Vehicle Electric Step Control Timing for Safe Retraction

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing electric step control device for vehicles may fail to retract the step fully before the slide door closes, leading to a risk of collision with obstructions during vehicle startup.

Innovation Solution

A control device that initiates the retraction drive control for the step at a predetermined timing before the slide door reaches its closure position, ensuring the step is fully retracted before the door closes, using a control unit to coordinate the motor-driven movement based on door operation signals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the retraction drive control is started at the timing when the closure position of the slide door is detected, then the control system is simple and responsive, but the step may not be fully retracted before the door closes, causing collision risk

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety of step retractionVSAvoidretraction timing margin

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit starts the retraction drive control at a predetermined timing before the slide door reaches the closure position. This preliminary action ensures that the step has sufficient time to complete its retraction movement before the door closes, eliminating the collision risk while maintaining system simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the retraction drive control is started earlier to ensure full retraction before door closure, then safety is improved, but the control timing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompletion of step retractionVSAvoidcontrol timing mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit is programmed to initiate retraction at a predetermined timing before door closure is detected. This approach simplifies the control mechanism by using a fixed time margin rather than complex real-time coordination, ensuring complete retraction while maintaining control simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit continuously monitors the closure position of the slide door and uses this feedback to determine when to start the retraction drive control. By combining feedback with predetermined timing, the system achieves reliable retraction completion without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10077002B2Control device of electric step for vehicle

Publication Date: 2018.09.18 MITSUI KINZOKU ACT

AI summary

An electric step control device for a vehicle having a step provided movably by power of a motor from a retraction position where the step is retracted under a vehicle body to an overhang position where the step appears from the vehicle body or vice versa according to an opening and closure operation of a door, has a control unit. The control unit executes an overhang drive control that moves the step from the retraction position to the overhang position according to an occurrence of the opening operation of the door having been at a closure position. And the control unit starts a retraction drive control that moves the step from the overhang position to the retraction position according to an occurrence of the closure operation of the door having been at a full open position at a predetermined timing before the door reaches the closure position.