Vehicle Door Latch Control to Prevent Opening While Driving

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle opening-closing member control systems fail to prevent unintended opening motions during vehicle travel, leading to potential safety issues and luggage loss.

Innovation Solution

A control device with a vehicle state determination unit and an open/close state determination unit that outputs a control signal to stop the opening motion of the opening-closing member when the vehicle is traveling and the member is in an opened state, utilizing a short brake of the motor and/or connecting the electromagnetic clutch to prevent unintended opening.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If the latch is released automatically by driving a motor in response to a door opening signal, then the door opening operation is automated and convenient, but unintended opening motion occurs when the latch releases due to malfunction or failure during vehicle traveling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic door openingVSAvoidunintended opening prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit applies preliminary anti-action by detecting the vehicle traveling state beforehand and preventing the latch release operation when the vehicle is in a traveling state. This proactive intervention stops the harmful unintended opening motion before it can occur, rather than merely reacting after a malfunction happens.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the vehicle traveling state through the vehicle state determination unit and using this information to control the latch release operation. The control unit receives feedback about vehicle motion and adjusts the door opening control accordingly, preventing automatic opening when the vehicle is moving.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the vehicle state determination unit and open/close state determination unit are added to prevent unintended opening, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveunintended opening preventionVSAvoidcontrol system structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit performs multiple functions: it controls the automatic door opening operation, determines vehicle traveling state, determines door open/close state, and prevents unintended opening. By making the control unit multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate dedicated components for each function, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while still achieving improved safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively prevents unintended opening motions, reducing the risk of luggage loss and enhancing safety by ensuring the opening-closing member remains closed during vehicle travel.

Implementation Method 1

connecting the electromagnetic clutch to prevent unintended opening

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic clutch: Electromagnet

Implementation Method 2

utilizing a short brake of the motor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic braking: Electromagnet

Data Source

PatentEP3064695B1Vehicle-door control device and control method
Publication Date: 2024.03.06 AISIN CORP
  • EP3064695B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2A
  • EP3064695B1 patent drawingFigure 2B
  • EP3064695B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

One embodiment of the present invention provides a control device of a vehicle opening-closing member that includes a vehicle state determination unit that determines a traveling state of the vehicle based on a signal indicating a traveling state of a vehicle; an open/close state determination unit that determines an opening/opened state of the opening-closing member based on a signal indicating an opening/opened state of an opening-closing member provided to the vehicle; and a control unit that outputs a control signal for stopping an opening motion of the opening-closing member when it is determined by the vehicle state determination unit that the vehicle is in a state of traveling and when it is determined by the open/close state determination unit that the vehicle opening-closing member is in an opening/opened state.