A sensor arrangement which contains for a vehicle control system, comprises a buffer for geographic information, whereby the geographic information is suitable to describe at least one possible route of the vehicle. An input interface selects subsets of the geographic information stored in the buffer in response to at least one position-related parameter which is entered at the input interface. An output interface selects subsets of the geographic information corresponding to the parameter values provided, which subsets are transmitted for further processing in the vehicle control system.

This application claims the priority of German patent document 102 44 329.7, filed Sep. 23, 2002 (PCT International Application No. PCT/EP2003/09721), the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
This invention relates to a sensor arrangement device for a vehicle control system. A sensor is an electronic component which converts quantifiable values into electric signals, reporting them for additional computer-assisted processing.
Modern vehicles have a variety of sensors, which in some cases are incorporated in the vehicle and support the driver in critical situations, increase driving comfort, or reduce fuel consumption and environmental pollution. A system to increase driving comfort may be a radar-supported, automatic headway control. An example of a method to reduce fuel consumption is a gear change-adapted system, i.e., optimal automatic gear changing for minimal fuel consumption.
While such systems function reliably in normal situations, difficulties may appear under certain circumstances. Thus, with radar-supported automatic headway controls problems may arise in curves or with objects like bridge piers if the radar signal is only available to interpret one object configuration. With the gear change-adapted method only actual values are available, such as an instantaneous turning moment, to derive a moment value for a gradient or an instantaneous steering angle deflection to derive a moment value of the curve. Therefore, a "projection" of future values, and thus an estimate of a future evolution, are not possible.
The availability of geographical information stored in digital road maps represents an opportunity of providing vehicle control systems with additional, more versatile, information. For example, German patent document DE 37 00 552 A1 discloses a vehicle-based navigation system, which includes a digital road map and additional vital information that is used upon reaching the assigned geographical position and/or is to used control systems in the vehicle. By outputting the information and/or controlling the system in the vehicle, automatically collected driving and environmental information, like speed, can be considered.
European patent document EP 1 111 336 A1 describes a procedure for the universal application of a digital roadmap, in which routes are stored in the digital roadmap in the form of edges and nodes to control the vehicle. Beginning at a current location of the vehicle, various possible routes are calculated. In the process an "electronic horizon" is created whose extension is dependent on the type of each route ahead. The geographic information assigned to each route within the electronic horizon is stored in a buffer. The geographic information stored in the digital road map may vary in accuracy for different vehicle control systems, and is correspondingly identified. The information stored in a buffer is supplied to the vehicle control system by a broadcast mechanism (transmission via a vehicle-based network). Each system is configured in such a way that it only receives the information required by the vehicle.
The use of geographic information stored in a digital roadmap, however, entails several disadvantages. On the one hand, digital roadmaps are designed and optimized especially for vehicle navigation. In the present case, navigation is not the main reason for using the digital roadmap; rather, it performs a "storage function" for geographic information which is used to operate vehicle control systems. The digital road map includes much information that is not needed in this field of application. (Reference is made here to FIG. 1.) If only geographic information to operate the vehicle control systems is called for, unnecessarily expensive storage space is used, which in turn requires the installation of expensive devices in the vehicle for such an amount of data, e.g., a CD ROM or DVD player. The information actually required could be stored in an economical memory chip instead. In addition, an expensive, vehicle-based navigation system must be incorporated to operate the digital roadmap, even in cases where such navigation system is actually not needed, e.g., if the vehicle uses a centrally-based navigation system.
In addition, as shown in European patent document EP 1 111 336 A1, for instance, extensive and complicated configuration, and transmission and reception operations are necessary to make the geographic information available to the vehicle control systems. The reason is the "universal" use the same digital roadmap for different vehicle control systems. On the one hand, this increases both the volume of data traffic in the vehicle's internal network (e.g., the CAN—"Controlled Area Network"), and the complexity of the corresponding system structure. On the other hand, it is also fault-prone, not allowing for a separation between comfort functions and safety critical functions, so that the geographic information provided turns out to be unreliable for use in vehicle control systems.
One object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a vehicle control system with required geographic information in an easy, economic and stable manner.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the sensor arrangement according to the invention, in which a storage buffer is provided for geographic information that is suitable for describing one or more vehicle routes. An input interface is provided for selecting a subset of the geographic information stored in the buffer, such selection being activated by providing at least one parameter value at the input interface. An output interface outputs the subsets of geographic information corresponding to provided parameter values, and the latter are sent for further processing in the vehicle. In other words, neither a digital roadmap nor a "navigable" (suitable for vehicle navigation) data set is required. Not even a navigation system to control the digital roadmap is required.
According to this invention only a geographic information buffer cache is provided. The buffer stores geographic information suitable to describe at least one possible route, which wholly or partially corresponds to a route from a starting to an arrival point. This procedure offers several advantages: For the first time, a complete separation between geographic information provided for use in vehicle control systems and geographic information used for navigation has been implemented. This is an important advantage in safety critical vehicles, for instance.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the geographic information used by safety critical vehicle control system can be certified, (i.e., it is specially checked by state agencies or other trustworthy institutions). In contrast, commercially available digital roadmap is not certified, nor could it possibly be, due to the huge amount of data it contains. A mixture of certified and uncertified information, which would be questionable from the safety point of view, is effectively prevented by the invention-related isolated buffer cache for certified geographic information used by safety critical vehicle control systems.
A further advantage of the separation between the geographic information intended for use in vehicle control systems and the geographic information used for navigation, is the independence which it gives the vehicle manufacturer from navigation systems producers. Navigations systems, as electronic consumer goods, are subject to a quick production cycle and constant advancements. Thus, with every new generation of navigation systems used in vehicles, new adaptations are required, (e.g., of the interfaces and of checks and functional tests, especially with safety critical vehicle control systems). Such advancements in navigation systems, however, involve only the navigation function, as the provision of geographic information for vehicle control systems is all but a "secondary task" of a navigation system. The input and output interfaces of the invention-related sensor device, which constantly remain the same, represent significant cost and labor savings.
Another advantage of the invention in particular consists of its use in commercial vehicles, which usually drive along only one or a few routes, so that a comprehensive digital roadmap is unnecessary. In addition, commercial vehicles usually do not use a vehicle-based navigation system, since the drivers generally know the few routes to be driven along very well, and centrally based navigation and management systems are frequently used, e.g., "Fleetboard"™ by the DaimlerChrysler Company. Due to the cost pressure in the transport business, vehicle-based navigation systems have had to be dispensed with, and no geographic information could be used in the vehicle control system. This invention remedies that problem.
Commercial vehicles in particular usually have other control devices. For example, in addition to the centrally based navigation and management system already in use, in the near future it will be compulsory to outfit heavy commercial vehicles with a device to calculate the road impact fee, which will require a calculator and additional sensors incorporated in the invention-related buffer. The sensors are especially for positioning, e.g., with GPS ("Global Positioning System"), and additional sensors are used for monitoring and correcting of positioning errors, (e.g., in an odometer or an electronic gyroscope). Furthermore, devices to communicate with external units are provided by means of GSM ("Global System for Mobile Communications") or DSRC ("Dedicated Short Range Communication" short range communications), for instance. Actually, positioning itself is carried out through these devices.
In a further embodiment these devices are advantageously assembled in a single packaged circuit. Thus, at least some of the additional sensors, the calculator and the invention-related sensor device form a compact, standardized and therefore low cost telematics platform. In addition to the invention-related sensor device the platform comprises the in-vehicle component of a centrally based navigation and management system and/or the road impact fee calculator.
According to this invention, one or more position-related parameter values are provided at the input interface of the buffer to select a subset of the stored geographic information. Further advantageous advancements allow for other parameter combinations in addition to the current position of the vehicle. In particular these are partial sections of the current route or geographic area, provided by a centrally based navigation system. A geographic area is formed by a "funnel" opening around the current vehicle position, whose size depends on the vehicle speed and whose opening angle depends on the vehicle direction. Here a variety of possibilities exists depending, in particular, on the type of the vehicle control system. The connection of the input or output interface of the buffer to the vehicle-based data network (e.g., CAN—"Controlled Area Network") is thereby advantageous. This way, an especially easy transmission of the required additional sensor values and/or geographic information is possible.
