Vehicle having opening-closing control function

• US 9,714,535 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2015
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Inventors: Natsui, Hiroshi, Itoi, Isao, Tanaka, Noriyasu, Fujino, Hiroaki, Watanabe, Naoto, Kobayashi, Hiroyuki, Takahashi, Tetsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US14/619,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20150233167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 701 49
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/358 in the proximity of end positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/44 Sensors therefore E05Y2400/322, E05Y2400/33, E05Y2400/55, E05Y2400/56, E05Y2400/852 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/12 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailgates

Abstract

A vehicle such as an automobile includes: a vehicle body having an opening; an opening-closing member that closes the opening; a drive member that drives the opening-closing member so as to open and/or close the opening; a controller that controls the drive member to control the opening-closing member between a fully open position and a fully closed position; and an elastic member provided at a mating portion of the closed opening-closing member and the vehicle body and inserted between the closed opening-closing member and the vehicle body. The controller controls the drive member in a stopping state of the vehicle and opens the opening-closing member from the fully closed position so as to reduce a pressure acting upon the elastic member.

Claims

1. A vehicle providing an opening-closing control function, the vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body including an opening;

an opening-closing member that closes the opening;

a drive member that drives the opening-closing member so as to open or close the opening;

a controller that controls the drive member to control the opening-closing member between a fully open position and a fully closed position; and

an elastic member provided at a mating portion of the closed opening-closing member and the vehicle body, and inserted between the closed opening-closing member and the vehicle body, wherein

the controller, while the vehicle is stopped, is configured to drive the opening-closing member from the fully closed position to a slightly open position in which waterproofing at the mating portion of the opening-closing member and the vehicle body is maintained by the elastic member and the controller is configured to maintain the opening-closing member at the slightly open position, so as to reduce a compression of the elastic member.

2. The vehicle providing an opening-closing control function according to claim 1, wherein

the controller is configured to drive the opening-closing member from the fully closed position to the slightly open position when detecting that the vehicle is stopped continuously for more than a predetermined time period.

3. The vehicle providing an opening-closing control function according to claim 2, wherein

when opening the opening-closing member from the fully closed position to the slightly open position, the controller is configured to drive the opening-closing member to the slightly open position comprising a predetermined stroke in the opening direction from the fully closed position and in which a lock of the opening-closing member is not released.

4. The vehicle providing an opening-closing control function according to claim 3, further comprising:

a torque sensor that detects a drive torque of the opening-closing member created by the drive member, wherein

when opening the opening-closing member from the fully closed position to the slightly open position, the controller is configured to drive the drive member until it is determined that the torque detected by the torque sensor is lower than a torque necessary for controlling the opening-closing member to the fully closed position.

5. The vehicle providing an opening-closing control function according to claim 3, further comprising:

a position sensor that detects a position of the opening-closing member, wherein

when opening the opening-closing member from the fully closed position to the slightly open position, the controller is configured to drive the drive member until it is determined, on the basis of the detection of the position sensor, that the position of the opening-closing member has shifted from the fully closed position.

6. The vehicle providing an opening-closing control function according to claim 2, further comprising:

a torque sensor that detects a drive torque of the opening-closing member created by the drive member, wherein

when opening the opening-closing member from the fully closed position to the slightly open position, the controller is configured to drive the drive member until it is determined that the torque detected by the torque sensor is lower than a torque necessary for controlling the opening-closing member to the fully closed position.

7. The vehicle providing an opening-closing control function according to claim 2, further comprising:

a position sensor that detects a position of the opening-closing member, wherein

when opening the opening-closing member from the fully closed position to the slightly open position, the controller is configured to drive the drive member until it is determined, on the basis of the detection of the position sensor, that the position of the opening-closing member has shifted from the fully closed position.

8. The vehicle providing an opening-closing control function according to claim 1, wherein

when opening the opening-closing member from the fully closed position to the slightly open position, the controller is configured to drive the opening-closing member to the slightly open position comprising a predetermined stroke in the opening direction from the fully closed position and in which a lock of the opening-closing member is not released.

9. The vehicle providing an opening-closing control function according to claim 8, further comprising:

a torque sensor that detects a drive torque of the opening-closing member created by the drive member, wherein

when opening the opening-closing member from the fully closed position to the slightly open position, the controller is configured to drive the drive member until it is determined that the torque detected by the torque sensor is lower than a torque necessary for controlling the opening-closing member to the fully closed position.

10. The vehicle providing an opening-closing control function according to claim 8, further comprising:

a position sensor that detects a position of the opening-closing member, wherein

when opening the opening-closing member from the fully closed position to the slightly open position, the controller is configured to drive the drive member until it is determined, on the basis of the detection of the position sensor, that the position of the opening-closing member has shifted from the fully closed position.

11. The vehicle providing an opening-closing control function according to claim 1, further comprising:

a torque sensor that detects a drive torque of the opening-closing member created by the drive member, wherein

when opening the opening-closing member from the fully closed position to the slightly open position, the controller is configured to drive the drive member until it is determined that the torque detected by the torque sensor is lower than a torque necessary for controlling the opening-closing member to the fully closed position.

12. The vehicle providing an opening-closing control function according to claim 1, further comprising:

a position sensor that detects a position of the opening-closing member, wherein

when opening the opening-closing member from the fully closed position to the slightly open position, the controller is configured to drive the drive member until it is determined, on the basis of the detection of the position sensor, that the position of the opening-closing member has shifted from the fully closed position.