Vehicle door sharp corner protection control method and device, controller and vehicle

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a vehicle door sharp corner protection control method and device, a controller and a vehicle. The vehicle door sharp corner protection control method comprises the steps that in the vehicle door opening process, whether a vehicle door is opened to a first opening and closing angle or not is judged; and determining that the vehicle door is opened to the first opening and closing angle, controlling the sharp corner protection device to execute an extension action, and enabling a buffer rubber block in the sharp corner protection device to move to the sharp corner of the vehicle door and wrap the sharp corner of the vehicle door. Due to the fact that the sharp corner protection device only executes the stretching-out action when the vehicle door is opened to the first opening and closing angle, the buffering rubber block moves to the vehicle door sharp corner and wraps the vehicle door sharp corner, and the buffering rubber block does not affect normal opening and closing of the vehicle door. The problem that the buffer rubber block is directly arranged at the sharp corner of the vehicle door and interferes with other parts of the vehicle body in the prior art is avoided, and the problem that the sealing performance is reduced due to interference is also avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of vehicle technology, specifically to a door corner protection control method, device, controller, and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Vehicles such as SUVs and MPVs typically use a liftgate. When a liftgate is opened and raised to its maximum angle, the height of its overhanging edge is roughly the same as the user's height. Because the height of the overhanging edge is roughly the same as the user's height, when the user approaches the vehicle's trunk to retrieve or place items, their head may collide with the sharp corner of the liftgate's overhanging edge. Such a collision may injure the user, causing severe pain or even injury.

[0003] To address the issue of potential head injuries from collisions with the sharp corner of the tailgate, related technologies propose installing anti-collision strips at the tailgate corners. These strips act as a buffer, preventing injuries from severe impacts. However, because these strips are fixed to the sharp corners of the overhanging edge, they can interfere with the vehicle body when the tailgate closes, compromising its sealing performance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this disclosure provides a door corner protection control method, device, controller, and vehicle.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a door corner protection control method, including:

[0006] During the opening process of the car door, determine whether the door has opened to the first opening angle;

[0007] Once the car door is determined to be open to the first opening angle, the corner protection device installed on the car door is controlled to extend, causing the buffer rubber block in the corner protection device to move to the corner of the car door and wrap around the corner.

[0008] Optionally, the door is controlled to open and close by an electric strut, which includes a lead screw and nut pair;

[0009] The determination of whether the car door is opened to the first opening angle includes:

[0010] The number of forward rotations of the nut in the lead screw and nut assembly is detected. When the nut rotates forward, the car door is in the opening process state.

[0011] If the number of forward rotations reaches the first threshold number of rotations, it is determined that the car door is opened to the first opening angle.

[0012] Optionally, the control of the corner protection device installed on the door to extend, causing the buffer rubber block in the corner protection device to move to the corner of the door and wrap around the corner, includes:

[0013] Controlling the drive motor to rotate in the forward direction drives the grooved wheel to rotate, causing the sliding pin to move along the guide groove and drive the reciprocating arm to extend along the target movement trajectory, thereby causing the buffer rubber block to move to the sharp corner of the car door and wrap around the sharp corner of the car door;

[0014] The drive motor, the grooved wheel, the sliding pin, the guide plate, and the reciprocating motion arm are all components of the sharp corner protection device; the grooved wheel is provided with a sliding groove; the guide groove is provided on the guide plate, and the shape of the guide groove is determined according to the preset target movement trajectory; the reciprocating motion arm is provided with a sliding pin hole; the sliding pin is inserted into the sliding groove, the guide groove, and the sliding pin hole; the buffer rubber block is provided at the free end of the reciprocating motion arm.

[0015] Optionally, after controlling the drive motor to rotate in the forward direction, the method further includes:

[0016] In response to receiving a positive limit trigger signal generated by the first limit switch, the drive motor is controlled to stop rotating;

[0017] The first limit switch is a component of the corner protection device, and the first limit switch is located on the side of the corner protection device near the corner of the door.

[0018] Optionally, the method further includes:

[0019] During the closing process of the car door, determine whether the car door has closed to the second opening angle;

[0020] Once the door is closed to the second opening angle, the corner protection device is controlled to extend, causing the buffer block to move away from the corner of the door and back.