Alternatively, an additional calculator (e.g., a vehicle computer or control device) can be provided in the vehicle to control the invention-related sensor arrangement, so that the sensor arrangement has its own calculator to determine the position-related parameter values, The incorporated calculator can directly process additional sensor data, and thus determine the position independently. In another embodiment the incorporated calculator selects the next partial section of a route determined by a centrally based navigation system. Here a variety of embodiments is possible. Naturally the calculator and the sensor device can be designed as a single structural unit. In addition, a sensor device can be assigned to each vehicle control system. Alternatively one sensor device can be used by several vehicle control systems. In the process one or more incorporated calculators can again be provided. Any such combinations are thereby possible.
Advantageously, the invention-related sensor arrangement is designed as an "intelligent" sensor, especially easy use based on the "plug & play" (self-configuration without additional adaptation) principle.
According to the invention, the geographic information stored in the buffer is not all-purpose information for navigation, for the vehicle control systems operations or for other purposes; rather it is provided especially for the operation of one or more vehicle control systems, instead. Thereby a significant reduction of the extent of the required data results, as there is no need for the data to be suitable for navigation.
In an especially advantageous embodiment, the storage format used for the geographic information stored in the buffer is a type which requires very little storage space and, in particular, is highly accurate. Since it is not suited for navigation, such a data format has not been used previously for storage of geographic information in a vehicle. This innovative data format basically turns away from the usual reproduction of sections of a digital roadmap using edges and nodes. Especially for nonlinear route sections, like curves, the latter type of reproduction is inaccurate and requires a great deal of storage space, because curves usually have the form of circular arcs or the form of a clothoid (Comu spiral). Clothoids, or even curves whose curvature increases proportionally with the arc length, are used as a transition between circular arcs and straight sections or between two circular arcs. By means of a parameter-based description of non-straight route sections as a circular arc or a clothoid or a spline, enormous storage space is saved, since only the corresponding parameters need be stored. At the same time, the accuracy of the geographic information is significantly increased, since no fault-prone "approximate solution" in the form of an approximation with edges and nodes is stored. Instead the exact reproduction is stored in the buffer. In addition, the access to the geographic information is accelerated and the assigned processing unit is relieved of calculating tasks.
According to the invention, only one or a few routes for the vehicle will be stored in the buffer. As already shown, this arrangement is especially advantageous in commercial vehicles. But from time to time it is necessary to provide new geographic information, not stored in the buffer theretofore, for example when completely new sections or routes are to be provided to the vehicle control systems. The same is also true when changes have been made to the stored routes and due to road works or construction. These changes are made in an especially easy way, if the buffer can be overwritten. It is advantageous, if the geographic information is partially or incrementally or completely changeable and the various changes can be easily made. Naturally, these possibilities are based on the calculation code stored in the incorporated calculator potentially associated with the sensor device.
In another especially advantageous embodiment the buffer is designed as a flash ROM. Changes can thus be made comfortably without the risk of erroneously deleting the geographic information. The change is made by means of a data line connected to the buffer, which is accessible via an appropriate interface. In a further embodiment the buffer is designed as a mobile ram which is easily inserted by the vehicle driver into a bracket and so made accessible to EDP.
Because certified geographic information is relatively expensive to produce and to acquire, the use of large amounts of data, (e.g., a digital roadmap), is hardly promising. On the other hand, such a mechanism is ideally supported by an overwritable buffer, as only one or a few routes are stored. It thus involves only moderate costs to keep up with the state of the art. This way, a reliable vehicle control system furnished with geographic information is always guaranteed.
The vehicles furnished with geographic information by the invention-related sensor are basically best operated on highways. In built-up areas, the traffic flow is basically influenced by the vehicles dynamics due to traffic lights and intersections and thus a reasonable use of the of the system in the vehicle is impeded. Therefore only countryside-related geographic information is advantageously stored in the buffer.
Numerous vehicle control systems benefit from being furnished with geographic information systems. On the one hand, the functions of already existing systems (for example radar-supported, automatic headway control) are further improved and can still be more versatile. In the process of evaluating an object configuration, further information, in addition to the radar signal, is provided by the detection of an object ahead using the geographic information. This considerably increases the certainty of detection in difficult situations such as, for example, in curves or with bridge piers. With gear change-adaptation, the geographic information is now available in addition to the current values, as an anticipation of future values (for example, an instantaneous turning moment to derive a moment value for the gradient, or an instantaneous steering angle deflection to derive a moment value of the curve). Thus vehicle situations can be better estimated. For example, it is now possible to check, whether a gradient limit value was exceeded for a short time or whether a longer gradient section actually lies ahead.
On the other hand, supplying the invention-related sensor device with geographic information facilitates the design of totally innovative systems. A particular highlight here is an anticipated curve warning. Especially with commercial vehicles tip-over accidents with severe consequences repeatedly occur even with experienced drivers on frequently traveled routes. The invention-related sensor arrangement is ideally suited to significantly reduce the number of such accidents. Further examples of innovative vehicle control systems are a curve light, (i.e., a forward looking deflection of the headlights depending on the road curve), a warning of upcoming locations where the vehicle cannot pass, like bridges or narrow spots, a situation-adapted warning and information management, so as not to overload the driver with stimuli, and a predicative diagnosis with actual, local load complexes acting on a component.
Other objects advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In FIG. 1 the storage requirements for individual types of data with a commercial digital roadmap are shown as a pie chart. Especially depicted here is the storage requirement of a digital roadmap in the form of a CD-ROM for Germany by the NavTech Company. In the following section various types of data stored according to the state of the art will be explained briefly.
Addresses, e.g., street names and house numbers, are the geographic information used as the starting and arrival points in navigation. Restrictions relate to unauthorized crossing at intersections, (e.g., turning prohibitions). Attributes are associated data providing additional information, for example, number of lanes on a road, while geometry relates to the geographic representation of the distance with edges and nodes. Topology, on the other hand, is the logical interconnection of distances and nodes. Polygons relate to information to be visualized during navigation, e.g. the boundaries of woodland or cities; and POI relates to points of interest which can be used as starting, arrival or intermediate points during navigation, landmarks, for instance. It can be clearly seen in FIG. 1, that simply by omitting information such as "addresses" and "polygons", that is needed only for navigation and not for the operation of vehicle control systems, forty-two percent less storage space is required.
In FIGS. 2 a) and b) the storage requirement is shown for individual areas for the same commercial digital roadmap as depicted in the pie chart of FIG. 1. In the process "open spaces" (i.e., outside urban and village areas), are differentiated from "built-up areas", FIG. 2 a) thereby shows the number of edges allotted to each area, while FIG. 2b) shows the number of nodes allotted to each area. From this figure it can be seen that by omitting geographic information about "built-up areas" (areas not suitable for a useful operation of most vehicle control systems), between sixty-seven and seventy-four percent less storage space is required.
FIGS. 3 a) to c) in schematically depict preferred embodiments of the invention. FIG. 3 a) shows a telematics platform, which comprises various devices and calculators in a single packaged circuit. Such devices and calculators include additional positioning sensor (GPS), the invention-related sensor arrangement including a 64 MB buffer, an additional 8 MB buffer for intermediate storage of calculations, a device for the communication between the vehicle and external units (GSM), and also for short range communications, (DSRC). This telematics platform is very versatile. Actually, positioning of the vehicle is carried out by this device. With it the vehicle includes the telematics platform of a centrally based navigation and management system as well as a road impact fee calculator. According to this invention it additionally, provides geographic information to the vehicle.
In FIG. 3 b) the invention-related sensor arrangement comprising a 64 MB buffer and the in-vehicle component of the centrally based navigation and management system are combined into a single unit, "Fleetboard Reduced™". This unit includes the in-vehicle component of the centrally based navigation and management system and is able to perform its own calculations. However, it does not include any additional sensors, e.g. positioning sensors. These additional sensors are included in a separate unit to calculate road impact fees. The ETC unit comprises, in addition to its own calculator, an additional positioning sensor, GPS, an additional 8 MB buffer for the interim calculation storage, the communication appliance between the vehicle and external units, GSM, and also the appliance for short range communications DSRC. Apart from its main function, the independent calculation of road impact fees, the ETC unit by means of an information exchange provides information from the additional sensors to the "Fleetboard Reduced™" unit as a "by-product". According to the invention, The "Fleetboard Reduced™" unit provides vehicle control systems with geographic information.
In FIG. 3 c), the invention-related sensor arrangement comprising a 64 MB buffer and a road impact fees calculator are combined into a single ETC unit. Therefore, in addition to the invention-related sensor device and the built-in road impact fees calculator, the ETC unit includes a positioning sensor, (GPS), an additional 8 MB buffer for the interim calculations storage of the communication appliance between the vehicle and external units (QSM), and also the device for short range communications, DSRC. The main function of the ETC unit is to calculate road impact fees. For this purpose, it exchanges information with the "Fleetboard Reduced"™ unit. For example, the ETC unit receives a route provided by the centrally based navigation system via the "Fleetboard Reduced"™ unit. Here the ETC unit provides the system in the vehicle with the information-related geographic information.
The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

