Opening / closing body control device

Abstract

To provide an opening / closing body control device capable of operating an opening / closing body to open / close even during submergence.SOLUTION: A control unit 13 controls opening / closing operation of opening / closing bodies 2 by outputting a control signal St based on a switch signal Sw from a mechanical switch unit 3 and sensor signals Sr from a plurality of sensor units 8 provided in the switch unit 3 so as to each correspond to each of the plurality of opening / closing bodies 2, to a switching circuit 17 of an actuator 12 of the opening / closing body 2 identified with the sensor signals Sr. The opening / closing body control device 10 includes submergence sensors 25 that detect submergence. A switching unit 26 controls the switching circuit 17 with the control signal St output from the control unit 13 during normal time, and directly controls the switching circuit 17 with the switch signal Sw instead of the control signal St when submergence is detected by the submergence sensor 25.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an opening / closing member control device for controlling the operation of an opening / closing member. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a power window input device that is provided with a plurality of electrodes on an operation knob and that allows a plurality of windows to be selected and operated with one operation knob, as disclosed in Patent Document 1. In Patent Document 1, a plurality of electrodes are provided on the operation knob, and when the operation knob is operated, a window corresponding to an electrode that detects a change in capacitance is opened or closed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-126711 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, if the input device is submerged in water, the electrodes become submerged and the capacitance change cannot be detected. Therefore, in a power window that uses electrodes to share one operating knob for multiple windows, if the input device is submerged in water, it may become impossible to open or close the window. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The opening / closing body control device that solves the above problem is a device in which a switch signal from a mechanical switch unit provided for operating the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing body and shared by a plurality of the opening / closing bodies, and sensor signals from a plurality of sensor units provided in the switch unit to correspond to each of the plurality of opening / closing bodies, are input to a control unit, and a control signal based on the switch signal and the sensor signal is output from the control unit to a switching circuit of an actuator of the opening / closing body identified by the sensor signal, thereby controlling the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing body.The device is equipped with a submersion sensor that detects submersion in water, and a switching unit that normally controls the switching circuit by the control signal output from the control unit, and when submersion is detected by the submersion sensor, directly controls the switching circuit by the switch signal instead of the control signal. Effect of the Invention

[0006] The present invention allows the opening / closing body to be opened and closed even when submerged in water. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a switch unit according to one embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an electrical configuration diagram of the opening / closing member control device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing the operation of the opening / closing member control device under normal conditions. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing the operation of the opening / closing member control device under normal conditions. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing the operation of the opening / closing member control device under normal conditions. [Figure 6] 4 is a circuit diagram showing the operation of the opening / closing body control device when submerged in water. FIG. [Figure 7] 4 is a circuit diagram showing the operation of the opening / closing body control device when submerged in water. FIG. [Figure 8] 4 is a circuit diagram showing the operation of the opening / closing body control device when submerged in water. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. (Opening and closing device 1) As shown in FIG. 1, the opening / closing device 1 includes a mechanical switch unit 3 provided for operating the opening / closing operation of an opening / closing body 2 (see FIG. 2, etc.). The opening / closing device 1 is mounted on, for example, a vehicle. When the opening / closing body 2 is a window, for example, the opening / closing device 1 is a power window device. The opening / closing device 1 is provided on, for example, each of a plurality of vehicle doors (not shown) mounted on the vehicle. When the vehicle has four doors, the vehicle doors include, for example, a driver's door, a passenger's door, a rear right door, and a rear left door.

[0009] (Switch section 3) As shown in Fig. 1, the switch unit 3 is a centralized switch that can open and close not only the opening / closing body 2 of the driver's seat but also the opening / closing bodies 2 of other seats. The switch unit 3 is shared by a plurality of opening / closing bodies 2. In this example, the switch unit 3 includes a first switch unit 5 that is operated when moving the opening / closing body 2 of the front seats (driver's seat, passenger seat) and a second switch unit 6 that is operated when moving the opening / closing body 2 of the rear seats (rear right seat, rear left seat). The switch unit 3 is, for example, a seesaw switch.

[0010] The switch unit 3 has a knob 7 that is operated when moving the opening / closing body 2. The knob 7 in this example has a front knob 7a and a rear knob 7b. In this case, the front knob 7a and the rear knob 7b can be operated in a first direction and a second direction that are opposite to each other starting from a neutral position. The first direction is, for example, a downward direction. The second direction is, for example, an upward direction. For example, the front knob 7a and the rear knob 7b are operated from the neutral position in the first direction (the direction of the arrow A1 around the knob shaft) to open, and are operated from the neutral position in the second direction (the direction of the arrow A2 around the knob shaft) to close. The front knob 7a and the rear knob 7b are arranged side by side in the front-to-rear direction (X-axis direction).

