JP2017193896A - Rear gate opening/closing device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rear gate opening/closing device for a vehicle which opens a vehicle rear gate by a simple operation even if both hands of a user of the vehicle are occupied.SOLUTION: A rear gate opening/closing device 10 for a vehicle comprises a touch sensor 20 which is arranged in a prescribed position of a vehicle rear gate 2 arranged at a vehicle body 1, and a control part 40 for controlling the opening/closing of the vehicle rear gate 2. When a key terminal 71 which is associated with a keyless entry system 70 mounted to a vehicle 1 continuously exists in the vicinity of the vehicle 1 for a prescribed time, and an input to the touch sensor 20 occurs, the control part 40 opens the vehicle rear gate 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle rear gate opening and closing device. The present invention particularly relates to a vehicular rear gate opening / closing device that opens a vehicular rear gate by a simple operation by a user of the vehicle.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an invention relating to a lift gate (rear gate) provided with a pull handle and opened by a user of the vehicle holding and pulling the pull handle. Further, Patent Document 2 adopts a keyless entry function so that a vehicle user operates a key fob (key terminal) associated with the keyless entry function to remotely access a rear access door (rear gate) and side access. The invention which can open a door of a type (side door) is disclosed.

JP 2008-179229 A JP 2006-240611 A

  By the way, when the user of the vehicle holds a luggage or the like with both hands, the both hands of the user of the vehicle are closed. It is assumed that it is difficult for the user of the vehicle to hold and pull the pull handle in order to open the rear gate of Patent Document 1 in a state where both hands of the vehicle user are closed. Further, it is assumed that it is difficult for the user of the vehicle to operate the key fob in order to open the rear gate or the side door of Patent Document 2 in a state where both hands of the vehicle user are closed.

  One object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle rear gate opening / closing device that opens a vehicle rear gate with a simple operation even when both hands of a vehicle user are closed. Other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art by referring to the aspects and best embodiments exemplified below and the accompanying drawings.

  In the following, in order to easily understand the outline of the present invention, embodiments according to the present invention will be exemplified.

A first aspect according to the present invention is a vehicle rear gate opening and closing device for opening and closing a vehicle rear gate provided in a vehicle,
A touch sensor disposed at a predetermined position of the vehicle rear gate;
A control unit for controlling opening and closing of the vehicle rear gate;
With
When the key terminal associated with the keyless entry system mounted on the vehicle is continuously present in the vicinity of the vehicle for a predetermined time and an input to the touch sensor occurs, the control unit The present invention relates to a vehicle rear gate opening and closing device that opens a rear gate.

  According to the first aspect, the user of the vehicle can open the vehicle rear gate with a simple operation even when both hands are closed. That is, the user of the vehicle does not have to let go of the luggage or the like held with both hands once in order to open the vehicle rear gate by, for example, raising the door handle of the vehicle rear gate or operating the key terminal.

  Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the illustrated embodiments according to the present invention can be further modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Fig.1 (a) is a block diagram which shows the example of a structure of the rear-gate opening / closing apparatus for vehicles. FIG.1 (b) is a flowchart which shows the example of operation | movement of the rear-gate opening / closing apparatus for vehicles.

  The best mode described below is used to easily understand the present invention. Accordingly, those skilled in the art should note that the present invention is not unduly limited by the embodiments described below.

  With reference to Fig.1 (a), the example of a structure of the rear gate opening / closing apparatus 10 for vehicles is demonstrated. FIG. 1A shows a vehicle 1 provided with a vehicle rear gate 2. The vehicle rear gate opening / closing device 10 is mounted on the vehicle 1 and opens and closes the vehicle rear gate 2. The vehicle rear gate opening / closing device 10 includes a touch sensor 20 and a control unit 40. Further, the vehicle rear gate opening / closing device 10 may further include a sensor I / F (interface) 30, a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication unit 50, and the like. Further, the sensor I / F 30, the control unit 40, and the CAN communication unit 50 may be included in an electronic control unit (ECU) configured by, for example, a microcomputer.

  The vehicle 1 is equipped with a keyless entry system 70. The keyless entry system 70 includes a key terminal 71 associated with the keyless entry system 70, an antenna 72 capable of communicating with the key terminal 71, and a control device (not shown). The antenna 72 is provided in the vehicle rear gate 2 as shown in FIG. The keyless entry system 70 may further include an antenna capable of communicating with the key terminal 71 in a vehicle rear gate of a driver's seat (not shown) of the vehicle 1.

  The antenna 72 periodically transmits a request signal in the vicinity of the vehicle 1 (for example, a range not exceeding 2 m from the vehicle rear gate 2). The key terminal 71 that has received the request signal transmits a response signal including specific information stored in the key terminal 71. When the antenna 72 receives the response signal, the control device determines whether or not the specific information included in the response signal matches the specific information associated with the keyless entry system 70.

