EP0506625A1

EP0506625A1 - Device for controlling the centralized closure of the doors of a motor vehicle

Info

Publication number: EP0506625A1
Application number: EP92830129A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giuseppe Codrino
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-03-25
Filing date: 1992-03-19
Publication date: 1992-09-30
Also published as: ITMI910794A1; ITMI910794A0; JPH0579234A; IT1245586B

Abstract

A device for controlling the centralized closure of the doors of a motor vehicle,including means for automatically unlocking the doors as the motor vehicle is involved in an accident,comprises a central control unit which drives a door locking module and an electronic circuit which,under normal conditions,allows the doors to be locked and released in a conventional manner,whereas, as an accident occurs,it automatically releases the locking of the doors.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for controlling the centralized closure of the doors of a motor vehicle,including means for automatically unlocking or opening these doors in a case of an accident.
As is known,modern motor vehicles comprises door controlling apparatus for automatically and simultaneously closing all the doors of the motor vehicle itself.
Also known is the fact that,as the motor vehicle is involved in an accident,the doors should be unlocked in order to facilitate access to the compartment of the vehicle by soccourers.
In fact,if the doors are locked,the soccourers must mechanically force the doors or break the window glass,which,in addition to being dangerous,remarkably delays the aid operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly,the aim of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks,by providing a device for controlling the centralized closure of the doors of a motor vehicle which comprises means for causing the doors to automatically unlock in the case of an accident.
Within the scope of the above mentioned aim a main object of the present invention is to provide such a control device which is adapted to monitor the doors in order to detect if an opening command sent to the doors is properly executed by all of the door actuators.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a control device which is very simple construction wise,i.e comprises a very reduced number of component elements of very reliable operation,and which moreover is very competitive from a mere economic standpoint.
According to one aspect of the present invention,the above mentioned aim and objects,as well as get other objects,which will become more apparent hereinafter,are achieved by a control device for controlling the centralized closure of a motor vehicle doors, characterized in that said device comprises a central control unit controlling a door locking module or assembly and an electronic circuit which,under normal conditions,allows said doors to be conventionally locked and opened,whereas,in an accident case,automatically releases the door locking means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the control device according to the present invention will become more apparent hereinafter from the following detailed disclosure of a preferred,though not exclusive, embodiment thereof,which is illustrated,by way of an indicative but not limitative example,in the figures of the accompanying drawings,where:

FIGURE 1 illustrates a possible electric diagram of the driving or control circuit of the control device according to the present invention;
FIGURE 2 illustrates a possible application diagram of a door locking module or assembly with the related outer interconnections;
and
FIGURE 3 shows a modified embodiment of the control device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings,the control device for controlling the closure of the doors of a motor vehicle according to the present invention comprises a central control unit comprising a door locking assembly or module 1′ and which is continuously power supplied through power supply cables 2 and 3 so that,under normal conditions, i.e rest conditions,the power drain will be very low.
The central unit drives or controls a relay circuit which comprises a plurality of relays 4 and 5 adapted to alternatively power supply corresponding door locking motors 6 and 6′,with either one or the other polarities.
The above mentioned citcuit,in particular,is actuated,under normal conditions,through switching contacts 7 and 8,as well as further simple contacts.
The latter comprise a centralized locking contact 9,a centralized locking release contact 10,a remote control contact 11 and an open door contact 12, as well as a further contact connected to an impact sensor and indicated at the reference number 13.
In this connection it should be pointed out that the contacts 7 and 8 are conventionally held within the above mentioned door locking module and provide the so called feedback on the status of the individual door locking assemblies,whereas the push-buttons or contacts 9 and 10 can be manually operated by the driver of the motor vehicle.
The input 13,in turn,is provided for receiving the signal generated by an impact sensor,which is specifically designed for releasing the locking means of the doors and prevent the control circuit from operating for a set period of time(usually about 30 sec.).
The releasing upon an impact,in particular, can be either instantaneous or delayed for a preset time, for example in order to fit to specific accident conditions,such as the tilting of the motor vehicle.
The control device comprises moreover a thermo-resistance sensor 14 for detecting the outer temperature and generating,if necessary,a signal which,upon processing by the central control unit,will allow,through a relay 15,to actuate a defroster device 16 arranged at the driver side door lock.
There are moreover provided a diode 17,a resistor 18 and a capacitor 19,operating for protecting the circuit against overvoltages or noise transmitted through the power supply line,as well as a resistor 20 and a capacitor 21 for the inner timer of the control circuit.
This oscillating circuit,in particular,may be replaced by a quartz oscillator,or a ceramics resonator circuit,without altering the operating characteristics of the circuit controlling the subject device.
Moreover there is provided a resistor 22, having a protective function,for detecting a possible detachment of the power supply battery,further resistors 23 being furthermore provided arranged in series with the above mentioned simple contacts for protecting these contacts or inputs.
Further resistors 24 and 25 operate for protecting a diagnosis input,for monitoring the actuation of the driving relays 4 and 5.
The central control unit 1,in turn,is provided with an output 26 which can be brought to a high logic level for a typical time of 2.5 ms as the mentioned diagnosis input is at a low level;an output 27 which is actuated for a typical time of 5 ms as there is present a remote control signal for releasing the locking means of the doors;an output 28 which is actuated for a typical time of 2.5 ms as there is present any signal of said remote control.
Figure 3 shows an alternative application of the control device according to the present invention the operation of which can be easily deduced from the above disclosure.
This device,actually,is specifically designed for receiving the locking and releasing commands,as well as the impact signals,in the form of signal contacts, directly from push buttons or switches or from contacts which are actuated by mechanisms of different types,or from optic and electronic apparatus.
The device,moreover,is adapted to verify or monitor if the imposed command is executed by all of the actuators;if not,then it will adopt different or alternative command patterns.
The device,in particular,can advantageously control all of the possible failures of the contacts, under any operation conditions,
In actual practice,the starting condition is that of concordant contacts in a given position (for example a released locking).
As the operator manually operates,by modifying the status of one of the switches in a not concordant way from the other,then the control circuit will drive all of the actuators to the new position,by means of the mentioned relays 4 and 5,for a preset time (typically 750 ms).
In particular,if the command has success,then the device will return to its rest condition.
Vive versa,if the command has not success,then the circuit will provide a new actuation for a given number of repetitions.
After having performed this,the device will enter a rest status,for a preset time,so as to prevent the door locking actuators from overheating.
At the end of this step,the circuit will be actuated or recovered again,but a proper operation can recover only if the contacts are mutually in phase.
From the above disclosure it should be apparent that the invention fully achieves the intended objects.
While the invention has been disclosed and illustrated with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof,it should be apparent that the disclosed embodiment is susceptible to several modifications and variations all of which will come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1- A control device for controlling the centralized closure of a motor vehicle doors,characterized in that said device comprises a central control unit controlling a door locking assembly and an electronic circuit which, under normal conditions,allows said doors to be conventionally locked and opened,whereas,in an accident case,automatically releases the door locking means.

2- A control device according to claim 1,characterized in that said central control unit includes said door locking assembly and is continuously power supplied so that, under normal rest conditions,said central control unit has a very reduced power drain,said central control unit driving a relay circuit including a plurality of relays for alternatively power supplying door locking motor means.

3- A device according to claim 1,characterized in that said circuit is actuated,under normal conditions,by switching contact means and simple contact means,said simple contact means including a centralized locking contact, a centralized locking releasing contact,a remote control contact and an open-door contact as well as a further contact connected to impact sensor means.

4- A device according to claim 3,characterized in that said switching contact means are arranged within said door locking assembly to provide feedback signal on the status of the single door actuators,two of said simple contact means being provided for manual actuation by said motor vehicle driver.

5- A device according to claim 3,characterized in that one of said simple contact means is provided for receiving a signal generated by said impact sensor means,so as to unlock said doors and preventing said circuit from operating for a preset time period,the impact releasing being either instantaneous or delayed.

6- A device according to claim 1,characterized in that said device further comprises thermoresistance sensing means for sensing an outer temperature and generating a temperature signal to be processed by said control unit to energize a defroster device arranged at a driver side door lock.

7- A device according to claim 1,characterized in that said device further comprises a diode,a resistor and a capacitor for protecting said circuit from overvoltages and noise transmitted on the power supply line, as well as a further resistor and capacity for inner timer means of said circuit.

8- A device according to claim 1,characterized in that said device comprises a protecting resistor for sensing battery failure as well series resistors series arranged with respect to said simple contact means for protecting them,further protecting resistor means being provided for a diagnosis input.

9- A device according to claim 1,characterized in that said central control unit is provided with an output which can be brought to a high level for a typical time of 2.5 ms,as said diagnosis input is at a low level; an output which is actuated for a typical time of 5 ms, as a signal is present for releasing the door locking assemblies;and an output which is actuated for a typical time of 2.5 ms as there is present a signal from the remote control.