[0021] Optionally, the control of the sharp corner protection device to perform a retraction action, causing the buffer rubber block to move away from the sharp corner and back, includes:

[0022] Control the drive motor to rotate in the opposite direction, so that the buffer block moves away from the sharp corner;

[0023] In response to receiving the reverse limit trigger signal generated by the second limit switch, it is determined that the buffer block has moved back to the initial set position;

[0024] The drive motor and the second limit switch are both components of the corner protection device; the second limit switch is located on the side of the corner protection device away from the corner of the door.

[0025] Optionally, the door is controlled to open and close by an electric strut, which includes a lead screw and nut pair;

[0026] The determination of whether the car door is closed to the second opening angle includes:

[0027] The number of reverse rotations of the nut in the lead screw and nut assembly is detected, and the reverse rotation of the nut causes the door to be in a closed state.

[0028] If the number of reverse rotations reaches the second threshold number of rotations, it is determined that the door is closed to the second opening angle.

[0029] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a door corner protection control device, comprising:

[0030] An angle detection unit is used to determine whether the door has been opened to the first opening angle during the opening process;

[0031] The control unit is used to determine the opening angle of the car door and control the corner protection device to move forward, so that the buffer rubber block in the corner protection device moves to the corner of the car door and wraps the corner of the car door.

[0032] Thirdly, embodiments of this disclosure also provide a controller, including a processor and a memory, the memory being used to store a computer program; when the computer program is loaded by the processor, it causes the processor to execute the door corner protection control method as described above.

[0033] Fourthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a vehicle including a corner protection device mounted on a door and a controller as described above.

[0034] The solution provided in this disclosure allows the corner protection device to extend when the door is opened to the first opening angle. This causes the buffer rubber block to move to and cover the corner of the door, preventing collision damage. Furthermore, because the corner protection device only extends when the door is opened to the first opening angle, the buffer rubber block does not affect the normal opening and closing of the door. This avoids the problem in related technologies where the buffer rubber block is directly placed at the corner of the door and interferes with other parts of the vehicle body, thus preventing a decrease in sealing performance due to interference. Attached Figure Description

[0035] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0036] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any creative effort, wherein:

[0037] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the door corner protection control method provided in the embodiments of this disclosure;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the corner protection device in the retracted state;

[0039] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the corner protection device in the extended position;

[0040] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the sharp corner protection device provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0041] Figure 5 This is a timing diagram of the state characteristics of various components in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0042] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the door corner protection control device provided in the embodiments of this disclosure;

[0043] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the controller provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0044] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of this disclosure. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0045] The term "comprising" and its variations as used herein are open-ended, meaning "including but not limited to". The term "based on" means "at least partially based on". The term "one embodiment" means "at least one embodiment"; the term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment"; the term "some embodiments" means "at least some embodiments". Definitions of other terms will be given in the description below. It should be noted that the concepts of "first", "second", etc., used in this disclosure are only used to distinguish different devices, modules, or units, and are not intended to limit the order of functions performed by these devices, modules, or units or their interdependencies.

[0046] It should be noted that the terms "a" and "a plurality of" used in this disclosure are illustrative rather than restrictive, and those skilled in the art should understand that, unless otherwise expressly indicated in the context, they should be understood as "one or more".

[0047] To address the issue that while anti-collision strips fixed to the sharp corners of car doors can provide cushioning and prevent collision damage, interference between the strips and the car body when the door closes can compromise the door's seal, this disclosure provides a corner protection device capable of controlling the extension and retraction of the cushioning strip. The corner protection device can be installed on the inside of the car door. When the device extends, the cushioning strip covers and wraps around the sharp corner of the door.

[0048] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a door corner protection control method provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 1 As shown, the door corner protection control method includes S110-S120.

[0049] The door corner protection control method provided in this embodiment is executed by a controller, which can be the vehicle body controller or a domain controller specifically for door control.

[0050] S110: During the opening of the car door, determine whether the car door has opened to the first opening angle; if yes, execute S120; if no, continue to execute S110.

[0051] As analyzed earlier, the corner protection device needs to coordinate with the opening and closing state of the door when it extends to avoid interference between the buffer rubber block and the body, which could prevent the door from closing properly or reduce its sealing performance. Therefore, during the door opening process, the controller needs to determine the characteristics of the door's opening state to ensure that the corner protection device only extends when the door is opened to a specific state.

