U.S. patent application number 13/000862 was filed with the patent office on 2011-05-19 for safety system having a tank closure.
Invention is credited to Gerd Buschmann, Stefan Monig.
Application Number | 20110114637 13/000862 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41110887 |
Filed Date | 2011-05-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110114637 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Monig; Stefan ; et
al. |
May 19, 2011 |
SAFETY SYSTEM HAVING A TANK CLOSURE
Abstract
A safety system, a tank closure and a method for a keyless
access control of a tank closure. The safety system includes a tank
closure of a motor vehicle, such that the tank closure can be
brought into an unlocked state and into a locked state and being
provided with a locking unit for locking a tank opening. The
locking unit is able to be moved via a drive between a closed
position, in which the tank opening is completely closed, and an
open position, in which the tank opening is released, for filling
the fuel tank.
Inventors: |
Monig; Stefan; (Schwelm,
DE) ; Buschmann; Gerd; (Velbert, DE) |
Family ID: |
41110887 |
Appl. No.: |
13/000862 |
Filed: |
July 10, 2009 |
PCT Filed: |
July 10, 2009 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2009/058863 |
371 Date: |
December 22, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/212 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60K 15/0409 20130101;
B62J 35/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/212 |
International
Class: |
B65D 55/00 20060101
B65D055/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 11, 2008 |
DE |
10 2008 032 584.8 |
Claims
1.-17. (canceled)
18. A safety system for a fuel tank of a motor vehicle, said safety
system comprising: a tank closure configured to be moved between an
unlocked state and a locked state; a locking unit configured to
permit opening and closing of an opening of the fuel tank; a drive
configured to move the locking unit between a closed position in
which the tank opening is completely closed, and an open position
in which the tank opening is released to permit filling of the fuel
tank; a controller in data communication with the tank closure; and
a releasing element configured for activation by the controller via
an authentication query, wherein in the event of a positive
authentication, the tank closure can be brought in the unlocked
state in which the locking unit is moved into the open
position.
19. The safety system of claim 18, further comprising: an
identification (ID) transmitter adapted to be carried by a user,
wherein the authentication query occurs between the ID transmitter
and the controller.
20. The safety system of claim 18, wherein the releasing element is
integrated into the locking unit.
21. The safety system of claim 18, wherein the releasing element is
disposed on a steering column of the motor vehicle.
22. The safety system of claim 18, wherein the controller is
configured as one of a keyless-acting access and a driver
eligibility control system.
23. The safety system of claim 18, wherein the motor vehicle
comprises a motorcycle.
24. A tank closure for a motor vehicle, said tank closure
comprising: a tank closure body configured for movement between an
unlocked state and a locked state; a locking unit configured to
permit closing of an opening of the fuel tank; a drive configured
to move the locking unit between a closed position, in which the
tank opening is completely closed, and an open position in which
the tank opening is released to permit filling of the fuel tank; a
releasing element disposed on the locking unit and configured for
activation by an authentication query, wherein only in the event of
a positive authentication, the fuel tank closure can be brought in
the unlocked state in which the locking unit is moved into the open
position.
25. The tank closure of claim 24, wherein the locking unit has a
switch upon which the releasing element is effective after having
been manually activated.
26. The tank closure of claim 25, further comprising: a mechanical
locking element disposed on the locking unit upon which the drive
is effective.
27. The tank closure of claim 26, further comprising: a locking
cylinder in connection with the mechanical locking element.
28. The tank closure of claim 27, wherein a mechanical emergency
unlocking action of the tank closure is permitted.
29. The tank closure of claim 28, wherein the releasing element
acts as a protective door for the locking cylinder and protectively
shields the locking cylinder when the locking cylinder is in a
resting position.
30. The tank closure of claim 23, wherein the motor vehicle
comprises a motorcycle.