[0011] The switch section 3 has a plurality of sensor sections 8 provided to correspond to the plurality of opening / closing bodies 2. In this example, the sensor section 8 includes a first sensor section 8a and a second sensor section 8b provided on the front knob 7a, and a third sensor section 8c and a fourth sensor section 8d provided on the rear knob 7b. The first sensor section 8a and the second sensor section 8b are arranged side by side in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the front knob 7a. The third sensor section 8c and the fourth sensor section 8d are arranged side by side in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the rear knob 7b. The sensor section 8 is, for example, a capacitance sensor.

[0012] For example, when the vehicle is a right-hand drive vehicle, the front knob 7a and the rear knob 7b are assigned as follows: The front knob 7a is assigned as the driver's seat knob when a touch operation is detected by the first sensor unit 8a. The front knob 7a is assigned as the passenger seat knob when a touch operation is detected by the second sensor unit 8b. The rear knob 7b is assigned as the rear right seat knob when a touch operation is detected by the third sensor unit 8c. The rear knob 7b is assigned as the rear left seat knob when a touch operation is detected by the fourth sensor unit 8d.

[0013] (Opening and closing body control device 10) Fig. 2 is an electrical configuration diagram of the opening / closing body control device 10. Note that Fig. 2 mainly illustrates electrical components related to the first switch unit 5. The opening / closing device 1 includes an opening / closing body control device 10 that controls the opening and closing operation of the opening / closing body 2. The opening / closing body control device 10 is connected to an actuator 12 via a drive control circuit 11. A set of the drive control circuit 11 and the actuator 12 is provided, for example, for each opening / closing body 2. The actuator 12 is, for example, a motor.

[0014] The opening-closing member control device 10 includes a control unit 13 that controls the operation of the opening-closing member control device 10. The control unit 13 is constructed, for example, from an MPU (Micro Processor Unit), a memory, and various devices. A switch signal Sw from the switch unit 3 and a sensor signal Sr from the sensor unit 8 are input to the control unit 13. The control unit 13 may be provided for each of the first switch unit 5 and the second switch unit 6, or may be shared by the first switch unit 5 and the second switch unit 6.

[0015] The first switch section 5 has a first contact section 14a that detects operation of the front knob 7a in a first direction, and a second contact section 14b that detects operation of the front knob 7a in a second direction. The first contact section 14a is connected to the control section 13 via a switch connection line 15a. The second contact section 14b is connected to the control section 13 via a switch connection line 15b. The control section 13 inputs a switch signal Sw of the first switch section 5 via the switch connection lines 15a and 15b. A Zener diode 16 for making the switch signal Sw a constant voltage is connected to each of the switch connection lines 15a and 15b.

[0016] The opening / closing member control device 10 includes a switching circuit 17 that switches the current flowing through the actuator 12. The switching circuit 17 is provided, for example, for each pair of the drive control circuit 11 and the actuator 12. In this example, the switching circuit 17 includes a "17a" for the driver's seat and a "17b" for the passenger's seat. The switching circuit 17 is connected to the drive control circuit 11 via a lowering side terminal 19 and an uppering side terminal 20 provided on a board 18 on which a group of elements of the opening / closing member control device 10 are mounted.

[0017] In this example, the switching circuit 17 has a switching element (hereinafter, referred to as a drive switching element 21) whose on / off is controlled based on a control signal St input from the control unit 13. The drive switching element 21 in this example includes a downward drive switching element 21a and an upward drive switching element 21b. The downward drive switching element 21a is connected to a first control port 22 of the control unit 13. The upward drive switching element 21b is connected to a second control port 23 of the control unit 13.

[0018] (Outline of operation of opening / closing member control device 10) 2, when the control unit 13 inputs a switch signal Sw from the first switch unit 5 in a state where a human body is detected by the first sensor unit 8a of the first switch unit 5, the control unit 13 outputs a control signal St to the driver's seat switching circuit 17a to control it, thereby operating the actuator 12 via the drive control circuit 11. This causes the opening and closing body 2 of the driver's seat to open and close. For example, when the front knob 7a is tilted downward while touching the first sensor unit 8a, the opening and closing body 2 of the driver's seat descends, and when the front knob 7a is tilted upward while touching the first sensor unit 8a, the opening and closing body 2 of the driver's seat rises.

