OPENING AND CLOSING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SENSOR SUPPORTING MEMBER

• US 20090295410A1
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: ASMO Company Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakamaki, Ryousuke
• Granted Patent: US 8,159,231 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/658
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/0608 caused by track lay-out
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/46 responsive to changes in electrical capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/45 Manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing

Abstract

An opening and closing apparatus is disclosed. The opening and closing apparatus includes an opening and closing body, a capacitance sensor, and a sensor support member. The capacitance sensor has a conductive sensor electrode, and outputs a detection signal that corresponds to the capacitance between the sensor electrode and a conductive object located close to the sensor electrode. The sensor support member includes a guard electrode, a holding portion, an attaching portion, and a conductive reinforcing member. The reinforcing member is embedded in the main body. At least a part of the reinforcing member is embedded in the guard electrode such that the reinforcing member is integrated with the guard electrode.

Claims

1. An opening and closing apparatus comprising:

an opening and closing body for opening and closing an opening formed in an opened and closed body;

a drive portion actuating the opening and closing body;

a capacitance sensor having a conductive sensor electrode, the capacitance sensor outputs a detection signal that corresponds to the capacitance between the sensor electrode and a conductive object located close to the sensor electrode;

a sensor support member that fixes the capacitance sensor either to a closing end of the opening and closing body that is on the leading side when the opening and closing body is being closed or to an edge of the opening, the sensor support member including;

a guard electrode made of conductive resin material, the voltage of the guard electrode being maintained either at the same level as the voltage of the sensor electrode or at a level of a constant ratio relative to the voltage of the sensor electrode;

a holding portion for holding the capacitance sensor;

an attaching portion having a main body made of insulating resin material, the attaching portion fixing the holding portion either to the closing end or to the edge of the opening; and

a conductive reinforcing member embedded in the main body, wherein at least a part of the reinforcing member is embedded in the guard electrode such that the reinforcing member is integrated with the guard electrode; and

a detecting section that detects the object located close to the capacitance sensor based on the detection signal output from the capacitance sensor.

2. A method for manufacturing a sensor support member, the sensor support member fixing a capacitance sensor, which detects a conductive object existing between an opening and closing body actuated by a drive portion and an edge of an opening, either to a closing end of the opening and closing body that is on the leading side when the opening and closing body is being closed or to the edge of the opening, wherein the capacitance sensor includes a conductive sensor electrode, wherein the capacitance sensor outputs a detection signal that corresponds to the capacitance between the sensor electrode and a conductive object located close to the sensor electrode, and wherein the sensor support member includes a guard electrode made of conductive resin material, the voltage of the guard electrode being maintained either at the same level as the voltage of the sensor electrode or at a level of a constant ratio relative to the voltage of the sensor electrode, the manufacturing method comprising:

embedding at least a part of a conductive reinforcing member in the guard electrode, thereby integrating the reinforcing member with the guard electrode; and

embedding the reinforcing member in insulating resin material that forms the sensor support member.

3. The manufacturing method according to claim 2, further comprising:

providing the sensor supporting member with a holding portion, which holds the capacitance sensor, and an attaching portion, which fixes the holding portion either to the closing end or to the edge of the opening, the attaching portion having a main body made of insulating resin material,

wherein the reinforcing member is embedded in the main body.

4. The manufacturing method according to claim 3, further comprising:

forming a flat reinforcing plate from a conductive plate;

embedding at least a part of the reinforcing plate in the guard electrode, thereby integrating the reinforcing member with the guard electrode; and

bending the reinforcing plate integrated with the guard electrode, thereby forming the reinforcing member,

wherein the reinforcing member is embedded in the main body after the reinforcing member is formed.

5. The manufacturing method according to claim 3, further comprising:

causing the holding portion to hold the capacitance sensor at the same time as the reinforcing member integrated with the guard electrode is embedded in the main body.