JP4358022B2 - Power window safety device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a safety device for a power window of a vehicle door.

  In a power window that raises and lowers the window glass of a vehicle with the driving force of a lifting motor, when the operation switch is kept on in the closing direction and the window glass is closed, a foreign object is sandwiched between the window glass and the window frame. there is a possibility.

  Therefore, a detection device that detects that a foreign object has been sandwiched between the window glass and the window frame has already been provided, and when the sandwich is detected, the motor is driven in reverse regardless of the state of the operation switch to lower the window glass. Safety devices have been proposed. As one of the safety device pinching detection devices, an encoder that repeatedly generates pulses according to the number of rotations (angle) of the lifting motor is provided, and it is determined that pinching has occurred by detecting an increase in the pulse width output by this encoder. Devices that do this are known. That is, one normal pulse width is stored, and it is determined that a foreign object is caught when the pulse width during operation increases to an allowable value or more. An invention has been proposed in which the allowable value of the pulse width is changed between a predetermined period from the start of the lifting motor and the subsequent period (Patent Document).

Further, in order to increase the accuracy of pinching detection, an invention has been proposed in which the half pulse width from the rising edge to the falling edge of the pulse output from the encoder and from the falling edge to the rising edge is measured.
JP 2002-46468 A

  However, the rising speed of the window glass is not constant due to a change in sliding resistance or the like even after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since startup, and also changes due to a secular change or the like. For this reason, the detection method for detecting the extension of the pulse width has a large error, and the possibility of erroneous detection of pinching increases even though the pinching is not. Further, in the encoder, the rotation angle between the high level from the rise of the pulse to the fall and the rotation angle between the low level from the fall of the pulse to the rise may not be the same. If the encoder itself contains an error in this way, the method of detecting the half pulse width further increases the error, and the possibility of erroneous detection of pinching increases even if pinching is not.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a safety device for a power window that is less likely to cause false detection (malfunction) even when the opening and closing speed is not constant due to sliding resistance when opening and closing the window glass.

A power window safety device according to the present invention includes a lifting motor for raising and lowering a window glass of a vehicle; an operation switch for giving a raising / lowering rotation command to the lifting motor; a pulse for repeatedly generating a pulse in accordance with the amount of rotation of the lifting motor. Generator; a window position counter that obtains window glass opening information by counting pulses output from the pulse generator; a pulse width detector that detects a width of a pulse generated by the pulse generator; a window glass at a reference time A storage unit for storing each pulse width detected by the pulse width detector during the ascending operation in association with window position information by the window position counter; and a pulse measured by the pulse width detector during the window glass ascending operation It compares the reference pulse width corresponding to the window position information by the width and the window position counter, both the pulse width difference or reference pulse width Rate of change of the pulse width measured against the when it exceeds the allowable value, the controller to reverse drive the elevator motor regardless of the state of the operation switch to the window glass opening direction; is characterized by comprising a.

  The window position counter counts the pulses generated by the pulse generator every ½ period, the pulse width detector detects the ½ period width of the pulse, and the storage unit 1/1 of the pulse. The pulse width obtained in two periods can be stored in association with the window position information.

  By updating the storage of the pulse width and window position information at the reference time in the storage device periodically or when the update switch means is operated, it is possible to cope with changes over time.

  According to the present invention, a safety device for a power window that does not malfunction and can reliably determine whether a foreign object has been caught without being erroneously determined to be caught by a foreign object even if the opening / closing speed is not constant due to sliding resistance or the like when opening and closing the window glass. Can be obtained.

  FIG. 1 shows an example in which the present invention is applied to a vehicle door 10 having an X arm type power window (regulator) 20. The vehicle door 10 includes a sash portion 12 having an upper window opening 11 and a lower panel portion 13, and the window opening 11 is opened and closed by a window glass 14.

  An X arm type power window 20 that moves the window glass 14 up and down is supported in the panel portion 13. That is, a lift arm 21 of an X arm type power window 20 is supported on the panel portion 13 so as to be swingable by a shaft 22, and the lift arm 21 has a sector gear (driven gear) 23 centered on the shaft 22. Have. The sector gear 23 meshes with a pinion 25 that is rotationally driven by a lifting motor 24.