[0019] On the other hand, when the control unit 13 receives the switch signal Sw from the first switch unit 5 under the condition that the second sensor unit 8b of the first switch unit 5 detects a human body, the control unit 13 outputs a control signal St to the passenger seat switching circuit 17b to control it, thereby operating the actuator 12 via the drive control circuit 11. This causes the passenger seat opening / closing body 2 to open and close. For example, when the front knob 7a is tilted downward while touching the second sensor unit 8b, the passenger seat opening / closing body 2 descends, and when the front knob 7a is tilted upward while touching the second sensor unit 8b, the passenger seat opening / closing body 2 rises.

[0020] In this way, the control unit 13 outputs a control signal St based on the switch signal Sw and the sensor signal Sr to the switching circuit 17 of the opening / closing body 2 identified by the sensor signal Sr, thereby controlling the opening and closing operation of the opening / closing body 2. Note that the operation when the opening / closing body 2 of the rear seat is opened or closed by the second switch unit 6 is similar to the operation when the opening / closing body 2 of the front seat is opened or closed by the first switch unit 5, so details will be omitted.

[0021] (Measures against submersion) As shown in Fig. 2, the opening-closing body control device 10 has a function of opening and closing the opening-closing body 2 only with the switch signal Sw of the switch unit 3 when submersion is detected. However, if the opening-closing body control device 10 is submerged in water, electrostatic detection becomes impossible if the sensor unit 8 becomes submerged in water. In this case, the opening-closing body 2 cannot be opened or closed even if the switch unit 3 is operated. Therefore, in this example, measures are taken to allow the opening-closing body 2 to be opened or closed as intended when the user operates the switch unit 3, even if the opening-closing body control device 10 is submerged in water.

[0022] The opening / closing body control device 10 is equipped with a submersion sensor 25 that detects submersion. The submersion sensor 25 is mounted on, for example, the substrate 18. In this example, multiple submersion sensors 25 (two in this example) are provided. This is to eliminate bias in the submersion detection, taking into account the size of the substrate 18. The submersion sensor 25 is connected to a power source +B1.

[0023] (switching section 26) 2, the opening / closing body control device 10 includes a switching unit 26 that switches between a state in which the opening / closing body 2 is controlled by a command from the control unit 13 and a state in which the opening / closing body 2 is directly operated by the output of the switch unit 3. The switching unit 26 has a signal lead-in unit 27 and a setting unit 28. Normally, the switching unit 26 controls the switching circuit 17 (in this example, the first switching circuit 17a) by a control signal St output from the control unit 13, and when submersion is detected by the submersion sensor 25, directly controls the switching circuit 17 by a switch signal Sw instead of the control signal St.

[0024] (Signal lead-in section 27) 2, the signal inlet section 27 is connected to a branch wiring 29 of the switch connecting lines 15a, 15b that connect the switch section 3 and the control section 13. That is, the signal inlet section 27 is connected to the branch wiring 29 that branches off from the switch connecting lines 15a, 15b. In the present example, the branch wiring 29 includes a first contact section side wiring 29a that is connected to the first contact section 14a, and a second contact section side wiring 29b that is connected to the second contact section 14b.

[0025] The signal lead-in section 27 has two connection sections (in this example, referred to as a first connection section 30 and a second connection section 31) and a switching element (hereinafter referred to as a signal lead-in switching element 32). The first connection section 30 connects a branch wiring 29 branched from the switch connection lines 15a and 15b to a signal line 33 through which a control signal St flows, and is connected to the switching circuit 17. The first connection section 30 is provided with a diode 34 for preventing reverse current on the path of the branch wiring 29 and on the path of the signal line 33. Note that the signal line 33 in this example is a control signal line through which the control signal St flows.

[0026] The first connection portion 30 in this example includes a "30a" for descending and a "30b" for ascending. The first connection portion 30a connects the first contact portion side wiring 29a and a signal line 33a connected to the first control port 22, and connects them to the descending drive switching element 21a. The first connection portion 30b connects the second contact portion side wiring 29b and a signal line 33b connected to the second control port 23, and connects them to the ascending drive switching element 21b.

