1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an anti-pinch method and device for controlling an openable and closable body.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
However, for the aforementioned conventional anti-pinch device 2, when the motor 21 wears out after a long period of use, there is an error in judgment on the abnormal condition based on the predetermined threshold value stored in the memory 25.
In order to alleviate the error in judgment on the abnormal condition, U.S. Pat. No. 7,170,244 discloses a conventional anti-pinch activator that judges an abnormal condition based on a dynamically adjustable threshold value, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,309,971 discloses a conventional control device that judges an abnormal condition by comparing an accumulation value with a reference value. However, the conventional anti-pinch activator and the conventional control device need a memory or a number of registers for a complicated judgment procedure, thereby resulting in relatively high costs.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an anti-pinch method and device for controlling an openable and closable body that can overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an anti-pinch device for controlling an openable and closable body. The anti-pinch device comprises:
a motor adapted to be operatively connected to the openable and closable body;
a driving circuit coupled to the motor for operatively driving the motor with a driving current to move the openable and closable body relative to a frame body between a closing position and an open position;
a current sensor coupled to the driving circuit for generating a sensing signal corresponding to the driving current; and
a control unit coupled to the current sensor and the driving circuit, determining whether magnitude of the driving current is greater than a reference current value based on the sensing signal from the current sensor, calculating a difference between the magnitude of the driving current and the reference current value upon detecting that the magnitude of the driving current is greater than the reference current value, and outputting an abnormal signal, indicative of an object being pinched between the openable and closable body and the frame body, to the driving circuit upon detecting that the difference is greater than a predetermined threshold value.
The driving circuit is responsive to the abnormal signal from the control unit to perform one of stopping driving of the motor and driving the motor to move the openable and closable body toward the open position.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an anti-pinch method of controlling an openable and closable body. The openable and closable body is driven by a motor to move relative to a frame body between a closing position and an open position. The anti-pinch method comprises the steps of:
a) driving the motor with a driving current to move the openable and closable body from the open position to the closing position;
b) sensing the driving current for the motor to generate a sensing signal;
c) determining whether magnitude of the driving current is greater than a reference current value based on the sensing signal generated in step b);
d) calculating a difference between the magnitude of the driving current and the reference current value when it is determined in step c) that the magnitude of the driving current is greater than the reference current value;
e) determining whether the difference is greater than a predetermined threshold value; and
f) performing one of stopping driving of the motor and driving the motor to move the openable and closable body toward the open position when it is determined in step e) that the difference is greater than the predetermined threshold value.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an anti-pinch device for controlling an openable and closable body. The anti-pinch device comprises:
a motor adapted to be operatively connected to the openable and closable body;
a driving circuit coupled to the motor for operatively driving the motor to move the openable and closable body relative to a frame body between a closing position and an open position;
a sensor for generating a sensing signal indicative of a rotation speed of the motor;
a speed calculator coupled to the sensor for receiving the sensing signal therefrom and for generating an output signal corresponding to the rotation speed of the motor based on the sensing signal from the sensor; and
a control unit coupled to the speed calculator for receiving the output signal therefrom, determining whether magnitude of the rotation speed of the motor is less than a reference speed value based on the output signal from the speed calculator, calculating a difference between the magnitude of the rotation speed of the motor and the reference speed value upon detecting that the magnitude of the rotation speed of the motor is less than the reference speed value, and outputting an abnormal signal, indicative of an object being pinched between the openable and closable body and the frame body, to the driving circuit upon detecting that the difference is greater than a predetermined threshold value.
The driving circuit is responsive to the abnormal signal from the control unit to perform one of stopping driving of the motor and driving the motor to move the openable and closable body toward the open position.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an anti-pinch method of controlling an openable and closable body. The openable and closable body is driven by a motor to move relative to a frame body between a closing position and an open position. The anti-pinch method comprises the steps of:
a) driving the motor to move the openable and closable body from the open position to the closing position;
b) sensing a rotation speed of the motor to generate a sensing signal and to obtain an output signal corresponding to the rotation speed of the motor based on the sensing signal;
c) determining whether magnitude of the rotation speed of the motor is less than a reference speed value based on the output signal obtained in step b);
d) calculating a difference between the magnitude of the rotation speed of the motor and the reference speed value when it is determined in step c) that the magnitude of the rotation speed of the motor is less than the reference speed value;
e) determining whether the difference is greater than a predetermined threshold value; and
f) performing one of stopping driving of the motor and driving the motor to move the openable and closable body toward the open position when it is determined in step e) that the difference is greater than the predetermined threshold value.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.