  An intermediate portion of the equalizer arm 27 is pivotally attached to the intermediate portion in the length direction of the lift arm 21 by a shaft 26. A guide piece (roller) 28 is pivotally attached to each of the upper end portions (tip portions) of the lift arm 21 and the equalizer arm 27, and the guide piece (roller) is similarly attached to the lower end portion of the equalizer arm 27. 29 is pivotally attached.

  Each of the guide pieces 28 of the lift arm 21 and the equalizer arm 27 is movably fitted to a window glass bracket 30 fixed to the lower end of the window glass 14, and the guide piece 29 of the equalizer arm 27 is fixed in the panel portion 13. Guided to the equalizer arm bracket 31 so as to be movable.

  In the X-arm type power window 20, when the pinion 25 is driven in the forward or reverse direction via the lifting motor 24, the lift arm 21 swings around the shaft 22 via the sector gear 23, and the glass bracket 30 (window The glass 14) moves up and down while being held in a substantially horizontal state by the equalizer arm 27, the guide pieces 28 and 29, and the equalizer arm bracket 31. This raising / lowering operation itself is an operation of a normal X arm type power window.

  The elevating motor 24 is driven forward and reverse by the drive circuit 32. That is, the drive circuit 32 fed from the battery 33 is given an ascending signal or a descending signal via the operation switch 34 and the controller 35, and drives the ascending / descending motor 24 forward or backward based on the signal. The lift motor 24 is also an encoder that detects its rotation, and generates a pulse according to the rotation angle (number) of the rotary shaft 24a (generates a pulse every time the rotary shaft 24a rotates by a predetermined angle). 36 is provided.

  Various types of pulse generators 36 are known. For example, in a pulse generator using a Hall element, a magnet rotor 36a magnetized NS in the circumferential direction is fixed to the rotating shaft 24a of the lifting motor 24. The Hall elements 36b and 36c arranged in the vicinity of the magnet rotor 36a are rotated from the low level to the high level and from the high level to the low level every time the rotary shaft 24a rotates halfway along with the rotation (angle) of the rotary shaft 24a. One cycle of pulse is generated for each rotation. Further, by arranging two Hall elements 36b and 36c, it is possible to detect the rotation direction of the elevating motor 24, that is, whether the window glass 14 is in the ascending operation (window closing operation) or the descending operation (window opening operation). Such means for detecting the rotational direction of the lifting motor 24 is well known, and the rotational direction of the lifting motor 24 can also be detected from the state of the operation switch 34.

  A pulse from the pulse generator 36 is input to a window position counter 37 and a pulse width detector 38. The window position counter 37 obtains opening degree information of the window glass 14 by counting the number of pulses from the pulse generator 36. The window opening information can be obtained according to the number of pulses output by the pulse generator 36 when the window glass 14 moves between the fully open state and the fully closed state. The window position counter 37 of this embodiment counts the pulses input from the pulse generator 36 in a half cycle. That is, the window position counter 37 counts up or down every time a pulse rise or fall is detected. In this embodiment, the total number of pulses generated while the window glass 14 moves from the fully open state to the fully closed state is 800, the pulse number in the fully open state is 0, and the pulse number in the fully closed state is 800. I have information. Further, the pulse width detector 38 determines the count interval of the window position counter 37, that is, the pulse width from the rising edge to the falling edge (high level time) and the pulse width from the falling edge to the rising edge (low level time). taking measurement.

  The duty of the pulse output from the pulse generator 36, that is, the ratio of the high level time in one pulse period is ideally 50%, but a predetermined allowable error occurs. FIG. 3A shows a waveform when the duty is 45%, the high level pulse width is 3.6 ms, and the low level width is 4.4 ms.

  In the storage device 42, the window opening degree information (pulse number) when the window glass 14 is driven from the fully open position to the fully closed position and data relating the pulse width are stored as reference pulse width data. When the setting (update) switch 41 is turned on, the controller 35 measures the pulse number (window opening information) and the pulse width with the window position counter 37 and the pulse width detector 38 while raising the window glass 14. Then, the measured pulse width is stored in the storage device 42 in association with the pulse number (window opening information). In this embodiment, the first storage process is performed at the time of manufacture. Thereafter, it is performed periodically or when the setting (update) switch 41 is turned on. If the window glass 14 is not fully opened when the setting (update) switch 41 is turned on, it is preferable to perform learning (update) processing after the window glass 14 is fully opened.

