Opening and closing body opening and closing device

Abstract

This invention provides an opening and closing device for an opening and closing body, which improves the operability of the opening and closing body. The opening and closing device includes: a drive unit with an electric motor for moving the opening and closing body installed on a vehicle; a position detection unit for detecting the opening and closing position of the opening and closing body; and a control unit for controlling the opening and closing movement of the opening and closing body using the detection signal from the position detection unit. When an auxiliary condition for assisting manual operation of the opening and closing body is met, the control unit controls the input value to the electric motor in a manner that follows a target input value predetermined based on the opening and closing position of the opening and closing body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an opening and closing device for an opening and closing body. Background Technology

[0002] It is known that when a user manually operates the rear door of a vehicle, in order to reduce the user's operating effort, the motor of the opening and closing device is driven to assist in the manual operation.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes an opening and closing device for an opening and closing body. When the user performs manual operation, an auxiliary voltage is applied to rotate the motor at a speed corresponding to the opening and closing speed of the opening and closing body. This allows an auxiliary force to be applied to the opening and closing body to assist manual operation in a manner that follows the user's manual operation.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-117883 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] Furthermore, depending on the shape and type of the opening / closing body, and the configuration of the opening / closing device, the operating load of the opening / closing body varies depending on its opening / closing position. As a result, in the opening / closing device described in Patent Document 1, depending on the opening / closing position of the opening / closing body, there are cases where the auxiliary force is too large or too small, and the auxiliary force cannot adequately cope with the opening / closing position of the opening / closing body, thus sometimes reducing the operability of the opening / closing body.

[0009] The purpose of this invention is to provide an opening and closing device that can improve the operability of the opening and closing body.

[0010] Methods for solving problems

[0011] To achieve the above objectives, the opening and closing device of the present invention comprises: a drive unit having an electric motor for moving an opening and closing body provided on a vehicle; a position detection unit for detecting the opening and closing position of the opening and closing body; and a control unit for controlling the opening and closing movement of the opening and closing body using the detection signal from the position detection unit, wherein, when an auxiliary condition for assisting manual operation of the opening and closing body is met, the control unit controls the input value to the electric motor in a manner that follows a target input value predetermined based on the opening and closing position of the opening and closing body.

[0012] Invention Effects

[0013] According to the present invention, the operability of the opening and closing body can be improved. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 The diagram schematically illustrates a vehicle equipped with an opening and closing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 2 It is a block diagram used to illustrate the control system of the opening and closing device of the opening and closing body.

[0016] Figure 3A This is a diagram showing the fully latched state in the closing mechanism.

[0017] Figure 3B This is a diagram illustrating the transition from a fully latched state to a half-latched state in the closing mechanism.

[0018] Figure 3C This is a diagram showing the half-latch state in the closing mechanism.

[0019] Figure 3D This is a diagram showing the unlocked state of the closing mechanism.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a graph showing the relationship between the stroke amount and the target input value within the medium temperature range.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing an example of the specific structure of the control unit.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a flowchart used to illustrate the opening and closing control of the opening and closing body in the opening and closing device. Detailed Implementation

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, in this embodiment, as an example of the opening and closing device 1, a device for controlling the opening and closing of the rear door of a car is illustrated. However, the opening and closing device 1 can also be applied to gates, sliding doors, swing doors installed in structures such as shops and garages, or devices for controlling the opening and closing of folding eaves arranged above openings on the front of structures.

[0024] [The overall structure of the opening and closing device]

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic side view of a vehicle equipped with the opening and closing device of this embodiment.

[0026] The vehicle 100 using the opening and closing device 1 has an example as a base. Figure 1 The shown components are the opening component 10 and the opening / closing body 20. Figure 2The shown opening and closing device 1 includes an external handle switch 62, a closing mechanism 70, and an interaction detection unit 80. The opening and closing device 1 comprises... Figure 1 , Figure 2 The shown components are an opening / closing body drive unit 30, a control unit 50, a position detection unit 60, and a temperature detection unit 61. The opening / closing body drive unit 30 corresponds to the "drive unit" of this invention.

[0027] The opening and closing device 1 is a device for opening and closing the opening and closing body 20 relative to the opening portion 11 provided in the opening member 10.

[0028] [Opening component]

[0029] In a vehicle using the opening / closing device 1 of this embodiment, the opening member 10 is located at the rear relative to the vehicle's direction of travel. The opening member 10 is used on the vehicle body, and an opening 11 is formed by the edge of the opening member 10. The shape of the opening 11 can be any shape, such as rectangular or circular.

[0030] [Open / Closed Body]

[0031] The opening / closing element 20 is the rear door of the car, in the open state (see reference). Figure 1 The opening / closing state of the opening / closing body 20 can be either open or closed. The open state is when the opening 11 is open, allowing items such as luggage to enter and exit the rear trunk from the outside via the opening 11 at the rear of the vehicle 100. The closed state is when the opening 11 is closed. In other words, the closed state can be set to a position where the opening / closing body 20 prevents items such as luggage from passing through the opening 11 and moving to the opposite side. Conversely, the open state can be set to a position where the opening / closing body 20 allows the item to pass through the opening 11 and move to the opposite side.

[0032] In this embodiment, the upper part of the opening / closing body 20 is rotatably mounted to the upper edge of the opening portion 11 in the opening member 10 via a shaft that acts as a hinge. The opening / closing body 20 rotates about the shaft and moves up and down along its lower part, contacting or separating from the opening portion 11, thereby changing the opening / closing body 20 to an open or closed state. In this embodiment, the position change of the opening / closing body 20 is achieved by the aforementioned rotation mechanism; however, the mechanism for changing the position of the opening / closing body 20 is not limited to rotation, and can be any mechanism as long as it can change the opening / closing body 20 to an open or closed state.

