Opening / closing body drive device

Abstract

To protect a control unit from overvoltage due to power generated by a motor while suppressing an increase in the number of components.SOLUTION: The opening / closing body drive device 10 includes a control unit 20, a drive unit 30 that drives a motor MOT for driving the door 2, and a switch 40. The control unit 20 operates with power supplied from a power supply BAT via a power supply line PL. The drive unit 30 is connected to the power supply line PL via the switch 40 and is connected to the motor MOT, and drives the motor MOT by supplying electric power supplied via the power supply line PL to the motor MOT. The control unit 20 brings the switch 40 into a conductive state in an automatic mode in which the door 2 is automatically opened and closed, and brings the switch 40 into a non-conductive state in a manual mode in which the door 2 is manually opened and closed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an opening / closing body drive device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there have been opening and closing bodies that are opened and closed by the power of a drive source such as a motor. As an example, Patent Document 1 listed below discloses a drive system for electrically moving the rear gate of an automobile. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 listed below discloses a brake device for an automatic door in which a motor drive circuit that drives a motor is connected to a power supply circuit via a backflow prevention circuit composed of a backflow blocking diode. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5872047 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 3796451 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An opening / closing body drive device capable of opening and closing an opening / closing body using the power of a drive source such as a motor generally includes a control unit configured with predetermined electronic components such as a microcomputer. When a user manually opens or closes an opening / closing body that can be opened or closed using the power of a drive source such as a motor, the motor may generate electricity. Even when the motor generates electricity in this way, it is desirable to protect the control unit from overvoltage caused by the power generated by the motor. In the prior art, there is room for improvement in terms of protecting the control unit from overvoltage caused by the power generated by the motor while suppressing an increase in the number of parts.

[0005] The present invention provides an opening / closing body driving device that can protect a control unit from overvoltage caused by power generated by a motor while suppressing an increase in the number of parts. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is a control unit capable of controlling a predetermined control target; a drive unit that drives a motor that drives the opening / closing body according to the control of the control unit; a switch that can be switched between a conductive state and a non-conductive state according to control by the control unit; Equipped with The control unit connected to a power supply line connected to a power source and operated by power supplied via the power supply line; The drive unit is connected to the power supply line via the switch and to the motor; driving the motor by supplying the power supplied via the power supply line to the motor; The control unit When the opening / closing body is in an automatic mode in which it is automatically opened and closed, the switch is in the conductive state, When the opening / closing body is in a manual mode in which it is manually opened or closed, the switch is brought into the non-conductive state. This is an opening / closing body drive device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an opening / closing body driving device that can protect a control unit from an overvoltage caused by power generated by a motor while suppressing an increase in the number of parts. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a vehicle 1 equipped with an opening / closing body driving device 10 that is one embodiment of the opening / closing body driving device of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the opening / closing member driving device 10. As shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart (part 1) showing an example of processing executed by the control unit 20 of the opening / closing member driving device 10. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart (part 2) showing an example of the process executed by the control unit 20 of the opening / closing member driving device 10. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, one embodiment of an opening / closing body drive device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiment does not limit the present invention, and not all of the elements described in the following embodiment are necessarily essential to the present invention. Furthermore, two or more elements described in the following embodiment may be arbitrarily combined within the scope of the present invention.

[0010] In the following, identical or similar elements are denoted by identical or similar reference numerals, and their description may be omitted or simplified. Furthermore, in order to simplify and clarify the description in this specification, directions such as front-to-back and up-to-down will be described according to the directions as seen by a user riding in a vehicle 1 equipped with an opening-closing body drive device 10, which is one embodiment of the opening-closing body drive device of the present invention, unless otherwise specified.

[0011] [vehicle] Fig. 1 is a side view of a vehicle 1 equipped with an opening / closing body drive device 10, which is one embodiment of the opening / closing body drive device of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the opening / closing body drive device 10 is installed in the vehicle 1, which is a four-wheeled automobile, and opens and closes a rear door 2, which serves as an opening / closing body.

[0012] The door 2 is a so-called "sliding door" that is opened and closed while being supported at three points by an upper rail 3a, a center rail 3b, and a lower rail 3c. The center rail 3b is provided at approximately the middle height of the quarter panel 4, for example.