Sensor device for a motor vehicle system


A method for measuring the moisture content of skin, includes placing a probe on the skin for measuring the capacitance of the skin. An apparatus for applying the method, includes a probe and devices connected to the probe for transmitting, transferring and analyzing a signal. A wave signal is transmitted into the probe, the capacitance of the probe is measured by comparing the wave phases of the transmitted and reflected waves, and the applied radio frequency is low, approximately 0.2 to 5 MHz. The apparatus also includes a device into which a wave formed by the signal reflected from the probe is arranged to be led into a first input; and into which a wave forming the signal and transmitted to the probe is arranged to be led into a second input, whereat the capacitance can be measured by comparing the wave phases.

The present invention relates to a method for measuring the moisture content of skin, in which method a probe is placed on the skin for measuring the capacitance of the skin. The invention relates also to the apparatus for applying the method, which apparatus comprises a probe to be placed on the skin and devices connected to the probe for transmitting and transferring a signal into the probe and back from the probe in order to transfer and analyse the reflected signal and for measuring the capacitance of the skin.
The skin consists of three layers, which are, from the surface inwards, stratum corneum, epidermis and dermis. The water content is low in the stratum corneum and high in the dermis. The water content increases gradually from the surface of epidermis to deeper parts of epidermis. The hydration of skin is determined by the properties of the stratum corneum. Dry skin feels rough and will become wrinkled faster than normal skin. People living in dry weather conditions suffer from dry skin more than others and have to apply cosmetic products for moisturizing the skin.
There exist devices for skin moisture measurement used for the assessment of skin condition. These devices can also be used for evaluating the efficacy of skin moisturizing products. Innumerable devices have been developed for the measurement of parameters sensitive to the moisture of skin. Some of the devices are expensive and complicated to use, but some are relatively cheap and easy to use, e.g. ohmmeters measuring the electric resistance of the skin. However, they have many shortcomings: the distance between the electrodes varies and the devices are sensitive to the electrolyte content of the intercellular space and to the skin contact.
The principle of the present moisture meters based on the measurement of the skin capacitance is that the skin is a capacitive part of a resonance circuit, either an RC-circuit or a monostabile multivibrator. A device containing an RC-circuit is introduced in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,753. A monostabile multivibrator is introduced in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,244. The skin causes a change in the resonance frequency of the circuit. The resonance frequency that indicates the properties of the skin is for instance calculated with a counter. One weakness of these devices is that the frequency of the measurement circuit depends on the properties of the skin. However, the dielectric properties of the skin change in relation to the frequency due to the influence of different types of dispersions. The dielectric properties determine the capacitance of the skin, which is the reason why a device measuring capacitance is not working reliably when its frequency changes. Another weakness of mentioned devices is that they are sensitive also to the resistivity of the skin, which means that, for example, the relative content of the electrolytes, which is independent of the water content of the stratum corneum, affects the measurement result.
The object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus, which obviate the shortcomings of the present methods and apparatuses. It is a particular object of the invention to provide a method and an apparatus for measuring the moisture content of skin reliably, and that the resistivity of the skin does not affect the measurement result. It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus which is simple in its structure and economical to manufacture and to use.
In the method in accordance with the invention a wave signal is transmitted to the probe, the capacitance of the probe is measured by comparing the phases of the transmitted and reflected wave, and the applied radio frequency is low, approximately 0.2 to 5 MHz. This comparison can be performed with an appropriate device known as such.
This method enables accurate measurement of the capacitance of the probe even in the case when the conductance of the probe is much higher than the susceptance of the probe, which occurs always when the probe is in contact with the skin. In this arrangement the measurement result is independent of the conductance of the probe, which in practice means that the measurement result does not depend on the resistivity and further, for example, on the electrolyte content of the skin.
Operating frequency of the apparatus is an essential parameter of the method in accordance with the invention. The range used in the method is approximately 0.2 to 5 MHz. With lower frequencies than this, the susceptance of the probe decreases further and the difference between the conductance and the susceptance increases further. On the other hand, with frequencies higher than the specified range the measurement result contains information also from deeper layers of the skin. This is undesirable, because the water content of dermis does not affect what is commonly perceived as the moistness of the skin.
In an advantageous application of the invention the apparatus operates at only one frequency, the low radio frequency, approximately 0.2 to 5 MHz. When this method is used the apparatus operates only at one precisely set frequency, and thus gives a reliable result of the moisture content of skin. The capacitance of the skin is determined by its dielectric properties and therefore only such capacitance measuring apparatus which operates with a constant frequency, can be a reliable apparatus.
In a further advantageous application of the invention a wave signal is transmitted to the probe by an oscillator, and placing an attenuator on the signal path between the oscillator and the probe prohibits the reflections of the waves forming the signal between the oscillator and the probe. This means that the reflections do not affect the measurement result.
In a further application of the invention the phases of the wave transmitted to and reflected from the probe are deviated with a power splitter from each other by 90 degrees in addition to the minor phase difference caused by the probe. The resolution of the phase detector is then optimal and the accuracy of the measurement is better than when using a normal zero-degree power splitter.
In an additional application the phases of the wave transmitted to and reflected from the probe are compared by a phase detector. The phase detector is dependable and reliable but in other applications other devices can be used for this purpose.
Furthermore, in an advantageous additional application the propagating waves are amplified in the phase detector inputs so that the phase detector operates in a saturated state. Only then the phase detector or a similar device measures merely the phase shift of the incoming signals.
An apparatus in accordance with the invention comprises a device, preferably a phase detector, into the input of which the wave formed by the signal reflected from the probe is arranged to be led, and a wave forming the signal is arranged to be led into the other input of the device, then the capacitance can be measured by comparing the wave phases.