[0033] It should be noted that the opening / closing body 20 can be any structure as long as it can be transformed into an open or closed state, such as a sliding door.

[0034] [Opening / Closing Body Drive Unit]

[0035] The opening / closing body driving unit 30 moves the opening / closing body 20 in the opening direction and the closing direction relative to the opening portion 11 provided on the opening member 10. Multiple opening / closing body driving units 30 may be used. In this embodiment, one opening / closing body driving unit 30 is provided at each of the left and right ends of the opening / closing body 20 and at each of the left and right edges of the opening portion 11, for a total of two. The opening / closing body 20 is moved by each of the opening / closing body driving units 30, thereby causing the opening / closing body 20 to move relative to the opening member 10 and change to an open or closed state.

[0036] Two opening / closing body driving units 30 move the opening / closing body 20 in the direction that puts it in the open state (open direction) and the direction that puts it in the closed state (closed direction). As long as the opening / closing body 20 can be changed to the open or closed state, the opening / closing body driving units 30 can drive the opening / closing body 20 in the same direction and with the same driving amount. Furthermore, since the two opening / closing body driving units 30 can move the opening / closing body 20 in the open and closed directions respectively, even if the driving directions are different, the opening / closing body 20 can be driven with different driving amounts. In this embodiment, each opening / closing body driving unit 30 is configured to perform the same driving synchronously.

[0037] One end of the opening / closing body drive unit 30 is connected to the opening member 10, and the other end is connected to the opening / closing body 20. The opening / closing body 20 is configured to be movable relative to the opening member 10, and in this embodiment, it is provided on the opening member 10 in a manner that allows rotation with the hinge as the center. In order for the opening / closing body 20 to rotate relative to the opening member 10, the opening / closing body drive unit 30 installs the opening / closing body 20 on the opening member 10 in a manner that allows rotation relative to the opening member 10, and changes the opening / closing body 20 to the open or closed state while rotating relative to the opening member 10.

[0038] Specifically, each opening / closing body drive unit 30 is a telescopic rod-shaped device, having a drive main body disposed at one end of the opening / closing body drive unit 30 and connected to the opening member 10 side, and a retractable part disposed at the other end of the opening / closing body drive unit 30 and connected to the opening / closing body 20 side. The retractable part is installed so that it can move out from the other end of the drive main body. Details of the drive main body and the retractable part will be described in detail later. Each opening / closing body drive unit 30 is connected to the opening member 10 and the opening / closing body 20 via a rotatable connection structure such as a ball joint.

[0039] The opening / closing body drive unit 30 moves the advancing / retracting part along the length direction of the opening / closing body drive unit 30 relative to the drive body unit, thereby moving the opening / closing body 20 to a fully closed position, a position that completely seals the opening 11, a fully open position, and a position that maximizes the opening of the opening 11. Each opening / closing body drive unit 30 moves the opening / closing body 20 in the opening or closing direction by converting the rotational motion of the motor or the like into a linear extension / retraction motion.

[0040] Two opening / closing body drive units 30 are provided at each of the left and right ends of the rear of the vehicle. However, as long as they can open and close the opening / closing body 20, there are no particular limitations on their structure, driving method, shape, or placement. The opening / closing body drive unit 30 can be a known drive unit capable of driving the opening / closing body 20.

[0041] In this embodiment, the opening / closing body drive unit 30 includes a main body cylinder 31, a sliding cylinder 32, and an opening / closing motor 33 (see reference). Figure 2 The components include the main shaft (not shown), main shaft nut (not shown), and force-applying components (not shown). In the opening and closing body drive unit 30, the main body cylinder 31, the opening and closing motor 33, the main shaft, and the force-applying components correspond to the drive main body, while the sliding cylinder 32 and the main shaft nut correspond to the forward and backward movement.

[0042] The main body cylindrical portion 31 is fixed to the opening member 10 at one end in a rotatable manner, and the other end is open. The sliding cylindrical portion 32 is disposed inside the main body cylindrical portion 31 in a manner that allows it to slide along the length direction so as to emerge from the other end of the main body cylindrical portion 31.

[0043] The opening / closing motor 33 drives the sliding cylinder 32 to move along its length relative to the main cylinder 31, thereby extending and retracting the opening / closing body drive unit 30. The opening / closing motor 33 can be a DC motor or an AC motor. When the opening / closing device 1 is applied to an automobile, considering the use of the automobile's DC power supply, a DC motor is preferably used as the opening / closing motor 33. It should be noted that the opening / closing motor 33 is connected to the control unit 50, which controls both forward and reverse rotation.

[0044] The sliding cylinder 32 is subjected to force from one end of the main cylinder 31 to the other end by a force-applying component. A main shaft nut is provided inside the sliding cylinder 32, which is screwed into the main shaft that rotates around the shaft by the rotation of the switching motor 33.

[0045] The opening / closing body drive unit 30 is configured such that the main body cylinder 31 and the sliding cylinder 32 do not rotate together with each other due to the rotation of the main shaft. When the opening / closing motor 33 rotates in one direction, the main shaft rotates in the opposite direction, and the main shaft nut, which is screwed onto the main shaft, moves along the length direction of the main shaft. Accompanying this, the sliding cylinder 32, which has the main shaft nut, moves forward and backward, that is, it slides along the length direction. Thus, the opening / closing body drive unit 30 can move in a telescopic manner, and the opening / closing body 20 performs opening and closing operations corresponding to the length of the sliding cylinder 32 moving in and out of the main body cylinder 31. Here, the length of the sliding cylinder 32 moving in and out of the main body cylinder 31, i.e., the stroke amount, is calculated as the movement amount of the opening / closing body by detecting the rotation amount of the main shaft (described later) using the position detection unit 60. According to the increase or decrease of the stroke amount, the opening / closing position (opening degree) of the opening / closing body 20 changes, so the stroke amount corresponds to the opening / closing position (opening degree) of the opening / closing body 20.

