Method and apparatus for closing a powered closure of a vehicle

• US 20070027587A1
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inteva France
• Original Assignee: Arvinmeritor Light Vehicle Systems FRA (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Inventors: Bizard, Paul, Guillaume, Nicolas, Pedemas, Didier
• Granted Patent: US 7,576,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/41 Detection by monitoring transmitted force or torque E05F15/48 takes precedence; Safety couplings with activation dependent upon torque or force, e.g. slip couplings
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/36 Speed control, detection or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/53 Wing impact prevention or reduction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/00 Details, accessories and auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows

Abstract

The apparatus for closing a closure of a vehicle comprises a closure driver for moving the closure and an electronic control unit electrically coupled to the closure driver. The electronic control unit is configured to determine if predetermined speed criteria is satisfied and to operate the closure driver so as to close the closure at a first closing speed if the predetermined speed criteria is satisfied or at a second closing speed if the predetermined speed criteria is not satisfied. The second closing speed is less than the first closing speed regardless of the position of the closure so that a squeezing force applied by the closure to an obstruction remains less than a predetermined squeezing force. An associated method is disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of closing a closure of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

determining if predetermined speed criteria is satisfied, and

closing the closure at a first closing speed by use of vehicle power if the predetermined speed criteria is satisfied or at a second closing speed by use of vehicle power if the predetermined speed criteria is not satisfied, the second closing speed being less than the first closing speed regardless of the position of the closure so that a squeezing force applied by the closure to an obstruction remains less than a predetermined squeezing force.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the determining step comprises determining if any of the following predetermined speed criteria exists upon receipt of a request to close the closure;

(a) a key that controls activation of an engine of the vehicle is in an on position, a start position, or an accessory position,

(b) there is continuous activation of a remote actuation device incapable of closing the closure from a distance of more than six meters from the vehicle,

(c) the closure request is received during the interval between the time a locking device which controls activation of the engine of the vehicle is turned off and, in the case where the vehicle is a two-door vehicle, opening either door thereof or, in the case where the vehicle has more than two doors, opening a front door thereof,

(d) the closure is in a static position before commencement of closing of the closure and in that static position creates an opening so small that a four millimeter diameter semi-rigid cylindrical rod cannot be placed through the opening from the inside of the vehicle at any location around the edge of the opening in a manner such that the cylindrical surface of the rod contacts any part of a structure with which the closure mates, or

(e) there is continuous activation of a remote actuation device incapable of closing the closure if the remote actuation device and the vehicle are separated by an opaque surface and incapable of closing the closure from a distance of more than 11 meters from the vehicle, and

the closing step comprises closing the closure at the first closing speed if any of such predetermined speed criteria exists or at the second closing speed if none of such predetermined speed criteria exists.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second closing speed is a constant speed such that the closing step comprises closing the closure at the constant second closing speed if the predetermined speed criteria is not satisfied.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the closing step comprises closing the closure at the second closing speed which is about half of the first closing speed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the closing step comprises closing the closure at the second closing speed so that the squeezing force applied to an obstruction having a force-deflection ratio of at least 65 Newtons/millimeter remains less than 100 Newtons.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the closing step comprises closing a window at the first closing speed if the predetermined speed criteria is satisfied or at the second closing speed if the predetermined speed criteria is not satisfied.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the closure is a window, and

the closing step comprises closing the window at the first closing speed if the predetermined speed criteria is satisfied or at the second closing speed if the predetermined speed criteria is not satisfied.

