Electronic control and method for power sliding van door with rear-center-mounted drive

• US 6,430,875 B1
• Filed: 10/25/1999
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Valeo Electrical Systems Incorporated (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Electrical Systems Incorporated (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Jackson, James A. Jr., Clark, Marian E., Buchanan, Harry Charles Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Curtis A.
• Application Number:
  US09/426,651
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 493/60, 492/80, 492/08, 492/09, 492/13
• US Class Current: 49/360
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/06 slidable; foldable
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/20 for assisting final closing or for initiating opening
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/21 with means preventing or detecting pinching of objects or body parts
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/22 by movement of the striker
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 2015/1055 with slanted or curved track sections or cams
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/638 allowing or involving a secondary movement of the wing, e.g. rotational or transversal
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/22 Locks
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/232 by automatically acting means
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/246 by motors, magnets, springs or weights
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/434 Electromotors; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/44 Sensors therefore E05Y2400/322, E05Y2400/33, E05Y2400/55, E05Y2400/56, E05Y2400/852 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/458 in or on a transmission member
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/11 Manual wing operation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/114 Overriding existing wing movement
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 43/02 actuated entirely mechanically
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 43/16 with clutching members having interengaging parts
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 43/18 with friction clutching members
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 43/24 controlled by acceleration or deceleration of angular speed

Abstract

A power drive system is adapted for a sliding door mounted on at least one side of a vehicle for sliding movement forwardly and rearwardly of the vehicle. The system includes a reversible motor. A bracket is guided within a guide along a fixed path between the opened and closed positions of the door. An elongated drive member is slidably disposed within the guide and connected to the bracket at one end for driving the bracket along the fixed path. A translator mechanism operably engages with the drive member for powering movement of the door. The translator mechanism can include a rotatable hub, operably engageable with the drive member, a gear transmission for driving the hub, and a clutch mechanism for connecting the motor to the transmission. The translator mechanism preferably has sufficient power to pull the sliding door into a primary latch position with respect to the corresponding portions of a latch mechanism attached to the door and frame defining the door opening. A power striker moves the door into and out of sealing engagement with the frame. A lock mechanism selectively maintains the latch in a locked position. At least one sensor provides an input signal to a control system corresponding to movement of the door, position of the lock mechanism, and position of the power striker for controlling the door drive unit, power striker drive unit, and lock mechanism drive unit in accordance with a program stored in memory.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling movement of a movable closure comprising:

a moveable member for movement along a fixed path of travel between first and second end limits of movement;

first means including a reversible electric motor for selectively driving the moveable member in a first direction and in a second direction opposite from the first direction along the fixed path of travel;

at least one sensor disposed between the first means and the moveable member for generating at least one input signal corresponding to motion of the moveable member along the fixed path of travel;

control means responsive to said at least one input signal for selectively actuating said first means in accordance with a control program;

a clutch disposed between the reversible electric motor and the moveable member;

a sensor mounted to a portion of the clutch for sensing movement of the clutch when the moveable member moves along the fixed path; and

the control means including means for controlling the moveable member while moving between a first position and a second position along the fixed path in response to said sensor mounted to the portion of the clutch disposed between the reversible electric motor and the moveable member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

the control means including means for detecting an obstruction along the fixed path of the moveable member while the moveable member is moving between a first position and a second position in response to said sensor connected to the portion of the clutch disposed between the reversible electric motor and the moveable member.

3. An apparatus for controlling movement comprising:

a moveable member for movement along a fixed path of travel between a first end limit of movement and a second end limit of movement;

a reversible translator for selectively driving the moveable member in a first direction and in a second direction opposite from the first direction along the fixed path of travel, including a clutch for engaging the translator with the moveable member;

at least one sensor disposed on the clutch for generating at least one input signal in response to movement of the moveable member along the fixed path of travel; and

a programmable controller responsive to said at least one input signal for selectively controlling the translator in accordance with a control program.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising:

said translator including a reversible electric motor;

the clutch disposed between said motor and said moveable member;

said at least one sensor including a sensor operably positioned with respect to the clutch for sensing movement of the clutch in response to movement of the moveable member; and

means for detecting an obstruction along a fixed path of the moveable member while the moveable member is moving between the first and second end limits of movement in response to said sensor operably positioned with respect to the clutch disposed between the reversible electric motor and the moveable member.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising:

a striker movable between a first position and a second position, the striker operably engagable with the moveable member when the moveable member is in proximity with the first end limit of movement along the fixed path;

a second translator for selectively driving the striker between the first position to engage the moveable member with a frame and the second position where the moveable member is disengaged with respect to the frame; and

said at least one sensor including a position sensor disposed with respect to the second translator for generating at least one input position signal, said at least one input position signal including an engaged-disengaged input signal to the controller representative of the first position and the second position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising:

the position sensor disposed with respect to the frame and the moveable member for generating said at least one input position signal, said at least one input position signal including an ajar input signal to the controller representative of a moveable member ajar condition.

