Vehicle window lifting device and integrated circuit

A window lifter device for driving a motor to control the up and down motion of an automobile window includes: a switch assembly; an up driving circuit for driving the motor to move up the window; a down driving circuit for driving the motor to move down the window; and a control circuit directly coupled between the switch assembly and the up and down driving circuits for controlling the up driving circuit to drive the motor to move up the window when the switch assembly is in a manual up operating state, and controlling the down driving circuit to drive the motor to move down the window when the switch assembly is in a manual down operating state.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an automobile window lifter device, particularly to a low cost automobile window lifter device capable of effectively achieving the basic up and down functions of the window.

2. Description of the Related Art

At present, many automobiles have window lifter devices with analog input control. Generally, these window lifter devices control motors through analog input to move windows up and down. The user operates a switch assembly continuously by, for example, manual up or manual down operations to move the window up or down. Furthermore, the above-mentioned window lifter device is generally equipped with auto down function by which the user may move the window completely down through one time transient operation of the switch assembly.

However, the above-mentioned window lifter device is generally implemented by MCU (microchip unit), which leads to high cost.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above problem, the present invention provides a window lifter device that can reduce cost while effectively achieving the basic up and down functions of an automobile window.

A window lifter device for driving a motor to control the up and down of an automobile window according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: a switch assembly; an up driving circuit for driving the motor to move up the window; a down driving circuit for driving the motor to move down the window; and a control circuit directly coupled between the switch assembly and the up and down driving circuits for controlling the up driving circuit to drive the motor to move up the window when the switch assembly is in a manual up operating state, and controlling the down driving circuit to drive the motor to move down the window when the switch assembly is in a manual down operating state.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the control circuit includes: a first comparator, wherein a non-inverted input terminal and an inverted input terminal of the first comparator are coupled to a first reference voltage and the switch assembly respectively; a second comparator, wherein a non-inverted input terminal and an inverted input terminal of the second comparator are coupled to a second reference voltage and the switch assembly respectively; a decoder, wherein two input terminals of the decoder are coupled to the output terminal of the first comparator and the output terminal of the second comparator respectively, and an output terminal of the decoder that outputs high level when the switch assembly is in the manual up operating state and an output terminal thereof that outputs high level when the switch assembly is in the manual down operating state are coupled to the up driving circuit and the down driving circuit respectively as a first output terminal and a second output terminal of the control circuit, wherein the inverted input terminal of the first comparator, the inverted input terminal of the second comparator and the switch assembly are coupled together and coupled to a power supply via a resistor.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the up driving circuit includes: a first transistor a base of which is coupled to the first output terminal, the first transistor being turned on to cause the motor to move up the window only when the first output terminal outputs high level, and the down driving circuit comprises a second transistor a base of which is coupled to the second output terminal, the second transistor being turned on to cause the motor to move down the window only when the second output terminal outputs high level.

The window lifter device according to the present invention may further include a self-locking circuit that continuously outputs high level at an output terminal once high level is received at an input terminal, wherein another input terminal other than the two input terminals of the decoder is coupled to the inverted input terminal of the first comparator and the inverted input terminal of the second comparator, the decoder further has an additional output terminal as a third output terminal of the control circuit, which outputs high level when the switch assembly is in an auto down operating state, and the input terminal of the self-locking circuit is coupled to the third output terminal via a first diode, and the output terminal of the self-locking circuit is coupled to the down driving circuit via a second diode.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the self-locking circuit includes: a third transistor; a fourth transistor; and a feedback resistor, wherein a base of the third transistor is coupled to the input terminal of the self-locking circuit directly or via a first resistor and coupled to ground via a second resistor, an emitter of the third transistor is coupled to the ground, and a collector of the third transistor is coupled to a base of the fourth transistor directly or via a third resistor; the base of the fourth transistor is further coupled to a working power supply via a fourth resistor, an emitter of the fourth transistor is also coupled to the working power supply, a collector of the fourth transistor is coupled to the output terminal of the self-locking circuit, and the collector of the fourth transistor is coupled to the input terminal of the self-locking circuit via the feedback resistor to form a feedback loop.

