KR20220129082A - Method and apparatus for determining an external force applied to a vehicle flap that can be moved about an axis by a motor and in a regularly rotating manner - Google Patents

Abstract

The subject of the invention is a method for determining an external force Tz exerted on a motor vehicle flap 1 which can be moved about an axis 2 by means of a motor and in a regularly rotating manner. At least one acceleration sensor 4 is provided as first sensor 4 in or on the vehicle flap 1 . A second sensor 5 is also implemented. The signals of both sensors 4 , 5 are evaluated by the control unit 6 . According to the invention, the second sensor 5 is designed to measure the angle and/or the path of the vehicle flap 1 with respect to the vehicle body 3 .

Description

Method and apparatus for determining an external force applied to an automobile flap that can be moved about an axis by a motor and in a regularly rotating manner

The present invention relates to a manual opening or closing force, in particular for a car side door, a car tailgate or a car front hood, which determines the external force exerted on a car flap which can be moved about an axis by a motor and in a regularly rotating manner. It relates to a method for determining, according to which at least one acceleration sensor is provided as a first sensor in a vehicle flap, whereby a second sensor is implemented and the signals of both sensors are evaluated by the control unit.

Automobile flaps that can be moved about an axis by means of a motor and in a regularly rotating manner usually have an actuator or generally an electric drive. The vehicle flap in question can be opened or closed using, for example, a drive. Partial opening and closing movements are also possible, especially in the sense of closing the relevant vehicle flaps. Within the scope of the present invention, it is understood that a motor vehicle flap is in particular a motor vehicle side door as well as a motor vehicle tailgate or vehicle front hood. This also includes sliding doors, for example. Such sliding doors are generally motor driven, but may be moved primarily linearly with respect to the associated vehicle body.

To increase the ease of use, the electric drive or actuator for the vehicle flap may be appropriately controlled. In this case, it is possible, for example, to adjust the actuating force of the actuator for the respective actuating situation of the vehicle flap. For example, this is the procedure for the general prior art according to DE 10 2007 062 472 B4.

In practice, this is a method and apparatus for adjusting the actuating force of an actuator to support the opening and/or closing motion of a door that can be opened in a displaceable and/or rotational manner. For this purpose, as a rule, the position and acceleration values of the doors are recorded with the associated sensors and transmitted to the evaluation device or the control unit. As sensors, an acceleration sensor and a camera are used. To this end, a camera may be installed on the exterior mirror of the car door. The camera can be used to detect whether there is contact between the driver and the car door in question. In addition, a lever arm effective for primarily orthogonal forces can be determined therefrom. This is relatively complicated, especially since the necessary cameras in this context have to be additionally installed. In addition, the attachment of the exterior mirror of the car door is problematic in the case where the camera cannot transmit usable signals to the evaluation device or the control unit due to dust.

A further prior art according to DE 10 2017 011 478 A1 relates to a method for measuring the closing force of a vehicle wing element. Again in this case, the additional external force shall be recorded. For this purpose, a combined force-path measuring device is provided. The force-path measuring device has an acceleration sensor from which a measuring closing time is determined. Said measured closing time corresponds to the fact that the vibration of the vehicle wing element is observed during the transition from the open position to the closed position.

Also implemented is a microphone in which the second measured closing time can be recorded. The second measured closing time characterizes the change of the vehicle wing element from the open position to the closed position based on the acoustic wave. The measured closing times determined in this way are compared to yield the actual closing times from which the force to be recorded can be evaluated.

The further use, for example, of a microphone as a second sensor, is already associated with similar disadvantages to that of the camera of DE 10 2007 062 472 B4 already mentioned above. In this case, there is a risk that not only dust-related problems, but also reliable and analytic signals from the microphone cannot be used at all. This applies in particular to significant external noise, such as wind and/or rain.

Finally, the related prior art according to DE 10 2006 018 031 B4 relates to a sensor device and a method for actuating a restraining device. This is to allow detection of a collision of a vehicle. For this purpose, a first acceleration element and a second acceleration element are implemented, which are installed in the vehicle door or in the vicinity of the hinge of the vehicle door. Modifications to the actuation force of the actuator to move the associated vehicle door by the motor are not addressed.

In principle, the prior art has proven itself in the case of modifying the force of a motorized drive on an actuator or generally an associated vehicle flap, depending on an external force applied by the operator and additionally acting on the vehicle flap. However, the previous approach is relatively complex, and due to the sensors used, especially the camera and microphone, it is vulnerable to car dust, background noise, and the like. Together with the relatively high price of these sensors, in practice this has resulted in known systems not being practically deployed and applied. The present invention seeks to improve this as a whole.