[0052] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, during the opening of the vehicle door, the controller determines whether the door has been opened to a first opening angle. The aforementioned first opening angle is an angle at which the door has been opened to a large enough angle to ensure that the buffer rubber block will not interfere with other parts of the vehicle body when the corner protection device extends.

[0053] In practice, the first opening angle can be determined based on the size of the corner protection device, the travel distance of the buffer rubber block, and the size of the car door. It should be noted that, in order to maximize the function of the corner protection device and avoid the problem of the car door opening angle being too large while the buffer rubber block still fails to cover the corner, the first opening angle should not be set too large.

[0054] S120: Control the corner protection device to extend, so that the buffer rubber block in the corner protection device moves to the corner of the door and wraps around the corner of the door.

[0055] After determining that the door has opened to the first opening angle, the controller can control the corner protection device to extend. The aforementioned extension action is to move the buffer rubber block to the corner of the door and cover the corner.

[0056] By employing the solution provided in this embodiment, when the car door is opened to the first opening angle, the corner protection device extends, causing the buffer rubber block to move to and wrap around the corner of the car door, thus preventing accidental collision injuries caused by the corner of the car door. Furthermore, since the corner protection device only extends when the car door is opened to the first opening angle, the buffer rubber block does not affect the normal opening and closing of the car door. This avoids the problem in related technologies where the buffer rubber block is directly placed at the corner of the car door and interferes with other parts of the vehicle body, thus preventing a decrease in sealing performance due to interference.

[0057] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the corner protection device in the retracted state. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the corner protection device in the extended position. (Example) Figure 2 As shown, when the corner protection device 100 is in its retracted state, the buffer rubber block 101 is located inside the corner protection device 100 (that is, in its initial position) and has not moved to the corner 200 of the car door to cover it. Figure 3 As shown, when the corner protection device 100 is in the extended state, the buffer rubber block 101 is located at the corner 200 of the door and adheres to the corner 200 from the inside, so that the corner 200 of the door is not exposed.

[0058] It should be noted that the vehicle door mentioned in the previous embodiments can be either a side door or a tailgate. In practice, considering that most vehicle tailgates adopt a rear-hinged design, the probability of sharp corner collision injuries is relatively high. Therefore, the aforementioned sharp corner protection device is usually installed in the tailgate, and the aforementioned door sharp corner protection control method is used to control the action state of the sharp corner protection device to achieve proper coordination with the opening and closing of the tailgate.

[0059] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the door is controlled by an electric strut for opening and closing, that is, a motor drives a lead screw and nut pair to convert the motor rotation into the translational motion of the lead screw, thereby realizing the opening and closing of the tailgate. In this case, determining whether the door is open to the first opening angle in the aforementioned S110 includes S111-S113.

[0060] S111: Detects the number of forward rotations of the nut in the lead screw and nut assembly.

[0061] In this embodiment, when the nut in the lead screw and nut pair is rotating forward under the drive of the motor rotor, the lead screw is in an extended state relative to the outer housing of the lead screw and nut pair, causing the car door to be in the process of opening. Under these circumstances, the opening angle of the car door is linearly positively correlated with the number of forward rotations in the lead screw and nut pair. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether the opening angle of the car door has reached the first opening angle based on the number of forward rotations of the lead screw and nut pair.

[0062] In practice, a Hall sensor can be installed in the electric strut to detect the number of forward rotations of the nut in the lead screw nut assembly.

[0063] S112: Determine whether the number of forward rotations has reached the first threshold number of rotations; if yes, execute S113; if no, continue executing S111.

[0064] S113: Determine the opening angle of the car door to the first opening angle.

[0065] The first threshold number of turns corresponds to the number of turns required for the door to open to a first opening angle. The first threshold number of turns is determined based on the pitch of the lead screw and nut assembly, the size of the electric strut, and the installation position of the electric strut on the door. For example, in one application, the first threshold number of turns is 100. If the number of forward rotations of the nut from the unlocked state reaches the first threshold number of turns, then the door is determined to be open to the first opening angle.

[0066] Of course, the method for determining the door opening angle is not limited to the aforementioned method of detecting the number of rotations of the nut in the electric strut; optical distance detection can also be used. Furthermore, door opening and closing control does not necessarily use electric struts; gas struts can also be used.

