Method for controlling a closing element arrangement on a motor vehicle

• US 9,725,942 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2013
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Hallstadt (Brose)
• Original Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Hallstadt (Brose)
• Inventors: Weidenbacher, Christian, Gunreben, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US14/412,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20150345205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/10 arranged at the vehicle rear B60J5/04 takes precedence ; bonnets or lids B62D25/10; tail gates for pick-up trucks B62D33/0273; counterbalancing E05F; springs, e.g. pneumatic F16F
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/40 Safety devices, e.g. detection of obstructions or end positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• 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 2400/53 Wing impact prevention or reduction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/852 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/858 by body parts, e.g. by feet
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/40 Physical or chemical protection
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailboards, tailgates or sideboards opening upwards

Abstract

A method for activating a closure element arrangement of a motor vehicle, wherein the closure element arrangement has a closure element, a drive arrangement assigned to the closure element, and a control arrangement. In the context of operator control event monitoring by the control arrangement, monitoring is carried out to ascertain whether a predetermined operator control event is present. An activation of the drive arrangement is performed depending on the result of the operator control event monitoring. With assumed freedom of collision of the closure element from the motor vehicle surroundings, the occurrence of various special conditions does not permit the operator control event monitoring, or permits it only to a restricted extent. The control arrangement detects the occurrence of predetermined special conditions and the activation of the closure element arrangement is deactivated depending on the respectively detected special condition.

Claims

1. A method for activating a closure element arrangement of a motor vehicle, wherein the closure element arrangement has a closure element, a drive arrangement assigned to the closure element, and a control arrangement, wherein in the context of operator control event monitoring, by the control arrangement, monitoring is carried out to ascertain whether a predetermined operator control event is present, and an activation of the drive arrangement is performed depending on the result of the operator control event monitoring, wherein with assumed freedom of collision of the closure element from the motor vehicle surroundings the occurrence of various special conditions does not permit the operator control event monitoring or permits it only to a restricted extent, and wherein the control arrangement detects an occurrence of predetermined special conditions and the activation of the closure element arrangement is deactivated depending on the respectively detected special condition at least for a predetermined operator control event.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the closure element arrangement has a transmitting/receiving unit for a user-side remote control, and wherein in the context of the operator control event monitoring by means of the control arrangement, the reception signals of the transmitting/receiving unit are monitored in respect of whether a predetermined actuation of the remote control is present, and an activation of the closure element arrangement is performed depending on the result of the operator control event monitoring.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the closure element arrangement has a sensor arrangement having at least one sensor element embodied as a proximity sensor, wherein in the context of the operator control event monitoring by means of the control arrangement the sensor measurement values of the sensor arrangement are monitored in respect of whether a predetermined operator control event is present, and an activation of the closure element arrangement is performed depending on the result of the operator control event monitoring.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one operator control event is defined as user movement.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one operator control event is defined as foot movement of the operator.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sensor arrangement has at least one sensor element which is embodied as a proximity sensor and which is arranged in or on a rear paneling part of a motor vehicle.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deactivation of the activation of the closure element arrangement is performed depending on the detected special condition for individual or all predetermined operator control events.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a special condition of a first type consists in the fact that the predetermined operator control event is not deemed to be detected in the operator control event monitoring despite the presence of a predetermined user movement, and/or wherein a special condition of a second type consists in the fact that the operator control event is deemed to be detected in the operator control event monitoring despite the presence of a user movement that deviates from the predetermined user movement.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the mechanical configuration of the motor vehicle in use in accordance with normal operation can be altered by an adjustment process and/or by a mounting process, and wherein an altered mechanical configuration of the motor vehicle is detected as a predetermined special condition by the control arrangement.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the activation can be triggered both by means of an operator control event of the actuation of a remote control and by means of an operator control event of the user movement, and wherein at least one special condition is provided, the detection of which brings about a deactivation of the activation of the closure element arrangement for all predetermined operator control events, and/or wherein at least one special condition, in particular the special condition of the first type and/or the special condition of the second type, is provided, the detection of which brings about a deactivation of the activation of the closure element arrangement for the operator control event of the user movement, but not for the operator control event of the actuation of the remote control.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a configuration change of a trailer coupling into an operating position is detected as a predetermined special condition by the control arrangement.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection of an attachment part of the motor vehicle to a trailer coupling of the motor vehicle is detected as a predetermined special condition by the control arrangement.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the connection of the attachment part to the trailer coupling comprises an electrical connection and wherein the detection of at least one special condition is performed on the basis of the electrical connection.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection of a trailer of the motor vehicle to a trailer coupling of the motor vehicle is detected as a predetermined special condition by the control arrangement.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an alteration of the measurement conditions for the sensor arrangement is detected as a predetermined special condition by the control arrangement.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein a rain or car wash situation is detected as a predetermined special condition by the control arrangement.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detection of at least one special condition, in the form of a configuration change of the motor vehicle, is performed on the basis of the sensor measurement values of the sensor arrangement.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the mechanical configuration change of the motor vehicle is accompanied by an electrical configuration change of the motor vehicle and wherein the detection of at least one special condition is performed on the basis of the electrical configuration change.

19. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detection of at least one special condition is performed on the basis of the sensor measurement values of an additional sensor.

20. A control arrangement for carrying out a method as claimed in claim 1.