Compartment confining construction with an opening, a closure unit for the opening and a positioning unit for the closure unit

• US 5,468,042 A
• Filed: 07/20/1993
• Issued: 11/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stabilus GmbH (Stabilus S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Stabilus GmbH (Stabilus S.A.)
• Inventors: Heinrichs, Heinrich-Josef, Koch, Klaus, Enders, Stephan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, David M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBINSON, KIA MONIQUE
• Application Number:
  US08/095,149
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 296/146.4, 296/146.8, 296/76, 296/106, 49/324, 49/340, 49/339, 49/137, 200/61, 200/62, 16/DIG. 7, 16/51, 16/66
• US Class Current: 296/146.4
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0033 using electro-rheological or magneto-rheological substances
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 17/305 with hydraulic locks
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/21 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/246 by auxiliary motors, magnets, springs or weights
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/25 Mechanical means for force or torque adjustment therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/256 with pistons or vanes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/264 linear
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/448 Fluid motors; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/458 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/10 Electronic control
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/21 by controlling the viscosity
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/52 Safety arrangements associated with the wing motor
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/46 in or on the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/00 Details, accessories and auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/252 the elements functioning only in case of emergency
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/254 the elements not functioning in case of emergency
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/50 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

A compartment confining construction comprises an opening and a closure unit movably mounted on the compartment confining construction for movement between a closing position and a fully opened position with respect to the opening. A fluid-based positioning unit is connected to both the compartment confining construction and the closure unit, the fluid-based positioning unit having two working chambers interconnected by at least one flow path, a movement of the closure unit corresponding to a flow of fluid from one chamber to another through the at least one flow path. A fluid flow control device is provided for controlling the flow of fluid through the at least one flow path and thereby controlling the movement of the closure unit. The fluid flow control device is actuatable by an electric actuating device. The flow of liquid occurs in response to movement of the closure unit when the closure unit is moved by an external force.

Claims

1. A compartment confining construction comprising an opening and a closure unit having two main side faces and movably mounted on said compartment confining construction for movement between a closing position and a fully opened position with respect to said opening through intermediate positions, a fluid based positioning unit being connected to both said compartment confining construction and said closure unit, said fluid based positioning unit being provided with at least one flow path, a movement of said closure unit corresponding to a flow of fluid through said at least one flow path, fluid flow control means being provided for controlling said flow of fluid through said at least one flow path and thereby controlling the movement of said closure unit, said fluid flow control means being actuatable by electric actuating means, said fluid based positioning unit being a passive positioning unit, said flow of fluid occurring in response to movement of said closure unit when said closure unit is moved by an external force, said passive fluid based positioning unit comprising two working chambers interconnected by said at least one flow path, and said at least one flow path being provided with said flow control means.

2. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 1, said fluid flow control means being actuatable by an operator acting onto at least one surface district of said closure unit, said at least one surface district having a surface area corresponding to at least a substantial part of the total surface area of a respective side face.

3. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 1, said fluid flow control means being actuatable by an operator exerting an accelerating force on said closure unit.

4. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 1, said fluid based positioning unit being a liquid based positioning unit.

5. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 1, said fluid based positioning unit being a two-chamber positioning unit having two working chambers with respective variable volumes, the sum of said variable volumes being substantially constant during a positioning movement of said positioning unit.

6. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 1, said fluid based positioning unit being a cylinder piston unit.

7. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 6, said cylinder piston unit comprising a cylinder having an axis and defining a cavity therein along said axis, said cavity being confined by two end walls, a piston rod member extending through one of said end walls, a piston unit being connected to said piston rod member inside said cavity said piston unit separating said cavity into two working chambers, a piston rod extension being connected with said piston unit in substantially axial alignment with said piston rod member, said piston rod extension extending through the other one of said end walls, said piston rod extension having substantially the same cross-sectional area as said piston rod member, both said working chambers being connected to at least one flow path.

8. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 1, said at least one flow path being provided with a valve unit.

9. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 8, said valve unit being an electrically or electro-magnetically actuatable valve unit.

10. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 1, said flow path having a flow path section subject to an electric or electromagnetic field, said fluid being a liquid having a viscosity variable in response to said electric or electromagnetic field.

11. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 10, said flow path section being combined with an arrangement of capacitor plates, said capacitor plates being connected to a voltage source.

12. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 1, said flow path interconnecting said two working chambers being provided inside a piston unit separating said two working chambers from each other.

13. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 1, said flow path interconnecting said two working chambers being provided on a cylinder member containing a piston unit, said piston unit separating said two working chambers from each other within said cylinder member, said flow path extending across said piston unit.

14. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 1, said fluid based positioning unit being provided with an emergency flow path.

15. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 1, said compartment confining construction being the car body of a motor vehicle, preferably of a passenger car.

16. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 15, said closure unit being a side door of a motor vehicle.

17. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 15, said closure unit being one of a trunk lid of a passenger car and a rear door of a station wagon.

18. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 2, said closure unit being a side door of a motor vehicle adjacent a driver'"'"'s or passenger'"'"'s seat, said at least one surface district being located within said respective side face such as to allow to the driver or passenger, respectively, to act upon said at least one surface district when being seated on said seat in a usual sitting position with a minimum of district search activity and a minimum of body movement.

19. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 1, said fluid flow control means being operatively connected to acceleration force sensor means.

20. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 19, said acceleration force sensor means being sensitive to an acceleration of said closure unit.

21. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 19, said acceleration force sensor means being sensitive to an acceleration in a direction of opening and closing movement of said closure unit.

22. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 19, said acceleration force sensor means being sensitive to the fluid pressure within said fluid based positioning unit, said fluid pressure being responsive to an acceleration force acting on said closure unit.

23. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 1, said compartment confining construction being a car body of a motor vehicle, said fluid flow control means being connected to said electric actuating means, said electric actuating means being further connected to data processing means and said data processing means being further connected to additional vehicle operation parameter sensing means.

24. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 23, said additional vehicle operation parameter sensing means comprising vehicle speed sensing means.

25. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 23, said data processing means being further connected to memory means.

26. A compartment confining construction as set forth in claim 25, said memory means comprising at least one of a memory unit for containing variable data to be fed in by the respective manufacturer and a user'"'"'s memory group allowing the user to feed in user'"'"'s specific data.

27. A compartment confining construction comprising an opening and a closure unit having two main side faces and movably mounted on said compartment confining construction for movement between a closing position and a fully opened position with respect to said opening through intermediate positions, a fluid based positioning unit being connected to both said compartment confining construction and said closure unit, said fluid based positioning unit being provided with at least one flow path, a movement of said closure unit corresponding to a flow of fluid through said at least one flow path, fluid flow control means being provided for controlling said flow of fluid through said at least one flow path thereby controlling the movement of said closure unit, said fluid flow control means being actuatable by electric actuating means, and said fluid flow control means being operatively connected to sensor means sensitive to an acceleration of said closure unit.

28. A compartment confining construction comprising an opening and a closure unit having two main side faces and movably mounted on said compartment confining construction for movement between a closing position and a fully opened position with respect to said opening through intermediate positions, a fluid based positioning unit being connected to both said compartment confining construction and said closure unit, said fluid based positioning unit being provided with at least one flow path, a movement of said closure unit corresponding to a flow of fluid through said at least one flow path, fluid flow control means being provided for controlling said flow of fluid through said at least one flow path and thereby controlling the movement of said closure unit, said fluid flow control means being actuatable by electric actuating means, said fluid flow control means being operatively connected to sensor means sensitive to the fluid pressure within said fluid based positioning unit, and said fluid pressure being responsive to a force acting on said closure unit.