EP1366939B1 - Power window control with master-slave logic - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a plate for centrally controlling the opening and closing of the four side windows of a motor vehicle, and a method of managing the opening / closing of these windows.

In the current configurations, these plates have a number of control members equal to that of windows. The arrangement of these bodies also reflects that of the windows, and the selection is done naturally by pressing the button that corresponds to the window chosen. In general, this type of platinum is arranged at the front, centralized management of the opening and closing of all windows not being available to all passengers, especially for security reasons when it is acts of children. This platinum also includes in most cases other controls, which allow for example the locking of the doors / rear windows as part of the child safety function, and / or the control of the position of the mirrors when they are automated.

This stage thus centralizes already a number of commands, and the current trend in vehicle design is to further increase the number of automated functions, and therefore the number of control members. Designers must then in particular face a space problem, the size of these plates can not be increased indefinitely for obvious reasons of ergonomics, or even a problem of complexity of plastic parts forming these plates functionally more and more rich. Increasing complexity is also having significant economic implications. Thus, in terms of manufacture, the multiplication of the number of components, generally imposing an increase in the number of mechanical connections, often leads to a real increase in the sophistication of the various components of the plate, which therefore becomes more expensive to manufacture.

EP-A-1 111 637 shows in Figures 3 and 4 a plate having two right and left switches and a front or rear selection device.

The object of the present invention is to propose a configuration which aims on the contrary to reduce the number of control members of the side windows of a vehicle, while of course offering the same functions as traditional turntables.

Secondarily, one of the aims of this invention is to reduce the manufacturing costs of such plates.

The invention therefore relates to a plate for the centralized control of the opening and closing of the four side windows of a motor vehicle, comprising switches for the individualized selection of the window to be actuated, and it is essentially characterized by said switches are two in number, controlling the movement of the front windows, except when a selection device is previously actuated in order to assign them to the control of the rear windows for a predetermined duration, at the end of which they are automatically reassigned to the control of the front windows.

It is in fact a logic operation of the master / slave type, according to which the switches are primarily devoted to the operation of the front windows and, secondarily and temporarily, to that of the rear windows.

The economic advantage afforded by this solution is clear, since it results in the removal of at least one control member, and often more, as will be shown later in the text.

Thus, according to a possible configuration, the selection device and at least one of the switches are actuated by the same control member which has two degrees of freedom of maneuver, one being assigned to the selection of the windows and the other to their actuation.

This arrangement saves an additional actuator, and therefore lower costs still.

For example, the platen of the invention may comprise two rotary knobs whose direction of rotation determines the opening or closing of the windows, said knobs may also undergo radial impulse displacement determining the choice of the actuated pane.

The impulse movement gives the wheel a role of push button, for the selection of the front or rear window. In this hypothesis, only two control organs remain.

According to another embodiment, the plate of the invention may comprise a single knurled control cylinder whose direction of rotation determines the opening or closing of the panes, said cylinder being able to undergo a pulsed radial displacement is central to select the rear windows, either at its ends to select the window to be activated. In this case, only one control button remains, which considerably simplifies the design of the plate, or even to add additional control elements for functions which are not in principle implanted in this way. level. The addition of new functions will not make the board ergonomically unusable due to the proliferation of control buttons. The reduction of the number of control devices for the windows on the contrary makes it possible to rethink the distribution of the functions / commands inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and can open new horizons.

According to a more conventional possibility, the selection device simply consists of a control member separate from the switches, the manipulation of which operates the switching of the assignment of the latter.

In all cases, it should be noted that the switches actuating the windows can in addition allow to obtain a slow or rapid movement thereof. The change of speed is obtained conventionally either by a different action on the control member, or by a different positioning thereof.

It should also be noted that, preferably, the invention comprises a control member whose actuation makes it possible to reassign the switches to the management of the operation of the front windows. It actually allows a mode of operation according to which the return to the control of the front windows is forced by the user. In other words, the latter rebulses in master mode early.

More preferably, said member is coincident with the selection device, and is active after a first actuation on said selection device.

