Movable-window safety device

• US 5,621,290 A
• Filed: 07/19/1996
• Issued: 04/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maps Holdings, Inc. (Aviation Industry Corporation of China, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Draftex Industries Limited (DuPont de Nemours, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hanndorf, Klaus, Stockschlager, Alfons, Heller, Norbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Application Number:
  US08/690,230
• Time in Patent Office: 270 Days
• Field of Search: 318/280, 318/286, 318/445, 318/449, 318/450, 318/466-469, 318/478, 318/479, 318/264-267, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/116, 307/125, 307/129, 180/271-272, 180/279, 180/281, 49/26-28, 324/658, 324/676-682, 324/686, 324/687, 324/690, 340/657, 340/658, 361/179, 361/181
• US Class Current: 318/466
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/00 Sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/46 responsive to changes in electrical capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/955 using a capacitive detector

Abstract

A window glass in a motor vehicle body is slidable in a vertical direction within a window frame by means of an electric motor controlled by "up" and "down" switches. The window glass slides with reference to a window guide channel. The window guide channel incorporates a metal carrier or other electrical conductor which receives the output from electrical oscillating means. If a human hand, or other part of the human body, is present within the frame of the window, when the window is open, and within a predetermined distance from the window guide channel, the resultant capacitive effect will change the output of the oscillator. This output change is detected by a detecting unit and opens a switch. This switch is connected in series with the "up" switch for the window drive motor and thus either stops the motor, if it is driving the window glass upwards, or prevents the window glass from being so driven.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a power-driven window glass slidably movable between closed and opened positions in a window opening defined in a motor vehicle by an electrically conductive window frame, comprising:

a sealing or guiding strip attachable to the window frame for sealing or guiding the window glass as it moves between the opened and closed positions, the sealing or guiding strip being made of plastics or rubber material and incorporating only a single electrode electrically insulatingly embedded within the plastics or rubber material,

electrical circuit means for producing an electrical output,

connecting means connecting the single electrode to the electrical circuit means such that the presence of a part of the human body at or not more than a predetermined distance from the single electrode produces a change in the electrical output,

detecting means responsive to the change in the electrical output to produce an output signal, and

output means responsive to the output signal for interrupting sliding movement of the window glass in the window opening,

the electrical circuit means producing the electrical output as an electrically oscillating output.

2. A system according to claim 1, in which the single electrode is energized by the electrical circuit means to radiate a field within the window opening which is affected by the presence of the said part of the human body at or not more than the predetermined distance from the single electrode to produce the change in the oscillating output.

3. A system according to claim 2, including means for adjusting the field so as to vary the said predetermined distance.

4. A system according to claim 1, in which

the electrical circuit means comprises a controllable-frequency electrical oscillator whose frequency is dependent on the value of a control signal applied to a control input of the oscillator, and

the connecting means comprises means connecting the single electrode to affect the control input.

5. A system according to claim 4, in which the electrical circuit means incorporates adjusting means for offsetting the effect on the controllable-frequency oscillator of conditions adjacent to the single electrode other than caused by the presence of said part of the human body.

6. A system according to claim 5, including reference means producing a stable reference frequency, and in which the adjusting means comprises comparing means operative when the window glass is not moving towards the closed position to compare the frequency of the controllable-frequency oscillator with the stable reference frequency whereby to produce a comparison signal dependent on the difference between the compared frequencies.

7. A system according to claim 6, including means responsive to the value of the comparison signal to compare it with a previously stored reference value to assess whether the difference between the comparison signal and the reference value is greater or less than a predetermined tolerance level, and operative to store the value of the comparison signal as the new value for the reference value only if the said difference is less than the predetermined tolerance level, the detecting means being operative to produce the said output signal when the difference between the comparison signal and the reference value indicates the said presence of part of the human body.

8. A system according to claim 5, in which the adjusting means comprises means operable to adjust the frequency of the controllable-frequency oscillator to a predetermined value when the window glass is not moving towards the closed position.

9. A system according to claim 6, including means for applying the comparison signal to the said control input of the controllable-frequency oscillator.

10. A system according to claim 6, in which the reference means is a stable-frequency oscillator in a phase-locked loop, and in which the comparing means comprises a comparator within the phase-locked loop.

11. A system according to claim 4, in which the detecting means comprises comparing means operative when the window glass is moving towards the closed position for comparing the frequency of the controllable-frequency oscillator with a predetermined frequency.

