Electronic latch of a motor-vehicle closure device, provided with an improved backup energy source
AssigneeMagna Closures Inc.
InventorDavide Dente
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic latch assembly for a closure device of a motor vehicle, having an actuator group operable to control actuation of the closure device and an electric motor controllable to drive the actuator group and supplied, during a normal operating condition, by a main power source of the motor vehicle providing a main supply voltage (Vbatt); the electronic latch assembly has a backup energy source, and a control unit controlling the backup energy source to supply the electric motor during a failure operating condition. The backup energy source has a supercapacitor group, which stores energy during the normal operating condition and provides a backup supply voltage (Vsc) to supply the electric motor (9) during the failure operating condition.
Claims23
An electronic latch assembly for a closure device of a motor vehicle, including an actuator group operable to control actuation of the closure device and an electric motor controllable to drive the actuator group, the electric motor being designed to be supplied, during a normal operating condition, by a main power source of the motor vehicle providing a main supply voltage (Vbatt), wherein the electronic latch assembly includes a backup energy source, and a control unit configured to control the backup energy source to supply the electric motor during a failure operating condition, different from the normal operating condition,
- wherein the backup energy source includes a supercapacitor group, configured to store energy during the normal operating condition and to provide a backup supply voltage (Vsc) to supply the electric motor during the failure operating condition,
- wherein the backup energy source and the control unit are arranged within a case of the electronic latch assembly;
- wherein the backup energy source further includes a boost module, coupled to the supercapacitor group and configured to receive at its input the backup supply voltage (Vsc) generated by the supercapacitor group, and configured to boost a level of the backup supply voltage (Vsc) during the driving of the electric motor and during the failure operating condition to provide at its output a boost voltage (Vboost) that is higher than the backup supply voltage (Vsc) to drive the electric motor;
- and
- wherein the backup energy source includes an equalization module, coupled to the supercapacitor group comprising super capacitor cells, and operable to determine a desired voltage level on each of the supercapacitor cells.
An electronic latch assembly for a closure device of a motor vehicle, including an actuator group operable to control actuation of the closure device and an electric motor controllable to drive the actuator group, the electric motor being designed to be supplied, during a normal operating condition, by a main power source of the motor vehicle providing a main supply voltage (Vbatt), wherein the electronic latch assembly includes a backup energy source, and a control unit configured to control the backup energy source to supply the electric motor during a failure operating condition, different from the normal operating condition,
- wherein the backup energy source includes a supercapacitor group, configured to store energy during the normal operating condition and to provide a backup supply voltage (Vsc) to supply the electric motor during the failure operating condition,
- wherein the backup energy source includes:
- a charge module, controllable by the control unit to charge the supercapacitor group, and a diagnostic module, coupled to the supercapacitor group and configured to monitor the operating temperature of the supercapacitor group and to cooperate with the charge module to implement a charging strategy as a function of the detected operating temperature;
- wherein the charging strategy envisages three different charging conditions in respective temperature intervals, according to which:
- for temperatures comprised between −Temp1 and +Temp1, the supercap group is kept fully charged, with Temp1 being a first preset temperature value,
- for temperatures comprised between +Temp1 and +Temp2, a voltage decrease between a first voltage value and a second voltage value, lower than the first voltage value, is applied to the backup supply voltage (Vsc), with Temp2 being a second preset temperature value, higher than the first preset temperature value, and
- for temperatures higher than Temp2, the supercap group is discharged up to a third voltage value, lower than the second voltage value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.