31. A method of controlling a tank closure of a motor vehicle fuel
tank, the tank closure adapted for movement between an unlocked
state and a locked state, said method comprising: providing a
locking unit configured to permit opening and closing of an opening
of the fuel tank, a controller in data communication with the tank
closure, and a releasing element configured for activation by the
controller; activating the releasing element to initiate an
authentication query between a user and the controller; moving the
locking element from a locked state to an unlocked state upon a
positive authentication.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein after the tank closure is in an
unlocked state, the tank closure is returned to a locked state.
33. The method of claim 31, wherein the authentication query occurs
between an identification (ID) transmitter carried by the user and
the controller.
34. The method of claim 31, wherein the authentication query occurs
at least one of capacitively and inductively.
35. The method of claim 31, wherein activating the releasing
element occurs via one of a proximity sensor and a touch
sensor.
36. The method of claim 31, wherein the releasing element is
integrated into the locking unit.
37. The method of claim 31, wherein the releasing element is
disposed on a steering column of the motor vehicle.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a safety system having a tank
closure of a motorcycle, and wherein the tank closure can be
brought into an unlocked state and into a locked state and being
provided with a locking unit for locking a tank opening, and said
locking unit is able to be moved via a drive between a closed
position, in which the tank opening is completely closed, and an
open position, in which the tank opening is released, for filling
the fuel tank. The invention further relates to a tank closure and
a method for a keyless access control of a tank closure.
[0002] DE 20 2006 013 601 U1 discloses a tank closure for a fuel
tank of a motor vehicle having a closure element for locking the
tank opening of a fuel tank. In this context, the closure element
can be moved from a locked state, in which the tank opening is
completely closed, into an open position, in which the tank is
completely released, for the purpose of adding fuel. The movement
of the closure element is actuated by an electric motor acting as a
drive. The drive can be remotely operated by a circuit control
element.
[0003] The object of the invention seeks to provide a better access
control for opening the tank closure of a fuel tank.
[0004] This object is achieved with a safety system having the
characteristics as set forth in Claim 1. Advantageous embodied
examples of the safety system are outlined in the dependent
sub-claims 2-5.
[0005] According to the invention it is provided that a controller
be provided that is in data communication with the tank closure as
well as a releasing element that can be activated for an
authentication query by the controller, and wherein only with a
positive authentication is it possible to bring the tank closure in
the unlocked state in which the locking unit moves to the open
position. This ensures that only the eligible person will be able
the open the tank closure. The controller can, for example, be a
component of an access or driver eligibility control system of a
motor vehicle that executes the above referred to authentication
query via an alarm signal and a check of the identification data
signals. The operator only has to activate the releasing element in
order to trigger the opening process for the tank closure. For
example, it is conceivable that the releasing element is
touch-activated or actuated manually by the user; i.e., the
releasing element is moved or pressed as a switch, and whereby the
authentication query is activated. Aside from better opening
comfort, the access security to the tank closure is improved at the
same time.
[0006] Advantageously, the safety system comprises an ID
transmitter that the user carries along with him/her, and wherein
the authentication query occurs between the ID transmitter and the
controller. In a possible embodied example an alarm signal is
forwarded to the ID transmitter after the releasing element has
been activated, and wherein, advantageously, a check is also done
inside the ID transmitter. The ID transmitter responds to the alarm
signal in that it sends via a transmission device a response signal
in the form of identification signals as a coded message to the
motor vehicle, in particular a motorcycle, that are received, in
particular, by the vehicle's receiving device and routed to the
controller. If the transmitted identification data by the ID
transmitter match the fixed identification data on the
vehicle-side, a positive authentication has been made, which means
the tank closure can be moved in the unlocked state. In another
possible embodied example according to the invention the controller
can also be integrated in the tank closure operating independently
of an access and driver eligibility control system of a motor
vehicle. In the following, reference will always be made to a motor
vehicle that can only be a motorcycle.
