Multizone capacitive anti-pinch system
First Claim
1. An anti-pinch assembly for a closure panel of a motor vehicle having a closure frame and the closure panel is movable between open and closed positions along a path using a closure motor, said anti-pinch assembly comprising:
- a controller;
a position sensor operably connected to said controller, said position sensor generating a position signal indicative of a position of the closure panel as the closure panel moves; and
a capacitive sensor mounted on the motor vehicle and positioned to sense a capacitive field and operably connected to said controller to provide an output signal to said controller, said capacitive sensor operative to sense changes in the capacitive field resulting from an object extending between the closure frame and the closure panel and thereafter stops the closure panel from moving towards the closed position, wherein said controller operates said capacitive sensor at a plurality of threshold levels providing multiple sensitivity levels as a function of the position of the closure panel as indicated by said position sensor.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An anti-pinch assembly is used for a closure panel movable between open and closed positions on a motor vehicle. A controller operably connected to the closure panel controls operation thereof. A position sensor connected to the controller indicates the position of the closure panel between the open and closed positions. A capacitive sensor mounted on the vehicle and connected to the controller provides an output signal to the controller indicative of the presence of a foreign object in the path of the closure panel. The controller varies the function of the capacitive sensor through a plurality of threshold levels as a function of the position of the closure panel as indicated by the position indicator. In a critical zone of travel with the closure panel nearing the closed position, the capacitive sensor can be utilized in either a contact mode or a non-contact mode or a combination of both.
22 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An anti-pinch assembly for a closure panel of a motor vehicle having a closure frame and the closure panel is movable between open and closed positions along a path using a closure motor, said anti-pinch assembly comprising:
-
a controller; a position sensor operably connected to said controller, said position sensor generating a position signal indicative of a position of the closure panel as the closure panel moves; and a capacitive sensor mounted on the motor vehicle and positioned to sense a capacitive field and operably connected to said controller to provide an output signal to said controller, said capacitive sensor operative to sense changes in the capacitive field resulting from an object extending between the closure frame and the closure panel and thereafter stops the closure panel from moving towards the closed position, wherein said controller operates said capacitive sensor at a plurality of threshold levels providing multiple sensitivity levels as a function of the position of the closure panel as indicated by said position sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method for detecting the presence of an obstacle in a path of a closure panel movable by a motor between an open position and a closed position using a position sensor, a capacitive sensor, a threshold capacitor and a pulse generator, the method comprising the steps of:
-
generating a threshold signal corresponding to a plurality of threshold levels providing multiple sensitivity levels as a function of the position of the closure of the panel; measuring the dielectric in a field extending in the path of the closure panel to generate a measured signal; comparing the measured signal with the threshold signal as a function of the panel position; and stopping the closure panel from moving towards the closed position when the measured signal exceeds the threshold signal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. An anti-pinch assembly for a closure panel of a motor vehicle having a closure frame and the closure panel is movable between open and closed positions along a path including first, second and third zones using a closure motor, said anti-pinch assembly comprising:
-
a controller; a position sensor operably connected to said controller, said position sensor generating a position signal indicative of a position of the closure panel as the closure panel moves; and a capacitive sensor mounted on the motor vehicle and positioned to sense a capacitive field and operably connected to said controller to provide an output signal to said controller, said capacitive sensor operative to sense changes in the capacitive field resulting from an object extending between the closure frame and the closure panel and thereafter stops the closure panel from moving towards the closed position, wherein said controller operates said capacitive sensor at a first threshold level when the closure panel is in the first zone extending from the open position to the second zone, and wherein said controller operates said capacitive sensor at a second threshold level, having a decreased sensitivity relative to said first threshold level, when the closure panel is in the second zone extending from the first zone to the third zone, and wherein said controller deactivates said capacitive sensor when the closure panel is in the third zone extending from the second zone to the closed position.
-
Specification