Abstract:
An apparatus includes a closed body having a varied configuration between a first location and at least a second location. The apparatus further includes a pressure sensor coupled to the closed body at the first location. When forces with substantially equal magnitudes are respectively applied to the closed body at different locations between the first and second locations, the closed body respectively translates the forces to substantially equal pressure differentials at the first location.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Vehicles, such as automobiles, may include equipment for mitigating the impact of certain collisions, for example, collisions with pedestrians, with such equipment including bumper- or hood-mounted airbags and hood-lifting systems. To control and employ such equipment, the vehicle is required to detect a corresponding collision. Current mechanisms for detecting such collisions suffer from drawbacks including, for example, their complexity and cost. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a partially exploded perspective view of an exemplary front end of a vehicle, including an exemplary sensing apparatus. 
         FIG. 2  is an exemplary perspective view of the exemplary sensing apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an exemplary perspective view of an exemplary sensing apparatus. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is an exemplary illustration of a vehicle  10  with a front end  12 . The vehicle  10  includes a front bumper assembly  14 , illustrated in  FIG. 1  in exploded view. The front bumper assembly includes a sensing apparatus  20  disposed between a bumper beam  22  and an energy-absorbing component  24 . The front bumper assembly  14  further includes a front fascia component  26 . 
     The bumper beam  22  includes a front face  30  with a curved shape that substantially spans the width of the front end  12  of the vehicle  10 . The bumper beam  22  further includes rearward-extending portions  32  and  34  configured to couple to a frame assembly (not shown) of the vehicle  10 . The sensing apparatus  20  has a curved shape with an overall width corresponding to the size of the front face  30  of the bumper beam  22 . The sensing apparatus  20  extends across the front face  30  of the bumper beam  22  and is fixed in engagement with the front face  30 . The bumper beam  22  is a relatively rigid component of a material such as, for example, steel. 
     The energy-absorbing component  24  includes a rear face  36  sized and shaped to correspond with the front face  30  of the bumper beam  22  and the sensing apparatus  20 , such that the sensing apparatus  20  is received between the front face  30  of the bumper beam  22  and the rear face  36  of the energy-absorbing component  24 . For example, the energy-absorbing component  24  may include a transverse channel (not shown) across the rear face  36  for engaging the sensing apparatus  20 . The energy-absorbing component  24  is fixed to the bumper beam  22 , with the rear face  26  overlapping and engaging the sensing apparatus  20 . The energy-absorbing component  24  further includes a forward face  38  with a plurality of protrusions  40 . 
     The energy-absorbing component  24  is relatively elastic as compared to the bumper beam  22 . For example, the energy absorbing component  24  be a plastic or foam component and the protrusions  40  may be adapted to deform, crush, or flatten in order to absorb kinetic energy in the event of a collision or impact with the front end  12  of the vehicle  10 . 
     The front fascia component  26  overlaps and engages the energy-absorbing component  24  and attaches to the front end  12  of the vehicle  10 . The front fascia component  26  is relatively thin as compared to the energy-absorbing component  24 , and the front fascia component  26  is elastic as compared to the bumper beam  22 . The front fascia component  26  may include material such as, for example, plastic. As such, the sensing apparatus  20  is in mechanical engagement with the exterior of the front fascia component  26 . Therefore, a force applied to the front fascia component  26  in a location overlapping or otherwise mechanically engaged with the energy-absorbing component  24  is translated to the sensing apparatus  20 . 
