Door opening/ closing device for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11180946-B2
Application number	US-201816499438-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2018
Priority date	Mar 31, 2017
Publication date	Nov 23, 2021
Grant date	Nov 23, 2021

Abstract

A door opening/closing device includes a detection unit which detects a foot of a person present near a front door; and a vehicle door opening/closing device main body which opens a rear slide door, when the detection unit detects the foot of the person, wherein when the foot of the person is not detected within a prescribed time after being detected, the detection unit outputs a pseudo outer door handle switch on signal which demands the vehicle door opening/closing device main body to open the rear slide door, and when detection is continuously performed during a prescribed time or longer from when the detection unit has detected a detection target, the detection unit does not output the pseudo outer door handle switch on signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle door opening/closing apparatus comprising:
a door of a vehicle;
a sensing unit provided near the door of the vehicle and configured to sense a sensing target object including a foot of a person located near the door; and
a door driving unit configured to open the door when the sensing unit senses the sensing target object, wherein
the sensing unit outputs, to the door driving unit, a door opening request signal to request opening of the door if a time that is within a first threshold time has passed without the sensing target object being sensed from when the sensing target object is sensed,
the sensing unit does not output the door opening request signal if a time that is greater than the first threshold time has passed while the sensing target object continues to be sensed from when the sensing target object is sensed, and
if a time that is greater than a second threshold time, which is longer than the first threshold time, has passed while the sensing target object continues to be sensed from when the sensing target object is sensed, sensing of the sensing target object is stopped after the second threshold time has passed, and then when a power source of the vehicle is switched from OFF to ON and the power source is then turned OFF, the sensing of the sensing target object is resumed.

2. The vehicle door opening/closing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the sensing unit includes an ultrasonic sensor configured to sense the sensing target object including the foot of the person, and
the ultrasonic sensor is arranged under a side sill of the door.

3. The vehicle door opening/closing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the door driving unit is configured to open and close a rear door of the vehicle, and
the ultrasonic sensor is disposed under a side sill of a front door of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle door opening/closing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
in a case where the rear door is in an opened status, the sensing unit outputs, to the door driving unit, a door closing request signal to request closing of the rear door if a time that is within the first threshold time has passed without the sensing target object being sensed from when the sensing target object is sensed, and
the sensing unit does not output the door closing request signal if a time that is greater than the first threshold time has passed while the sensing target object continues to be sensed from when the sensing target object is sensed.

Assignees

• Honda Access Kk

Inventors

• Tamura Yasuhiro
• Enoki Ryoichi
• Yokoyama Shoji
• Sugimoto Jun
• TACHIBANA Tatsuya

Classifications

• E05Y2900/531

  Doors · CPC title

• E05F2015/763

  using acoustical sensors · CPC title

• E05F15/79

  using time control · CPC title

• E05F15/73 Primary

  responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects · CPC title

• E05F15/655

  specially adapted for vehicle wings · CPC title