Patent ID: 7071644

Claim:
In an automotive power pivot door including a hinge device for permitting a door to pivot upward and downward between full-open and full-close positions about an upper end thereof relative to a vehicle body, a holder for holding the door at the full-open position, a reversible electric motor for driving the door to pivot upward and downward when energized and an electromagnetic clutch interposed between the motor and the door to selectively establish and break a torque transmission path from the motor to the door, a control device for controlling the power pivot door, the control device having a control unit that is configured to carry out a routine which comprises: de-energizing the motor and disengaging the clutch when the door is lifted up to the full-open position; detecting a moved distance by which the door moves down from the full-open position within a first predetermined time (t 1 ) from the time on which the clutch is disengaged; engaging the clutch when the detected moved distance is equal to or longer than a first predetermined distance (L 1 ); disengaging the clutch again when a second predetermined time (t 2 ) passes from the time on which the clutch is engaged; repeating the process for engaging and disengaging the clutch while following the routine; and judging that the holder fails to operate when the frequency of the engaged condition of the clutch indicates a predetermined frequency.