[0027] The signal drawing switching element 32 is, for example, a transistor. In this case, the signal drawing switching element 32 has a collector terminal connected to the second wiring section 31, an emitter terminal grounded, and a base terminal connected to a switching signal output port 36 of the control section 13 via a signal line 35. When the signal drawing switching element 32 is turned on by a switching signal Sv output from the setting section 28, the signal drawing switching element 32 draws in a switch signal Sw flowing through the branch wiring 29, thereby preventing the switch signal Sw from reaching the switching circuit 17 (the first switching circuit 17a in this example) via the first wiring section 30. In this way, the signal drawing section 27 switches between the validity and invalidity of the branch wiring 29 based on the switching signal Sv input from the control section 13 via the signal line 35. The signal line 35 in this example is a switching signal line through which the switching signal Sv flows.

[0028] The second wiring portion 31 connects the first contact portion side wiring 29a and the second contact portion side wiring 29b together, and connects them to the signal lead-in switching element 32. The second wiring portion 31 is provided with backflow prevention diodes 37 on the path of the first contact portion side wiring 29a and on the path of the second contact portion side wiring 29b.

[0029] (Settings section 28) 2, the setting unit 28 is provided in, for example, the control unit 13. When the submersion sensor 25 does not detect submersion in water, the setting unit 28 outputs a switching signal Sv via a signal line 35 connected to the signal submersion unit 27 to set the state of the signal submersion unit 27 to a state in which the branch wiring 29 is grounded, thereby preventing the switch signal Sw from reaching the switching circuit 17.

[0030] (Route change unit 39) 2, the switching unit 26 has a path changing unit 39 that receives the sensor output of the submersion sensor 25. The path changing unit 39 has a switching element (hereinafter, referred to as a path changing switching element 40), a voltage stabilizing element 41, and a connection unit (hereinafter, referred to as a third connection unit 42).

[0031] The path-changing switching element 40 is, for example, a transistor. In this case, the path-changing switching element 40 has a collector terminal connected to the voltage stabilizing element 41 via a third connection part 42, an emitter terminal grounded, and a base terminal connected to the submersion sensor 25. The path-changing switching element 40 is switched on and off according to the sensor output of the submersion sensor 25.

[0032] The voltage stabilizing element 41 is, for example, a pull-up resistor. The voltage stabilizing element 41 is connected to the submersion detection port 43 to stabilize the voltage of the submersion detection port 43 provided in the control unit 13 to detect the on / off of the path-changing switching element 40. In this manner, the voltage stabilizing element 41 in this example is connected to the third connection portion 42 and the submersion detection port 43.

[0033] The third connection section 42 connects a wiring 44 extending from the voltage stabilizer 41 and a wiring 45 branched from the signal line 35 connected to the signal lead-in section 27, and connects them to the path-changing switching element 40. Each of the wirings 44 and 45 is provided with a diode 46 for preventing reverse current.

[0034] (First switching circuit 17a) The driving switching element 21 is, for example, a transistor. The downward driving switching element 21a has a collector terminal connected to the downward side terminal 19 of the substrate 18, an emitter terminal grounded, and a base terminal connected to the first control port 22 of the control unit 13 via the first connection 30a and a signal line 33a. The upward driving switching element 21b has a collector terminal connected to the upward side terminal 20 of the substrate 18, an emitter terminal grounded, and a base terminal connected to the second control port 23 of the control unit 13 via the first connection 30b and a signal line 33b. The driving switching element 21 is switched on and off by a control signal St or a switch signal Sw input from the first connection 30.

[0035] The collector terminal of the downward drive switching element 21a is connected to the power source +B2. Therefore, when the downward drive switching element 21a is turned on, the voltage of the downward side terminal 19 drops. When the drive control circuit 11 detects that the voltage of the downward side terminal 19 has fallen below a predetermined value, it operates the actuator 12 in one direction to lower the opening / closing body 2.

[0036] The collector terminal of the upward drive switching element 21b is connected to the power source +B2. Therefore, when the upward drive switching element 21b is turned on, the voltage of the upward side terminal 20 drops. When the drive control circuit 11 detects that the voltage of the upward side terminal 20 is equal to or lower than a predetermined value, it operates the actuator 12 in the other direction to raise the opening / closing body 2. Zener diodes 47 for protecting the circuit are connected between the downward side terminal 19 and the downward drive switching element 21a, and between the upward side terminal 20 and the upward drive switching element 21b.

[0037] Next, the operation of the opening / closing member control device 10 of this embodiment will be described. (Normal operation) As shown in Fig. 3, when the driver's seat opening / closing body 2 is opened, the first switch unit 5 is tilted downward while touching the first sensor unit 8a provided in the first switch unit 5. At this time, the control unit 13 inputs a sensor signal Sr from the first sensor unit 8a and a switch signal Sw from the first contact unit 14a. The switch signal Sw of the first contact unit 14a also flows through the first contact unit side wiring 29a.

