Programmable door power assist

• US 9,879,465 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2015
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Elie, Larry Dean, Potter, Timothy J., Novak, Robert F., Jaranson, John Wayne, Wallace, Jeff A., Azzouz, Michael M.
• Primary Examiner(s): REDMAN, JERRY E
• Application Number:
  US14/812,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20170030132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 49333, 49334, 49335
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/047 characterised by the opening or closing movement
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/60 using electrical actuators
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/611 for swinging wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

A power assist device is provided herein. A motor is operatively coupled to a door of a vehicle. A controller controls a mechanical resistance applied by the motor to the door to resist door swing. The mechanical resistance applied to the door is a function of an angular position of the door.

Claims

1. A power assist device comprising:

a motor operatively coupled to a door of a vehicle and comprising a field component for generating a magnetic field and an armature having an input current that interacts with the magnetic field to produce torque;

a position sensor configured to sense an angular position of the motor that correlates to a corresponding angular position of the door; and

a controller configured to apply current to the field component to apply a mechanical resistance to the door to resist door swing, wherein the mechanical resistance applied to the door is a function of a swing direction and an angular position of the door.

2. The power assist device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to at least partially short the field component to increase the mechanical resistance applied by the motor to the door to resist door swing.

3. The power assist device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to implement position control feedback to increase the mechanical resistance applied by the motor to the door to resist door swing.

4. The power assist device of claim 1, wherein the angular position of the motor is reset to zero when the door is in a closed position.

5. The power assist device of claim 1, wherein the motor comprises one of a brushless direct-current motor and a brushed direct current motor.

6. The power assist device of claim 1, further comprising a user-input device for supplying the controller with one or more user-inputted selections for specifying the mechanical resistance for one or more angular positions of the door.

7. A vehicle door assembly comprising:

a vehicle door;

a power assist device for resisting door swing, comprising;

a motor operatively coupled to the door and comprising a field component for generating a magnetic field and an armature having an input current that interacts with the magnetic field to produce torque;

a position sensor configured to sense an angular position of the motor that correlates to a corresponding angular position of the door; and

a controller configured to apply current to the field component to apply a mechanical resistance to the door to resist door swing, wherein the mechanical resistance applied to the door is a function of a swing direction and an angular position of the door.

8. The vehicle door assembly of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to at least partially short the field component to increase the mechanical resistance applied by the motor to the door to resist door swing.

9. The vehicle door assembly of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to implement position control feedback to increase the mechanical resistance applied by the motor to the door to resist door swing.

10. The vehicle door assembly of claim 7, wherein the angular position of the motor is reset to zero when the door is in a closed position.

11. The vehicle door assembly of claim 7, wherein the motor comprises one of a brushless direct-current motor and a brushed direct current motor.

12. The vehicle door assembly of claim 7, further comprising a user-input device for supplying the controller with one or more user-inputted selections for specifying the mechanical resistance for one or more angular positions of the door.