Door-opening/closing apparatus

• US 7,156,447 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2003
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Act Corporation (Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Mitsui Mining and Smelting Company Limited
• Inventors: Watanabe, Hirofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): MORROW, JASON S
• Application Number:
  US10/649,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20040046401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 296/146.1, 296/155, 296/146.4, 296/146.8, 495/03
• US Class Current: 296/146.4
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/603 using rotary electromotors
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/63 operated by swinging arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/216 Clutches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/246 by motors, magnets, springs or weights
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/462 Electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/337 Encoder wheels
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/44 Sensors therefore E05Y2400/322, E05Y2400/33, E05Y2400/55, E05Y2400/56, E05Y2400/852 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/445 Switches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/854 Switches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/113 Power assistance
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/73 Single use of elements
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailgates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/28 Extension link

Abstract

The door-opening/closing apparatus includes a door, a driving unit that drives the door to close the door, a door movement detection unit that detects a movement of the door, an electrostatic switch that is mounted on the door for detecting a human'"'"'s touching the door, and a judgment unit that judges whether the door is attempted to be closed. When the door movement detection unit detects a movement of the door, and when the electrostatic switch senses a human'"'"'s touching the door, the judgment unit judges that the door is attempted to be closed, and then the driving unit drives to close the door.

Claims

1. A door-opening/closing apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a body having an opening;

a door for closing the opening of the body;

a driving unit that drives the door to close the door;

a first sensor and a second sensor different from said first sensor;

a door movement detection unit responsive to a condition of said first sensor that detects a closing movement of the door and generates a movement detection output;

a judgment unit responsive to a condition of said second sensor that judges whether the door is attempted to be closed and generates a closing attempt output; and

a motor control unit that, in response to the movement detection output generated when the door movement detection unit detects a closing movement of the door, and the closing attempt output generated when the judgment unit judges that the door is attempted to be closed, controls the driving unit to automatically close the door.

2. The door-opening/closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises a sensor of an operation of the driving unit, and

said door movement detection unit detects the closing movement of the door by monitoring said first sensor.

3. The door-opening/closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises a sensor of a hinge rotation angle of a hinge that supports the door, and

said door movement detection unit detects the closing movement of the door by detecting a condition of said first sensor.

4. The door-opening/closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises a sensor of an expansion and contraction of a damper mounted between the body and the door, and

said door movement detection unit detects the closing movement of the door by detecting a condition of said first sensor.

8. The door-opening/closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the body includes a vibration sensor as said second sensor that senses a vibration of the body, and

wherein when the door movement detection unit detects the closing movement of the door, and when the vibration sensor senses no vibration of the body, the judgment unit judges that the door is attempted to be closed.

9. The door-opening/closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the door is a back door that closes a tailgate formed on a rear portion of the body.

10. The door-opening/closing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the door is a side door that closes a side gate formed on a side portion of the body.

11. The door-opening/closing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a door switch for switching between a closing command and an opening command depending upon a length of ON time of the switch to close or open the door.

5. A door-opening/closing apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a body having an opening;

a door for closing the opening of the body;

a driving unit that drives the door to close the door;

a first sensor and a second sensor different from said first sensor;

a door movement detection unit responsive to a condition of said first sensor that detects a closing movement of the door and generates a movement detection output;

a judgment unit responsive to a condition of said second sensor that judges whether the door is attempted to be closed and generates a closing attempt output; and

a motor control unit that, in response to the movement detection output generated when the door movement detection unit detects a closing movement of the door, and the closing attempt output generated when the judgment unit judges that the door is attempted to be closed, controls the driving unit to automatically close the door,

wherein the door includes a sensing unit as said second sensor that senses a human'"'"'s touching the door, and

wherein when the sensing unit senses the human'"'"'s touching the door, the judgment unit judges that the door is attempted to be closed.

6. The door-opening/closing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the sensing unit is an electrostatic switch.

7. The door-opening/closing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the sensing unit is a temperature sensor switch.