The present invention determines the external force exerted on a motor vehicle flap which can be moved about its axis in a regular manner and by means of a motor, which can provide a structurally simple and functionally reliable solution that is particularly robust against dust, background noise, etc. It is based on the technical problem specifying the method and the associated device for doing so.

In order to solve this technical problem, a general method for determining an external force exerted by a motor and on an automobile flap which can be moved about an axis in a regular manner is, within the scope of the present invention, a second sensor It is characterized in that it is used to measure the angle and/or measure the path of the vehicle flap relative to the body. In other words, in the simplest case, the present invention measures an angle or measures a path using only an acceleration sensor and additionally a second sensor as the first sensor. Both sensors can advantageously be arranged in or on the vehicle flap and in this way are particularly well protected from all environmental influences. Also, in this context, an acceleration sensor or an angle or path sensor has a robust, durable and functionally reliable design, so that the signals of both sensors can be easily evaluated safely, reliably and permanently by the control unit. Here is an intrinsic advantage.

As already explained, the second sensor is advantageously arranged in or above the vehicle flap. In addition to the two sensor signals, the control unit according to the invention also includes values of the mechanical properties of the vehicle flaps in the calculation of external forces.

The values of these mechanical properties of automobile flaps are usually related at least to their moment of inertia. This means that when evaluating two signals from the sensor, the control unit also includes the moment of inertia or mass moment of inertia of the car door under consideration in the evaluation. As is known, the moment of inertia represents the inertia of an automobile flap, which is considered a rigid body, for a change in angular velocity while rotating about a given axis. This applies at least to automobile flaps that can be moved about an axis in a rotational manner, for example the aforementioned automobile side doors, as well as automobile tailgates or automobile front hoods. In principle and as an alternative to this, for example in the case of a sliding door, its mass or mass inertia may very simply be assessed by the control unit instead of the moment of inertia.

As is known, the moment of inertia depends on the mass distribution of the vehicle flaps considered in relation to the axis or axis of rotation. In this regard, it is not difficult to derive data for the moment of inertia with the sign J from the design data of the relevant automobile flap. Alternatively, in motor vehicle side doors moving mainly linearly, the moment of inertia (J), instead of the mass (M), can also be included in the evaluation of the control unit in addition to the two signals from the sensor.

The friction parameter of the motor vehicle flap is preferably further evaluated by the control unit as a value of the mechanical property of the motor vehicle flap. In the case of a motor vehicle flap that can be moved about an axis in a rotating manner, this friction parameter of the motor vehicle flap is mainly the friction value of the hinge, which is implemented regularly at this point. In the case of linearly moving automotive sliding doors, the required frictional forces of the guides are mainly observed and taken into account. The friction torque Tfr can most often act here, which, in the simplest case, is proportional to or increases and decreases with the speed of the relevant motor vehicle flap. Thus, linear sliding friction is generally applied. This also results in a braking torque that is linearly dependent on the speed of the vehicle flaps. Said braking torque can be determined in particular on the basis of a signal from a second sensor for measuring the angle of the vehicle flap with respect to the vehicle body. If the control unit also acts on an actuator or electric drive for the vehicle flap, the corresponding actuation signal of the control unit can be identified as a drive torque or a motor torque Tdr.

Based on the basic equations of motion for a car flap that can be moved around an axis in a rotational manner as above, conclusions are drawn about the external force or corresponding torque (Tz) applied additionally and externally to the car flap in question. It is possible to do this, which may act on the drive torque in a particular case. In practice, the measured variable φ is the angular acceleration of the car flap under consideration, which is recorded using a first sensor or an acceleration sensor and transmitted to the control unit for evaluation.

)로 가속 운동을 수행하게 한다. 이 경우 제어 유닛에 의해 평가되는 연관된 운동 방정식은 기본적으로 이 경우 아래와 같다.A similar procedure can be used for automotive sliding doors that can be moved back and forth linearly. In this case, the aforementioned angular acceleration φ is not measured using the first sensor or the acceleration sensor. Instead, the external force Fz applied by the operator and/or the force Fdr applied by the actuator or motorized drive in this case is the force applied by the inertial mass M of the associated motor vehicle flap with the acceleration (

) to perform an accelerated motion. The associated equation of motion evaluated by the control unit in this case is basically the following in this case:

