GB2304458A - Obstacle detection means for vehicle windows - Google Patents

Description

A T)et--ec-t-inn System 2304458 This invention relates to detection

systems and in particular to detection systems forming part of a vehicle window lift system.

Many modern vehicles are provided with electrically s operated window lift systems. The windows are raised by individual electric motors. The order to raise the windows can be given in one or more ways. one option is to hold down a switch which operates a relay and provides power to the window lift motor to either raise or lower the window.

Power is supplied all the time the switch is depressed. When the window reaches the top of the door frame it can go no further whether or not the switch is still depressed and the motor will stall. If the motor cannot move and the current is still being supplied, the power will be dissipated in the motor windings and it can rapidly burn out. The same effect can be achieved by interposing an object between the window and the edge the window normally abuts at the top of its travel. To cut the power off, a means of detecting that the window has reached the top of its travel, or that an object is trapped between the window and the top of its travel, is provided.

An example of a detection system typically used to indicate when a vehicle window has reached the top of its travel, or if an object is trapped between the window and - 2 the top of its travel, is described with reference to Figure 1.

A hollow resilient tube 14 made of insulating material is shown in cross-section at rest and defines a cavity 15 along its length. There are provided two conductive members 10 and 11 on opposite sides of the inner surface of the above mentioned cavity 15, said conductive members being coextruded with fillers 12 and 13 which are made of electrically conductive elastomeric material. The resilient tube 14 acts as support means for the conductive members 10 and 11 and extends along the underside of the top edge F of the window frame (not shown) and is compressed against the edge F as the window pane (not shown) rises in the direction W. When the resilient tube 14 is compressed is enough for the conductive rubber fillers 12 and 13 to be brought into contact with each other, the conductive members 10 and 11 will become electrically connected and this change in state is used to signal that the window has reached the top of its travel and the power to the motor is turned off. This method is also used to detect the presence of an object in the path of a rising window, which object will have the same effect of compressing the resilient tube and bringing the conductive members 10 and 11 into electrical communication. This safety feature is common in the application of electric window lift systems for motor vehicles and is commonly known in the industry as "anti-trap". To connect the conductive members 10 and 11 to the rest of the vehicle system, connection means are provided. Such a connector system is disclosed in US 5,192,837 The object of this invention is to provide an improved end connection in a system used to detect when a vehicle window has reached the top of its travel or if there is an object trapped between the window and the top of its travel.

Accordingly the present invention provides a detection means comprising first and second conductive members moveable into or out of contact with each other, an insulating member extending between said conductive members over part of their length, the first conductive member and said insulating member at least partly defining a first cavity therebetween, a conductor extending into said cavity, the cavity being substantially filled with conductive material which provides electrical connection between said conductive member and said conductor.

The detection means may further comprise a further cavity at least partly defined between the second conductive member and said insulating member, the detection means further comprising a further conductor extending into said further cavity, said further cavity being substantially filled with conductive material which provides electrical connection between the second conductive member and said further conductor.

The detection means may additionally comprise support means supporting the conductive members.

Preferably the support means partly defines the said cavity or cavities.

Preferably the detection means further comprises blocking means which defines one end of the or each cavity, preventing the conductive material from bringing the two conductive members into electrical communication.

The blocking means may be formed integrally with the insulating member.

The blocking means may comprise a plurality of noncoplanar deformable sealing sections.

Preferably the detection means is included in a vehicle window lift system.

is Additionally the invention provides a method of forming an electrical connection for a detection means, the detection means comprising first and second conductive members moveable into or out of contact with each other, the method comprising the steps of inserting an insulating member between said conductive members over part of their length such that the first conductive member and said insulating member at least partly define a first cavity therebetween, inserting a conductor between the insulating member and one of the conductive members, and filling said first cavity with conductive material for providing electrical connection between the first conductive member and the conductor.

Additionally the method may form an electrical connection by inserting the conductor before the cavity is filled.

Additionally the method may provide for each conductor to be carried by the insulating member.

The method may further comprise the step of inserting blocking means into the detection means such that the blocking means defines one end of the or each cavity for preventing the conductive material from bringing the two conductive members or the two conductors into electrical communication.

is Additionally the method may provide for the blocking means to be formed integrally with the insulating member.

Additionally the method may provide a blocking means comprising a plurality of non-coplanar deformable sealing sections.

The method may provide the detection means as part of a vehicle window lift system.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

6 - Figure 1 is a diagrammatic cross-section of a known window seal, including obstacle detection means.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic cross-section of a window seal with the inclusion of connection means in accordance 5 with a first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 is a representation of the connector included in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a representation of a connector in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section through a connection including the connector of Figure 4 Figure 6 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section through a connection in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention.

With reference to Figures 2 and 3, an automotive window seal substantially similar in construction and operation over most of its length to the one described with reference to Figure 1 is shown in cross- section at one end of its length and has reference numerals corresponding to Figure 1 for those parts which correspond. The conductive fillers 12 and 13 act as carriers for the conductive members 10 and 11. Also shown in cross section in Figure 2 is a connector included in the end of the seal which connector comprises an insulating member 28, two conductors 27A and 27B attached to the insulating member 28 on opposite faces by respective strips of adhesive tape 26A and 26B, leaving at least part of each conductor 27A and 27B exposed. The insulating member 28 is generally planar in shape and forms a seal against each side of the resilient tube 14 along the sealing edge 39 of the insulating member. When the insulating member 28 is inserted into the resilient tube 14, it divides the end of cavity 15 into f irst and second cavities 25A and 25B. The insulating member 28 may extend into the cavity beyond the conductors 27A and 27B, thereby preventing them from coming into accidental contact. The gap between the conductor 27A and the filler 12 is filled with a conductive rubber, thereby bringing conductor 27A and filler 12 into permanent electrical communication and providing mechanical strength at the connection. In substantially the same fashion, conductor 27B and filler 11 are brought into permanent electrical communication. The conductors 27A and 27B are used to form a flying lead (not shown) which is connected to the rest of the vehicle electrical system (not shown), thereby enabling the electrical communication between conductive members 10 and 11 to be used as a signal to the window lift controller (not shown) that the window (not shown) has reached the top of its travel and thereby allowing the window lift controller to cut off the power to the window lift motor (not shown). The flying lead (not shown) may be terminated with a remote connector of any type suitable for connection to the vehicle harness or electronic control unit (not shown), such as a two pin AMP "Econosea1H.

