Drive apparatus for opening/closing body for vehicle

• US 20050280387A1
• Filed: 06/16/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kouji, Kamioku, Naoto, Nagashima, Youji, Maeta, Kenji
• Granted Patent: US 7,015,669 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/466
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/05 pivoting upwardly to vent mode and moving downward before sliding to fully open mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/057 Driving or actuating arrangements B60J7/047 - B60J7/053 take precedencee.g. manually operated levers or knobs

Abstract

A drive apparatus for an opening/closing body for a vehicle includes a drive unit including a rotational drive apparatus, a reduction gear mechanism linked with a rotational shaft of the rotational drive apparatus, and an output member linked with the rotational shaft through the reduction gear mechanism and linked with the opening/closing body through a connection member, a first pulse signal generator provided at the drive unit and generating a first pulse signal on the basis of a rotation of the rotational shaft, a second pulse signal generator provided at the drive unit and generating a second pulse signal on the basis of a rotation of either one of the reduction gear mechanism and the output member, and a control means for calculating an opening/closing position of the opening/closing body on the basis of the first pulse signal emitted by the first pulse signal generator utilizing the second pulse signal emitted by the second pulse signal generator as a base point and controlling the rotational drive apparatus corresponding to the opening/closing position of the opening/closing body.

Claims

1. A drive apparatus for an opening/closing body for a vehicle, comprising:

a drive unit including a rotational drive apparatus, a reduction gear mechanism linked with a rotational shaft of the rotational drive apparatus, and an output member linked with the rotational shaft through the reduction gear mechanism and linked with the opening/closing body through a connection member;

a first pulse signal generator provided at the drive unit and generating a first pulse signal on the basis of a rotation of the rotational shaft;

a second pulse signal generator provided at the drive unit and generating a second pulse signal on the basis of a rotation of either one of the reduction gear mechanism and the output member; and

a control means for calculating an opening/closing position of the opening/closing body on the basis of the first pulse signal emitted by the first pulse signal generator utilizing the second pulse signal emitted by the second pulse signal generator as a base point and controlling the rotational drive apparatus corresponding to the opening/closing position of the opening/closing body.

2. The drive apparatus for an opening/closing body for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the control means includes a step of counting the first pulse signal emitted by the first pulse signal generator, a step of comparing a count value of the first pulse signal when the second pulse signal is input from the second pulse signal generator and a predetermined count value at a predetermined opening/closing position of the opening/closing body, and a step of calculating the predetermined opening/closing position on a result of the step of comparing.

3. The drive apparatus for an opening/closing body for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the predetermined opening/closing position is determined at an entirely closed position of the opening/closing body located in the middle of a whole stroke of opening/closing the opening/closing body.

4. The drive apparatus for an opening/closing body for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the rotational shaft includes a magnet.

5. The drive apparatus for an opening/closing body for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the rotational shaft is magnetized.

6. The drive apparatus for an opening/closing body for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the drive unit further includes a circuit board on which the first pulse signal generator and the second pulse signal generator are provided.

7. The drive apparatus for an opening/closing body for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the rotational shaft is provided so as to face the first pulse signal generator.

8. The drive apparatus for an opening/closing body for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the reduction gear mechanism includes a wheel gear provided so as to face the second pulse signal generator keeping a predetermined distance from the second pulse signal generator.

9. The drive apparatus for an opening/closing body for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

the wheel gear includes an S pole magnet and an N pole magnet.

10. The drive apparatus for an opening/closing body for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

the wheel gear is magnetized.

11. The drive apparatus for an opening/closing body for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

the wheel gear is formed as a unit with the output member, and the connection member is connected to the output member.

12. The drive apparatus for an opening/closing body for a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein

the connection member is engaged with the output member so as to be connected with the output member.

13. The drive apparatus for an opening/closing body for a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein

the connection member includes a shoe linked with the opening/closing body and a transmission belt connected with the shoe and linked with the output member.

14. The drive apparatus for an opening/closing body for a vehicle according to claim 13, wherein

the shoe is slidably provided along the opening/closing body.

15. The drive apparatus for an opening/closing body for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the control means includes a function of counting a pulse emitted by the first pulse signal generator and a pulse emitted by the second pulse signal generator.