8. An apparatus for closing a closure of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a closure driver for moving the closure, and

an electronic control unit electrically coupled to the closure driver, the electronic control unit comprising (i) a processor, and (ii) a memory device electrically coupled to the processor, the memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

determine if predetermined speed criteria is satisfied, and

operate the closure driver so as to close the closure at a first closing speed if the predetermined speed criteria is satisfied or at a second closing speed if the predetermined speed criteria is not satisfied, the second closing speed being less than the first closing speed regardless of the position of the closure so that a squeezing force applied by the closure to an obstruction remains less than a predetermined squeezing force.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the memory device has stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

determine if any of the following predetermined speed criteria exists upon receipt of a request to close the closure;

(a) a key that controls activation of an engine of the vehicle is in an on position, a start position, or an accessory position,

(b) there is continuous activation of a remote actuation device incapable of closing the closure from a distance of more than six meters from the vehicle,

(c) the closure request is received during the interval between the time a locking device which controls activation of the engine of the vehicle is turned off and, in the case where the vehicle is a two-door vehicle, opening either door thereof or, in the case where the vehicle has more than two doors, opening a front door thereof,

(d) the closure is in a static position before commencement of closing of the closure and in that static position creates an opening so small that a four millimeter diameter semi-rigid cylindrical rod cannot be placed through the opening from the inside of the vehicle at any location around the edge of the opening in a manner such that the cylindrical surface of the rod contacts any part of a structure with which the closure mates, or

(e) there is continuous activation of a remote actuation device incapable of closing the closure if the remote actuation device and the vehicle are separated by an opaque surface and incapable of closing the closure from a distance of more than 11 meters from the vehicle, and

close the closure at the first closing speed if any of such predetermined speed criteria exists or at the second closing speed if none of such predetermined speed criteria exists.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second closing speed is a constant speed.

11. The vehicle apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second closing speed is about half of the first closing speed.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second closing speed is such that the squeezing force applied to an obstruction having a force-deflection ratio of at least 65 Newtons/millimeter remains less than 100 Newtons.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the closure driver comprises an electric motor that operates at first motor speed to provide the first closing speed and at slower second motor speed to provide the second closing speed.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the electronic control unit receives at least one input to determine if the predetermined speed criteria is satisfied.

15. A vehicle door, comprising:

a window,

an electric motor,

a window regulator interconnecting the motor and the window, and

an electronic control unit electrically coupled to the motor, the electronic control unit comprising (i) a processor, and (ii) a memory device electrically coupled to the processor, the memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

determine if predetermined speed criteria is satisfied, and

operate the motor so as to close the window at a first closing speed if the predetermined speed criteria is satisfied or at a second closing speed if the predetermined speed criteria is not satisfied, the second closing speed being less than the first closing speed regardless of the position of the window so that a squeezing force applied by the window to an obstruction remains less than a predetermined squeezing force.

16. The vehicle door of claim 15, wherein:

the memory device has stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

determine if any of the following predetermined speed criteria exists upon receipt of a request to close the window;

(a) a key that controls activation of an engine of the vehicle is in an on position, a start position, or an accessory position,

(b) there is continuous activation of a remote actuation device incapable of closing the window from a distance of more than six meters from the vehicle,

(c) the closure request is received during the interval between the time a locking device which controls activation of the engine of the vehicle is turned off and, in the case where the vehicle is a two-door vehicle, opening either door thereof or, in the case where the vehicle has more than two doors, opening a front door thereof,

(d) the window is in a static position before commencement of closing of the window and in that static position creates an opening so small that a four millimeter diameter semi-rigid cylindrical rod cannot be placed through the opening from the inside of the vehicle at any location around the edge of the opening in a manner such that the cylindrical surface of the rod contacts any part of a structure with which the window mates, or

(e) there is continuous activation of a remote actuation device incapable of closing the window if the remote actuation device and the vehicle are separated by an opaque surface and incapable of closing the window from a distance of more than 11 meters from the vehicle, and

close the window at the first closing speed if any of such predetermined speed criteria exists or at the second closing speed if none of such predetermined speed criteria exists.

17. The vehicle door of claim 15, wherein the second closing speed is a constant speed.

18. The vehicle apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second closing speed is about half of the first closing speed.

19. The vehicle door of claim 15, wherein the second closing speed is such that the squeezing force applied to an obstruction having a force-deflection ratio of at least 65 Newtons/millimeter remains less than 100 Newtons.

20. The vehicle door of claim 15, wherein the electronic control unit receives at least one input to determine if the predetermined speed criteria is satisfied.