Anti-pinch logic for door opening actuator

• US 10,458,171 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2016
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Khan, Muhammad Omer, Papanikolaou, Kosta, Puscas, Livianu Dorin, Radjewski, Christopher Matthew, Linden, H. Paul Tsvi, Bernwanger, Jr., George Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Redman, Jerry E
• Application Number:
  US15/269,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20180080270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 49360, 49340, 49333, 49334, 49335, 49336, 49337, 49364, 49280, 49281
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/42 Detection using safety edges
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/611 for swinging wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/41 for closing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/422 for opening
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/434 Electromotors; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/32 Position control, detection or monitoring
• 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 2400/54 Obstruction or resistance detection
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/41 against finger injury
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

A vehicle door system includes a vehicle door and electrically-powered linear and rotary actuators. The vehicle door system also includes a pinch sensor. Upon receiving an open door command, a controller actuates the linear actuator and then actuates the rotary actuator to open the door. The controller also actuates the linear actuator to prevent closing of the door if the pinch-sensor detects an object in a door opening. The controller actuates the rotary actuator to close the door upon receiving a close door command.

Claims

1. A vehicle door system, comprising:

a vehicle structure including adjacent front and rear door openings;

a front door having an edge comprising a front edge portion and a rear edge portion, wherein the front edge portion is rotatably mounted to the vehicle structure to close off the front door opening when the front door is in a closed position, the front door including a rear edge portion that is opposite the front edge portion;

a front anti-pinch sensor that is configured to detect a hand positioned adjacent the front door opening alone, adjacent the edge of the front door alone, or adjacent the front door opening and the edge of the front door taken together;

a front electrically-powered door actuator that moves the front door, wherein the electrically-powered door actuator can be actuated to partially open the front door by shifting the front door from a closed position to a partially open position to form a gap between the rear edge portion of the front door and the vehicle structure such that a user can grasp the rear edge portion and pull the front door to a fully open position, and wherein the front electrically-powered door actuator can be actuated to shift the front door from the fully open position towards the closed position;

a rear door rotatably mounted to the vehicle structure to close off the rear door opening when the rear door is closed;

a rear anti-pinch sensor;

a rear electrically-powered door actuator that can be actuated to move the rear door to an open position;

a controller configured to;

     1) cause the front electrically-powered door actuator to generate a force tending to prevent the front door from closing if the anti-pinch sensor detects a hand; and

     2) actuate the electrically-powered door actuator to shift the door from the fully open position towards the closed position; and

wherein the controller is configured to cause the rear electrically-powered door actuator to generate a force tending to prevent closing of the rear door if the front anti-pinch sensor detects a hand.

2. The vehicle door system of claim 1, including:

an electrically-powered front latch mechanism configured to permit the front door to open when the front electrically-powered latch mechanism is unlatched, wherein the electrically-powered front latch mechanism is configured to retain the front door in a closed position when the electrically-powered front latch mechanism is latched; and

the controller is configured to actuate the electrically-powered front latch mechanism prior to actuating the front electrically-powered door actuator to open the front door.

3. The vehicle door system of claim 2, wherein:

the controller is configured to deactivate the front electrically-powered door actuator if the front door encounters an object that impedes opening of the front door.

4. The vehicle door system of claim 3, wherein:

the controller stops supplying electrical current to the front electrically-powered door actuator if an electric current to the front electrically-powered door actuator exceeds a predefined maximum allowable electric current.

5. The vehicle door system of claim 4, wherein:

the controller is configured to actuate the front electrically-powered door actuator to shift the front door towards the closed position if a close door request is received.

6. The vehicle door system of claim 5, including:

a door position sensor; and

wherein;

the controller is configured to utilize position data from the door position sensor to determine if the front door has encountered an object while closing and to deactivate the front electrically-powered door actuator if an object is detected.

7. The vehicle door system of claim 1, wherein:

the front anti-pinch sensor is positioned on the front door adjacent the rear edge portion of the front door.

8. A vehicle comprising:

a body having a door opening;

a movable door that is pivotably connected to the body for rotation about a vertical axis to selectively close the door opening;

an electrically-powered actuator that moves the door in open and closed directions about the vertical axis;

an anti-pinch sensor configured to detect a hand adjacent the door opening;

a controller that causes the electrically-powered actuator to generate a force that tends to prevent closing of the door when the anti-pinch sensor detects a hand, wherein the controller actuates the electrically-powered actuator and causes the electrically-powered actuator to close the door upon receiving a close door command;

wherein the door includes a close door sensor that can be actuated by a user to generate a close door command to the controller; and

the close door sensor comprises a switch on an exterior surface of the door that is configured to be manually actuated.

9. A vehicle comprising:

a body having a door opening;

a movable door that is pivotably connected to the body for rotation about a vertical axis to selectively close the door opening;

an electrically-powered actuator that moves the door in open and closed directions about the vertical axis;

an anti-pinch sensor configured to detect a hand adjacent the door opening;

a controller that causes the electrically-powered actuator to generate a force that tends to prevent closing of the door when the anti-pinch sensor detects a hand;

wherein the door includes an electrically-powered latch that retains the door in a closed position when the electrically-powered latch is in a latched configuration, and wherein the electrically-powered latch permits opening of the door when the electrically-powered latch is in an unlatched configuration;

and wherein the controller, upon receiving an open door command, unlatches the electrically-powered latch and then actuates the electrically-powered actuator to open the door.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein:

the electrically-powered latch defines locked and unlocked states, and wherein the electrically-powered latch does not unlatch unless the electrically-powered latch is in an unlocked state.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein:

the door includes an open door sensor on an exterior surface thereof that can be actuated by a user to generate an open door command.

12. A vehicle comprising:

a body having a door opening;

a movable door that is pivotably connected to the body for rotation about a vertical axis to selectively close the door opening;

an electrically-powered actuator that moves the door in open and closed directions about the vertical axis;

an anti-pinch sensor configured to detect a hand adjacent the door opening;

a controller that causes the electrically-powered actuator to generate a force that tends to prevent closing of the door when the anti-pinch sensor detects a hand; and

the electrically-powered actuator includes an electrically-powered linear actuator having a plunger that shifts from a retracted position to an extended position to push the door to a partially open first check position, and an electrically-powered rotary actuator that moves the door from the first check position to a fully open position, and wherein the electrically-powered rotary actuator moves the door from the fully open position to a closed position.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein:

the controller is configured to actuate the electrically-powered linear actuator to maintain the plunger in the extended position if the anti-pinch sensor detects a hand.

14. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body having a door opening;

a door rotatably mounted to the vehicle body for rotation about a vertical axis between open and closed positions to selectively close off the door opening;

an electrically-powered linear actuator having a plunger that extends from the door and contacts the vehicle body to rotate the door towards the open position upon actuation of the electrically-powered linear actuator;

an electrically-powered rotary actuator that, when actuated, rotates the door about the vertical axis;

a pinch sensor; and

a controller configured to;

     1) actuate the linear actuator to extend the plunger, followed by actuating the rotary actuator upon receiving an open door command;

     2) actuate the linear actuator to extend the plunger to prevent closing of the door if the pinch sensor detects a hand in a door opening; and

     3) actuate the rotary actuator to close the door upon receiving a close door command.

15. The vehicle door system of claim 14, wherein:

the controller does not actuate the rotary actuator to close the door if the pinch sensor detects a hand.

16. The vehicle door system of claim 15, wherein:

when closing the door, the controller first retracts the plunger of the linear actuator and then actuates the rotary actuator to close the door.