Pressure-sensitive sensor, object detecting device, and opening-closing device

• US 6,747,399 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2002
• Issued: 06/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ito, Masahiko, Ogino, Hiroyuki, Nagai, Takeshi, Yoshino, Koji, Nakatani, Naofumi, Fujii, Yuko, Kanazawa, Narutoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Budd, Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/031,858
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 310/326, 310/328, 310/330, 310/338, 310/339, 310/345, 310/800
• US Class Current: 310/330
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/00 Sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/00 Power-operated mechanisms for wings motor-operated accessories in locks for completing closing or initiating opening of a wing E05B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/443 specially adapted for vehicle windows or roofs
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/487 Fault detection of safety edges
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/822 Light emitters, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/60 having a coaxial cable structure

Abstract

In a pressure-sensitive sensor for detecting seizure of an object in the window frame or the like, support means (13) is more flexible than a piezoelectric sensor (12), and the support means (13) is easily deformed together with the piezoelectric sensor (12) without impeding the deformation of the piezoelectric sensor (12), and an output signal is issued from the piezoelectric sensor (12) depending on this deformation. Accordingly, when detecting the contact of an object with a pressure-sensitive sensor (4) by a judging device, the pressure-sensitive sensor (4) for generating an output signal of a sufficient magnitude for detection can be presented.

Claims

1. A pressure-sensitive sensor disposed at at least one of an opening and an opening-closing unit for opening and closing said opening, used for detecting contact of an object and preventing seizure of the object between said opening and said opening-closing unit, said pressure-sensitive sensor comprising:

pressure-sensitive means for generating an output signal depending on deformation; and

support means for supporting said pressure-sensitive means in at least one of said opening and said opening-closing unit,

wherein said support means has a greater flexibility than said pressure-sensitive means.

2. The pressure-sensitive sensor of claim 1,

wherein said support means includes:

a deformation amplifying portion for amplifying the deformation of said pressure-sensitive means.

3. The pressure-sensitive sensor of claim 2,

wherein said deformation amplifying portion includes:

a hollow portion.

4. The pressure-sensitive sensor of claim 1,

wherein said support means includes;

a vibration damping portion for damping vibration.

5. The pressure-sensitive sensor of claim 4,

wherein said support means includes:

a deformation amplifying portion for amplifying the deformation of said pressure-sensitive means,

said vibration damping portion serves also as said deformation amplifying portion.

6. The pressure-sensitive sensor of claim 1,

wherein said support means is formed of a part of a weather strip of an automobile.

7. The pressure-sensitive sensor of claim 1,

wherein said pressure-sensitive sensor can be disposed in aid opening so that the shortest distance from said opening-closing unit may be in a range of 3 mm to 5 mm.

8. The pressure-sensitive sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

plural electrodes for leading out signals; and

a resistor for detecting breakage disposed between said electrodes for detecting breakage of said electrodes.

9. The pressure-sensitive sensor of claim 1,

wherein said pressure-sensitive means is composed of a flexible piezoelectric sensor, and

said support means flexibly supports said piezoelectric sensor along a shape of edge of said opening or said opening-closing unit.

10. The pressure-sensitive sensor of claim 9,

wherein said piezoelectric sensor is molded by using a composite piezoelectric material mixing amorphous chlorinated polyethylene, crystalline chlorinated polyethylene, and piezoelectric ceramic powder.

11. An object detecting device for detecting a contact of an object, and preventing a seizure of the object between an opening and an opening-closing unit for opening and closing said opening, said object detecting device comprising:

a pressure-sensitive sensor disposed at at least one of said opening and said opening-closing unit, said pressure-sensitive sensor comprising;

pressure-sensitive means for generating an output signal depending on deformation; and

support means for supporting said pressure-sensitive means in at least one of said opening and said opening-closing unit, said support means having a greater flexibility than said pressure-sensitive means; and

judging means for judging the contact of the object with said pressure-sensitive sensor on the basis of an output signal of said pressure-sensitive sensor.

12. The object detecting device of claim 11, further comprising:

notice means for informing a third party of a judging result of said judging means.

13. The object detecting device of claim 11,

wherein said pressure-sensitive sensor is connected directly to said judging means, and said pressure-sensitive sensor and said judging means are integrated.

14. The object detecting device of claim 11,

wherein said judging means includes:

a filter for extracting only a specified frequency component from the output signal of said pressure-sensitive sensor.

15. The object detecting device of claim 11,

wherein said judging means calculates an integral value of the output signal of said pressure-sensitive means per unit time, and judges the contact of the object with said pressure-sensitive sensor on the basis of the integral value.

16. The object detecting device of claim 11,

wherein said judging means includes:

an abnormality judging unit for judging abnormality of said pressure-sensitive means on the basis of the output signal of said pressure-sensitive means corresponding to vibration of said opening or said opening-closing unit.

