Opening and closing motion control device for closing member

• US 6,472,835 B2
• Filed: 12/15/1999
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Ogasawara, Kazuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US09/461,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20020043948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 318/466, 318/467, 318/468, 318/469, 318/286, 318/264, 318/265, 318/266, 324/457, 324/691, 307/116, 200/61.42, 200/61.43, 200/61.44
• US Class Current: 318/266
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/46 responsive to changes in electrical capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows

Abstract

A simple and cheap opening and closing motion control device is provided for avoiding pinching of an object by a window glass with high accuracy. The device includes a flexible weather strip arranged along a contact portion of a window frame, the contact portion being touched by the window glass when it is closed, a linear electrostatic-capacity detecting sensor embedded in the weather strip, for detecting an electrostatic capacity in the circumference of the sensor, a control micro-computer for judging whether or not the object is pinched by the closing motion of the window glass, on the basis of the detection of the sensor, and a motor drive circuit for allowing a motor to either stop or open the window glass when the micro-computer judges that the object is on the point of being pinched.

Claims

1. An opening and closing motion control device, which is constructed so as to perform an opening and closing motion of a closing member by using a driving unit for driving the closing member, the opening and closing motion control device comprising:

a flexible seal member arranged along a contact portion of a ground potential member, the contact portion being touched by the closing member when the closing member is closed;

a linear electrostatic-capacity detecting unit embedded in the seal member at a predetermined distance from the contact portion of the ground potential member, for detecting an electrostatic capacity in the circumference of the electrostatic-capacity detecting unit and also outputting the so-obtained electrostatic capacity;

a pinching judging unit electrically connected to the electrostatic-capacity detecting unit, for judging whether or not an object has been pinched by the closing motion of the closing member, on the basis of a variation in the electrostatic capacity corresponding to a difference between the predetermined distance and an actual distance of the linear electrostatic-capacity detection unit from the contact portion of the ground potential member; and

a drive control unit electrically connected to the pinching judging unit, allowing the driving unit to either stop the closing member or start the opening motion of the closing member when the pinching judging unit judges that the object is on the point of being pinched.

2. The opening and closing motion control device as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

the closing member is identical to a glass which is provided on an opening of a vehicle; and

the seal member is identical to a weather strip which is provided along the contact portion of the ground potential member, the contact portion being touched by the closing member when the closing member is closed up perfectly.

3. An opening and closing motion control device, which is constructed so as to perform an opening and closing motion of a closing member by using a driving unit for driving the closing member, the opening and closing motion control device comprising:

a flexible seal member arranged along a contact portion of a ground potential member, the contact portion being touched by the closing member when the closing member is closed;

a linear electrostatic-capacity detecting unit embedded in the seal member, for detecting an electrostatic capacity in the circumference of the electrostatic-capacity detecting unit and also outputting the so-obtained electrostatic capacity;

a pinching judging unit electrically connected to the electrostatic-capacity detecting unit, for judging whether or not an object is pinched by the closing motion of the closing member, on the basis of the detection of pinching by the electrostatic-capacity detecting unit;

a drive control unit electrically connected to the pinching judging unit, allowing the driving unit to either stop the closing member or start the opening motion of the closing member when the pinching judging unit judges that the object is on the point of being pinched;

an oscillating unit electrically connected to the electrostatic-capacity detecting unit, for oscillating a frequency signal corresponding to a detection output from the electrostatic-capacity detecting unit;

a converting unit electrically connected to the oscillating unit, for converting the frequency signal outputted by the oscillating unit into an alternating voltage and also outputting an alternating voltage signal derived from the alternating voltage; and

an amplification unit electrically connected to the converting unit, for amplifying the alternating voltage signal converted by the converting unit at a predetermined amplifying ratio;

wherein the pinching judging unit judges whether or not the object is pinched by the closing motion of the closing member, on the basis of the alternating voltage signal amplified by the amplification unit.

4. The opening and closing motion control device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a detection unit electrically connected to the converting unit, for picking up a signal related to the sequential change in electrostatic-capacity from the alternating voltage signal and outputting the signal to the amplification unit.

5. The opening and closing motion control device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

an A/D (analog/digital) converting unit electrically connected to the amplification unit, for converting the alternating voltage signal amplified by the amplification unit to a digital signal; and

a calculating unit electrically connected to the A/D converting unit, for calculating a voltage build-up rate by analyzing the digital signal converted by the A/D converting unit by time;

wherein the pinching judging unit judges whether or not the object is pinched by the closing motion of the closing member, on the basis of the voltage build-up rate calculated by the calculating unit.

6. An opening and closing motion control device, which is constructed so as to perform an opening and closing motion of a closing member by using a driving unit for driving the closing member, the opening and closing motion control device comprising:

at least one plane seal member arranged along a contact portion of a non-conductive ground potential member, the contact portion being touched by the closing member when the closing member is closed, the plane seal member having both flexibility and electrical insulation;

at least two plane electrostatic-capacity detecting units laminated on the plane seal member, for detecting an electrostatic capacity in the circumference of the electrostatic-capacity detecting units and also outputting the so-obtained electrostatic capacity;

a pinching judging unit electrically connected to the electrostatic-capacity detecting units, for judging whether or not an object has been pinched by the closing motion of the closing member, on the basis of the detection of pinching by the electrostatic-capacity detecting units; and

a drive control unit electrically connected to the pinching judging unit, allowing the driving unit to either stop the closing member or start the opening motion of the closing member when the pinching judging unit judges that the object is on the point of being pinched.

7. The opening and closing motion control device as claimed in claim 6 wherein:

the plural plane seal members and the plural plane electrostatic-capacity detecting units are laminated by turns.