  The pulse number (window opening degree information) output from the window position counter 37 and the pulse width information output from the pulse width detector 38 when the window closing operation is performed in response to the operation of the operation switch 34 are controlled by the controller 35. Given to. FIG. 3B shows a measured pulse waveform based on the measured pulse number and pulse width. When the window glass 14 is raised, the controller 35 calculates the difference between the input measurement pulse width and the reference pulse width corresponding to the input pulse number. That is, the opening degree of the window glass 14 is detected with a resolution from the first pulse to the 800th pulse by the window position counter 37 in the above-described example, and the controller 35 determines the measurement pulse generated during the window glass raising operation. The difference between the measured pulse width and the reference pulse width of the corresponding pulse number is obtained. Then, when the measurement pulse width is larger than the reference pulse width and the difference is larger than a predetermined threshold, the pinching is detected, and the window glass 14 is moved to the open position.

  An embodiment of the closing process of the window glass 14 will be described in more detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. This window closing process is executed by the controller 35. This window closing process is entered when the operation switch 34 is UP-operated.

  First, the controller 35 reads the pulse number from the storage device 42 and sets it in the window position counter 37 (S11), gives an ascending signal to the drive circuit 32 to rotate the elevating motor 24 in the forward direction, and raises the window glass 14. The operation (window closing operation) is started (S12). When the lifting / lowering motor 24 starts rotating operation, a pulse is output from the pulse generator 36 every time the rotating shaft 24a (magnet rotor) rotates by a predetermined angle, and the rising and falling edges are used as pulse numbers to indicate the window position counter 37. The pulse width from the rise to the fall and the pulse width from the fall to the rise is measured by the pulse width detector 38, and the pulse number (window opening information) and the measured pulse width are input to the controller 35 (S13). ).

  It is detected whether or not the window glass 14 is in a fully closed state (top dead center) (S14). Whether or not it is in the fully closed state (top dead center) is detected by the pulse number (window opening information) input from the window position counter 37 or the window glass 14 being in the fully closed state (top dead center). It can be detected by a limit switch. When it is detected that the window glass 14 is in the fully closed state (top dead center) (S14; Yes), the lifting motor 24 is stopped (S20), and the pulse number corresponding to the fully closed state (top dead center) ( Window opening information) is written in the memory 42, and the window closing process is terminated (S21, END).

  If the window glass 14 is not fully closed (top dead center) (S14; No), it is checked whether or not the DOWN operation is performed from the state of the operation switch 34 (S15). When the DOWN operation has been performed (S15; Yes), the window opening process is executed. In addition, although the flowchart of a window opening process is not shown, it operates as follows, for example. The elevator motor 24 is reversely rotated through the drive circuit 32 to lower the window glass 14 and the pulse number is input from the window position counter 37. While the UP operation is performed, the DOWN operation is canceled, or the fully open state (bottom dead) Check whether or not it becomes a dot. When the UP operation is performed, the elevating motor 24 is stopped and the process returns to S12. When the DOWN operation is canceled or fully opened, the elevating motor 24 is stopped via the drive circuit 32, the pulse number (window opening information) is written in the storage device 42, and the window closing process is terminated. . Note that there is no pinching during the window opening operation, so the controller 35 may input only the pulse number from the window position counter 37 and store it in the storage device 42 when the window opening operation is terminated. Good.

  If the DOWN operation has not been performed (S15; No), it is checked from the state of the operation switch 34 whether the UP operation has been stopped (S16). When the UP operation is stopped (S16; Yes), the lifting / lowering motor 24 is stopped via the drive circuit 32 (S20), and the pulse number (window opening information) is written in the storage device 42 to complete the window closing process. (S21, END).

