Vehicle front door power opening system

• US 10,358,857 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2017
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Inventors: Wheeler, David, McCarthy, Chris, Warman, Jacob, Newman, Austin, Hughes, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanglaude, Gertrude Arthur
• Application Number:
  US15/787,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20180038148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 701 49
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/04 arranged at the vehicle sides panel mounted arm-rests B60N2/78; wall liners B60R13/02; door edge guards B60R13/043; padded linings associated with the side doors B60R21/0428
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/047 characterised by the opening or closing movement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/616 operated by push-pull mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/63 operated by swinging arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/76 responsive to devices carried by persons or objects, e.g. magnets or reflectors E05F15/77 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/426 for the initial opening movement
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/434 Electromotors; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/624 Arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/356 Predefined intermediate positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/40 Control units therefore
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/44 Sensors therefore E05Y2400/322, E05Y2400/33, E05Y2400/55, E05Y2400/56, E05Y2400/852 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/45 Control modes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/53 Wing impact prevention or reduction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/85 User input means
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/86 by hand
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/46 in or on the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/428 against water
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 : Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/64 : using a proximity sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 : operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00944 : Details of construction or manufacture

Abstract

A system for a vehicle includes: a door; an electric actuating motor that opens and closes the door, the electric actuating motor configured for actuating at a hinge of the door; a push-open actuator mounted at a rear of the door, the push-open actuator configured for pushing against a body of the vehicle; and a wireless device configured for communications to the vehicle. A system for a vehicle includes: a front door; a rear door behind the front door, the rear door having a dual-hinge design that opens and closes in a substantially vertical direction; an electric actuating motor that opens and closes the front door, the electric actuating motor configured for actuating at a hinge of the front door; and a wireless device configured for communications to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle system comprising:

a door of a vehicle;

an electric actuating motor configured to open the door of the vehicle;

a detector configured to detect a wireless device configured for communications with the vehicle; and

a door controller configured to;

in response to the detector determining that the wireless device is within a first predefined zone proximate to the door, control the electric actuating motor to open the door to a first angle; and

in response to the detector determining that the wireless device is within a second predefined zone proximate the door, control the electric actuating motor to open the door to a second angle that is greater than the first angle.

2. The vehicle system of claim 1:

wherein the door is a front door;

further comprising a rear door behind the front door; and

wherein the door controller is further configured to control the electric actuating motor to keep the door at the first angle when the rear door is open.

3. The vehicle system of claim 1:

wherein the door is a front door;

further comprising a rear door behind the front door; and

wherein the door controller is further configured to select the first angle based upon whether the rear door is open.

4. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the first predefined zone and the second predefined zone are in differing predefined patterns relative to the door.

5. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein:

the detector is further configured to detect obstacles near the door; and

upon detection of an obstacle near the door by the detector, the door controller is further configured to control the electric actuating motor to preclude opening of the door to the second angle.

6. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is at least one of:

a key fob;

a smartphone;

a tablet computer;

a smart watch;

or

a wearable digital device.

7. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the door controller is further configured to:

detect an impeding of opening of the door; and

control the electric actuating motor to keep the door at an angle of the door when the impeding of opening of the door is detected.

8. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the door controller is further configured to control the electric actuating motor to return the door to a closed position when the wireless device does not enter the second predefined zone within a predefined timeout period.

9. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein:

the detector is further configured to detect that a driver has entered the vehicle; and

upon detection of the driver entering the vehicle by the detector, the door controller is further configured to control the electric actuating motor to close the door.

10. The vehicle system of claim 9, wherein the detector is further configured to detect that the driver has entered the vehicle by at least one of:

detecting that the wireless device is inside the vehicle;

or

detecting a depression of a brake pedal of the vehicle.

11. The vehicle system of claim 1, further comprising a touchscreen inside the vehicle, the touchscreen configured to display a control for closing or opening the door.

12. A vehicle system comprising:

a door of a vehicle;

an electric actuating motor configured to open the door of the vehicle;

a detector configured to detect a wireless device configured for communications with the vehicle; and

a door controller configured to;

in response to the detector determining that the wireless device is within a first predefined zone proximate to the door, control the electric actuating motor to open the door to a first angle; and

in response to the detector determining that the wireless device is outside of the first predefined zone, control the electric actuating motor to close the door.

13. The vehicle system of claim 12, wherein the first predefined zone is a predefined pattern relative to the door.

14. The vehicle system of claim 12, further comprising a touchscreen inside the vehicle, the touchscreen configured to display a control for closing or opening the door.

15. The vehicle system of claim 12, further comprising a push-open actuator mounted at a rear of the door, the push-open actuator configured for pushing against a body of the vehicle.

16. The vehicle system of claim 12, further comprising a touch control on an outside of the door, the touch control configured for activating the electric actuating motor.

17. A method comprising:

detecting that a wireless device that is configured for communications with a vehicle is within a first predefined zone proximate to a door of the vehicle;

in response to the detection that the wireless device is within the first predefined zone, controlling an electric actuating motor to open the door to a first angle;

detecting that the wireless device is no longer within the first predefined zone; and

in response to the detection that the wireless device is no longer within the first predefined zone, controlling the electric actuating motor to close the door.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein detecting that the wireless device is within the first predefined zone proximate to the door of the vehicle comprises communicating with at least one of:

a key fob;

a smartphone;

a tablet computer;

a smart watch;

or

a wearable digital device.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

detecting an impeding of opening of the door; and

keeping the door at an angle of the door when the impeding of opening of the door is detected.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving an input generated by pressing on the wireless device, and in response actuating the electric motor to open or close the door.