Motorized Flap Torque Detection via Remote Sensor Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Motorized flap arrangements in vehicles require high actuation forces to detect movement, especially with heavy flaps or stiff kinematics, leading to increased energy consumption and reduced user comfort.
Innovation Solution
A motion sensor arrangement is placed on a section of the flap away from the swivel axis, defining an actuation criterion based on torque before the breakaway torque, allowing early detection of actuation effects and reducing the need for high forces, with a sensor controller monitoring and triggering the drive controller only when necessary to conserve energy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the motion sensor arrangement is placed near the swivel axis to detect flap movement, then the detection precision is improved, but high actuation forces are required causing increased energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spatial dimension of sensor placement from near the swivel axis to a remote section of the flap. By placing the motion sensor arrangement on a section of the flap facing away from the swivel axis, the system detects actuation effects at a location where less force is required, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining detection capability through alternative geometric positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuation criterion is defined to be fulfilled by torque introduced into the flap before exceeding the breakaway torque of the flap kinematics. This preliminary detection approach allows the system to identify user intent before actual movement occurs, enabling early triggering of motorized adjustment and avoiding the need to overcome high static friction forces.
2Speed
If the drive controller remains active to monitor actuation effects continuously, then the response time is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous monitoring, the sensor controller activates the drive controller only periodically when actuation effects are detected. The system transitions from a continuous operation mode to an event-triggered mode, where the drive controller is woken up on demand by a trigger signal from the sensor controller, significantly reducing energy consumption while maintaining responsive behavior when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor controller autonomously monitors sensor values and independently decides when to trigger the drive controller based on detected actuation effects. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for continuous drive controller operation, as the sensor controller manages the monitoring and triggering process, activating the drive controller only when necessary.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a motorized flap arrangement of a motor vehicle, the flap arrangement including a flap, configured to be swiveled about a swivel axis, a drive arrangement, a drive controller, configured to control the drive arrangement, and a motion sensor arrangement, the sensor values determined by the motion sensor arrangement are checked for fulfillment of a specified actuation criterion, upon which an actuation effect manually exerted on the flap is deemed to be detected and the drive arrangement is controlled by the drive controller for motorized adjustment of the flap. The motion sensor arrangement arranged on a section of the flap facing away from the swivel axis. The actuation criterion is defined in such a way that the actuation criterion is fulfilled by a torque introduced into the flap before exceeding a breakaway torque of the flap kinematics.