Load ramp for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12145492-B2
Application number	US-202217901030-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2022
Priority date	Sep 1, 2022
Publication date	Nov 19, 2024
Grant date	Nov 19, 2024

Abstract

A vehicle includes a body, an access aperture that is defined by the body, a closure panel, a load ramp, and a moisture sensor. The access aperture provides access to an interior of the vehicle. The closure panel selectively covers at least a portion of the access aperture. The closure panel is movable between an open position and a dosed position relative to the access aperture. The load ramp is deployably coupled to the closure panel. The load ramp includes a coupled end and a free end. The load ramp is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The moisture sensor is positioned proximate to the free end of the load ramp. Methods of controlling the vehicle are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle, comprising:
a body;
an access aperture that is defined by the body, wherein the access aperture provides access to an interior of the vehicle;
a closure panel that selectively covers at least a portion of the access aperture, wherein the closure panel is movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the access aperture;
a load ramp that is deployably coupled to the closure panel, wherein the load ramp comprises a coupled end and a free end, and wherein the load ramp is movable between a retracted position and an extended position;
a moisture sensor positioned proximate to the free end of the load ramp to sense moisture;
a heating element positioned proximate to the free end of the load ramp; and
a controller configured to process an input from the moisture sensor and to activate the heating element to heat the load ramp based on the sensed moisture.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller that monitors a local weather report and current ambient weather conditions to inform deployment of the load ramp.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein if the controller determines that precipitation is forecast in the local weather report or if the controller determines that the current ambient weather conditions will decrease from an above-freezing temperature to a below-freezing temperature, then the controller prevents deployment of the load ramp.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a motor that actuates the closure panel between the open position and the closed position.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , further comprising:
the controller that monitors a current of the motor relative to a predetermined current threshold, wherein if the current of the motor exceeds the predetermined current threshold, then the load ramp is determined to be in the extended position.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
the microphone; and
a controller that processes sound detected by the microphone, wherein the controller monitors a position of the closure panel and a speed of the vehicle, and wherein, if the controller determines that the closure panel is in the open position, the vehicle is in motion, and a scraping sound is detected by the microphone that correlates proportionally with the speed of the vehicle, then the controller indicates to a user that the load ramp is in the extended position and that the load ramp should be placed in the retracted position.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the closure panel comprises a free edge, wherein the closure panel defines a cavity therein, wherein the free edge defines an opening of the cavity defined by the closure panel, and wherein the load ramp is stored within the cavity of the closure panel when the load ramp is in the retracted position.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
the controller that prevents vehicle motion when the load ramp is in the extended position and a transmission is placed in a position that corresponds with traveling in reverse.

9. A method of controlling a vehicle, the method comprising:
actuating via a motor a load ramp that is coupled to a closure panel on the vehicle between a retracted position and an extended position;
determining via a controller that the load ramp is in an extended position;
determining via the controller that a cargo item is not extending out of an access aperture of the vehicle, wherein the access aperture is proximate to the load ramp;;
sensing moisture with a moisture sensor positioned proximate to a free end of the load ramp; and
activating a heating element via the controller to heat the load ramp based on the sensed moisture.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of determining that a load ramp is in an extended position comprises:
monitoring via the controller a current of a motor that actuates a closure panel between an open position and a closed position, wherein the closure panel selectively covers at least a portion of the access aperture, and wherein the load ramp is deployably coupled to the closure panel;
activating via the controller the motor to actuate the closure panel to the closed position; and
determining via the controller that the load ramp is in the extended position when the current of the motor exceeds a predetermined current threshold.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining via the controller that a speed of the vehicle is greater than zero.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of determining that a load ramp is in an extended position comprises:
processing sound that is detected by a microphone, wherein the microphone is attached to the vehicle; and
determining via the controller that the load ramp is in the extended position when a scraping sound is detected by the microphone.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the scraping sound that is detected by the microphone correlates proportionally with the speed of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of determining that a load ramp is in an extended position comprises:
sensing a current position of a tag that is coupled to the load ramp relative to a vehicle receiver; and
determining via the controller that the load ramp is in the extended position when a distance between the tag and the vehicle receiver exceeds a predetermined distance threshold.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
preventing movement of the vehicle via the controller when the load ramp is in the extended position and a transmission is placed in a position that corresponds with traveling in reverse; and
activating via the controller the motor that actuates the load ramp between the extended position and a retracted position such that the load ramp is actuated toward the retracted position.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of determining that a cargo item is not extending out of an access aperture of the vehicle comprises:
referencing an image captured by a vehicle-mounted camera, wherein the vehicle-mounted camera is coupled to the vehicle such that a field-of-view of the camera includes the access aperture.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the vehicle-mounted camera is coupled to a roof of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining via the controller that the vehicle is traveling in reverse; and
actuating via the controller the load ramp to a retracted position.

19. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
monitoring a local weather report and current ambient weather conditions exterior to the vehicle; and
actuating via the controller the load ramp to a retracted position when at least one of the local weather report and the current ambient weather conditions exterior to the vehicle indicate a forecast for a local temperature to decrease from an above-freezing temperature to a below-freezing temperature.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Van Wiemeersch John Robert
• Salter Stuart C
• Glickman David Brian
• Phung Peter
• Dellock Paul Kenneth
• Buttolo Pietro

Classifications

• E05Y2400/446

  Vehicle state sensors, e.g. parked or inclination · CPC title

• E05Y2400/447

  Moisture or submergence sensors · CPC title

• E05Y2400/44

  Sensors not directly associated with the wing movement · CPC title

• E05Y2201/434

  Electromotors; Details thereof · CPC title

• E05Y2900/546

  Tailboards, tailgates or sideboards opening upwards · CPC title