[0013] Each end of the opening cable 5a and the closing cable 5b is fixed to a support frame (not shown) provided on the door 2. This support frame has traveling rollers that roll within the center rail 3b. The opening cable 5a and the closing cable 5b are connected to an opening / closing body drive device 10. The opening / closing body drive device 10 can open and close the door 2 by winding and unwinding the opening cable 5a and the closing cable 5b. A user of the vehicle 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as "user") can also manually open and close the door 2 by sliding the door 2 forward and backward with their own force.

[0014] In addition, the vehicle 1 may be provided with a holding portion (not shown) that holds the door 2 in both the fully open position (i.e., the position where the door 2 is completely open) and the fully closed position (i.e., the position where the door 2 is completely closed).

[0015] [Opening and closing body drive device] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the opening / closing body drive device 10. Note that Fig. 2 shows only the components necessary for the following description. In other words, the opening / closing body drive device 10 may be configured to include other components as appropriate in addition to the components (e.g., electronic components) described below.

[0016] As shown in Figure 2, the opening / closing body drive device 10 includes, for example, a motor MOT, a control unit 20, a drive unit 30, a switch 40, an operation unit 50, and a detection unit 60, and is configured to be operable by power supplied from a power source BAT provided in the vehicle 1 via a power line PL.

[0017] The power supply BAT may be, for example, a battery (such as a so-called "12V battery") that supplies power to auxiliary devices of the vehicle 1. In this case, the power supply BAT may be formed of, for example, a lead-acid battery, a lithium-ion battery, or any of various secondary batteries. The power supply line PL may be, for example, a power line (such as a metal wire) connected to the positive terminal, which is the high-potential output terminal of the power supply BAT.

[0018] The motor MOT functions as a drive source for driving the door 2, which is an opening / closing member. In this embodiment, as an example, the motor MOT is a three-phase brushless motor equipped with U-, V-, and W-phase coils. When the motor MOT is a three-phase brushless motor, the motor MOT is configured, for example, by placing a rotor having a permanent magnet facing the inner periphery of a stator around which delta-connected U-, V-, and W-phase coils are wound, with a predetermined gap between them. By using the motor MOT as a brushless motor, it is possible to extend the life of the motor MOT and reduce mechanical noise compared to when the motor MOT is a brushed DC (Direct Current) motor. The motor MOT is not limited to a brushless motor and may be another type of motor, such as a brushed DC motor.

[0019] The control unit 20 is a computer configured to be able to control predetermined control objects provided in the opening / closing body drive device 10. As an example, the control unit 20 is realized by a microcomputer configured by integrating a processor that performs various calculations, a RAM (Random Access Memory) used as a work area for the processor, a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores various information necessary for the operation of the processor, a communication I / F (interface) that communicates with the outside of the processor (for example, an operation unit 50 and a detection unit 60 described below) according to the control of the processor, and a drive circuit that drives the drive unit 30 and the switch 40 according to the control of the processor.

[0020] The control unit 20 is connected to a power supply line PL and operates using power supplied via the power supply line PL. The control unit 20 controls the drive unit 30 and the switch 40 based on, for example, an operation performed on the door 2 or an operation unit 50 (described later). The control unit 20 may also control the drive unit 30 and the switch 40 based on a detection result from a detection unit 60 (described later). Specific examples of control by the control unit 20 will be described later, and therefore will not be described here.

[0021] The drive unit 30 is a circuit connected to a power supply line PL via a switch 40 (described later) and to the motor MOT, and drives the motor MOT under the control of the control unit 20. The drive unit 30 drives the motor MOT by supplying the motor MOT with power supplied via the power supply line PL. As an example, in this embodiment, the drive unit 30 is an inverter circuit that converts DC power supplied from a power supply BAT via the power supply line PL into AC power and supplies the AC power to the motor MOT to drive the motor MOT.

[0022] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2 , the driving unit 30 includes a first tributary circuit 31 including a first high-side transistor TH1, a first low-side transistor TL1, and a first node P1 connecting the first high-side transistor TH1 and the first low-side transistor TL1 in series; a second tributary circuit 32 including a second high-side transistor TH2, a second low-side transistor TL2, and a second node P2 connecting the second high-side transistor TH2 and the second low-side transistor TL2 in series; a third tributary circuit 33 including a third high-side transistor TH3, a third low-side transistor TL3, and a third node P3 connecting the third high-side transistor TH3 and the third low-side transistor TL3 in series; and a fourth node P4 and a fifth node P5 connecting the first tributary circuit 31, the second tributary circuit 32, and the third tributary circuit 33 in parallel.