[0046] [Closed Institution]

[0047] Figure 3A This is a diagram showing the fully latched state in the closing mechanism. Figure 3B This is a diagram illustrating the transition from a fully latched state to a half-latched state in the closing mechanism. Figure 3C This is a diagram showing the half-latch state in the closing mechanism. Figure 3D This is a diagram showing the unlocked state of the closing mechanism.

[0048] The closing mechanism 70 is a mechanism provided to lock the opening / closing body 20 in a closed state relative to the opening 11, and has the following characteristics: Figure 3A The latch 71, impactor 72, rotating shaft 73, and pawl 74 are shown. Figure 2 The locking motor 75 shown.

[0049] The latch 71 is a component capable of engaging with the impactor 72, and is located at the lower inner end of the opening / closing body 20. The latch 71 has a base 71A, a first arm 71B extending from the upper end of the base 71A, and a second arm 71C extending from the lower end of the base 71A. The first arm 71B and the second arm 71C extend from the base 71A in the same direction (…). Figure 3A (Extend from left to right in the middle) respectively.

[0050] The impactor 72 is a component capable of engaging with the latch 71, and has a rod-shaped portion that can enter a recess 71D formed by the base 71A, the first arm 71B, and the second arm 71C provided in the latch 71. For example, the rod-shaped portion of the impactor 72 is... Figure 1 The part that is parallel to the left and right directions.

[0051] The impactor 72 is located in the lower edge of the opening 11 of the opening member 10, in a position where, when the opening / closing body 20 is closed, the rod-shaped portion engages with the latch 71 in a fully latched state. It should be noted that when the latch 71 is located on the opening member 10 side, the impactor 72 is located on the opening / closing body 20 side. For example, the latch 71 is located on the vehicle body side, and the impactor 72 is located at the lower inner end of the opening / closing body 20.

[0052] The latch 71 is configured to rotate about the rotation axis 73. The latch 71 can be rotated, for example, by using the driving force of the locking motor 75, to reach a fully latched state. Figure 3A (state), half-latch state ( Figure 3C (state) and unlocked state ( Figure 3D (State) transformation.

[0053] The fully latched state is the state in which the impactor 72 is locked by the latch 71. More specifically, the fully latched state is the fully engaged state in which the impactor 72 cannot disengage from the recess 71D of the latch 71.

[0054] The semi-latched state is a state in which the engagement force between the latch 71 and the striker 72 is weaker compared to the fully latched state. More specifically, the semi-latched state is a state in which the striker 72 can easily disengage from the recess 71D of the latch 71 due to external force, and is a state in which the striker 72 can move towards a position where it can engage with the latch 71 (the position in the fully latched state). The semi-latched state can also be a state in which the latch 71 can engage with the striker 72 by moving the striker 72 towards a portion closer to the entrance side of the recess 71D of the latch 71 than the latch 71 and the recess 71D that drives the latch 71.

[0055] The unlocked state is the state in which the latch 71 and the impactor 72 are completely disengaged.

[0056] Furthermore, the latch 71 is subjected to a force-applying component (not shown) to... Figures 3A to 3D Force is applied by rotating the pawl 74 clockwise. This controls the rotation of the pawl 74 (described later), allowing the latch 71 to rotate from a fully latched state to an unlocked state using the force of the force-applying component.

[0057] Pawl 74 is a component that restricts the rotation of latch 71, and is positioned to abut against either the first arm 71B or the second arm 71C of latch 71. Pawl 74 is configured to rotate and, driven by latching motor 75, is controlled to be in a first position (see reference) starting from the upstream side in a clockwise direction. Figure 3A ), second position (refer to) Figure 3C ) and the third position (refer to) Figure 3D ).

[0058] The locking motor 75 is a DC motor or an AC motor, which changes the state of the latch 71 in the closing mechanism 70 by rotating the latch 71 and the pawl 74. It should be noted that the locking motor 75 is connected to the control unit 50, which controls the rotation drive for both forward and reverse rotation.

[0059] Here, an example of the operation of the closing mechanism 70 will be explained. First, the operation during the transition from the fully latched state to the unlocked state will be explained.

[0060] like Figure 3A As shown, when the pawl 74 is in the first position, the front end of the second arm 71C in the fully latched state of the latch 71 abuts against the pawl 74. This restricts the rotation of the latch 71 and maintains the fully latched state of the latch 71.

[0061] like Figure 3B As shown, when the pawl 74 rotates clockwise from the first position, it releases its contact with the second arm 71C. The latch 71 rotates clockwise by the driving force of the locking motor 75.

[0062] like Figure 3C As shown, when the pawl 74 rotates further to the second position, the pawl 74 abuts against the first arm 71B of the latch 71. At this time, the latch 71 is in a half-latched state, and the rotation of the latch 71 is restricted by the pawl 74, thereby maintaining the half-latched state of the latch 71.

[0063] like Figure 3D As shown, when the pawl 74 rotates further to the third position, the contact between the pawl 74 and the first arm 71B of the latch 71 is released. Consequently, the latch 71 rotates clockwise by the driving force of the locking motor 75, reaching the unlocked position. That is, the engagement between the latch 71 and the impactor 72 is completely released.

