An autonomous vehicle includes a frame with a motor, a bumper connected to the frame via a connecting device, and a sensor detecting displacement of the bumper upon a collision. The sensor is connected with a propulsion system that interrupts displacing the vehicle upon detecting a displacement. The connecting device includes a ring, a first ball part, a second ball part, a shaft, and a spring. The ring is fixedly connected to the frame, and the first and second ball part rotatably tilt in the ring. The shaft extends through the ring and the first ball part, and through and beyond the second ball part to a second end, at which the shaft is connected to the bumper by a joint. At least one ball part is displaceable along the shaft. The spring extends around the shaft between the second ball part and a spring connector, and pretensionedly presses the first and second ball parts against the ring. Upon a collision with an obstacle, the bumpers shifts, and the shaft tilts with respect to the frame. This tilting pushes the two ball parts away from each other. The spring also tilts, as a whole, preventing plastic deformation. The spring now exerts a larger spring force on the ball parts, and, after taking away the obstacle, will move back and realign. This will also realign the sensor, ensuring a longer effective lifetime of the sensor and thus of the safety of the vehicle.
AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE WITH BUMPER DEVICE
AUTONOMES FAHRZEUG MIT STOSSFÄNGER
VÉHICULE AUTONOME AVEC DISPOSITIF DE PARE-CHOCS
2020-03-11
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | A01K ANIMAL HUSBANDRY , Tierzucht / A47L DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING , Waschen oder Reinigen im Haushalt / B60G VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS , Radaufhängungen und Federungen für Fahrzeuge / B60R Fahrzeuge, Fahrzeugausstattung oder Fahrzeugteile, soweit nicht anderweitig vorgesehen , VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR / B62D MOTOR VEHICLES , Motorfahrzeuge / G01L Messen von Kraft, mechanischer Spannung, Drehmoment, Arbeit, mechanischer Leistung, mechanischem Wirkungsgrad oder des Drucks von Fluiden , MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE / G05D SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES , Systeme zum Steuern oder Regeln nichtelektrischer veränderlicher Größen |