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US 2001/0010430 A1Published application
Drive assembly for a moveable vehicle component
AssigneeActuant Corporation
InventorLaurentius A.G. Mentink
Life of this patent
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AssigneeActuant Corporation
InventorLaurentius A.G. Mentink
Estimating the term…
A drive assembly for driving a moveable component of a vehicle. The component can adopt one or more positions in which the component prevents access to the vehicle or a part of the vehicle. The drive assembly comprises an actuator which is coupled to the component and provides the force for moving the component, and a control unit for actuating the actuator. The drive assembly has an emergency operating mode, in which the actuator can move freely in at least one direction, in such a manner that the actuator allows movement of the component caused by an external force being exerted on the component other than by means of the actuator, preferably by hand. The drive assembly is also provided with theft detection means for detecting theft and/or attempted theft of the vehicle and/or of goods which are present in the vehicle. The theft detection means are coupled to the control unit. The drive assembly is designed in such a manner that, if this assembly is in the emergency operating mode and the moveable component is in a position in which the component prevents access to the vehicle or a part of the vehicle, and then the theft detection means detect theft or attempted theft, the emergency operating mode of the drive assembly is cancelled, and that the drive assembly is then moved into a blocking mode, in which the free mobility of the actuator is cancelled and the actuator blocks movement of the component caused by an external force being exerted on the component.
A drive assembly for driving a moveable component of a vehicle, which component can adopt a position in which the component prevents access to a part of the vehicle, the drive assembly comprising an actuator, which is coupled to the component and can provide a force for moving the component, and a control unit for controlling the actuator, the drive assembly having an emergency operating mode, in which the actuator can move freely in at least one direction, and allows thereby a movement of the component caused by an external force being exerted on the component other than by the actuator, the drive assembly further being provided with theft detection means for detecting theft and/or attempted theft of the vehicle and/or of goods which are present in the vehicle, and the theft detection means being coupled to the control unit, wherein the drive assembly being designed such that, if the drive assembly is in the emergency operating mode and the moveable component is in a position in which the component prevents access to a part of the vehicle, and then the theft detection means detect theft or attempted theft, the emergency operating mode of the drive assembly is cancelled, and the drive assembly is then brought into a blocking mode, in which the actuator blocks any movement of the component caused by an external force being exerted on the component.
A vehicle provided with a drive assembly for driving a moveable component of the vehicle, which component can adopt a position in which the component prevents access to a part of the vehicle, the drive assembly comprising an actuator, which is coupled to the component and can provide a force for moving the component, and a control unit for controlling the actuator, the drive assembly having an emergency operating mode, in which the actuator can move freely in at least one direction, and allows thereby a movement of the component caused by an external force being exerted on the component other than by the actuator, the drive assembly further being provided with theft detection means for detecting theft and/or attempted theft of the vehicle and/or of goods which are present in the vehicle, and the theft detection means being coupled to the control unit, wherein the drive assembly being designed such that, if the drive assembly is in the emergency operating mode and the moveable component is in a position in which the component prevents access to a part of the vehicle, and then the theft detection means detect theft or attempted theft, the emergency operating mode of the drive assembly is cancelled, and the drive assembly is then brought into a blocking mode, in which the actuator blocks any movement of the component caused by an external force being exerted on the component.
A method for preventing unauthorized access to a part of a vehicle, said vehicle having a drive assembly for driving a moveable component of the vehicle, which component can adopt a position in which the component prevents access to the part of the vehicle, the drive assembly comprising an actuator, which is coupled to the component and can provide a force for moving the component, and a control unit for controlling the actuator, the drive assembly having an emergency operating mode, in which the actuator can move freely in at least one direction, and allows thereby a movement of the component caused by an external force being exerted on the component other than by the actuator, the drive assembly further being provided with theft detection means for detecting theft and/or attempted theft of the vehicle and/or of goods which are present in the vehicle, and the theft detection means being coupled to the control unit, wherein if the drive assembly is in the emergency operating mode and the moveable component is in a position in which the component prevents access to a part of the vehicle, and then the theft detection means detect theft or attempted theft, the emergency operating mode of the drive assembly is cancelled, and the drive assembly is then brought into a blocking mode, in which the actuator blocks any movement of the component caused by an external force being exerted on the component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.