Control system for controlling an adjusting device operated by electric motor in a motor vehicle

• US 7,843,153 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2006
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Coburg
• Original Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Coburg
• Inventors: Kalb, Roland, Held, Jochen, Buhlheller, Jurgen, Zellmer, Rene, Schlesiger, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Leykin; Rita
• Application Number:
  US12/097,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20090090061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• Field of Search: 318/286, 318/280, 318/256, 318/264, 318/269, 318/273, 318/282, 318/461, 318/466, 180/286, 180/289, 180/330, 180/326, 180/334, 180/328, 180/327, 180/173, 49/28, 49/26, 323/274, 323/284, 701/36, 701/49
• US Class Current: 318/264
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/00 Power-operated mechanisms for wings motor-operated accessories in locks for completing closing or initiating opening of a wing E05B17/00
• 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 15/695 Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/26 Mechanical friction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/648 having teeth toothed gearing E05Y2201/71
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/45 Control modes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/50 Fault detection
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/554 sensing motor load
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/58 Sensitivity setting or adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/818 with visual display
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/82 Images, Symbols
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/00 Details, accessories and auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37624 Detect collision, blocking by measuring change of velocity or torque
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45242 Door, panel, window operation, opening, closing

Abstract

A control system for controlling an adjustment device which is operated by electric motor in a motor vehicle includes an indirect anti-trapping system for detecting a trapping situation between an adjustment element, which is moved by the adjustment device in an adjustment movement along an adjustment path, and a vehicle element. The anti-trapping system stops or reverses the adjustment movement of the adjustment element if a defined threshold value for a mechanical running parameter—which results from the adjustment movement is exceeded. The anti-trapping system operates with an analysis unit for analyzing the adjustment movement of the adjustment element, wherein the control system is configured and embodied in such a way that by means of the analysis unit, in an analysis mode, the running parameters of the adjustment device can be checked for mechanical functional faults of the adjustment device.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling an adjustment device which is operated by an electric motor in a motor vehicle, the control system comprising:

an indirect anti-trapping system for detecting a trapping situation between an adjustment element, which is moved by the adjustment device in an adjustment movement along an adjustment path, and a vehicle element, wherein the anti-trapping system is configured to stop or reverse the adjustment movement of the adjustment element if a defined threshold value for a mechanical running parameter which results from the adjustment movement is exceeded,

an analysis unit for analyzing the adjustment movement of the adjustment element, wherein the analysis unit functions, on the one hand, as a functional component of the anti-trapping system and, on the other hand to check for mechanical functional faults of the adjustment device other than a trapping situation in an analysis mode and to generate a diagnostic message indicating a mechanical functional fault of the adjustment device if a threshold value for a running parameter which is different than the threshold value for the detection of an anti-trapping situation is exceeded.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the functional faults are determinable in the form of above-average difficulty of movement of the adjustment device in certain sections along the adjustment path.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the control system has a control unit which generates at least one diagnostic message using the analyzed mechanical running parameters.

4. The control system claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to generate the diagnostic message automatically or in response to a manual request.

5. The control system of claim 3, wherein the control unit implements the diagnostic message with at least one of a characteristic movement sequence of the adjustment element and as a visual diagnostic message in the form of a display of a message on a display which is arranged on the motor vehicle.

6. The control system of claim 5, wherein the visual diagnostic message comprises a diagram which represents the traveling movement.

7. The control system of claim 5, wherein the visual diagnostic message has a text component which contains instructions on how to find more extensive information on fault recovery.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein the control system carries out rotational speed monitoring of the adjustment device with the analysis unit forming mean values over the entire adjustment path.

9. The control system of claim 1, wherein the control system monitors fluctuations in synchronism of the adjustment device with the analysis unit.

10. The control system of claim 1, wherein the control system can be placed in the analysis mode with an activation element on the motor vehicle.

11. The control system of claim 10, wherein, in order to activate the analysis mode, the control system additionally requests inputting of a code with the activation element.