12. A system according to claim 6, in which the detecting means comprises further comparing means operative when the window glass is moving towards the closed position for comparing the frequency of the controllable-frequency oscillator with the said stable reference frequency.

13. A system according to claim 12, in which the said further comparing means comprises part of a phase-locked loop.

14. A system according to claim 1, in which

the electrical circuit means comprises an electrical oscillator producing the oscillating output, the oscillator having a tuned circuit in which is connected the single electdrode, and

the single electrode is movably mounted on the sealing or guiding strip so as to be moved by direct or indirect contact with said part of the human body to produce a change in frequency of the oscillating output.

15. A system according to claim 1, in which the sealing or guiding strip is attached to the frame.

16. A system according to claim 1, in which the window is slidably mounted within a door of the motor vehicle, the vehicle having a door frame which defines an opening closable by the door, the door frame defining at least part of said frame for the window opening, and in which the sealing or guiding strip is mounted on or adjacent to said at least part of the door frame.

17. A system according to claim 1, in which the window glass is a double-glazed window glass.

18. A system according to claim 1, in which the window glass is driven by an electric motor and the output means comprises a switch for interrupting energization of the motor.

19. A system according no claim 1 (16), in which the single electrode electrical conductor is a reinforcing metal carrier.

20. A system according to claim 1, in which the output means includes means responsive to the control signal for causing the window glass to reverse its sliding direction.

21. A system for controlling a power-driven window glass slidable in a window opening defined by a window frame in a motor vehicle, the window glass being slidable between open and closed positions, comprising

a sealing or guiding strip comprising flexible electrically insulating plastics or rubber material which supports only a single, embedded, electrode the sealing or guiding strip being adapted to be secured to the frame in use for sealing or guiding the slidable window glass,

the single electrode being positioned adjacent to the window opening by the sealing or guiding strip so as to be physically moved by direct or indirect contact with part of the human body positioned between the sliding window glass and the frame during power-driven closure of the window glass,

electrical circuit means connected to the single electrode so as to respond to the movement of the single electrode and to produce a corresponding output,

detecting means responsive to the output to produce a control signal, and

control means responsive to the control signal for interrupting power-driven movement of the window glass,

the electrical circuit means incorporating an electrical oscillator, and

the single electrode being connected to a tuned circuit of the oscillator whereby said movement of the single electrode changes the frequency of the oscillator to produce said output.

22. A system according to claim 21, in which the single electrode is a reinforcing metal carrier.

23. A system according to claim 21, in which the power-driven window glass is driven by an electric motor and the control means comprises a switch for interrupting energization of the motor.

24. A system according to claim 21, in which the control means includes means responsive to the control signal for causing the window glass to reverse its sliding direction.

25. A system for controlling a power-driven window glass slidable between closed and open positions in a window opening which is defined by a window frame in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a sealing and guiding strip made of flexible plastics or rubber material and adapted for mounting on the window frame for sealing and guiding the sliding window glass, the sealing and guiding strip incorporating only a single longitudinally extending electrically conductive metal reinforcement which is electrically insulated from the frame by the flexible plastics or rubber material,

electrical circuit means comprising a controllable-frequency electrical oscillator whose frequency is dependent on the value of a control signal applied to a control input of the oscillator,

connecting means connecting the metal reinforcement to the control input of the electrical oscillator such that the presence of a part of the human body in the window opening at or not more than a predetermined distance from the metal reinforcement produces a change in the frequency of the oscillator,

detecting means responsive to the change in the frequency of the oscillator to produce an output signal, and

output means responsive to the output signal for interrupting movement of the window glass in the window opening,

the electrical circuit means also including a stable-frequency oscillator connected in a phase-locked loop, a comparator in the phase-locked loop to compare the frequency of the controllable-frequency oscillator with the stable-frequency oscillator and to produce a comparison signal dependent on the difference between the compared frequencies, means responsive to the value of the comparison signal to compare it with a previously stored reference value to assess whether the difference between the comparison signal and the reference value is greater or less than a predetermined tolerance level and operative to store the value of the comparison signal as the new value for the reference value only if the said difference is less than the predetermined tolerance level,

the detecting means being operative to produce the said output signal when the difference between the comparison signal and the stored reference value indicates the presence of part of the human body,

the currently stored reference value offsetting the effect on the controllable-frequency oscillator of conditions adjacent to the metal reinforcement other than caused by the presence of said part of the human body.