Patent Application
20070176463
Many vehicles include movable partitions (e.g., a window, a sunroof, a sliding door, etc.) that are displaced using a partition drive system. For example, a window in a door of a vehicle may be moved up and down using a direct-current (“DC”) permanent magnet electric motor. In order to effectively move partitions, drive systems need to produce a significant amount of force. As a result, partition drive systems can produce forces that pose safety hazards. For example, an automatic window closure system could trap a finger or hand.
The following summary sets forth certain example embodiments of the invention described in greater detail below. It does not set forth all such embodiments and should in no way be construed as limiting of the invention.
In one embodiment, a system for monitoring a movable partition includes a cable having a first end and a second end. The movable partition is coupled to the first end of the cable. A drive system is also included in the system and can move the movable partition. A drum is coupled to the second end of the cable, and the drum is independent of the drive system. A sensor transmits a signal indicative of the rotational motion of the drum, while a controller receives the transmitted signal and calculates at least one of a speed, acceleration, position, and direction of movement of the movable partition.
In another embodiment, a method of monitoring a movable partition includes providing a rotatable drum configured to be independent of a drive system for the movable partition; linking the rotatable drum and the movable partition via an attachment element; generating a first signal with a sensor, the first signal indicative of rotational motion of the rotatable drum; receiving, by a controller, the first signal; and generating, by the controller, a second signal using data from the first signal, the second signal indicative of at least one of a speed, a position, a direction of travel, and an acceleration of the movable partition.
In another embodiment, a vehicle having a system for monitoring a movable partition includes a movable partition, a drive system, a sensor, and a controller. The drive system moves the movable partition. A sensor, which is mechanically linked to the partition but decoupled from the drive system, transmits a signal indicative of the rotational motion of the drum. The controller receives the transmitted signal and calculates at least one of a speed, acceleration, position, and direction of movement of the movable partition. The controller also generates a signal indicative of an obstruction in a path of the movable partition.
Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.
Embodiments of the invention relate to systems and methods of monitoring motion of a movable partition. In an embodiment, a movable partition monitoring system is provided that is separated or decoupled from a drive system of the movable partition. Providing a monitoring system that is independent of the drive system can produce a more accurate representation of partition motion. For example, embodiments herein can reduce inaccuracies inherent in partition monitoring systems that are incorporated into the partition drive system (e.g., inaccuracies due to drive motor start-up conditions). Additionally, a decoupled monitoring system can be applied to a variety of different partition monitoring applications, without having to be designed and integrated into the drive system for each specific application.
The movable partition 15, most generally, is any partition that is movable via a drive system. For example, in some embodiments, the movable partition 15 is a movable vehicle partition such as a window, a sunroof, a sliding door, a trunk hatch, and the like. Other non-vehicle related movable partitions 15 include slidable room partitions or garage doors, for example. The drive system 20 includes the components that are used to move the partition 15. In one embodiment, the drive system 20 includes a permanent magnet DC motor, a plurality of pulleys and/or gears, and a cable. In other embodiments, the drive system 20 can include a different type of motor, or other mechanical components to aid in moving the partition 15. The monitoring system 25, as described in greater detail below, may also include multiple gears or pulleys and a cable. As shown in
In one embodiment, the controller 30 is a stand-alone processing unit that is in communication with both the drive system 20 and the monitoring system 25. In another embodiment, the controller may comprise circuitry that is integrated directly into components of the drive system 20, the partition monitoring system 25, or a combination thereof. The controller 30 transmits data to, and receives data from, the drive system 20, and receives data from the monitoring system 25. As a result, the controller 30 can control motion of the partition 15 using the drive system 20 (e.g., a motor of the drive system 20), while tracking the speed, position, direction of travel, and/or acceleration of the partition 15 using the monitoring system 25. In some embodiments, such as those described below, the controller 30 uses data from the monitoring system 25 to mitigate potentially hazardous conditions associated with the drive system 20. For example, the controller 30 stops the operation of a motor of the drive system 20 to reduce a potentially hazardous condition. The controller 30 can also use information from the monitoring system 25 to detect failure of drive system components. For example, a motor of the drive system 20 may be designed to run at a certain speed during operation. Motor failure can be potentially detected if the monitoring system 25 sends information indicative of fluctuating motor speed during operation.
