Vehicle front door power opening system

• US 9,797,181 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2015
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Inventors: Wheeler, David, McCarthy, Chris, Warman, Jacob, Newman, Austin, Hughes, John
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US14/851,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20170058588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36, 701 49, 2961464, 340 572
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/04 arranged at the vehicle sides panel mounted arm-rests B60N2/78; wall liners B60R13/02; door edge guards B60R13/043; padded linings associated with the side doors B60R21/0428
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/047 characterised by the opening or closing movement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/616 operated by push-pull mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/63 operated by swinging arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/76 responsive to devices carried by persons or objects, e.g. magnets or reflectors E05F15/77 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/426 for the initial opening movement
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/434 Electromotors; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/624 Arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/356 Predefined intermediate positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/40 Control units therefore
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/44 Sensors therefore E05Y2400/322, E05Y2400/33, E05Y2400/55, E05Y2400/56, E05Y2400/852 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/45 Control modes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/53 Wing impact prevention or reduction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/85 User input means
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/86 by hand
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/46 in or on the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/428 against water
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 : Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/64 : using a proximity sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 : operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00944 : Details of construction or manufacture

Abstract

A system for a vehicle includes: a door; an electric actuating motor that opens and closes the door, the electric actuating motor configured for actuating at a hinge of the door; a push-open actuator mounted at a rear of the door, the push-open actuator configured for pushing against a body of the vehicle; and a wireless device configured for communications to the vehicle. A system for a vehicle includes: a front door; a rear door behind the front door, the rear door having a dual-hinge design that opens and closes in a substantially vertical direction; an electric actuating motor that opens and closes the front door, the electric actuating motor configured for actuating at a hinge of the front door; and a wireless device configured for communications to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a door;

an electric actuating motor that opens and closes the door, the electric actuating motor configured for actuating at a hinge of the door;

a push-open actuator mounted at a rear of the door, the push-open actuator configured for pushing against a body of the vehicle;

a detector configured to detect a wireless device configured for communications to the vehicle; and

a door controller configured to;

in response to determining that the wireless device is within a first predefined zone proximate to the door, control the electric actuating motor to open the door to a first angle; and

in response to determining that the wireless device is within a second predefined zone proximate the door, control the electric actuating motor to open the door to a second angle that is greater than the first angle.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a touch control on an outside of the door, the touch control configured for activating at least one of the electric actuating motor and the push-open actuator.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the door is a front door, the system further comprising a rear door behind the front door, the rear door having a dual-hinge design that opens and closes in a substantially vertical direction.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a touchscreen inside the vehicle, the touchscreen configured to display a control for closing or opening the door.

5. A system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a front door;

a rear door behind the front door, the rear door having a dual-hinge design that opens and closes in a substantially vertical direction;

an electric actuating motor that opens and closes the front door, the electric actuating motor configured for actuating at a hinge of the front door;

a detector configured to detect a wireless device configured for communications to the vehicle; and

a door controller configured to, in response to determining that the wireless device is within a predefined zone proximate to the front door and that the rear door is closed, control the electric actuating motor to open the door to a first angle.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a push-open actuator mounted at a rear of the front door, the push-open actuator configured for pushing against a body of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising a touch control on an outside of the door, the touch control configured for activating the electric actuating motor.

8. The system of claim 5, further comprising a touchscreen inside the vehicle, the touchscreen configured to display a control for closing or opening the front door.

9. A method comprising:

detecting that a wireless device associated with a vehicle is within a first predefined zone proximate to a door of the vehicle;

in response to the detection of the wireless device, actuating an electric motor that opens the door to a first angle;

detecting that an object is within a second predefined zone proximate the door; and

in response to detecting the object, actuating the electric motor that opens the door to a second angle greater than the first angle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the door is a driver door, the method further comprising detecting whether a rear door behind the driver door is closed, wherein the electric motor is actuated to open the driver door to the second angle only if the rear door is closed.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the rear door has a dual-hinge design that opens and closes in a substantially vertical direction.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first angle is about 15-25 degrees, and the second angle is about 40-50 degrees.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the object is detected by ultrasonic sensing.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising activating a push-open actuator mounted at a rear of the door, the push-open actuator configured for pushing against a body of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the push-open actuator is activated upon determining that the electric motor is unable to open the door.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving an input generated by a touch control on an outside of the door, and activating the electric motor in response to the input.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising detecting that a brake pedal of the vehicle is being depressed, and in response actuating the electric motor to close the door.

18. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

i) closing the door;

ii) receiving an input generated using a door handle inside the door; and

iii) in response to the input actuating the electric motor to open the door.

19. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

i) closing the door;

ii) receiving an input generated using a touchscreen inside the door; and

iii) in response to the input actuating the electric motor to open the door.

20. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving an input generated by pressing on the wireless device, and in response actuating the electric motor to open or close the door.