Integrated one touch up and down windowlift motor with direct sense for anti-pinch

• US 6,756,754 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2002
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Bent, Robert, Bass, Martin F.
• Primary Examiner(s): DUDA, RINA I
• Application Number:
  US10/266,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20040061462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 318/280-282, 318/286, 318/266, 318/268, 318/466, 318/468, 318/273, 318/275, 49/26, 49/28
• US Class Current: 318/282
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/41 Detection by monitoring transmitted force or torque E05F15/48 takes precedence; Safety couplings with activation dependent upon torque or force, e.g. slip couplings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/42 Detection using safety edges
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/695 Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows

Abstract

A windowlift control system 10 is provided for controlling movement of a window of a vehicle. The system 10 includes a DC bush motor 12 constructed and arranged to cause movement of the window up and down, and electronics 14 integral with the motor for controlling the motor to selectively move the window up and down. The electronics includes analog obstruction signal inputs 18, 20 for receiving analog obstruction signals from an obstruction sensor 16, associated with the window, that directly senses an obstruction in a travel path of the window. The electronics includes digital obstruction signal inputs 22, 24 for receiving digital obstruction signals from an obstruction sensor 16′, associated with the window, that directly senses an obstruction in a travel path of the window. The electronics also includes switch decoding inputs 23, 25, 27 for signaling a manual or one-touch up mode of operation of the motor to move the window in an upward direction. The signal decoding inputs also allow for a manual or one touch down mode of operation of the motor to move the window downwardly.

Claims

1. A windowlift control system for controlling movement of a window of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a DC brush motor constructed and arranged to cause movement of the window up and down, and

electronics integral with the motor constructed and arranged to control the motor to selectively move the window up and down, the electronics including;

analog obstruction signal input constructed and arranged to receive an analog obstruction signal from an obstruction sensor, associated with the window, that directly senses an obstruction in a travel path of the window,

digital obstruction signal input constructed and arranged to receive a digital obstruction signal from an obstruction sensor, associated with the window, that directly senses an obstruction in a travel path of the window, and

switch decoding inputs constructed and arranged to signal manual mode of operation of the motor to move the window in a manual up or down mode, and a one-touch mode of operation of the motor to move the window in an express up or an express down mode,

whereby during the one-touch up mode of operation, the electronics is constructed and arranged to cause the motor to stop and reverse in the express up mode when the digital obstruction signal input or the analog obstruction signal input indicates that an obstruction is in a path of the upwardly moving window.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital obstruction signal input is constructed and arranged to receive a digital input signal from an optical sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the analog obstruction signal input is constructed and arranged to receive an analog input signal in the form of one of analog voltages and varying resistances.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said motor is a permanent magnet motor.

5. The system of claim 1, further including switch decoding structure constructed and arranged to receive switch inputs indicating certain desired movements of the window, outputs of the switch decoding structure being received by the switch decoding inputs of the electronics.

6. The system of claim 1, further including a reversing relay that is constructed and arranged to receive signals from the electronics and apply power of a certain polarity to brushes of the motor.

7. The system of claim 1, further including a current sensing structure constructed and arranged to monitor motor current so that the electronics can turn the motor off at the end of window travel.

8. The system of claim 1, in combination with the obstruction sensor, an output of the obstruction sensor being received by the analog obstruction signal input.

9. The system of claim 1, in combination with the obstruction sensor, an output of the obstruction sensor being received by the digital obstruction signal input.

10. A windowlift control system for controlling movement of a window of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a DC brush motor means for causing movement of the window up and down, and

electronics means integral with the motor means for controlling the motor to selectively move the window up and down, the electronics means including;

analog obstruction signal input means for receiving an analog obstruction signal from an obstruction sensor, associated with the window, that directly senses an obstruction in a travel path of the window,

digital obstruction signal input means for receiving a digital obstruction signal from an obstruction sensor, associated with the window, that directly senses an obstruction in a travel path of the window, and

switch decoding input means for signaling a manual mode of operation of the motor to move the window in a manual up or down mode, and a one-touch mode of operation of the motor to move the window in an express up or an express down mode,

whereby during the one-touch up mode of operation, the electronics means is constructed and arranged to cause the motor means to stop and reverse the motor when the digital obstruction signal input means or the analog obstruction signal input means indicates that an obstruction is in a path of the upwardly moving window.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the digital obstruction signal input means is constructed and arranged to receive digital input signals from an optical sensor.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the analog obstruction signal input means is constructed and arranged to receive analog input signals in the form of one of analog voltages and varying resistances.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said motor means is a permanent magnet motor.

14. The system of claim 10, further including switch decoding means for receiving switch inputs indicating certain desired movements of the window, outputs of the switch decoding means being received by the switch decoding input means of the electronics means.

15. The system of claim 10, further including a reversing relay means for receiving signals from the electronics means and applying power of a certain polarity to brushes of the motor means.

16. The system of claim 10, further including a current sensing means for monitoring motor current so that the electronics means can turn the motor means off at the end of window travel.

17. The system of claim 10, in combination with the obstruction sensor, outputs of the obstruction sensor being received by the analog obstruction signal input means.

18. The system of claim 10, in combination with the obstruction sensor, outputs of the obstruction sensor being received by the digital obstruction signal input means.