Device for contactless actuation of a vehicle door, and vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016169708-A1
Application number	US-201615050668-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 23, 2016
Priority date	Aug 23, 2013
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A device for actuating a door of a vehicle in a contact-free manner includes a capacitive proximity sensor. The proximity sensor has at least one sensor electrode for emitting an electric detection field in a detection area in front of the sensor electrode. An insulated electric conductor is arranged in front of the sensor electrode for shaping the detection field.

First claim

1 . A device for actuating a vehicle door of a vehicle in a contact-free manner, the device comprising:
a capacitive proximity sensor having at least one sensor electrode for emitting an electrical detection field into a detection space located in front of said sensor electrode; and an insulated electrical conductor for forming the detection field disposed in front of said sensor electrode.

2 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein said insulated electrical conductor is a planar foil or coating applied to a vehicle part located in front of said sensor electrode or introduced into the vehicle part.

3 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein said sensor electrode is a round conductor.

4 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein the vehicle door to be actuated is a tailgate, and wherein said insulated electrical conductor is applied to a rear bumper trim of the vehicle or is introduced into the rear bumper trim.

5 . The device according to claim 4 , wherein:
said sensor electrode is one of two sensor electrodes mounted at a given distance one above the other behind the bumper trim and configured to emit an upper detection field and a lower detection field, respectively, into a respectively assigned detection space; and said insulated electrical conductor is assigned to said upper sensor electrode and, in order to spatially separate said upper and lower detection fields, is arranged at least approximately at a same level height as, or higher than, said upper sensor electrode.

6 . A vehicle having a vehicle door and a device for actuating the vehicle door in a contact-free manner, the device comprising:
a capacitive proximity sensor having at least one sensor electrode for emitting an electrical detection field into a detection space located in front of said sensor electrode; and an insulated electrical conductor arranged in front of said sensor electrode for shaping the electrical detection field.

7 . The vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein said insulated electrical conductor is a planar foil or coating applied to a vehicle part of the vehicle located in front of said sensor electrode or introduced into the vehicle part.

8 . The vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein said sensor electrode is a round conductor.

9 . The vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein the vehicle door to be actuated is a tailgate, and wherein said insulated electrical conductor is applied to a rear bumper trim of the vehicle or is introduced into the rear bumper trim.

10 . The device according to claim 9 , wherein:
said sensor electrode is one of two sensor electrodes mounted at a given distance one above the other behind the bumper trim and configured to emit an upper detection field and a lower detection field, respectively, into a respectively assigned detection space; and said insulated electrical conductor is assigned to said upper sensor electrode and, in order to spatially separate said upper and lower detection fields, is arranged at least approximately at a same level height as, or higher than, said upper sensor electrode.

Assignees

• Brose Fahrzeugteile

Inventors

• Sterk Felix
• Geuther Udo

Classifications

• E05Y2900/531

  Doors · CPC title

• H02P1/00

  Arrangements for starting electric motors or dynamo-electric converters (starting of synchronous motors with electronic commutators H02P6/20, H02P6/22; starting dynamo-electric motors rotating step by step H02P8/04; vector control H02P21/00) · CPC title

• E05F15/73

  responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects · CPC title

• G01D5/24 Primary

  by varying capacitance · CPC title

• H03K17/955 Primary

  using a capacitive detector · CPC title