Power tailgate control system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020378170-A1
Application number	US-201916429759-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 3, 2019
Priority date	Jun 3, 2019
Publication date	Dec 3, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle tailgate can be being pivotally and removably attached to a cargo area of the vehicle. Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a system and method of operating a power tailgate assembly for a vehicle. In one embodiment, the disclosed system can detect that a tailgate, connected to the vehicle by a pivotal connection and having an open position and a closed position, is in the open position, detect that the vehicle is being driven, detect, by one or more sensors, a movement of the tailgate, and control a motor assembly to restrain movement of the tailgate and return the tailgate to the open position in response to detecting that the tailgate is in the open position, the vehicle is being driven, and the tailgate has moved more than a threshold amount.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A power tailgate assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
a tailgate connected to the vehicle by a pivotal connection, the tailgate having an open position and a closed position; a motor assembly connected to the tailgate and configured to cause the tailgate to move between the closed position and the open position; one or more sensors configured to detect movement of the tailgate; one or more processors; and a memory communicably connected to the one or more processors and storing a control logic module including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to control the motor assembly to restrain movement of the tailgate and return the tailgate to the open position when the one or more processors determine that: 1) the tailgate is open, 2) the vehicle is being driven, and 3) the one or more sensors detect movement of the tailgate above a threshold amount.

2 . The power tailgate assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pivotal connection allows the tailgate to be removed from the vehicle when the tailgate is pivoted to a removal position.

3 . The power tailgate assembly of claim 1 , wherein the motor assembly comprises:
a hinge arm connected to the tailgate; and a spindle drive connected to the hinge arm to drive the hinge arm and cause the tailgate to move between the closed position and the open position.

4 . The power tailgate assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises a plurality of Hall sensors.

5 . The power tailgate assembly of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of Hall sensors comprises a first Hall sensor disposed in a first position on a rotary element of the motor assembly and a second Hall sensor disposed at a second position on the rotary element such that an output signal from the second Hall sensor is phase-shifted approximately 90 degrees relative to an output signal of the first Hall sensor.

6 . The power tailgate assembly of claim 4 , wherein the motor assembly comprises:
a hinge arm connected to the tailgate; and a spindle drive connected to the hinge arm to drive the hinge arm and cause the tailgate to move between the closed position and the open position, the spindle drive comprising:
an upper housing;
a lower housing attached to the hinge arm;
a spindle nut disposed in the lower housing and attached thereto;
a spindle screw extending from the lower housing, through the spindle nut, into the upper housing;
a gear box disposed in the upper housing and attached thereto, the gear box including at least one gear threaded to the spindle screw; and
a motor disposed in the upper housing and attached thereto, having an output gear with gear teeth that mechanically engage the gear teeth of the gear box such that rotation of the output gear causes the spindle screw to rotate through the spindle nut and thereby move the lower housing, thereby moving the tailgate between the open and the closed positions.

7 . The power tailgate assembly of claim 1 , wherein the control logic module further includes instructions to determine that the vehicle is being driven by detecting that a transmission of the vehicle is shifted out of park.

8 . The power tailgate assembly of claim 1 , wherein the control logic module further includes instructions to determine that the vehicle is being driven by detecting that a moving speed of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined speed threshold.

9 . A method of operating a power tailgate assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
detecting that a tailgate, connected to the vehicle by a pivotal connection and having an open position and a closed position, is in the open position; detecting that the vehicle is being driven; detecting, by one or more sensors, a movement of the tailgate; and in response to detecting that the tailgate is in the open position, the vehicle is being driven, and the tailgate has moved more than a threshold amount, controlling a motor assembly to restrain movement of the tailgate and return the tailgate to the open position.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein controlling the motor assembly comprises driving a spindle drive connected to a hinge arm which is connected to the tailgate to cause the tailgate to move between the closed position and the open position.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein detecting the movement of the tailgate comprises detecting a first signal from a first Hall sensor and a second signal from a second Hall sensor.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein detecting that the vehicle is the being driven comprises detecting that a transmission of the vehicle is shifted out of park.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein detecting that the vehicle is the being driven comprises detecting that a moving speed of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined speed threshold.

14 . A vehicle including a power tailgate assembly, the assembly comprising:
a tailgate connected to the vehicle by a pivotal connection, the tailgate having an open position and a closed position; a motor assembly connected to the tailgate, configured to cause the tailgate to move between the closed position and the open position; one or more sensors configured to detect movement and speed of movement of the tailgate; one or more processors; and a memory communicably connected to the one or more processors and storing a control logic module including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to control the motor assembly to restrain movement of the tailgate and return the tailgate to the open position when the one or more processors determine that: 1) the tailgate is open, 2) the vehicle is being driven, and 3) the one or more sensors detect movement and speed movement of the tailgate above threshold amounts.

15 . The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the pivotal connection allows the tailgate to be removed from the vehicle when the tailgate is pivoted to a removal position.

16 . The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the motor assembly comprises:
a hinge arm connected to the tailgate; and a spindle drive connected to the hinge arm to drive the hinge arm and cause the tailgate to move between the closed position and the open position.

17 . The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises a plurality of Hall sensors.

18 . The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of Hall sensors comprises a first Hall sensor disposed in a first position on a rotary element of the motor assembly and a second Hall sensor disposed at a second position on the rotary element such that an output signal from the second Hall sensor is phase-shifted approximately 90 degrees relative to an output signal of the first Hall sensor.

19 . The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the control logic module further includes instructions to determine that the vehicle is being driven by detecting that a transmission of the vehicle is shifted out of park.

20 . The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the control logic module further includes instructions to determine that the vehicle is being driven by detecting that a moving speed of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined speed threshold.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Kerr Norman C

Classifications

• E05Y2201/624

  Arms · CPC title

• E05D7/10

  to allow easy separation {or connection} of the parts at the hinge axis ({E05D5/12 and E05D15/50 take precedence } ; substitutes for hinges E05D1/06) · CPC title

• E05F15/622 Primary

  using screw-and-nut mechanisms · CPC title

• E05Y2400/336

  of the angular type · CPC title

• E05Y2900/544

  Tailboards, tailgates or sideboards opening downwards · CPC title