Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Vehicle mounted systems – Automobile
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-03
2002-04-09
Ballato, Josie (Department: 2836)
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Vehicle mounted systems
Automobile
C307S010800, C307S009100, C340S426110, C180S287000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06369457
ABSTRACT:
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a vehicle having a central locking system as well as interior lighting.
Such vehicles having a device mentioned at the beginning are known. After an input command, for example by means of key actuation or the actuation of a remote control, the central locking system causes the doors, tailgates or the like of the vehicle, or their locking device, to be centrally locked, with the result that access to the vehicle is no longer possible, or to be centrally unlocked, with the result that access to the vehicle is thereby enabled.
In addition, it is known in the case of such vehicles that the means for illuminating the interior space are switched on when the door, the tailgate or the like is opened and are switched off again after the door, the tailgate or the like has been closed.
A multiplicity of cables are required both for the cabling of the central locking system to the individual actuating drives in the doors and the tailgate as well as for the means for illuminating the interior spaces, said cables increasing the weight of the vehicle and necessitating a high outlay on assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is based on the object, therefore, of providing a known vehicle of this type, with the requirement of a reduction in the outlay on materials and assembly.
The invention provides for the central locking system to have a central control unit, the central control unit having a common output both for at least one actuating drive and for the means for illuminating the interior space. From the output of the central control unit, a supply lead passes both to the actuating drive and to the means for illumination, with the result that mutually separate output stages and outputs and supply leads with respect to said elements can be obviated. The actuating drive is connected to the central control unit via a further lead, while the means for illuminating the interior space are connected up to ground, for example. The use of a common output both for the actuating drive and for the means for illuminating the interior space additionally has the advantage that the circulatory structure of the central control unit is reduced since it is possible to dispense with a further output stage and also an additional connector location (terminal).
Interior lighting is to be understood to mean the lighting in the passenger compartment, the lighting in the luggage compartment, in the glove box or the like, and this should also be understood to include further luminars such as, for example, entry luminars in the doors of automobiles or trucks.
In a development of the invention, the means for illuminating the interior space can be driven independently of or in dependence on the driving of the actuating drive. If, by way of example, the intention is for the means for illuminating the interior space to be switched on or switched off at the same time as the driving of the actuating drive, the supply lead for the actuating drive and the interior lighting is connected to the common output, the second supply lead to the actuating drive and the second supply lead to the interior lighting being at the same potential (either at the central control unit or at ground). If the intention is for the driving of the interior lighting to be effected independently of the driving of the actuating drive, the two return leads of the actuating drive and of the interior lighting are at different potentials.
In a development of the invention, the means for illuminating the interior space are assigned a device for luminosity regulation, which device can be driven by the central control unit. As a result, by way of example, in the event of driving of the actuating drive and simultaneous driving of the interior lighting, the latter cannot be switched on immediately but rather can be brought from the switched-off state to full luminosity. The same applies to the switching-off operation, with the result that when the door, the tailgate or the like is closed after entry or after the actuating drive has been driven in the sense of locking, the interior lighting is slowly regulated downward in terms of luminosity over a predetermined period of time.
In a development of the invention, the central control unit is connected up to means for detecting actuation of at least one handle of the door, the tailgate or the like, both the actuating drive and the means for illuminating the interior space being driven after actuation of a handle or of a lock element (for example the detection of the rotation of a rotary latch by means of a rotary latch switch) has been detected. This ensures that whenever a handle (such as, for example, an external door handle or an internal door handle) has been actuated, the interior lighting is also switched on. The common driving of the actuating drive and of the interior lighting from the central control unit thus has the advantage that separate means which detect that the door has opened, and in dependence on which the interior lighting is driven can be obviated. As a result, it is also possible to obviate receiving devices for these means in the bodywork (such as holes, for example) and their supply leads, whereby the outlay on materials and assembly is reduced further.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5744875 (1998-04-01), Kleefeldt et al.
patent: 5998928 (1999-12-01), Hipp
patent: 4022479 (1992-01-01), None
patent: 4228233 (1994-03-01), None
patent: 4330721 (1994-08-01), None
patent: 19530726 (1997-02-01), None
Meyer Martin
Schäfer Axel
Farber Martin A.
Mannesmann VDO AG
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