WO2005047035A1

WO2005047035A1 - An arrangement pertaining to car doors

Info

Publication number: WO2005047035A1
Application number: PCT/SE2004/001661
Authority: WO
Inventors: Malcolm Falkman
Original assignee: Maceva Consult Ab; Malcolm Falkman
Priority date: 2003-11-17
Filing date: 2004-11-15
Publication date: 2005-05-26
Also published as: SE0303032L; SE0303032D0; EP1687165A1; SE526552C2

Abstract

A door arrangement such as a car door arrangement is characterized in that a light emitting device is placed on the rear side of the car door-with the car as a reference - or at some other well seen place, that the light signal may be combined with an acoustic signal, that in the process of opening the car door, the door is latched in a partially open position before the door can be finally opened, that the time during which the door is held in a partially open position is controlled by a control means, and in that the light emitting device is adapted to be activated when the door is in its partially open position.

Description

AN ARRANGEMENT PERTAINING TO CAR DOORS

The present invention relates to an arrangement pertaining to a door belonging to a car that has stopped either temporarily or for parking purposes. The arrangement includes a light- emitting device on the rear side of a car door or in some other readily seen place, such as on an outer rear view mirror, and a latching mechanism which holds the door in a partially closed position with the light-emitting device visible to a rearwardly located vehicle. Such an arrangement will prevent collision between a rearwardly approaching vehicle and a newly opened car door.

Description of the prior art

Traffic situations have changed with time and have become progressively more intensive. This applies primarily to city traffic and vehicular traffic in large towns, where different types of vehicles are used daily as a means of transportation, such as cars, motorcycles, mopeds and bicycles. Crowding with regard to the parking of cars primarily, and the number of vehicles on the roads means that all of said types of vehicles move forwards in the proximity of one another, sometimes at high speeds.

When, for instance, a car stops or parks on a street in the near vicinity of the remainder of the forwardly moving traffic, for instance on a cycle lane or car lane, accidents have been caused by a person or persons, who wishes/wish to climb out of a stopped or parked car, opening the front door or rear door of the car in front of a rearwardly approaching vehicle of the aforesaid type, particularly in front of a cyclist. Let us exemplify two different scenarios of what can happen with regard to a cyclist for example. One scenario that may occur is when the cyclist has no time to react e.g. brake, when the door is opened, wherewith the cyclist collides with the car door. Another scenario is when the cyclist has time to react and is able to steer clear of the newly opened door. Since cyclists often cycle in a car lane adjacent cars that have stopped or parked, or along a cycle lane between a car lane and a stopped or parked car, the cyclist in this latter scenario will swing out from the cycle lane into the car lane, or swing out too far into the car lane. The cyclist is then vulnerable to a rearwardly approaching vehicle, most often a car, which is liable to collide with the cyclist because the driver of said vehicle has no time to react as the cyclist swings out in front of the car. More often than not, a car is moving faster than a cyclist. These two scenarios can also occur with regard to other vehicles, for instance mopeds.

In the case of typical winter driving conditions in certain countries with snow and ice on the roads, such abrupt manoeuvres carried out by the cyclist exemplified above can cause the cyclist, or the driver of a moped, to fall onto the road and be run over by a rearwardly approaching vehicle or can cause the rearwardly approaching vehicle to carry out an abrupt manoeuvre in order to avoid the cyclist or the moped driver. This can result in a collision between rearwardly approaching vehicles that are driving close behind. All of these scenarios can result in serious or life-threatening injuries, not only to the cyclist or moped driver but also to the people present in the rearwardly approaching vehicles. The plate work of the newly opened car door can also be seriously damaged, should the cyclist or moped driver collide with the door. The speed at which the cyclist or moped driver is travelling prior to collision with the car door may be such as to result in the door being bent forwards or broken-off at the hinges for instance.

The known technology in this field is scanty.

In recent years some makes of car have been equipped with a red light on the end of a door that lights-up when the door is open. This red light is clearly visible in the dark, so as to show approaching road users that the door is open.

