Power sliding center console and method of operating same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11305698-B2
Application number	US-202016786611-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2020
Priority date	Feb 10, 2020
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

A center console may include a moving portion, a motor, and a controller. The moving portion may be configured to move between a first position and a second position. The motor may be configured to move the moving portion between the first position and the second position. The controller may be configured to, responsive to moving the moving portion in a first direction towards the first position, a number of motor position increments exceeding a first threshold within a period, and an absence of location data of a position of the moving portion, stop the motor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A center console for use in a vehicle, the center console comprising:
a moving portion configured to move between a first position and a second position;
a motor configured to move the moving portion between the first position and the second position; and
a controller configured to:
stop the motor in response to (1) the motor moving the moving portion in a first direction towards the first position, (2) a number of motor position increments exceeding a first threshold within a time period, and (3) an absence of location data indicating a position of the moving portion, wherein the location data is based on a stored position of the moving portion with respect to either the first position or the second position,
store a position of the moving portion as an assumed first position in response to stopping the motor,
stop the motor and store another position of the moving portion as the first position in response to receiving a command to move the moving portion in the first direction and the motor position increments exceeding the first threshold within the time period, and
move the moving portion in the first direction in response to (1) moving the moving portion in a second direction, opposite the first direction and (2) a rate of change of rotational speed of the motor exceeding a first-rate-of-change threshold.

2. The center console of claim 1 , wherein the motor position increments are based on a change in rotational speed of the motor with respect to the time period and wherein the first threshold is based on a first rate of change of the rotational speed of the motor.

3. The center console of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to, responsive to: (1) the moving of the moving portion in the second direction, and (2) the rate of change of rotational speed of the motor exceeding a second-rate-of-change threshold, greater than the a first-rate-of-change threshold, stop the motor and record a position of the moving portion as the second position.

4. The center console of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to stop the motor prior to stalling the motor.

5. An interior assembly for use in a vehicle, the interior assembly comprising:
a moving portion configured to move between a first position and a second position;
a motor configured to move the moving portion between the first position and the second position; and
a controller configured to, responsive to absence of location data indicating positional information of the moving portion, change from a normalized state to a de-normalized state, wherein when the controller is in the normalized state and location data is available, the controller is configured to send a first signal to the motor to move the moving portion at a first speed, and when the controller is in the de-normalized state and location data is absent, the controller is configured to send a second signal to the motor to move the moving portion at a second speed, wherein the second speed is less than the first speed, wherein the location data is based on a stored positional value of the motor, or the moving portion, or both with respect to either the first position or the second position.

6. The interior assembly of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to, responsive to: (1) the controller being in the normalized state, (2) the motor rotating in a first rotational direction to move the moving portion towards the first position, and (3) a rate of change of rotational speed of the motor exceeding a first-rate-of-change threshold, send second signals to the motor to rotate the motor in a second rotational direction, opposite the first.

7. The interior assembly of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to, responsive to the controller being in the de-normalized state and a number of motor position increments exceeding a second threshold within a second period, stop the motor, wherein the second threshold is less than the first.

8. An interior assembly for use in a vehicle, the interior assembly comprising:
a moving portion configured to move between a first position and a second position;
a motor configured to move the moving portion between the first position and the second position; and
a controller configured to:
responsive to absence of location data indicating positional information of the moving portion, change from a normalized state to a de-normalized state, wherein when the controller is in the normalized state and location data is available, the controller is configured to send a first signal to the motor to move the moving portion at a first speed, and when the controller is in the de-normalized state and location data is absent, the controller is configured to send a second signal to the motor to move the moving portion at a second speed, wherein the second speed is less than the first speed, and
responsive to the controller being in the normalized state and the moving portion being spaced apart from the first position or the second position by a predetermined distance, decelerate the motor.

Assignees

• Brose Fahrzeugteile Se & Co Kg Bamberg

Inventors

• Atang Alexander
• Nawrocki Stephen
• Buehler Matthias
• Trask Robert
• Wunder Markus
• Russ Detlef

Classifications

• B60R7/04 Primary

  in driver or passenger space {, e.g. using racks (B60R7/005, B60R7/08 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R2011/0007

  Mid-console · CPC title