Vehicle door power assist

• US 8,471,503 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2010
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Oakley, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Masih, Karen
• Application Number:
  US12/833,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20120005965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 318/280, 318/266, 318/282, 318/376, 318/484, 318/259, 318/287, 180/271
• US Class Current: 318/280
• 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 15/60 using electrical actuators
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/632 for horizontally-sliding wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

Vehicles equipped with sliding doors that undergo powered openings typically are prohibited from opening if the vehicle is in drive. Various modes of door operation are disclosed that safely enable powered operation of a vehicle sliding door regardless of the transmission state of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for initiating a powered opening operation of a vehicle sliding door, the method comprising:

engaging the vehicle brakes;

confirming the speed of the vehicle is zero;

actuating a door handle associated with the vehicle sliding door; and

manually opening the vehicle sliding door a distance of at least 50 mm, whereby a powered opening operation of the vehicle sliding door is initiated.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

confirming that the vehicle brakes have been engaged.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein confirming the speed of the vehicle is zero is performed by confirming that a speed signal is zero and continuously maintained as zero for at least 500 milliseconds.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the distance of manual opening of the vehicle sliding door is at least 100 mm.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the distance of manual opening of the vehicle sliding door is at least 500 mm.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the distance of manual opening of the vehicle sliding door is about 100 mm.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle sliding door is in a vehicle having an automatic transmission, and the method is performed while the transmission is in a drive state.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the transmission is in drive.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle sliding door is in a vehicle having an automatic transmission, and the method is performed without regard to the transmission state.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the door handle that is actuated is an inner door handle.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the door handle that is actuated is an outer door handle.

12. A method of initiating a powered opening of a sliding door in a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission while the transmission is in a drive state, the method comprising:

confirming that the vehicle brakes are engaged and that the vehicle is stopped; and

manually opening the sliding door a distance of at least 50 mm, whereby a powered operation of the vehicle sliding door is initiated.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

confirming that a speed of the vehicle is zero.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein confirming the speed of the vehicle is zero is performed by confirming that a speed signal is zero and continuously maintained as zero for at least 500 milliseconds.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the distance of manual opening of the vehicle sliding door is at least 100 mm.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the distance of manual opening of the vehicle sliding door is at least 500 mm.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the distance of manual opening of the vehicle sliding door is about 100 mm.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the transmission is in drive.

19. A method of initiating a powered opening of a sliding vehicle door in a vehicle having an automatic transmission when the transmission is in a drive state, the method comprising:

engaging a vehicle brake;

confirming that a vehicle speed is zero;

manually actuating an inner door handle; and

manually opening the vehicle door at least a distance greater than 100 mm;

whereby a powered opening of the vehicle door is initiated.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the transmission is in a state selected from the group consisting of reverse, drive, second, and first.

21. A method for initiating a powered operation of a vehicle sliding door, the method comprising:

engaging the vehicle brakes;

confirming the speed of the vehicle is zero;

actuating a door handle associated with the vehicle sliding door whereby powered opening of the door occurs for a first distance less than a door fully opened distance;

actuating the door handle again whereby powered opening of the door occurs to thereby fully open the door.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein confirming the speed of the vehicle is zero is performed by confirming that a speed signal is zero and continuously maintained as zero for at least 500 milliseconds.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the first distance is at least 50 mm.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the vehicle sliding door is in a vehicle having an automatic transmission, and the method is performed while the transmission is in a drive state.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the transmission is in drive.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the vehicle sliding door is in a vehicle having an automatic transmission, and the method is performed without regard to the transmission state.

27. A method for initiating a powered operation of a vehicle sliding door, the method comprising:

engaging the vehicle brakes;

confirming the speed of the vehicle is zero, wherein confirming the speed of the vehicle is zero is performed by confirming that a speed signal is zero and continuously maintained as zero for at least 500 milliseconds;

actuating a door handle associated with the vehicle sliding door whereby powered opening of the door occurs to thereby fully open the door.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the vehicle sliding door is in a vehicle having an automatic transmission, and the method is performed while the transmission is in a drive state.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the transmission is in drive.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein the vehicle sliding door is in a vehicle having an automatic transmission, and the method is performed without regard to the transmission state.

31. A method for initiating a powered operation of a vehicle sliding door, the method comprising:

confirming that the vehicle transmission is in any mode besides park;

confirming that the speed of the vehicle is zero;

confirming at least one of conditions (i), (ii), and (iii), wherein condition (i) is that the vehicle engine alternator is not generating, (ii) is that the vehicle engine is not running, and (iii) is that a key is in the vehicle ignition and that the ignition state is in an accessory mode;

initiating powered door opening, whereby the vehicle door is opened.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the vehicle transmission is in neutral.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein confirming the speed of the vehicle is zero is performed by confirming that a speed signal is zero and continuously maintained as zero for at least 500 milliseconds.