Patent Publication Number: US-9834978-B2

Title: Power door system for a motor vehicle

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This document generally relates to a power door system for a passenger or motor vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,500,711 to Ewing et al., assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, discloses a power side door for a passenger vehicle. As described the vehicle door is opened and closed by an actuator incorporating a motor, a cooperating clutch and a lead screw that is connected at its distal end to a door check arm. 
     This document relates to an improvement to such power side door systems wherein an open side door is closed automatically in response to a change in presence or occupancy of the adjacent seat within the motor vehicle. 
     SUMMARY 
     An improved power side door system for a motor vehicle comprises a vehicle side door connected to a vehicle body, an actuator for displacing the side door between an open position and a closed position and a presence sensor to determine a change in presence or occupancy of an individual in a seat position adjacent the side door. A controller responsive to the presence sensor controls operation of the actuator. 
     In one embodiment, the system includes an obstacle sensor for sensing an obstacle in the path of movement of the side door. The controller is responsive to the obstacle sensor to control operation of the actuator. In this way it is possible to prevent contact between the side door and the obstacle such as an adjacent vehicle. 
     The system may further include a switch for selectively displacing the door between the open position and the closed position. The controller is responsive to the switch to control operation of the actuator. The system may also include a force sensor for sensing an opening or closing force applied to the side door. The controller is responsive to the force sensor to control operation of the actuator. Still further the system may include a door handle sensor for sensing operation of a door handle to release a latch that secures the side door in the closed position. The controller is responsive to the door handle sensor to control operation of the actuator. Further, the system may include a voice activation module for recognizing spoken sounds. The controller is responsive to the voice activation module to control operation of the actuator and open and close the side door in response to voice commands. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the presence sensor is a weight sensor connected to the seat. In one embodiment the actuator is a linear actuator carried in the side door. In one possible embodiment the system includes a door check arm having a first end pivotally connected to the linear actuator and a second end pivotally connected to the vehicle body. The door check arm may be smooth to provide an infinite number of stop positions. Further the side door may include a guidance roller system for engaging the door check arm. The roller system includes opposed rollers engaging opposite sides of the door check arm. In yet another embodiment, the door system includes a power latch having an engaged position for securing the side door in the closed position and an unengaged position for releasing the side door for opening. 
     In accordance with another aspect, a vehicle is provided incorporating the power side door system. 
     In accordance with yet another aspect, a method is provided for operating a power side door. That method comprises the steps of opening the power side door, monitoring the seat adjacent the side door by means of a presence sensor and then closing the side door by operation of an actuator in response to a controller either after (a) an individual enters the vehicle and occupies the seat or (b) an individual vacates the seat and leaves the vehicle as determined by detection of a change of presence in the seat by the presence sensor. Still further the method may include monitoring the seat for a change in presence for a predetermined time frame and automatically closing the power side door in response to detection of a change of presence in the seat during that predetermined time frame. In one embodiment the predetermined time frame is started upon opening the door. In one embodiment the method includes sensing weight in the seat in order to determine a change of presence in the seat. In one embodiment the method includes setting a predetermined minimum weight to establish presence of an individual in the seat. 
     In the following description, there is shown and described several preferred embodiments of the power side door system for a motor vehicle. As it should be realized, the power side door system for a motor vehicle is capable of other, different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the system as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the power side door system and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic top plan view showing a power side door of a motor vehicle in an open position; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded top plan view of the power side door actuator, check arm and mounting brackets. 
         FIG. 3  is an electrical block diagram for the power side door system; and 
         FIG. 4  is a seat actuation function diagram or table. 
     
    
    
     Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the power side door system, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference is now made to  FIGS. 1-3  illustrating the power side door system  10  for a motor vehicle V. In the illustrated embodiment the side door  12  is pivotally mounted to the vehicle body B by means of a hinge  14  which allows the side door to be displaced between a fully opened position (illustrated in full line) and a fully closed position illustrated in phantom line. 