  When the control unit determines that the specific information included in the response signal matches the specific information associated with the keyless entry system 70, the keyless entry system 70 determines that the key terminal 71 associated with the keyless entry system 70 It is determined that it exists in the vicinity. When the keyless entry system 70 determines that the key terminal 71 associated with the keyless entry system 70 exists in the vicinity of the vehicle 1, the keyless entry system 70 transmits a key terminal confirmation signal to a communication line of an in-vehicle network such as CAN. .

  The touch sensor 20 includes sensor elements such as a pulse encoder, a capacitance sensor, and an electrical contact, for example, and is configured to be able to detect an input such as a person touching or pushing the touch sensor 20. The touch sensor 20 may output a detection signal when detecting an input to the touch sensor 20. The touch sensor 20 may be a touch sensor 20 dedicated to the vehicle rear gate opening / closing device 10 or may be a common touch sensor 20 used for other purposes.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, the touch sensor 20 may be formed integrally with an emblem 60 provided on the vehicle rear gate 2. In this case, the touch sensor 20 can detect, for example, that a person has pushed the emblem 60 or has touched the emblem 60. Alternatively, the touch sensor 20 may be attached to a portion of the vehicle rear gate 2 that is in contact with the vehicle body. In this case, the touch sensor 20 can detect, for example, that a person has pushed the vehicle rear gate 2.

  The sensor I / F 30 is connected to the touch sensor 20 and transmits a detection signal output from the touch sensor 20 to the control unit 40. The CAN communication unit 50 is connected to a communication line of the in-vehicle network, and transmits a key terminal confirmation signal received via the in-vehicle network to the control unit 40.

  The controller 40 controls the opening / closing of the vehicle rear gate 2 by driving an opening / closing mechanism of the vehicle rear gate 2 constituted by, for example, a motor (not shown). When the key terminal 71 is continuously present in the vicinity of the vehicle 1 for a predetermined time and an input to the touch sensor 20 occurs, the control unit 40 causes the user of the vehicle 1 to perform a request for opening the rear gate 2 for the vehicle. The vehicle rear gate 2 is opened.

  An example of the operation of the vehicular rear gate opening / closing device 10 will be described with reference to FIG. In step S01, the control unit 40 of the vehicular rear gate opening / closing device 10 determines whether or not the key terminal 71 exists in the vicinity of the vehicle 1 based on the key terminal confirmation signal. When the determination in step S01 is YES, the flow proceeds to step S02, and when the determination in step S01 is NO, the flow ends.

  In step S02, the control unit 40 determines whether or not the state in which the key terminal 71 exists in the vicinity of the vehicle 1 has continued for a predetermined time based on the key terminal confirmation signal. When the determination in step S02 is YES, the flow proceeds to step S03, and when the determination in step S02 is NO, the flow ends. The predetermined time is, for example, 1 second.

  In step S03, the control unit 40 determines whether an input to the touch sensor 20 has been made based on the detection signal. When the determination in step S03 is YES, the flow proceeds to step S04, and when the determination in step S03 is NO, the flow ends.

  In step S04, the control unit 40 drives an opening / closing mechanism (not shown) of the vehicle rear gate 2 to open the vehicle rear gate 2. When the process of step S04 is completed, the flow ends.

  As described above, the vehicular rear gate opening / closing device 10 opens the vehicular rear gate 2 when the key terminal 71 exists in the vicinity of the vehicle 1 for a predetermined time and an input to the touch sensor 20 occurs. Let Therefore, for example, even when the user of the vehicle 1 is holding the baggage with both hands, the user is carrying the key terminal 71 and touching the emblem 60 or pressing the emblem 60, for example. By indenting, the rear gate 2 for the vehicle can be opened. As a result, the user of the vehicle 1 can open the vehicle rear gate 2 with a simple operation even when both hands are closed. That is, for example, the user of the vehicle 1 needs to let go of the baggage and the like held by both hands once in order to open the vehicle rear gate 2 by, for example, raising the door handle of the vehicle rear gate 2 or operating the key terminal 71. Absent.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described exemplary embodiments, and those skilled in the art will be able to easily modify the above-described exemplary embodiments to the extent included in the claims. .

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle, 2 ... Vehicle rear gate, 10 ... Vehicle rear gate opening / closing device, 20 ... Touch sensor, 40 ... Control part, 60 ... Emblem, 70 ... Keyless entry System, 71 ... key terminal, 72 ... antenna.

Claims (1)

A vehicle rear gate opening and closing device for opening and closing a vehicle rear gate provided in a vehicle,
A touch sensor disposed at a predetermined position of the vehicle rear gate;
A control unit for controlling opening and closing of the vehicle rear gate;
With
When the key terminal associated with the keyless entry system mounted on the vehicle is continuously present in the vicinity of the vehicle for a predetermined time and an input to the touch sensor occurs, the control unit Rear gate opening and closing device for vehicles that opens the rear gate.

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