However, it may be difficult for a rearwardly approaching vehicle to see the red light in daylight, and still more difficult when the sunlight shines directly on the light. Although a rearwardly approaching vehicle may be able to see the red light, the door is often opened very quickly after the red light has become visible to said rearwardly approaching vehicle. This means that the rearwardly approaching vehicle has an unbelievably short period of time in which to react and brake. The warning given by this red light is thus inadequate in preventing a rearwardly approaching vehicle from driving into the newly opened car door.

General summary of the invention The present invention thus relates to a door arrangement, such as an arrangement pertaining to the door of an automotive vehicle, e.g. a car, and is characterized in that a light-emitting device is mounted on the rear side of the door - with the car as a reference — or in some other clearly visible position; in that the light signal may be combined with an acoustic signal; in that when the door is being opened the door is held in a partially open state prior to allowing the door to be fully opened; in that the length of time during which the door can remain partially open is controlled by a control device; and in that the light- emitting device is adapted to be activated when the door is in its partially open state.

The control device is preferably an electromechanical device, although it may alternatively consist of an electronic or a mechanical device.

By "light-emitting device" is meant a device conveniently in the form of for example a lamp, a blinking light, a flashing light, a light emitting diode, or a discharge lamp which is placed on the rear side of said car door or in some other clearly visible place. By "door latching mechanism" is meant an electromechanical, electronic or mechanical latching mechanism which may be mounted in different positions in the vehicle such as to hold the door in a locked state or in a partially open state. By "latch part" is meant the latching device or devices with which the door latching mechanism engages or co-acts. By "closed state" is meant that the door latching mechanism co-acts with said latch part in a manner such as to hold the door firmly in its innermost position against the chassis of the vehicle. By "partially open position" is meant that the door is not fully closed, in other words that the door latching mechanism engages with the chassis-mounted latch part such that the door will not follow the outer chassis line, which the door would otherwise do when fully closed. By "final open position" is meant that the door can be moved freely on its hinges to an outer position determined by the door hinges, and also means that the door latching mechanism does not co-act with the chassis-mounted latch part in this case. By "radar arrangement" is meant all types of radar technology although in particular ultrasound sensing or detection where ultrasound pulses are sent repeatedly at short time intervals after reflection signals have been received therewith enabling the position of rearwardly approaching vehicles in the vicinity of the car to be established.

Brief description of the drawings The invention will now be described in more detail partly with reference to exemplifying embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 A illustrates diagrammatically from above one side of a car with the door on that side fully closed; Figure IB illustrates diagrammatically from above one side of a vehicle with the door on that side partially open;

Figure 1C illustrates diagrammatically from above one side of a vehicle where the door is finally open;

Figure 2A is a diagrammatic rear view of a car door in a fully closed position; Figure 2B is a diagrammatic rear view of a car door in a partially opened state;

Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating the function of a control means in controlling the door locking or door latching mechanism and the light-emitting device, which includes an electromechanical device; and

Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating the function of the control device in controlling the latching or locking mechanism and the light-emitting device, including an electromechanical door latching mechanism.

Description of embodiments

The primary object of the present invention is to avoid vehicles approaching a stationary vehicle from colliding with a newly opened door of said vehicle in a lane adjacent to or coincidental with rearwardly approaching vehicles.

Figure 1 A-C are graphic illustrations of a vehicle door in different positions relative to the vehicle chassis. Figure 1 A illustrates the front chassis part 1 of a car, a car door 2, and a rear car chassis part 3, with the door shown in a closed position. A latching mechanism 9 is mounted in the rear edge 8 of the door 2, and a latch part 10 is mounted in the rear chassis part 3. The latching mechanism 9 and the latch part 10 are mutually co-active and engage each other in different ways, depending on the position of the door 2 at that time. The reference numerals used in figures IB-C identify the same components as those shown in figure 1 A, although the door 2 is shown partially open in figure IB and fully open in figure lC. Figures 2A-B are graphic rear views of the car door 2. Figure 2A shows the door 2 fully closed and figure 2B shows the door 2 partially opened. The broken line 4 shown in figure 2A corresponds to the outer side of the car, i.e. the outermost line of the car as seen in a horizontal direction from the front to the rear of the vehicle. A car window 5 is located above the car door 2. A light shining device 6 is mounted on the rear side 8 of the door 2, this rear side 8 of the door 2 is not visible when the door 2 is fully closed. Located beneath the door 2 is a threshold 7 with which the door 2 abuts when closed.