[0023] The first node P1, the second node P2, and the third node P3 are connected to the delta-connected U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase coils of the motor MOT, respectively. The fourth node P4 is connected to the power supply line PL via the switch 40. The fifth node P5 is connected to, for example, a ground (hereinafter simply referred to as "ground") having a reference potential in a circuit provided in the vehicle 1.

[0024] As an example, in this embodiment, each of the transistors TH1, TL1, TH2, TL2, TH3, and TL3 (hereinafter also referred to as "each of the transistors TH1 to TL3") is configured by a metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). The gate terminals of each of the transistors TH1 to TL3 are connected to the control unit 20. Therefore, the control unit 20 can turn each of the transistors TH1 to TL3 on and off by adjusting the gate voltage applied to the gate terminal of each of the transistors TH1 to TL3.

[0025] In addition, diodes D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, and D6 (hereinafter also referred to as "diodes D1 to D6") that operate as freewheeling diodes are connected in parallel to each of the transistors TH1 to TL3. The diodes D1 to D6 are provided to protect the corresponding transistor (for example, the first high-side transistor TH1 in the case of diode D1) from a surge current that may occur when the corresponding transistor is turned off. Note that, instead of diodes D1 to D6, the parasitic diodes of each of the transistors TH1 to TL3 may be used as freewheeling diodes.

[0026] The switch 40 is a switching device that can switch between a conductive state (i.e., on) and a non-conductive state (i.e., off) under control of the control unit 20, and is provided between the power supply line PL and the drive unit 30. As an example, in this embodiment, the switch 40 has a relay 41 that is a mechanical relay (in other words, a contact relay) that can switch the electrical connection between the power supply line PL and the fourth node P4 of the drive unit 30 between on (i.e., conductive state) and off (i.e., non-conductive state), and a switching element 42 that turns the relay 41 on and off under control of the control unit 20.

[0027] More specifically, the relay 41 has a fixed contact 41a connected to the fourth node P4, a movable contact 41b (e.g., a movable iron piece) having one end connected to a sixth node P6 on the power supply line PL and the other end biased so as to move away from the fixed contact 41a, and a coil 41c wound around an iron core. Here, the sixth node P6 is located, for example, on the power supply line PL closer to the power supply BAT than the control unit 20, as shown in Fig. 2. The switching element 42 is formed of a MOSFET.

[0028] One end of the coil 41c is connected to the power supply line PL, and the other end of the coil 41c is connected to the drain terminal of the MOSFET serving as the switching element 42. The source terminal of the MOSFET serving as the switching element 42 is connected to ground, and the gate terminal of the MOSFET serving as the switching element 42 is connected to the control unit 20. Therefore, the control unit 20 can turn the switching element 42 on and off by adjusting the gate voltage applied to the gate terminal of the MOSFET serving as the switching element 42.

[0029] When the switching element 42 is on, a current flows from the power supply line PL to the coil 41c, magnetizing the iron core, and the magnetic force attracts the movable contact 41b to the fixed contact 41a. As a result, the movable contact 41b comes into contact with the fixed contact 41a, turning the relay 41 on (i.e., into a conductive state), and power from the power supply BAT is supplied to the drive unit 30 via the power supply line PL.

[0030] On the other hand, when the switching element 42 is off, no current flows from the power supply line PL to the coil 41c, and therefore no magnetic force is generated to attract the movable contact 41b to the fixed contact 41a. Therefore, in this case, the movable contact 41b is separated from the fixed contact 41a by the biasing force, and the relay 41 is off (i.e., non-conductive). Thus, when the relay 41 is off, power from the power supply BAT is not supplied to the drive unit 30.

[0031] In the following description, "switch 40 on" means "relay 41 on" unless otherwise specified. Similarly, "switch 40 off" means "relay 41 off" unless otherwise specified.

[0032] The switch 40 is also used to prevent an overcurrent from flowing from the power supply BAT to the drive unit 30 or the motor MOT. That is, if a situation arises in which an overcurrent may flow from the power supply BAT to the drive unit 30 or the motor MOT due to a failure of the power supply BAT, the control unit 20 turns off the switching element 42 to turn off the relay 41 (i.e., the switch 40). This cuts off the electrical connection between the power supply BAT and the drive unit 30 or the motor MOT, preventing an overcurrent from the power supply BAT from flowing into the drive unit 30 or the motor MOT. This makes it possible to protect the drive unit 30 and the motor MOT from this overcurrent. The control unit 20 can detect the occurrence of an overcurrent that may flow from the power supply BAT to the drive unit 30 or the motor MOT, for example, based on the detection results of a power supply sensor that detects the output voltage and output current of the power supply BAT.