[0007] An advantageous embodied example provides that the releasing
element is integrated in the closure unit. In the alternative, the
releasing element can also be disposed on the steering unit of the
motor vehicle. In cases when the motor vehicle is a motorcycle, it
is conceivable to provide positioning the releasing element
directly on the handlebar of the motorcycle, specifically at the
location from where the user can comfortably activate the releasing
element which his/her thumb.
[0008] Furthermore, the object is achieved with a tank closure for
a fuel tank of a motor vehicle having the characteristics as set
forth in the independent claim 6. Advantageous embodied examples of
a tank closure are specified in the dependent Claims 7 to 11.
[0009] It is advantageous for the closure unit to have a switch
upon which the releasing element acts after it has been actuated
manually. The releasing element can act, for example, as a
protective door for a locking cylinder that is integrated in the
tank closure. Advantageously, the releasing element can be moved
between a resting position and an operating position. In its
resting position, the releasing element protectively covers the
locking cylinder. Activation of the releasing element can be
achieved when the user moves, specifically pivots, the releasing
element from its resting position into its operating position. A
switch is actuated by the movement of the releasing element, which
causes the switch to send a signal that initiates the
authentication query. The switch can trigger, for example, a
controller that starts this aforementioned authentication query.
Following a positive authentication, the drive is triggered which,
for example, moves a mechanical locking element in such a way that
the tank closure is brought from the locked state to the unlocked
state.
[0010] The tank closure can be configured in such a way that,
following a positive authentication, the closure unit "jumps" into
its open position actuated by the drive, and wherein the locking
element has brought the tank closure into its unlocked state prior
to this. The user can subsequently lift the closure unit further
manually and/or open it further from its open position in order to
reliably add fuel via a fuel feed line into fuel tank.
[0011] Furthermore, the object of the invention is achieved by a
method as disclosed by the characteristics in Claim 12.
Advantageous embodied examples are specified in the dependent
Claims 13 to 17.
[0012] It is provided according to the invention that by a
conscious activation of a releasing element, which is in data
communication with a controller, an authentication query of the
controller is activated; and only in the event of a positive
authentication will a signal be transmitted to a drive that is
disposed at the tank closure and that will then bring the tank
closure from the locked state into the unlocked state. A conscious
act by the user is needed to activate the releasing element. The
activation of the releasing element can occur, for example, by
approaching, touching or another active movement of the releasing
element. If the authentication is negative, the tank closure will
remain in its locked state. In the event of a positive
authentication, the controller transmits a signal to the drive, and
said drive then moves a locking unit that is disposed on the tank
closure from the closed position into the opened position. From
this opened position the user can manually open the locking unit
further in order to open the tank opening completely for the
filling action of the tank. In a possible variant of an embodiment,
the drive returns to its starting position after the unlocking
action of the tank closure so that another unlocking action is
possible after the manual closure of the locking unit.
[0013] In an alternative embodiment it is possible for the
authentication query to occur capacitively and/or inductively.
Advantageously, the authentication query occurs between the ID
transmitter carried along by the user and the controller. The motor
vehicle and the ID transmitter are equipped with transmission and
receiver devices for the capacitive or inductive transmission of
the identification data signals. The ID transmitter can be located
in the user's clothes or even inside a suitcase, etc. carried along
by the user, without occurrence of any interference during the
sending of the identification data signals for the authentication
query.
[0014] Further advantages, characteristics and details are set
forth in the dependent claims and the following description in
which an embodied example according to the invention is specified
in detail in reference to the drawings. In this context, the
characteristics as mentioned in the claims and in the description
can be essential according to the invention either individually or
in any combination. Shown are in:
[0015] FIG. 1 a possible embodied example of a safety system with a
tank closure;
[0016] FIG. 2 a bottom view of the tank closure according to FIG.
1;
[0017] FIG. 3 the tank closure according to FIG. 1, and wherein the
releasing element is in the operating position; and
[0018] FIG. 4 a possible embodied example of a method according to
the invention of a keyless access control for a tank closure.
