lid of the vehicle, wherein an ID transmitter is provided which is operatively connected to the control unit, preferably by means of a wireless communication link, the control unit being configured such that the moving part is only actuated when the first capacitance sensor detects a first body part prior to the second capacitance sensor detects a second body part, wherein the first and second detection areas have no common area external of the vehicle and the first detection area is spatially separated from the second detection area such that the separation reduces power consumption of the first and second capacitance sensors, wherein the first and second detection areas enable first and second objects to be detected independently, wherein the first capacitance sensor initially detects the movement of a leg, wherein the second capacitance sensor first switches on, wherein the foot needs to be promptly pulled back out of the second detection area as applicable in order to trigger the actuating of the moving part, wherein not until the ID transmitter is present and thus an authentication conducted is the moving part actuated by the motion pattern concurrently detected by the capacitance sensors; and wherein the sensor electrodes are a component of the rear bumper, the side door or the door sill, or are adhesively affixed or secured with fastening means in the interior of same, wherein the capacitance sensors are arranged in a U-shaped opening and the respective detection area of the capacitance sensors is situated in front of the U-shaped opening of a shield, and the first capacitance sensor is disposed in a vertically extending area and the second capacitance sensor is disposed in a horizontally extending area.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor electrodes are a component of the rear bumper, the side door or the door sill, or are adhesively affixed or secured with fastening means in the interior of same.

17. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor electrodes are incorporated by injection molding during the manufacturing of the bumper.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Reference will be made in the following to the figures in describing further measures improving the invention together with the description of preferred embodiments of the invention in greater detail. Shown are:

(2) FIG. 1a an embodiment of the device for actuating a trunk lid without contact comprising a first capacitance sensor and a second capacitance sensor as well as respective means to specify the detection areas,

(3) FIG. 1b an embodiment of the device for actuating a side door without contact comprising a first capacitance sensor and a second capacitance sensor,

(4) FIG. 2 an embodiment of the device according to the invention for triggering the actuation of a trunk lid by means of a person's leg and foot,

(5) FIG. 3 a schematic top plan view of the arrangement of the capacitance sensors inside the rear bumper of a vehicle,

(6) FIG. 4 a schematic side view of the arrangement of the second capacitance sensor inside the rear bumper of a vehicle comprising a metallic shield, and

(7) FIG. 5 a schematic of the control unit operatively connected to the capacitance sensors, the ID transmitter and the trunk lid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) FIG. 1a shows an embodiment of an inventive device for the non-contact actuating of a trunk lid 10.1 as a moving part 10 of a vehicle 1 constituting a motor vehicle. The moving part 10 is held in the closed position and secured by an electromechanical lock 25. The device comprises a first detection means 11 for detecting an object 17, 18 in a first detection area 11a and a second detection means 12 for detecting an object in a second detection area 12a. The detection means 11 and 12 are configured as capacitance sensors 11 and 12 and only indicated schematically in the figure. Detection area 11a covers the horizontal area behind the rear bumper 16 of the vehicle 1. On the other hand, detection area 12a covers the lower area beneath the rear bumper 16. Thus, a first detection area 11a and a second detection area 12a are created which are geometrically separated from one another and have no common area external of the rear bumper 16. The detection areas 11a and 12a are indicated by beams which however only indicate areas depicting a change in dielectric constant between the capacitance sensors 11 and 12 and the vicinity of the rear bumper 16. This change in dielectric constant causes a change to the charge storable on the electrodes of the capacitance sensors 11 and 12 which the device can detect. Thus, the capacitance sensors 11 and 12 can furnish the presence of an object, in particular the presence of part of a person's body, with minimum power consumption.

(9) Means 13 and 14, configured in the form of metallic shields 13 and 14 and which surround the capacitance sensors 11 and 12 in arc-like or half-shell-like manner, extend behind said capacitance sensors 11 and 12. The shields 13 and 14 predefine both the respective detection areas 11a and 12a, thereby enabling improved separation of the detection areas 11a and 12a from one another. The metallic shields 13 and 14 exhibit the same electrical potential as the respective capacitance sensors 11 and 12. Thus, they are so-called active shields 13, 14. Additional ground electrodes 24, respectively ground shields 24, can be provided behind said active shields 13, 14, with which the detection areas 11a, 12a of the capacitance sensors 11 and 12 can be orientated in the reverse direction to the ground shields 24; i.e. away from said ground shields 24.

(10) FIG. 1b shows a similar embodiment of the inventive device for the non-contact actuating of a side door or a sliding door 10.1 as the moving part 10 of a vehicle 1. The two capacitance sensors 11 and 12 are arranged here in the door sill area 23 and orientated comparably to the aforementioned bumper 16 at the vehicle rear end 15. The two capacitance sensors 11 and 12 can optionally also be arranged in the lower area 27 of the side door 10.2, preferably under a stone guard. An object approaching the side door 10.2 can be detected by the first capacitance sensor 11 or the proximity sensor of the conditional access system, usually arranged in the door handle 28. The embodiments in FIGS. 1 to 5 do not differ with respect to the detection means 11, 12 further detecting a motion pattern for actuating the moving part 10. Said detection means 11, 12 with associated means 13, 14 can also be optionally provided with a ground shield 24.

