Electricity: motive power systems – Motor-reversing – Periodic- or intermittent-reversing
Reexamination Certificate
2003-06-18
2004-04-20
Leykin, Rita (Department: 2837)
Electricity: motive power systems
Motor-reversing
Periodic- or intermittent-reversing
C318S280000, C318S265000, C049S026000, C049S028000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06724164
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an opening-and-closing member control device for controlling a motor to open and close a vehicular power window, and more particularly to an opening-and-closing member control device that the failure by short-circuit (including current leak), not to be overlook, can be avoided from occurring at between adjacent ones of switch terminals.
2. Description of the Related Art
In controlling an opening-and-closing member as in a vehicular power window (controlling at least the driver's seat window), the mainstream is on the electronic control that realizes window auto operation (operation that the window automatically moves to the full closure or open position even if the user quits manipulation), auto-reverse operation during a detection of catching in. It is a general practice to use a relay-based driving scheme, as an opening-and-closing member control device that appropriately supplies power to a driving source motor and controls the operation thereof.
Namely, the opening-and-closing control device of this kind has two small-sized relays (those having what is called 1c contacts) for supplying power to the motor and driving the motor toward opening (toward opening the window) or toward closing (toward closing the window), a small-sized switch for generating an operation signal (terminal voltage) instructing motor operation (opening-and-closing member operation) responsive to user's manipulation, and a control circuit for driving any of the relays depending upon an operating state of the switch (voltage change on the terminal due to internal contact operation). The device, in a state these elements are densely mounted on one board, is set up in a slight unoccupied space, such as vehicular door interior (in a backside of the window operating part).
Herein, the relays having 1c-contacts are each made up with an excitation coil and a contact having a common terminal (hereinafter, referred to as C terminal), a normally open terminal (hereinafter, referred to as N.O terminal) and normally closed terminal (hereinafter, referred to as N.C terminal). In a non-operating state the coil is not energized, the C terminal and the N.C terminal are in a state connected together while, in an operating state the coil is energized, the C terminal and the N.O terminal are in a state connected together. Usually, the N.O terminal of the relay is connected to a high-potential end of a power line (e.g. part applied by a battery output voltage of approximately 12 V), and the N.C terminal is connected to a ground end (a low potential end of the power source, usually connected to the earth). Meanwhile, the C terminal of the opening-sided relay, when connected to the high potential end, is connected to the terminal, on a side rotating the motor toward opening, of the both motor coil terminals of the motor. On the other hand, the C terminal of the closing-sided relay, when connected to the high potential end, is connected to the terminal, on a side rotating the motor toward closing, of the both motor coil terminals of the motor.
Meanwhile, the switch is generally structured in a module that a plurality of contacts are incorporated in a small case having a length of approximately 2 cm so that the terminal connection ends of the contacts project at a mounting surface of the case, i.e. a small-sized component mountable on a circuit board. In carrying out an auto operation, there are provided two normally open contacts for instructing a usual opening or closing (what is called manual operation the opening-and-closing member is to move only during user's operation) and two normally open contacts for instructing an auto operation toward operating or closing, so that these contact can turn on responsive to the operation, for example, of the operating part (e.g. swing knob) provided on an inner surface of vehicular door. For example, when the operating part is operated a predetermined amount toward closing the window, the normally open contact for instructing a closure turns on. Furthermore, the operating part is further operated in the same direction beyond the predetermined amount, the normally open contact also turns on that instructs an auto operation toward closure. In case the contact turns on, one terminal (output terminal) of the contact is connected to the other terminal (common terminal) whereby, in contrivance, the voltage at the output terminal varies from a high potential (power potential) to a low potential (ground-ended potential) and read out by a control circuit.
In the control circuit, the change of terminal voltage is read by a built-in microcomputer to determine which contact of the switch has turned on (i.e., what operating instruction has been inputted) (hereinafter, referred to as operation determination). Depending on a result of the determination, the relay is energized under control of the microcomputer, thereby operating the motor. For example, in case of a determination that the normally open contact for instructing a usual closure is on, only a closing-sided relay is energized to connect one terminal of the motor to the power line thereby realizing a manual operation the motor is operated toward closure only when the normally open contact is on. Also, when determining further a turning on of the normally open contact for instructing an auto operation toward closure, even unless thereafter the operation determination is made, the closing-sided relay is continued driven to operate the motor toward closure (i.e. carrying out an auto operation toward closure) until determining a state of full open or catching in is entered. Incidentally, the determination of a full closure, full opening or catching a foreign matter is made based on an output of a Hall sensor incorporated in the motor that detects a moving position of a window glass or on a detected motor current value.
In the meanwhile, in the opening-and-closing control device as described above, the signal current to be inputted from the switch to the control circuit is as slight as approximately 10-100 mA. Furthermore, the interval of switch terminals is approximately 2 mm and the interval of lands for connecting the terminals to a board is approximately 0.6 mm. Should a foreign matter (what is called solder balls, moistened should dust, water drip due to dew, or the like) is put to between the adjacent ones of the terminals of the switch or the conductors in conduction to those (e.g. the lands on the board), there is a fear, not to overlook, of causing a failure by a slight short-circuit current due to the foreign matter, as in the following.
Namely, there is a possibility to cause an unintentional operation in the absence of user's operation (failure mode
1
), a fumigant combustion resulting from a tracking phenomenon (phenomenon forming an electric path due to carbonization in an insulating part) due to leakage at the high voltage line (e.g. 12-V line) and ground side (failure mode 2), an unintentional operation in the absence of user's operation during a water flood (failure mode 3), or impossible opening despite user's operation toward opening during a water flood (failure mode 4).
Consequently, it is the conventional practice to carry out secondary working, e.g. coating with an insulating material after switch assembling or mounting in order not to expose the conductor surface such as the terminal, or to implement especial production control not to cause solder balls. However, such secondary working forms a factor to raise mount-up of cost. Incidentally, in case the secondary working is abolished in order for cost reduction, such a problem is encountered that a sufficient margin cannot be secured for required performance (reliability not to cause the above failure mode). Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an opening-and-closing member control device capable of inexpensively avoiding the occurrence of a failure, not to overlook in safety, due to a short-circuit (including current leak) at be
Shimizu Keiichi
Tanaka Yasuhide
Leykin Rita
Omron Corporation
Rosenthal & Osha L.L.P.
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