Method for measuring skin surface hydration and device for applying the method


An airborne antenna platform is disclosed capable of providing near-continuous spherical coverage of the volume surrounding the airborne platform.

An antenna is the mechanism by which electromagnetic energy is radiated and received. The types and variations of antenna are extremely numerous, each type being of some particular advantage over the others for a specific requirement. Among the more important and frequently encountered requirements are those for operating bandwidth, directivity, both high and low, and polarization. Mounting factors for antennas, as in land vehicles, aircraft, and spacecraft, also pose problems of size, weight, air resistance, and vehicle interference.
For radar, although not necessarily for antennas in other electromagnetic applications, it is essential that the antenna enhance performance. A radar antenna has three basic roles: to be a major contribution to the radar's sensitivity, to provide the required surveillance and to allow measurements of angle of sufficient accuracy and precision.
One application where antenna configuration has been of considerable importance is airborne radar systems. Airborne radar systems, such as, for example, the radar in the U. S. Air Force's E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), use pulse-doppler radars; airborne pulse-doppler radars being more difficult to design and more complex than ground-based systems.
Performance of airborne radar of the early warning (EW) type have been limited by the physical constraints of the antenna. These constraints include range limitations as well as the inability to discriminate against targets of relatively small size.
Typical EW antennas are those utilized by the E-1, E-2, and E-3 aircraft, such antennas being dish antennas housed in a rotating dome situated above the fuselage of the aircraft by means of a pylon or the like. As the radome revolves, the emitted radar beam sweeps a circular band or ring around the airborne antenna platform. The height of the band is determined by the radar beam elevation angle, typically between approximately 15 and 20 degrees. Hence, at a range of about 300 nm, the radar beam will illuminate only those targets positioned within a band of approximately 75 to 100 nm high about the 360 degrees of a circle.
The radome antenna leaves blind spots above and below the aircraft that are not illuminated by the emitted radar beam, numerous airborne or surface threats possibly being located in these unilluminated areas. Further, the conventional radome antenna emits a single beam of electromagnetic energy having a finite width and height, the beam completing a single revolution on the order of once every 10 seconds. Therefore, the band swept by the beam is not continuously illuminated, but rather, is only illuminated intermittently. Another problem associated with known radome antennas is the creation of blind spots due to airframe interfernce.
The E-1 and E-2, being carrier-based aircraft, have antenna of relatively small size; however, have succeeded in achieving remarkable performance. The E-3, essentially a B-707 airframe, has a heavy dish antenna on the order of 11,000 pounds of relatively large size, on the order of 30 feet in diameter. Even with such a large antenna, the accuracy of known airborne radars tend to be worse than their ground-based counterparts by factors of ten.
Other approaches for mounting EW type antennas include conformal radar which utilizes wing structure as the vehicle for mounting of the antenna. However, many problems exist with this type of installation due to interference with the structure itself, engines/propellers, and other components of the aircraft.


An electric toy gun having therein a power break control mechanism consisting of an actuator, a power break control set and a swinging block for breaking off power supply upon triggering of the trigger when the clip is empty. When the clip is empty and when the trigger is pressed, the actuator is forced by a spring-loaded push rod at the bullet outlet of the clip to move the swinging block and the power break control set, causing a power break holder to be moved away from a power contact holder, and therefore power supply is disconnected, avoiding waste of power supply and component damage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to toy gun power control techniques and more particularly, to a power break control mechanism used in an electric toy gun that breaks power supply when the clip is empty and when the trigger is pressed.
2. Description of the Related Art
The driving principle of an electric toy gun is completely different from that of an air-soft toy gun. When the trigger of an electric toy gun is pressed, a power break holder is moved into contact with a power contact holder in the inside of the gun body to start the firing mechanism. When firing, a battery-operated gearwheel set 10 is driven to move a piston set 30 toward the rear side in the gun body 20 (see FIG. 1). The piston set 30 has a return spring 301 loaded thereon. When rotating the gearwheel set 10 to a predetermined position, the piston set 30 is released from the gearwheel set 10, and the return spring 301 immediately returns the piston set 30 forwards to its former position, allowing discharge of a compressed gas to drive a toy bullet out of the gun barrel. Thus, one firing action is done, and the toy gun is reset for a next firing action.
When wishing to fire toy bullets repeatedly, the aforesaid firing action is repeated. The power break holder will be moved away from the power contact holder to break off power supply only when the trigger is released. If the clip is empty and the trigger is kept pressed, the gearwheel set 10 is kept to drive the piston set 30 moving forwards and backwards, and the operator can know the situation only when no toy bullet is fired. It is nonsense to keep the gearwheel set 10 and the piston set 30 moving when the clip is empty. This condition wastes power supply, and may cause component damage.

Electric toy gun with an improved power break control mechanism


The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for the assembly of body components to an automotive body that has undergone a progressive series of framing and welding steps so as to produce a structurally rigid body frame, termed a body-in-white. More specifically, this invention relates to creating a new net locating scheme (X-Y-Z coordinate system) for a body-in-white to direct associated tooling to create net attachment features on said rigid body frame so that components may be attached to said automotive body at a net location eliminating the need for any slip plane attachment techniques.