[0019] FIGS. 1 to 3 show a safety system having a tank closure 10
of a fuel tank of a motorcycle (not shown). The tank closure 10 can
be brought into an unlocked state 1, which is indicated in FIG. 1
by the perforated line, and into a locked state 2. The tank closure
10 comprises a locking unit 12 that is provided for locking the
tank opening 11 of the fuel tank consisting in the present embodied
example of, among other things, an outside closure 12a and an
inside closure 12b.
[0020] The locking unit 12 can be moved by a drive 30 between a
closed position 3, in which the tank opening 11 is completely
closed, and an open position 4, in which the tank opening 11 is
released so that the fuel tank can be filled. Furthermore, a
controller 20 is disposed on the motorcycle that is in data
communication with the tank closure 10. The controller 20 can be,
for example, a component of an electronic control unit for an
access and driver eligibility control system of a motorcycle.
[0021] A releasing element 5 is provided in the shown embodied
example according to the invention that is disposed on the locking
unit 12 with the ability to pivot around an axis 17. The releasing
element 5 serves as a protective door for a locking cylinder 16
that is disposed in the locking unit 12. The releasing element 5
comprises on its side that is directed toward the locking unit 12 a
ring-shaped sealing element 5a that is configured in one piece
therewith and that protects the locking cylinder 16 in the resting
position of the releasing element 5, which is shown in FIG. 1,
against environmental influences, such as dust, moisture, etc.
[0022] To ensure that only an eligible person has access to the
fuel tank of the motorcycle, the safety system is configured in
such a way that an authentication query by the controller 20 is
activated by a movement of the releasing element 5 from its resting
position 6 according to FIG. 1 in an operating position 7 according
to FIG. 3. By this conscious act of activation, i.e. in the present
embodied example the movement of the releasing element 5 around the
axis 17, an authentication query is triggered between an ID
transmitter 21, which the user carries with him or her, and the
controller 20. In the shown embodied example, an alarm signal is
first transmitted to the ID transmitter 21, with the latter sending
identification signals back to the motor vehicle. These
identification data signals are received by antennas (not shown
here) and checked by the motor vehicle, specifically in order to
determine as to what extent the transmitted identification data
match the identification data that are stored inside the motor
vehicle. If the authentication is positive, a signal is transmitted
to a drive 30 that is disposed on the tank closure 10, which is
shown in FIG. 2, and by which the tank closure 10 is reversibly
brought from the locked state 2 into the unlocked state 1. Instead
of a manual pivoting motion of the releasing element 5 according to
the shown embodied example, it is naturally conceivable to provide
a proximity sensor or a touch sensor that will activate the
releasing element 5. Furthermore, it is also conceivable to provide
the releasing element 5 as independent of the locking unit 12 on
the steering column, in particular on the handlebar of a
motorcycle.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 2, a mechanical locking element 15 is
disposed on the locking unit 12 upon which the drive 30 acts. The
locking element 15 herein is spring-loaded. In the event of a
positive authentication the drive 30 is triggered, and wherein the
drive 30 has an electric motor 31 that in turn brings a worm gear
32 in motion. The worm gear 32 drives a transfer element 35 that is
rotably supported around an axis 36. The transfer element 35
comprises a pinion 33 that engages in the worm gear 32.
Furthermore, the transfer element 35 is configured as having a lift
curve 34 that acts correspondingly on the locking element 15.
During the unlocking process 1 the electric motor 31 drives the
transfer element 35 around its axis of rotation 36, and wherein the
lift curve 34, after a certain rotational angle around the axis 36,
pushes the nose 13 of the locking element 15 in the direction of
the tank opening 11 (see arrow). When the locking element 15 has
been moved correspondingly far into the locking unit 12, the
locking unit 12 automatically lifts off from the tank opening 11 by
its outside lid 12 and by its inside lid 12b. In the present
embodied example the locking unit 12 "jumps" from its tank opening
11 upward. The seals that are disposed on the locking unit 12
support the "jump-up action" by the locking unit 12 herein.
