Openable and closable member control apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016153226-A1
Application number	US-201514951676-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 25, 2015
Priority date	Dec 1, 2014
Publication date	Jun 2, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In a power window apparatus, when a controller determines that a captured foreign object, which is captured between a window glass and a window frame of a door, is present, the controller executes an interrupting process that interrupts a current operation of a drive mechanism. The controller does not determine whether the captured foreign object is present in an initial mask period that is a time period from a time point of starting rotation of the electric motor to a time point, at which a rotational speed of the electric motor reaches a stable state. The initial mask period is variable based on an operational load of the electric motor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An openable and closable member control apparatus comprising:
a drive mechanism that includes an electric motor, which serves as a drive source to open and close an openable and closable member installed to a door of a vehicle; and a control device that controls the drive mechanism to execute a first operation of the drive mechanism at a time of opening the openable and closable member and controls the drive mechanism to execute a second operation of the drive mechanism at a time of closing the openable and closable member, wherein: the control device executes a determination operation, which determines whether a captured foreign object, which is captured between the openable and closable member and a corresponding neighboring member of the door located in vicinity of the openable and closable member, is present based on a change in an operational state of the drive mechanism; when the control device determines that the captured foreign object is present through the determination operation, the control device executes an interrupting process that interrupts a current operation of the drive mechanism; the control device disables execution of the determination operation, which determines whether the captured foreign object is present, in a mask period that is a time period from a time point of starting rotation of the electric motor to a time point, at which a rotational speed of the electric motor reaches a stable state; and the control device changes the mask period based on an operational load of the electric motor.

2 . The openable and closable member control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control device evaluates the operational load of the electric motor based on a rotational speed of the electric motor.

3 . The openable and closable member control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control device changes the mask period when the operational load of the electric motor is larger than a predetermined operational load.

4 . The openable and closable member control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the mask period is divided into:
a first mask period that is from the time point of starting the rotation of the electric motor to a relay point; and
a second mask period that is from the relay point to a time point that is equal to or around the time point, at which the rotational speed of the electric motor reaches the stable state;
the first mask period is a fixed value; and the second mask period is a variable value that is corrected through feedback of a state of the operational load of the electric motor in the first mask period.

5 . The openable and closable member control apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein:
the control device counts a pulse edge number, which corresponds to the rotation of the electric motor, and the control device monitors an elapsed time period with a timer from the time point of starting the rotation of the electric motor; a time period, which is from the time point of starting the rotation of the electric motor to a time point of counting a first pulse edge number by the control device, is set as the first initial mask period, while the first pulse edge number is a predetermined pulse edge number that is specific to the electric motor; in a case where a time period from the time point of starting the rotation of the electric motor to an end of the first mask period does not exceed a predetermined time period, a time period, which is from the relay point to a time point of counting a second pulse edge number by the control device, is set as the second mask period, while the second pulse edge number is another predetermined pulse edge number that is specific to the electric motor; and in a case where the time period from the time point of starting the rotation of the electric motor to the end of the first mask period exceeds the predetermined time period, a time period, which is from the relay point to a time point of counting a third pulse edge number by the control device, is set as the second mask period, while the third pulse edge number is obtained by adding a pulse edge number, which is computed as a time period correction value, to the second pulse edge number.

6 . The openable and closable member control apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the time period correction value is a value obtained by computing a pulse edge number that corresponds to a difference between:
an actual measured time period from the time point of starting the rotation of the electric motor to the time point of counting the first pulse edge number; and the predetermined time period.

7 . The openable and closable member control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the drive mechanism includes a rotation sensing device that senses the rotation of the electric motor and outputs a pulse signal, which is synchronous with the rotation of the electric motor; the control device includes:
a controller that controls the drive mechanism; and
a timer that measures time;
the controller begins to count a pulse edge number of the pulse signal when the electric motor starts the rotation; when the pulse edge number counted by the controller reaches a first pulse edge number in the mask period, the controller determines whether an elapsed time period, which is measured with the timer and is from the time point of starting the rotation of the electric motor to a time point of counting the first pulse edge number, is equal to or less than a predetermined time period; when the controller determines that the elapsed time period, which is measured with the timer and is from the time point of starting the rotation of the electric motor to the time point of counting the first pulse edge number, is equal to or less than the predetermined time period, the controller ends the mask period and enables the execution of the determination operation at a time point, at which the pulse edge number counted by the controller reaches a second pulse edge number that is larger than the first pulse edge number; and when the controller determines that the elapsed time period, which is measured with the timer and is from the time point of starting the rotation of the electric motor to the time point of counting the first pulse edge number, is longer than the predetermined time period, the controller ends the mask period and enables the execution of the determination operation at a time point, at which the pulse edge number counted by the controller reaches a third pulse edge number that is larger than the second pulse edge number.

8 . The openable and closable member control apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the controller increases the third pulse edge number in response to an increase in a difference between:
the elapsed time period, which is measured with the timer and is from the time point of starting the rotation of the electric motor to the time point of counting the first pulse edge number; and the predetermined time period.

Assignees

• Asmo Co Ltd

Inventors

• Aoshima Hiroki

Classifications

• E05F15/41 Primary

  Detection by monitoring transmitted force or torque (E05F15/48 takes precedence); Safety couplings with activation dependent upon torque or force, e.g. slip couplings · CPC title

• E05F15/695

  Control circuits therefor · CPC title

• E05Y2900/55

  Windows · CPC title

• E05F15/603

  using rotary electromotors · CPC title

• E05F15/40 Primary

  Safety devices, e.g. detection of obstructions or end positions · CPC title