Method for the contactless approach of the lower stop position of a motor vehicle window operated by extraneous force

• US 6,114,822 A
• Filed: 02/04/1999
• Issued: 09/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Coburg
• Original Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Coburg
• Inventors: Ubelein, Jorg, Kalb, Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): IP, SHIK LUEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/230,976
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 318/430-480, 318/260-284, 49/352
• US Class Current: 318/469
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/0573 power driven arrangements, e.g. electrical
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/41 Detection by monitoring transmitted force or torque E05F15/48 takes precedence; Safety couplings with activation dependent upon torque or force, e.g. slip couplings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/695 Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/604 Transmission members
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/32 Position control, detection or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/342 Pulse count value setting or correcting
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/36 Speed control, detection or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/40 Physical or chemical protection
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/406 against deformation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/74 Specific positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/19 characterised by positioning or contouring control systems, e.g. to control position from one programmed point to another or to control movement along a programmed continuous path
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/404 characterised by control arrangements for compensation, e.g. for backlash, overshoot, tool offset, tool wear, temperature, machine construction errors, load, inertia G05B19/19, G05B19/41 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/43113 Give stop order a certain number of motor rotations before end stop
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45242 Door, panel, window operation, opening, closing
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 3/12 using feedback
• 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

The invention relates to a method for contactless approach of a lower stop position of a motor vehicle window pane operated by extraneous force using a sensor device which during lowering of the window pane generates path-dependent signals and forwards them to an electronic evaluation unit in which the sensor signals are counted. During two separate phases (A) and (B) system deficiencies of a window raising mechanism are compensated and the pane is lowered. On reaching a certain counting state which lies in front of the position of the fixed contactless stop, a drive is switched off. The first phase (A) and the second phase (B) of the adjustment movement of the drive are separated by a boundary value (2) which reflects a system state of window winding raising mechanism so that the sensor signals of the first phase (A) can be associated with compensating cable slack and the sensor signals of the second phase (B) can be associated with the actual movement of the window. For determining the slowing-down path of the window pane which is to be expected the operating voltage of the drive is used in addition to the lowering speed of the window.

Claims

1. A method for a contactless approach of a lower stop position of a motor vehicle window pane operated by extraneous force comprising:

generating path-dependent sensor signals during the lowering of the window pane by using a sensor device;

forwarding the sensor signals to an electronic evaluation unit in which the sensor signals are counted;

compensating for system deficiencies of a window raising mechanism during a first phase (A) of the adjustment movement of a drive;

lowering the window pane during a second phase (B) of the adjustment movement of the drive;

switching the drive off on reaching a certain count which lies, by the amount of a slowing-down path to be expected based on the lowering speed of the window pane, in front of a position of a fixed contactless stop;

wherein the first phase (A) and the second phase (B) of the adjustment movement of the drive are separated by a boundary value of a measured value reflecting a system state of the window raising mechanism so that the sensor signals of the first phase (A) can be associated with compensating cable slack and the sensor signals of the second phase (B) can be associated with the actual window pane movement; and

wherein an expected slowing-down path of the window pane is determined by using at least one of the operating voltage of the drive or the lowering speed of the window pane.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the measured value used is a period length of a drive shaft and the boundary value between the phase (A) and the phase (B) used is a local maximum of the period length.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the measured value used is a current pick-up of an electric drive and the boundary value between the phase (A) and phase (B) used is a local maximum of an electric current.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the boundary value is generated from at least a previously detected measured value and wherein the boundary value deviates by a determined amount from a last measured value.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein a counting state associated with the pane position is undertaken through approaching the upper closing position of the window pane during operation of the window raising mechanism and after a fixed number of operations of the window raising mechanism.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the slowing-down path is calculated continuously at least after understepping a lower intermediate position of the window pane.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the switch off point for the drive is fixed on the basis of a trend calculation comprising several calculation values of the slowing-down path.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the window raising drive is controlled automatically in the raising direction until the system deficiencies of the displacement mechanism caused by the displacement of the window pane into the previous direction of movement are compensated.

9. The method according to claim 2 wherein the drive shaft is the drive shaft of an electric motor.