Protector with sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11325544-B2
Application number	US-202017027806-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2020
Priority date	Oct 10, 2019
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

An inner-cabin side part of a hollow part of a protector with a sensor extends between a top end and an inner-cabin side end with an inner-cabin side apex closest to an interior of an automobile body. A distance is shorter between the inner-cabin side apex and the inner-cabin side end than between the top end and the inner-cabin side apex. An outer-cabin side part of the hollow part extends between the top end and an outer-cabin side end with an outer-cabin side apex closest to an exterior of the automobile body. A distance is shorter between the outer-cabin side apex and the outer-cabin side end than between the top end and the outer-cabin side apex. Thicknesses of an outer coat of the hollow part are increased toward the apexes from the top end, and are uniform between the apexes and the inner-cabin side end and the outer-cabin side end.

First claim

We claim:

1. A protector with a sensor, the protector being operably couplable to a flange of a sliding door of an automobile, the flange protruding toward a front part of an automobile body of the automobile from a front edge of the sliding door, the sliding door being movable between at least two positions to open and close a door opening of the automobile body, and the protector comprising:
an installation base member operably couplable to the flange, the installation base member having a substantially U-shaped cross section including an inner-cabin side wall, an outer-cabin side wall, and a connecting wall which connects the side walls, and the installation base member extending in an upper and lower direction of the automobile body; and
a hollow part unified with the connecting wall of the installation base member and extending toward the front part of the automobile body, the hollow part having a shape of a tube, the hollow part having core wires, first and second conductive parts, and a space, each of the first and second conductive parts having a respective one of the core wires embedded therein, the space being positioned between the first and second conductive parts, the hollow part having an inner-cabin side end and an outer-cabin side end each being connected with the installation base member, the inner-cabin side end and the outer-cabin side end being at a distance from each other along the installation base member, the first and second conductive parts including the first conductive part on an upper part of the hollow part and the second conductive part on a lower part of the hollow part, the second conductive part having a convex shape in cross section of the hollow part, the second conductive part being positioned within the hollow part between the inner-cabin side end and the outer-cabin side end adjacent the installation base member, the first conductive part having a concave shape in cross section of the hollow part, the first conductive part being spaced apart from the second conductive part, the first and second conductive parts being shaped and positioned in a manner that the space has a substantially V-shaped cross section, an opening of the V-shaped cross section facing the installation base member, and an inner-cabin space end and an outer-cabin space end of the space being defined on an inner surface of an outer coat of the hollow part,
wherein:
when an object is disposed between the sliding door and the opening, and makes contact with the hollow part when the sliding door is moved towards a closed position, an electric signal provides an indication that the object is in the opening,
an inner-cabin side part of the outer coat of the hollow part extends between a top end and the inner-cabin side end, the inner-cabin side part is curved toward an interior of the automobile body with an inner-cabin side apex on a part closest to the interior of the automobile body, and a distance in a height direction between the inner-cabin side apex and a part of the inner-cabin side end closest to the interior of the automobile body is shorter than a distance in the height direction between the top end and the inner-cabin side apex,
an outer-cabin side part of the outer coat of the hollow part extends between the top end and the outer-cabin side end, the outer-cabin side part is curved toward an exterior of the automobile body with an outer-cabin side apex on a part closest to the exterior of the automobile body, and a distance in the height direction between the outer-cabin side apex and a part of the outer-cabin side end closest to the exterior of the automobile body is shorter than a distance in the height direction between the top end and the outer-cabin side apex,
thicknesses of the outer coat of the hollow part are gradually increased toward the inner-cabin side apex from the top end and toward the outer-cabin side apex from the top end, and the thicknesses of the outer coat between the inner-cabin side apex and the inner-cabin side end and between the outer-cabin side apex and the outer-cabin side end are equal to or not less than thicknesses of the outer coat on the inner-cabin side apex and on the outer-cabin side apex, and
the second conductive part has a ridge-shaped cross section, the ridge-shaped cross section has an apex thicker than at least one other part of the second conductive part and slopes toward the inner-cabin side end and the outer-cabin side end from the apex, and the space has a substantially uniform width in cross section.

2. A protector with a sensor, the protector being operably couplable to a flange of a sliding door of an automobile, the flange protruding toward a front part of an automobile body of the automobile from a front edge of the sliding door, the sliding door being movable between at least two positions to open and close a door opening of the automobile body, and the protector comprising:
an installation base member operably couplable to the flange, the installation base member having a substantially U-shaped cross section including an inner-cabin side wall, an outer-cabin side wall, and a connecting wall which connects the side walls, and the installation base member extending in an upper and lower direction of the automobile body; and
a hollow part unified with the connecting wall of the installation base member and extending toward the front part of the automobile body, the hollow part having a shape of a tube, the hollow part having core wires, first and second conductive parts, and a space, each of the first and second conductive parts having a respective one of the core wires embedded therein, the space being positioned between the first and second conductive parts, the hollow part having an inner-cabin side end and an outer-cabin side end each being connected with the installation base member, the inner-cabin side end and the outer-cabin side end being at a distance from each other along the installation base member, the first and second conductive parts including the first conductive part on an upper part of the hollow part and the second conductive part on a lower part of the hollow part, the second conductive part having a convex shape in cross section of the hollow part, the second conductive part being positioned within the hollow part between the inner-cabin side end and the outer-cabin side end adjacent the installation base member, the first conductive part having a concave shape in cross section of the hollow part, the first conductive part being spaced apart from the second conductive part, the first and second conductive parts being shaped and positioned in a manner that the space has a substantially V-shaped cross section, an opening of the V-shaped cross section facing the installation base member, and an inner-cabin space end and an outer-cabin space end of the space being defined on an inner surface of an outer coat of the hollow part,
wherein:
when an object is disposed between the sliding door and the opening, and makes contact with the hollow part when the sliding door is moved towards a closed position, an electric signal provides an indication that the object is in the opening,
an inner-cabin side part of the outer coat of the hollow part extends between a top end and the inner-cabin side end, the inner-cabin side part is curved toward an interior of the automobile body with an inner-cabin side apex on a part closest to the interior of the automobile body, and a distance in a height direction between the inner-cabin side apex and a part of the inner-cabin side end closest to the interior of the automobile body is shorter than a distance in the height direction between the top end and the inner-cabin side apex,
an outer-cabin side part of the outer coat of the hollow part extends between the top end and the outer-cabin side end, the outer-cabin side part is curved toward an exterior of the automobile body with a

Assignees

• Nishikawa Rubber Co Ltd
• Aisin Seiki

Inventors

• Matsumoto Michihiko
• Hattori Wataru

Classifications

• B60J10/86

  arranged on the opening panel · CPC title

• G01V3/00

  Electric or magnetic prospecting or detecting; Measuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth, e.g. declination, deviation · CPC title

• B60R16/0232 Primary

  for measuring vehicle parameters and indicating critical, abnormal or dangerous conditions · CPC title

• B60J5/0493

  Appurtenances · CPC title

• E05F15/44

  responsive to changes in electrical conductivity · CPC title