17. The object detecting device of claim 11,

wherein said judging means includes:

a signal input unit for feeding the output signal of said pressure-sensitive means;

a signal output unit for issuing a judging result of judging the contact of the object to said pressure-sensitive sensor; and

a bypass unit for passing high frequency signal through between said signal input unit and said signal output unit.

18. The object detecting device of claim 17,

wherein said signal input unit and signal output unit are disposed closely to each other so as to shorten a bypass route of high frequency signal.

19. An object detecting device for detecting a contact of an object, and preventing a seizure of the object between an opening and an opening-closing unit for opening and closing said opening, said object detecting device comprising:

a pressure-sensitive sensor disposed at at least one of said opening and said opening-closing unit, said pressure-sensitive sensor comprising;

pressure-sensitive means for generating an output signal depending on deformation, said press sensitive means being composed of a flexible piezoelectric sensor; and

support means for supporting said pressure-sensitive means along a shape of an edge of said opening or said opening-closing unit, said support means having a greater flexibility than said pressure sensitive means;

judging means for judging the contact of the object with said pressure-sensitive sensor on the basis of an output signal of said pressure-sensitive sensor; and

a discharge unit for discharging an electric charge generated in said piezoelectric sensor disposed in at least one of said piezoelectric sensor and said judging means.

20. An opening-closing device having a function for detecting a contact of an object, and preventing a seizure of the object between an opening and an opening-losing unit for opening and closing said opening, said opening-closing device comprising:

an object detecting device comprising;

a pressure-sensitive sensor disposed at at least one of said opening and said opening-closing unit, said pressure-sensitive sensor comprising;

pressure-sensitive means for generating an output signal depending on deformation; and

support means for supporting said pressure-sensitive means in at least one of said opening and said opening-closing unit, said support means having a greater flexibility than said pressure-sensitive means; and

judging means for judging the contact of the object with said pressure-sensitive sensor on the basis of an output signal of said pressure-sensitive sensor;

drive means for driving said opening-closing unit; and

control means for controlling said drive means so as to stop closing action of said opening-closing unit or open said opening-closing unit when said judging means judges the contact of the object with said pressure-sensitive sensor when said opening-closing unit is closing.

21. The opening-closing device of claim 20,

wherein said control means includes:

a contact judging unit of said opening-closing unit for judging the contact of the object with said open-closing unit on the basis of a detected drive state when said contact judging unit detects the drive state when said drive means drives said opening-closing unit; and

a controller for controlling said drive means on the basis of an output signal from at least one of said object detecting device and said contact judging unit.

22. The opening-closing device of claim 21,

wherein said control means controls said drive means on the basis of an output signal of said contact judging unit if abnormality occurs in said object detecting device.

23. The opening-closing device of claim 20,

wherein said control means controls said drive means so as to close after once moving said opening-closing unit by a specific distance in opening direction or opening for a specific time when closing said opening-closing unit.

24. An opening-closing device having a function for detecting a contact of an object, and preventing a seizure of the object between an opening and an opening-closing unit for opening and closing said opening, said opening-closing device comprising:

an object detecting device comprising;

a pressure-sensitive sensor disposed at at least one of said opening and said opening-closing unit, said pressure-sensitive sensor comprising;

pressure-sensitive means for generating an output signal depending on deformation, said pressure-sensitive means a being composed of a flexible piezoelectric sensor; and

support means for supporting said pressure-sensitive means along a shape of an edge of said opening or said opening-closing unit, said support means having a greater flexibility than said pressure-sensitive means;

judging means for judging the contact of the object with said pressure-sensitive sensor on the basis of an output signal of said pressure-sensitive sensor; and

a discharge unit for discharging an electric charge generated in said piezoelectric sensor disposed in at least one of said piezoelectric sensor and said judging means;

drive means for driving said opening-closing unit; and

control means for controlling said drive means so as to stop closing action of said opening-closing unit or open said opening-closing unit when said judging means judges the contact of the object with said pressure-sensitive sensor when said opening-closing unit is closing.

25. The opening-closing device of claim 24,

wherein said control means includes:

a contact judging unit of said opening-closing unit for judging the contact of the object with said opening-closing unit on the basis of a detected drive state when said contact judging unit detects the drive state when said drive means drives said opening-closing unit; and

a controller for controlling said drive means on the basis of an output signal from at least one of said object detecting device and said contact judging unit.

26. The opening-closing device of claim 25,

wherein said contact means controls said drive means on the basis of an output signal of said contact judging unit if abnormality occurs in said object detecting device.

27. The opening-closing device of claim 24,

wherein said control means controls said drive means so as to close after once moving said opening-closing unit by a specific distance in opening direction or opening for a specific time when closing said opening-closing unit.