[0033] The operation unit 50 has a function of receiving an operation from the user and outputting a signal corresponding to the received operation to the control unit 20. As an example, in this embodiment, the operation unit 50 has a mode changeover switch 51 for switching the opening / closing mode of the door 2, and a door opening / closing switch 52 for the user to instruct opening or closing of the door 2. As the mode changeover switch 51 and the door opening / closing switch 52, various operating devices such as a switch type, a push button type, or a touch sensor type can be used.

[0034] More specifically, in this embodiment, an auto mode in which the door 2 is opened and closed automatically, and a manual mode in which the door 2 is opened and closed manually are prepared as opening and closing modes for the door 2. Therefore, the mode selector switch 51 is configured to be able to accept both an operation to set the opening and closing mode of the door 2 to the auto mode and an operation to set the opening and closing mode of the door 2 to the manual mode.

[0035] When the mode selector switch 51 receives an operation to change the opening / closing mode of the door 2 to the auto mode, it outputs a signal indicating that the operation to change the opening / closing mode of the door 2 to the auto mode has been received to the control unit 20. On the other hand, when the mode selector switch 51 receives an operation to change the opening / closing mode of the door 2 to the manual mode, it outputs a signal indicating that the operation to change the opening / closing mode of the door 2 to the manual mode has been received to the control unit 20.

[0036] The door open / close switch 52 also has an open switch 52a for issuing an instruction to open the door 2 and a close switch 52b for issuing an instruction to close the door 2. When the open switch 52a is operated, the open switch 52a outputs a signal (e.g., a pulse signal) instructing the opening of the door 2 to the control unit 20. When the close switch 52b is operated, the close switch 52b outputs a signal (e.g., a pulse signal) instructing the closing of the door 2 to the control unit 20.

[0037] The detection unit 60 is a sensor that detects the state of the door 2 and outputs a signal indicating the detection result to the control unit 20. For example, the detection unit 60 may include a displacement sensor that detects the movement distance of the door 2 per unit time as the state of the door 2 and outputs the detection result to the control unit 20. The detection unit 60 may also include an opening / closing speed sensor that detects the opening / closing speed of the door 2 (in other words, the movement speed of the door 2 when opening or closing) as the state of the door 2 and outputs the detection result to the control unit 20.

[0038] Furthermore, the detection unit 60 may include an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration (more specifically, acceleration in the forward and backward directions) occurring in the door 2 as the state of the door 2 and outputs the detection result to the control unit 20. The detection unit 60 may also include a door position sensor that detects the open / closed position of the door 2 (for example, whether the door 2 is in the fully closed position or not, and whether the door 2 is in the fully open position or not) as the state of the door 2 and outputs the detection result to the control unit 20.

[0039] [Example of control by the control unit] Next, an example of control by the control unit 20 will be described. First, basic control by the control unit 20 will be described. When the control unit 20 receives an operation to set the door 2 to the auto mode via the mode selector switch 51, the control unit 20 sets the opening / closing mode of the door 2 to the auto mode. Then, when the control unit 20 receives an operation to instruct the door 2 to open via the open switch 52a while the opening / closing mode of the door 2 is in the auto mode, the control unit 20 controls the drive unit 30 to drive the motor MOT, thereby moving the door 2 so that the door 2 opens. On the other hand, when the control unit 20 receives an operation to instruct the door 2 to close via the close switch 52b while the opening / closing mode of the door 2 is in the auto mode, the control unit 20 controls the drive unit 30 to drive the motor MOT, thereby moving the door 2 so that the door 2 closes.

[0040] Furthermore, when the control unit 20 receives an operation to switch to the manual mode via the mode selector switch 51, it sets the opening / closing mode of the door 2 to manual. When the opening / closing mode of the door 2 is in the manual mode, the control unit 20 does not drive the motor MOT even if the open switch 52a or the close switch 52b is operated. In other words, when the opening / closing mode of the door 2 is in the manual mode, even if the open switch 52a or the close switch 52b is operated, the operation is invalid, and the user opens or closes the door 2 by sliding the door 2 forward or backward with their own force.

