Reversing apparatus for powered vehicle door systems
First Claim
1. In a device having at least one movable member driven by an electric motor along a predetermined path, an apparatus for detecting an obstruction in the travel path traversed by the member, said apparatus comprising:
- first means for monitoring an instantaneous electric current provided to the electric motor to produce a first analog signal representative of the instantaneous amplitude of the motor current;
second means for monitoring an average electric current provided to the electric motor over a predetermined time interval to produce a second analog signal representative of the average amplitude of the motor current; and
control means for producing a first control signal when the amplitude of said first signal exceeds the amplitude of said second signal by a predetermined amount whereby said first control signal indicates that the movable member has encountered an obstruction in its path.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An obstruction detecting reversing apparatus is disclosed for a motor driven device, such as a powered vehicle door or window system, wherein the device undergoes varying loads, and consequently varying current draws, during normal operation. In order to accurately detect the presence of an obstruction, in light of such normally varying currents, the apparatus circuit logic monitors instantaneous motor current and compares it with the time average of motor current over a very short preceding time interval, which "tracks" normal current draw in order to sense an obstruction-caused rise in motor current at virtually any stage of the door closing operation, and thus also accommodates normal changes in current draw caused by different gravity effects when the device is oriented in different grade-caused orientations.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. In a device having at least one movable member driven by an electric motor along a predetermined path, an apparatus for detecting an obstruction in the travel path traversed by the member, said apparatus comprising:
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first means for monitoring an instantaneous electric current provided to the electric motor to produce a first analog signal representative of the instantaneous amplitude of the motor current; second means for monitoring an average electric current provided to the electric motor over a predetermined time interval to produce a second analog signal representative of the average amplitude of the motor current; and control means for producing a first control signal when the amplitude of said first signal exceeds the amplitude of said second signal by a predetermined amount whereby said first control signal indicates that the movable member has encountered an obstruction in its path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In an automatic powered door closing system driven by an electric motor, an electronic system for sensing a predetermined increased resistance to closing of a door, said electronic system comprising:
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first means for monitoring substantially instantaneous electric current provided to said electric motor, said first means including means for generating a first signal value changing in proportion with changes in said instantaneous electric current; second means for generating a second signal value corresponding to an average of said first signal value over a shifting span of recent time less than about one second long; and output means for producing an output signal indicating that an obstruction has been encountered by the door when the difference between said first signal value and said second signal value exceeds a predetermined limit. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A door operator system for a door that is slidingly supported relative to a door opening in a panel of a vehicle body, said door being supported adjacent a forward end on at least one forward guide member and being supported adjacent a rear end on a rear guide member, said guide members guiding said door through an initial closing movement and a final opening movement generally parallel to said panel, said guide members guiding said door through at least a portion of its initial opening movement generally away from the plane of said door opening, and said guide members guiding said door through at least a portion of its final closing movement generally toward the plane of said door opening, said door operator comprising a first cable having one end coupled to the rear end of said door and a second cable having one end coupled to the forward end of said door for driving said door along said guide members to thereby move said door through said initial and final opening and closing movements, each of said cables being supported substantially entirely within the interior of the vehicle body when the door is fully closed, said door operator system further including a rotatable cable spool and drive means including an electric motor for selectively rotating said cable spool about an axis in either of two directions in order to actuate said first and second cables, said door operator system further including an electronic reversing apparatus for sensing a predetermined increased resistance to closing of said door indicating the presence of an obstruction encountered by said closing door, said electronic reversing apparatus including:
- first means for monitoring substantially instantaneous electric current provided to said electric motor, said first means including means for generating a first signal value changing in proportion with changes in said instantaneous electric current prior to said door encountering said obstruction;
second means for generating a second signal value corresponding to an average of said first signal value over a shifting span of recent time less than about one second long; and
output means for producing an output signal indicating that said obstruction has been encountered by said door when the difference between said first signal value and said second signal value exceeds a predetermined limit. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
- first means for monitoring substantially instantaneous electric current provided to said electric motor, said first means including means for generating a first signal value changing in proportion with changes in said instantaneous electric current prior to said door encountering said obstruction;
Specification