System for controlling vehicle power sliding door

• US 6,525,499 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2001
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Keihin Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Keihin Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Naganuma, Tsukasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Leykin, Rita
• Application Number:
  US09/803,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20010024093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 318/445, 318/286, 49/28, 49/26
• US Class Current: 318/445
• 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

A system for controlling a vehicle power sliding door having a motor supplied voltage from a power source mounted on the vehicle for opening or closing the power sliding door and a motor drive circuit for driving the motor with relays for switching direction of rotation of the motor and a FET for regulating the voltage to be supplied to the motor to change a speed of the motor rotation. In the system, a motor-drive-circuit controller is provided for outputting a command value to the motor drive circuit, thereby enabling to control the direction of rotation of a power sliding door drive motor to effect opening and closing of the power sliding door with minimal total heat loss of semiconductor devices and that, by utilizing PWM control for varying motor rotational speed, lowers product cost by decreasing the size, weight and total number of components of the power sliding door unit. In addition, the faulty operation of the controller is also detected.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a power sliding door of a vehicle, comprising:

a motor that is supplied voltage from a power source mounted on the vehicle and operates for opening or closing the power sliding door;

a motor drive circuit for driving the motor having at least a switch for switching direction of rotation of the motor and a switching element for regulating the voltage to be supplied to the motor to change a speed of the motor rotation;

a speed detecting means for detecting an opening/closing speed of the power sliding door; and

a motor drive circuit controller for outputting a command value to the motor drive circuit,

wherein the motor drive circuit controller regulates the voltage to change the speed of the motor rotation such that the power sliding door is opened or closed at a speed inversely proportional to the detected speed of the power sliding door.

2. A system according to claim 1, further including a branch circuit which is connected to the ground through a diode such that the diode is connected with its anode on the ground side.

3. A system according to claim 1, further including;

a current detecting means connected to the motor for detecting a supply of current to the motor; and

a faulty operation detecting means connected to the motor drive circuit controller for detecting whether a faulty operation has occurred in the motor drive circuit controller.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the faulty operation detecting means detects that the faulty operation has occurred in the motor drive circuit controller if the current detecting means detects the supply of current to the motor when predetermined switching signal outputs are supplied to the switch and the switch element.

5. A system for detecting a faulty operation of a power sliding door of a vehicle, comprising:

a motor that is supplied voltage from a power source mounted on the vehicle and operates for opening or closing the power sliding door;

a power sliding door controller provided in a motor current supply circuit for supplying current to the motor having at least a switch for switching direction of rotation of the motor and a switching element for regulating the voltage to be supplied to the motor to change a speed of the motor rotation;

a current detecting means connected to the motor for detecting supply of current to the motor; and

faulty operation detecting means connected to the power-sliding door controller for detecting that a faulty operation has occurred in the power-sliding door controller if the current detecting means detects the supply of current to the motor when predetermined switching signal outputs are supplied to the switch to stop the motor and the switch element to rotate the motor at a speed.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the faulty operation detecting means discontinues supplying of another predetermined switching signal to the switch element to stop the motor when it has been detected that the faulty operation has occurred.

7. A system for controlling a power sliding door of a vehicle, comprising:

a motor that is supplied voltage from a power source mounted on the vehicle and operates for opening or closing the power sliding door;

a motor drive circuit for driving the motor having a first switch for rotating the motor in a first direction, a second switch for rotating the motor in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, and a switching element for regulating the voltage to be supplied to the motor to change a speed of the motor rotation;

a motor drive circuit controller for outputting a command value to the motor drive circuit, and

a first branch circuit provided between the motor and the first switch and a second branch circuit provided between the motor and the second switch, wherein each of the first and second branch is connected to the ground through a diode such that the diode is connected with its anode on the ground side.