Opening and closing apparatus

• US 7,055,885 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2003
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ASMO Company Limited (DENSO Corporation), Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: ASMO Company Limited (DENSO Corporation), Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hattori, Takeshi, Araki, Ryoji, Ishihara, Hidenori, Shibata, Kazuya, Tanigawa, Masahiro, Chiura, Tatsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, D. Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLANKENSHIP, GREGORY A
• Application Number:
  US10/669,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20040107640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 296/146.8, 296/146.4, 296/146.9, 296/155, 49 26- 28, 491/97, 200/61.43
• US Class Current: 296/146.4
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/44 responsive to changes in electrical conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/616 operated by push-pull mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailboards, tailgates or sideboards opening upwards

Abstract

An opening/closing apparatus including a trapping detection structure which reliably implements detection of trapping of foreign objects, even at a structure at which an outer peripheral edge of a moving body or an inner peripheral edge of an opening includes corner portions with small radii of curvature. A pressure sensor which detects external forces from directions intersecting a length direction thereof is provided at an outer periphery portion of a back door. However, at a corner portion, at a lower end portion of a door side portion or the like, the pressure sensor is provided with a large curvature such that the pressure sensor keeps distant from the corner portion. In place thereof, another pressure sensor, with a facing pair of electrode sheets, is provided along the corner portion. When one or more of these pressure sensors detects an external force, the back door is moved for opening.

Claims

1. An opening and closing apparatus comprising:

a body portion including a gate;

a closure provided at the body portion and capable of opening and closing the gate;

a first pressure sensor disposed along a peripheral edge of at least one of the gate and the closure, the first pressure sensor including a curved portion;

a second pressure sensor disposed between the peripheral edge and the curved portion of the first pressure sensor; and

a control apparatus that controls opening and closing of the closure in accordance with operation of at least one of the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor.

2. The opening and closing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control apparatus comprises a driver that drives the opening and closing of the closure.

3. The opening and closing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control apparatus further comprises a controller that controls driving for opening and closing the closure.

4. The opening and closing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the closure is made to stop at a time of operation of at least one of the sensors.

5. The opening and closing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the closure is driven in an opening direction at a time of operation of at least one of the sensors.

6. The opening and closing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pressure sensor comprises an insulative body including a hollow transverse cross-section, and at least two long cord form electrodes disposed in helical forms along an interior face of the insulative body so as to usually be non-conductive with one another.

7. The opening and closing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second pressure sensor comprises a plate-form insulative body including a hollow transverse cross-section, and two sheet-form electrodes disposed at opposing interior faces of the insulative body so as to usually be nonconductive with one another.

8. The opening and closing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body portion includes a body of a vehicle, and the closure includes a door.

9. The opening and closing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the closure operates by swinging.

10. The opening and closing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second pressure sensor is provided so as to approach both ends of the curved portion of the first pressure sensor.