Loading patent…
AssigneeAtoma International Inc.
InventorsEric D. Squire, Maciej Bigoszewski, Gareth J. Selfe
Estimating the term…
A method for operating a hydraulic closure system for a motor vehicle includes automatic opening and closing, as well as manual closing, of a closure pivotally mounted to an opening frame defining a closure opening in the motor vehicle. The system used in the method includes at least one hydraulic actuator assembly attached at opposite ends thereof to the closure and the opening frame, respectively. A motorized hydraulic pump inputs energy to the actuator to move the closure from the opened position to the closed position, and a biased energy storage system inputs energy to the actuator to move the closure from the closed position to the opened position. In a preferred embodiment, the pump is activated by relatively slow manually generated movement of the closure from the opened position toward the closed position. Also, an obstacle detection mechanism detects obstacles interfering with closing of the closure based on monitored pressure in the system. A level detection and compensation feature adjusts the amount of energy stored in the biased energy storage system for opening the closure based on the detected inclination or declination of the vehicle so that the amount of energy stored is commensurate with the amount required to open the closure.
A method of operating a hydraulic closure system for a motor vehicle, which closure system includes a) a closure pivotally mounted on a closure opening frame, which frame defines a closure opening of the motor vehicle body and b) a hydraulic closure system including at least one hydraulic fluid actuator assembly coupling the closure with the closure opening frame for movement between a closed position in which said closure closes the closure opening and an opened position in which said closure is oriented to permit access through the closure opening, said method comprising:
A method of operating a hydraulic closure system for a motor vehicle, which closure system includes a) a closure pivotally mounted on a closure opening frame defining a closure opening of the motor vehicle body, said closure capable of being latched in a closed position in which said closure closes the closure opening, said closure being moveable when unlatched from said closed position towards an opened position in which said closure is oriented to permit access through the closure opening, and b) a hydraulic fluid system constructed and arranged to store energy and to release said stored energy to effect movement of said closure from said closed position to said opened position when said closure is unlatched, said method comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.