Referring to
The motor 91 is adapted to be operatively connected to the car window 100.
The driving circuit 92 is coupled to the motor 91 for operatively driving the motor 91 with a driving current to move the car window 100 relative to a frame body 101 between a closing position and an open position.
The current sensor 93 is coupled to the driving circuit 92 for generating a first sensing signal corresponding to the driving current.
The sensor 95, such as a Hall sensor or an encoder, generates a second sensing signal indicative of a rotation speed of the motor 91.
In this embodiment, the control unit 94 includes a converter 941 coupled to the sensor 95 for receiving the second sensing signal therefrom, a controller 942 coupled to the converter 941, the current sensor 93 and the driving circuit 92, and receiving the first sensing signal from the current sensor 93, and a register 943 coupled to the controller 942. The converter 941 provides an output indicative of a current position of the car window 100 to the controller 942 based on the second sensing signal. The controller 942 determines whether the current position of the car window 100 is within an anti-pinch region defined between the closing position, and a predetermined position between the open position and the closing position based on the output from the converter 941. The controller 942 samples the first sensing signal from the current sensor 93 to obtain magnitude of the driving current upon detecting that the current position is within the anti-pinch region, determines whether the magnitude of the driving current is greater than a reference current value stored in the register 943, calculates a difference between the magnitude of the driving current and the reference current value upon detecting that the magnitude of the driving current is greater than the reference current value, and outputs to the driving circuit 92 an abnormal signal indicative of an abnormal condition wherein an object, such as a user's arm, is pinched between the car window 100 and the frame body 101 upon detecting that the difference is greater than a predetermined threshold value. Eventually, the reference current value stored in the register 943 will be updated when the current sensor 93 starts to generate the next sensing signal corresponding to the driving current. That is, the driving current will be stored in the register 943 once the current sensor 93 is restarted.
The driving circuit 92 is responsive to the abnormal signal from the controller 942 to perform one of stopping driving of the motor 91 and driving the motor 91 to move the car window 100 toward the open position.
On the other hand, the controller 942 outputs an adjusting signal to the driving current 92 upon detecting that the magnitude of the driving current is not equal to a theoretical value corresponding to a theoretical load of the motor 91 for a predetermined duration. The driving circuit 92 is responsive to the adjusting signal from the controller 942 to adjust the driving current provided to the motor 91 so that the motor 91 operates at a target rotation speed. For example, the first sensing signal shown in
Alternatively, the controller 942 outputs the adjusting signal to the driving circuit 92 upon detecting that the difference between the magnitude of the driving current and the reference current value is larger than a theoretical difference value that is smaller than the predetermined threshold value for the predetermined duration. In this embodiment, the theoretical value serves as the reference current value.
In an example, the theoretical value is equal to 1 A, and the theoretical difference value is equal to 0.1 A such that a tolerable region from 0.9 A to 1.1 A is set for the driving current. Therefore, referring to
In step S1, the driving circuit 92 drives the motor 91 to move the car window 100 from the open position to the closing position. In step S2, the current sensor 92 senses the driving current for the motor 91 to generate the first sensing signal. In step S3, the sensor 95 senses the rotation speed of the motor 91 to generate the second sensing signal. In step S4, the converter 941 of the control unit 94 calculates the current position of the car window 100 based on the second sensing signal from the sensor 95. In step S5, the controller 942 of the control unit 94 determines whether the current position of the car window 100 is within the anti-pinch region. If affirmative, the flow proceeds to step S6. Otherwise, the flow goes back to step S2. In step S6, the controller 942 samples the first sensing signal from the current sensor 93 to obtain the magnitude of the driving current. In step S7, the controller 942 determines whether the magnitude of the driving current is greater than the reference current value. If affirmative, the flow proceeds to step S8. Otherwise, the flow goes to step S11. In step S8, the controller 942 calculates the difference between the magnitude of the driving current and the reference current value. In step S9, the controller 942 determines whether the difference is greater than the predetermined threshold value. If negative, the flow goes to step S11. When it is determined in step S9 that the difference is greater than the predetermined threshold value, the controller 942 outputs the abnormal signal to the driving circuit 92, and the flow then proceeds to step S10. In step S10, the driving circuit 92 responds to the abnormal Signal from the controller 942 to perform one of stopping driving of the motor 91 and driving the motor 91 to move the car window 100 toward the open position. In step S11, the controller 942 determines whether the magnitude of the driving current is equal to the theoretical value. If affirmative, the flow goes back to step S2. When it is determined in step S11 that the magnitude of the driving current is not equal to the theoretical value, the controller 942 outputs the adjusting signal to the driving circuit, and the flow goes to step S12. In step S12, the driving circuit 92 responds to the adjusting signal from the controller 942 to adjust the driving current provided to the motor 91 so that the motor 91 operates at the target rotation speed, and the flow goes back to step S2.