12. The control system of claim 1, wherein, in the analysis mode of the control system, the analysis unit has lower threshold values for at least one of a maximum torque and a maximum change in torque of the adjustment device over a time interval or over a distance interval of the adjustment path.

13. The control system of claim 12, wherein for critical position areas along the adjustment path at which the lower threshold values are exceeded, the control system is configured to generate a diagnostic message configured as a characteristic movement sequence of the adjustment element along the critical position areas.

14. The control system of claim 13, wherein the diagnostic message is additionally configured as a visual diagnostic message for critical position areas, and said diagnostic message is configured to be displayed with a display which is arranged on the motor vehicle.

15. The control system of claim 14, wherein the visual display message is configured in the form of a diagram which represents the travel path.

16. The control system of claim 14, wherein the visual diagnostic message has a text component which contains instructions on how to find more extensive information on fault recovery.

17. The control system of claim 1, wherein the control system has an electronic memory element for storing the mechanical running parameters which are determined.

18. A window lifting system for a motor vehicle window pane, having a control system for controlling an adjustment device which is operated by an electric motor in a motor vehicle, the control system comprising:

an indirect anti-trapping system for detecting a trapping situation between an adjustment element, which is moved by the adjustment device in an adjustment movement along an adjustment path, and a vehicle element, wherein the anti-trapping system is configured to stop or reverse the adjustment movement of the adjustment element if a defined threshold value for a mechanical running parameter which results from the adjustment movement is exceeded;

an analysis unit for analyzing the adjustment movement of the adjustment element, wherein the analysis unit functions, on the one hand, as a functional component of the anti-trapping system, and on the other hand, to check for mechanical functional faults of the adjustment device other than a trapping situation in an analysis mode, and to generate a diagnostic message indicating a mechanical functional fault of the adjustment device if a threshold value for a running parameter which is different than the threshold value for the detection of an anti-trapping situation is exceeded.

19. The window lifting system of claim 18, wherein the control system compares the mechanical running parameters determined for a running-in area of the window pane into an assigned window seal with parameter limiting-values for satisfactory running in of the window pane into the seal.

20. Vehicle seat system for a motor vehicle seat having a control system for controlling an adjustment device which is operated by an electric motor in a motor vehicle, the control system comprising:

an indirect anti-trapping system for detecting a trapping situation between an adjustment element, which is moved by the adjustment device in an adjustment movement along an adjustment path, and a vehicle element, wherein the anti-trapping system is configured to stop or reverse the adjustment movement of the adjustment element if a defined threshold value for a mechanical running parameter which results from the adjustment movement is exceeded;

an analysis unit for analyzing the adjustment movement of the adjustment element, wherein the analysis unit functions, on the one hand, as a functional component of the anti-trapping system and, on the other hand to check for mechanical functional faults of the adjustment device other than a trapping situation in an analysis mode and to generate a diagnostic message indicating a mechanical functional fault of the adjustment device if a threshold value for a running parameter which is different than the threshold value for the detection of an anti-trapping situation is exceeded.

21. An adjustment system for a tailgate of a motor vehicle having a control system for controlling an adjustment device which is operated by an electric motor in a motor vehicle, the control system comprising:

an indirect anti-trapping system for detecting a trapping situation between an adjustment element, which is moved by the adjustment device in an adjustment movement along an adjustment path, and a vehicle element, wherein the anti-trapping system is configured to stop or reverse the adjustment movement of the adjustment element if a defined threshold value for a mechanical running parameter which results from the adjustment movement is exceeded;

an analysis unit for analyzing the adjustment movement of the adjustment element, wherein the analysis unit functions, on the one hand, as a functional component of the anti-trapping system and, on the other hand to check for mechanical functional faults of the adjustment device other than a trapping situation in an analysis mode and to generate a diagnostic message indicating a mechanical functional fault of the adjustment device if a threshold value for a running parameter which is different than the threshold value for the detection of an anti-trapping situation is exceeded.