는 연관된 가속도임) 어쨌든, 제어 유닛이 운동 방정식을 사용하여 두 센서의 센서 값과 기계적 특성 값으로부터 가해진 외부 힘(Fz) 또는 가해진 외부 토크(Tz)를 결정하는 것과 그 방법이 명확해진다. 이는 수학적 프로세스인 칼만 필터로 알려진 것을 추가로 사용하여 유리하게 이루어진다. 이는 두 센서의 실제 측정값의 오류를 줄이고 측정할 수 없는 시스템 변수에 대한 예측, 이 경우 가해진 외부 힘(Fz) 또는 외부 토크(Tz)에 대한 예측을 제공한다. 이러한 칼만 필터는 일반적으로 알려져 있으며 추가 참조를 갖는 "위키피디아"의 해당 설명을 참조한다.(where Ffr is the friction force and s is the path of travel

In any case, it becomes clear how and how the control unit determines the applied external force (Fz) or the applied external torque (Tz) from the sensor values and mechanical property values of the two sensors using the equation of motion. This is advantageously done further using a mathematical process known as the Kalman filter. This reduces the error in the actual measurements of the two sensors and provides a prediction of a system variable that cannot be measured, in this case an applied external force (Fz) or an external torque (Tz). Such Kalman filters are generally known and see the corresponding description on "Wikipedia" with further reference.

A subject subject of the invention is also a device for determining an external force applied to a motor vehicle flap which can be moved about an axis by means of a motor and in a regularly rotating manner. First of all, the device has an acceleration sensor as the first sensor on the vehicle flap. The acceleration sensor is advantageously what is known as a three-axis acceleration sensor, i.e. acceleration values in the direction of all three vehicle axes, namely the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (X), the lateral direction of the vehicle (Y) and the vertical direction of the vehicle (Z). This can be recorded. Because these three-axis accelerometers are widely used, they are available in inexpensive and robust designs.

The device according to the invention is also equipped with an actuator or an electric drive. The vehicle flap in question can be moved using an actuator or electric drive. It is also advantageous if the control unit is designed to variably control the actuator according to a determined value of an applied external force or an applied external torque. For example, the procedure here is such that when the driver applies an opening force to the car flap, the force applied by the actuator to the car flap for opening is correspondingly reduced. In the same way, the closing force by the actuator can also be reduced if the operator applies such a closing force to the vehicle flap.

Conversely, the invention also provides for a modification such that the force exerted by the actuator on the vehicle flap, for example during the opening process, is increased if the driver simultaneously acts on the vehicle flap in question in the closing direction. Likewise, an increase in force during the closing process is conceivable if the operator acts on the vehicle flap in the opening direction. Either way, methods and devices are available in which, in addition to actuators, an external force applied by the driver to the vehicle flap in question can be calculated by the control unit using simple means and by hand taking into account a simple and robust design. will do All of this is done in a particularly functionally reliable way. Here is an intrinsic advantage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings, which show only one embodiment. 1 schematically shows a device according to the invention.

1 shows quite fundamentally a device for determining an external force or external torque Tz. The force in question or the associated external torque Tz is applied to the vehicle flap 1 by the driver. This is done according to the embodiment and is not limited to the opening direction. According to an embodiment, the motor vehicle flap 1 can be moved about the axis 2 in a rotating manner relative to the body or vehicle body 3 .

The basic design comprises an acceleration sensor 4 which is provided and arranged as a first sensor in the vehicle flap 1 . According to an embodiment, the angular acceleration φ of the vehicle flap 1 is measured using an acceleration sensor 4 . In addition, an additional second sensor 5 is implemented, which is a rotation angle sensor according to the embodiment. According to the embodiment, the angle φ of the motor vehicle flap 1 is determined using a rotation angle sensor or a second sensor 5 , from which the friction torque Tfr of the motor vehicle flap 1 is determined. On the other hand, the acceleration sensor 4 is provided as a three-axis acceleration sensor.

Both sensors 4 and 5 are each connected to a control unit 6 which evaluates its signal. In addition, the control unit 6 controls the actuator 7 or electric drive by which the vehicle flap 1 can be moved back and forth as shown.

Using the actuator 7 , a motor torque or drive torque Tdr is applied to the motor vehicle flap 1 in the illustrated example, as indicated in FIG. 1 by the corresponding arrows. In the example, the actuator 7 ensures a closing movement of the motor vehicle flap 1 , which in this context should of course be understood as an example and not a limitation. The motor vehicle flap 1 opposes this closing motion, indicated in FIG. 1 , with a friction torque Tfr, which occurs in the hinge in the region of the shaft 2 and mainly represents the friction values already described in the introduction.

