Door opening/closing control apparatus for a vehicle

• US 6,923,479 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2002
• Issued: 08/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Norikazu, Aiyama, Takaya
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, John B.
• Application Number:
  US10/318,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20030122426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 292/DIG.22, 292/DIG.26, 292/DIG.41, 292/DIG.65, 70254-257, 70262-269
• US Class Current: 292/201
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/0083 Sound emitting devices, e.g. loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/10 Illuminating devices on or for locks or keys; Transparent or translucent lock parts; Indicator lights
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0065 Saving energy E05B2047/0053, E05B2047/0074, E05B2047/0077, E05B2047/0079, E05B2047/0081 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 41/00 Locks with visible indication as to whether the lock is locked or unlocked indicator lights E05B17/10
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/54 Automatic securing or unlocking of bolts triggered by certain vehicle parameters, e.g. exceeding a speed threshold triggered by vehicle collision E05B77/12
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/14 operating on bolt detents, e.g. for unlatching the bolt
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/54 Electrical circuits for locking several wings simultaneously E05B77/48
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/58 including time control, e.g. for controlling run-time of electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/64 Monitoring or sensing, e.g. by using switches or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/66 the bolt position, i.e. the latching status
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/70 the wing position
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/76 Detection of handle operation; Detection of a user approaching a handle; Electrical switching actions performed by door handles
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/12 Inner door handles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5889 For automotive vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5973 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/60 Systems

Abstract

A vehicle door opening/closing control apparatus includes a first operating member assembled to an inner side of a vehicle door for operating an actuator capable of opening/closing the vehicle door by manual operation, a controlling means for controlling the actuator to be in an operable or non-operable condition in response to the manual operation of the first operating member, a second operating member assembled to the inner side of the vehicle door for switching the condition of the actuator to be the operable or non-operable condition by manual operation of the second operating member, and an indicating means for indicating the controlled condition of the actuator.

Claims

1. A vehicle door opening/closing control apparatus, comprising:

an actuator for switching a vehicle door relative to a vehicle body from a closed condition to an open condition by operating a holding means for holding the vehicle door at the closed condition relative to the vehicle body;

a first operating member assembled to an inner side of the vehicle door for operating the actuator by manual operation;

a controlling means for controlling the actuator to be in an operable or non-operable condition in response to the manual operation of the first operating member;

a second operating member assembled to the inner side of the vehicle door for switching the condition of the actuator to be either the operable or non-operable condition by manual operation of the second operating member;

an indicating means for indicating the controlled condition of the actuator and

wherein the controlling means controls the controlled condition of the actuator to be either the operable or non-operable condition in response to the manual operation of the first operating member with reference to a vehicle moving speed.

2. A vehicle door opening/closing control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controlling means operates the indicating means to indicate the controlled condition of the actuator during the second operating member being under operation, and the controlling means further switches the controlled condition of the actuator to be either the operable or non-operable condition when the operation of the second operating member is completed.

3. A vehicle door opening/closing control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controlling means terminates the indication of the controlled condition of the actuator by the indicating means when a predetermined period of time passes since a termination of the operation of the second operating member.

4. A vehicle door opening/closing control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controlling means operates the indicating means to indicate the controlled condition of the actuator by the manual operation of the first operating member, and the controlling means terminates the indication of the controlled condition of the actuator by the indicating means when a predetermined period of time passes since a termination of the operation of the first operating member.

5. A vehicle door opening/closing control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controlling means operates the indicating means to indicate the controlled condition of the actuator by the manual operation of the first operating member, and the controlling means terminates the indication of the controlled condition of the actuator by the indicating means when a predetermined period of time passes since a termination of the operation of the first operating member.

6. A vehicle door opening/closing control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controlling means operates the indicating means to indicate the controlled condition of the actuator by the manual operation of the first operating member, and the controlling means terminates the indication of the controlled condition of the actuator by the indicating means when a predetermined period of time passes since a termination of the operation of the first operating member.

7. A vehicle door opening/closing control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding means is a latch mechanism, the first operating means is a latch switch operated in a vehicle longitudinal direction, and the second operating means is a lock switch operated in a vehicle lateral direction.

8. A vehicle door opening/closing control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a controller as the controlling means operates the indicating means to indicate the controlled condition of the actuator during the lock switch being under operation, and the controller further switches the controlled condition of the actuator to be either the operable or non-operable condition when the operation of the lock switch is completed.