The window lifter device according to the present invention may further include an unlock circuit coupled with the motor and the self-locking circuit, which cuts off the feedback loop to unlock the self-locking circuit when the self-locking circuit is in a self-locking working state and a current of the motor reaches a predetermined threshold.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the up driving circuit comprises a first transistor a base of which is coupled to the first output terminal, the first transistor being turned on to cause the motor to move up the window only when the first output terminal outputs high level, and the down driving circuit comprises a second transistor a base of which is coupled to a second output terminal of the control circuit via a third diode and coupled to the output terminal of the self-locking circuit via the second diode, the second transistor being turned on to cause the motor to move down the window only when the second output terminal of the control circuit or the output terminal of the self-locking circuit outputs high level.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an integrated circuit including the control circuit, the up driving circuit and the down driving circuit as described in the above embodiments.

The integrated circuit according to the present invention may further include a self-locking circuit having an input terminal coupled to a third output terminal of the control circuit via a first diode, an output terminal coupled to the down driving circuit via a second diode and continuously outputting high level to the down driving circuit once the third output terminal outputs high level.

In the integrated circuit according to the present invention, the self-locking circuit may include: a third transistor; a fourth transistor; and a feedback resistor, wherein a base of the third transistor is coupled to the input terminal of the self-locking circuit directly or via a first resistor and coupled to ground via a second resistor, an emitter of the third transistor is coupled to the ground, and a collector of the third transistor is coupled to a base of the fourth transistor directly or via a third resistor; the base of the fourth transistor is further coupled to a working power supply via a fourth resistor, an emitter of the fourth transistor is also coupled to the working power supply, a collector of the fourth transistor is coupled to the output terminal of the self-locking circuit, and the collector of the fourth transistor is coupled to the input terminal of the self-locking circuit via the feedback resistor to form a feedback loop.

As can be seen from above, the present invention implements a window lifter device with logic circuits of simple structures, thereby effectively reducing cost.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1is a structure schematic diagram showing a window lifter device according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 1, the window lifter device10includes a switch assembly100, a control circuit200, an up driving circuit300, a down driving circuit400and a self-locking circuit500.

Among them, the switch assembly100may be switch operated by the user and in different operating states depending on different switching operations of the user, e.g., manual up operating state, manual down operating state or Auto Down operating state.

The control circuit200is directly coupled to the switch assembly100. The up driving circuit300and the down driving circuit400are directly coupled to the control circuit200, and the self-locking circuit500is coupled between the control circuit200and the down driving circuit400. The up driving circuit300and the down driving circuit400drive a motor M to move up or down the window under the control of the control circuit200and the self-locking circuit500.

FIG. 2is a circuit schematic diagram showing a window lifter device according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 2, the switch assembly100includes a switch K and resistors R1and R12. When the user operates the switch K to allow it to be connected to ground through the resistor R1, the switch assembly100is in the manual up operating state. When the user operates the switch K to allow it to be connected to ground through the resistor R12, the switch assembly100is in the manual down operating state. When the user operates the switch K to allow it to be connected to ground directly, the switch assembly100is in the auto down operating state.

The control circuit200includes a first comparator U1A, a second comparator U1B and3-8line decoders U2.

The non-inverted input terminal of the first comparator U1A is coupled to a reference voltage Vref1obtained by dividing the power supply V2with resistors R4and R5. The inverted input terminal of the first comparator U1A is coupled to the switch assembly100. The power supply V4is coupled to the first comparator U1A to supply an operating voltage to the first comparator U1A and the power supply V4is also coupled to the output terminal of the first comparator U1A through a pull-up resistor R8.

