Electricity: motive power systems – Motor-reversing – Automatic and/or with time-delay means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-28
2001-08-21
Ro, Bentsu (Department: 2837)
Electricity: motive power systems
Motor-reversing
Automatic and/or with time-delay means
C318S468000, C318S483000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06278250
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a power window apparatus for use on an automobile and, more particularly, to a power window apparatus for use on an automobile for opening its windows upon operation by a passenger of a nearby window open switch to escape from the automobile when the automobile has submerged in water for some reason and is flooded inside.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, a power window apparatus is made up of a driver seat window operating unit, a front passenger seat window operating unit, a rear right side window operating unit, and a rear left side window operating unit.
In this case, the driver seat window operation unit has at least driver seat window open and close switches, front passenger seat window open and close switches, rear right seat window open and close switches, rear left seat open and close switches, a driver seat window open/close motor, a motor driver composed of a relay for example for rotationally driving the motor so as to open or close the driver seat window according to the operation of the driver seat window open or close switch, and a controller (or a CPU) for controlling the entire driver seat window operation unit.
The front passenger seat window operation unit, the rear right seat window operation unit, and the rear left seat window operation unit have each at least window open and close switches, a window open/close motor, a motor driver for rotationally driving the motor so as to open or close the window according to the operation of the window open/close switch, and a controller (or a CPU) for controlling the entire window operation unit.
In the above-mentioned known power window apparatus, when the driver manually operates the driver seat window open or close switch located on the driver seat window operation unit, the driver seat window is opened or closed; when the driver manually operates the front passenger seat window open or close switch located on the driver seat window operation unit, the front passenger seat window is opened or closed; when the driver manually operates the rear right seat window open or close switch in the driver seat window operation unit, the rear right seat window is opened or closed; and when the driver manually operates the rear left seat window open or close switch in the driver seat window operation unit, the rear left seat window is opened or closed. When the front passenger manually operates the window open or close switch in the front passenger seat window operation unit, the front passenger seat window is opened or closed. When the rear right passenger manually operates the window open or close switch in the rear right seat window operation unit, the rear right seat window is opened or closed. When the rear left passenger manually operates the window open or close switch in the rear left seat window operation unit, the rear left seat window is opened or closed.
However, if an automobile equipped with such a power window apparatus has been submerged in water for some reason and the water gets inside the automobile, the water also gets in door pockets, affecting the driver seat window operation unit, the front passenger seat window operation unit, and rear right and left seat window operation units. In these window operation units, the water gets inside the window open and close switches more often than other components of the window operation units because the manual operation section of these switches are exposed outside. If the water gets inside the window open switch or the window close switch, getting eventually between the switch contacts, the water provides a low resistor between the contacts, thereby preventing the normal open/close state of the contacts.
If, in such a state, the driver or a passenger operates the window open switch in the corresponding window operation unit, the window may be not opened, making it difficult for them to escape from the flooded automobile.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To overcome the above-mentioned problem, the applicant hereof proposed a waterproof power window apparatus for use on an automobile, the apparatus having a submergence detector located on a driver seat window operation unit and/or the window operating units of passenger seat windows, the submergence detector detecting the flooding inside the automobile.
When the automobile is flooded inside and any of the window operation units each housed in its door pocket is affected by the flooding, the submergence detector in that window operation unit detects the flooding and outputs a submersion detection signal. Receiving this signal, the CPU of that window operation unit controls a motor driver in that window operation unit so as to rotationally drive the motor of that window operation unit when the window open switch of that window operation unit is manually operated, thereby opening the window. Within a certain period after starting of the flooding, the driver or a passenger can open the corresponding window by manually operating the corresponding window open switch, thereby escaping from the submerged automobile through the opened window.
Thus, the proposed waterproof power window apparatus is very effective in that, when the automobile equipped with this apparatus is submerged, the driver or a passenger can manually operate the corresponding window open switch and escape from the automobile through the opened window. However, with the proposed apparatus, when the window open switch corresponding to a passenger seat is operated from the driver seat window operation unit, the corresponding passenger side window sometimes fails to open.
To be more specific, when the window open switch corresponding to a passenger seat window, for example the front passenger seat window, in the window operation unit for the driver seat window is operated, a signal indicative of this operation is transmitted from the CPU of the driver seat window operation unit to the CPU of the window operation unit on the front passenger seat through a bus line. Receiving this signal, the CPU of the window operation unit on the front passenger seat controls the motor driver of that window operation unit, thereby opening the window on the front passenger seat. In this case, although the motor driver in the window operation unit on the driver seat is waterproof, the signal transmission system including the bus line is affected by flooding. Therefore, the window open switch operation signal is not always transmitted without failure to the window operation unit on the front passenger seat for example.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a power window apparatus for use on an automobile for opening any of its window without failure when the corresponding window open switch is manually operated on the window operation unit of the driver seat upon detection of flooding inside the automobile.
In carrying out the invention and according to one aspect thereof, there is provided power window apparatus for use on an automobile, comprising a driver seat window operation unit and a passenger seat window operation unit each having at least a window open switch, a window close switch, a motor for opening and closing a window, and a motor rotationally driver, the driver seat window operation unit having a submersion detector for generating a submersion detection signal when the automobile is submerged and a control driver for rotationally driving the motor so as to open a: corresponding window when the submersion detection signal is supplied to the motor rotationally driver and then the window open switch is manually operated, the power window apparatus having a connection line for connecting normally close contacts of the window open switch for the passenger seat window located on the driver seat window operation unit with normally close contacts of the window open switch located on the passenger seat window operation unit.
According to this novel constitution, if the submersion detector in the driver seat window operation unit detects the flooding in
Alps Electric Co. ,Ltd.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Ro Bentsu
LandOfFree
Power window apparatus capable of opening windows at... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Power window apparatus capable of opening windows at..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Power window apparatus capable of opening windows at... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2460294