Lift gate power control system

• US 20060071553A1
• Filed: 09/24/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Lengacher, Nicholas D., Bender, Burnell L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,429,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/4471 General means for controlling movements of the loading platform, e.g. hydraulic systems

Abstract

A lift gate (12) is raised and lowered on a motor vehicle by a prime mover. An electrical system of the vehicle has at least one D.C. storage battery (22) for raising and lowering the lift gate when the vehicle engine is not running. A disconnect, such as a mag switch (20) carries electricity from the battery to the prime mover when actuated to an enabling condition. Control logic for selectively enabling and unenabling the disconnect to carry electricity to the prime mover from the battery includes a control input (28, 32), a source providing battery voltage data corresponding to actual battery voltage (26), and a timer in an ESC (24). The control logic causes the disconnect to become and remain enabled upon the control input requesting enablement of the disconnect and battery voltage data indicating actual battery voltage in compliance with a defined criterion until the earlier occurrence of 1) elapse of a length of time set by the timer and 2) battery voltage data disclosing non-compliance with the defined criterion.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle comprising:

an engine for powering the vehicle;

a lift gate comprising a platform that is raised and lowered on the vehicle by a prime mover;

an electrical system comprising at least one electric storage battery for raising and lowering the lift gate when the engine is not running and a control system that comprises a disconnect for carrying electricity from the battery to the prime mover;

control logic for selectively enabling and unenabling the disconnect to carry electricity to the prime mover from the battery, including a control input, a source providing battery voltage data corresponding to actual battery voltage, and a timer, wherein the control logic causes the disconnect to become and remain enabled upon the control input requesting enablement of the disconnect and battery voltage data indicating actual battery voltage in compliance with a defined criterion until the earlier occurrence of

     1) elapse of a length of time set by the timer and

     2) battery voltage data disclosing non-compliance with the defined criterion.

2. A motor vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein the control input is provided by an enablement switch that is operable to an enabling position for enabling the disconnect.

3. A motor vehicle as set forth in claim 2 wherein the disconnect comprises a solenoid-actuated switch device having a solenoid that is energized when the disconnect is enabled.

4. A motor vehicle as set forth in claim 3 wherein the enablement switch is disposed within an occupant compartment of the vehicle and multiplexed to an electronic systems controller.

5. A motor vehicle as set forth in claim 3 wherein the enablement switch comprises a radio transmitter for transmitting a radio signal to a radio receiver associated with an electronic systems controller.

6. A motor vehicle as set forth in claim 3 wherein the enablement switch is also operable to an unenabling position for causing the control logic to unenable the disconnect.

7. A motor vehicle as set forth in claim 2 wherein the disconnect comprises a switch device having a controlling element that is under the joint control of a battery protection module that provides the battery voltage data and an electronic systems controller having the enablement switch as an input.

8. A motor vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein the control logic is arranged to be unresponsive to a control input request for enablement of the disconnect after battery voltage drops below an acceptable level but to become responsive to such a request after battery voltage rises above acceptable level.

9. A motor vehicle as set forth in claim 1 including an ignition switch that is selectively operable respectively to CRANK, RUN, and OFF positions A) for connecting an engine cranking circuit to the battery at starting, B) for connecting an engine run circuit to the battery after the engine has been started and is running, and C) for disconnecting the engine run circuit from the battery, respectively, and an alarm device for giving an alarm, wherein when the ignition switch is placed in RUN position with the engine not running, the control logic causes the alarm device to give an alarm after the battery voltage data has disclosed non-compliance with a minimum permissible battery voltage established by the defined criterion for an interval of time established by the defined criterion, the defined criterion being contained in the control logic.

10. A motor vehicle as set forth in claim 9 wherein elapse of the interval of time established by the defined criterion is measured by a timer, and while the timer is timing, the control logic causes the timer to be reset upon resumption of compliance of the battery voltage data with the minimum permissible battery voltage established by the defined criterion.

11. A motor vehicle as set forth in claim 1 including a source of vehicle speed data, and wherein the control logic unenables the disconnect when vehicle speed data indicates a vehicle speed greater than a defined threshold speed.

12. A motor vehicle comprising:

an engine for powering the vehicle;

a lift gate comprising a platform that is raised and lowered on the vehicle by a prime mover;

an electrical system comprising at least one electric storage battery providing power for raising and lowering the lift gate when the engine is not running; and

a control system comprising control logic for selectively enabling and unenabling battery voltage to the lift gate, including a control input to an electronic systems controller having an output connected to an input of a battery protection module that has an output connected to a controlling element of a switch device, wherein the switch device enables battery voltage to the lift gate with the concurrence of the control input requesting battery voltage to the lift gate and the battery protection module indicating a condition of the battery suitable for operating the lift gate.

13. A motor vehicle as set forth in claim 12 wherein the control input is provided by an enablement switch that is operable to an enabling position for enabling battery voltage to the lift gate.

14. A motor vehicle as set forth in claim 13 wherein the switch device comprises a solenoid-actuated switch device having a solenoid that is under the joint control of the battery protection module and the electronic systems controller to which the enablement switch is an input.

15. Control logic for selectively enabling and unenabling electric power of at least one storage battery to a prime mover for raising and lowering a lift gate in a motor vehicle that has an engine and an electrical system that includes a disconnect for selectively enabling and unenabling electric power of the storage battery to the prime mover, the control logic comprising:

a control input, a source providing battery voltage data corresponding to actual battery voltage, and a timer, wherein the control logic causes the disconnect to become and remain enabled upon the control input requesting enablement of the disconnect and battery voltage data indicating actual battery voltage in compliance with a defined criterion until the earlier occurrence of

     1) elapse of a length of time set by the timer and

     2) battery voltage data disclosing non-compliance with the defined criterion.

16. Control logic as set forth in claim 15 wherein the disconnect comprises a switch device having a controlling element that is under the joint control of a battery protection module that provides the battery voltage data and an electronic systems controller to which the control input is an input.

17. Control logic as set forth in claim 15 wherein the control logic is arranged to be unresponsive to a control input request for enablement of the disconnect after battery voltage drops below an acceptable level but to become responsive to such a request after battery voltage rises above acceptable level.

18. In a motor vehicle comprising an engine for powering the vehicle, a lift gate comprising a platform that is raised and lowered on the vehicle by a prime mover, and an electrical system having at least one electric storage battery for raising and lowering the lift gate when the engine is not running and a disconnect for carrying electricity from the battery to the prime mover, a method for preventing operation of the prime mover from draining the battery to an extent that prevents the battery from cranking the engine at engine starting, the method comprising:

selectively enabling and unenabling the disconnect to carry electricity to the prime mover from the battery by causing the disconnect to become and remain enabled upon a request for enablement of the disconnect and the state of charge of the battery being in compliance with a defined criterion until the earlier occurrence of

     1) elapse of a defined length of time and

     2) a source of battery data disclosing non-compliance of the state of charge with the defined criterion.

19. A method as set forth in claim 18 including the step of unenabling the disconnect upon the earlier occurrence of 1) elapse of the defined length of time and 2) the source of battery data disclosing non-compliance of the state of charge with the defined criterion.