Vehicle closure anti-pinch assembly having a non-contact sensor

• US 20030151382A1
• Filed: 04/15/2003
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atoma International Corp.
• Original Assignee: Atoma International Corp.
• Inventors: Frommer, Thomas P, Pribisic, Mirko, Daniels, Andrew R
• Granted Patent: US 7,038,414 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/466
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/46 responsive to changes in electrical capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/548 Trunk lids

Abstract

An anti-pitch assembly is used in combination with a closure device of a motor vehicle. The closure device includes a closure panel, i.e., a windowpane or door, and a motor for moving the closure panel between an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, the closure panel covers an aperture, i.e., a window or door opening, of the motor vehicle. The anti-pinch assembly includes a position sensor that is disposed adjacent the motor or the closure device. The position sensor generates a position signal indicative of the position of the closure panel. A capacitive sensor measures the capacitance of a field extending through the aperture. The capacitive sensor generates a signal therefrom. A controller is electrically connected to the position and capacitive sensors. The controller receives the position and capacitive signals and transmits a signal to the motor to prevent the motor from moving the closure panel toward the closed position when the output signals deviates from a series of predetermined values for more than a predetermined period of time.

Claims

1. An anti-pinch assembly for a closure device of a motor vehicle, said anti-pinch assembly comprising:

a closure device adapted to be supported by the motor vehicle for movement between a fully open position and a closed position;

a controller operably connected to said closure device for controlling the operation of said closure device;

a position indicator connected to said controller and mounted to indicate the position of said closure device as said closure device moves between the open and closed positions; and

a non-contact sensor connected to said controller for providing an output signal to said controller indicative of the presence of a foreign object in the path of said closure device whereby said controller determines the presence of the foreign object based on said output signal exceeding a reference value by a threshold amount for a given position of said closure device.

2. An anti-pinch assembly for a closure device having a closure panel and a motor for moving the closure panel between an open position and a closed position covering an aperture of a motor vehicle, said anti-pinch assembly comprising:

a position sensor disposed to measure rotational position of the motor and generating a position signal therefrom, said position signal being directly related to a position of said closure panel between said open position and closed position;

a capacitive sensor electrically connected to the motor for measuring a capacitance of a field extending through the aperture of the motor vehicle and generating a voltage signal therefrom; and

a controller electrically connected to said position and said capacitive sensor for receiving said position and voltage signals, said controller transmitting an output signal to the motor preventing the motor from moving the closure panel toward the closed position when said voltage signal deviates from a series of predetermined values.

3. An anti-pinch assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said controller includes a database identifying each of said series of predetermined values as a function of said position signal.

4. An anti-pinch assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said controller includes a comparator for comparing said voltage signal to one of said series of predetermined values.

5. An anti-pinch assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said database includes data defining a reference map of said series of predetermined values identifying voltage as a function of position of said closure panel.

6. An anti-pinch assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said position sensor is a Hall effect sensor mounted adjacent to said motor.

7. A method for preventing a closure panel from pinching an obstruction extending through an aperture of a motor vehicle having a motor to drive the closure panel between an open position and a closed position, a position sensor and a capacitive sensor, the method comprising the steps of:

measuring a capacitance of a field extending through the aperture using the capacitive sensor as the motor drives the closure panel between the open and closed positions;

generating a voltage signal from the capacitance sensor based on the capacitance measurements;

identifying a position of the motor using the position sensor as the motor drives the closure panel between the open and closed positions;

correlating the voltage measured to the position identified to create data;

comparing the data to a reference map to create a compare value; and

detecting an object in a path of the closure panel as the closure panel moves toward the closed position when the compare value exceeds a predetermined value.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7 including the step of preventing the closure panel from continuing to move toward the closed position when the object is detected.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 including the step of measuring a time period that the compare value exceeds the predetermined value.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9 including the step of preventing the closure panel from continuing to move toward the closed position.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10 including the step of retracting the closure panel to the open position after the object has been detected.

12. A method as set forth in claim 7 including a step of generating said reference map by:

measuring a capacitance of a field extending through the aperture using the capacitive sensor as the motor drives the closure panel between the open and closed positions in absence of an obstacle impeding travel of said closure panel;

generating a voltage signal from the capacitance sensor based on the capacitance measurements;

identifying a position of the motor using the position sensor as the motor drives the closure panel between the open and closed positions;

correlating the voltage measured to the position identified; and

storing said voltage and position data.