MOTOR VEHICLE CLOSURE PANEL MEDIUM EXPELLING DEVICE AND METHOD

An apparatus configured to expel a medium outwardly from an opening of a motor vehicle to inhibit the medium from entering an interior cabin of the motor vehicle upon opening a closure panel closing off the opening, motor vehicle therewith, and method of expelling a medium outwardly from an opening of a motor vehicle. The apparatus includes an air duct and a source of high-pressure air configured to generate high pressure air flow through the air duct to expel the medium outwardly away from the interior cabin.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to closure panels associated with motor vehicles, and more particularly, to mechanisms inhibiting the ingress of a medium into a compartment of the motor vehicle while opening a closure panel closing off the compartment.

BACKGROUND

A problem often occurs upon opening a motor vehicle closure panel, such as vehicle doors, trunks or other closure panels, wherein a medium, such as, but not limited to snow, pollen, or other medium which, enters an opening closed off by the closure panel, thereby causing the intrusion (ingress) of the medium into an interior cabin or compartment of the vehicle. For the sake of this narrative, snow is used as the principal example medium, however, all potential intrusive medium are contemplated and addressed herein. Those living in in a region subject to snow often encounter the ingress of snow into the driver's or passengers' compartment upon opening the door, trunk or other closure panel, particularly when snow is present about a perimeter of the closure panel. This is often due in-part to the “air tight” designs of modern vehicles, aero-dynamics and general vehicle design and configuration. The ingress of snow or other medium results in part from a pressure differential between the exterior of the vehicle and the interior of the vehicle. This pressure differential is due in-part to a vacuum generated within the cabin or compartment upon opening a door or other closure panel. In the case of snow, a passenger seat15becomes wet, cold and uncomfortable (FIG.8). Additionally, snow or other medium may land on sensitive electronic controls17located on the door panel (FIG.9), along a side of the seat15or other locations.

In view of the above, what is desired is a mechanism that inhibits the ingress of a medium from an exterior region of the vehicle to an interior of the vehicle upon opening a closure panel. A method and apparatus in accordance with this disclosure provides such method and apparatus.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a mechanism that overcomes at least the complications associated with opening closure panels of a motor vehicle discussed above.

It is a further object of the present disclosure to provide a mechanism that inhibits the ingress of a medium into a compartment of a motor vehicle while opening a closure panel that closes off the compartment.

In accordance with the above objects, it is an aspect of the disclosure to provide a mechanism, also referred to as apparatus, to inhibit a medium from entering an interior cabin of a motor vehicle upon opening a closure panel. One non-limiting apparatus dispels the medium outwardly away from the interior cabin prior to the closure panel being opened, and another non-limiting apparatus dispels the medium outwardly from the interior cabin while the closure panel is being opened. The first and second apparatus can be practiced separately or in combination with one another.

In accordance with the above objects, it is an aspect of the disclosure to provide a method to inhibit a medium from entering an interior cabin of a motor vehicle upon opening a closure panel. One non-limiting method dispels the medium outwardly away from the interior cabin prior to the closure panel being opened, and another non-limiting method dispels the medium outwardly from the interior cabin while the closure panel is being opened. The first and second methods can be practiced separately or in combination with one another.

In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, the apparatus can include a tubular duct with ports, wherein pressurized air is directed to flow through the tubular duct and outwardly through the ports to expel the medium outwardly away from the interior cabin.

In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, the apparatus can include a tubular duct having a gas permeable region, wherein pressurized air is directed to flow through the tubular duct and outwardly through the permeable region to expel the medium outwardly away from the interior cabin.