[0038] Normally, the submersion sensor 25 is off, and the path-changing switching element 40 is off. Therefore, the control unit 13 inputs the voltage of the voltage stabilization element 41 at the submersion detection port 43. That is, when the submersion sensor 25 does not detect submersion, the control unit 13 detects a Hi level voltage at the submersion detection port 43 and determines that submersion has not occurred. When the control unit 13 determines that submersion has not occurred, the output of the control signal St to the switching circuit 17 is permitted.

[0039] 4, when the switch unit 3 is opened or closed, the setting unit 28 outputs, for example, a Hi-level switching signal Sv to the signal lead-in unit 27 to turn on the signal lead-in switching element 32. The switching signal Sv is preferably output, for example, when the first sensor unit 8a detects a capacitance change, that is, at the timing when a touch operation on the knob 7 is detected. When the signal lead-in switching element 32 is turned on, the switch signal Sw flowing through the first contact unit side wiring 29a can be led to ground, and the first contact unit side wiring 29a is disabled. Note that the switching signal Sv is preferably output continuously, for example, during the period during which the first sensor unit 8a detects a capacitance change.

[0040] 5, when the control unit 13 receives the sensor signal Sr from the first sensor unit 8a and the switch signal Sw from the first contact unit 14a, it outputs, for example, a Hi level control signal St to the signal line 33a. This control signal St is output to the downward drive switching element 21a of the opening / closing body 2 via the first wiring portion 30a. In this example, the switch signal Sw flowing through the first contact unit side wiring 29a is pulled to ground via the signal pull-in switching element 32, so that only the control signal St from the control unit 13 reaches the downward drive switching element 21a.

[0041] When the descent drive switching element 21a is turned on by the control signal St, the voltage at the descent side terminal 19 drops. When the drive control circuit 11 detects that the voltage at the descent side terminal 19 has fallen below the threshold value, it operates the actuator 12 in one direction to lower the opening / closing body 2. As a result, when the first switch unit 5 is lowered while touching the first sensor unit 8a, the opening / closing body 2 is opened.

[0042] When raising the opening / closing body 2 of the driver's seat, the first switch unit 5 is tilted upward while touching the first sensor unit 8a of the first switch unit 5. Note that the electrical operation of the opening / closing body control device 10 at this time is the same as the operation when lowering the opening / closing body 2 of the driver's seat, so details will be omitted. The same is true when the opening / closing body 2 of the passenger seat is opened or closed by the first switch unit 5.

[0043] (Operation when submerged in water) As shown in Fig. 6, when the opening / closing body control device 10 is submerged, the submersion sensor 25 is short-circuited and turns on. When the submersion sensor 25 turns on, the current of the power source +B1 flows to the base terminal of the path-changing switching element 40 via the submersion sensor 25, turning on the path-changing switching element 40. When the path-changing switching element 40 turns on, the current flowing through the voltage stabilizing element 41 is drawn to ground via the path-changing switching element 40. This causes the voltage of the submersion detection port 43 to change to the Lo level. That is, the control unit 13 recognizes that submersion has occurred.

[0044] When the control unit 13 recognizes that submersion has occurred, the control unit 13 is in a state where output of the control signal St to the switching circuit 17 is not permitted. That is, when submersion is detected, the control unit 13 is in a state where it does not output the control signal St to the switching circuit 17 even if the control unit 13 receives the switch signal Sw and the sensor signal Sr.

[0045] 7, when the switch unit 3 is operated, first, a sensor signal Sr is input from the sensor unit 8 (first sensor unit 8a in this example) to the control unit 13. This is because, when the switch unit 3 is operated, it is assumed that, for example, a finger is first placed on the knob 7, and then the knob 7 is tilted. Therefore, when the switch unit 3 is operated, first, the capacitance of the first sensor unit 8a changes due to a touch operation before the switch signal Sw is output.

[0046] When the first sensor unit 8a detects a change in capacitance, the setting unit 28 outputs a switching signal Sv to the signal line 35. Therefore, even when submersion is detected, the setting unit 28 outputs the switching signal Sv to the signal line 35 at the timing of detecting a change in capacitance in the first sensor unit 8a. However, when submersion is detected, the path-changing switching element 40 is turned on. Therefore, even if the switching signal Sv is output to the signal line 35, the switching signal Sv is pulled to ground via the path-changing switching element 40. Therefore, the downward drive switching element 21a is maintained in an off state. That is, the opening / closing body 2 is maintained in a stopped state.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 8, when the first contact 14a is turned on by tilting the first switch 5, a switch signal Sw flows from the first contact 14a to the circuit. In this example, since the signal lead-in switching element 32 is turned off, the switch signal Sw passes through the first wiring portion 30a and reaches the lowering drive switching element 21a. That is, the switch signal Sw is directly output to the lowering drive switching element 21a of the opening / closing body 2.