[0041] When the user opens or closes the door 2, the power generated by the opening or closing is input to the motor MOT, which may generate electricity. If the switch 40 is on when the motor MOT generates electricity, a current resulting from the power generated by the motor MOT flows into the power supply line PL via the diodes D1 to D6 (i.e., the freewheeling diodes of the transistors TH1 to TL3) and the switch 40 (more specifically, the relay 41). As a result, there is a risk that an unintended overvoltage (for example, a voltage exceeding the rated voltage of the control unit 20) may be input (in other words, applied) to the control unit 20.

[0042] Therefore, when the opening / closing mode of the door 2 is the manual mode, the control unit 20 turns off the switch 40 (i.e., non-conductive state). By turning off the switch 40, the power supply line PL and the drive unit 30 can be electrically disconnected from each other, and even if the motor MOT generates power when the door 2 is manually opened or closed, the power generated by the motor MOT can be prevented from being supplied to the power supply line PL. As a result, by utilizing the switch 40, which protects the motor MOT from an overcurrent when the power supply BAT fails, it is possible to prevent an overvoltage caused by the power generated by the motor MOT from being input to the control unit 20 via the power supply line PL. Therefore, compared to a case where a dedicated component is provided solely for protecting the control unit 20 from the overvoltage caused by the power generated by the motor MOT, it is possible to protect the control unit 20 from the overvoltage caused by the power generated by the motor MOT while suppressing an increase in the number of components.

[0043] In particular, when a brushless motor is used as the motor MOT, AC generated in the motor MOT when the door 2 is manually opened or closed may be rectified by an inverter circuit (e.g., diodes D1 to D6 or parasitic diodes of the transistors TH1 to TL3) serving as the drive unit 30, generating a pulsating voltage. If such a pulsating voltage is input to the control unit 20, it may cause the control unit 20 to malfunction. Therefore, when the opening / closing mode of the door 2 is the manual mode, the control unit 20 turns off the switch 40 to electrically disconnect the power line PL from the drive unit 30, thereby preventing the pulsating voltage from being input to the control unit 20 and suppressing malfunction of the control unit 20.

[0044] Furthermore, when the opening / closing mode of the door 2 is the auto mode, the control unit 20 turns on the switch 40 (i.e., conduction state). This allows power from the power source BAT to be supplied to the drive unit 30, enabling the drive unit 30 to drive the motor MOT. When the opening / closing mode of the door 2 is the auto mode, the control unit 20 switches on / off the transistors TH1 to TL3 of the drive unit 30 based on a signal input from the door opening / closing switch 52, for example, to apply predetermined voltages alternately to the U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase coils of the motor MOT. This drives the motor MOT, and the power generated by this drive allows the door 2 to open and close at a predetermined speed.

[0045] Furthermore, when the opening / closing mode of the door 2 is in the automatic mode, the control unit 20 switches the switch 40 off based on the fact that the operation unit 50 (more specifically, the mode changeover switch 51) has accepted an operation to change the opening / closing mode of the door 2 to the manual mode. This allows the switch 40 to be switched off in response to an operation to change the opening / closing mode of the door 2 to the manual mode, so that the switch 40 can be appropriately turned off.

[0046] Furthermore, even if the opening / closing mode of the door 2 is in the automatic mode, it is conceivable that the user may manually open or close the door 2. In this way, even if the opening / closing mode of the door 2 is in the automatic mode, when the door 2 is manually opened or closed, it is preferable to turn off the switch 40 from the viewpoint of protecting the control unit 20 from overvoltage due to the power generated by the motor MOT.

[0047] Therefore, the control unit 20 may be configured to turn off the switch 40 when it determines, based on the detection result of the detection unit 60, that the movement distance, acceleration, or opening / closing speed of the door 2 per unit time is equal to or greater than a threshold value when the opening / closing mode of the door 2 is in the auto mode. In this way, even when the opening / closing mode of the door 2 is in the auto mode, if it is estimated that the door 2 is being opened or closed manually, the switch 40 can be turned off, making it possible to protect the control unit 20 from overvoltage due to the power generated by the motor MOT. Note that the threshold value is determined in advance by the manufacturer of the opening / closing body drive device 10, taking into consideration, for example, the movement distance, acceleration, or opening / closing speed of the door 2 per unit time when the door 2 is driven by the motor MOT.