In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, the apparatus can include a tubular duct, wherein pressurized air is directed to flow through the tubular duct to suddenly expand the tubular duct from a radially collapsed state to a radially expanded state to forcibly expel the medium outwardly away from the interior cabin.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the tubular duct is configured in fluid and/or gas communication, represented as fluid/gas communication, with a source of high pressure air, wherein the source of high pressure air is actuatable in response to an electronic signal.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the electronic signal can come from a control unit.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the control unit can be configured to actuate the source of high pressure air, to cause high pressure air to flow through the tubular duct, in response to the closure panel being moved from a closed position toward an open position.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the control unit can be configured to actuate the source of high pressure air in response to receiving a signal from a sensor and/or switch, wherein the sensor and/or switch can be configured to detect movement of a closure panel latch from a latched position to an unlatched position.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the control unit can be configured to actuate the source of high pressure air in response to receiving a signal from a key fob.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the closure panel can include one or more of a door, deck lid and a rear hatch.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a motor vehicle having a closure panel configured to close off an opening in a closed state, and to provide access to an interior cabin through the opening in an open state includes an apparatus configured to expel a medium outwardly from the opening to inhibit the medium from entering the interior cabin through the opening upon moving the closure panel from the closed state to the open state. The apparatus includes an air duct and a source of high-pressure air configured to generate a high pressure air flow through the air duct and expel the medium outwardly away from the interior cabin.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a method of expelling a medium outwardly from an opening of a motor vehicle to inhibit the medium from entering an interior cabin of the motor vehicle upon opening a closure panel closing off the opening includes: actuating a source of high pressure air; channeling the high pressure air through an air duct channel extending adjacent at least a portion of the opening, and expelling the medium outwardly away from the interior cabin via the high pressure air.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the method can further include actuating the source of high pressure air in response to a signal received from a control unit.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the method can further include configuring the control unit to actuate the source of high pressure air in response to the closure panel being moved from a closed position toward an open position.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the method can further include configuring the control unit to actuate the source of high pressure air in response to receiving a signal from a sensor and/or switch, and configuring the sensor and/or switch to detect movement of a closure panel latch from a latched position to an unlatched position and/or movement of a closure panel lock mechanism to an unlocked state.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the method can further include configuring the control unit to actuate the source of high pressure air in response to receiving a signal from a key fob.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the method can further include providing the air duct including at least one of a plurality of ports, a gas permeable material, and an expandable region, and causing the source of high-pressure air to channel the air to flow outwardly from the air duct through the plurality of ports and/or through the gas permeable material, and/or to expand the expandable region, to expel the medium outwardly away from the interior cabin.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the method can further include providing the air duct to include a plurality of ports.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the method can further include configuring the source of high-pressure air for actuation by at least one of user input and a pre-programmed set of parameters.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the method can further include providing the pre-programmed set of parameters to include sensors configured to detect the presence of the medium.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the method can further include configuring the sensors to detect an amount of accumulation of the medium based on at least one of in-situ monitoring of an environment adjacent the vehicle and locally reported weather condition data.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

The present disclosure is directed to one or more embodiments of a closure panel with a medium expelling apparatus therefor. The closure panels and media expelling apparatus of the present disclosure and methods expelling media from entering an interior cabin of a motor vehicle are clearly illustrated in the appended drawings and those skilled in the art will fully comprehend all aspects, features and improvements associated therewith.

Referring in more detail to the drawings,FIG.2, derived from the cross section A-A inFIG.1, an apparatus, including an air duct channel10in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the disclosure, having of a plurality of air duct ports11extending through a wall of the air duct channel10, such that air duct ports11communicate an internal cavity16with an outside environment, extends along and adjacent at least a portion of an opening, closed off by a door frame5, and along and adjacent at least a portion of an outer periphery of a closure panel, such as a passenger door2and/or a deck lid, also referred to as trunk lid3, closing off the opening. The air duct channel10can be affixed to the vehicle cant rail4adjacent the opening closed off by the closure panel2while in a closed state, or to the closure panel2,3itself, particularly along the upper surface of the closure panel2and along the roof, as shown, where the medium15is most likely to gather and fall downwardly upon moving the closure panel2to an open state. The air duct channel10receives a sudden burst of air12under high pressure, referred to as high pressure air12, from a high pressure air source21(FIG.7), whereupon the high pressure air12flows through the cavity16of air duct channel10and outwardly from the cavity16of air duct channel10through the air duct ports11. It is to be recognized that the air duct ports11can be located precisely where it is most desired to expel the medium15, such as along and adjacent at least a portion of the opening closed off by the closure panel2,3. It is to be recognized that the high pressure air source21can provide a constant pressure source of high pressure air12, or a pulsed pressure source of high pressure air12, such that the pressure of the high pressure air rises and fall cyclically from high pressure to low pressure in any desired frequency. Further yet, the high pressure air12can be heated, such as from a vehicle heater system or otherwise, to effectively melt the medium15as desired, wherein the temperature of the high pressure air12can be selectively varied, as desired, by a temperature control (thermostat) switch, such as used to control the internal air temperature of the motor vehicle1.

Air source21can be energized to pump air under high pressure in response to a signal from a vehicle control system, also referred to as control unit20, as shown inFIG.7, in accordance with input from a remote control (e.g., user input via a key fob, cell phone, button within the vehicle cabin, or otherwise)18or other determining action, such as a pre-programmed set of parameters19, for example, movement of a powered door latch component, including a pawl, and/or ratchet, and/or release lever, and/or power release gear, and/or movement of a closure panel lock mechanism to an unlocked state, or other mechanism associated with the closure panel2, including a door handle, by way of example and without limitation, whereat the high pressure air12results in the sudden removal of a medium15, such as snow or water, from about the closure panels2,3prior to movement of closure panel2,3from the closed position. Accordingly, immediately prior to and/or during movement of closure panel2,3, from the closed position, the medium15is expelled and evacuated (blown or pushed) outwardly away from the closure panel2,3. Accordingly, the medium15is prevented from entering the opening into the interior cabin of the motor vehicle1.