The non-inverted input terminal of the second comparator U1B is coupled to a reference voltage Vref2obtained by dividing the power supply V3with resistors R6and R7. The inverted input terminal of the second comparator U1B is coupled to the switch assembly100. The power supply V4is coupled to the second comparator U1B to supply an operating voltage to the second comparator U1B and the power supply V4is also coupled to the output terminal of the second comparator U1B through a pull-up resistor R9.

Those skilled in the art should understand that, the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B shown inFIG. 2belong to those with an output stage of open-collector structure, therefore the output terminals of the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B need to be coupled to the pull-up resistors R8and R9. However, if the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B are those of complementary outputs, the output terminals of the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B need not to be coupled to the pull-up resistors R8and R9.

The input terminals A and B of the3-8line decoder U2are coupled to the output terminal of the first comparator U1A and the output terminal of the second comparator U1B respectively. The output terminals Y0, Y1and Y3of the3-8line decoder U2are coupled to the up driving circuit300, the down driving circuit400and the self-locking circuit500as the output terminals Y0, Y1and Y2of the control circuit200respectively. The power supply V5is coupled to the enable terminal G1of the3-8line decoder U2to supply operating power to the3-8line decoder U2. The enable terminal G2of the3-8line decoder U2is coupled to the ground.

The switch assembly100, the inverted input terminal of the first comparator U1A, the inverted input terminal of the second comparator U1B and the input terminal C of the3-8line decoder U2are further coupled together and coupled to the power supply V1via the resistor R3.

The up driving circuit300includes a transistor Transistor1, and the down driving circuit400includes a transistor Transistor2.

Among them, the base of Transistor1is coupled to the output terminal Y0of the control circuit200via the resistor R10or directly, the collector of Transistor1is coupled with the driving coil of the motor M, and the emitter of Transistor1is coupled with the ground.

The base of Transistor2is coupled to the output terminal Y1of the control circuit200via the resistor R17or directly via a diode D2, the collector of Transistor2is coupled with the driving coil of the motor M, and the emitter of Transistor2is coupled with the ground.

The input terminal of the self-locking circuit500is coupled to the output terminal Y2of the control circuit200via a diode D1, the output terminal of the self-locking circuit500is coupled to the second transistor Transistor2through the resistor R17or directly via the diode D3. Immediately after the output terminal Y2of the control circuit200outputs a high Level, the self-locking circuit500continuously outputs a high level to the second transistor Transistor2, even if the output terminal Y2of the control circuit200outputs low level thereafter.

The self-locking circuit500includes a transistor Transistor3, a transistor Transistor4and a feedback resistor R16.

Among them, the base of Transistor3is coupled to the input terminal of the self-locking circuit500via the resistor R12or directly and coupled to the ground via a resistor R13, the emitter of Transistor3is coupled to the ground, and the collector of Transistor3is coupled to the base of the transistor Transistor4via a resistor R14or directly.

The base of Transistor4is further coupled to the power supply V7via a resistor R15, and the emitter of Transistor4is also coupled to the power supply V7. The collector of Transistor4is coupled to the output terminal of the self-locking circuit500, and the collector of Transistor4is coupled to the input terminal of the self-locking circuit500via a feedback resistor R16to form a feedback loop.

Referring toFIG. 2again, when the user switches the switch K to the resistor R1to make the switch assembly100in the manual up operating state, the inverted input terminals of the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B and the input terminal C of the decoder U2are all at low level and higher than reference voltage Vref1and reference voltage Vref2. Thereby, the output terminals of the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B are both at low level, thus the input terminals A, B and C of the decoder U2are all at low level. In this case, the output terminals Y0, Y1and Y3of the decoder U2(namely the output terminals Y0, Y1and Y2of the control circuit200) are at high level, low level and low level in turn. Accordingly, Transistor1in the up driving circuit300is turned on, and the Transistor2in the down driving circuit400is turned off. Since Transistor1is turned on, the motor M is supplied with current to work, thereby lifting the window. Thereafter, when the switch K is released, the inverted input terminals of the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B and the input terminal C of the decoder U2are all at high level and higher than reference voltage Vref1and reference voltage Vref2. Thereby, the output terminals of the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B are both at low level, thus the input terminals A, B and C of the decoder U2are at low level, low level and high level in turn. At this point, the output terminals Y0, Y1and Y3of the decoder U2(namely the output terminals Y0, Y1and Y2of the control circuit200) are all at low level, turning off Transistor1in the up driving circuit300and Transistor2in the down driving circuit400. The motor M will not be supplied with drive current and stop working, that is, stop lifting the window.