Not applicable.
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for the assembly of body components to an automotive body that has undergone a progressive series of positioning and welding steps so as to produce a structurally rigid body frame, termed a body-in-white. More specifically, this invention relates to reestablishing a new grid system (XYZ coordinate system) for a body-in-white, after assembly, so as to direct the associated tooling to establish net attachment positions for all body components thereby eliminating the need for any slip plane adjustment techniques.
2. Description of the Related Art
For many decades, automobile and truck body frames, that typically include at least an underbody, a pair of side frames, and front and rear headers, conventionally undergo a progressive series of positioning and welding steps before a structurally rigid body frame, termed a body-in-white, is produced. Though bodies are still manually assembled and welded, emphasis on automated assembly and welding operations has for many years generated numerous automated and semi-automated framing systems.
In an attempt to create and maintain dimensional integrity in the building of automotive bodies, typically, framing systems that involve a degree of automation include the operations of locating the components relative to each other on the underbody. Primary locating points established on the underbody are used throughout the body shop operation as well as in the body inspection room and are generally established by locating on each of the rails, a four way locating pin forward and a two way locating pin rearward. Usually, the underbody is then clamped in place at specific points of location. The primary locating points are also used to locate for purposes of inspecting in the body build shop. The components are located relative to each other and relative to the underbody and are loosely assembled to each other. Typically, the various components include a floor panel, right and left body side panels, a dash panel and either a roof panel or transversely extending header members upon which a roof panel is subsequently mounted. After these individual panels are stamped, in some applications, preliminary assembly operations are performed on individual panels as, for example, adding door hinge and latch hardware to the body side panels at approximate locations on a door opening, adding seat mounting brackets and reinforcements to the floor panel, etc.
The set of panels that constitute a subassembly of the finished vehicle body are then brought together and loosely assembled to each other. This initial loose assembly frequently is accomplished by a so called xe2x80x9ctoy tabxe2x80x9d arrangement in which one panel is created with a tab projecting from one edge that is received in a slot in an adjacent panel. This technique interlocks the panels and frame members to each other to the point where they will not separate from each other, but does not achieve a rigid assembly, that is, for example, the side panels may tilt slightly relative to the floor panel. Alternatively, some initial pre-tack welding may be performed in order to loosely maintain the components together. The loosely assembled subassembly is then transported to a framing/welding station whereat, in order to accurately establish the desired final geometry of all of the components of the body-in-white, the toy tab components are clamped to locating frames, often termed gate fixtures. Thereafter, welding operations, are performed within the framing and respot station to more permanently and securely weld the components together to accurately form a rigid structure referred to as the body-in-white. Current body framing stations employ both fixed and robotic welders that can be programmed to perform several welds at different locations on the body in one framing station. The welders typically are located at opposite sides of the conveying line at the welding station, and when the body""s subassembly is located in the welding station, the fixed weldings and robotic welders perform welds on designated areas on the body. In those cases where clamping frames are positioned on opposite sides of the body, clearance problems may restrict motion of the welding heads that must pass through the clamping frame before they have access to the body. This will result in the performance of only a portion of the required welding at one station and the advancement of the partially welded subassembly to an additional respot welding stations where different clamping frames allow the welding head to access those portions of the body assembly that could not be reached by the welding heads in the first station. After the body is transported to the final welding, or respot, station the remaining welds are made to establish a structurally rigid body frame.
Although many variations of the above process are known, it is the general object of each framing system to accurately net locate the body components relative to each other and maintain the established net location or position throughout the later welding operations, until the structural rigidity of the body-in-white is sufficient to preserve the desired geometric configuration throughout the assembly process.
It is readily recognized that these conventional assembly techniques include many assembly steps that require parts to be physically stacked on top of one another and then secured to each other by welding, and wherein each component is created with a certain accuracy and tolerance. That is, a particular component, and any point on that component, is typically required to be manufactured to a specific dimensional configuration, within a specified tolerance range. If an individual panel to be affixed references a point on another panel, the reference point also has a dimensional tolerance variation. The tolerance of the assembly formed by these components will also be xe2x80x9cstackedxe2x80x9d together. That is, the dimensional tolerance of the first panel will be added, to some degree, to that of the second panel to be attached thereto. As more components are fixed to the assembly that references additional attachment points, the tolerances of the individual points are xe2x80x9cstackedxe2x80x9d to create a greater tolerance variation for the xe2x80x9cstackedxe2x80x9d components.
The small tolerance variations in the primary locating points for locating the underbody combined with the gate fixtures that typically allow some play in the positioning of the panels prior to clamping inherently results in some built-up inaccuracies for the body-in-white. Also, the repositioning of the framing system in a respot station, again, results in an additional positional tolerance inherently creating additional inaccuracies for the location of the various panels with respect to each other. Accordingly, it is quite evident that as a number of panels with positional dimensional tolerances are stacked the total manufacturing tolerance of the framed body-in-white will increase. Experience has shown that the xe2x80x9cstackingxe2x80x9d built in tolerances in the framing process increases the total manufacturing tolerance and can become quite substantial.
Accordingly, over a period of years, many have attempted to improve the manufacturing method so as to reduce the overall or total tolerance in vehicle assemblies utilizing a variety of techniques in an attempt to reduce the inherent inaccuracies of the vehicle body assembly as well as the body-in-white.
To attempt to reduce the inherent built in inaccuracies in the process of building automobile bodies with the objective of reducing overall tolerance variations, many alternative framing schemes have been proposed over the years. For example, DeRees, U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,105, teaches a modular vehicle construction assembly method in which various structural modules are fabricated and assembled with operating vehicle components prior to mounting with other fabricated and assembled modules. For example, a first module having a chassis frame and a passenger platform that is used in the formation of the underbody of the vehicle is proposed. A second module in the form of a cowl or dashboard includes a structural frame, preferably formed from stamped panel components, that include a windshield frame portion integrally formed with a dash panel frame portion. A third modular component includes of a flooring platform, two first side-wall structures and at least one closure device extending across the first sidewall structures above or at one end of the flooring system. The fourth module includes two second sidewall structures, reinforcement for supporting the second sidewall structures in a fixed position with respect to each other, a hood panel and device for displaceably mounting at least a portion of the fourth module to the first module. Each of the first through fourth modules is completely assembled, including the installation of vehicle operating components, prior to its attachment to the other modules. The resulting structure incorporates each of the modules by locating each module at a net position thereby reducing the overall built up tolerance for the complete assembly. However, within each module, DeReese is still proposing that the device for securing the panels together utilizes conventional welding techniques or welding substitutes such as mechanical interlocking of the panels, mechanical fastening, bonding with adhesives, bolting, riveting or the like.
Angel, U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,058, teaches a framing device for assembling and welding a body-in-white utilizing completely separate framing and welding operations that are typically intermixed in conventional framing systems. The framing device is a unitary frame structure within which an underbody, side frames, and other body components can each be supported and accurately positioned with respect to each other prior to the welding operation. Using an appropriate number of clamping devices, the net position of the body components that constitute the body-in-white are properly established and maintained, such that gate fixtures are unnecessary during the welding operation. The structure of the framing device provides considerable access to the body-in-white supported within the interior of the framing device such that a greater number of welding guns can be used during the welding process to complete all of the welding necessary to maintain the rigidity and geometry of the body-in-white in a single welding operation or station.
Bonnet et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,387, teach a method of constructing a vehicle body with reference to a single assembly station by moving multiple panels into an assembled position nonclampingly fixed with an adhesive and in spaced relationship without direct contact therebetween. The vehicle body is constructed by presenting a plurality of discrete body panels into assembled positions with respect to a single base for application of an adhesive thereon to fix the body panels in a nonclamping, spaced relationship without direct contact therebetween. The body panels include an underbody, a first side panel on a first side of the underbody and a second side panel on a second side of the underbody, a front end member mated with the underbody, the first side panel and the second side panel, and a roof panel substantially co-planar with the underbody in mating relationship with upper mating flanges on the first and second side panels. Such structure avoids tolerance stack up between the assembled panels by controlling the adhesive bond gap variance between the panels. The adhesive is a heavy-duty urethane structural adhesive. The resulting vehicle body assembly reduces tolerance stack-up and has the additional advantage of having relatively little inherent stress points developed between mating panels since they are assembled at a single stage framing fixture, or assembly apparatus.
Oatridge et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,421, like DeReese, teach a manufacturing or assembly technique wherein the assembly includes a plurality of individual components that are independently formed into a substantially rigid initial subassembly structure thereafter, for each remaining component referencing from the substantially rigid structure a desired position for each remaining component and fixing such remaining component to the subassembly at the desired position whereby the overall tolerance of the manufactured assembly is reduced.
