Apparatus for controlling a door

• US 20030182759A1
• Filed: 03/26/2003
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: David S. Breed, Sergiy Maltsev, Stuart D. Davis
• Inventors: Breed, David S., Davis, Stuart D., Maltsev, Sergiy
• Granted Patent: US 6,928,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/82
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 17/006 with means for detecting obstacles outside the doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 17/203 concealed, e.g. for vehicles

Abstract

Door check device for a vehicle door, movable from a closed position in a door frame to a plurality of different open positions and held in the open positions, includes a strip connected to the door or door frame and a braking mechanism connected to the other of the door or door frame to provide relative movement between the strip and braking mechanism when the door is moved relative to the door frame. The braking mechanism engages with the strip at several locations and prevents movement of the strip when the braking mechanism engages therewith. The braking mechanism is preferably biased against the strip. The vehicle also includes an electrical system, e.g., a motor or solenoid, coupled to the braking mechanism to disengage it from the strip to permit relative movement between the strip and braking mechanism and thus movement of the door relative to the door frame.

Claims

1. A vehicle including a door movable from a closed position in a door frame to any one of a plurality of different open positions and held in the different open positions, comprising:

a strip connected to one of the door or the door frame;

a braking mechanism connected to the other of the door or the door frame to provide relative movement between said strip and said braking mechanism when the door is moved relative to the door frame, said braking mechanism being arranged to engage with said strip at a plurality of locations and prevent movement of said strip when said braking mechanism is in engagement with said strip, said braking mechanism being biased against said strip; and

an electrical system coupled to said braking mechanism and arranged to disengage said braking mechanism from said strip to thereby permit relative movement between said strip and said braking mechanism and thus movement of the door relative to the door frame.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said strip is connected to the door and said braking mechanism is connected to the door frame whereby said strip moves relative to said braking mechanism.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said strip is connected to the door frame and said braking mechanism is connected to the door whereby said braking mechanism moves relative to said strip.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said electrical system comprises a motor or solenoid.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a motor arranged to automatically move the door relative to the door frame.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a depressible switch coupled to said electrical system and said motor for initiating said electrical system to disengage said braking mechanism from said strip and for initiating said motor to automatically move the door relative to the door frame upon depression of said switch.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein said switch is arranged on a steering wheel in the vehicle.

8. The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a capacitive sensor defining a sensing area and coupled to said electrical system and said motor for initiating said electrical system to disengage said braking mechanism from said strip and for initiating said motor to automatically move the door relative to the door frame upon detection of the presence of a hand in the sensing area.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein said capacitive sensor is arranged such that when removal of the hand is detected, said electrical system is arranged to cease the disengagement of said braking mechanism from said strip and said motor is arranged to cease movement of the door relative to the door frame.

10. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein said capacitive sensor is arranged on the door.

11. The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising:

a first capacitive sensor defining a sensing area and coupled to said electrical system and said motor for initiating said electrical system to disengage said braking mechanism from said strip and for initiating said motor to automatically move the door in a first direction relative to the door frame upon detection of the presence of a hand in the sensing area of said first capacitive sensor; and

a second capacitive sensor defining a sensing area and coupled to said electrical system and said motor for initiating said electrical system to disengage said braking mechanism from said strip and for initiating said motor to automatically move the door in a second direction relative to the door frame, opposite to the first direction, upon detection of the presence of a hand in the sensing area of said second capacitive sensor.

12. The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a voice activation module for processing verbal commands, said electrical system and said motor being coupled to said voice activation module and being controlled by said voice activation module to initiate said electrical system to disengage said braking mechanism from said strip or allow engagement of said braking mechanism with said strip and to initiate said motor to move the door upon detection of specific commands.

13. A method for controlling movements of a door from a closed position in a door frame to any one of a plurality of different open positions, comprising the steps of:

connecting a strip to one of the door or the door frame;

arranging a braking mechanism in the other of the door or the door frame to enable relative movement between the strip and the braking mechanism when the door is moved relative to the door frame;

engaging the braking mechanism with the strip at one of a plurality of possible locations to prevent relative movement between the strip and the braking mechanism;

biasing the braking mechanism against the strip; and

providing an electrical system to selectively disengage the braking mechanism from the strip to thereby permit relative movement between the strip and the braking mechanism and thus movement of the door relative to the door frame.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of providing a motor to automatically move the door relative to the door frame.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

coupling a depressible switch to the braking mechanism and motor for initiating the electrical system to disengage the braking mechanism from the strip and for initiating the motor to automatically move the door relative to the door frame; and

depressing the switch when it is desired to move the door.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of placing the switch on a steering wheel of the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring motion of the vehicle and status of a parking gear of the vehicle; and

enabling the motor to automatically move the door only when the vehicle is not in motion and the parking gear is engaged.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of coupling the switch to a door lock device such that upon depression of the switch, the door, if locked, is unlocked.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of coupling a capacitive sensor defining a sensing area to the electrical system and the motor for initiating the electrical system to disengage the braking mechanism from the strip and for initiating the motor to automatically move the door relative to the door frame upon detection of the presence of a hand in the sensing area.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring the capacitive sensor to detect removal of the hand from the sensing area after placement of the hand in the sensing area; and

upon detecting removal of the hand, causing the electrical system to cease the disengagement of the braking mechanism from the strip and causing the motor to cease movement of the door.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of placing the capacitive sensor on a door of the vehicle.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

coupling a first capacitive sensor defining a sensing area to the electrical system and the motor for initiating the electrical system to disengage the braking mechanism from the strip and for initiating the motor to automatically move the door in a first direction relative to the door frame upon detection of the presence of a hand in the sensing area of the first capacitive sensor; and

coupling a second capacitive sensor defining a sensing area to the electrical system and the motor for initiating the electrical system to disengage the braking mechanism from the strip and for initiating the motor to automatically move the door in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, relative to the door frame upon detection of the presence of a hand in the sensing area of the second capacitive sensor.

23. A vehicle including a door movable from a closed position in a door frame to any one of a plurality of different open positions and held in the different open positions, comprising:

a hinge mechanism for hingedly connected the door to the door frame; and

a motor for pivoting the door about said hinge mechanism to enable the door to move between its closed position and any one of the plurality of open positions.

24. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein said motor include a rotatable motor armature, said motor armature being controlled to freely stop its rotation to thereby fix the door at any one of the plurality of open positions.

25. The vehicle of claim 23, further comprising a depressible switch coupled to said motor for initiating said motor to automatically pivot the door upon depression of said switch.

26. The vehicle of claim 23, further comprising a capacitive sensor defining a sensing area and coupled to said motor for initiating said motor to automatically pivot the door upon detection of the presence of a hand in the sensing area.

27. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein said capacitive sensor is arranged such that when removal of the hand is detected, said motor is arranged to cease pivoting of the door.

28. The vehicle of claim 23, further comprising a voice activation module for processing verbal commands, said motor being coupled to said voice activation module and being controlled by said voice activation module to initiate said motor to pivot the door upon detection of specific commands.