[0064] Furthermore, even without rotating the pawl 74 from the second position, the engagement force between the latch 71 and the impactor 72 in the half-latch state is weaker than that in the fully latched state. Therefore, by using the driving force of the opening and closing motor 33, the engagement between the latch 71 and the impactor 72 can be released by the force that moves the opening and closing body 20 in the opening direction.

[0065] Next, the action during the transition from the unlatched state to the fully latched state will be explained. First, as... Figure 3C as well as Figure 3D As shown, starting from the unlatched position, the latch 71 engages with the impactor 72 by the movement of the opening / closing body 20 generated by the opening / closing body drive unit 30, thereby turning the closing mechanism 70 into a half-latched state.

[0066] Then, under the control of the control unit 50 (described later), the opening / closing motor 33 and the locking motor 75 operate, such as... Figure 3B As shown, the latch 71 is rotated counterclockwise, and the impactor 72 is introduced into the recess 71D of the latch 71, so that the closing mechanism 70 becomes fully latched.

[0067] It should be noted that the closing mechanism 70 can be any structure that can be driven by the locking motor 75.

[0068] [Structure of the Control System]

[0069] Figure 2 This is a block diagram showing the control system of the opening and closing device 1 of the opening and closing body.

[0070] In the opening and closing device 1, the control system includes a control unit 50, a position detection unit 60, a temperature detection unit 61, an external handle switch 62, and an interaction detection unit 80. The control system of the opening and closing device 1 controls the opening and closing body 20, which is driven by the opening and closing body drive unit 30 equipped with an opening and closing motor 33.

[0071] [Location Detection Department]

[0072] The position detection unit 60 detects the movement of the opening / closing body 20 by detecting, for example, the operation of the opening / closing body drive unit 30, and outputs the detection result, i.e. the movement information of the opening / closing body 20, to the control unit 50.

[0073] For example, the position detection unit 60 includes a Hall element, which detects the operation of the opening / closing body drive unit 30 by magnetically detecting the rotational state of the opening / closing motor 33, and thus detects the movement of the position of the opening / closing body 20. In this case, magnets are arranged at different intervals in the circumferential direction on a disk provided on the rotational shaft of the opening / closing motor 33, and the Hall element provided by the position detection unit 60 is arranged at a position opposite to the magnets. The Hall element is used to capture the magnetic field generated by the magnets that move along with the rotation of the rotational shaft of the opening / closing motor 33 and generate pulses. The control unit 50 calculates the opening / closing position of the opening / closing body 20 by counting the pulses, and calculates the moving speed of the opening / closing body 20 based on the change in the count value. In this embodiment, the control unit 50 calculates the amount of travel corresponding to the opening / closing position of the opening / closing body 20, and calculates the change in the amount of travel per unit time corresponding to the amount of movement of the opening / closing body 20.

[0074] The position detection unit 60 counts the generated pulses, and the control unit 50 uses the count value as movement information of the opening / closing body 20. The pulse count value can be used in the calculation of the opening / closing position and movement speed of the opening / closing body 20 in the control unit 50. It should be noted that the position detection unit 60 can also output the calculation result to the control unit 50 not only by counting pulses but also by calculating the opening / closing position and movement speed of the opening / closing body 20 based on the count value.

[0075] Furthermore, the position detection unit 60 only needs to be able to detect information related to the movement of the opening / closing body 20, and can have any structure. For example, it can directly detect the movement of the opening / closing body 20 without detecting the operation of the opening / closing body drive unit 30. The detection method is not limited to using a Hall element for magnetic detection; it can be any method as long as it can generate a count value corresponding to the opening / closing position of the opening / closing body 20. Also, while it has been described here that the position detection unit 60 is separate from the control unit 50 described later, the position detection unit 60 can also be integrated into the control unit 50.

[0076] It should be noted that when the position detection unit 60 outputs a detection signal that is not a count value to the control unit 50, for example, the detection signal output by the position detection unit 60 can be converted into an AD converter and the opening and closing position and moving speed of the opening and closing body 20 can be calculated based on the value after the AD conversion. The calculation result can then be stored in a storage unit or the like, and the control unit 50 can retrieve the stored calculation result from the storage unit or the like.

[0077] Temperature Detection Department

[0078] The temperature detection unit 61 detects the ambient temperature of the opening / closing body drive unit 30 and outputs the detection result, i.e., the ambient temperature information of the opening / closing body drive unit 30, to the control unit 50.

[0079] The temperature detection unit 61 is disposed near the opening / closing body driving unit 30. In this embodiment, the temperature detection unit 61 is a thermistor that contacts the opening / closing body driving unit 30 or a peripheral component disposed around the opening / closing body driving unit 30 and measures the resistance value that changes according to the temperature of the contact area. It should be noted that the temperature detection unit 61 is not limited to a thermistor, and may also be a platinum thermoelectric resistor that uses platinum as the resistive element.

[0080] Furthermore, the temperature detection unit 61 only needs to be able to detect the ambient temperature of the opening / closing body driving unit 30, and can be of any structure. For example, it is not limited to contact thermometers such as thermistors or platinum resistance thermometers, or it can be a non-contact thermometer such as a semiconductor temperature sensor that can measure the surface temperature of the opening / closing body driving unit 30 and the surface temperature of the surrounding components of the opening / closing body driving unit 30 in a non-contact manner. Also, while it has been described here that the temperature detection unit 61 is separate from the control unit 50 described later, the temperature detection unit 61 can also be integrated into the control unit 50.