[0048] Furthermore, when the opening / closing mode of the door 2 is the manual mode, if the control unit 20 determines based on the detection result of the detection unit 60 that the door 2 has stopped at an intermediate position between the fully closed position and the fully open position, the control unit 20 may turn on the switch 40 and control the motor MOT via the drive unit 30 so that the door 2 is held at the stopped intermediate position. In this way, even if the user who has stopped the door 2 at the intermediate position releases his or her hand from the door 2, the door 2 is held at the intermediate position, thereby improving user convenience.

[0049] [Processing executed by the control unit of the opening / closing body drive device] Next, an example of processing executed by the control unit 20 will be described. Fig. 3 is a flowchart (part 1) showing an example of processing executed by the control unit 20 of the opening / closing body drive device 10. Fig. 4 is a flowchart (part 2) showing an example of processing executed by the control unit 20 of the opening / closing body drive device 10. For example, when power is supplied from the power source BAT via the power line PL, the control unit 20 executes a series of processing shown in Figs. 3 and 4 at a predetermined cycle.

[0050] 3, the control unit 20 first determines whether the opening / closing mode of the door 2 is the automatic mode (step S1). If it is determined that the opening / closing mode of the door 2 is the automatic mode (step S1: YES), the control unit 20 determines whether an operation to switch to the manual mode has been accepted via the mode selector switch 51 (step S2).

[0051] If it is determined that an operation to switch to the manual mode has been received (step S2: YES), the control unit 20 proceeds to the processing of step S4, which will be described later. On the other hand, if it is determined that an operation to switch to the manual mode has not been received (step S2: NO), the control unit 20 determines whether or not there is a possibility that the door 2 has been manually opened or closed (step S3).

[0052] As an example, in the process of step S3, the control unit 20 determines whether the movement distance of the door 2 per unit time is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value based on the detection result of the displacement sensor or the opening / closing speed sensor included in the detection unit 60. Here, the threshold value is set to a value greater than the movement distance of the door 2 per unit time when the door 2 is driven by the motor MOT. Then, if the movement distance of the door 2 per unit time is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the control unit 20 determines that there is a possibility that the door 2 has been opened or closed manually, and if this movement distance is less than the threshold value, there is no possibility that the door 2 has been opened or closed manually.

[0053] As another example, in the process of step S3, the control unit 20 may determine whether the opening / closing speed of the door 2 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value based on the detection result of an opening / closing speed sensor included in the detection unit 60. In this case, the threshold value is set to a value greater than the opening / closing speed of the door 2 when the door 2 is driven by the motor MOT. Then, the control unit 20 may determine that there is a possibility that the door 2 has been opened or closed manually if the opening / closing speed of the door 2 is equal to or greater than the threshold value, and may determine that there is no possibility that the door 2 has been opened or closed manually if the opening / closing speed of the door 2 is less than the threshold value.

[0054] As another example, in the process of step S3, the control unit 20 may determine whether the acceleration of the door 2 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value based on the detection result of the acceleration sensor included in the detection unit 60. In this case, the threshold value is set to a value greater than the acceleration that may occur in the door 2 when the door 2 is driven by the motor MOT. Then, the control unit 20 may determine that there is a possibility that the door 2 is being manually opened or closed if the acceleration of the door 2 is equal to or greater than the threshold value, and may determine that there is no possibility that the door 2 is being manually opened or closed if the acceleration of the door 2 is less than the threshold value.

[0055] If it is determined in the process of step S2 that an operation to switch to the manual mode has been received (step S2: YES), or if it is determined in the process of step S3 that there is a possibility that the door 2 has been opened or closed manually (step S3: YES), the control unit 20 sets the opening / closing mode of the door 2 to the manual mode (step S4).Then, the control unit 20 turns off the switch 40 (step S5), and ends the series of processes shown in FIGS.

[0056] On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of step S3 that there is no possibility that the door 2 has been manually opened or closed (step S3: NO), the control unit 20 ends the series of processes shown in FIGS.

[0057] Furthermore, if it is determined in the processing of step S1 that the opening / closing mode of the door 2 is not the automatic mode, i.e., the manual mode, the control unit 20 proceeds to the processing of step S6 shown in FIG. 4, and determines whether the door 2 has come to rest at any intermediate position between the fully closed position and the fully open position (in other words, a position where the door 2 is neither the fully closed position nor the fully open position) based on the detection results of the door position sensor included in the detection unit 60 (step S6).

