Anti-pinch safety system for vehicle closure device
AssigneeHonda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorHideo Furukawa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An anti-pinch safety system includes an electric motor operatively coupled to a vehicle opening device to move the vehicle opening device between an open position and a closed position, and a sensor operatively coupled to the electric motor for sensing velocity of movement of the vehicle opening device. A processor is coupled to each of the sensor and the electric motor, along with a memory containing stored instructions to be executed by the processor. The stored instructions include: a) calculating a pinching force of the vehicle opening device in accordance with changes in velocity sensed by the sensor; b) detecting a pinched condition by comparing the pinching force to a predetermined force value; and c) stopping closing movement of the vehicle opening device when the pinched condition is detected.
Claims24
A safety apparatus for operating a motor vehicle opening device, comprising:
- an electric motor operatively coupled to said vehicle opening device to move said vehicle opening device between an open position and a closed position;
- a sensor operatively coupled to said electric motor for sensing velocity of movement of said vehicle opening device;
- and
- a processor operatively coupled to each of said sensor and said electric motor, and a memory containing stored instructions to be executed by said processor, said stored instructions including:
- calculating a pinching force of said vehicle opening device in accordance with changes in velocity sensed by said sensor;
- detecting a pinched condition by comparing said pinching force to a predetermined force value;
- and
- stopping closing movement of said vehicle opening device when said pinched condition is detected.
A method for operating a motor vehicle opening device, comprising:
- moving said vehicle opening device between an open position and a closed position;
- sensing velocity of movement of said vehicle opening device;
- calculating a pinching force of said vehicle opening device in accordance with sensed changes in said velocity of movement of said vehicle opening device;
- detecting a pinched condition by comparing said pinching force to a predetermined force value;
- and
- stopping movement of said vehicle opening device when a pinched condition is detected.
An apparatus for operating a motor vehicle opening device, comprising:
- a vehicle power supply;
- an electric motor operatively coupled to said vehicle opening device to move said vehicle opening device between an open position and a closed position;
- a first sensor operatively coupled to said electric motor for sensing velocity of movement of said vehicle opening device;
- a second sensor responsive to said vehicle power supply for sensing a voltage level of said vehicle power supply;
- a processor operatively coupled to each of said first and second sensors and said electric motor, said vehicle power supply providing electrical power for operation of said processor, said processor detecting whether an object is pinched by said vehicle opening device responsive to said velocity sensed by said first sensor;
- and
- a temporary power source adapted to provide electrical power to said processor sufficient to continue operating upon said voltage level sensed by said second sensor being below a predetermined first level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.