[0048] When the descent drive switching element 21a is turned on by the switch signal Sw, the voltage at the descent terminal 19 drops. When the drive control circuit 11 detects that the voltage at the descent terminal 19 has fallen below the threshold, it operates the actuator 12 in one direction to lower the opening / closing body 2. As described above, when the first switch unit 5 is lowered while touching the first sensor unit 8a, the opening / closing body 2 is opened. Therefore, when submersion is detected, it is possible to directly control the opening / closing body 2 by the switch signal Sw, rather than the control signal St.

[0049] Furthermore, when the first switch unit 5 is tilted upward when submerged, the opening / closing body 2 is raised in the same manner as when the first switch unit 5 is tilted downward. Note that the raising operation of the opening / closing body 2 when submerged is the same as the lowering operation of the opening / closing body 2, so details will be omitted.

[0050] (Effects of the embodiment) According to the configuration of the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. (1) In the opening-closing body control device 10, a switch signal Sw of a mechanical switch unit 3 provided for operating the opening-closing operation of the opening-closing body 2 and shared by multiple opening-closing bodies 2, and a sensor signal Sr of multiple sensor units 8 provided in the switch unit 3 so as to correspond to each of the multiple opening-closing bodies 2 are input to the control unit 13. In the opening-closing body control device 10, a control signal St based on the switch signal Sw and the sensor signal Sr is output from the control unit 13 to a switching circuit 17 of the actuator 12 of the opening-closing body 2 identified by the sensor signal Sr, thereby controlling the opening and closing operation of the opening-closing body 2. A submersion sensor 25 provided in the opening-closing body control device 10 detects submersion. A switching unit 26 provided in the opening-closing body control device 10 normally controls the switching circuit 17 by a control signal St output from the control unit 13, and when submersion is detected by the submersion sensor 25, directly controls the switching circuit 17 by the switch signal Sw instead of the control signal St.

[0051] According to this configuration, under normal circumstances, the opening and closing operation of the opening-closing body 2 is controlled by switching the switching circuit 17 by the control signal St output from the control unit 13. On the other hand, when submersion is detected, the circuit is switched by the switching unit 26 so that the switching circuit 17 can be directly driven by the switch signal Sw instead of the control signal St. Therefore, the opening-closing body 2 can be opened and closed even when submerged.

[0052] (2) The switching unit 26 has a signal lead-in unit 27 and a setting unit 28. The signal lead-in unit 27 is connected to a branch wiring 29 of the switch connection line 15a (15b) that connects the switch unit 3 and the control unit 13. When the submersion sensor 25 does not detect submersion, the setting unit 28 outputs a switching signal Sv via a signal line 35 connected to the signal lead-in unit 27 to set the state of the signal lead-in unit 27 to a state in which the branch wiring 29 is grounded, thereby preventing the switch signal Sw from reaching the switching circuit 17.

[0053] According to this configuration, when submersion is not detected, the switch signal Sw that flows through the branch wiring 29 when the switch unit 3 is operated is pulled to ground via the signal pull-in unit 27, and the switch signal Sw does not flow to the switching circuit 17. Therefore, when submersion is not detected, the switching circuit 17 can be driven by the control signal St output from the control unit 13, rather than the switch signal Sw.

[0054] (3) The signal lead-in unit 27 has a first connection 30 and a signal lead-in switching element 32. The first connection 30 connects a branch wiring 29 branched from the switch connection line 15a (15b) to a signal line 33 through which a control signal St flows, and connects the first connection 30 to the switching circuit 17. When the signal lead-in switching element 32 is turned on by a switching signal Sv output from the setting unit 28, the signal lead-in switching element 32 leads in a switch signal Sw flowing through the branch wiring 29, thereby preventing the switch signal Sw from reaching the switching circuit 17 via the first connection 30. With this configuration, the signal lead-in unit 27 can be configured simply using the first connection 30 and the signal lead-in switching element 32.

