Vehicular door multiplexing system

• US 4,883,974 A
• Filed: 05/06/1988
• Issued: 11/28/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lear Automotive Dearborn, Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Automotive, Inc. (Lear Corporation)
• Inventors: Tinder, David V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Logan, Sharon D.
• Application Number:
  US07/191,097
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10 R, 307/38, 307/10.1, 318/49, 318/54-58, 318/112, 318/293, 318/280, 318/283
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/027 between relatively movable parts of the vehicle, e.g. between steering wheel and column devices for measuring, signalling or controlling tyre pressure or temperature specially adapted for mounting on vehicles B60C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J

Abstract

An automotive vehicle having a number of electrical components, particularly in the driver'"'"'s door, with the electrical components powered by the main DC power contained in the main body of the vehicle. A number of relatively low power DC components and relatively high power DC components are in the door, with a main multiplexing unit located in the main vehicle body and a remote multiplexing unit electrically connected to the main multiplexing unit but located in the door, the two multiplexing units being electrically connected together by wiring extending across the hinge gap. A low power control unit is also located in the door controlled by the remote multiplexing unit, the DC power to the low power unit being directly supplied through it through wiring totally contained in the door, while the DC power to the high power unit is directly supplied from the main multiplexing unit in the vehicle body through the wiring extending across the hinge gap. Additionally at least two reversible DC motors are in the door, with a maximum of three electrical wires connected to the motors, a common wire connected across one side of each of the motors, and two separate, isolated wires connected to the other sides of the motors, all three wires being connected to one of the multiplexing units, DC power being supplied independently to the DC motors. A number of logic rules are programmed into the system to establish a series of precedent actions.

Claims

1. A vehicle having a main body, a main DC power source contained in the body, at least one door movably attached to the body of the vehicle to open and close with an attachment gap between them, a number of electrical components in the door with the electrical components powered by the main DC power source, comprising:

at least one relatively low power DC electrical component and at least one relatively high power DC electrical component in the door;

a main multiplexing unit located in the main vehicle body;

a remote multiplexing unit electrically connected to said main multiplexing unit but located in the door, the two multiplexing units being electrically connected together by wiring extending across the hinge gap; and

a low power control unit also located in the door associated with and controlled by said remote multiplexing unit, the DC power from the main DC power source to the low power unit being directly supplied through said low power control unit in the door through wiring totally contained in the door, while the DC power from the main power source to the high power unit is directly supplied from said main multiplexing unit in the vehicle body through the wiring extending across the attachment gap.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said low power component draws a maximum of about three amps, while the high power component draws a minimum of about nine amps.