(11) FIG. 2 shows a side view of a detail of the rear bumper 16, respectively the lower area of the side door 10.2, in which the capacitance sensors 11 and 12 with the respective shields 13 and 14 are positioned. According to the representation, part of a person's leg 17 is depicted as protruding into the horizontally-extending first detection area 11a. The foot 18 at the end of the leg 17, on the other hand, protrudes into the vertically-extending detection area 12a underneath the rear bumper 16 or door sill area 23. The person has for example approached the vehicle 1 near the rear bumper 16 or the side door 10.2. Hence, the first capacitance sensor 11 can detect the person's approach by the leg 17 entering into the first detection area 11a. If the person signals the intent to actuate the moving part 10 by moving his foot 18 inward into the second detection area 12a, this produces a predefined motion pattern of the person. The coupled detection of both the leg 17 as well as the foot 18 can trigger the actuation of the trunk lid 10.1, respectively the side door 10.2. The respective detection areas 11a, 12a can likewise be illuminated by a not shown illuminating and/or display means. Lettering can also show the state of the moving part 10 on the sidewalk or the street next to the vehicle. The electro-mechanical lock 25 can be displaced upon the actuation such that the moving part 10 is released, whereby it can be conveyed from a closed position into an open position. The opening and/or closing action can even occur mechanically by the raising mechanism 26 indicated in FIG. 1 which is likewise activated by the actuation.

(12) Ground electrodes 24, respectively ground shields 24, can also be optionally provided in FIG. 2 in addition to the active shields 13, 14.

(13) FIG. 3 shows the arrangement of the capacitance sensors 11 and 12 within the rear bumper 16 of the vehicle 1 in a top plan view. The rear bumper 16 extends the entire rear end 15 of the vehicle, whereby the bumper 16 is shown in its entire width. Pursuant the depiction, it can be recognized that the capacitance sensors 11 and 12 can extend over virtually the entire width of the bumper 16. Therefore, a person can approach any point across the entire rear end 15 of the vehicle 1 and make the leg 17 as well as the foot 18 movement as described in FIG. 2.

(14) The depiction shows the arrangement of the first capacitance sensor 11 in the vertical area of the bumper 16 while the second capacitance sensor 12 with its surrounding shield 14 is indicated in the lower area of the bumper 16. The capacitance sensors 12 can be positioned in or run through the width of the bumper 16 as a foil or a conductive path. The capacitance sensors 11 and 12 with the respective shields 13 and 14 are preferably arranged inside the bumper 16.

(15) FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of the arrangement of the second capacitance sensor 12 within the bumper 16 which can also just as readily be arranged in or on the side door 10.2 or the associated door sill. The capacitance sensor 12 is depicted in cross-section and exhibits a planar extension. The capacitance sensor 12 is enclosed on the rear side by a metallic shield 14 which exhibits the same potential as sensor 12 such that the detection area 12a is only directed toward the underside of the rear bumper 16. To improve the shielding effect, the ground shield 24 connected to a ground contact 19 illustrated as a grounding and connecting the shield 24 to the vehicle ground is additionally provided. Doing so thus further improves the directional defining of the detection area 12a.

(16) FIG. 5 shows the operative connection of the control unit 20 to the first capacitance sensor 11 and the second capacitance sensor 12 in a schematic view. The control unit 20 comprises a logical element 22 configured as a logical AND element.

(17) The logical AND element 22 effects an activation of the trunk lid 10 when at least the first capacitance sensor 11 and the second capacitance sensor 12 detect the presence of an object. If only one of the capacitance sensors 11 or 12 detect the presence of an object, for example a leg 17 or a foot 18, the control unit 20 will not actuate the trunk lid 10. The actuation of the trunk lid 10 will not be triggered until both capacitance sensors 11 and 12 detect the presence of an object.

(18) An ID transmitter 21 is further indicated which communicates with the control unit 20 by wireless connection. The ID transmitter 21 provides conditional access authorization to authenticate a person and is read by the control unit 20. Actuation of the trunk lid 10 will not be triggered until the presence of such an ID transmitter 21 and the positive signal from both capacitance sensors 11 and 12.

(19) The realization of the invention is not limited to the above-indicated preferred embodiment. In fact, a number of variants which also make use of the represented solution in fundamentally different implementations are conceivable. All the features and/or advantages yielded by the claims, the description or the drawings, including structural details, spatial arrangements and method steps, can be essential to the invention both alone as well as in any combination. Thus, e.g. more than two capacitance sensors with additional detection areas can also be used.