[0067] The previous embodiments only mentioned that the corner protection device can extend to move the buffer block to the corner of the door and wrap around it, but the structure of the corner protection device was not analyzed. The following analysis describes how the corner protection device extends in some embodiments to control the displacement of the buffer block.

[0068] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the sharp corner protection device 100 provided in some embodiments of this disclosure. For example... Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the corner protection device 100 includes, in addition to the buffer block 101, a drive motor 102, a grooved wheel 103, a sliding pin (not shown in the figure), a guide plate 104, and a reciprocating motion arm 105.

[0069] The groove is provided on the groove wheel 103. The groove can be a straight groove or a curved groove. However, when the drive motor 102 drives the groove wheel 103 to rotate in one direction, the sliding pin can only move in one direction within the groove.

[0070] The guide panel 104 is provided with a guide groove, the shape of which is determined according to the predetermined target movement trajectory of the buffer block 101. For example, in some specific applications, the buffer block 101 first moves along a translational path parallel to the extension direction of the tailgate, and after moving slightly beyond the corner of the door, it moves towards the corner of the door until it fits and wraps around the corner. Corresponding to the target movement trajectory of the buffer block 101, the guide groove on the guide panel 104 includes a straight segment and an arc segment. The straight segment is located at the end of the arc segment away from the buffer block, and the arc of the arc segment bends towards the corner of the door. The combination of the straight segment and the arc segment makes the guide groove present an overall shape similar to the letter "J".

[0071] The reciprocating arm 105 is a rod-shaped component used to mount the buffer block 101. In a specific implementation, the buffer block 101 is mounted on the free end of the reciprocating arm 105. The reciprocating arm 105 is also provided with a sliding pin hole.

[0072] The sliding pin is a component that connects the grooved wheel 103, the guide plate 104 and the reciprocating arm 105. It is inserted into the groove of the grooved wheel 103, the guide groove of the guide plate 104 and the sliding pin hole to achieve relative fixation of the three components in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the groove.

[0073] When the drive motor 102 drives the grooved wheel 103 to rotate, the grooved wheel 103 pushes the sliding pin to move within the groove. At this time, due to the limiting effect of the guide groove in the guide plate 104, the sliding pin can only move along the guide groove. Since the sliding pin can only move along the guide groove, the reciprocating motion arm 105 can also only move along the guide groove under the pushing action of the sliding pin, that is, it moves along the target movement trajectory. Because the buffer rubber block 101 is set at the free end of the reciprocating motion arm 105, the buffer rubber block also moves along the target movement trajectory under the drive of the reciprocating motion arm 105.

[0074] When the aforementioned corner protection device is used, the S120 control of the corner protection device to extend, so that the buffer rubber block moves to the corner of the door and wraps the corner of the door, specifically means: controlling the drive motor 102 to rotate in the forward direction and the electric groove wheel 103 to rotate, so that the sliding pin moves along the guide groove and drives the reciprocating motion arm 105 to extend along the target movement trajectory, thereby causing the buffer rubber block to move to the corner of the door and wrap the corner of the door.

[0075] Of course, the aforementioned corner protection device 100 is just a simple example. In practice, corner protection devices can also adopt other structures, such as protection devices with double crank mechanisms or protection devices with crank rocker mechanisms, so that the buffer rubber block is moved to a specific position.

[0076] In practical applications, when the drive motor 102 rotates, causing the reciprocating arm 105 to extend along the target movement trajectory and move the buffer rubber block to the sharp corner of the car door and wrap around it, the buffer rubber block and the sharp corner of the car door come into contact, generating significant resistance. If the drive motor 102 continues to be powered on and rotates forward at this time, the drive motor 102 will be stuck due to the resistance. Prolonged stuck rotation will cause the drive motor 102 to generate excessive heat and burn out.

[0077] To avoid the aforementioned problems, the corner protection device also includes a first limit switch 106. The first limit switch 106 is located on the side of the corner protection device closest to the door corner, relative to the grooved wheel 103. A protrusion is provided at the edge of the grooved wheel 103. When the drive motor 102 rotates in the forward direction, and the buffer block wraps around the corner via the aforementioned mechanism, the protrusion at the edge of the grooved wheel 103 presses against the first limit switch 106, triggering the first limit switch 106 to generate a forward limit trigger signal.

