Adaptive Closure Speed Control for Vehicle Doors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional closure systems for vehicles operate at slow speeds to prevent injury or damage, resulting in inefficient cycle times and inconvenient functionality, especially when obstacles like people or objects unexpectedly enter the path of moving closure members.
Innovation Solution
An adaptive speed control system using non-contact sensors and a control algorithm to transition the closure member's speed from a higher rate to a lower rate upon obstacle detection, allowing for faster operation while maintaining safety through 'soft' contact and reduced pinch forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional closure systems operate at slow speeds to prevent injury or damage, then safety is improved, but cycle time increases and operational efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary obstacle detection using non-contact sensors before the closure member reaches the obstacle. Upon detecting an obstacle within a predetermined distance, the controller proactively reduces speed before contact occurs, enabling safe operation without requiring the entire cycle to run at slow speeds. This preliminary action resolves the contradiction by allowing fast operation during safe periods while maintaining safety through early obstacle response.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure system dynamically adjusts its operating speed based on real-time obstacle detection. The controller continuously monitors sensor input and modulates motor speed accordingly - operating at high speed when the path is clear and reducing speed when obstacles are detected. This dynamic speed adjustment resolves the contradiction by making the system adaptable to changing conditions rather than operating at a fixed slow speed throughout the entire cycle.
2Reliability
If non-contact sensors are used to detect obstacles and stop or reverse the closure member, then obstacle safety is improved, but operational convenience deteriorates due to frequent stopping
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter of speed rather than completely stopping or reversing the closure member. When obstacles are detected within the predetermined distance, the controller reduces speed to a lower operational level and continues movement. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by maintaining operational continuity and convenience while still ensuring safety through reduced-speed passage near obstacles, avoiding the inconvenience of complete stops.
3Productivity
If closure members operate at high speeds to reduce cycle time, then productivity is improved, but pinch force increases causing potential injury
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by detecting obstacles at a predetermined distance and proactively reducing speed before the closure member reaches the obstacle. This prevents excessive pinch force from occurring in the first place, allowing the system to operate at high speeds during safe conditions while automatically mitigating the harmful effect before it can materialize. The high-speed operation is permitted because the safety mechanism acts in advance to prevent the dangerous condition.
Data Source
AI summary
A closure system for controlling speed of a closure member, where the closure system includes a controller for transitioning speed of a closure member being operated in response to an obstacle being sensed in the path of the closure member. In one embodiment, a linear speed control algorithm determines the speed transitioning. In response to sensing contact with an obstacle, the controller may use a conventional contact process to stop or reverse the closure member. The closure system provides for a higher closing velocity of the closure member than conventional closure systems.