Powered opening and closing system for vehicle's door

• US 7,941,972 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Act Corporation (Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Mitsui Mining and Smelting Company Limited
• Inventors: Iijima, Kenichi, Kamiya, Haruo
• Primary Examiner(s): REDMAN, JERRY E
• Application Number:
  US12/222,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20090033256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 493/60, 296/155, 296/146.4, 296/146.1, 318/366
• US Class Current: 49/360
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/06 slidable; foldable
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/40 Safety devices, e.g. detection of obstructions or end positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/632 for horizontally-sliding wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/659 Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/662 Motor units therefor, e.g. geared motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/216 Clutches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/53 Wing impact prevention or reduction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45242 Door, panel, window operation, opening, closing

Abstract

A powered opening and closing system includes a door supported on a vehicle body, a motor, a drive mechanism for moving the door in opening and closing directions by virtue of power of the motor, an operation detecting sensor for detecting a handle operation when the door is operated to open or close, and a control circuit for prohibiting the operation of the drive mechanism when a predetermined operation prohibiting condition is detected. The drive mechanism brakes the movement of the door by putting the clutch in an engaged state while the motor is kept stopped. While the predetermined operation prohibiting condition is detected, the control circuit controls the clutch to be engaged while keeping the motor stopped when an opening of the door is detected, and controls the clutch to be disengaged when an operation of the handle is detected by the operation detection sensor.

Claims

1. A powered opening and closing system for a vehicle door, comprising:

a motor;

a drive mechanism for moving the door in opening and closing directions using the motor;

an operation detecting sensor for detecting a handle operation when the door is operated to open/or close;

a control circuit for prohibiting operation of the drive mechanism when a predetermined operation prohibiting condition is detected and;

a vehicle running information unit that detects the predetermined operation prohibiting condition,

wherein the drive mechanism comprises a clutch that is configured to connect and disconnect a power transmission path between the motor and the door, the drive mechanism braking movement of the door by putting the clutch in an engaged state while the motor is kept stopped, and

wherein, while the predetermined operation prohibiting condition is detected, the control circuit is operable to;

control the clutch to be engaged while keeping the motor stopped when an opening of the door from a fully closed position is detected; and

control the clutch to be disengaged when a door closing operation of the handle is detected by the operation detection sensor,

wherein the control circuit controls the clutch to be disengaged only when the operation detecting sensor detects an operation of the handle in a door closing direction.

2. A powered opening and closing system for a vehicle door, comprising:

a motor;

a drive mechanism for moving the door in opening and closing directions using the motor;

an operation detecting sensor for detecting a handle operation when the door is operated to open or close;

a control circuit for prohibiting operation of the drive mechanism when a predetermined operation prohibiting condition is detected and;

a vehicle running information unit that detects the operation prohibiting condition,

wherein the control circuit comprises a brake circuit that is configured to brake the rotation of the motor by shorting across terminals of the motor, and

wherein, while the predetermined operation prohibiting condition is detected, the control circuit is operable to;

control the brake circuit to be on when an opening of the door from a fully closed position is detected; and

control the brake circuit to be off when a door closing operation of the handle is detected by the operation detecting sensor,

wherein the control circuit controls the brake circuit to be off only when the operation detecting sensor detects an operation of the handle in a door closing direction.

3. The powered opening and closing system for a vehicle door according to claim 2, wherein the brake circuit comprises a relay.

4. The powered opening and closing system for a vehicle door according to claim 2, wherein the brake circuit comprises a field-effect transistor.