Automobile vehicle door locking assembly and process for testing correct operation of a lock module of this assembly

• US 6,914,346 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2001
• Issued: 07/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: U-Shin France SAS (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Securite Habitacle (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Girard, Raphaël
• Primary Examiner(s): Deberadinis, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US09/797,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20010019227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,583 Days
• Field of Search: 361/760, 700/26, 320/117, 320/121, 307/64, 307/66, 307/10.1, 702/37, 702/55, 702/56, 702/57, 180/289
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0087 Electric spare devices, e.g. auxiliary batteries or capacitors for back up
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/12 Automatic locking or unlocking at the moment of collision
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/86 using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/90 Manual override in case of power failure
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/01 Mechanical arrangements specially adapted for hands-free locking or unlocking handles with means for initiation of a hands-free locking or unlocking process E05B81/78

Abstract

An automobile vehicle door locking assembly, intended to be fitted in a vehicle door, of the type including an electric lock module incorporating, first, an electronic board providing an interface connecting the lock module to a main electrical power supply and to a control of said lock module, and, secondly, back-up electrical power supply to supply the lock module in the event of a malfunction of the main electrical power supply, wherein the back-up electrical power supply include at least one electronic energy-storage component mounted on the electronic board, this component preferably being a supercapacitor.

Claims

1. Automobile vehicle door locking assembly fitted in a vehicle door, including an electric lock module (14) incorporating an electronic board (16) providing an interface connecting said lock module (14) to main electrical power supply means (18, 20) and to means (22 to 26) of control of said lock module (14), and back-up electrical power supply means (28) to supply said lock module (14) in the event of a malfunction of said main electrical power supply means (18, 20), wherein said back-up electrical power supply means (28) include at least one electronic energy-storage component (30) mounted on said electronic board (16), wherein said electronic energy-storage component (30) is permanently loaded by said main electrical power supply means in normal use, and

wherein said electronic energy-storage component (30) is a supercapacitor.

2. Door locking assembly according to claim 1, wherein said back-up electrical power supply means (28) include at least two electronic energy-storage components (30) mounted in series.

3. Door locking assembly according to claim 1, wherein said back-up electrical power supply means (28) include at least two groups of electronic energy-storage components (30), the electronic components of a given group being mounted in series and the two or more groups being mounted in parallel.

4. Door locking assembly according to claim 1, wherein said back-up electrical power supply means (28) include at least one pair of electronic energy-storage components (30) mounted in parallel.

5. Door locking assembly according to claim 1, wherein said back-up electrical power supply means (28) include at least two pairs of electronic energy-storage components (30), these pairs being mounted in series.

6. Door locking assembly according to claim 1, wherein said electronic energy-storage components (30) have an energy density between 0.4 and 10 Wh/kg.

7. Door locking assembly according to claim 1, wherein said electronic energy-storage components (30) have a maximum charging or discharging current between 1 and 10 A for a voltage between 0.8 and 14 V.

8. Door locking assembly according to claim 1, wherein said electronic board (16) includes memorization means (34) which can be electrically supplied by said electronic energy-storage components (30) and in which is stored software designed to test the correct operation of said lock module (14).

9. Process for testing correct operation of a vehicle door locking assembly fitted in a vehicle door and including an electric lock module (14) incorporating an electronic board (16) providing an interface connecting said lock module (14) to main electrical power supply means (18, 20) and to means (22 to 26) of control of said lock module (14), and back-up electrical power supply means (28) to supply said lock module (14) in the event of a malfunction of said main electrical power supply means (18, 20), wherein said back-up electrical power supply means (28) include at least one electronic energy-storage component (30) mounted on said electronic board (16), wherein said electronic energy-storage component (30) is permanently loaded by said main electrical power supply means in normal use, and wherein said electronic energy-storage component (30) is a supercapacitor,

said process characterized in that the test is performed before electrical connection of said lock module (14) to said main electrical power supply means (18, 20) and after electrical charging of said electronic energy-storage component (30), said test process using software stored in memorization means (34) electrically supplied by said electronic energy-storage component (30).