7. An apparatus for controlling movement comprising:

a moveable closure for movement along a fixed non-linear path of travel between first and second end limits of movement to open and close a portal through a barrier;

a reversible electric motor for selectively driving the moveable closure in a first direction and in a second direction opposite from the first direction along the fixed path of travel;

a clutch disposed between the reversible electric motor and the moveable member;

at least one sensor disposed on the clutch for generating at least one input signal corresponding to motion of the moveable closure along the fixed path of travel; and

control means, responsive to said at least one input signal, for selectively actuating said motor in accordance with a control program.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

the clutch disposed between the motor and the moveable closure;

a sensor mounted to a portion of the clutch for sensing movement of the clutch when the moveable closure moves along the fixed path; and

the control means including means for controlling the moveable closure while moving between the first end limit of movement and the second end limit of movement in response to said sensor mounted to the portion of the clutch disposed between the motor and the moveable closure.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

the clutch disposed between the motor and the moveable closure;

an obstruction sensor mounted to a portion of the clutch for sensing movement of the clutch when the moveable closure moves along the fixed path; and

the control means including means for detecting an obstruction along the fixed path of the moveable closure while the moveable closure is moving between the first end limit of movement and the second end limit of movement in response to said obstruction sensor connected to the portion of the clutch disposed between the motor and the moveable closure.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

said at least one sensor including a current sensor for sensing an amount of current supplied to the motor and for generating a sensed current signal; and

means for controlling the moveable closure between a predetermined minimum speed and a predetermined maximum speed while moving between the first and second end limits of movement along the fixed path in response to the sensed current signal from the current sensor.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

said at least one sensor including a current sensor for sensing an amount of current supplied to the motor and for generating a sensed current signal; and

means for detecting an obstruction in response to the sensed current signal from the current sensor.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

said at least one sensor including a position sensor for sensing a parameter corresponding to an actual position of the moveable closure anywhere along the fixed path and for generating an input signal to the control means representative of an actual position of the moveable closure along the fixed path as the moveable closure is moved between the first and second end limits of movement.

13. An apparatus for controlling movement comprising:

a moveable member for movement along a fixed path of travel between first and second end limits of movement;

first means including a reversible electric motor for selectively driving the moveable member in a first direction and in a second direction opposite from the first direction along the fixed path of travel, the first means including a clutch disposed between the reversible electric motor and the moveable member;

at least one sensor disposed between the first means and the moveable member for generating at least one input signal corresponding to motion of the moveable member along the fixed path of travel, the at least one sensor including a sensor mounted to a portion of the clutch for sensing movement of the clutch when the moveable member moves along the fixed path; and

control means responsive to said at least one input signal for selectively actuating said first means in accordance with a control program, the control means for controlling the moveable member while moving between a first position and a second position along the fixed path in response to said sensor mounted to the portion of the clutch disposed between the reversible electric motor and the moveable member.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

the control means including means for detecting an obstruction along the fixed path of the moveable member while the moveable member is moving between a first position and a second position in response to said sensor connected to the portion of the clutch disposed between the reversible electric motor and the moveable member.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

a striker movable between a first position and a second position, the striker operably engagable with the moveable member when the moveable member is in proximity with the first end limit of movement along the fixed path;

second means for selectively driving the striker between the first position to engage the moveable member with a frame and the second position where the moveable member is disengaged with respect to the frame; and

said at least one sensor including a position sensor disposed with respect to the second means for generating at least one input position signal, said at least one input position signal including an engaged-disengaged input signal to the controller representative of the first position and the second position.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

the position sensor disposed with respect to the frame and the moveable member for generating said at least one input position signal, said at least one input position signal including an ajar input signal to the controller representative of a moveable member ajar condition.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

the control means including means for detecting an obstruction along the fixed path of the moveable member while the moveable member is moving between the first end limit of movement and the second end limit of movement in response to the sensor connected to the portion of the clutch disposed between the motor and the moveable member.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

the sensor connected to a portion of the clutch for sensing a parameter corresponding to an actual position of the moveable member anywhere along the fixed path and for generating an input signal to the control means representative of an actual position of the moveable member along the fixed path as the moveable member is moved between the first and second end limits of movement.

19. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

said at least one sensor including a current sensor for sensing an amount of current supplied to the motor and for generating a sensed current signal; and

means for controlling movement of the moveable member between the first and second end limits of movement along the fixed path in response to the sensed current signal from the current sensor.

20. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the control means further comprises:

a central processing unit for receiving said at least one input signal and for generating at least one output signal in accordance with the control program.