• scannage permanent d'une action sur un commutateur ;
• en cas de détection d'une action, vérification de l'existence d'une action sur le dispositif de sélection ;
• en cas d'action sur ledit dispositif de sélection, affectation des commutateurs aux vitres arrière ;
• activation du moteur correspondant à la vitre sélectionnée ;
• dans le cas où il s'agit d'une vitre arrière, comptage d'une durée prédéterminée sans détection d'action sur les commutateurs ;
• à l'issue de cette durée, ré-affectation des commutateurs aux vitres avant.

The invention also relates to a method of managing the opening / closing of the windows of a motor vehicle using two switches for actuating the side windows of the vehicle and a device for selecting the front or rear windows, characterized in that has the steps following, performed by means of an electronic module for controlling said platen:

• permanent scanning of an action on a switch;
• in case of detection of an action, verification of the existence of an action on the selection device;
• in case of action on said selection device, assignment of the switches to the rear windows;
• activation of the engine corresponding to the selected window;
• in the case where it is a rear window, counting a predetermined time without detection of action on the switches;
• at the end of this period, re-assignment of the switches to the front windows.

The electronic controller that manages the operation of the switches actually implements a master / slave logic, as previously indicated. Preferably, the predetermined duration at the end of which the switches are reassigned to the front windows is of the order of 10 seconds.

• en cas d'action sur le dispositif de sélection, activation d'une détection d'actionnement sur l'organe de commande de la ré-affectation des commutateurs aux vitres avant.

In the case where this function exists, the method of the invention further includes the following step:

• in case of action on the selection device, activation of an actuation detection on the control member of the re-assignment of the switches to the front windows.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'une platine avec deux organes de commande ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective éclatée de la platine de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en perspective d'une variante de platine avec trois organes de commande ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en perspective éclatée de la variante de la figure 3 ;
• la figure 5 est une vue schématique partielle d'une autre variante comportant un unique organe de commande.

The invention will now be described in more detail, with reference to the appended figures, for which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a plate with two control members;
• Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the plate of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of a variant of platinum with three control members;
• Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the variant of Figure 3;
• Figure 5 is a partial schematic view of another variant comprising a single control member.

With reference to FIG. 1, the plate (1) comprises two knobs (2) and (3) whose direction of rotation alternately controls the opening and closing of the side windows. Each wheel (2) and (3) is assigned to windows on one side of the vehicle.

In normal operation, based on a single action of rotation of said wheels (2) and (3), it is the front windows that are actuated. If the user does to precede the rotational movement of a pressure in the direction of the arrow (F), it is the rear windows which are concerned, for a predetermined period of the order of 10 seconds. After this period, and except to exercise again this impulse force, the handling of the knobs (2) or (3) concerns again the front, left and right windows.

FIG. 2 shows that the rollers consist of an envelope (4) and (5) provided with successive transverse slits (6) in which notches (7) fitted to the arched surfaces (8, 9) fit. , designed to fit the inside of said envelopes (4) and (5) when the notches (7) are inserted into the slots (6). The knobs (2) and (3) are rotatable around shafts (10) and (11) fitted to the ends of shoes (12) and (13) sliding in housings (14, 15) provided for this purpose in a support frame (16). The bottom (17) thereof is equipped with a printed circuit (18) comprising in particular the switches on which the pads (12) and (13) act, as well as the various circuits responding to the rotary stresses printed on the rollers (2). ) and (3), which are transmitted to them via spring-loaded sliding fingers (a, b).

The variant shown in FIG. 3 has an overall symmetry of revolution, and is provided on the one hand with a push-button (19) for selecting the front or rear windows, and on the other hand with joysticks (22, 23). actuation of said panes.

The latter are rotatable about a vertical axis, and allow the opening or closing of said panes in the direction of rotation that is printed to them.

A second pushbutton (20) is used to inhibit the operation of said windows, for example when implementing a security called children. The pushbuttons (19) and (20), as shown in Figure 4, are mounted in a plate (21) which serves as a guide. It is surmounted by a piece (24) provided with two triangular-shaped ducts also serving to guide the push buttons (19) and (20) in translation. The dome-shaped central part notably offers a support for guiding the handles (22) and (23) in rotation. The angular displacement of the latter is limited by stops (25, 26) equipping a ring (27) secured to said plate (21).