  If the DOWN operation has not been performed (S15; No) and the UP operation has not been stopped (S16; No), the measured pulse width input from the pulse width detector 38 is the pulse number input from the window position counter 37 ( It is checked whether or not the reference pulse width corresponding to (nth) is exceeded (S17). If the measurement pulse width does not exceed the corresponding reference pulse width (S17; No), the process returns to S13 because there is no possibility of foreign object pinching. In FIG. 3, the cases of pulse numbers (1) to (4) correspond. Then, S13 to S17 are repeated, and when it is detected that the window closed state (top dead center) has been reached without detecting foreign object pinching (S14; Yes), the lift motor 28 is stopped via the drive circuit 32. Then, the pulse number is written in the memory 42 and the ascending process is terminated (S20, S21, END). The pulse number at this time is the value 800 in the closed state.

  If the measured pulse width exceeds the corresponding reference pulse width (S17; Yes), it is checked whether the difference is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold (S18). If the difference is not greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold (S18; No), the process returns to S13. This is because if the difference is not greater than or equal to the threshold, there is a higher possibility of other factors such as vehicle vibration than the possibility of foreign object pinching. In FIG. 3, pulse numbers (5) and (6) correspond.

  If the difference between the reference pulse widths corresponding to the measurement pulse widths is equal to or greater than the threshold (S18; Yes), since the possibility of pinching has been detected, it is checked whether or not the window glass 14 has reached the dead zone (S19). This corresponds to (7) onward in FIG. The dead zone in this embodiment is a region in which pinch detection is not performed before the window glass 14 is completely closed, and the upper edge of the window glass 14 is in contact with the glass run attached to the upper inside of the sash portion 12. The window position information of the window position counter 37 is checked based on whether the pulse number is 760 or more.

  If the window glass 14 has reached the dead zone (if the pulse number of the window position counter 37 is 760 or more) (S19; Yes), since there is no possibility of foreign matter being caught, the forward / lowering motor 24 continues to rotate forward as it is. , Return to S13. Until the window glass 14 is in the fully closed state (top dead center), the processes of S13 to S19 are repeated. When the window glass 14 is fully closed (S14; Yes), the lifting motor 24 is stopped via the drive circuit 32 (S20), and the pulse number (800) of the fully closed state is written in the storage device 42 to finish. (S21, END).

  If the window opening information of the window position counter 37 is less than the pulse number 760 (S19; No), there is a possibility of foreign object pinching, so the lifting motor 24 is reversed via the drive circuit 32 (S22). The process waits for completion (S23). The reversal process ends, for example, when the window glass 14 is fully opened (bottom dead center). When the reversal process is finished (S23; Yes), the lifting motor 24 is stopped via the drive circuit 32 (S24), the fully open pulse number (0) is written in the storage device 42, and the window closing process is finished (S25). END).

  As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the measured current pulse width (measured pulse width) is compared with the reference pulse width of the pulse number stored in advance while the window glass 14 is rising. Therefore, it is not affected by the change of the pulse width due to the sliding resistance of the glass run. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to set the threshold value in advance by considering the change in sliding resistance due to deterioration of the glass run or the like, the threshold value can be set low, and the pinching load can be reduced.

  Further, in this embodiment, the encoder pulse is detected in half cycle, but it may be detected in one cycle. As the encoder, an encoder that outputs one pulse every time the rotating shaft 24a of the elevating motor 24 makes one rotation is shown, but an encoder that outputs two or more pulses every one rotation may be used. Any encoder that repeatedly generates a pulse each time it rises may be used.

  As another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3C shows a table of an embodiment in which the pinching is detected by obtaining the change rate of the measurement pulse width with respect to the reference pulse width instead of the difference between the measurement pulse width and the reference pulse width. It is. In this embodiment, the rate of change of the measured pulse width with respect to the reference pulse width corresponding to the pulse number is obtained, and the number of the extended pulse width is counted. This is because the pulse width continuously extends beyond the reference pulse width when sandwiched. In FIG. 3, the change rate is 0 from pulse numbers (1) to (4), but it can be seen from pulse number (5) that the change rate is not 0 and the change rate is increasing. In this embodiment, when it is detected that the rate of change of the measurement pulse width has exceeded the threshold value three times in succession, it is determined that the jamming has occurred. In FIG. 3, counting is started from the pulse number (5), and it is determined that the jamming occurs at the pulse number (7). In addition, when the total change rate exceeds a predetermined value, for example, when it exceeds 20%, it may be determined that pinching has occurred, and the threshold of the pulse change rate for detecting pinching, the sum of change rates, or determination that pinching has occurred The continuous number to be performed is not limited to this embodiment.

