Power window control device

• US 5,734,245 A
• Filed: 12/11/1995
• Issued: 03/31/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Makihiro, Sato, Yoshihisa, Terashima, Noriaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Application Number:
  US08/570,083
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 318/280, 318/291, 318/293, 318/447, 318/453, 318/455, 318/466, 318/468, 318/469, 318/470, 318/432-434
• US Class Current: 318/453
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4061 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34215 Microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37094 Hall sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37285 Load, current taken by motor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/42237 Pwm pulse width modulation, pulse to position modulation ppm
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/42288 Limit, stop drive current if axis obstructed, blocked, force against stop
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45242 Door, panel, window operation, opening, closing
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/0851 for motors actuating a movable member between two end positions, e.g. detecting an end position or obstruction by overload signal

Abstract

When a window glass catches an obstacle and driving current of a driving motor increases to a set maximum value, the driving current is controlled within the maximum set value to limit the obstacle catching force. Because the motor is controlled by a duty ratio of PWM signal, the motor speed can be controlled with ease and stable control of the motor is ensured.

Claims

1. A power window control device having a window glass driving unit driven by an electric power source for opening and closing a window glass, said power window control device comprising:

a switching element, connected between said electric power source and said window glass driving unit;

a first means for controlling said switch element to supply said window glass driving unit with modulated driving current, thereby controlling window-closing-speed of said window glass driving unit;

a current sensor for detecting current supplied to said window glass driving unit;

a position sensor for detecting operating position of said window glass driving unit which corresponds to position of the window glass;

second means for setting maximum driving current with respect to window glass position according to the current detected by said current supply sensor and the operating position of said window glass driving unit detected by said position sensor; and

third means, connected to said current sensor, for controlling said modulated driving current not to exceed said maximum driving current.

14. A power window control device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for detecting motion speed of said window glass, wherein said drive control unit controls said motion speed of said window glass according to said detected motion speed.

2. A power window control device having a window glass driving unit for opening and closing a window glass, said power window control device comprising:

a switching element connected to an electric power source for supplying said window glass driving unit with driving current;

a drive control unit, having a circuit generating PWM signal connected to said switching element, for controlling motion speed of said window glass driving unit;

a current sensor for detecting driving current of said window glass driving unit;

means for setting maximum driving current with regard to operating position of said window glass driving unit which corresponds to position of the window glass;

means for determining whether an obstacle is caught by said window glass by observing conditions of said window glass driving unit for a fixed time; and

means connected to said switching element, for limiting said driving current to said maximum driving current when said driving currents increases to said maximum driving current, wherein

said current sensor detects a window opening current supplied to said window glass driving unit when said window glass is opened and a window closing current supplied to said window glass driving unit when said window glass is closed; and

said setting means sets said maximum driving current which is given by adding said window opening current a difference between said window opening current and said window closing current and a current corresponding to a permissible marginal current.

3. A power window control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein

said setting means sets said maximum driving current every time said window glass is operated.

4. A power window control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein

said drive control unit controls said motion speed of said window glass driving unit within a speed determined according to weight of said window glass and inertia of said window glass driving unit.

5. A power window control device as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a voltage sensor for detecting driving voltage of said window glass driving unit, wherein

said PWM signal of said drive control unit is a pulse signal having a duty ratio D, which is expressed as follows,

6. A power window control device as claimed in claim 5, said duty ratio D is set smaller when said window glass is located near full-closing position than when said window glass is at other positions.

7. A power window control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said determining means determines whether said obstacle is caught according to said driving current detected by said current sensor.

8. A power window control device as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a speed sensor for detecting closing speed of said window glass, wherein said determining means determines whether said obstacle is caught according to said closing speed of said window glass.

9. A power window control device as claimed in claim 7 further comprising means for controlling said window glass driving unit to open said window glass when said determining means determines whether said obstacle is caught.

10. A power window control device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said determining means comprises a comparator connected to said current sensor and said maximum driving current setting means and a timer, and determines said obstacle when said timer generates a signal at said fixed time.

11. A power window control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said timer comprises means for generating clock pulse signals and a counter connected to said pulse signal generating means and determines said obstacle when said counter counts a fixed number of pulses.

12. A power window control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said speed sensor comprises means for generating pulse signal relative to position of said window glass and a counter connected to said pulse signal generating means for counting said position signal.

13. A power window control device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said window glass driving unit comprises an electric motor and said pulse signal generating means comprises a position sensor for detecting rotational position of said motor.

15. A power window control device having a window glass driving unit, including a motor and a relay for changing rotational direction of said motor, for opening and closing said window glass and an electric power source, said power window control device comprising:

a switching element, connected to said electric power source, for switching motor driving current;

a control unit, having a circuit generating PWM signal and connected to said switching element, for controlling said switching element, thereby controlling rotational speed of said motor;

a current sensor for detecting driving current of said motor;

a position sensor for generating signals relative to operating position of said window glass driving unit;

first means, connected to said current sensor and said position sensor, for setting maximum current relative to position of said window glass according to the driving current detected by said current sensor and the signals relative to operating positions of said window glass driving unit;

second means, connected to said current sensor and said first means, for comparing said driving current and said maximum current; and

third means, connected to said first means and said second means, for limiting driving current within said maximum current when said window glass is closing and said driving current is greater than said maximum driving current during a fixed time.

16. A power window control device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said third means comprises means for changing said relay to change rotational direction to open said window glass after said third means limits said driving current within said maximum current.

17. A power window control device having a window glass driving unit driven by an electric power source for opening and closing a window glass, said power window control device comprising:

a switching element connected between said electric power source and said window glass driving unit;

a drive control unit, having a circuit generating PWM signal connected to said switching element, for controlling said switching element to supply said window glass driving unit with PWM controlled current, thereby controlling window-closing speed of said window glass driving unit;

a current sensor for detecting current supplied to said window glass driving unit;

a position sensor for detecting operating position of said window glass driving unit;

first means for approximating normal driving current with respect to said operating position of said window glass driving unit;

second means for setting maximum driving current based on said approximated normal driving current; and

third means, connected to said current sensor, for limiting said PWM controlled current to said maximum driving current.

18. A power window control device as claimed in claim 17, wherein

said current sensor detects window opening current supplied to said window glass driving unit and a window closing current supplied to the window glass;

and

said maximum driving current is the sum of a difference between said window opening current and said window closing current, a current corresponding to a permissible marginal current and said window opening current.

19. A power window control device as claimed in claim 17 further comprising a voltage sensor for detecting driving voltage of said window glass driving unit, wherein

said PWM signal of said drive control unit is a pulse signal having a duty ratio D, which is expressed as follows,

20. A power window control device as claimed in claim 17 further comprising means for controlling said window glass driving unit to open said window glass when said third means limiting said PWM controlled current to said maximum driving current.

21. A power window control device as claimed in claim 17, wherein said window glass driving unit comprises an electric motor and a window regulator.