     The side door  12  is displaced between the open and closed positions by means of an actuator generally designated by reference numeral  16 . In the illustrated embodiment the actuator  16  comprises a housing  18 , an electric drive motor  20 , a transmission and clutch  22  and a lead screw  24 . The housing  18  is mounted to the interior wall  26  of the side door  12  by means of the mounting bracket  28 . The distal end  30  of the lead screw  24  is pivotally connected by a pin  32  to one end of a door check arm  34 . The opposite end of the door check arm  34  is pivotally mounted to the support  36  of vehicle body B by means of the bracket  38 . 
     As further illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a guidance roller system, generally designated by reference numeral  37 , is mounted in the door  12 . The guidance roller system  37  includes opposed rollers  39  that roll along and follow opposite side edges  41  of the check arm  34  (see also  FIG. 2 ). If desired an additional set of opposing rollers (not shown) engage and follow the upper and lower faces of the check arm  34 . As should also be appreciated, the check arm  34  may include smooth edges  41  and faces to allow for an infinite number of stopping positions. When the motor  20  is driven in one direction, rotational motion of the motor is converted through the transmission and clutch  22  to a linear motion and the lead screw  24  is extended from the housing  18  to open the door  12 . In contrast, when the motor  20  is driven in the opposite direction, the lead screw  24  is retracted into the housing  18  and the door  12  is closed. When the door  12  is open it allows access to the adjacent seat  40  through the opening created in the side of the vehicle V. Additional details respecting the actuator  16  may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,500,711 to Ewing et al. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 3  which is an electrical block diagram for the power side door system  10 . The heart of the system  10  is the door electronic control unit (ECU) or controller  42  (e.g. a computing device with a processor and a memory). As should be appreciated the controller  42  is connected by appropriate buses, cables and control lines to various sensors and other components in order to allow proper operation of the power side door system  10 . Thus, as illustrated, the controller  42  is connected to the left front door pinch strip/optical system/ultrasonic sensor  44   a , the right front door pinch strip/optical system/ultrasonic sensor  44   b , the left rear door pinch strip/optical system/ultrasonic sensor  44   c  and the right rear door pinch strip/optical system/ultrasonic sensor  44   d  by means of control lines  46 . The pinch strip/optical system/ultrasonic sensors  44   a - 44   d  are effective to sense and detect obstructions in the path of a door  12  as it is opened and closed in a manner known in the art. 
     The controller  42  is also connected by control lines  48  to the individual door power open/close mechanism controls  50   a - 50   d . Each door power mechanism control  50   a - 50   d  includes the actuator  16  with the drive motor  20 , the transmission and clutch  22  as well as a speed/position sensor  52 . As noted above, the motor  20  and clutch  22  allow control of the individual actuators  16  that open and close each door  12 . 
     The controller  42  is also connected by means of control lines  54  to the door right front ajar switch, door left front ajar switch, door left rear ajar switch and door right rear ajar switch  56   a - 56   d . These switches  56   a - 56   d  detect when one of the doors  12  is slightly ajar and provide an appropriate signal through the control lines  54  to the controller  42 . 
     As further illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the controller  42  is also connected through the control lines  58  to a left front door latch/unlatching mechanism, a left rear door latch/unlatching mechanism, a right front door latch/unlatching mechanism and the right rear door latch/unlatching mechanism  60   a - 60   d . Each door latch/unlatching mechanism  60   a - 60   d  includes an electrical cinch latch  62  that may be activated to latch and unlatch each door  12  when in the closed position in a manner known in the art. 
     As further illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the controller  42  is connected via the bus  64  to the body control module  66 . The body control module  66  functions to provide the vehicle V with an interactive information, diagnostic, entertainment and both wired and wireless communication system in the nature described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,347 to Everhart et al. and known in the marketplace as the FORD SYNC system. 
     As illustrated, the body control module  66  is connected to the door open/close switch  68  by control line  70 , voice activation or speech processor module  72  by control line  74 , transmission and vehicle speed sensors  76  by control line  78  and door “passive entry passive start” (PEPS) sensor  80  by control line  82 . As further illustrated, body control module  66  is connected by wireless communication to a passive entry passive start key  84  and/or a passive entry passive start fob  86 . 