[0058] As an example, in the processing of step S6, the control unit 20 determines that the door 2 is stopped at an intermediate position when the door position sensor included in the detection unit 60 detects that the door 2 is not in either the fully closed position or the fully open position, and the opening / closing speed of the door 2 detected by the opening / closing speed sensor included in the detection unit 60 is 0 (zero).

[0059] As another example, in the processing of step S6, the control unit 20 may determine that the door 2 has stopped at an intermediate position if the door position sensor included in the detection unit 60 detects that the door 2 is not in either the fully closed position or the fully open position, and the movement distance of the door 2 per unit time detected by the displacement sensor included in the detection unit 60 is 0 (zero).

[0060] If it is determined that the door 2 has stopped at the intermediate position (step S6: YES), the control unit 20 sets the opening / closing mode of the door 2 to the automatic mode (step S7) and turns on the switch 40 (step S8). Then, the control unit 20 controls the motor MOT via the drive unit 30 so that the door 2 is held at the stopped intermediate position (step S9), and ends the series of processes shown in Figures 3 and 4. In the process of step S9, the control unit 20 may, for example, continue to supply a predetermined amount of power to the motor MOT so that the rotational position of the motor MOT (more specifically, the rotor) when the door 2 has stopped is maintained.

[0061] On the other hand, if it is determined that the door 2 is not stationary at the intermediate position (step S6: NO), the control unit 20 determines whether or not an operation to switch to the auto mode has been accepted via the mode change switch 51 (step S10).

[0062] If it is determined that an operation to switch to auto mode has been received (step S10: YES), the control unit 20 sets the opening / closing mode of the door 2 to auto mode (step S11), turns on the switch 40 (step S12), and ends the series of processes shown in Figures 3 and 4.

[0063] On the other hand, if it is determined that the operation to switch to the auto mode has not been received (step S10: NO), the control unit 20 ends the series of processes shown in FIGS.

[0064] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to protect the control unit 20 from overvoltage caused by the power generated by the motor MOT when the door 2 is manually opened and closed, while suppressing an increase in the number of parts.

[0065] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0066] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the switch 40 is configured by the relay 41, which is a mechanical relay, and the switching element 42 that turns the relay 41 on and off, but this is not limiting. The switch 40 only needs to be able to cut off the electrical connection between the power supply line PL and the drive unit 30 in accordance with the control of the control unit 20, and the switch 40 may be configured by, for example, a semiconductor relay (contactless relay) or a MOSFET.

[0067] In the above-described embodiment, the door 2, which is a sliding door provided on the vehicle 1, is used as the opening / closing body, but this is not limitative. The opening / closing body is not limited to such a sliding door, and may be, for example, a rear gate provided on the vehicle, an automatic door provided at the entrance of a building, or the like.

[0068] This specification and the like describes at least the following matters. Note that the components in parentheses correspond to those in the above-described embodiment, but are not limited to these.

[0069] (1) a control unit (control unit 20) capable of controlling a predetermined control target; a drive unit (drive unit 30) that drives a motor (motor MOT) that drives an opening / closing body (door 2) according to the control of the control unit; a switch (switch 40, relay 41) that can be switched between a conductive state and a non-conductive state under the control of the control unit; Equipped with The control unit It is connected to a power supply line (power supply line PL) connected to a power supply (power supply BAT) and operates using power supplied via the power supply line, The drive unit is connected to the power supply line via the switch and to the motor; driving the motor by supplying the power supplied via the power supply line to the motor; The control unit When the opening / closing body is in an automatic mode in which it is automatically opened and closed, the switch is in the conductive state, When the opening / closing body is in a manual mode in which it is manually opened or closed, the switch is brought into the non-conductive state. Opening and closing body drive device.

[0070] According to (1), when the opening / closing body is in manual mode (manually opened and closed), the switch provided between the power line and the drive unit is set to a non-conductive state, thereby preventing power generated by the motor when the opening / closing body is manually opened and closed from being supplied to the power line. This makes it possible to prevent overvoltage caused by power generated by the motor from being input to the control unit via the power line by utilizing the switch that protects the motor from overcurrent when the power supply fails. Therefore, it is possible to protect the control unit from overvoltage caused by power generated by the motor while suppressing an increase in the number of parts.