  A control example for updating (learning) the reference pulse width will be further described based on the flowchart of FIG. The flowchart in FIG. 5 relates to an update process (learning process) executed by the controller 35. This update process (learning process) is executed when the setting (update) switch 41 is turned on.

  When the setting (update) switch 41 is turned on and the update process is started, the controller 35 checks whether or not the UP operation is performed by the operation switch 34 from the state of the operation switch 34 (S51), and waits until the UP operation is performed. (S51; No). When the UP operation is performed (S51; Yes), the update prohibition flag for identifying whether or not the update of the reference pulse width is prohibited is cleared and the update to the storage device 42 is permitted (S52). The drive circuit 32 is given to drive the elevating motor 24 to start the ascending operation (window closing operation) of the window glass 14 (S53). When the elevating motor 24 starts to drive, a pulse is output from the pulse generator 36 every time the rotating shaft 24a rotates by a predetermined angle, counted by the window position counter 37, and the count value (pulse number) is output to the controller 35. The The controller 35 associates the measurement pulse width input from the pulse width detector 38 with the pulse number input from the window position counter 37 and stores it in the storage 42 as the latest measurement data. Subsequently, the controller 35 detects whether or not the window glass 14 is fully closed (top dead center) based on the pulse number input from the window position counter 37 (S54).

  When the window glass 14 is not in the fully closed state (S54; No), a pin number and a measurement pulse width are input to execute pinching detection processing (S55, S56), and it is determined whether pinching is detected (S57). This pinching detection processing is equivalent to the processing of S17, S18, and S19, and it is detected that pinching has occurred when the measurement pulse width exceeds the corresponding reference pulse width, the difference is equal to or greater than the threshold value, and the dead band is not detected. To do. If pinching is not detected (S57; No), it is checked from the state of the operation switch 34 whether a DOWN operation has been performed (S58). If pinching is detected (S57; Yes), or if there is a DOWN operation even if pinching is not detected (S57; No, S58; Yes), the lift motor 24 is reversed via the drive circuit 32. (S62) After waiting until the reversal process is completed, the elevating motor 24 is stopped via the drive circuit 32 (S63; Yes, S67), the pulse number is input, and the pulse number is written in the memory 42. Then, the update process is terminated (67, S68, END). On the other hand, if there is no DOWN operation (S58; No), it is checked from the state of the operation switch 34 whether or not the UP operation has been stopped (S59), and if the UP operation has been stopped, the drive circuit 32 is used. Then, the lift motor 24 is stopped, the pulse number is written in the storage device 42, and the update process is terminated (S59; Yes, S67, S68, END). As described above, when the sandwiching is detected before the window glass 14 is fully closed (S57; Yes), the DOWN operation is performed (S58; Yes), and the UP operation is stopped (S59; Yes). Since only a part of the measurement data can be acquired, the data update to the storage device 42 is not performed.

  If the UP operation is not stopped (S59; No), it is checked whether or not the measured pulse width is an abnormal value (S60). Here, the case where the measurement pulse width is determined to be an abnormal value is a case where the measurement pulse width suddenly fluctuates greatly due to vibration during traveling. If the measured pulse width is an abnormal value (S60; Yes), the update prohibition flag is set to prohibit the update to the storage device 42 (S61), and the process returns to S54. If the measured data is not an abnormal value, the process directly returns to S54 (S60; No).

  Until the window glass 14 is fully closed, the processes of S54 to S60 are repeated.