     As further illustrated in  FIG. 3 , in one possible embodiment a seat presence module  100  is connected to the controller  42  through the control line  102 . In an alternative embodiment the seat presence module  100  is connected via control line  104  to the body control module  66  (note dash lined illustration in drawing  FIG. 3 ). In the illustrated embodiment the seat presence module  100  includes presence, weight or mass sensors  108   a - 108   d : one such sensor being located on each of the four seats  40  adjacent the individual side doors  12  of the vehicle V. The seat presence module  100  determines the presence or occupancy of an individual in a seat position adjacent each of the side doors  12 . 
     A seat actuation function diagram or table is presented in  FIG. 4 . This diagram illustrates the operation of the side door system  10  in response to various conditions and commands/inputs. 
     As should be appreciated, through operation of the controller  42  in response to input from the various sensors and switches described, the side door system  10  is responsive to the needs of PEPS authorized individuals seeking to enter and exit the vehicle V. As should be appreciated, any of the vehicle doors  12  may be opened or closed in response to a voice command received through the voice activation module or speech processor  72 . Thus, for example, someone sitting in the front passenger seat  40  may speak the phrase “open front right door” and the door will be opened in response thereto by the controller  42  so long as other system defeat conditions are met including, for example, vehicle speed=0/vehicle transmission in park and passive entry passive start key has been found and identified. In such an instance, the cinch latch for the door  12  is operated to unlatch the door and the motor  20  is operated to extend the lead screw  24  and open the door  12 . The door  12  is fully opened as illustrated in  FIG. 1  unless the obstacle sensor  44   b  senses an obstacle in which case a signal is sent to the controller  42  and the controller  42  then deactivates the motor  20  prior to the door contacting the obstacle. After exiting the vehicle through the open door  12 , an individual may announce the voice command “close right front door”, press the door toward a closed position (as detected by door position and direction sensor  45  such as a force sensor) or push a button on the key fob  86  and the door  12  will then close with the obstruction sensor  44   b  again monitoring for any obstruction that might prevent closure. 
     Advantageously, the power side door system  10  also allows for automatic closing of the power side door  12  by operation of the actuator  16  in response to the controller  42  either after (a) an individual enters the vehicle V and occupies the seat  40  adjacent the door or (b) an individual vacates the seat and leaves the vehicle as determined by detection of a change of presence in the seat by the seat presence module  100 . More specifically, when an individual is inside the vehicle in the seat  40 , the individual may, for example, open the door by touching/pulling the interior door handle (not shown), actuating the door open switch  68  or providing a voice command/actuation request for the door to open. During the opening process, the seat presence module  100  monitors presence or absence of an individual in the seat  40 . This, for example, may be done by means of a weight sensor  108   b . As should be appreciated the weight sensor  108   b  may operate alone or in conjunction with other occupant classification sensors such as infrared, vision, ultrasonic, radar or lidar based sensors, pizo electric sensors, pizo resistive sensors, charge couple devices, photo diodes, pressure sensors, strain gauges or in some other form known in the art. The sensors may be provided in various locations within the vehicle to sense the presence or absence of an individual in the seat  40  or other object such as a car safety seat. 
     In one possible embodiment the sensor is a weight sensor  108   a - 108   d  set with a predetermined minimum weight to establish the presence of an adult individual in the seat  40  as distinguished from a child. Thus, for example, the predetermined minimum weight may be set at, for example, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80 or 85 pounds. Unless the weight in the seat exceeds the predetermined minimum value, the automatic door close feature provided by the seat presence module  100  coupled to the seat  40  is deactivated thereby effectively functioning as a child safety lock. 
     In the example being described, the weight sensor  108   b  of the seat presence module  100  detects the weight of an individual adult in the seat  40  as the door  12  is being opened by the actuator  16 . Monitoring continues for a predetermined time frame (e.g. 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 or more seconds). During that time frame the weight sensor  108   b  of the seat presence module  100  monitors the weight in the seat  40  in order to detect any change of presence occupancy in the seat. As the individual rises from the seat  40  and leaves the vehicle V through the open door  12 , weight sensor  108   b  of the module  100  detects the change in weight indicating that the seat is now unoccupied. In the full line embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3 , this change in presence with respect to the seat  40  is signaled to the door controller  42  through the control line  102 . In the alternative, dashed line embodiment, this change in presence with respect to the seat  40  is communicated from the seat presence module  100  to the body control module  66  through the control line  104  and then from the body control module to the door controller  42  through the bus  64 . 