     The vehicle  10  includes a vehicle computer (not shown) in communication with the sensing apparatus  20  that generally includes a processor and a memory, the memory including one or more forms of computer-readable media, and storing instructions executable by the processor for performing various operations, including as disclosed herein. Further, the computer may include more than one computing device, e.g., controllers or the like included in the vehicle  10  for monitoring and/or controlling various vehicle components, e.g., an engine control unit (ECU), transmission control unit (TCU), etc. The computer is generally configured for communications on a controller area network (CAN) bus or the like. The computer may also have a connection to an onboard diagnostics connector (OBD-II). Via the CAN bus, OBD-II, and/or other wired or wireless mechanisms, the computer may transmit messages to various devices in a vehicle and/or receive messages from the various devices, e.g., controllers, actuators, sensors, etc., including the sensing apparatus  20  and collision mitigation equipment. Alternatively or additionally, in cases where the computer actually comprises multiple devices, the CAN bus or the like may be used for communications between the multiple devices that comprise the vehicle computer. In addition, the computer may be configured for communicating with a network, which may include various wired and/or wireless networking technologies, e.g., cellular, Bluetooth, wired and/or wireless packet networks, etc. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the exemplary sensing apparatus  20 . The sensing apparatus  20  includes a main body  50  having the general shape of an enclosed duct or conduit having a tapering cross-section from the ends thereof to a central portion thereof. The main body  50  includes an elongate main section  52  extending between a first end  54  and a second end  56 . The main section  52  and first and second ends  54 ,  56  enclose an interior volume  58 . 
     The sensing apparatus  20  further includes a pressure sensor  60  coupled to the main body  50  and in fluid communication with the interior volume  58  at a first location  62 , the exemplary first location  62  being proximate a central portion of the main body  50 . 
     In one example, the main body  50  of the sensing apparatus  20  has, in part, a cross-sectional width of approximately ½ inches, with an overall width of approximately the width of the vehicle  10 . The main body  50  may include materials such as, for example, sheet metal such as steel or aluminum, plastic, and flexible composite. 
     The main section  52  of the main body  50  defines a cross-sectional width D 1  at the first location  62 , a cross-sectional width D 2  at the first end  54 , and a cross-sectional width D 3  at the second end  56 . The main section  52  has a thickness T 1  proximate the first end  54  and a thickness T 2  proximate the central portion thereof. In one example, the thicknesses T 1  and T 2  are the same and the main section  52  maintains a substantially uniform thickness across the width thereof. The cross-sectional size of the main section  52  of the main body  50  varies from cross-sectional width D 1  to cross-sectional width D 2  between the first location  62  and the first end  54 , and varies from cross-sectional width D 1  to cross-sectional width D 2  between the first location  62  and the second end  56 . These variations in cross-sectional width of the main section  52  of the main body  50  correspond with the shapes and configurations of the bumper beam  22 , the energy-absorbing component  24  and the front fascia  26 . In particular, the size variations along the width of the main section  52  of the main body  50  of the sensing apparatus  20  are calibrated or tuned to respond to a given force applied at any point across the width of the main body  50  with substantially equivalent pressure differentials at the first location  62 . For example, while a force applied proximate the first end  54  is spaced further apart from a substantially equivalent force applied proximate the first location  62 , the variation in cross-sectional width of the main section  52  of the main body  50  is configured to compensate for the difference in location of application of the forces. Similarly, the variation in cross-sectional width of the main section  52  of the main body  50  of the sensing apparatus  20  may be further configured or adjusted for the shapes and characteristics of the bumper beam  22 , the energy-absorbing component  24  and the front fascia component  26 . 
     Therefore, the pressure sensor  60  creates substantially the same pressure signal for a given force, irrespective of the collision or impact location across the front end  12  of the vehicle  10 . Through this passive amplification, or selective magnification, of pressures from forces at different locations along the front end  12  of the vehicle  10 , the sensing apparatus  20 , with a single pressure sensor  60 , generates pressure signals from which the vehicle computer may discriminate between objects, so as to further control the operation of collision mitigation equipment and systems. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of another exemplary sensing apparatus  20 ′ for use in the vehicle  10  as discussed herein with respect to sensing apparatus  20 . The sensing apparatus  20 ′ includes a main body  50 ′ having the shape of an enclosed duct or conduit having a tapering cross-section from the central portion thereof to the respective ends thereof. The main body  50 ′ includes an elongate main section  52 ′ extending between a first end  54 ′ and a second end  56 ′. The main section  52 ′ and first and second ends  54 ′,  56 ′ enclose an interior volume  58 ′. 