[0081] [External handle switch]

[0082] The external handle switch 62 is built into the outer handle of the rear door (illustration omitted). When the user unlocks the rear door, the outer handle detects the activation state of the external handle switch 62 and outputs it to the control unit 50.

[0083] When the control unit 50 receives a detection signal indicating the on / off state of the external handle switch 62, it controls the closing mechanism 70 to change the latch 71 from the fully latched state to the unlocked state.

[0084] [Interaction Detection Department]

[0085] The interaction detection unit 80 detects the interaction between the latch 71 and the impactor 72. Specifically, the interaction detection unit 80 is provided, for example, in the closing mechanism 70, to detect the latching state of the closing mechanism 70 and outputs the detection result to the control unit 50. The interaction detection unit 80 detects latching states such as a half-latch state, for example, based on the rotation state of the latch 71.

[0086] The interaction detection unit 80 includes a half-latch detection switch, which is activated when the latch 71 is engaged with the impactor 72, for example... Figure 3C When the state transitions to the ON state, the latch 71 becomes OFF. Figure 3C The closing mechanism 70 transitions to the open state when it is in a state other than the open state. Specifically, a linkage mechanism (not shown) is provided in the closing mechanism 70, through which the half-latch detection switch is switched to the on state and the off state according to the rotation state of the latch 71. Thus, the control unit 50, described later, determines whether the closing mechanism 70 is in the half-latch state based on the signal output by the interaction detection unit 80 when it is in the on state or the signal when it is in the off state.

[0087] Furthermore, the interaction detection unit 80 may also include a switch capable of detecting the unlocked state and the fully latched state.

[0088] Furthermore, the interaction detection unit 80 only needs to be able to detect the latching state of the closing mechanism 70, and can be of any structure.

[0089] Furthermore, the interaction detection unit 80 may not be provided in the opening and closing device 1 of the opening and closing body. In this case, the opening and closing device 1 only needs to be able to obtain the detection signal of the latching state from the outside.

[0090] [Control System]

[0091] The control unit 50 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), and RAM (Random Access Memory). The CPU reads the program corresponding to the processing content from the ROM and expands it in the RAM. It cooperates with the expanded program to centrally control the operation of each block of the opening and closing device 1. At this time, various data stored in the storage unit (not shown) are referenced. The storage unit (not shown) is composed of, for example, non-volatile semiconductor memory (so-called flash memory) or hard disk drive. The control unit 50 can be programmed with, for example, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls various parts of the vehicle 100, and can also be mounted on the opening and closing device drive unit 30.

[0092] When the interaction detection unit 50 obtains interaction information indicating that the latch 71 and the impactor 72 have interacted through the interaction detection unit 80, the control unit 50 causes the locking motor 75 to perform a closing drive to change the latch 71 from an unlatched state to a fully latched state. Specifically, the control unit 50 controls this in the following manner: Figure 3D The state begins to be latched towards the opening and closing body 20 by the movement of the opening and closing body 20. Figure 3C The latch 71 and the impactor 72 shown can move to the engaged position, thereby performing the aforementioned closing drive.

[0093] When the user manually operates the opening and closing mechanism 20, a detection signal indicating the on / off state of the external handle switch 62 is output to the control unit 50. Upon receiving the detection signal indicating the on / off state of the external handle switch 62, the control unit 50 causes the locking motor 75 to perform a return drive to change the latch 71 from the fully latched state to the unlocked state.

[0094] The control unit 50 has a power-assisted control function that drives the opening and closing motor 33 to reduce the user's operating effort when the user manually operates the opening and closing body 20.

[0095] In the automatic operating mode where the opening / closing body 20 is automatically opened and closed by the user's transfer operation, speed control is performed to make the opening / closing speed of the opening / closing body 20 the target speed. However, in power-assisted control, when the opening / closing motor 33 is controlled in the same way as in the automatic operating mode, the operability of the user manually operating the opening / closing body 20 may decrease if the controlled opening / closing speed differs from the user's intended opening / closing speed. Furthermore, the operating load of the opening / closing body 20 varies depending on the stroke (corresponding to the opening / closing position (opening degree) of the opening / closing body 20) and the ambient temperature. Therefore, if the operating load of the opening / closing body 20 does not correspond to the stroke and ambient temperature, operability may decrease.

[0096] Next, the relationship between the operating load of the opening / closing body 20 and the ambient temperature will be explained. The ambient temperature is divided into five temperature ranges based on four predetermined temperatures: "low temperature," "low-medium temperature," "medium-high temperature," and "high temperature." The operating load of the opening / closing body 20 within the low temperature range is greater than that within the other temperature ranges. Furthermore, the operating load of the opening / closing body 20 within the medium-high temperature range and the high temperature range is less than that within the other temperature ranges. The operating load of the opening / closing body 20 gradually decreases from the low temperature range towards the medium-high temperature range. It should be noted that the above-mentioned five temperature ranges and the operating load of the opening / closing body 20 within each of the five temperature ranges can be determined through experiments or simulations. While the ambient temperature is divided into five temperature ranges based on four predetermined temperatures, it can also be divided into multiple temperature ranges based on multiple temperatures of 3 or less or 5 or more.

[0097] Next, the target current values ​​set for each temperature range will be explained. The "target current value" is the target current value (target input value) when the current value (input value) of the switching motor 33 is controlled to follow a target value. For example, the target current value in power assistance is set according to each temperature range described above.