The pushbuttons (19, 20) exert their action via an elastomeric sheet disk (28) which provides the electrical switching and the tactile sensations obtained during the actuation of said buttons. This disk (28) has lights (29, 30) passing sensitive elements (31, 32) integral with the printed circuit (33). These sensitive elements (31, 32) allow detecting the position of the levers (22, 23) when rotated.

FIG. 5 shows another possible version of the invention, in which the single control member is cylindrical with a central shaft (36) surrounded by two lateral heads (37, 38). The selection of the side is done on said lateral heads (37, 38), exerting a pulse in the direction of the arrows (F1 and F2). When the left or right window is selected, a rotation according to the arrow (R) allows, according to the direction of rotation, to lower or raise the selected window.

A central pulse according to the arrow (F ') makes it possible to manage the rear windows for a predetermined duration.

The examples presented with the aid of the figures above are of course not exhaustive of the invention, which on the contrary covers all the variants of shape and configuration that are within the reach of those skilled in the art.

Claims (11)

1. Circuit board for centrally controlling the opening and closing of the four side windows of an automotive vehicle, comprising switches enabling an individualised selection of the window to be activated, characterised in that there are two of said switches controlling the movement of the front windows unless a selection device has been activated beforehand with a view to assigning them to the control of the rear windows for a predetermined period, after which they are automatically re-assigned to controlling the front windows.
2. Circuit board for centrally controlling the windows of an automotive vehicle as claimed in the preceding claim, characterised in that the selection device and at least one of the switches are activated by a same control element which has two degrees of freedom for manoeuvre, one being assigned to selecting the windows and the other to their activation.
3. Circuit board for centrally controlling the windows of an automotive vehicle as claimed in the preceding claim, characterised in that it has two rotating knobs, the direction of rotation of which determines whether the windows are opened or closed, said knobs also being capable of undergoing a pulsed radial displacement determining the choice of the activated window.
4. Circuit board for centrally controlling the windows of an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that it has a single, knurled control cylinder, the direction of rotation of which determines whether the windows are opened or closed, said cylinder being capable of undergoing a pulsed radial displacement, either centrally with a view to selecting the rear windows or at its ends in order to select the window to be activated.
5. Circuit board for centrally controlling the windows of an automotive vehicle as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the selection device consists of a separate control element from the switches, manipulation of which operates the rocking movement for assigning the latter.
6. Circuit board for centrally controlling the windows of an automotive vehicle as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the switches activating the windows enable the latter to be displaced slowly or rapidly.
7. Circuit board for centrally controlling the windows of an automotive vehicle as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it has a control element, activation of which enables the switches to be re-assigned to managing the operation of the front windows.
8. Circuit board for centrally controlling the windows of an automotive vehicle as claimed in the preceding claim, characterised in that said element is combined with the selection device and is not active until after a first activation on said selection device.
9. Method of managing the opening/closing of the windows of an automotive vehicle by means of a control circuit board as claimed in the preceding claims, using two switches to activate the side windows of the vehicle and a device for selecting the front or rear windows, characterised in that it comprises the following steps, operated by means of an electronic control module of said circuit board:

   - detecting an action on a switch;

   - if an action is detected, verifying the existence of an action on the selection device;

   - in the event of an action on said selection device, assigning the switches to the rear windows;

   - activation of the motor co-operating with the selected window;

   - in the case of a rear window, counting a predetermined period during which no action is detected on the switches;

   - at the end of this period, re-assigning the switches to the front windows.
10. Method of managing the opening of the windows of an automotive vehicle as claimed in the preceding claim, characterised in that said predetermined period is fixed at around 10 seconds.
11. Method of managing the opening of the windows of an automotive vehicle as claimed in one of claims 9 and 10, characterised in that it also incorporates the following step:

    - in the case of action on the selection device, activating a detection system to activate the control element for re-assigning the switches to the front windows.

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