Vehicle sliding door opening/closing control device

• US 5,898,284 A
• Filed: 06/02/1997
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sasajima, Kouji
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Application Number:
  US08/867,188
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 318/280-300, 318/375-381, 318/445-459, 318/464-470, 318/474-477, 318/484-487, 318/565
• US Class Current: 318/287
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4065 Monitoring tool breakage, life or condition
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24117 If error detected, shut down
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24125 Watchdog, check at timed intervals
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34454 Check functioning controller, cpu or program
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34462 Interlock, stop motor if microprocessor starts interrupt, because no watchdog pulse from microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/42284 Stop and brake motor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45242 Door, panel, window operation, opening, closing

Abstract

A vehicle sliding door opening/closing control device includes a trouble detecting circuit for detecting a trouble in a control unit which is used for controlling operation of a motor to drive a vehicle sliding door in opening and closing direction, and switching unit responsive to detection of a trouble in the control unit by the trouble detecting circuit for shorting power input terminals of the motor, and after the lapse of a predetermined time, opening the power input terminals of the motor. Upon detection of the trouble in the control unit, the power input terminals of the motor are shorted so that the motor is kept in a locked state. In this instance, if the sliding door is moving at a high speed, it is possible to apply braking to the sliding door. Thereafter, after the lapse of the predetermined time, the switching unit opens the power input terminals of the motor to release a lock on the motor, thereby allowing the sliding door to be displaced by manual.

Claims

1. A vehicle sliding door opening/closing control device for controlling the movement of a sliding door which opens and closes an opening defined in the body of a vehicle, comprising:

a motor for driving the sliding door in opening and closing directions;

a battery for supplying power to said motor;

a control unit for controlling the operation of said motor;

a trouble detecting circuit for detecting trouble in said control unit;

switching means for, when said trouble detecting circuit detects trouble in said control unit, shorting power input terminals of said motor, and after a lapse of time, opening the power input terminals of said motor, said switching means including a pulse signal generating circuit, said pulse signal generating circuit including a triangular pulse signal generator for generating a triangular pulse signal, an RC circuit containing a resistance and a capacitance, and a comparator for comparing said triangular pulse signal with a terminal voltage of said capacitance of said RC circuit so as to generate a pulse signal having a constant voltage.

2. A vehicle sliding door opening/closing control device according to claim 1, wherein said trouble detecting circuit includes a counter for counting sequential control pulse signals received from said control unit so as to output, according to the number of control pulse signal received, a pulse signal indicative of trouble in said control unit, and a flip-flop adapted to be set by said pulse signal from said counter.

3. A vehicle sliding door opening/closing control device according to claim 1, further including an inhibiting circuit for, when said trouble detecting circuit detects trouble in said control unit, preventing supply of power from said battery to said motor.

4. A vehicle sliding door opening/closing control device for controlling the movement of a sliding door which opens and closes an opening defined in the body of a vehicle, comprising:

a motor for driving the sliding door in opening and closing directions;

a battery for supplying power to said motor;

a control unit for controlling the operation of said motor;

a trouble detecting circuit for detecting trouble in said control unit;

a pulse signal generating circuit for, when said trouble detecting circuit detects trouble in said control unit, generating a pulse signal having a progressively varying duty factor; and

switching means for shorting power input terminals of said motor such that a shorting time decreases progressively on the basis of said pulse signal.

6. A vehicle sliding door opening/closing control device according to claim 4, wherein said pulse signal generating circuit includes a triangular pulse signal generator for generating a triangular pulse signal, an RC circuit containing a resistance and a capacitance and having a terminal voltage of said capacitance which decreases with a time constant determined by a resistance value of said resistance multiplied by a capacitance value of said capacitor, and a comparator for comparing said triangular pulse signal with said terminal voltage of said capacitance of said RC circuit so as to generate a pulse signal having a progressively varying duty factor.

7. A vehicle sliding door opening/closing control device according to claim 6, wherein said comparator having an inverting input terminal connected to an output terminal of said triangular signal pulse generator, and a non-inverting input terminal connected to one end of said capacitor of said RC circuit.

8. A vehicle sliding door opening/closing control device according to claim 4, further including an inhibiting circuit for, when said trouble detecting circuit detects trouble in said control unit, preventing supply of power from said battery to said motor.

5. A vehicle sliding door opening/closing control device according to claim 5, wherein said trouble detecting circuit includes a counter for counting sequential control pulse signals received from said control unit so as to output, according to the number of control pulse signal received, a pulse signal indicative of trouble in said control unit, and a flip-flop adapted to be set by said pulse signal from said counter.