Door component with a controllable damping device and method for damping a movement of a door

A door component for a pivotable door of a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a controllable damper device containing a magnetorheological fluid and having two connector units that are movable relative to one another, said two connector units including a first connector unit connectable to a supporting structure of the vehicle and a second connector unit connectable to the pivotable door;
• a control device controlling said damper device to dampen a pivoting movement of the door at least partially between a closed position and an open position;
• a position sensor to measure an orientation of the motor vehicle relative to the horizontal;
• said damper device including at least one electrically settable magnetorheological damping valve which maintains a set state in an electrically deenergized state, in order, through electrical setting of said damping valve, to set a desired damping characteristic of said damper device in the electrically deenergized state of the damping valve;
• and
• said control device being configured to set said damping valve to a low damping action relative to a high damping action, such that said damping valve acts with said low damping action in the electrically deenergized state when the pivotable door is in the closed position, and to configured to set said damping valve to the high damping action relative to said low damping action, such that the damping valve acts with said high damping action in the electrically deenergized state, when the pivotable door is in said open position and after a predefined time period has elapsed and depending on the orientation of the motor vehicle relative to the horizontal.