     Upon receiving a change in presence signal, the controller  42  waits a predetermined length of time (e.g. 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 15 seconds, 20 seconds) and then automatically sends a signal through the control line  48  to the front right door power open/close mechanism control  50   b  which activates the motor  20  and operates the clutch  22  to cause the door  12  to automatically close without any further input from the operator. As should be appreciated, the obstacle sensor  44   b  monitors the path of the door  12  during the closing operation to ensure no obstacle is in the way of the door as it closes. 
     When an individual is outside the vehicle V and seeks entry, he may initiate opening of the door by (a) pressing a button on the fob  86 , (b) providing for voice actuation through the voice activation module  72 , (c) engaging the door handle  110 , (d) performing a physical gesture within the proximity of a gesture sensor or some combination thereof. In response, the controller  42  signals the right front door latch/unlatching mechanism  60   c  that operates the cinch latch  62  to unlatch the door  12 . An additional signal is sent from the controller  42  through the control line  48  to the front right door power open/close mechanism control  50   b . This activates the motor  20  to extend the lead screw  59  from the housing  18  and open the door  12 . As the door  12  is opened, the right front obstruction sensor  44   b  ensures that no obstacles are in the path of the door  12 . If an obstacle is detected, door opening is defeated before the door  12  makes contact with the obstacle. As the door  12  is opened, the right front weight or mass sensor  108   b  of the seat presence module  100  monitors for a change of presence in the adjacent seat  40 . In this example the seat is empty as the door  12  is opened. 
     After the door  12  is opened the individual enters the vehicle V through the open door and sits in the seat  40 . In this example the individual entering the vehicle is an adult with a weight over the predetermined minimum thereby making the open/close seat presence control circuit active. The seat presence module  100  monitors the seat  40  for a change in presence for the designated predetermined period of time. Upon detecting the presence of the individual in the seat  40  by detection of weight over the minimum value, a signal is sent from the mass sensor  108   b  of the seat presence module  100  directly to the door controller  42  through the control line  102  (or in the alternative embodiment to the body control module  66  through the control line  104  which communicates that signal to the door controller  42  through the bus  64 ). 
     Upon receiving the signal from the module  100 , the door controller  42  sends a control signal through the line  48  to the front right door power open/close mechanism control  50   b  directing that the door  12  be closed. In response the motor  20  is activated. The motor  20  drives the lead screw  24  through the clutch and transmission  22  so that the lead screw is retracted into the housing  18  thereby closing the door  12 . Throughout the closing operation the right front pinch strip/optical system/ultrasonic obstruction sensor  44   b  monitors door movement to ensure that the door  12  is free to be closed. If so programmed, upon the closing of the door  12 , the controller  42  sends a control signal through the line  58  to the right front door latch/unlatching mechanism  60   c , activating the cinch latch  62  to lock the door. Thus, it should be appreciated that the new system can effectively eliminate the need of providing the vehicle with a manual door locking switch as this may all be done automatically each time the door is closed. 
     In the event there is no change in presence detected by the seat presence module  100  during the predetermined time frame, there is no automatic activation to close the door. 
     In summary, numerous benefits result from applying the concepts disclosed herein. More specifically, a power side door system  10  is provided for a motor vehicle V that provides for automatic closing of the door  12  either after (a) an individual enters the vehicle and occupies the adjacent seat  40  or (b) an individual vacates the seat and leaves the vehicle as determined by detection of a change in presence or occupancy in the seat by the seat presence module  100 . Thus, there is no need for the user to take any additional action to activate door closing. Thus, the hands of the individual are free and entry into and exit from the vehicle V are made simple and more convenient. The automatic closing feature described herein is particularly appreciated in inclement weather conditions when the operator might otherwise have to handle a wet, snowy or icy door surface in order to close the door. 
     The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, in one possible embodiment, the seat presence module  100  uses or shares components of the vehicle&#39;s smart airbag system such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,320,478 to Gaboury et al. (assigned to Ford Global Technologies LLC). All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.