Although a majority of the prior art has recognized the existence of built in inaccuracies in the building of automotive bodies, by the stacking of tolerances between adjacent components, resulting in unacceptable mating conditions, little has been said in the prior art regarding those inherent inaccuracies of the various processes themselves. For example, many of the processing techniques require the rigid clamping of the various components, panels or subassemblies on the fixtures for the purpose of obtaining maximum support rigidity before the components are welded together. However, if any misalignment exists between associated components or panels, the spot welding that creates the weld will tend to displace the component or panel from the desired assembly location to some unknown position relative to design intent or an established X, Y and Z Cartesian coordinate systems. Accordingly, although modular construction may be suggested to avoid tolerance build up, the clamping of the modular components into the rigid fixtures can easily result in stretching or compression points in the vehicle body that may cause stress induced cracks or other deficiencies especially after the weld is created. Thus, the problem with existing fixtures whether they are framing fixtures or tooling to assemble modular components is that these assemblies are assembled with internal stresses that can cause deformities in the assembled sheet metal resulting in failures to the assemblies when in use i.e. popped welds etc. Further, after clamping these components or panels into the rigid fixtures, thousands of welds are produced resulting in additional stresses as well as distortion due to the heat and pressure associated with the use of welding guns leading to the conclusion that after the body-in-white has been processed in the appropriate framing and welding stations, it is impossible to know the final location of the surfaces as well as any targets, master holes or whatever else is attached to the panels before the welding operations occur. Although the objective in the framing and welding station is to locate panels at so called xe2x80x9cnetxe2x80x9d or design intent locations, the variety of unknowns due to processing through the stations causes every vehicle body and its associated surfaces to be built differently. In the past this has been considered to be an acceptable body to process providing that master attachment points or panels are within an acceptable tolerance range from net or design intent location. For decades, it has been common practice in the automobile industry to incorporate a xe2x80x9cslip planexe2x80x9d in the assembly of outer body panels to the body-in-white. The slip plane enables the appropriate outer panels to be attached and manually fit at assembly relative to adjacent panels. Until recently, a slip plane was necessary in order to meet quality and fit requirements of the marketplace and competition, and to provide an appearance that is more pleasing and more aerodynamic due to flushness and/or alignment of features on an outer panel with adjacent outer surfaces of a vehicle.
Slip planes are designed in component assemblies where as a result of manufacturing variations of the components, as for example a door and a hinge on a vehicle, it is necessary to provide a device to enable a door to be fit to the body opening at final assembly. The slip plane permits fore/aft and up/down adjustment of the hinge as necessary to permit the door to be fitted within the body opening with an equidistance gap around the door and between body openings. Slip planes can be planned to be within any coordinate or plane of an X, Y and Z coordinate system as for example on a vehicle the fore/aft direction, cross-car direction and up/down direction that are respectively designated as X, Y and Z. The appropriate plane to incorporate a slip plane is based on the specific surface feature required to be aligned with respect to an adjacent surface feature on an adjacent outer panel of the vehicle body. The slip plane is an adjustment feature that compensates for the inevitable tolerance variations that differs between vehicles. Slip planes are generally used at the interface between attachment points as for example a door hinge and the major trim panels to which the hinge is to be attached to the vehicle body. Because of the tolerance variations of the body-in-white, excessive gapping may result between panel or between the door and a door opening. Further, in the case of moving trim panels such as doors, and decklids, pinch points may occur as a result of variation in location of the attachment point with respect to the opening in which the major panel is mounted. Accordingly, a slip plane, as for example in the door hinge and/or door panel, has always been used to provide for manual final fitting of the door with respect to the opening to balance out the gap between the doors and major trim panels, such as fenders, as well as to ensure proper flushness of adjacent major outer panels.
The problem of inherent stresses and distortions as a result of the assembly process has been recognized in the prior art and several attempts to provide more accuracy in the assembly process of a vehicle have been made in order to solve the problem.
Earlier, it was believed that by establishing the attachment points at net or design intent position on the body-in-white frame structure at least some of the inaccuracies between the panel to be attached and the body-in-white would be eliminated. However, due to the distortions of the body-in-white as a result of the assembly/welding processes, it was still necessary to provide a slip plane in order to permanently attach the outer body attachment panels for the purpose of obtaining proper gaps and correct flushness between adjacent panels as well as alignment of feature lines between adjacent panels. The apparatus and process by which a device established a datum position from an object having dimensional variations within a known tolerance range is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,026 to Dacey, Jr. and is owned by the current assignee hereof. Dacey Jr. teaches an apparatus and method for establishing a location in space (a datum position) utilizing an object having dimensional variations in each of the X, Y and Z planes within a known tolerance range. Upon establishing a location in space, the device is immobilized at the datum position and work is performed on the body-in-white with respect to the datum position. The apparatus includes a fixed base structure for rigid mounting to a floor adjacent to an assembly line, a transfer platform moveably attached to the base structure so that the transfer platform can move in a horizontal direction with respect to the fixed base structure, a support structure assembly attached to the transfer platform that is adapted to move in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the transfer platform, a vertical slide assembly moveably attached to the support structure assembly and moveable therewith in a vertical direction, fluid actuated positioning and locating members attached to the apparatus for immobilizing the horizontal and vertical movements of the apparatus, as well as a plurality of probes attached to the apparatus for locating pre established selected reference surfaces or gage points from which the datum position can be established. The invention further includes a work performing tool attached to the position finding apparatus so that it can perform work on the object with respect to the established datum position. Since the apparatus of Dacey Jr. relied on utilizing reference positions on the body-in-white, that resulted from imprecise and unknown locations due to the inherent stresses and distortions created during the assembly process, the positions were continuously different although within an acceptable tolerance range on each body-in-white. The datum position established based on these unknown distortions of the body-in-white created by the assembly and welding processes provided so called xe2x80x9cdesign intentxe2x80x9d positions that varied significantly as a function of the inaccuracies of the vehicle frame created at assembly.
Akeel, U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,726, teaches a solution to avoid the creation of internal stresses that could cause failure of the assemblies when in use. Akeel, teaches an apparatus for positioning an object during an assembly operation including a parallel link programmable positioning mechanism having a base plate, a spaced apart locator plate and six linear actuator links extending between the two plates and attached thereto by universal joints. The base plate is connected to the locator plate with the plurality of linear actuators, each having a lower end pivotably attached to the base plate and an upper end pivotably attached to the locator plate. When an object is mounted on the locator plate, the linear actuators are controlled to move the locator plate to a predetermined position relative to the base plate for contacting the object mounted on the locator plate with a component to be assembled. A feedback signal is generated representing a force supplied to the locator plate when the object contacts the component and thereafter the linear actuators are actuated to change the applied force in response to the feedback signal. This locating method provides for a stress free assembly of sheet metal components on assembly fixtures.
Kotake et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,506, also teach a method of assembling exterior parts of an automobile wherein assembly accuracy errors of the vehicle body or body-in-white are determined by measuring the actual positions of a plurality of reference points of the body-in-white after it has been processed through the framing/welding station. Correction data is then generated by comparing the actual measured position of a point to the wire frame data or design intent position of the same point while maintaining a correlated relationship amongst the parts, to eliminate correlated misalignment among those parts due to assembly accuracy errors of the body. The measurement of the assembled position of the vehicle body may be made at the assembly station of the parts or at any arbitrary station that is located on an upstream side of the assembly station. In the latter case, the measured, as assembled data is read by a processor that generates correction data for the parts assembled positions that is transmitted from the measuring station to the assembling station. When the vehicle body is conveyed into the assembling station, the conveyed position is detected by encoders and the parts are assembled after corrections are made in accordance with the correction data. The reference points of the vehicle body are detected by the encoder device provided at the assembling station and, on the basis of the positional information, correction data for each assembling position of an exterior part is calculated by comparing the actual position detected by the encoders with the wire frame data in a computer so that the correction data is transmitted to a robot controller of a corresponding assembly robot to correct the assembling position of each part.
Accordingly, as desired, the location of any individual point on a panel after the body has been welded together is determined by the use of encoders and the deviation from the mean position of the point is calculated by comparing the actual reading to the net location of where that point should be so that a deviation from mean of the location of the point is determined. This deviation, in the form of a correction data, is communicated to the assembling robot in order to instruct the robot of the actual position of the point on the body-in-white panel with respect to the design intent position so that each component to be assembled at that point may be separately adjusted to a corrected position in order to provide a correction is made when comparing the actual location of the attachment point to the mean location to ensure that the holes in the outer panels line up properly with the holes in the underbody to enable a successful attachment of the outer panel and ensure flushness to adjacent panels. Obviously, when using this sophisticated equipment in a production environment many problems can surface including but not limited to, environmental debris as a result of welding operations, sensitivity problems with the equipment, technical support team necessary to monitor equipment, etc. Also an additional station is needed in the production line to enable measurement by the encoders of the actual points on the body-in-white.