[0098] Figure 4 This is a graph showing the relationship between the stroke amount and the target current value in the medium temperature range, which is one of five temperature ranges. Figure 4 The horizontal axis shows the stroke amount, and the vertical axis shows the target current value [A]. Figure 4The CP[0], CP[1], CP[2], and CP[N] shown are the stroke amounts used for setting the target current in power assist. MIDC[0], MIDC[1], MIDC[2], and MIDC[N] represent the target current values ​​when the stroke amounts are CP[0], CP[1], CP[2], and CP[N]. Figure 4 As shown, the target current value from stroke amount CP[0] to CP[1] is less than the target current value under other stroke amounts. In other words, the target current value when the opening degree of the switch 20 is small, that is, before the opening degree of the switch 20 becomes constant, is less than the target current value when the opening degree of the switch 20 is large. The target current value from stroke amount CP[1] to CP[2] is greater than the target current value from stroke amount CP[0] to CP[1], but less than the target current value from stroke amount CP[2] to CP[N]. The target current value from stroke amount CP[2] to CP[N] is greater than the target current value under other stroke amounts, and is constant.

[0099] It should be noted that the relationship between the stroke amount and the target current value can be determined through experiments and simulations. A graph representing the relationship between the stroke amount and the target current value is pre-stored in the storage unit of the control unit 50. It should also be noted that the graph can be stored in external memory of the control unit 50.

[0100] The control unit 50 calculates the target current value based on the stroke amount and the ambient temperature, referring to a table. For example, the control unit 50 selects a target current value corresponding to the temperature range of the ambient temperature from the target current values ​​for power assist at low temperatures, low and medium temperatures, medium temperatures, medium and high temperatures, and high temperatures. Figure 4 The target current value corresponding to the stroke amount at a given moment is calculated by relating the stroke amount to the target current value shown. It should be noted that the control unit 50 may also calculate the target current value based on the stroke amount and ambient temperature, respectively, without referring to a chart, and by referring to a predetermined formula. It should be noted that the formula used to calculate the target current value can be obtained through simulation, experimentation, etc. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 50 determines the target current value based on both the stroke amount and ambient temperature; however, it may also calculate the target current value based on the stroke amount.

[0101] As described above, the target current value (target input value) is a target current value set based on the relationship between ambient temperature and the necessary operating load of the opening / closing body 20 (ambient temperature - operating load characteristic of the opening / closing body), and is set for each stroke working area divided into a predetermined number of temperature ranges (five in this embodiment). It should be noted that the target current value in this embodiment is set as the target current value for holding the opening / closing body 20 in the open / closed position. In other words, the target current value is set to a level of current that prevents the opening / closing body 20 from falling even if the user removes their hand from it.

[0102] The control unit 50 performs control to adjust the PWM duty cycle of the switching element (not shown) in such a way that the convergence of the current supplied from the power supply is the target input value. Figure 5 This diagram illustrates an example of the structure of the control unit 50. The control unit 50 performs feedback control to make the input value of the switching motor 33, which is the controlled object, follow a target input value. In this embodiment, the feedback control is a control method that combines a proportional action that changes the input value of the switching motor 33 proportionally to the difference between the target input value and the output value (i.e., the deviation) with an integral action that changes the input value based on the integral of the deviation; that is, a PI control method. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the feedback control method is limited to PI control and described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The control unit 50 is as follows... Figure 5 As shown, it has a proportional controller 51, an integral controller 52, a subtractor 53, and an adder 54. Figure 5 The diagram shows the target input value r, input value u, output value y, and deviation e. The target input value r, input value u, output value y, and deviation e represent current values, but they can also be voltage values.

[0103] The control unit 50 calculates the target input value r based on the stroke amount and the ambient temperature, referring to the table.

[0104] In this embodiment, the switching motor 33 has a circuit including a coil. An input value u is input to the switching motor 33. The actual current value input to the switching motor 33 is fed back to the subtractor 53 as an output value y. The subtractor 53 calculates the deviation e between the target input value r and the output value y. The proportional controller 51 is composed of a proportional gain 51a that multiplies the deviation e by a coefficient α. The current value multiplied by the coefficient α is input from the proportional controller 51 to the adder 54. The coefficient α is a single value and is preset. It should be noted that the coefficient α is set according to the performance of the switching motor 33.

[0105] The integral controller 52 consists of an integral gain 52a that multiplies the deviation e by a coefficient β and an integrator 52b. The integrator 52b integrates the deviation e multiplied by a coefficient β. The coefficient β is single and preset. It should be noted that the coefficient β is set according to the performance of the switching motor 33. The current value integrated with the deviation e multiplied by a coefficient β is input from the integral controller 52 to the adder 54. The integrator 52b is reset at the start of PI control. It should be noted that the reset period uses the initial value, which is the current value applied to the switching motor 33. The adder 54 adds the current value input from the proportional controller 51 to the current value input from the integral controller. The current value added by the adder 54 is the applied current applied to the switching motor 33, and is the input value u input to the switching motor 33.

[0106] [Based on the relationship between the user's operating force and the auxiliary force based on the opening and closing motor 33]

[0107] Next, the relationship between the user's operating force and the auxiliary force of the switching motor 33 applied to the opening / closing body 20 during the opening operation will be explained. When the user manually applies an operating force in the opening direction to the opening / closing body 20, a back electromotive force is generated in the coil of the switching motor 33. This back electromotive force suppresses the input value u, thus reducing the actual current value input to the switching motor 33. Consequently, the auxiliary force decreases. However, a deviation e is generated between the actual current value (output value y) and the target input value r. Based on this deviation e, the current value generated by the proportional controller 51, the integral controller 52, and the adder 54 is input to the switching motor 33, thus compensating for the reduction in the auxiliary force. That is, regardless of the magnitude of the user's operating force, the auxiliary force is constant, allowing the user to open and close the opening / closing body 20 at their intended speed. Furthermore, the auxiliary force balances the operating load of the opening / closing body 20, so the user does not feel the operating load of the opening / closing body 20 and can open and close it. Based on the above, the operability of the opening and closing body 20 can be improved.