  When the window glass 14 is in a fully closed state (S54; Yes), based on the pulse number (window opening information), it is checked whether or not the ascending operation is started from the fully opened state (bottom dead center) of the window glass 14 ( S64). Here, checking whether or not the ascending operation is started from the fully open state of the window glass 14 means checking whether or not all measurement data from the fully open state to the fully closed state is acquired. Yes. When the ascending operation is started from the fully opened state of the window glass 14 (S64; Yes), it is checked whether or not the update to the storage device 42 is permitted depending on whether or not the update prohibition flag is cleared ( S65). If the update to the storage device 42 is permitted (S65; Yes), the reference pulse width data stored in the storage device 42 is updated to the latest measurement pulse width data (S66), and the drive circuit 32 is used. The elevator motor 24 is stopped (S67), the pulse number is written in the storage device 42, and the update process is terminated (S68, END).

  On the other hand, when the ascending operation has not been started from the fully opened state of the window glass 14 (S64; No), only a part of the measurement data can be acquired, so the drive circuit is not updated without updating the storage device 42. The elevator motor 24 is stopped via 32 (S67), the pulse number is written in the storage device 42, and the updating process is terminated (S68, END). Further, when the update to the storage device 42 is not permitted (S65; No), that is, when it is determined in S60 that the acquired measurement data is an abnormal value, the update to the storage device 42 is not performed. Then, ascending / descending motor 24 is stopped via drive circuit 32 as it is (S67), the pulse number is written in storage device 42, and the updating process is terminated (S68, END).

  When the measurement pulse width data when the window glass 14 is moved up from the fully open state to the fully closed state is properly obtained by the above update process (learning process), it is stored in the storage unit 42 in S66. The reference pulse width data is updated to the latest measurement pulse width data, and then the updated data is used as the reference pulse width data. If this update process is executed periodically or every time the setting (update) switch 41 is turned on, normal operation is performed even if the rising speed of the window glass 14 changes due to a change in sliding resistance due to deterioration of a glass run or the like. And pinching are clearly identified, and false detection of pinching is reduced.

  In this embodiment of the update process, it is detected whether or not the lift is from the fully open state (bottom dead center) after detecting that the fully closed state (top dead center) has been reached. Before starting the operation, it is checked whether it is in the fully open state (bottom dead center). If it is not ascending from the fully open state (bottom dead center), the processing after S54 is executed after the window glass 14 is fully opened. Also good.

1 is a system connection diagram showing an embodiment in which a power window safety device according to the present invention is applied to an X arm type power window. It is a perspective view which shows the outline | summary of a raising / lowering motor and a pulse generator. It is a figure which shows the pulse and pulse width by a pulse generator. It is a figure which shows embodiment of the window closing process of the safety apparatus of the power window by this invention with a flowchart. It is a figure which shows embodiment of the update process of the safety apparatus of the power window by this invention with a flowchart.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Vehicle door 11 Window opening 12 Sash part 13 Panel part 14 Window glass 20 X arm type power window 24 Lifting motor 24a Rotating shaft 32 Drive circuit 33 Battery 34 Operation switch 35 Controller 36 Pulse generator 36a Magnet rotor 36b 36c Hall element 37 Window position counter 38 Pulse width detector 41 Setting (update) switch 42 Memory

Claims (3)

Elevating motor that raises and lowers the window glass of the vehicle;
An operation switch that gives a lifting command to the lifting motor;
A pulse generator that repeatedly generates pulses according to the amount of rotation of the lift motor;
A window position counter that counts the pulses output by the pulse generator to obtain window opening information;
A pulse width detector for detecting a width of a pulse generated by the pulse generator;
A storage device for storing each pulse width detected by the pulse width detector in association with window position information by the window position counter during window glass ascent operation at a reference time; and pulse width detection during window glass ascent operation When the pulse width measured by the instrument is compared with the reference pulse width corresponding to the window position information by the window position counter, the difference between the two pulse widths or the rate of change of the measured pulse width with respect to the reference pulse width exceeds the allowable value And a controller that reversely drives the lifting motor in the window glass opening direction regardless of the state of the operation switch;
A power window safety device characterized by comprising: 2. The safety device for a power window according to claim 1, wherein the window position counter counts a pulse generated by the pulse generator every ½ cycle, and the pulse width detector calculates a ½ cycle width of the pulse. A power window safety device that detects and stores the pulse width obtained in a half cycle of the pulse in association with the window position information. 3. The power window safety device according to claim 1, wherein the pulse width and the window position information at the reference time are stored in the storage device periodically or when the update switch means is operated. Safety equipment.

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