Swing door actuation system having a power swing door actuator and a control system
First Claim
1. A method for controlling a swing door actuation system for moving a vehicular swing door relative to a vehicle body, wherein the actuation system includes an extensible member connected to the swing door or the vehicle body, a motor, a clutch operatively connected to the motor and the extensible member, comprising the steps of:
- engaging the clutch to couple the motor to the extensible member and move the extensible member in response to an indication that a user wishes to initiate a powered opening or powered closing of the swing door;
disengaging the clutch to uncouple the motor from the extensible member in response to an indication that the user wishes to manually move the swing door;
sending a signal from an actuated manual movement switch to a control system providing the indication that the user wishes to manually move the swing door, wherein the control system is configured to disengage the clutch in response to receipt of the signal from the actuated manual movement switch;
sensing movement of the extensible member at a time when the motor is unpowered and sending a signal from a position sensor to the control system indicating that the user wishes to manually move the swing door in response to movement of the extensible member; and
sending a manual movement signal to the control system in response to sensing that the motor is urged at a speed greater than a threshold design speed.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A swing door actuation system for moving a door about a pivot axis between open closed positions relative to a vehicle body. The system includes a power swing door actuator having a housing connectable to one of the swing door and the vehicle body, an extensible member that moves relative to the housing, and connects to the other of the swing door and the vehicle body, a motor connected to a gear train, and a normally engaged clutch. The motor is operatively connected to a clutch input end through the gear train. The output end is operatively connected to the extensible member. The clutch is disengageable to disconnect the motor from the extensible member. The clutch has a slip torque that is sufficiently high to prevent movement of the door when the door is exposed to less than a selected external torque and the motor is stopped.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for controlling a swing door actuation system for moving a vehicular swing door relative to a vehicle body, wherein the actuation system includes an extensible member connected to the swing door or the vehicle body, a motor, a clutch operatively connected to the motor and the extensible member, comprising the steps of:
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engaging the clutch to couple the motor to the extensible member and move the extensible member in response to an indication that a user wishes to initiate a powered opening or powered closing of the swing door; disengaging the clutch to uncouple the motor from the extensible member in response to an indication that the user wishes to manually move the swing door; sending a signal from an actuated manual movement switch to a control system providing the indication that the user wishes to manually move the swing door, wherein the control system is configured to disengage the clutch in response to receipt of the signal from the actuated manual movement switch; sensing movement of the extensible member at a time when the motor is unpowered and sending a signal from a position sensor to the control system indicating that the user wishes to manually move the swing door in response to movement of the extensible member; and sending a manual movement signal to the control system in response to sensing that the motor is urged at a speed greater than a threshold design speed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for controlling a swing door actuation system for moving a vehicular swing door relative to a vehicle body, wherein the actuation system includes an extensible member connected to the swing door or the vehicle body, a motor, and a clutch operatively connected to the motor and the extensible member, comprising the steps of:
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operatively connecting the motor to the extensible member using the clutch without the application of electrical power to the clutch, operatively disconnecting the motor from the extensible member using the clutch with the application of electrical power to the clutch, and preventing movement of the extensible member and the swing door using the clutch when the swing door is exposed to an external torque that is less than a selected value and the motor is stopped. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for controlling a swing door actuation system for moving a vehicular swing door relative to a vehicle body, wherein the actuation system includes an extensible member connected to the swing door or the vehicle body, a motor, and a clutch operatively connected to the motor and the extensible member, comprising the steps of:
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engaging the clutch to operatively connect the motor to the extensible member, disengaging the clutch to operatively disconnect the motor from the extensible member, the clutch has a selected slip torque value that prevents movement of the swing door when the swing door is exposed to an external torque that is less than the selected slip torque value and the motor is stopped; engaging the clutch and drive the motor to move the swing door in response to an indication that a user wishes to initiate a powered opening or powered closing of the swing door; disengaging the clutch in response to the indication that the user wishes to manually move the swing door; sending a signal from an actuated manual movement switch to a control system providing the indication that the user wishes to manually move the swing door, wherein the control system is configured to disengage the clutch in response to receipt of the signal from the actuated manual movement switch; sensing movement of the extensible member at a time when the motor is unpowered and sending a signal from a position sensor to the control system indicating that the user wishes to manually move the swing door in response to movement of the extensible member; and sending a manual movement signal to the control system in response to sensing that the motor is urged at a speed greater than a threshold design speed.
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16. A method for controlling a swing door actuation system for moving a vehicular swing door relative to a vehicle body, wherein the actuation system includes an extensible member connected to the swing door or the vehicle body, a motor, and a clutch operatively connected to the motor and the extensible member, comprising the steps of:
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operatively connecting the clutch and the motor; operatively connecting the clutch and the extensible member; operatively connecting the motor to the extensible member by engaging the clutch; operatively disconnecting the motor from the extensible member by disengaging the clutch; preventing movement of the door using the clutch when the swing door is exposed to an external torque that is less than a selected value and the motor is stopped; driving the motor to move the swing door in response to indication that a user wishes to initiate a powered opening or powered closing of the swing door by engaging the clutch and disengaging the clutch in response to an indication that the user wishes to manually move the swing door; and providing manual movement signals in response to sensing that the motor is urged at a speed greater than a threshold design speed. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for controlling a swing door actuation system for moving a vehicular swing door relative to a vehicle body, wherein the actuation system includes an extensible member connected to the swing door or the vehicle body, a motor, a clutch operatively connected to the motor and the extensible member, comprising the steps of:
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engaging the clutch to couple the motor to the extensible member and move the extensible member in response to an indication that a user wishes to initiate a powered opening or powered closing of the swing door; disengaging the clutch to uncouple the motor from the extensible member in response to an indication that the user wishes to manually move the swing door; sending a signal from an actuated manual movement switch to a control system providing the indication that the user wishes to manually move the swing door, wherein the control system is configured to disengage the clutch in response to receipt of the signal from the actuated manual movement switch; sensing movement of the extensible member at a time when the motor is unpowered and sending a signal from a position sensor to the control system indicating that the user wishes to manually move the swing door in response to movement of the extensible member; and sending a manual movement signal to the control system in response to sensing that the motor is urged at a speed greater than a threshold design speed.
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Specification