Therefore, what is needed is an apparatus and technique for assembling automotive frame components that recognizes and accepts the existence of these internal stresses and distortions of the various panels constituting the body-in-white that have been welded with, in some cases, as many as three thousand welds, yet is able to establish a reliable assembly technique utilizing a feature of Dacey Jr., that is, insuring the fabrication of attachment points that are in a net or best fit position on the complete body-in-white that is also then assured to be in a known position so that the outer panels may be directly attached to the body-in-white with attachment points assured to be in the same position so that the outer panels may be directly attached to the body-in-white without the need for slip planes and without the need for being concerned of the inherent variations established by the body building process itself.
According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus and method for a new master locating scheme in the form of a master location station in the assembly of components to automotive vehicle bodies, otherwise known as a body-in-white, after the body-in-white has been processed through the framing station whereafter a work performing tooling platform is positioned with respect to the new master locating scheme and work is performed on the body-in-white to create net attachment features on all portions of the body-in-white so that other components are intended to be attached to produce a finished vehicle body that meets the flushness and gap specifications between adjacent panels established by the vehicle design team.
The apparatus of the present invention is intended to be part of the production line after the various panels have been framed and welded together as a unit to establish a completed body-in-white. The apparatus of the new mastering station includes an overhead structure strattling a production line having a front and rear gantry arrangement so that the body-in-white can pass through there under. The body-in-white is transported by a carrier device along an assembly line. With four position detecting apparatuses located along the path of the body-in-white and the plurality of work performing apparatus attached to the position detecting apparatuses on each side of the vehicle body. Each position detecting apparatus includes probes for locating up/down fore/aft and cross-car features of the body-in-white. Each position detecting apparatus includes probes that have been specifically selected to find primary locating points on the body-in-white so as to locate pre established variable reference surfaces on the body-in-white and once established, lock into place for the duration of the assembly process on a specific vehicle. Since the probes are engaging surfaces which have already been processed through the framing station, the effect of distortion of each of these primary locating points and inherent process variables of the body-in-white as a result of the assembly and welding processors will be realized by these probes. Once the positioned detecting apparatus is locked into place, a specific point in terms of a Cartesian X, Y and Z coordinate system will be established that represents the primary locating point of the body-in-white as built, that is, including the inherent tolerance variations and distortions caused by the framing and welding operations.
Located alongside each of the position detecting apparatus is a master locating pin which, after the position detecting apparatus is locked in place, is moved into an overhead input socket suspended from the gantry frame. The socket is part of a lever and crank system that is slidably attached to the overhead gantry of the master station. The socket on either side of the vehicle body is placed at design intent position representative of the locating points that each of the position detecting apparatus on either side of the vehicle body is intended to find. As the locator pins plug into the input sockets, the lever and crank arrangement, through bearing and ways structure, slides along the ways in both X and Y direction as will be explained hereinafter on the gantry in order to establish a new X and Y centerline between the two input sockets. This new centerline takes into account the variations and distortion of the body-in-white in the as built condition. Spaced a known distance from the center of the bell crank system is a second set of output sockets fixed directly to the base plate to which the input sockets and bell crank balancing mechanism is also fixed. As the input sockets, through the bell crank arrangement, move in both X and Y directions the output sockets move accordingly. After the lever and crank mechanism has established new X and Y directions the output sockets plug into a locating pin on a second position detecting apparatus which is part of the tooling attached to the master locating station. Through the socket and pin interaction of the second position detecting apparatus the complete tooling fixture is floated into place with respect to the newly found X, Y and Z coordinate system for the actual body as built, including the distortions and tolerance stack up error inherent in the framing and welding of the body-in-white. After the tooling stations on either side of the body-in-white are caused to move into a position relative to the new centerlines (X, Y and Z) established by the bell crank system, the tooling system and associated position detection apparatus are located in place and work can be performed on the body-in-white. Since the sockets provide a locating position in both the X and Y direction the new centerline in the fore/aft of the body-in-white as well as a cross-car centerline between the two locating references on either side of the body are maintained while work is performed. Accordingly, any misalignment between the two front position detecting apparatuses from one side of the vehicle to the other will be balanced out to generate a new centerline at half the distance of the overall cross-car dimension defined as the Y direction including the misalignment. Further, any error in the cross-car dimension of the two locating points will also be balanced out by the overhead socket so as to generate a new centerline in a direction ninety degrees to the car cross dimension defined as the X direction. The third plane of the Cartesian coordinate system is established by providing similar socket arrangements in a direction ninety degrees to the overhead sockets so that the pin attached to the position detecting apparatus can locate into an input socket and an output socket will cause the tooling to float to a new net position in the Z direction, with respect to the body in order to balance any error in the Z direction from design intent, and establish the new third plane of the new X, Y and Z Cartesian coordinate system for the body-in-white. Once the new coordinate system has been established for the vehicle as built, the complete tooling system is locked into place and any number of additional position detecting apparatuses or units using a pin and socket arrangement locating scheme may be used in conjunction with work performing devices in order to perform work on the vehicle body to provide the necessary attachment features for the various outer body panels or attachment devices intended to be attached to the body-in-white in further processing of the vehicle body. As a result of being able to balance out any created or inherent errors of the body-in-white due to processing through the framing station, all attachment holes, slots, pads etc. created by the work performing devices of the master locating station can be located with respect to the newly established X, Y and Z coordinate system and therefore all locations of the attachment features are net to the newly created X, Y and Z coordinate system. Furthermore, the new mastering scheme creates the absolute best fit attachment feature and completely eliminates the need to provide for a slip plane in order to attach a component to the body-in-white. Therefore any outer body component, i.e. hood, fender, doors, decklid, liftgate, front bumper, rear or front facia etc. being attached to the body-in-white can be fabricated with attachment feature at net or design intent positions since they will be attached to a net attachment point on the body-in-white. Upon accomplishing all of the work earlier established to be necessary in this particular master work station the position detecting apparatus and its associate tooling will unlock from the vehicle body and retract to a rest position so that the body can continue to be processed along the assembly line.
The invention also encompasses a method for establishing a new Cartesian X, Y and Z coordinate system taking into account the inherent error created by assembling the various panels of a vehicle body in a framing and/or welding station.
The method of establishing a new coordinate system taking into account the variations of the vehicle body upon which work is to be performed is set forth. The method also encompasses the performance of work on the vehicle body at a location remote from a plurality of independently established primary locating points.
The principle object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus and method for establishing a new Cartesian X, Y and Z coordinate system for a vehicle body otherwise known as a body-in-white. The invention encompasses performing work at this new X, Y Z coordinate or grid system so as to provide net attachment features for the various components that will subsequently be attached to the body-in-white.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus and method of balancing out the inherent error generated by the processing of the body-in-white through the framing and welding operations.
A further object of the present invention is to perform work on a body-in-white relative to a newly established X, Y Z coordinate system so as to provide new net attachment features for the various outer body panels and/or attachments to be made to the body-in-white.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that can interact with a body-in-white and generate a new reference position with respect to known design intent reference positions, balance out any errors at this given reference position and establish a new reference coordinate system for the body-in-white so that, thereafter, work can be performed on the vehicle body at a location remote from the established reference position.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that relies primarily on a fluid drive device and mechanical interactions for accomplishing part of its motion relative to an adjacent workpiece.
Also, another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that has freedom of movement in at least three dimensions to locate and lock on primary locating points of unknown dimensions and thereafter reestablish a new net X, Y and Z coordinate system for the primary locating points that is used, in turn, by the associated tooling to perform work relative to the new net X, Y, Z coordinates on the vehicle body to create attachment features for outer panel components thereafter intended to be attached to the body-in-white.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for the manufacturer of attachment features on a vehicle body-in-white structure that are created with reference to a newly established X, Y and Z coordinate system based on balancing out the inherent errors existing in the body-in-white from the framing and welding operations.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that has attached thereto a work performing tool net located to a newly established X, Y and Z coordinate system for the object whereafter the tool is located and held by the apparatus for a time interval sufficient to permit the tool to accomplish its task and be withdrawn from the proximity of the object being worked on.
Yet another object of the present invention is to establish attachment references on a body-in-white without the use of slip planes.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for reforming an element of an automotive inner body panel to present a portion of the surface of such element at a predetermined net position with respect to a newly generated X, Y and Z coordinate system for the attachment of an outer body panel thereto.
It is a further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for establishing a new X, Y and Z coordinate system of an automotive inner body panel to present a portion of the surface of such element at a predetermined position for the attachment of another element thereto and for forming a net hole in such surface to facilitate the attachment of the element thereto.
For a further understanding of the present invention and the objects thereof, attention is directed to the drawings and the following brief descriptions thereof, to the description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and to the claims.