The window 55 is driven up and down using the drive system 60. In some embodiments, the drive system 60 is regulated by the controller 70, which receives input signals from control buttons (not shown). For example, a user can actuate an “UP” control button positioned on the vehicle door 50 to move the window 55 from an open or lowered position to a closed or raised position. In some embodiments, the user must continually actuate the control button to keep the window 55 in motion. In other embodiments, the drive system 60 and controller 70 are equipped with an “automatic open” or “automatic close” function. As a result, the user can fully open or fully close the window 55 with a single, momentary actuation of a control button.
In the embodiment shown in
The sliding door 100 is driven open or closed using the drive system 105, similar to the embodiment shown in
The cable 155 has two ends. In one embodiment, one of the ends is coupled to a movable partition (not shown), while the other end is coupled to the drum 160. An idler wheel 161 can be included between the movable partition and the drum 160, to route the cable 155 in a desirable path. The length of the cable 155 can be varied according to the application of the monitoring system 150, and is long enough to allow the partition to travel throughout its entire range of motion. The drum 160 is generally rotatable about a central axis 185, which allows the cable 155 to be wound around the drum 160 or unwound from the drum 160 as the end of the cable that is coupled to the movable partition moves. The diameter of the drum can also be varied according to the application. In some embodiments, the drum 160 includes an internal tensioner or spring (represented by block 186) or other suitable mechanism that provides a tensioning force for the cable 155. For example, the spring 186 provides the force required to wind the cable around the drum as the partition moves toward the drum. Additionally, a stopping device may be coupled to the cable 155 and the partition so that the tensioning force provided by the spring 186 is not completely alleviated.
In another embodiment, one end of the cable 155 is coupled to a stationary object (e.g., a door frame), while the other end of the cable is coupled to the drum 160. The drum 160, in turn, is coupled to the movable partition. Such an arrangement also allows the cable 155 to be unwound from, or wound around, the drum 160 as the partition moves.
As the cable 155 is unwound from, or wound around, the rotatable drum 160, the rotation of the drum 160 causes the drum gear 165 to turn. As a result, the sensor gear 175 that is mated with the drum gear 165 also turns. The rotation of the sensor gear 175 causes a disc 190 of the sensor assembly 170 to rotate. A sensing element 195 of the sensor assembly 170 monitors the motion of the disc 190, and transmits corresponding signals to a controller 180. The controller 180 determines the speed, position, direction of travel, and/or acceleration of the partition from the signals generated by the sensing element 195. For example, the speed of the partition is determined by monitoring the rate at which the disc 190 turns with respect to the sensing element 195. The acceleration of the partition is determined by monitoring a change in speed of the disc 190 over a certain period of time. The position of the partition is determined by monitoring the rotation of the disc 190 with respect to the sensing element 195 (as described in greater detail below). Additionally, the direction in which the partition is traveling is determined by monitoring the direction in which the disc 190 turns with respect to the sensing element 195 or, in other embodiments, multiple sensing elements. Other methods, as previously described, can also be used to determine the speed, position, direction of travel, and/or acceleration of the partition, as well as determine the presence of an object in the path of the partition.
In other embodiments, the monitoring system 150 can employ other types of sensors to monitor the rotation of the drum 160. For example, the monitoring system 150 is not limited to an electromechanical configuration that includes a drum 160 and a cable 155. In other embodiments, proximity or infrared sensors can be used to monitor the motion of a partition. Additionally, the components of the monitoring system 150 may be arranged differently. For example, in alternative embodiments, magnets and/or apertures can be directly incorporated or integrated into an end of the drum 160. As a result, Hall effect and/or optical sensors can monitor the rotation of the drum directly, and the drum gear 165 and sensor gear 175 can be eliminated from the system 150. Such a configuration can impact the resolution of the sensor. Accordingly, the specific implementation of the monitoring system 150 can depend on, among other things, the required resolution of the application at hand. Other alternative embodiments of the system 150 should be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
It is also to be appreciated that, at least in some embodiments, one or more of the components of a partition monitoring system may be included in, or shared with, a drive system of a partition. For example, in one embodiment, the partition monitoring system may use a pulley that is part of the partition drive system. In another embodiment, the partition monitoring system may be powered by a supply that is distributed to both the drive system and the monitoring system.
Various embodiments are set forth in the following claims.
