The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 13, 2015
Filed:
Sep. 27, 2012
Tesla Motors, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (US);
David Wheeler, San Carlos, CA (US);
Brenda Cucci, San Carlos, CA (US);
Adam S. Kilgore, San Francisco, CA (US);
Dan Adams, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Robert B. Mooney, Mountain View, CA (US);
Tesla Motors, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
Aspects of the disclosure provide for controlling a hood latch using an electrically actuated primary hood latch and an electrically actuated secondary hood latch. To open the hood of the vehicle, a person presses a hood release button. Before attempting to release either the primary hood latch or secondary hood latch, a determination is made whether a vehicle speed of the vehicle is below a minimum vehicle speed threshold. If the vehicle speed is below this threshold, both the primary electrical actuator for the primary hood latch and the secondary electrical actuator for the secondary hood latch are triggered, thereby releasing hood from a closed position into an open position. When the vehicle speed is above this vehicle speed threshold, only the primary electrical actuator for primary hood latch is triggered; leaving the hood in a partially open position held in place by the secondary hood latch.