Referring to the drawings,FIGS.3,4and5illustrate another non-limiting embodiment utilizing a sudden burst of air12from the air source21(FIG.8), as described in the previous embodiment, makes use of an inflatable duct, also referred to as boot (collapsed or deflated13), (expanded or inflated14), respectively. Referring toFIG.4, the duct (boot)13, while in the unactuated, collapsed state13, affixed to the vehicle cant rail4or to the closure panel2, receives a sudden burst of air12from the air source21(FIG.7) through the cavity16, as discussed above in the previous embodiment, thereby resulting in the removal of the medium15by suddenly expanding the wall, also referred to as duct (boot)14, extending about or along at least a portion of the closure panels2,3prior to opening closure panel2. The sudden expansion of the duct14causes the medium15to be forcibly ejected (pushed, thrown) outwardly away from the closure panel2,3, thereby preventing the medium15from passing through the opening and entering the interior cabin of the motor vehicle1.

Referring now toFIG.6, another non-limiting embodiment utilizing a sudden burst of air12through the cavity from the air source21(FIG.7), as described in the previous embodiments, makes use of a wall, also referred to as duct (boot)22, having a gas permeable material extending over at least the portion of the duct22. The gas permeable material, such as woven material or gas permeable membrane, is present wherever it is desired to have a medium15, such as discussed above, expelled outwardly away from the closure panel2,3, thereby preventing the medium15from entering passing through the opening and the interior cabin of the motor vehicle1. The sudden burst of high pressure air15from the air source21is generated as discussed above via air source21, and thus, further description is believed unnecessary. The gas permeable material of the duct22can be specifically limited to a region over which it is desired to expel the medium15, thereby maximizing the pressure and force produced by the air flowing outwardly from the duct22through the gas permeable region of the duct22.

It is to be understood that the source of energy to power air source21can be a main battery of vehicle. Otherwise, a supplemental battery, capacitor, or otherwise, can be provided. It is also to be understood that the ducts22discussed above can be provided as an integral portion of a closure panel seal, such as illustrated above a window seal6inFIG.2, also referred to as weather stripping or seal strip, which also applies to a cant rail seal8shown adjacent a headliner9inFIG.2, or as a separate member from a door seal, as desired. Accordingly, the duct22can be multifunctional, acting to form an air-tight, weatherproof seal between the closure panel2,3and the vehicle body and to expel medium outwardly from the closure panel2,3, if desired.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a motor vehicle1having a closure panel2,3configured to close off an opening in a closed state, and to provide access to an interior cabin through the opening in an open state includes an apparatus, as discussed above, configured to expel a medium15outwardly from the opening to inhibit the medium15from entering the interior cabin through the opening upon moving the closure panel2,3from the closed state to the open state. The apparatus includes an air duct10and a source of high-pressure air21configured to cause air12to flow through the air duct10under high pressure and expel the medium15outwardly away from the interior cabin.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a method of expelling a medium15outwardly from an opening of a motor vehicle1to inhibit the medium15from entering an interior cabin of the motor vehicle1upon opening a closure panel2closing off the opening includes: actuating a source of high pressure air21to generate high pressure air12; channeling the high pressure air12through a cavity16of an air duct channel10extending adjacent at least a portion of the opening, and expelling the medium15outwardly away from the interior cabin via the high pressure air12.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the method can further include actuating the source of high pressure air21in response to a signal received from a control unit20.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the method can further include configuring the control unit20to actuate the source of high pressure air12in response to the closure panel2,3being moved from a closed position toward an open position.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the method can further include configuring the control unit20to actuate the source of high pressure air12in response to receiving a signal from a sensor and/or switch19, and configuring the sensor and/or switch19to detect movement of a closure panel latch from a latched position to an unlatched position and/or movement of a closure panel lock mechanism to an unlocked state.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the method can further include configuring the control unit20to actuate the source of high pressure air21in response to receiving a signal from a key fob18.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the method can further include providing the air duct10including at least one of a plurality of ports11, a gas permeable material22, and an expandable region13, and causing the source of high-pressure air21to channel the high pressure air12to flow outwardly from the air duct10through the plurality of ports11and/or through the gas permeable material22, and/or to expand14the expandable region13, to expel the medium15outwardly away from the interior cabin.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the method can further include providing the air duct10to include a plurality of ports11.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the method can further include configuring the source of high-pressure air21for actuation by at least one of user input18and a pre-programmed set of parameters19.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the method can further include providing the pre-programmed set of parameters19to include sensors configured to detect the presence of the medium.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the method can further include configuring the sensors to detect an amount of accumulation of the medium based on at least one of in-situ monitoring of an environment adjacent the motor vehicle1and locally reported weather condition data.