The controller 942 samples the output signal from the speed calculator 96 to obtain magnitude of the rotation speed of the motor 91 upon detecting that the current position of the car window 100 is within the anti-pinch region based on the second sensing signal from the sensor 95, determines whether the magnitude of the rotation speed of the motor 91 is less than a reference speed value stored in the register 943, calculates a difference between the magnitude of the rotation speed of the motor 91 and the reference speed value upon detecting that the magnitude of the rotation speed of the motor 91 is less than the reference speed value, and outputs the abnormal signal to the driving circuit 92 upon detecting that the difference is greater than a predetermined threshold value. Eventually, the reference speed value stored in the register 943 will be updated when the speed calculator 96 starts to generate a next output signal corresponding to the rotation speed of the motor 91 based on the second sensing signal from the sensor 95. That is, the rotation speed will be stored in the register 943 once the speed calculator 96 is restarted.
Furthermore, the controller 942 controls the driving circuit 92 to adjust the motor 91 to operate at the target rotation speed upon detecting that the magnitude of the rotation speed of the motor is not equal to that of the target rotation speed for the predetermined duration.
More specifically, when the magnitude of the rotation speed of the motor 91 is equal to that of the target rotation speed, adjustment of the rotation speed of the motor 91 is not required. When the magnitude of the rotation speed of the motor 91 is less than that of the target rotation speed, the rotation speed of the motor 91 should be increased to the target rotation speed. When the magnitude of the rotation speed of the motor 91 is greater than that of the target rotation speed, the rotation speed of the motor 91 should be reduced to the target rotation speed.
In step S21, the driving circuit 92 drives the motor 91 to move the car window 100 from the open position to the closing position. In step S22, the sensor 95 senses the rotation speed of the motor 91 to generate the second sensing signal. In step S23, the converter 941 of the control unit 94 calculates the current position of the car window 100 based on the second sensing signal from the sensor 95. In step S24, the speed calculator 96 generates the output signal corresponding to the rotation speed of the motor 91 based on the second sensing signal from the sensor 95, and provides the output signal to the controller 942 of the control unit 94. In step S25, the controller 942 determines whether the current position of the car window 100 is within the anti-pinch region. If affirmative, the flow proceeds to step S26. Otherwise, the flow goes back to step S22. In step S26, the controller 942 samples the output signal from the speed calculator 96 to obtain the magnitude of the rotation speed of the motor 91. In step S27, the controller 942 determines whether the magnitude of the rotation speed of the motor 91 is less than the reference speed value. If affirmative, the flow proceeds to step S28. Otherwise, the flow goes to step S31. In step S28, the controller 942 calculates the difference between the magnitude of the rotation speed of the motor 91 and the reference speed value. In step S29, the controller 942 determines whether the difference is greater than the predetermined threshold value. If negative, the flow goes to step S31. When it is determined in step S29 that the difference is greater than the predetermined threshold value, the controller 942 outputs the abnormal signal to the driving circuit 92, and the flow then proceeds to step S30. In step S30, the driving circuit 92 responds to the abnormal signal from the controller 942 to perform one of stopping driving of the motor 91 and driving the motor 91 to move the car window 100 toward the open position. In step S31, the controller 942 determines whether the magnitude of the rotation speed of the motor 91 is equal to that of the target rotation speed. If affirmative, the flow goes back to step S22. Otherwise, the flow goes to step S32. In step S32, the controller 942 controls the driving circuit 92 to adjust the motor 91 to operate at the target rotation speed, and the flow goes back to step S22.
In sum, the anti-pinch devices 9, 9′ of the present invention utilize the driving current for the motor 91 sensed by the current sensor 93 and the rotation speed of the motor 91 obtained by the speed calculator 96 to determine whether the abnormal condition occurs, respectively. In this way, since the factors related to wear of the motor 91 as mentioned hereinabove have been considered, an error in judgment on the abnormal condition can be minimized. Therefore, the anti-pinch device 9, 9′ of the present invention has improved reliability. On the other hand, only one register 943 is used in the anti-pinch device 9, 9′ of the present invention for storing the reference current value or the reference speed value, and is less expensive as compared to the memory or the registers used in the aforementioned prior art, thereby resulting in a relatively low cost.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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097115886 | Apr 2008 | TW | national |
097116786 | May 2008 | TW | national |