[0108] Furthermore, during the opening operation of the opening / closing body 20, when the user removes their hand from the opening / closing body 20 and does not apply any operating force to it, no back electromotive force is generated in the coil of the opening / closing motor 33, and therefore the input value u is not suppressed by the back electromotive force. Thus, the input value u is actually input to the opening / closing motor 33, and the auxiliary force is not reduced. That is, when the opening / closing body 20 is in the predetermined open / closed position, even if the user removes their hand from the opening / closing body 20, the auxiliary force and the operating load of the opening / closing body 20 are balanced, thus the opening / closing body 20 can be held in the predetermined open / closed position.

[0109] And, as Figure 4As shown, the target current value before the opening / closing body 20 reaches a constant opening degree is set to be smaller than the target current value when the opening / closing body 20 exceeds the constant opening degree. Therefore, before the opening / closing body 20 reaches a constant opening degree, or before a constant time elapses after the opening / closing body 20 is started, the target current value (target auxiliary force) is below a constant value, thus improving operability when the user manually starts opening the opening / closing body 20. The constant value of the target auxiliary force can be determined through experiments and simulations.

[0110] [Drive control of the opening and closing body in the opening and closing device]

[0111] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the opening and closing control of the opening and closing device 1. It should be noted that the prerequisites for initiating the opening and closing control of the opening and closing body have been prepared.

[0112] Once the preconditions are met, the control unit 50 determines whether the conditions for allowing power-assisted control (corresponding to the "assistance conditions" of this invention) are satisfied. It should be noted that in the following description, the following two conditions are listed as conditions for allowing power-assisted control; however, this invention is not limited to these, and other conditions may be used, and additional conditions may be added to them. First, the control unit 50 as follows... Figure 6 As shown, it is determined whether the external handle switch 62 is working (step S100). If the external handle switch 62 is working (step S100, Yes), the process proceeds to step S120. On the other hand, if the external handle switch 62 is not working (step S100, No), the process proceeds to step S110.

[0113] In step S110, the control unit 50 determines whether the moving speed of the opening / closing body 20 is above a predetermined speed and whether it has moved more than a predetermined value in the opening direction. If the moving speed of the opening / closing body 20 is above the predetermined speed and has moved more than a predetermined value in the opening direction (step S110, Yes), the process proceeds to step S120. On the other hand, if the moving speed of the opening / closing body 20 is not above the predetermined speed or if the opening / closing body 20 has not moved more than a predetermined value in the opening direction (step S110, No), the process returns to the step before S100.

[0114] In step S120, the control unit 50 performs power-assisted control. Specifically, the control unit 50 acquires the ambient temperature and stroke amount at predetermined time intervals. Next, the control unit 50 reads a graph from the storage unit (not shown) based on the ambient temperature. Next, the control unit 50 calculates a target input value based on the stroke amount and refers to the graph. Next, the control unit 50 controls the input value to the switching motor 33 in a manner that follows the target input value.

[0115] During the power assist control process, the control unit 50 determines whether the power assist stop condition is met. It should be noted that the following six conditions are listed as power assist stop conditions, but the present invention is not limited to these; other conditions may also be used, and additional conditions may be added to them. First, the control unit 50 determines whether the opening / closing body 20 has reached its maximum open position (step S130). If the opening / closing body 20 has reached its maximum open position (step S130, Yes), the process proceeds to step S190. On the other hand, if the opening / closing body 20 has not reached its maximum open position (step S130, No), the process proceeds to step S140.

[0116] In step S140, the control unit 50 determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of power assist. If the predetermined time has elapsed since the start of power assist (step S140, Yes), the process proceeds to step S190. On the other hand, if the predetermined time has not elapsed since the start of power assist (step S140, No), the process proceeds to step S150.

[0117] In step S150, the control unit 50 determines whether an abnormal state has occurred. If an abnormal state has occurred (step S150, Yes), the process proceeds to step S190. If no abnormal state has occurred (step S150, No), the process proceeds to step S160.

[0118] In step S160, the control unit 50 determines whether the moving speed of the opening / closing body 20 has been maintained at a predetermined speed for a predetermined time. If the moving speed of the opening / closing body 20 has been maintained at the predetermined speed for a predetermined time (step S160, Yes), the process proceeds to step S190. If the moving speed of the opening / closing body 20 has not been maintained at the predetermined speed for a predetermined time (step S160, No), the process proceeds to step S170.

[0119] In step S170, the control unit 50 determines whether the operation of an operation switch indicating a user-initiated transition to automatic operating mode has been detected. If the operation of the operation switch is detected (step S170, Yes), the process proceeds to step S190. If the operation of the operation switch is not detected (step S170, No), the process proceeds to step S180.

[0120] In step S180, the control unit 50 determines whether the moving speed of the opening / closing body 20 is above a predetermined speed and whether it has moved more than a predetermined amount in the closing direction. If the moving speed of the opening / closing body 20 is above the predetermined speed and has moved more than a predetermined amount in the closing direction (S180, Yes), the process proceeds to step S190. On the other hand, if the moving speed of the opening / closing body 20 is not above the predetermined speed or the opening / closing body 20 has not moved more than a predetermined amount in the closing direction (S180, No), the process returns to before step S120.

[0121] In step S190, the control unit 50 controls the power assist to stop. Then, Figure 6 The processing shown has ended.