[0078] Correspondingly, when the controller receives the positive limit trigger signal generated by the first limit switch 106, it controls the drive motor 102 to stop rotating in order to avoid the problem of the drive motor 102 stalling.

[0079] In practical applications, while detecting that the door has opened to the first opening angle and controlling the corner protection device 100 to extend, the door will continue to open until it reaches the target opening angle. The aforementioned target opening angle can be the maximum opening angle of the door or the door opening angle set by the user.

[0080] After the car door is opened to the aforementioned target opening angle and the user completes the corresponding operation, there will be a need to close the car door. During the closing process, in order to prevent the buffer block 101 from affecting the normal closing of the car door, it is also necessary to move the buffer block 101 back. In specific implementation, the controller can also execute the following steps S210-S220.

[0081] S210: During the door closing process, determine whether the door has closed to the second opening angle. If yes, execute S220; if no, continue executing S210.

[0082] The second opening angle is a reasonable angle determined based on the size of the corner protection device, the travel distance of the extension action, and the size of the door. The second opening angle should be greater than the first opening angle. It should be noted that, in order to maximize the function of the corner protection device and prevent the buffer block from leaving the door corner and retracting when the door opening angle is large, the second opening angle should not be set too large.

[0083] S220: Control the corner protection device to perform a retraction action, causing the buffer rubber block to move away from the corner of the door and back.

[0084] Once it is determined that the car door has closed to the second opening angle, it is confirmed that the car door has closed to a reasonable angle. At this point, it is necessary to make the buffer rubber block leave the sharp corner of the car door and move back, that is, to control the sharp corner protection device to perform the retraction action.

[0085] As analyzed above, in some embodiments, the corner protection device is a structure driven by a drive motor 102, comprising a grooved wheel 103, a sliding pin, a guide plate 104, and a reciprocating arm 105. Correspondingly, controlling the corner protection device to perform the retraction action involves controlling the drive motor 102 to rotate in the opposite direction, using the grooved wheel 103 to drive the sliding pin to move along the guide groove. Due to the restriction of the guide groove, the sliding pin can only move along the guide groove, causing the reciprocating arm 105 to drive the buffer block to move in the opposite direction along the target movement trajectory, thereby causing the buffer block to disengage from the corner and move back.

[0086] like Figure 4As shown in some embodiments of this disclosure, the corner protection device further includes a second limit switch 107. The second limit switch is located on the side of the corner protection device away from the corner of the door, specifically on the side away from the corner of the door relative to the grooved wheel 103. When the protrusion in the grooved wheel 103 moves to the initial target position, the protrusion in the grooved wheel 103 triggers the second limit switch 107, causing the second limit switch 107 to generate a reverse limit trigger signal. The reverse limit trigger signal is used to indicate that the buffer block has moved to the initial set position.

[0087] The aforementioned S220 controls the corner protection device to perform a retraction action, causing the buffer rubber block to move away from the corner and back, including S221-S222.

[0088] S221: Control the drive motor to rotate in the opposite direction, so that the buffer rubber block moves away from the sharp corner of the door.

[0089] As analyzed above, when the drive motor rotates in the reverse direction, it drives the grooved wheel to move in the reverse direction, which in turn drives the reciprocating motion arm to move along the guide groove on the guide plate through the sliding pin. This causes the buffer rubber block to move in the reverse direction along the target movement trajectory, leaving the sharp corner and moving towards the initial set position.

[0090] S222: In response to receiving the reverse limit trigger signal generated by the second limit switch, determine that the buffer block has moved back to the initial set position.

[0091] As analyzed above, upon receiving the reverse limit trigger signal generated by the second limit switch, it is determined that the buffer block has moved back to the initial set position. At this point, the controller can control the drive motor to stop rotating to avoid the problem of continued jamming and burnout.

[0092] Similar to the previous analysis, the car door in this embodiment is controlled by an electric strut for opening and closing, and the electric strut includes a lead screw and nut pair. The determination of whether the car door is closed to the second opening / closing angle in the preceding S210 may include S211-S212.

[0093] S211: Detect the number of reverse rotations of the nut in the lead screw and nut assembly.

[0094] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the reverse rotation of the nut causes the door to be in a closed state. Detecting the number of reverse rotations of the nut in the lead screw and nut assembly is to detect the number of rotations of the nut when the door begins to close from the target opening angle.