[0055] (4) The switch section 3 has a knob 7 that can be operated in a first direction and a second direction that are opposite to each other starting from a neutral position. The branch wiring 29 has a first contact section side wiring 29a that is connected to a first contact section 14a that detects the operation of the knob 7 in the first direction, and a second contact section side wiring 29b that is connected to a second contact section 14b that detects the operation of the knob 7 in the second direction. The signal lead-in section 27 has a second wiring section 31 that connects the first contact section side wiring 29a and the second contact section side wiring 29b to a signal lead-in switching element 32. According to this configuration, since the switch section 3 that can be operated in opposite directions starting from a neutral position is used, it is possible to operate the opening / closing body 2 in a plurality of directions by one switch section 3. In addition, this switch section 3 is shared by a plurality of opening / closing bodies 2. As a result, the number of switch sections 3 can be reduced.

[0056] (5) The switching unit 26 has a path changing unit 39 that inputs the sensor output of the submersion sensor 25. The path changing unit 39 has a path changing switching element 40, a voltage stabilizing element 41, and a third connection 42. The path changing switching element 40 is switched on and off according to the sensor output of the submersion sensor 25. The voltage stabilizing element 41 is connected to a submersion detection port 43 provided in the control unit 13 to detect the on / off of the path changing switching element 40, in order to stabilize the voltage of the submersion detection port 43. The third connection 42 connects a wiring 44 extending from the voltage stabilizing element 41 to a wiring 45 branched from the signal line 35, and connects it to the path changing switching element 40.

[0057] According to this configuration, when the submersion sensor 25 detects submersion, the current flowing through the voltage stabilizing element 41 is pulled to ground by the path changing switching element 40. This changes the voltage of the submersion detection port 43 of the control unit 13, making it possible for the control unit 13 to detect the occurrence of submersion. This allows the control unit 13 to perform the optimal operation when submersion occurs.

[0058] Furthermore, when submersion is detected, even if the control unit 13 operates to output a switching signal Sv to the signal line 35 at a certain timing (in this example, when a change in capacitance is detected in the sensor unit 7), the switching signal Sv is pulled to ground via the path-changing switching element 40. Therefore, the switching signal Sv is not input to the signal pull-in unit 27, and it is possible to maintain the signal pull-in unit 27 in a state in which the switch signal Sw is not pulled in. Therefore, when submersion is detected, the switching circuit 17 can be directly controlled by the switch signal Sw.

[0059] (Other embodiments) This embodiment can be modified as follows: This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other to the extent that no technical contradiction occurs.

[0060] The submersion sensor 25 does not necessarily have to be provided on the substrate 18, but may be disposed in other locations. The number of water submersion sensors 25 may be changed to a number other than that in the embodiment.

[0061] The submersion sensor 25 may be directly connected to the control unit 13 to determine whether or not the device is submerged in water directly from the sensor output. In this case, the path change unit 39 is omitted. When submersion in water is detected, the control unit 13 does not need to output the switching signal Sv.

[0062] The switching circuit 17 does not necessarily have to be provided for each opening / closing body 2, but may be shared by a plurality of opening / closing bodies 2. In the case of this example, for example, the number of switching circuits 17 does not have to be multiple, and one switching circuit 17 may be provided.

[0063] The voltage stabilizing element 41 is not limited to a pull-up resistor, but may be a pull-down resistor. The switch section 3 may have only one contact point. In this case, the knob 7 of the switch section 3 can be operated in only one direction.

[0064] The switch unit 3 may have three or more contacts. The function of directly operating the opening / closing body 2 with the switch signal Sw may be provided not only in the first switch section but also in the second switch section 6.

[0065] The number of Zener diodes 16 that make the switch signal Sw a constant voltage may be other than that described in the embodiment. The element for making the switch signal Sw a constant voltage may be an element other than the Zener diode 16.

[0066] The actuator 12 may be a member other than a motor. The sensor unit 8 may be made of a material other than a capacitance sensor. The switch unit 3 may be changed to a type of switch other than a seesaw switch. Therefore, the operation locus of the knob 7 in the first and second directions is not limited to a curved locus, and may be a straight locus.

[0067] The knob 7 may be shared by all four doors. In this case, the number of knobs 7 can be reduced. For example, when the vehicle is a left-hand drive vehicle, the front knob 7a and the rear knob 7b may be assigned as follows. For example, the front knob 7a may be assigned as a passenger seat knob when a touch operation is detected by the first sensor unit 8a, and may be assigned as a driver seat knob when a touch operation is detected by the second sensor unit 8b. The rear knob 7b may be assigned as a rear left seat knob when a touch operation is detected by the third sensor unit 8c, and may be assigned as a rear right seat knob when a touch operation is detected by the fourth sensor unit 8d.