[0122] The opening and closing device 1 of the above embodiment includes: an opening and closing body drive unit 30, which has an opening and closing motor 33 to move the opening and closing body 20 provided on the vehicle 100; a position detection unit 60 for detecting the amount of travel; and a control unit 50 for controlling the opening and closing movement of the opening and closing body 20 using the detected amount of travel. When an auxiliary condition for assisting the manual operation of the opening and closing body 20 is met, the control unit 50 controls the input value to the opening and closing motor 33 in a manner that follows a target input value predetermined based on the opening and closing position of the opening and closing body 20.

[0123] According to the above structure, the input value of the opening and closing motor 33 follows the target input value that is related to the stroke amount. Therefore, even when the operating load of the opening and closing body changes according to the stroke amount, an auxiliary force corresponding to the stroke amount is applied to the opening and closing body 20, thereby improving the operability of the opening and closing body 20.

[0124] Furthermore, in the opening / closing device 1 of the above embodiment, the target input value is the target input value for holding the opening / closing body 20 in the open / closed position. As a result, the auxiliary force and the operating load of the opening / closing body 20 are balanced, so even if the user removes their hand from the opening / closing body 20, the opening / closing body 20 is held in its open / closed position, thus improving operability.

[0125] Furthermore, in the opening and closing device 1 of the above embodiment, the control unit 50 performs feedback control on the opening and closing motor 33 based on the deviation between the input value input to the opening and closing motor 33 through manual operation and the target input value. As a result, a back electromotive force is generated in the coil of the opening and closing motor 33 by the user's manual operation. This back electromotive force suppresses the actual input value, and even when the auxiliary force is reduced, a current value based on the deviation between the input value and the target input value is input to the opening and closing motor 33, thus maintaining a constant auxiliary force. Consequently, the user does not feel the operating load of the opening and closing body 20, thereby improving the operability of the opening and closing body 20.

[0126] Furthermore, in the opening / closing device 1 of the above embodiment, the target current value (target input value) is a target current value set according to the characteristic (ambient temperature - operating load characteristic of the opening / closing body) set based on the relationship between the ambient temperature and the necessary operating load of the opening / closing body 20, and is divided into a predetermined number of stroke working areas. This allows the target current value to correspond to the difference in operating load of the opening / closing body 20 caused by the ambient temperature and the difference in operating load of the opening / closing body 20 caused by the opening / closing position of the opening / closing body 20, thus improving user operability.

[0127] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the control unit 50 controls the opening / closing body drive unit 30 and the closing mechanism 70. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it may also be a structure in which multiple control units control the opening / closing body drive unit and the closing mechanism separately.

[0128] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered as examples, not limitations. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims, not the foregoing description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0129] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. It should be noted that the above description is an example of preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, the description of the structure and shape of each part of the above-described device is one example, and it is evident that various modifications and additions can be made within the scope of the present invention, corresponding to these examples.

[0130] Industrial applicability

[0131] The opening and closing device of the present invention is effective in improving the operability of the opening and closing body even when the operating load of the opening and closing body changes according to the opening and closing position of the opening and closing body.

[0132] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0133] edeviation

[0134] r target input value

[0135] u Input value

[0136] y output value

[0137] 1. Opening and closing device

[0138] 10 Opening Components

[0139] 11 Opening

[0140] 20 Open and Closed Bodies

[0141] 30 Opening and Closing Body Drive Unit

[0142] 31 Main body tube

[0143] 32 Sliding cylinder section

[0144] 33 switching motor

[0145] 50 Control Department

[0146] 51 proportional controller

[0147] 51a proportional gain

[0148] 52 Integral Controller

[0149] 52a Integral Gain

[0150] 52b Integrator

[0151] 53 Subtractor

[0152] 54 Adders

[0153] 60 Position Detection Department

[0154] 61 Temperature Detection Department

[0155] 62 External Handle Switch

[0156] 70 closed institutions

[0157] 71 latches

[0158] 71A base

[0159] 71B First Arm

[0160] 71C Second Arm

[0161] 71D concave part

[0162] 72 impactor

[0163] 73 rotating shafts

[0164] 74 pawls

[0165] 75 Lockout Motor

[0166] 80 Interaction Detection Department

Claims

1. An opening and closing device for an opening and closing body, comprising: The drive unit has an electric motor that causes the opening and closing mechanism located on the vehicle to move open and close. The position detection unit detects the opening and closing position of the opening and closing body; and The control unit uses the detection signal from the position detection unit to control the opening and closing movement of the opening and closing body. in, When the auxiliary conditions for assisting the manual operation of the opening and closing body are met, the control unit controls the input value to the motor in a manner that keeps the auxiliary force constant by following a target input value predetermined according to the opening and closing position of the opening and closing body.

2. An opening and closing device for an opening and closing body, comprising: The drive unit has an electric motor that causes the opening and closing mechanism located on the vehicle to move open and close. The position detection unit detects the opening and closing position of the opening and closing body; and The control unit uses the detection signal from the position detection unit to control the opening and closing movement of the opening and closing body. in, When the auxiliary conditions for assisting the manual operation of the opening and closing body are met, the control unit controls the input value to the motor in a manner that follows the target input value for maintaining the opening and closing body at the opening and closing position based on the opening and closing position of the opening and closing body.

3. The opening and closing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The control unit performs feedback control on the motor based on the deviation between the input value input to the motor through the manual operation and the target input value.

4. The opening and closing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The target input value is also predetermined based on the ambient temperature of the drive unit.

5. The opening and closing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The target input value is the target current value.

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