[0071] (2) The opening / closing body drive device according to (1), The opening / closing body drive device is The vehicle further includes an operation unit (operation unit 50) that can accept an operation to set the vehicle to the manual mode, The control unit When the automatic mode is selected, the switch is switched to the non-conductive state based on the operation of the operation unit accepting the operation to switch to the manual mode. Opening and closing body drive device.

[0072] According to (2), the switch can be switched to the non-conducting state in response to an operation to switch to the manual mode, so that the switch can be appropriately put into the non-conducting state.

[0073] (3) The opening / closing body drive device according to (1), The opening / closing body drive device is The device further includes a detection unit (detection unit 60) capable of detecting the movement distance, acceleration, or opening / closing speed of the opening / closing body per unit time, The control unit When the automatic mode is selected, if it is determined that the moving distance per unit time, the acceleration, or the opening / closing speed is equal to or greater than a threshold value based on the detection result of the detection unit, the switch is switched to the non-conducting state. Opening and closing body drive device.

[0074] According to (3), even if the automatic mode is selected, if it is estimated that the opening / closing body is being opened or closed manually, the switch can be switched to a non-conducting state to protect the control unit from overvoltage caused by the power generated by the motor.

[0075] (4) The opening / closing body drive device according to (1), The opening / closing body drive device is Further provided is a detection unit (detection unit 60) capable of detecting the open / close position of the opening / closing body, The control unit When the manual mode is selected, if it is determined based on the detection result of the detection unit that the opening / closing body has stopped at an intermediate position between a fully closed position and a fully open position, the switch is switched to the conductive state, and the motor is controlled via the drive unit so that the opening / closing body is held at the intermediate position. Opening and closing body drive device.

[0076] According to (4), even if a user who has stopped the opening / closing body at an intermediate position releases his / her hand from the opening / closing body, the opening / closing body is held in that intermediate position, thereby improving user convenience.

[0077] (5) An opening / closing body drive device according to any one of (1) to (4), The motor is a brushless motor. Opening and closing body drive device.

[0078] According to (5), compared to when the motor is a brushed DC motor, the motor's lifespan can be extended and mechanical noise can be reduced. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 1 vehicle 2 Doors (opening and closing body) 10 Opening and closing body drive device 20 Control Unit 30 Drive unit 40 Switch 41 Relay (switch) 50 Control section 60 Detector BAT power supply MOT motor PL power line

Claims

1. a control unit capable of controlling a predetermined control target; a drive unit that drives a motor that drives the opening / closing body according to the control of the control unit; a switch that can be switched between a conductive state and a non-conductive state according to control by the control unit; Equipped with The control unit connected to a power supply line connected to a power source and operated by power supplied via the power supply line; The drive unit is connected to the power supply line via the switch and to the motor; driving the motor by supplying the power supplied via the power supply line to the motor; The control unit When the opening / closing body is in an automatic mode in which it is automatically opened and closed, the switch is in the conductive state, When the opening / closing body is in a manual mode in which it is manually opened or closed, the switch is brought into the non-conductive state. Opening and closing body drive device.

2. The opening / closing body drive device according to claim 1, The opening / closing body drive device is an operation unit capable of accepting an operation to set the manual mode; The control unit When the automatic mode is selected, the switch is switched to the non-conductive state based on the operation of the operation unit accepting the operation to switch to the manual mode. Opening and closing body drive device.

3. The opening / closing body drive device according to claim 1, The opening / closing body drive device is Further, a detection unit capable of detecting a moving distance, an acceleration, or an opening / closing speed of the opening / closing body per unit time is provided, The control unit When the automatic mode is selected, if it is determined that the moving distance per unit time, the acceleration, or the opening / closing speed is equal to or greater than a threshold value based on the detection result of the detection unit, the switch is switched to the non-conducting state. Opening and closing body drive device.

4. The opening / closing body drive device according to claim 1, The opening / closing body drive device is Further provided is a detection unit capable of detecting the open / close position of the opening / closing body, The control unit When the manual mode is selected, if it is determined based on the detection result of the detection unit that the opening / closing body has stopped at an intermediate position between a fully closed position and a fully open position, the switch is switched to the conductive state, and the motor is controlled via the drive unit so that the opening / closing body is held at the intermediate position. Opening and closing body drive device.

5. The opening / closing member drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The motor is a brushless motor. Opening and closing body drive device.

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