[0095] S212: Determine whether the number of reverse rotations has reached the second threshold number of rotations; if yes, execute S213; if no, continue to execute S211.

[0096] S213: Determine the door is closed to the second opening angle.

[0097] The second threshold number of turns is determined based on the difference between the target opening angle and the second opening angle of the door. The second threshold number of turns is determined by the pitch of the lead screw and nut assembly, the size of the electric strut, and the installation position of the electric strut on the door. For example, in one application, the first threshold number of turns is 200 turns. The second threshold number of turns is linearly positively correlated with the aforementioned difference. If the number of reverse rotations of the nut reaches the second threshold number of turns, the door is scheduled to close to the second opening angle.

[0098] Please continue reading Figure 4 In this embodiment of the present disclosure, in order for the corner protection device 100 to correctly move the buffer block 101 back to the initial set position, the corner protection device also includes a return spring 108. When the drive motor 102 rotates in the reverse direction, the spring force applied by the return spring 108 and the driving force of the drive motor 102 rotating in the reverse direction work together to enable the buffer block 101 to return to the initial set position more quickly.

[0099] In order to more clearly characterize the coordinated control of each component in the door corner protection control method of this disclosure embodiment, the state of each component is characterized in the form of a timing diagram below. Figure 5 This is a timing diagram of the state characteristics of various components in some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0100] like Figure 5 As shown, with the car door in the open state, the opening angle of the car door gradually increases to the first opening angle. When the opening angle of the car door reaches the first opening angle, the drive motor in the corner protection device is subjected to a positive voltage and rotates in the forward direction, causing the corner protection device to switch from the retracted rotation state to the moving state, and finally causing the corner protection device to be in the unfolded state (that is, causing the buffer rubber block to wrap around the corner of the car door).

[0101] During this process, the second limit switch initially generates a reverse limit trigger signal (high-level signal) to ensure that the drive motor does not reverse. When the door opening angle reaches the first opening angle, the second limit switch no longer generates a reverse limit trigger signal (at this time, it outputs a low-level signal). When the corner protection device is not in the deployed state, the first limit switch always generates a low-level signal (a low-level signal indicates that the drive motor can continue to rotate forward). When the corner protection device is in the deployed state, the first limit switch generates a forward limit trigger signal (high-level signal) to indicate that the drive motor can no longer continue to rotate forward.

[0102] When the door is closed, the opening angle gradually decreases. When the opening angle decreases to the second opening angle, the drive motor in the corner protection device is reversed by a reverse voltage, causing the corner protection device to switch from the deployed state to the moving state, and finally to the retracted state. During this process, the first limit switch changes from a high level to a low level, indicating that the drive motor can rotate forward. When the corner protection device switches to the retracted state, the second limit switch changes from a low level to a high level to prevent the drive motor from reversing.

[0103] In addition to the aforementioned door corner protection control method, this disclosure also provides a door corner protection control device. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the door corner protection control device provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 6 As shown, the door corner protection control device 600 includes an angle detection unit 601 and a control unit 602.

[0104] Angle detection unit 601 is used to determine whether the door has been opened to the first opening angle during the opening process. Control unit 602 is used to determine that the door has been opened to the first opening angle, and control the corner protection device installed on the door to extend, so that the buffer rubber block in the corner protection device moves to the corner of the door and wraps the corner of the door.

[0105] In some embodiments, the door is controlled to open and close by an electric strut, which includes a lead screw and nut pair.

[0106] The angle detection unit 601 first detects the number of forward rotations of the nut in the lead screw nut assembly. When the nut rotates forward, the door is in the opening process. When the number of forward rotations reaches the first threshold number of rotations, the angle detection unit 601 determines that the door has opened to the first opening angle.

[0107] In some embodiments, the corner protection device includes a drive motor, a grooved wheel, a sliding pin, a guide plate, and a reciprocating arm. The drive motor drives the grooved wheel to rotate. A groove is provided on the grooved wheel. A guide groove is provided on the guide plate, the shape of which is determined according to the target movement trajectory of the buffer block. A sliding pin hole is provided in the reciprocating arm. The sliding pin is inserted into the groove, the guide groove, and the sliding pin hole. The buffer block is disposed at the free end of the reciprocating arm. Correspondingly, the control unit 602 controls the drive motor to rotate in the forward direction, thereby driving the grooved wheel to rotate, causing the sliding pin to move along the guide groove and driving the reciprocating arm to extend along the target movement trajectory, thereby moving the buffer block to the corner of the door and wrapping the corner of the door.

