Patent ID: 6765481
Filing Date: 2004-07-20
Classification: G09F

Abstract:
An electrical actuator assembly for attaching a hinged safety device to a body panel of a vehicle and pivoting the hinged safety device between retracted and extended positions comprising:a housing that is adapted for attachment to a vehicle and a cover, an electric motor disposed in the housing, a drive mechanism in the housing coupled to the electric motor for pivoting the safety device, first and second magnets carried by the drive mechanism, and an electronic control unit in the housing for controlling the electric motor, the electronic control unit having first and second Hall effect sensors cooperating with the first and second magnets for deactivating the electric motor at respective ends of a predetermined stroke, the drive mechanism including a rotary member driven by the electric motor, the rotary member carrying the first magnet in a first path and the second magnet in a second path, the first magnet coming into proximity with the first Hall effect sensor at a location corresponding to a stored position of the safety device, and the second magnet coming into proximity with the second Hall effect sensor at a location corresponding to an extended position of the safety device.