9. A vehicle door opening/closing control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the indicating means is an indicator assembled to a portion adjacent to the inner side of the vehicle door, the portion extends approximately orthogonal with a vehicle lateral direction, and an upper portion of the portion is sloping in a vehicle outward direction so that the indicator is visible from an outside of the vehicle body.

10. A vehicle door opening/closing control apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a second operating member operation judging means for judging whether or not the second operating member has been operated for switching the controlled condition of the actuator to be the operable or non-operable condition;

a first operating member operation judging means for judging whether or not the first operating member has been operated when the second operating member operation judging means judges that the second operating member has not been operated;

a vehicle door condition judging means for judging whether or not the vehicle door is at the closed condition when the first operating member operation judging means judges that the first operating member has not been operated;

an actuator controlled condition judging means for judging whether the controlled condition of the actuator is either the operable or non-operable condition when the vehicle door condition judging means judges that the vehicle door is at the closed condition, and

an actuator controlled condition indicating means for operating the indicator to indicate that the controlled condition of the actuator is the operable condition when the actuator controlled condition judging means judges that the controlled condition of the actuator is the operable condition and for operating the indicator to indicate that the controlled condition of the actuator is the non-operable condition when the actuator controlled condition judging means judges that the controlled condition of the actuator is the non-operable condition.

11. A vehicle door opening/closing control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the actuator controlled condition indicating means operates the indicator to be lighted on at a predetermined first color when the controlled condition of the actuator is judged to be the non-operable condition and to be lighted on at another predetermined color being different from the first color when the controlled condition of the actuator is judged to be the operable condition.

12. A vehicle door opening/closing control apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a period of time judging means for judging whether the indicator has indicated the controlled condition of the actuator for a period of time being greater than a predetermined period of time, and the period of time is counted since a termination of the operation of the first operating member or the second operating member while the actuator controlled condition indicating means has operated the indicating means to indicate the controlled condition of the actuator, wherein the actuator controlled condition indicating means terminates the operation of the indicating means to indicate the controlled condition of the actuator when the period of time judging means judges that the indicating means has indicated for the period of time being greater than the predetermined period of time.

13. A vehicle door opening/closing control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second operating member operation judging means for judging whether or not the second operating member has been operated for switching the controlled condition of the actuator to be the operable or non-operable condition;

a first operating member operation judging means for judging whether or not the first operating member has been operated when the second operating member judging means judges that the second operating member has not been operated;

an actuator controlled condition judging means for judging whether the controlled condition of the actuator is either the operable or non-operable condition when the first operating member operation judging means judges that the first operating member has been operated;

an actuator controlled condition indicating means for operating the indicating means to indicate that the controlled condition of the actuator is the operable condition when the actuator controlled condition judging means judges that the controlled condition of the actuator is the operable condition and for operating the indicating means to indicate that the controlled condition of the actuator is the non-operable condition when the actuator controlled condition judging means judges that the controlled condition of the actuator is the non-operable condition; and

an actuator operating means for operating the actuator when the actuator controlled condition indicating means operates the indicating means to indicate that the controlled condition of the actuator is the operable condition, wherein the actuator is not operated when the actuator controlled condition indicating means operates the indicating means to indicate that the controlled condition of the actuator is the non-operable condition even if the first operating member has been operated.

14. A vehicle door opening/closing control apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a vehicle speed judging means for judging whether or not the vehicle speed is substantially equal to a prescribed value or greater than that when the vehicle condition judging means judges that the vehicle door is at the closed condition;

the actuator controlled condition judging means for judging whether the controlled condition of the actuator is either the operable or non-operable condition when the vehicle speed judging means judges that the vehicle speed is smaller than the prescribed value; and

a vehicle door opening operation restraining means for restraining the vehicle door from being opened when the vehicle speed judging means judges that the vehicle speed is substantially equal to the prescribed value or greater than that.

15. A vehicle door opening/closing control apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

a vehicle speed judging means for judging whether or not a vehicle speed is substantially equal to a prescribed value or greater than that when the first operating member operation judging means judges that the first operating member has been operated;

the actuator controlled condition judging means for judging whether the controlled condition of the actuator is either the operable or non-operable condition when the vehicle speed judging means judges that the vehicle speed is smaller than the prescribed value; and

a vehicle door opening operation restraining means for restraining the vehicle door from being opened when the vehicle speed judging means judges that the vehicle speed is substantially equal to the prescribed value or greater than that.

16. A vehicle door opening/closing control apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the actuator operating means operates the actuator in response to the manual operation of the second operating member while the actuator controlled condition indicating means has operated the indicating means to indicate that the controlled condition of the actuator is the non-operable condition with the first operating member being operated.