Vehicle door controlling apparatus

• US 6,955,389 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2004
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Shintaro, Itami, Eiji, Imaizumi, Tomoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): ENGLE, PATRICIA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US10/829,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20040262945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 296/146.1, 296/155, 296/146.4, 495/03, 292/201, 70D/IG.65, 702/64
• US Class Current: 296/146.4
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/0811 the bolts pivoting about an axis perpendicular to the wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/24 preventing use of an inner door handle, sill button, lock knob or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/46 Locking several wings simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/40 for sliding doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/646 allowing or involving a secondary movement of the wing, e.g. rotational or transversal
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/22 Locks
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/246 by motors, magnets, springs or weights
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/434 Electromotors; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

A vehicle door controlling apparatus comprises a connection locking mechanism between a swinging door and a sliding door for locking the two doors by connecting them to each other. The swinging door is capable of opening or closing the front side of a vehicle opening and the second door is capable of opening or closing the rear side of the opening. The vehicle door controlling apparatus further comprises an operating switch which requests the opening of the sliding door, a rotary switch which detects a lock state between the doors, and a latch switch and a pole switch which detect a lock state at the rear side of the sliding door. When the controller detects a request for opening the sliding door, a release actuator releases the lock state, electric current is applied to a sliding motor, and electrical operation of the sliding door starts.

Claims

1. A vehicle door controlling apparatus, comprising:

a connection locking means provided between a first door and a second door for locking the first door and the second door by connecting both of them to each other;

a door-locking means for restraining opening and closing of the second door on the vehicle body to be locked;

a release means for unlocking the connection locking means or the door locking means; and

a controlling means for controlling the connection locking means and the release means,

the vehicle door controlling apparatus further comprising;

an operating means which requests the opening of the second door; and

a first lock state detecting means for detecting a state of the connection locking means;

wherein when a request for opening the second door using the operating means is detected, the controlling means operates the release means, releases a lock state of the connection locking means and releases a lock state of the door-locking means, and electrically drives the second door based on a signal from the first lock state detecting means.

2. The vehicle door controlling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second lock state detecting means for detecting restraint of the second door on the vehicle body;

wherein the second lock state detecting means includes a first switch in which, when the second door moves from a whole closed state in an opened direction by a predetermined distance, engagement with one of the doors caused by the connection member is released and the switching state of the first switch is changed, and when switching of the first switch is detected, the controlling means operates the release means, releases the lock state of the connection locking means and starts electrical driving of the second door.

3. The vehicle door controlling apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a second switch whose state is switched to the opened direction rather than the first switch, wherein, when switching of the second switch is detected, the controlling means stops the operation of the release means.

4. The vehicle door controlling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first door is a swinging door which is opened or closed in the widthwise direction of the vehicle and the second door is a sliding door which is opened or closed in the forward and backward directions of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle door controlling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connection locking means comprises a latch that is freely rotatable in a widthwise direction of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle door controlling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controlling means, which electrically drives the second door, is positioned inside the second door and comprises a sliding door driving unit.

7. The vehicle door controlling apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the sliding door driving unit comprises a sliding motor, a driving force of the sliding motor being transmitted to the second door via a drum that decelerates a rotation speed of the sliding motor, and the sliding door driving unit comprising an electromagnetic clutch positioned in a transmission path of the driving force.

8. The vehicle door controlling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the sliding motor detects, based on a phase difference of two signal outputs, a position of the second door or an opening and closing speed of the second door.

9. The vehicle door controlling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second lock state detecting means comprises a full latch switch by which the second door is detected to be entirely closed, and a half latch switch by which the second door is detected to be half-closed.

10. A vehicle door controlling apparatus, comprising:

connection locking means provided between a first door and a second door mounted on a vehicle body for locking the first door and the second door by connecting both of them to each other, the connection locking means comprising a rotatably mounted latch that is rotatable into an inner space of a striker to achieve an engaged condition between the latch and the striker;

door-locking means for locking the second door to restrain opening and closing of the second door on the vehicle body;

release means for unlocking the connection locking means or the door locking means;

operating means for requesting opening of the second door;

a first lock state detecting means for detecting the engaged condition between the latch and the striker, and

controlling means for controlling the connection locking means and the release means so that when a request for opening the second door using the operating means is detected, the controlling means operates the release means, releases a lock state of the connection locking means and releases a lock state of the door-locking means, and electrically drives the second door based on a signal from the first lock state detecting means.

11. The vehicle door controlling apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a second lock state detecting means for detecting restraint of the second door on the vehicle body;

wherein the second lock state detecting means includes a first switch in which, when the second door moves from a whole closed state in an opened direction by a predetermined distance, engagement with one of the doors caused by the connection member is released and the switching state of the first switch is changed, and when switching of the first switch is detected, the controlling means operates the release means, releases the lock state of the connection locking means and starts electrical driving of the second door.

12. The vehicle door controlling apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a second switch whose state is switched to the opened direction rather than the first switch, wherein, when switching of the second switch is detected, the controlling means stops the operation of the release means.

13. The vehicle door controlling apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first door is a swinging door which is opened or closed in the widthwise direction of the vehicle and the second door is a sliding door which is opened or closed in the forward and backward directions of the vehicle.

14. The vehicle door controlling apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the latch is freely rotatable in a widthwise direction of the vehicle.

15. The vehicle door controlling apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the controlling means, which electrically drives the second door, is positioned inside the second door and comprises a sliding door driving unit.

16. The vehicle door controlling apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the sliding door driving unit comprises a sliding motor, a driving force of the sliding motor being transmitted to the second door via a drum that decelerates a rotation speed of the sliding motor, and the sliding door driving unit comprising an electromagnetic clutch positioned in a transmission path of the driving force.

17. The vehicle door controlling apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the sliding motor detects, based on a phase difference of two signal outputs, a position of the second door or an opening and closing speed of the second door.

18. The vehicle door controlling apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second lock state detecting means comprises a full latch switch by which the second door is detected to be entirely closed, and a half latch switch by which the second door is detected to be half-closed.