Obstruction detecting method for the use in power window apparatus, and power window apparatus

• US 6,297,609 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1999
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Jun, Sasaki, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Nappi, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Leykin, Rita
• Application Number:
  US09/471,838
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 318/484, 318/465, 318/283
• US Class Current: 318/484
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/093 against increase beyond, or decrease below, a predetermined level of rotational speed centrifugal switches H01H35/10

Abstract

An pinching detecting method for use in a power window apparatus, capable of preventing a malfunction even if a normal pulse edge interval is unobtainable, and of preventing a force exceeding a reference value from acting on an object pinched into a window. The power window apparatus is made up of a window opening and closing motor, a motor driving section, a pulse generator, a micro control unit and a switch device, and a timer is incorporated into the micro control unit. The micro control unit obtains a corresponding pinching decision time from a reference value at that time whenever a pulse edge of pulses outputted from the pulse generator arrives at the micro control unit and updates a set time of the timer. If one pulse edge arrives but the next pulse edge does not arrive after the elapse of the pinching decision time, the micro control unit ceases a decision on the occurrence/no occurrence of the pinching in the window and stops the drive of the motor or drives the motor in the reverse direction. The calculation of the pinching decision time is made on the basis of k1 and k2 tables stored in a memory of the micro control unit.

Claims

1. An obstruction detecting method for a power window apparatus comprising a motor for opening and closing a window through the use of a window driving mechanism, a motor driving section for driving said motor, a pulse generating section for generating pulses in connection with rotation of the motor, a micro control unit for conducting the entire control and drive processing, a timer and a switch device for conducting opening and closing operations of said window manually, wherein said method comprises the steps of:

a) obtaining by said micro control unit a corresponding pinching decision time from a reference value based upon a characteristic value of said motor;

b) updating a time to be set in said timer whenever a pulse edge of said pulses arrives at said micro control unit;

c) determining that a pinching of a high-rigidity object has occurred in said window when a next pulse edge does not arrive before the elapse of said pinching decision time set in said timer; and

d) stopping the driving of said motor or rotating said motor in a reverse direction.

2. An obstruction detecting method for a power window apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said motor characteristic value is based on a pulse edge interval of said pulses.

3. An obstruction detecting method for a power window apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said motor characteristic value is a motor torque value, and a reduction equation for obtaining said corresponding pinching decision time from said reference value is as follows:

4. An obstruction detecting method for a power window apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said micro control unit measures said motor drive voltage whenever a pulse edge of said pulses arrives.

5. An obstruction detecting method for a power window apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said micro control unit obtains said reference value by adding a predetermined reference allowable value to a reference median of motor torque obtained on the basis of said motor drive voltage, and updates said reference median, stored in a reference median storage area of a memory said micro control unit has, through learning at every calculation.

6. A power window apparatus comprising a motor for opening and closing a window through the use of a window driving mechanism, a motor driving section for driving said motor, a pulse generating section for generating pulses in connection with rotation of the motor, a micro control unit for conducting the entire control and drive processing, a timer and a switch device for conducting opening and closing operations of said window manually,

wherein said micro control unit obtains a corresponding pinching decision time from a reference value based upon a characteristic value of said motor to update a time to be set in said timer whenever a pulse edge of said pulses arrives at said micro control unit, and

wherein, when a next pulse edge does not arrive before the elapse of said pinching decision time set in said timer, a determination is made that a pinching of a high-rigidity object has occurred in said window, and stopping the driving of said motor or rotating said motor in a reverse direction.

7. A power window apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said motor characteristic value is based on a pulse edge interval of said pulses.

8. A power window apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said motor characteristic value is a motor torque value, and a reduction equation for obtaining said corresponding pinching decision time from said reference value is as follows:

9. A power window apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said micro control unit measures said motor drive voltage whenever a pulse edge of said pulses arrives.

10. A power window apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said micro control unit obtains said reference value by adding a predetermined reference allowable value to a reference median of motor torque obtained on the basis of said motor drive voltage, and updates said reference median, stored in a reference median storage area of a memory said micro control unit has, through learning at every calculation.