When the user switches the switch K to the resistor R2to make the switch assembly100in the manual down operating state, the inverted input terminals of the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B and the input terminal C of the decoder U2are all at low level and the voltage of the inverted input terminal of the first comparator U1A is higher than reference voltage Vref1 and the voltage of the inverted input terminal of the second comparator U1B is lower than the reference voltage Vref2. Thereby, the output terminal of the first comparator U1A is at low level and the output terminal of the second comparator U1B is at high level, thus the input terminals A, B and C of the decoder U2are at low level, high level and low level in turn. In this case, the output terminals Y0, Y1and Y3of the decoder U2(namely the output terminals Y0, Y1and Y2of the control circuit200) are at low level, high level and low level in turn. Accordingly, Transistor2in the down driving circuit400is turned on, and the Transistor1in the up driving circuit300is turned off. Since Transistor2in the down driving circuit400is turned on, the motor M is supplied with current to work, so as to move down the window. Thereafter, when the switch K is released, the inverted input terminals of the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B and the input terminal C of the decoder U2are all at high level and higher than reference voltage Vref1and reference voltage Vref2. Thereby, the output terminals of the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B are both at low level, thus the input terminals A, B and C of the decoder U2are at low level, low level and high level in turn. At this point, the output terminals Y0, Y1and Y3of the decoder U2(namely the output terminals Y0, Y1and Y2of the control circuit200) are all at low level, turning off Transistor1in the up driving circuit300and Transistor2in the down driving circuit400. The motor M will not be supplied with drive current and stop working, that is, stop moving down the window.

When the user switches the switch K to be directly coupled to the ground to make the switch assembly100in the auto down operating state, the inverted input terminals of the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B and the input terminal C of the decoder U2are all at low level and lower than reference voltage Vref1 and reference voltage Vref2. Thereby, the output terminals of the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B are both at high level, thus the input terminals A, B and C of the decoder U2are at high level, high level and low level in turn. In this case, the output terminals Y0, Y1and Y3of the decoder U2(namely the output terminals Y0, Y1and Y2of the control circuit200) are at low level, low level and high level in turn. This turns off Transistor1in the up driving circuit300and turns on the diode D1. Thereby, the base of Transistor3becomes high level to turns it on. Accordingly, the collector of Transistor3becomes low level to turn on Transistor4, thereby making the collector of Transistor4become high level and turning on the diode D2and Transistor2in the down driving circuit400. In this way, the motor M is supplied with drive current to move down the window. Thereafter, when the switch K is released, the inverted input terminals of the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B and the input terminal C of the decoder U2are all at high level and higher than reference voltage Vref1and reference voltage Vref2. Thereby, the output terminals of the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B are both at low level, thus the input terminals A, B and C of the decoder U2are at low level, low level and high level in turn. At this point, the output terminals Y0, Y1and Y3of the decoder U2(namely the output terminals Y0, Y1and Y2of the control circuit200) are all at low level, turning off Transistor1in the up driving circuit300. However, since there is a feedback loop formed by the feedback resistor R16in the self-locking circuit500, the base of Transistor3is still at high level, which maintains Transistor3and Transistor4, the diode D2and Transistor2still turned on and the motor M is continuously supplied with drive current to keep moving down the window.

As can be seen from the above description, the window lifter device of the present invention is implemented with logic circuits of simple structure, thereby reducing cost.

