Opening and closing body control method and apparatus for a vehicle

• US 9,617,778 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2015
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Asano, Ryo, Fukui, Norio, Takayanagi, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US14/613,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20150218871A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 3406866, 340540, 49 28, 49 31, 49 32
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 17/003 Power-actuated devices for limiting the opening of vehicle doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 17/203 concealed, e.g. for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/73 responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/242 using threshold speed
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

An opening and closing body control apparatus includes: a first signal receiving unit receiving a first detection signal indicating the presence or absence of contact of a user with an operating portion of an opening and closing body; a second signal receiving unit receiving a second detection signal indicating a movement speed of the body; and a signal output unit outputting a control signal regulating a holding force of the body to a holding force regulating device, wherein the control signal regulating the holding force to a first holding force less than a second holding force is output to the device according to the first detection signal indicating that the contact has been detected, and when the second detection signal indicating that the movement speed body is greater than or equal to a predetermined speed is received when the holding force is the first holding force, the control signal regulating the holding force to the first holding force is output to the device regardless of the first detection signal.

Claims

1. An opening and closing body control apparatus comprising:

a first signal receiving unit configured to receive a first detection signal indicating the presence or absence of contact of a user with an operating portion of an opening and closing body;

a second signal receiving unit configured to receive a second detection signal indicating a movement speed of the opening and closing body; and

a signal output unit configured to output a control signal for regulating a holding force of the opening and closing body to a holding force regulating device,

wherein the control signal for regulating the holding force of the opening and closing body to a first holding force less than a second holding force is output to the holding force regulating device according to the first detection signal indicating that the contact of the user with the operating portion has been detected, and

when the second detection signal indicating that the movement speed of the opening and closing body is greater than or equal to a predetermined speed is received when the holding force of the opening and closing body is the first holding force, the control signal for regulating the holding force of the opening and closing body to the first holding force is output to the holding force regulating device regardless of the first detection signal.

2. The opening and closing body control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the second detection signal indicating that the movement speed of the opening and closing body is less than the predetermined speed is received when the holding force of the opening and closing body is the first holding force, the control signal for switching the holding force of the opening and closing body to the second holding force is output to the holding force regulating device.

3. The opening and closing body control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the first detection signal indicating that the user is not in contact with the operating portion is received when the holding force of the opening and closing body is the second holding force, the control signal for switching the holding force of the opening and closing body to a third holding force greater than the second holding force is output to the holding force regulating device.

4. The opening and closing body control apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a third signal receiving unit configured to receive a third detection signal indicating displacement of the opening and closing body,

wherein when the first detection signal indicating that contact of the user with the operating portion has been detected and the third detection signal indicating that the opening and closing body has been displaced are received when the holding force of the opening and closing body is the second holding force, the control signal for switching the holding force of the opening and closing body to the first holding force is output to the holding force regulating device.

5. The opening and closing body control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth signal receiving unit configured to receive a fourth detection signal indicating a position where the opening and closing body is located, among a closed position, a free area to allow a movement of the opening and closing body, and a brake area to limit further opening movement of the opening and closing body,

wherein when the fourth detection signal indicating that the opening and closing body is in the brake area and the first detection signal indicating that the user is not in contact with the operating portion are received, the control signal for switching the holding force of the opening and closing body to a fourth holding force greater than the second holding force is output to the holding force regulating device.

6. The opening and closing body control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a third signal receiving unit configured to receive a third detection signal indicating displacement of the opening and closing body; and

a fourth signal receiving unit configured to receive a fourth detection signal indicating a position where the opening and closing body is located, among a closed position, a free area to allow a movement of the opening and closing body, and a brake area to limit further opening movement of the opening and closing body,

wherein when the fourth detection signal indicating that the opening and closing body is in the brake area and the third detection signal indicating that a direction of displacement of the opening and closing body is an opening direction are received, the control signal for switching the holding force of the opening and closing body to a fourth holding force greater than the second holding force is output to the holding force regulating device.

7. The opening and closing body control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the brake area is configured to be able to be changed to a desired range.

8. The opening and closing body control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a fifth signal receiving unit configured to receive a fifth detection signal indicating a gradient of a vehicle,

wherein when the fifth detection signal indicating that the vehicle is inclined more than a predetermined gradient is received, the control signal for regulating the holding force of the opening and closing body to a fifth holding force greater than the first holding force according to the gradient of the vehicle, in place of the first holding force, and smaller than the second holding force is output to the holding force regulating device.

9. The opening and closing body control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal output unit has a unit configured to output the control signal for forcibly regulating the holding force of the opening and closing body to a fourth holding force greater than the second holding force by an intention of the user.

10. An opening and closing body control apparatus comprising:

a contact detection sensor which detects the presence or absence of contact of a user with an operating portion of an opening and closing body;

a speed detection sensor which detects a movement speed of the opening and closing body;

a holding force regulating device which regulates a holding force of the opening and closing body; and

a control unit which controls the holding force regulating device based on detection results by the contact detection sensor and the speed detection sensor,

wherein the control unit

regulates the holding force of the opening and closing body to a first holding force less than a second holding force according to a first detection signal indicating that the contact of the user with the operating portion has been detected, and

maintains the holding force of the opening and closing body at the first holding force regardless of the first detection signal when a second detection signal indicating that the movement speed of the opening and closing body is greater than or equal to a predetermined speed is received when the holding force of the opening and closing body is the first holding force.

11. The opening and closing body control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein when the second detection signal indicating that the movement speed of the opening and closing body is less than the predetermined speed is received when the holding force of the opening and closing body is the first holding force, the holding force of the opening and closing body is switched to the second holding force.

12. An opening and closing body control method of a vehicle having a contact detection sensor which detects the presence or absence of contact of a user with an operating portion of an opening and closing body, a speed detection sensor which detects a movement speed of the opening and closing body, and a holding force regulating device which regulates a holding force of the opening and closing body, the method comprising:

regulating the holding force of the opening and closing body to a first holding force less than a second holding force according to a first detection signal indicating that the contact of the user with the operating portion has been detected; and

maintaining the holding force of the opening and closing body at the first holding force regardless of the first detection signal when a second detection signal indicating that the movement speed of the opening and closing body is greater than or equal to a predetermined speed is received when the holding force of the opening and closing body is the first holding force.

13. The opening and closing body control method according to claim 12, wherein when the second detection signal indicating that the movement speed of the opening and closing body is less than the predetermined speed is received when the holding force of the opening and closing body is the first holding force, the holding force of the opening and closing body is switched to the second holding force.