Door trim assembly

• US 10,731,399 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2018
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: Yogo, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Redman, Jerry E
• Application Number:
  US15/922,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20180266164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 2961467
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/17 vertically
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/04 adjustable in transparency
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0243 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0287 integrating other functions or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/689 specially adapted for vehicle windows
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/695 Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/73 responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/765 using optical sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/644 Flexible elongated pulling elements
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/44 Sensors not directly associated with the wing movement
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/45 Control modes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/852 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/86 by hand
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2464 featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/24 Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blindsoperating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00

Abstract

In a door trim assembly for a vehicle door having an opening fitted with a vertically moveable window pane and a drive unit for driving the window pane for selectively closing the opening, the door trim assembly includes: a door trim main body configured to be attached to an inboard side part of the vehicle door under the opening; at least one transmitter provided in an upper part of the door trim main body; at least one receiver provided in an upper part of the door trim main body and configured to receive a signal emitted from the transmitter and reflected by an object positioned near the window pane; and a control unit connected to the receiver to compute a position of the object according to the signal received by the receiver and control the drive unit according to the computed position of the object.

Claims

1. A door trim assembly for a vehicle door having an opening fitted with a vertically moveable window pane and a drive unit for driving the window pane for selectively closing the opening, comprising:

a door trim main body configured to be attached to an inboard side part of the vehicle door under the opening;

at least one transmitter provided in a first upper part of the door trim main body;

at least one receiver provided in a, second upper part of the door trim main body and configured to receive a signal emitted from the transmitter and reflected by an object positioned near the window pane; and

a control unit connected to the receiver to compute a computed position of the object according to the signal received by the receiver and control the drive unit according to the computed position of the object.

2. The door trim assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter and the receiver are provided on an upper edge of the door trim main body.

3. The door trim assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one transmitter includes a pair of transmitters that are arranged in a front part and a rear part of an upper edge of the door trim main body, and the at least one receiver includes a pair of receivers positioned adjacent to the respective transmitters.

4. The door trim assembly according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is provided with a storage unit storing a prescribed pattern of movement of the object, and is configured to control the drive unit depending on a relation between a computed movement of the object and the prescribed pattern of movement.

5. The door trim assembly according to claim 4, wherein the control unit is configured to learn the prescribed pattern of movement by a teaching process.

6. The door trim assembly according to claim 1, wherein the signal transmitted from the transmitter consists of radiation energy.

7. The door trim assembly according to claim 1, wherein the signal transmitted from the transmitter consists of electric field.

8. The door trim assembly according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to raise the window pane when an upward movement of the object is detected, and lower the window pane when a downward movement of the object is detected.

9. The door trim assembly according to claim 1, wherein the window pane is configured to change at least one of transmissivity and tint according to an electric voltage supplied thereto, and the control unit is configured to control the electric voltage supplied to the window pane according to the computed position of the object.

10. The door trim assembly according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is provided on an outboard side of the door trim main body.