Figure 2B shows the door 2 partially open, as is evident from the fact that part of the door 2 projects outwardly beyond the broken line 4. With the door in this position, the light emitting device 6 can be seen by a rearwardly approaching vehicle, since the device is now situated outside the broken line 4.

The present invention is intended to solve the aforesaid problems with the aid of a combination of several parts. This combination comprises a first device, such as the light emitting device 6, which is placed on a respective rear side 8 of one or more car doors 2 such as to face towards any vehicles, such as a bicycle or a moped, that approach the car from behind, or in some correspondingly readily visible place. The light emitting device 6 may consist of a flashing light-emitting-diode, a discharge lamp or a flashing lamp placed anywhere along the vertical axis of a respective rear side 8 of a car door or car doors 2 at a height from the ground such that the device 6 will be readily seen by a rearwardly approaching vehicle when activated. The light emitting device 6 is placed anywhere along the horizontal axis of the rear side 8 of a respective door 2, so that the light emitting device

6 will be easily seen by a rearwardly approaching vehicle when said device is activated as a result of said door 2 being in a partially open state.

A second part of the invention comprises a latching mechanism 9 fitted to a respective door 2 and a latch part 10 mounted on the chassis 3, with the object of holding the door 2 in a partially open position over a predetermined time period between the point of the door 2 being closed and the point of the door being finally opened, such that the light emitted by the device 6 will be visible to a rearwardly approaching vehicle in the partially open position of the door. The light emitted by the device 6 will thus be readily visible to a rearwardly approaching vehicle as the door 2 is held in said partially open position. In order to ensure that a rearwardly approaching vehicle is given more time to react and brake when a car door 2 is thrown open, for instance immediately after the known red light on the rear side 8 of the door 2 has become visible to a rearwardly approaching vehicle in accordance with said known technique, it is suggested that the door is held in said partially open position over a time period of one to five seconds, preferably one to three seconds.

These two parts of the combination together prevent the door 2 from being opened very quickly in a driving lane in front of a rearwardly situated vehicle, for instance a bicycle or a moped. The driver of the rearwardly approaching vehicle is also warned, at the same time, that a door of the forwardly located car is about to be opened.

This technique can be used with all types of automotive vehicles. The manner in which these two separate parts of the combination shall be designed in detail lies within the expertise of the person skilled in this art.

A number of different embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example.

The present invention can be applied to various automotive vehicles, e.g. cars, such as new and second-hand cars. It is conceivable that an embodiment preferred with a respective make of car will vary, for instance as described below.

Figures 3-4 are block diagrams illustrating the mutual connection of a door-handle sensor or door-lever sensor in the door 2, and means for controlling the latching mechanism 9, and the light emitting device 6.

When, for instance, the driver of a car that has stopped either temporarily or for parking purposes, wishes to exit from the vehicle, he or she will pull the door handle or door lever, wherewith the sensor sends a signal to an electric control means (see fig. 3) which controls the latching mechanism 9 and the light emitting device 6 respectively. In turn, the control means sends a signal to an electromechanical device that forms a part of the chassis- mounted latching part 10. At the same time, the electric control means sends a signal to the light emitting device 6, causing the device to emit light, which may be a flashing light depending on the type of light emitting device used. According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the light emitting device 6 is a discharge lamp which flashes at a chosen frequency with a high intensity, such as to provide the most effective warning signal to any rearwardly approaching vehicle.

