Vehicle anti-pinch control having variable threshold and method

• US 8,326,498 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Witek, Joseph S.
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US12/565,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20110071735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 701/45, 701/46, 701/49, 180/232, 280/734, 280/735, 318/285, 318/445
• US Class Current: 701/49
• 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: E05Y 2400/44 Sensors therefore E05Y2400/322, E05Y2400/33, E05Y2400/55, E05Y2400/56, E05Y2400/852 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/554 sensing motor load
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/58 Sensitivity setting or adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/542 Roof panels
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows

Abstract

A vehicle is provided which includes a closure member such as a powered window or a moon roof or sunroof that may be controlled in an auto close mode. The closure member may be controlled with anti-pinch control to provide a plurality of thresholds that are selected based on the presence of an occupant in close proximity to the vehicle, such as in the vehicle, so that an unsupervised control of the closure member provides a lower anti-pinch threshold than a supervised control of the closure member.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a body having an opening;

a closure member;

an actuator for actuating the closure member between open and closed positions of the opening;

an occupant detector for detecting presence of an occupant; and

a controller controlling the actuator to actuate the closure member based on a first anti-pinch threshold when an occupant is detected and based on a second anti-pinch threshold when no occupant is detected.

2. The vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein the second anti-pinch threshold is less than the first anti-pinch threshold.

3. The vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein the closure member is actuated to the closed position in response to automatic closing of the closure member with the vehicle ignition turned off.

4. The vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein the closure member comprises one of a moon roof and sunroof.

5. The vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein the closure member comprises a window.

6. The vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a motor and the first and second anti-pinch thresholds are compared to sensed current in the motor, wherein when the sensed current exceeds a selected one of the first and second anti-pinch thresholds, the motor is stopped or reversed.

7. The vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein the occupant detector comprises a passenger occupant detection sensor provided in a vehicle seat.

8. The vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein the occupant detector comprises an infrared sensor.

9. The vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein the occupant detector detects the presence of the occupant when the occupant is in close proximity to the vehicle.

10. The vehicle as defined in claim 9, wherein the occupant detector senses location of a vehicle key fob.

11. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein an RF signal of the key fob is processed to determine location of the key fob relative to the vehicle.

12. A system for controlling a closure member between open and closed positions of an opening in a body of a vehicle, said system comprising:

an occupant detector for detecting presence of an occupant in close proximity to the vehicle; and

a controller controlling an actuator to close the closure member based on a first anti-pinch threshold when an occupant is detected and based on a second anti-pinch threshold when no occupant is detected.

13. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein the second anti-pinch threshold is less than the first anti-pinch threshold.

14. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein the first and second anti-pinch thresholds are compared to sensed current in a motor of the actuator, wherein when the sensed current exceeds a selected one of a first and second anti-pinch thresholds, the motor is stopped or reversed.

15. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein the occupant detector comprises a passenger occupant detection sensor provided in a vehicle seat.

16. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein the occupant detector comprises an infrared sensor.

17. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein the occupant detector senses location of a vehicle key fob, wherein an RF signal of the key fob is processed to determine location of the key fob relative to the vehicle.

18. A method of controlling a vehicle closure comprising the steps of:

detecting a vehicle occupant in close proximity to the vehicle;

selecting an anti-pinch threshold from a plurality of preset anti-pinch thresholds based on the occupant detection;

actuating a motor to close the closure member relative to an opening in the body of the vehicle;

sensing current of the motor;

comparing the motor current to the selected anti-pinch threshold to determine whether the closure member may be pinched by an object; and

reversing or stopping the motor when the current exceeds the selected anti-pinch threshold.

19. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the occupant of the vehicle is detected in close proximity to the vehicle based on a passenger occupant detection sensor in a vehicle seat.

20. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the occupant of the vehicle is detected in close proximity to the vehicle based on location of a vehicle key fob.

21. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the location of the key fob is detected based on a transmit RF signal.

22. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the step of sensing whether a vehicle occupant is in close proximity to the vehicle comprises sensing whether an occupant is seated in a vehicle seat.

23. The method as defined in claim 22, wherein the step of selecting the anti-pinch threshold comprises selecting a first anti-pinch threshold when an occupant is detected in close proximity to the vehicle and selecting a second anti-pinch threshold when no occupant is detected in close proximity to the vehicle.

24. The method as defined in claim 23, wherein the second anti-pinch threshold is less than the first anti-pinch threshold.

25. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the vehicle occupant is determined to be in close proximity to the vehicle based on sensing by an infrared sensor.

26. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the closure member comprises a window.

27. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the closure member comprises one of a moon roof and sunroof.

28. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the closure member is actuated to the closed position in response to automatic closing of the closure member with the vehicle ignition turned off.