[0024] Should any interferences, signal disruptions, etc. occur and
it is not possible to execute an authentication query, gaining
emergency access by way of a mechanical key, which is disposed on
the ID transmitter 21, is also possible. To this end, the releasing
element 5 must be moved manually from its resting position 6 to an
operating position. Following this step, it is possible to insert
the emergency key in the locking cylinder 16, whereby a mechanical
emergency release of the tank closure 10 can also be achieved. In
this context, the locking cylinder 16 is in an effective connection
with the locking element 15.
[0025] While the releasing element 5 is activated it acts upon a
micro switch 14, as shown in FIG. 3, which in turn sends a
correspondingly signal to the controller 20 in order to initiate
the authentication query as described above. The micro switch 14 is
disposed between the outside lid 12a and the inside lid 12b.
[0026] FIG. 4 shows an embodied example according to the invention
for a keyless access control of a tank closure of a motorcycle. In
the first process step 40, the releasing element is first
activated. By the movement of the releasing element the micro
switch is activated 41, and whereby the authentication query 42 is
initiated. If the authentication is positive, a starting signal is
transmitted to the electric motor 43. This causes the drive action
upon transfer element, which is in an effective connection with the
locking element. The lift curve of the transfer element herein
moves the nose of the locking element so that the locking unit is
brought from the locked state into the unlocked state 44.
[0027] In the unlocked state the outside lid and the inside lid
jump out of the tank opening. Now the user can move the outside lid
with the inside lid manually into a further opened position 45. It
is now possible to fill 50 the fuel tank. Simultaneously, after the
unlocking of the tank closure, the electric motor returns to its
starting position 46, whereby a new unlocking process is
possible.
[0028] The user can then--after filling the tank--move the locking
unit into its locked position. The locking element snaps in place
in a stop position, thereby achieving that the tank closure is
locked when the locking unit is in the locked position. The process
for keyless access control checks 47 as to what extent the locked
position/the locked state has been achieved. If the unlocked state
is achieved, a return message 48 is sent to the controller so that
a reactivation 40 of the releasing element can occur. If the locked
position has not yet been achieved, reactivation of the releasing
element is blocked 49.
[0029] In the event of a negative authentication, the number of
negative authentications over a defined time unit is evaluated
utilizing a security query 51. If the number of negative
evaluations over a defined time unit exceeds a threshold value, the
possible activation of the releasing element is blocked 52 for a
certain time unit.
LIST OF THE REFERENCE SYMBOLS
[0030] 1 Unlocked state [0031] 2 Locked state [0032] 3 Closed
position [0033] 4 Open position [0034] 5 Releasing element [0035]
5a Sealing element [0036] 6 Resting position [0037] 7 Operating
position [0038] 10 Tank closure [0039] 11 Tank opening [0040] 12
Locking unit [0041] 12a Outside lid [0042] 12b Inside lid [0043] 13
Nose [0044] 14 Switch [0045] 15 Locking element [0046] 16 Locking
cylinder [0047] 17 Axis [0048] 20 Controller [0049] 21 ID
transmitter [0050] 30 Drive [0051] 31 Electric motor [0052] 32 Worm
gear [0053] 33 Pinion [0054] 34 Lift curve [0055] 35 Transfer
element [0056] 36 Axis [0057] 40 Activation of the releasing
element [0058] 41 Activation of the micro switch [0059] 42
Authentication query [0060] 43 Activation of the motor [0061] 44
Unlocking process [0062] 45 Manual opening of the lid [0063] 46
Return-movement of the electric motor [0064] 47 Checking the
position of the locking unit [0065] 48 Return message to the
controller [0066] 49 Blocking [0067] 50 Filling the tank [0068] 51
Safety query [0069] 52 Blocking
* * * * *