FIG. 3is a schematic diagram showing an integrated circuit (IC) according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 3, the integrated circuit20includes the aforementioned control circuit200, up driving circuit300, down driving circuit400and self-locking circuit500.

Those skilled in the art should understand, although in embodiments described above the window lifter device10is set as below: output terminals of the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B both being at low level corresponds to the manual up operating state of the switch assembly100, the output terminal of the first comparator U1A being at low level and the output terminal of the second comparator U1B being at high level corresponds to the manual down operating state of the switch assembly100, and the output terminals of the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B both being at high level corresponds to the auto down operating state of the switch assembly100, the present invention is not limited to this. In other embodiments of the present invention, it is also possible to set the window lifter device10to use other level combinations of output terminals of the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B to correspond to various operating states of the switch assembly100. In this case, the connection relationship between the decoder U2and the up driving circuit300, the down driving circuit400and the self-locking circuit500needs to be set again, to couple the output terminals in the decoder U2that output high level when the switch assembly100is in various operating states to the up driving circuit300, the down driving circuit400and the self-locking circuit500as the output terminals of the control circuit200.

Furthermore, those skilled in the art should understand, although in embodiments described above, the output terminals of the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B are coupled to the input terminals A and B of the decoder U2respectively, the present invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments of the present invention, it is also possible to connect output terminals of the first comparator U1A and the second comparator U1B to different input terminals of the decoder U2respectively. In this case, the connection relationship between the decoder U2and the up driving circuit300, the down driving circuit400and the self-locking circuit500needs to be set again, to couple the output terminals in the decoder U2that output high level when the switch assembly100is in various operating states to the up driving circuit300, the down driving circuit400and the self-locking circuit500as the output terminals of the control circuit200.

Furthermore, those skilled in the art should understand, although in embodiments described above, the power supply V1is also coupled to the input terminal C of the3-8line decoder U2via the resistor R3, the present invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments of the present invention, it is not necessary to couple the power supply V1to the input terminal C of the3-8line decoder U2via the resistor R3.

Furthermore, those skilled in the art should understand, although in embodiments described above, the decoder U2of the window lifter device10is a3-8line decoder, the present invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments of the present invention, the decoder U2of the window lifter device10may also be other types of decoders, such as4-16line decoder or5-32line decoder.

Furthermore, those skilled in the art should understand, when the window is completely moved down, a trap phenomenon occurs on the motor M, which causes large current of the motor M. When the motor M is in trap state for a long time, it will be burnt. With this end in view, in the window lifter device10and the integrated circuit20of the present invention, there may be also included a unlock circuit coupled with the motor M and the self-locking circuit500for detecting whether current in motor M is large and reaches a predetermined threshold when the self-locking circuit500is in a self-locking working state, and cutting off the feedback loop in the self-locking circuit500when the current in motor M reaches this predetermined threshold to unlock the self-locking circuit500, thereby the self-locking circuit500stops outputting high level to the base of Transistor2, turning off Transistor2, hence the motor M will not be supplied with drive current and stops moving down the window.

Furthermore, those skilled in the art should understand, although in embodiment described above, the switch assembly100includes three operating states, manual up, manual down and auto down, the present invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments of the present invention, the switch assembly100may also only include two operating states: manual up and manual down. In case that the switch assembly100only includes manual up and manual down, the window lifter device10does not include the self-locking circuit500and it is not necessary that the power supply V1is coupled to the input terminal of the3-8line decoder U2via resistor R3.

Furthermore, those skilled in the art should understand, although in embodiments described above, the switch assembly100is included in the window lifter device10, the present invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments of the present invention, the switch assembly100may also not be included in the window lifter device10. Those skilled in the art should understand, although in embodiments described above, the self-locking circuit500is added only in the window auto down operating state; however the self-locking circuit500may also be added in the window auto up operating state.