Device and Method for Controlling the Movement of a Both Motorically and Manually Movable Vehicle Part

• US 20100156139A1
• Filed: 12/17/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Coburg
• Original Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Coburg
• Inventors: Herrmann, Christian, Deister, Stephan
• Granted Patent: US 8,508,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/146.400
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/611 for swinging wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/21 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/216 Clutches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/412 for the final closing movement
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/62 Synchronisation of suspension or transmission members
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/3015 Power assistance
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/36 Speed control, detection or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

A device for controlling the movement of a both motorically and manually movable vehicle part comprises a drive unit controllable in its rotational speed for motorically moving the vehicle part, a coupling device for coupling the drive unit with the vehicle part and a control unit which controls the drive unit and the coupling device such that during manually moving the vehicle part the coupling device couples the drive unit with the vehicle part if the vehicle part has reached a pre-defined position. For this, the control unit (3) controls the rotational speed of the drive unit (2) in dependence on the moving speed of the vehicle part (10). In this way a device and a method are provided which in an easy and low-wear manner allow for a control of the movement of a both motorically and manually movable vehicle part.

Claims

1. Device for controlling the movement of a both motorically and manually movable vehicle part, comprising

a drive unit controllable in its rotational speed for motorically moving the vehicle part,

a coupling device for coupling the drive unit with the vehicle part and

a control unit which controls the drive unit and the coupling device such that the coupling device, during a manual movement of the vehicle part, couples the drive unit with the vehicle part if the vehicle part has reached a pre-defined position,

wherein

the control unit, for the coupling, controls the rotational speed of the drive unit in dependence of the moving speed of the vehicle part.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit for the coupling adjusts the rotational speed of the drive unit such that the rotational speed of the drive unit is adjusted to the moving speed of the vehicle part.

3. Device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling device is constituted to establish a force locking or positive locking coupling of the drive unit with the vehicle part.

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a rotational speed sensor for detecting the rotational speed of the drive unit and a position and speed sensor for detecting the position and/or the moving speed of the vehicle part.

5. Device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling device comprises three coupling states, wherein

in a first coupling state the drive unit is decoupled from the vehicle part,

in a second coupling state the drive unit is coupled with the vehicle part and the coupling device herein is energized for the actuation and

in a third coupling state the drive unit is coupled with the vehicle part, wherein the coupling device however, is not energized for the actuation.

6. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device is constituted for providing an end stop damping during moving the vehicle part into an opened position.

7. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device is constituted for providing a slam-shut protection during moving the vehicle part into a closed position.

8. Device according to claim 6, wherein, for providing the end stop damping and/or the slam-shut damping, the control unit, subsequently to establishing the coupling of the drive unit with the vehicle part, controls the rotational speed of the drive unit for decelerating the vehicle part.

18. Device according to claim 7, wherein, for providing the end stop damping and/or the slam-shut damping, the control unit, subsequently to establishing the coupling of the drive unit with the vehicle part, controls the rotational speed of the drive unit for decelerating the vehicle part.

9. Method for controlling the movement of a both motorically and manually movable vehicle part, using a device comprising

a drive unit controllable in its rotational speed for motorically moving the vehicle part,

a coupling device for coupling the drive unit with the vehicle part and

a control unit for controlling the drive unit and the coupling device,

wherein, during manually moving the vehicle part, the drive unit is coupled via the coupling device with the vehicle part if the vehicle part has reached a predefined position,

wherein

for the coupling the rotational speed of the drive unit is adjusted to the moving speed of the vehicle part.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein a critical opening angle corresponding to the pre-defined position is determined in dependence of the moving speed of the vehicle part, wherein the drive unit is coupled via the coupling device with the vehicle part if the vehicle part has reached the critical opening angle.

11. Method according to claim 9, wherein, for establishing the coupling, the coupling device is energized for the actuation.

12. Method according to claim 11, wherein, after establishing the coupling, the rotational speed of the drive unit is reduced for decelerating the vehicle part, wherein the coupling device is energized for maintaining the coupling.

13. Method according to claim 9, wherein, for providing an end stop damping when moving the vehicle part into an opened position, the drive unit decelerates the vehicle part into a standstill.

14. Method according to claim 13, wherein the coupling device, after reaching the standstill, maintains the coupling of the drive unit with the vehicle part and, thus, fixedly holds the vehicle part.

15. Method according to claim 9, wherein, for providing a slam-shut prevention when moving the vehicle part into a closed position, the drive unit decelerates the vehicle part into a pre-defined moving speed.

16. Method according to claim 15, wherein the moving of the vehicle part into the closed position in an end phase is performed motorically through the drive unit.

17. Method according to claim 16, wherein in the end phase the moving of the vehicle part is monitored and controlled for providing a jam protection.