[0108] In some embodiments, after controlling the drive motor to rotate in the forward direction, the control unit 602, in response to receiving a forward limit trigger signal generated by the first limit switch, controls the drive motor to stop rotating. The first limit switch is a component of the corner protection device, and the first limit switch is located on the side of the corner protection device near the corner of the door.

[0109] In some embodiments, the angle detection unit 601 is further configured to determine whether the door has closed to a second opening angle during the door closing process. When the angle detection unit 601 determines that the door has closed to the second opening angle, it controls the corner protection device to perform a retraction action, causing the buffer rubber block to leave the corner of the door and move back.

[0110] In some embodiments, the corner protection device includes a drive motor for driving a buffer block to move relative to the corner and a second limit switch; the control unit 602 controls the drive motor to rotate in the opposite direction, causing the buffer block to move away from the corner of the door; and in response to receiving a reverse limit trigger signal generated by the second limit switch, the control unit 602 determines that the buffer block has moved back to the initial set position. The drive motor and the second limit switch are both components of the corner protection device; the second limit switch is located on the side of the corner protection device away from the corner of the door.

[0111] In some embodiments, the door is controlled to open and close by an electric strut, which includes a lead screw and nut pair; the angle detection unit 601 detects the number of reverse rotations of the nut in the lead screw and nut pair, and the reverse rotation of the nut causes the door to be in a closed state; when the number of reverse rotations reaches a second threshold number of rotations, the angle detection unit 601 determines that the door is closed to a second opening angle.

[0112] In addition to providing the aforementioned method for generating door control commands and the prompting device, this disclosure also provides a controller. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the controller provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. See below for details. Figure 7 It shows a schematic diagram of a structure suitable for implementing the controller 700 in the embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 7 The controller shown is merely an example and should not be construed as limiting the functionality and scope of use of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0113] like Figure 7As shown, the controller 700 may include a processor 701, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to a program stored in the read-only memory ROM 702 or a program loaded from the storage device 708 into the random access memory RAM 703. The RAM 703 also stores various programs and data required for the operation of the controller 700. The processing device 701, ROM 702, and RAM 703 are interconnected via a bus 704. An input / output (I / O) interface 705 is also connected to the bus 704.

[0114] Typically, the following devices can be connected to the I / O interface 705: various input devices 705; various output devices 707; storage devices 708, such as magnetic tape and hard disk; and communication devices 709. The communication device 709 allows the controller 700 to communicate wirelessly or wiredly with other devices to exchange data. Although Figure 7 A controller 700 with various devices is shown, but it should be understood that it is not required to implement or have all of the devices shown. More or fewer devices may be implemented or included alternatively.

[0115] In particular, according to embodiments of this disclosure, the processes described above with reference to the flowcharts can be implemented as computer software programs. For example, embodiments of this disclosure include a computer program product comprising a computer program carried on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the computer program containing program code for performing the methods shown in the flowcharts. In such embodiments, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via communication device 709, or installed from storage device 708, or installed from ROM 702. When the computer program is executed by processing device 701, it performs the functions defined in the methods of embodiments of this disclosure.

[0116] It should be noted that the computer-readable medium described in this disclosure can be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium, or any combination thereof. A computer-readable storage medium can be, for example,—but not limited to—an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of a computer-readable storage medium may include, but are not limited to: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage device, magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. In this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium can be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be used by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. In this disclosure, a computer-readable signal medium can include a data signal propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, carrying computer-readable program code. Such propagated data signals can take various forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer-readable signal medium can be any computer-readable medium other than a computer-readable storage medium, which can send, propagate, or transmit a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The program code contained on the computer-readable medium can be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to: wires, optical fibers, RF (radio frequency), etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0117] In some implementations, clients and servers can communicate using any currently known or future-developed network protocol such as HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and can interconnect with digital data communication (e.g., communication networks) of any form or medium. Examples of communication networks include local area networks (“LANs”), wide area networks (“WANs”), the Internet (e.g., the Internet of Things), and peer-to-peer networks (e.g., ad hoc peer-to-peer networks), as well as any currently known or future-developed networks.

