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US 5,982,126 AGranted
Power closure panel control apparatus
AssigneesMultimatic Inc., Agile Systems Inc.
InventorsRichard Hellinga, Robert Lankin, Brad Watson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power closure panel control apparatus is independent of closure panel configuration and capable of a diverse range of remote and direct activation. Sophisticated safety features utilize an adaptive strategy to facilitate highly sensitive obstruction detection by learning the closure system's force requirement and applying a safety margin to it. The control system allows the closure panel to operate in a totally manual mode.
Claims19
A closure panel control apparatus comprising:
- (a) a panel adapted to move along a predetermined path to cover an opening;
- (b) actuator means for moving the panel along the predetermined path between an open position and a closed position;
- (c) sensing means for continuously measuring instantaneous information relating to the force required to open or close the said panel at discrete point along the predetermined path during operation without the use of velocity feedback;
- (d) process means for performing calculated on said measured instantaneous information;
- (e) memory means for storing a table of the calculated information produced by the said processing means;
- (f) control mean for detecting obstruction in the path of the said panel by comparing the said measured instantaneous information with the calculated information stored by the memory means and or directing the actuation means to stop, free or reverse movement of the panel, based on the results of the comparison.
3 more elements
A closure panel control apparatus comprising:
- (a) a panel adapted to move along a predetermined path to cover an opening;
- (b) first actuator means for moving the panel along the predetermined path between an open position and a nearly closed position, second actuator means for moving the panel from a nearly closed position to a fully closed position, latch means to hold the panel in the fully closed position or to release the panel, and control means capable of coordinating the function of the first and second actuator means and latch means;
- (c) sensing means for continuously measuring instantaneous information relating to the force required to open or close the panel wherein such information comprises time, position of the panel at discrete points along the predetermined path during operation, and ambient temperature, without the use of velocity feedback;
- (d) processing means for performing calculations said measured instantaneous information wherein such calculated information comprises the instantaneous force required to open or close the panel, the first derivative of the instantaneous force required to open or close the panel such force with respect to position, the first derivative of the instantaneous force required to open or close the panel such force with respect to the time, the force required to open or close the panel normalized with respect to ambient temperature, and the running average or other statistical cumulation of such calculated information;
- (e) memory means for storing a table of the calculated information produced by the said processing means;
- (f) control means detecting obstructions in the path of the said panel by comparing the said measured instantaneous information with the calculated information stored by the memory means and for directing the actuation means to stop, free or reverse movement of the panel, based on the results of the comparison.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.