[0068] The opening / closing member control device 10 may be used in articles other than vehicles. The control unit 13 and the setting unit 28 may be configured by [1] one or more processors that operate according to a computer program (software), or [2] a combination of such a processor and one or more dedicated hardware circuits such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that executes at least some of the various processes. The processor includes a CPU and memory such as RAM and ROM, and the memory stores program code or instructions configured to cause the CPU to execute the processes. The memory (computer-readable medium) includes any available medium that can be accessed by a general-purpose or dedicated computer. Alternatively, instead of a computer including the above processor, a processing circuit configured by one or more dedicated hardware circuits that execute all of the various processes may be used.

[0069] Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to the embodiment, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment or structure. The present disclosure also includes various modifications and modifications within the scope of equivalents. In addition, various combinations and forms, as well as other combinations and forms including only one element, more than one element, or less than one element, are also within the scope and concept of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 2...opening / closing body, 3...switch section, 7...knob, 8...sensor section, 10...opening / closing body control device, 12...actuator, 13...control section, 14a...first contact section, 14b...second contact section, 15a...switch connecting line, 15b...switch connecting line, 17...switching circuit, 25...submersion sensor, 26...switching section, 27...signal lead-in section, 28...setting section, 29...branch wiring, 29a...first contact section side wiring, 29b...second contact section side wiring, 30...first wiring section, 32...switching element for signal lead-in, 33...signal line, 35...signal line, 39...path change section, 40...path change switching element, 41...voltage stabilization element, 42...third wiring section, 43...submersion detection port, 44...wiring, 45...wiring, Sw...switch signal, Sr...sensor signal, St...control signal, Sv...switching signal.

Claims

1. A control unit receives a switch signal from a mechanical switch unit provided for operating the opening and closing operation of a opening and closing body and shared by a plurality of opening and closing bodies, and a sensor signal from a plurality of sensor units provided in the switch unit so as to correspond to each of the plurality of opening and closing bodies, and the control unit outputs a control signal based on the switch signal and the sensor signal to a switching circuit of an actuator of the opening and closing body identified by the sensor signal, thereby controlling the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing body, A submersion sensor for detecting submersion in water; An opening / closing body control device comprising: a switching unit which, under normal circumstances, controls the switching circuit by the control signal output from the control unit; and, when submersion is detected by the submersion sensor, directly controls the switching circuit by the switch signal rather than the control signal.

2. The switching unit is a signal lead-in unit connected to a branch line of a switch connection line connecting the switch unit and the control unit; 2. The opening / closing body control device as described in claim 1, further comprising a setting unit that, when the submersion sensor does not detect submersion, outputs a switching signal via a signal line connected to the signal inlet unit to set the state of the signal inlet unit to a state in which the branch wiring is grounded, thereby preventing the switch signal from reaching the switching circuit.

3. The signal lead-in unit is a connection section that connects the branch wiring branched from the switch connection line to a signal line through which the control signal flows, and connects the branch wiring to the switching circuit; 3. The opening / closing body control device as described in claim 2, further comprising: a switching element that, when turned on by the switching signal output from the setting unit, draws in the switch signal flowing through the branch wiring, thereby preventing the switch signal from reaching the switching circuit via the wiring unit.

4. The switch unit has a knob that can be operated in a first direction and a second direction that are opposite to each other starting from a neutral position, the branch wiring includes a first contact portion side wiring connected to a first contact portion that detects an operation of the knob in the first direction, and a second contact portion side wiring connected to a second contact portion that detects an operation of the knob in the second direction, The signal lead-in unit is a first connection section that connects the branch wiring branched from the switch connection line to a signal line through which the control signal flows, and connects the first connection section to the switching circuit; a switching element that, when turned on by the switching signal output from the setting unit, draws in the switch signal flowing through the branch wiring, thereby preventing the switch signal from reaching the switching circuit via the first connection unit; The opening / closing member control device according to claim 2 , further comprising: a second connection portion that connects the first contact portion side wiring and the second contact portion side wiring to the switching element.

5. The switching unit has a path changing unit to which a sensor output of the submersion sensor is input, The route change unit is a switching element that switches on and off in response to a sensor output of the submersion sensor; a voltage stabilizing element connected to a submersion detection port provided in the control unit for detecting the on / off of the switching element, in order to stabilize the voltage of the submersion detection port; The opening / closing member control device according to claim 2 , further comprising: a connection section that connects a wire extending from the voltage stabilizing element and a wire branched from the signal line to the switching element.

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