Adaptive integrated vehicle wire and signal transport system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023322042-A1
Application number	US-202217717466-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 11, 2022
Priority date	Apr 11, 2022
Publication date	Oct 12, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle panel includes channels, wherein a first channel includes a first wire capable and a second channel includes a second wire and each wire is capable of carrying at least one of power or a vehicle data signal. The panel also includes a connection point connectable to at least one of a battery or a vehicle computing system, wherein selection of connection between the vehicle computing system or battery to a given connection point provided to a given one of the first or second channels dictates whether the channel carries the vehicle data signal or power. Also, the panel includes holes connecting to the first wire and at least two of the holes connecting to the second wire allowing a connection probe to be inserted into a respective hole to connect to a wire included in a channel to which the hole connects.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle panel comprising:
a plurality of channels, running within the panel; a first of the plurality of channels including a first wire capable of carrying at least one of power or a vehicle data signal; a second of the plurality of channels including a second wire capable of carrying at least one of power or a vehicle data signal; a connection point, provided to at least each of the first and second channels, the connection point connectable to at least one of a battery or a vehicle computing system, and wherein selection of connection between the vehicle computing system or battery to a given connection point provided to a given one of the first or second channels dictates whether the channel carries the vehicle data signal or power; and a plurality of holes provided through a common plane of the panel, at least two of the holes connecting to the first wire and at least two of the holes connecting to the second wire allowing a connection probe to be inserted into a respective hole to connect to a respective wire to which the respective hole connects.

2 . The panel of claim 1 , wherein at least one third channel includes hollow tubing to act as a waveguide for signals between a signal transmitter and signal receiver, both communicably connected to the hollow tubing.

3 . The panel of claim 1 , wherein at least one third channel includes hollow tubing connected at a first point to a vehicle heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system (HVAC) blower output and connected at a second point to a vehicle distribution vent for distribution of airflow generated by the blower output.

4 . The panel of claim 3 , wherein the second point includes a vent served singularly by the third channel.

5 . The panel of claim 3 , wherein the second point includes a vent served by the third channel and one or more fourth channels also including hollow tubing connected to the HVAC blower output.

6 . The panel of claim 1 , further comprising one or more perforated punch-outs in the common plane, demarking hole locations providing connection to at least one of the first or second channels upon removal of the punch-out.

7 . The panel of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first of the plurality of channels runs along a longitudinal axis of the body panel and at least one of the second of the plurality of channels runs along a lateral axis of the panel substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

8 . The panel of claim 7 , wherein the at least one longitudinal channel and the at least the second lateral channel intersect directionally but remain physically separated by panel material.

9 . The panel of claim 7 , wherein a signal from the at least one longitudinal channel is provided along the length of the at least the second lateral channel via a wire connecting a longitudinal wire provided to the longitudinal channel to lateral wire provided to the lateral channel.

10 . The panel of claim 1 , wherein the panel includes a liner, trim, a body panel or structural panel.

11 . A vehicle panel comprising:
a plurality of channels, provided to the panel; a first of the plurality of channels including a first wire capable of carrying at least one of power or a vehicle data signal; a second of the plurality of channels including a second wire capable of carrying at least one of power or a vehicle data signal; wherein at least the first of the plurality of channels runs along a longitudinal axis of the panel and at least one of the second of the plurality of channels runs along a lateral axis of the panel substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; a connection point, provided to at least each of the first and second channels, the connection point connectable to at least one of a battery or a vehicle computing system, and wherein selection of connection between the vehicle computing system or battery to a given connection point provided to a given one of the first or second channels dictates whether the channel carries the vehicle data signal or power; and a plurality of holes provided to the channels, at least two of the holes connecting to the first wire and at least two of the holes connecting to the second wire allowing a connection probe to be inserted into a respective hole to connect to a respective wire to which the respective hole connects.

12 . The panel of claim 11 , wherein at least one third channel includes hollow tubing to act as a waveguide for signals between a signal transmitter and a signal receiver, both communicably connected to the hollow tubing.

13 . The panel of claim 11 , wherein at least one third channel includes hollow tubing connected at a first point to a vehicle heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system (HVAC) blower output and connected at a second point to a vehicle distribution vent for distribution of airflow generated by the blower output.

14 . The panel of claim 11 , further comprising one or more perforated punch-outs, demarking hole locations providing connection to at least one of the first or second channels upon removal of the punch-out.

15 . The panel of claim 14 , wherein the at least one longitudinal channel and the at least the second lateral channel intersect directionally but remain physically separated.

16 . The panel of claim 14 , wherein a signal from the at least one longitudinal channel is provided along the length of the at least the second lateral channel via a wire connecting a longitudinal wire provided to the longitudinal channel to lateral wire provided to the lateral channel.

17 . A vehicle panel comprising:
a plurality of channels, running within the panel; a first of the plurality of channels including a first wire capable of carrying at least one of power or a vehicle data signal; a second of the plurality of channels including a second wire capable of carrying at least one of power or a vehicle data signal; a third of the plurality of channels including hollow tubing connected at a first point to a vehicle heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system (HVAC) blower output and connected at a second point to a vehicle distribution vent for distribution of airflow generated by the blower output; a connection point, provided to at least each of the first and second channels, the connection point connectable to at least one of a battery or a vehicle computing system, and wherein selection of connection between the vehicle computing system or battery to a given connection point provided to a given one of the first or second channels dictates whether the channel carries the vehicle data signal or power; and a plurality of holes provided through a common plane of the panel, at least two of the holes connecting to the first wire and at least two of the holes connecting to the second wire allowing a connection probe to be inserted into a respective hole to connect to a respective wire to which the respective hole connects.

18 . The panel of claim 11 , wherein at least one third channel includes hollow tubing to act as a waveguide for signals between a signal transmitter and a signal receiver, both communicably connected to the hollow tubing.

19 . The panel of claim 17 , wherein the second point includes a vent served singularly by the third channel.

20 . The panel of claim 17 , wherein the second point includes a vent served by the third channel and one or more fourth channels also including hollow tubing connected to the HVAC blower output.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Ghannam Mahmoud Yousef
• Engels Jonathan
• Thomas Galen Keith
• Kadry Haysam M
• Lawlis James Martin

Classifications

• B60H1/00642 Primary

  Control systems or circuits; Control members or indication devices for heating, cooling or ventilating devices (B60H1/3201 - B60H1/3208, B60H1/3225 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60R16/0231 Primary

  Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle (monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P) · CPC title

• B60R16/03

  for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems {or for (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00)} · CPC title

• B60R16/0215 Primary

  Protecting, fastening and routing means therefor · CPC title

• B60H2001/2293

  Integration into other parts of a vehicle · CPC title