The car door 2 is held in a partially open position for a period of some seconds, sufficient to enable any rearwardly approaching vehicle to react to the fact that the door 2 will soon open, and therewith enable said approaching vehicle to brake or to carry out a manoeuvre to avoid collision with the door 2 soon to be opened, in a controlled fashion. After the control means has ensured that the door 2 is held in a partially open position over said predetermined time period, the latching mechanism 9 of the car door 2 is released by the electromechanical device so that the door can be opened to a final open position.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the latching mechanism 9 is comprised of an electromechanical latch which receives signals from the electrical control system illustrated in figure 4. A large part of this embodiment is similar to that described with respect to the above embodiment. The door handle sensor sends a signal to an electric control means which functions to control the latch mechanism 9 and the light emitting device 6, respectively. The difference with this embodiment is that the electric control means sends the signal directly to an electromechanical type of latch mechanism. The electric control means sends, at the same time, a signal to the light emitting device 6 causing said device to emit light, such as a flashing light, depending on the type of light emitting device used.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the time over which a door is held in a partially open state is determined by the traffic situation around and externally of the car, or vehicle. The state of a surrounding traffic situation can be determined with the aid of a known radar device (not shown). In the case of this example, such a radar device may consist of an ultrasound sensor that continuously sends-out signals with the intention of registering vehicles situated in the vicinity of the car. This ultrasound sensing process registers vehicles that have moved in relation to the car, for instance closer to the car that has stopped either temporarily or for parking purposes. When vehicles are travelling at a speed less than or equal to 50km/h, vehicles that have moved between the ultrasound sensing signals are registered within 10-25 metres from the car. In the case of city traffic, or town traffic, where vehicles move relatively slowly, it will suffice for the radar device to register only vehicles that are situated relatively close to the car. When driving on main roads, the radar device will also preferably register the presence of vehicles situated further away from the stopped or parked car, since these vehicles will be moving at greater speeds than the vehicles in city traffic. This requires adjustment to the number of seconds in which the door is held in its partially open position by the interaction of the latching mechanism 9 of the car door 2 and the chassis mounted latch part 3.

According to a third embodiment of the invention, the door can be held in a partially open position by manoeuvring the door handle or lever and therewith release the latching mechanism so that its co-action with the latch part will enable the door to be opened to a first position and such that further manoeuvring of the door handle or lever will enable the door to be opened wider. In this case, the time lapse between a partially opened door and a fully opened door will depend on the time lapse between said necessary repetitive manoeuvring of the door lever or handle. In this third embodiment of the invention, the light emitting device is controlled in the same way as that described in the case of the two preceding embodiments.

Although the invention has been described above with reference to a number of embodiments it will be understood that the latching mechanism, the light emitting device and the radar device may have other appropriate forms without departing from the fundamental concept of the invention.

The present invention is therefore not restricted to the described and illustrated embodiments, since variations and modifications can be made within the scope of the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. An arrangement associated with a car door (2), characterized by a light emitting device (6) placed on the rear side (8) of the car door (2), wherein the light signal may be combined with an acoustic signal; wherein the car door (2) is adapted to be latched in a partially open position before the door (2) can be opened to a final position; in that the arrangement includes a control means which controls the duration over which the door is held in a partially open position; and in that the light emitting device is adapted to be activated when the door is in its partially open position.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1 , characterized in that the duration for which the door (2) is held in a partially open position is controlled by the necessity to repeat manoeuvring of the door handle or lever in order to allow the door (2) to be opened to its final open position.

3. An arrangement according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the light emitting device (6) is adapted to be visible when the door (2) is partially opened.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the light emitting device (6) is placed on the vehicle at a location in which the device will be visible to a rearwardly approaching vehicle, as an alternative to placing said device on the rear side (8) of the car door (2).

5. An arrangement according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the light emitting device (6) consists of a flashing light-emitting-diode.

6. An arrangement according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the light emitting device (6) consists of a discharge lamp that emits stroboscopic light.

7. An arrangement according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, characterized in that the door is held in said partially open position for a period of 0 to 5 seconds, preferably for a time period of 1-3 seconds.

8. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said control means is adapted to co-act with a radar device placed in the car, said radar device being adapted to sense the presence of vehicles in the vicinity of the car.

9. Car door according to claim 8, characterized in that the radar device has a sensing range of between 0-50 meters from the stopped or parked car.

10. Car door according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the car-carried radar device is adapted to sense the presence of rearwardly approaching vehicles that come close to the car.

11. Car door according to claim 8, 9 or 10, characterized in that the radar device has the form of an ultrasound sensor.