Method and apparatus for assembling exterior automotive vehicle body components onto an automotive vehicle body


The invention provides an electric motor including a tubular insulator that insulates coils of each of U, V, and W phases that makes a rotor rotated by an electromagnetic force, and a stator core around which the coils are wound; and a plurality of busbars that are fixed to the insulator to relay feed of power to the coils that constitute each phase. Ring-shaped terminals directly connected to an external driving circuit board for controlling a driving current leading to each phase of the coils, without via separate connecting members, are integrally formed in the busbars, respectively.

The present invention relates to an electric motor including busbars serving as relay members that relay electrical connection between a driving circuit for controlling a driving current that leads to coils that make a rotor rotated by an electromagnetic force, and the coils, and further relates to an electric pump unit including the electric motor.
As an electric motor that has busbars used as relay members that relay electrical connection with an external driving circuit, etc., an electric motor described in, for example, JP-A-2005-27413 is known. This electric motor includes three-phase circuit lead wires (busbars) electrically connected to three coils that surround a rotor and constitute U, V, and W phases, respectively. The three-phase circuit lead wires are fixedly welded to internal terminals, are electrically connected to three harness slots provided in output terminal blocks that are adjacent to one another in the axial direction of the rotor via three-phase-circuit output bolts, and are electrically connected with three harnesses (wiring lines for connection) pulled out from the external driving circuit, etc. in the respective harness slots.
In the above-described conventional electric motor, the three-phase-circuit lead wires serving as the busbars connected to the coils that constitute the phases are connected with the harness slots provided in the output terminal blocks, via the internal terminals and three-phase circuit output bolts that are separate connecting members other than the three-phase circuit lead wires.
For this reason, in addition to the three-phase circuit lead lines (busbars), the internal terminals and the three-phase-circuit output bolts are needed for connection from the coils to the external driving circuit. Thereby, a connection system from a coil that constitutes each phase to an external driving circuit in an electric motor becomes complicated, and the number of parts increases. Further, lightness and compactness of the electric motor will be hindered due to the output terminal blocks having the harness slots, and the space occupied by the output terminal blocks.

Electric motor and electric pump unit with busbars integrally formed with driving circuit connecting terminals