[0118] The aforementioned computer-readable medium may be included in the aforementioned controller; or it may exist independently and not assembled into the controller.

[0119] The aforementioned computer-readable medium carries one or more programs, which, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to: determine whether the door has opened to a first opening angle during the opening process; and, upon determining that the door has opened to the first opening angle, control the corner protection device installed on the door to extend, causing the buffer rubber block to move to the corner of the door and wrap around the corner.

[0120] Furthermore, this disclosure also provides a vehicle that includes the aforementioned corner protection device mounted on the door and the controller as described above.

[0121] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in a block diagram and / or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in block diagrams and / or flowcharts, may be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0122] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0123] The above are merely specific embodiments of this disclosure, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement this disclosure. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not to be limited to the embodiments described herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method for protecting the sharp corner of a vehicle door, characterized in that, include: During the opening process of the car door, determine whether the door has opened to the first opening angle; Once the car door is determined to be open to the first opening angle, the corner protection device installed on the car door is controlled to extend, causing the buffer rubber block in the corner protection device to move to the corner of the car door and wrap around the corner.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The car door is controlled to open and close by an electric strut, which includes a lead screw and nut pair. The determination of whether the car door is opened to the first opening angle includes: The number of forward rotations of the nut in the lead screw and nut assembly is detected. When the nut rotates forward, the car door is in the opening process state. If the number of forward rotations reaches the first threshold number of rotations, it is determined that the car door is opened to the first opening angle.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control mechanism for extending the corner protection device installed on the car door, causing the buffer rubber block in the corner protection device to move to and cover the corner of the car door, includes: The drive motor is controlled to rotate in the forward direction, which drives the grooved wheel to rotate, causing the sliding pin to move along the guide groove and drive the reciprocating motion arm to extend along the target movement trajectory, thereby causing the buffer rubber block to move to the sharp corner of the car door and wrap around the sharp corner of the car door. The drive motor, the grooved wheel, the sliding pin, the guide plate, and the reciprocating motion arm are all components of the sharp corner protection device; the grooved wheel is provided with a sliding groove; the guide groove is provided on the guide plate, and the shape of the guide groove is determined according to the preset target movement trajectory; the reciprocating motion arm is provided with a sliding pin hole; the sliding pin is inserted into the sliding groove, the guide groove, and the sliding pin hole; the buffer rubber block is provided at the free end of the reciprocating motion arm.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, After controlling the drive motor to rotate in the forward direction, the method further includes: In response to receiving a positive limit trigger signal generated by the first limit switch, the drive motor is controlled to stop rotating; The first limit switch is a component of the corner protection device, and the first limit switch is located on the side of the corner protection device near the corner of the door.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The method further includes: During the closing process of the car door, determine whether the car door has closed to the second opening angle; Once the door is closed to the second opening angle, the corner protection device is controlled to extend, causing the buffer block to move away from the corner of the door and back.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The control device for corner protection performs a retraction action, causing the buffer rubber block to move away from the corner of the car door and back, including: Control the drive motor to rotate in the opposite direction, so that the buffer rubber block moves away from the sharp corner of the car door; In response to receiving the reverse limit trigger signal generated by the second limit switch, it is determined that the buffer block has moved back to the initial set position; The drive motor and the second limit switch are both components of the corner protection device; the second limit switch is located on the side of the corner protection device away from the corner of the door.

7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The car door is controlled to open and close by an electric strut, which includes a lead screw and nut pair. The determination of whether the car door is closed to the second opening angle includes: The number of reverse rotations of the nut in the lead screw and nut assembly is detected, and the reverse rotation of the nut causes the door to be in a closed state. If the number of reverse rotations reaches the second threshold number of rotations, it is determined that the door is closed to the second opening angle.

8. A door corner protection control device, characterized in that, include: An angle detection unit is used to determine whether the door has been opened to the first opening angle during the opening process; The control unit is used to determine the opening angle of the car door and control the corner protection device to move forward, so that the buffer rubber block in the corner protection device moves to the corner of the car door and wraps the corner of the car door.

9. A controller, characterized in that, Includes a processor and a memory, the memory being used to store computer programs; When the computer program is loaded by the processor, it causes the processor to execute the door corner protection control method as described in any one of claims 1-7.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes a corner protection device installed on the vehicle door and a controller as described in claim 9.

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