ACTUATING METHOD FOR ADJUSTING A VEHICLE WINDOW ADJUSTABLE BY AN ACTUATING MOTOR AND ACTUATING SYSTEM FOR SUCH A VEHICLE WINDOW

• US 20140373446A1
• Filed: 05/22/2014
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Hallstadt
• Original Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Hallstadt
• Inventors: WEIDENBACHER, CHRISTIAN
• Granted Patent: US 9,255,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 49/31
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/008 the input being air quality
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/689 specially adapted for vehicle windows
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/695 Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/74 using photoelectric cells
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/765 using optical sensors using photoelectric cells E05F15/74
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/767 using cameras

Abstract

A servo system and an actuating method for adjusting a vehicle window that can be adjusted with a servomotor. For the sake of improved driving comfort, to permit adjustment of the vehicle window with a sensor, a measurement volume which adjoins the vehicle window in the passenger compartment of a vehicle is monitored for the presence of a body part of a vehicle occupant and/or the presence of a lighted cigarette. The vehicle window is lowered here from its closed position by a portion of its actuating path if the presence of a body part or the presence of a burning cigarette is detected in the measurement volume.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. An actuating method for adjusting a vehicle window by way of an actuating motor, the method comprising:

monitoring a measurement volume which adjoins the vehicle window in a passenger compartment of the vehicle with a sensor, for a presence of a body part of a vehicle occupant and/or for a presence of a lighted cigarette; and

lowering the vehicle window from a closed position by a portion of an entire actuating path thereof if the presence of the body part or the presence of the lighted cigarette is detected in the measurement volume.

12. The actuating method according to claim 11, which comprises lowering the vehicle window only if a predefined additional criterion is satisfied when the body part or the lighted cigarette is detected.

13. The actuating method according to claim 12, wherein the additional criterion is that the presence of the body part or the lighted cigarette is detected within a predefined time window opened by an activation of a switch.

14. The actuating method according to claim 12, wherein the additional criterion is that smoke is detected by a smoke detector.

15. The actuating method according to claim 11, which comprises detecting a measured temperature variable with a sensor, detecting the presence of the body part or the presence of the lighted cigarette in the measurement volume if the detected measured temperature variable exceeds a predefined temperature threshold.

16. The actuating method according to claim 11, which comprises evaluating a measured variable detected by the sensor with respect to a movement pattern of the body part, and wherein the additional criterion is that a predefined movement pattern is detected on the basis of the measured variable.

17. A positioning system for a vehicle window that can be adjusted by an actuating motor, comprising:

a sensor for monitoring a measurement volume adjoining the vehicle window in a passenger compartment of a vehicle for a presence of a body part of a vehicle occupant and/or a presence of a lighted cigarette; and

a control unit configured to carry out the actuating method including the following steps;

monitoring the measurement volume adjoining the vehicle window with said sensor, for the presence of the body part of the vehicle occupant and/or for the presence of the lighted cigarette; and

lowering the vehicle window from a closed position by a portion of an entire actuating path thereof if the presence of the body part or the presence of the lighted cigarette is detected in the measurement volume.

18. The servo system according to claim 17, further comprising a switch connected by circuitry to said control unit, for activating said sensor during a predefined time window.

19. The servo system according to claim 17, further comprising a smoke detector for detecting smoke connected by circuitry to said control unit, in order to activate said sensor.

20. The servo system according to claim 17, wherein said sensor is at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a capacitive proximity sensor, an optical movement sensor and an infrared sensor.