DOOR-OPENING/CLOSING APPARATUS

• US 20070085373A1
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Act Corporation (Mitsui Mining and Smelting Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Mitsui Mining and Smelting Company Limited
• Inventors: WATANABE, Hirofumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,370,905 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/146.800
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/603 using rotary electromotors
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/63 operated by swinging arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/216 Clutches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/246 by auxiliary motors, magnets, springs or weights
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/462 Electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/3015 Power assistance
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/337 Encoder wheels
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/44 Sensors not directly associated with the wing movement
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/445 Switches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/854 Switches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/73 Multiple functions
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailboards, tailgates or sideboards opening upwards
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/28 Extension link

Abstract

The door-opening/closing apparatus includes a door, a driving unit that drives the door to close the door, a door movement detection unit that detects a movement of the door, an electrostatic switch that is mounted on the door for detecting a human'"'"'s touching the door, and a judgment unit that judges whether the door is attempted to be closed. When the door movement detection unit detects a movement of the door, and when the electrostatic switch senses a human'"'"'s touching the door, the judgment unit judges that the door is attempted to be closed, and then the driving unit drives to close the door.

Claims

1. A door-opening/closing apparatus for a vehicle with a body having an opening and a door for closing the opening of the body, comprising:

a driving unit that drives the door to close the door;

a door movement detection unit that detects a closing movement of the door and generates a movement detection output;

a judgment unit that judges whether the door is attempted to be closed and generates a closing attempt output; and

a motor control unit that, in response to the movement detection output generated when the door movement detection unit detects a movement of the door, and the closing attempt output generated when the judgment unit judges that the door is attempted to be closed, controls the driving unit to automatically close the door.

2. The door-opening/closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the door movement detection unit detects the movement of the door by monitoring an operation of the driving unit.

3. The door-opening/closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the door movement detection unit detects the closing movement of the door by detecting a rotation angle of a hinge that supports the door.

4. The door-opening/closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the door movement detection unit detects the closing movement of the door by detecting expansion and contraction of a damper mounted between the body and the door.

5. The door-opening/closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the door includes a sensing unit that senses a human'"'"'s touching the door, wherein when the sensing unit senses the human'"'"'s touching the door, the judgment unit judges that the door is attempted to be closed.

6. The door-opening/closing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the sensing unit is an electrostatic switch.

7. The door-opening/closing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the sensing unit is a temperature sensor switch.

8. The door-opening/closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the body includes a vibration sensor that senses a vibration of the body, wherein when the door movement detection unit detects the closing movement of the door, and when the vibration sensor senses no vibration of the body, the judgment unit judges that the door is attempted to be closed.

9. The door-opening/closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the door is a back door that closes a tailgate formed on a rear portion of the body.

10. The door-opening/closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the door is a side door that closes a side gate formed on a side portion of the body.