     The sensing apparatus  20 ′ further includes a pressure sensor  60 ′ coupled to the main body  50 ′ and in fluid communication with the interior volume  58 ′ at a first location  62 ′, the exemplary first location  62 ′ being proximate a central portion of the main body  50 ′. 
     The main section  52 ′ of the main body  50 ′ defines a cross sectional width D 1 ′ at the first location  62 ′, a cross sectional width D 2 ′ at the first end  54 ′, and a cross sectional width D 3 ′ at the second end  56 ′. The main section  52 ′ has a thickness T 1 ′ proximate the first end  54 ′ and a thickness T 2 ′ proximate the central portion thereof. In one example, the thicknesses T 1  and T 2  are different and the thickness of the main section  52 ′ varies across the width thereof. The cross sectional size of the main section  52 ′ of the main body  50 ′ varies from cross sectional width D 1 ′ to cross sectional width D 2 ′ between the first location  62 ′ and the first end  54 ′, and varies from cross sectional width D 1 ′ to cross sectional width D 2 ′ between the first location  62 ′ and the second end  56 ′. These variations in cross sectional width and thickness of the main section  52 ′ of the main body  50 ′ correspond with the shapes and configurations of the bumper beam  22 , the energy absorbing component  24  and the front fascia  26 . In particular, the size variations, including both cross sectional width and thickness variations, along the width of the main section  52 ′ of the main body  50 ′ of the sensing apparatus  20 ′ are calibrated or tuned to respond to a given force applied at any point across the width of the main body  50 ′ with substantially equivalent pressure differentials at the first location  62 ′. For example, while a force applied proximate the first end  54 ′ is spaced further apart from a substantially equivalent force applied proximate the first location  62 ′, the variation in cross sectional width and thickness of the main section  52 ′ of the main body  50 ′ is configured to compensate for the difference in location of application of the forces. Similarly, the variation in cross sectional width and thickness of the main section  52 ′ of the main body  50 ′ of the sensing apparatus  20 ′ may be further configured or adjusted for the shapes and characteristics of the bumper beam  22 , the energy absorbing component  24  and the front fascia component  26 . 
     Therefore, the pressure sensor  60 ′ creates substantially the same pressure signal for a given force, irrespective of the collision or impact location across the front end  12  of the vehicle  10 . Through this passive amplification, or selective magnification, of pressures from forces at different locations along the front end  12  of the vehicle  10 , the sensing apparatus  20 ′, with a single pressure sensor  60 ′, generates pressure signals from which the vehicle computer may discriminate between objects, so as to further control the operation of collision mitigation equipment and systems. 
     A sensing apparatus according to the present disclosure may also vary in configuration with variations in shape and/or material composition across the width thereof to provide, alone or in combination with variations in size or thickness as discussed herein with regard to the sensing apparatus  20  and the sensing apparatus  20 ′. A sensing apparatus according to the present disclosure may include a main body with a variety of cross-sectional shapes, including, for example, circular, elliptical, and rectangular. 
     In the drawings, the same reference numbers indicate the same elements. Further, some or all of these elements could be changed. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided would be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading the above description. The scope of the invention should be determined, not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is anticipated and intended that future developments will occur in the arts discussed herein, and that the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In sum, it should be understood that the invention is capable of modification and variation and is limited only by the following claims. 
     All terms used in the claims are intended to be given their broadest reasonable constructions and their ordinary meanings as understood by those skilled in the art unless an explicit indication to the contrary in made herein. In particular, use of the singular articles such as “a,” “the,” “said,” etc. should be read to recite one or more of the indicated elements unless a claim recites an explicit limitation to the contrary.