With reference to Figures 4 and 5 in the second embodiment of the invention, a connector substantially S similar to that of the f irst embodiment is shown having corresponding reference numerals for corresponding parts and additionally comprising an end plate 40. The connector is inserted into the end of a window seal substantially similar to the window seal disclosed in Figure 2 with the end plate 40 being inserted first. After the insertion of the connector, there will be a portion of the window seal resilient tube 14 which is divided into two cavities 59A and 59B, both of which are then filled with conductive rubber. The end plate 40 substantially prevents leakage of is the conductive rubber into the cavity 15 behind the end plate 40 and thereby allows the conductive rubber to set without bringing the conductive members 10 and 11 into electrical communication. The conductive rubber also seals the connection,. eliminating the need for other sealing mechanisms such as heat shrinkable sleeving. The conductors 47A and 47B can be attached to the vehicle harness directly by soldering or by fitting a common connector such as an AMP "Econoseal" (not shown) to the flying lead (not shown) and a corresponding connector (not shown) to the vehicle harness(not shown).

With reference to Figure 6, a connector according to the third embodiment of the invention is substantially similar to the one disclosed in Figures 4 and 5 and is shown in longitudinal section. Reference numerals corresponding to Figures 4 and 5 are used for corresponding parts. The insulating member 68 includes as its end wall a barbed bung with three non-coplanar deformable sealing sections designed to be a push fit into the cavity 15. As the insulating member 68 is pushed into the cavity 15, the sealing sections fold back on themselves towards the entry end of the cavity 15 in the opposite direction to the pushing force. When inserted, a gentle axial pull on the insulating member 68 back towards the entry hole will force the barbs to jam against the inner wall of the resilient tube 14 and f orm a seal. This type of insert is known in the art as a "Christmas Tree". By including such an end is wall as blocking means, insertion of the connector will be quick, efficient and effective with no need for special equipment or modification of the resilient tube 14.

It will be appreciated by a man skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to detection means of the type described with reference to Figure 1. The present invention could be easily and obviously adapted by a man skilled in the art to other detection means such as a detection device where the conductive members are not coextruded with a resilient tube, but held apart at rest by one or more spacers of flexible and resilient electrically insulating material. In such an embodiment it would merely be necessary to provide a sleeve over the insulating member to contain the conductive rubber during and, if so desired, after its setting time. It will also be appreciated by the man skilled in the art that the sealing sections disclosed in the embodiment of the invention described with reference to Figure 6 may be single or plural. It would be a normal development of the invention and within the scope of the disclosure presented herein to test with differing numbers and forms of sealing section, with or without lubrication or added sealant, until a satisfactory seal was obtained.

An end plate with a chamfer to ease insertion, with or without a lubricant or sealant, could suffice depending on the form of the cavity.

Claims (18)

1. A detection means comprising first and second conductive members moveable into or out of contact with each other, an insulating member extending between said conductive members over part of their length, the first conductive member and said insulating member at least partly defining a first cavity therebetween, a conductor extending into said cavity, the cavity being substantially filled with conductive material which provides electrical connection between said conductive member and said conductor.

2.

A detection means according to Claim 1 wherein said second conductive member and said insulating member at least partly define a further cavity therebetween, the detection means further comprising a further conductor extending into said further cavity, said further cavity being substantially filled with conductive material which provides electrical connection between the second conductive member and said further conductor.

3. A detection means according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 further comprising support means supporting the conductive members.

A detection means according to Claim 3 wherein the support means partly defines said cavity or cavities.

5. A detection means according to any forgoing claim further comprising blocking means which defines one end of the or each cavity preventing the conductive material from bringing the two conductive members or the two conductors into electrical communication.

6. A detection means according to claim 5 wherein the blocking means is formed integrally with the insulating member.

A detection means according to claim 5 or 6 wherein the blocking means comprises a plurality of non-coplanar deformable sealing sections.

8. A vehicle window system including detection means according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9 A method of forming an electrical connection for a detection means, the detection means comprising first and second conductive members moveable into or out of contact with each other, the method comprising the steps of inserting an insulating member between said conductive members over part of their length such that the first conductive member and said insulating member at least partly define a first cavity therebetween, inserting a conductor between the insulating member and one of the conductive members, and filling said first cavity with conductive material for providing 13 electrical connection between the first conductive member and the conductor.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the conductor is inserted before the cavity is filled.

11.A method according to claim 10 wherein the conductor is carried by the insulating member.

12. A method according to claim 9 further comprising the step of inserting blocking means into the detection means such that the blocking means def ines one end of the or each cavity for preventing the conductive material from bringing the two conductive members or the two conductors into electrical communication.

13.A method according to claim 12 wherein the blocking means is formed integrally with the insulating member.

14. A method according to claim 12 or 13 wherein the blocking means comprises a plurality of non-coplanar deformable sealing sections.

15. A method according to any one of claims 9 to 14 wherein the detection means comprises part of a vehicle window system.

16. A detection means substantially as hereinbefore descried with reference to the accompanying drawings.

17. A vehicle window system substantially as hereinbef ore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

18. A method substantially as hereinbef ore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.