The sensor values of both sensors 4 , 5 are now evaluated and processed in the control unit 6 . In addition, the values of the mechanical properties of the vehicle flap 1 are also taken into account. It includes at least the moment of inertia J of the motor vehicle flap 1 , which is also indicated in FIG. 1 . Taking into account the Kalman filter already described in the present description, the control unit 6 controls the applied external force, as already described in the introduction, or, according to the embodiment, the applied external torque Tz, above and to the Kalman filter specified in the introduction. and from the mechanical property values and the sensor values using the shift equation. Furthermore, the control unit 6 ensures that the actuator 7 is variably controlled according to the determined value of the applied external force or the applied external torque Tz.

It is also possible that the control unit 6 records the motor torque or drive torque Tdr applied to the vehicle flap 1 . For this purpose, for example, the current values for the activation of the actuator 7 are determined to draw conclusions about the force exerted by the actuator 7 on the vehicle flap 1 in question, for example in the closing direction. can be used for The motor torque or drive torque Tdr can be derived therefrom, for example taking into account known geometrical specifications stored in the control unit 6 . In this context the position of the actuator 7 with respect to the axis or axis of rotation of the vehicle flap 1 is stored in the control unit 6 and the driving torque Tdr in question is applied by the actuator 7 to the motor vehicle flap 1 . It is conceivable that it can be deduced from this in relation to the losing force.

For example, if the aforementioned drive torque Tdr is now applied to the motor vehicle flap 1 (eg in the closing direction), this results in a change in position that can be recorded using the second sensor 5 . cause If this position deviates, for example, from a change in position calculated using the control unit 6 , this is an indication of an applied external force or external torque Tz. Applied to the embodiment shown, this is an external force applied by the driver or an external torque Tz applied in the opening direction, whereby the control unit 6 as a whole causes the actuator 7 to be opened by the driver to the car flap 1 . This means ensuring that it is controlled with a greater force or greater torque (Tdr) than is necessary in the case of no force applied.

In the illustrated embodiment and with an external force applied by the driver or an external torque Tz applied in the opening direction, this means that the control unit 6 as a whole determines that the actuator 7 causes the driver to apply an opening force to the car flap 1 . This means ensuring that it is controlled with a greater force or greater torque (Tdr) than is required in the case of no application.

1: motor vehicle flap
2: axis
3: motor vehicle body
4: acceleration sensor
5: sensor
6: control unit
7: Actuator
J: moment of inertia
Tz: torque
Tdr: friction torque
Tdr : Torque
φ: angle
φ : angular acceleration

Claims (10)

For determining the external force Tz exerted on the motor vehicle flap 1 , which can be moved by a motor and about an axis 2 in a regularly rotating manner, in particular a vehicle side door, a vehicle tailgate or a vehicle front A method for determining a manual opening or closing force for a hood, wherein at least one acceleration sensor (4) is provided on a motor vehicle flap (1) as a first sensor (4), a second sensor (5) is embodied and The signals from the sensors (4, 5) are evaluated by the control unit (6),
Method, characterized in that the second sensor (5) is used to measure the angle and/or the path of the vehicle flap (1) with respect to the vehicle body (3). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the second sensor (5) is arranged above and/or in the motor vehicle flap (1). Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, in addition to the two sensor signals, the control unit (6) also includes the value of the mechanical properties of the vehicle flap (1) in the calculation of the external force (Tz). Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the moment of inertia (J) of the motor vehicle flap (1) is taken into account as a value of the mechanical properties. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the friction parameter of the motor vehicle flap (1) is further evaluated by the control unit (6) as a value of the mechanical properties of the motor vehicle flap (1). 6. The control unit (6) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (6) determines the applied external force (Tz) from the values of the mechanical properties and the sensor values using the equation of motion and advantageously a Kalman filter. How to. For determining the external force Tz applied to the vehicle flap 1 which can be moved by means of a motor and about the axis 2 in a regularly rotating manner, in particular for a vehicle side door, a vehicle tailgate or a vehicle front hood Apparatus for determining a manual opening or closing force, preferably for carrying out a method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, for at least one as first sensor (4) in a motor vehicle flap (1) having an acceleration sensor (4) of
Device, characterized in that the second sensor (5) is designed to measure the angle and/or the path of the vehicle flap (1) with respect to the vehicle body (3). Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the second sensor (5) is designed as a rotation angle sensor arranged on the shaft (2). Device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that an actuator (7) is provided to act on the motor vehicle flap (1). Device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the control unit (6) variably controls the actuator (7) according to the determined value of the applied external force (Tz).

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