Priority driven power side door open/close operations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10584526-B2
Application number	US-201916244442-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2019
Priority date	Aug 3, 2016
Publication date	Mar 10, 2020
Grant date	Mar 10, 2020

Abstract

A vehicle door system includes a frameless door glass system, a powered latch, electrically-powered door presenter, powered door opening mechanism, and a powered door protector including a protective member that is movably mounted to the door structure. A controller selectively actuates the frameless door glass system, powered latch, powered door presenter, powered door opening mechanism, and powered door protector according to predefined criteria to coordinate the powered door functions and provide seamless powered operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a body structure having a door opening;
a door structure that is movable between a closed position closing off the door opening, and a fully open position;
a frameless door glass system including a first electrically-powered actuator that can be actuated to move a glass window between open and closed positions;
a powered latch including a second electrically-powered actuator that can be actuated to unlatch the powered latch;
a powered door presenter having a third electrically-powered actuator that can be actuated to extend a push member to shift the door structure from the closed position to a partially opened position that is between the closed position and the fully open position; and
a controller operably connected to the first, second, and third electrically-powered actuators, wherein the controller is configured to:
actuate the first electrically-powered actuator to shift the glass window away from the closed position;
actuate the second electrically-powered actuator to unlatch the powered latch; and
actuate the third electrically-powered actuator to shift the door structure from the closed position to the partially open position after actuating the first and second electrically-powered actuators.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the controller is disposed in the door.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , including:
a powered door opening mechanism having a fourth electrically-powered actuator that can be actuated to shift the door structure to a fully open position from the partially open position; and wherein:
the controller actuates the fourth electrically-powered actuator after actuating the third electrically-powered actuator to shift the door structure from the partially open position to the fully open position.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the controller is configured to actuate the first electrically-powered actuator when a door release request is received by the controller.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , including:
a powered door protector including a protective member that is movably mounted to the door structure, and a fifth electrically powered actuator that can be actuated to shift the protective member from a retracted position to a deployed position relative to the door structure upon opening the door structure to thereby protect at least a portion of the door; and wherein:
the controller actuates the fifth electrically-powered actuator after actuating the third electrically-powered actuator to shift the protective member from the retracted position to the deployed position.

6. A vehicle door system, comprising:
a door;
a frameless door glass system having a movable powered window;
a powered latch;
a powered door presenter that can be actuated to extend a push member to shift the door from a closed position to a partially open position;
a powered door opening mechanism that can be actuated to shift the door structure to a fully open position from the partially open position;
a powered door protector that can be actuated to shift a protective member from a retracted position to a deployed position relative to the door upon opening the door to thereby protect at least a portion of the door; and:
a controller operably connected to the powered window, the powered latch, the powered door presenter, the powered door opening mechanism, and the powered door protector, wherein the controller is configured to:
actuate the powered window to shift the window away from the closed position when a door release request is received by the controller;
unlatch the powered latch;
actuate the powered door opening mechanism to shift the door from the closed position to the partially open position after actuating the powered window and unlatching the powered latch;
actuate the powered door opening mechanism after actuating the powered door presenter to shift the door from the partially open position to the fully open position; and
actuate the powered door protector after actuating the powered door presenter to shift the protective member from the retracted position to the deployed position.

7. The vehicle door system of claim 6 , including:
a powered door cinching mechanism including an electrically-powered actuator that can be actuated to shift the door structure to a fully closed position from a partially closed position that is between the closed position and the fully open position.

8. The vehicle door system of claim 6 , wherein:
the powered latch defines a locked state such that the powered latch does not unlatch when a door release request is received by the controller when the powered latch is in a locked state; and
the controller is configured to lock the powered latch when the controller receives a buckled signal indicating that seat belts have been buckled and also receives a fully closed signal indicating that the door structure is in a fully closed position.

9. The vehicle door system of claim 6 , including:
a vehicle seat including a sensor that generates a light weight signal indicating that a seat of the vehicle is occupied by a light weight occupant having a weight below a predefined maximum, and generating a heavier weight signal indicating that a seat of the vehicle is occupied by a heavier weight occupant having a weight above the predefined maximum; and wherein:
when a light weight signal is received by the controller, the controller does not unlatch the powered latch unless at least two unlatch requests are received within a predefined time period and the vehicle is traveling at below a predefined speed.

10. The vehicle door system of claim 9 , wherein:
when the controller receives a heavier weight signal and a single unlatch request, the controller unlatches the powered latch only if the vehicle is traveling below the predefined speed.

11. The vehicle door system of claim 9 , wherein:
when the controller receives a heavier weight signal and two unlatch requests within the predefined time period the controller unlatches the powered latch even when the vehicle is traveling above the predefined speed.

12. The vehicle door system of claim 9 , wherein:
the predefined time period is three seconds, and the predefined speed is three kph.

13. The vehicle door system of claim 9 , wherein:
the predefined maximum weight is in the range of 40-80 lbs.

14. The vehicle door system of claim 6 , wherein:
the controller is configured to actuate the powered door presenter to initially move the door, and the controller is configured to actuate the powered door opening mechanism while the door structure is moving due to actuation of the powered door presenter such that the door moves continuously from the closed position to the fully open position.

15. The vehicle door system of claim 6 , including:
a sensor configured to determine when a user is in the path of the door when the door is open; and
wherein the powered door opening mechanism can be actuated to close the door, and the controller does not actuate the powered door opening mechanism to close the door when a user is in the path of the door.

16. The vehicle door of claim 6 , wherein:
the controller is configured to cause the powered window to move away from the closed position when the powered door opening mechanism is actuated to close the door.

17. The vehicle door of claim 6 , wherein:
the controller is configured to actuate the powered door presenter to retract the push member when the powered door opening is actuated to close the door.

18. The vehicle door of claim 6 , wherein:
the

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Linden H Paul Tsvi
• Eddy Iii John
• Radjewski Christopher Matthew
• Hicks Spencer
• Ricks John Thomas

Classifications

• E05Y2900/55

  Windows · CPC title

• E05F15/60

  using electrical actuators · CPC title

• E05Y2201/434

  Electromotors; Details thereof · CPC title

• E05F17/00

  Special devices for shifting a plurality of wings operated simultaneously (for simultaneously moving a plurality of interconnected ventilating lamellae E06B7/086) · CPC title

• E05B81/76

  Detection of handle operation; Detection of a user approaching a handle; Electrical switching actions performed by door handles · CPC title