Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Vehicle mounted systems – Automobile
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-12
2004-02-10
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2836)
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Vehicle mounted systems
Automobile
C307S009100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06690096
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to a submergence-detecting power-window apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a submergence-detecting power-window apparatus in which a window-opening switch and a submergence-time window-opening switch are provided on a car, and when the car submerges, the submergence-time window-opening switch is actuated to open a window.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, a power-window apparatus of a car comprises a window-opening-and-closing motor, a relay-driving unit for selectively driving the window-opening-and-closing motor into a rotation in a direction to open or close the window, a window-opening control switch and a window-closing control switch. In addition, the power-window apparatus also includes a switch control unit, a window-opening switch, a window-closing switch and a control unit. The switch control unit applies a control voltage to the relay-driving unit through the window-opening control switch or the window-closing control switch. The control unit turns the window-opening control switch on when the window-opening switch is operated. Similarly, the control unit turns the window-closing control switch on when the window-closing switch is operated.
FIG. 3
is a circuit diagram showing a typical configuration of main components composing the conventional power-window apparatus. To be more specific, the figure shows the configuration of a window-operating unit
30
on the driver-seat side.
As shown in
FIG. 3
, the window-operating unit
30
of the power-window apparatus on the driver-seat side comprises a window-opening-and-closing motor
31
, a window-closing-direction relay
32
U, a window-opening-direction relay
32
D, a switch control unit
33
, a control unit (CPU)
34
, a window-closing switch
35
U, a window-opening switch
35
D, a front-passenger-seat-window-opening-and-closing switch
36
A, a right-rear-seat-window-opening-and-closing switch
36
R, a left-rear-seat-window-opening-and-closing switch
36
L, a window-opening-and-closing auto switch
37
, a pinch-detecting circuit
38
, an interface circuit (I/F)
39
, a power-supply terminal
40
and an external connection terminal
41
.
The window-closing-direction relay
32
U and the window-opening-direction relay
32
D each comprise a relay winding and contacts. The switch control unit
33
comprises a first window-closing control transistor
33
U
1
, a second window-closing control transistor
33
U
2
, a first window-opening control transistor
33
D
1
, a second window-opening control transistor
33
D
2
and a plurality of resistors each not denoted by a reference numeral. The window-closing switch
35
U and the window-opening switch
35
D are each a single-pole double-contact switch. Likewise, the front-passenger-seat-window-opening-and-closing switch
36
A, the right-rear-seat-window-opening-and-closing switch
36
R and the left-rear-seat-window-opening-and-closing switch
36
L are each a single-pole double-contact switch. On the other hand, the window-opening-and-closing auto switch
37
is a single-pole single-contact circuit.
One terminal of the window-opening-and-closing motor
31
is connected to the movable contact of the window-closing-direction relay
32
U while the other terminal of the window-opening-and-closing motor
31
is connected to the movable contact of the window-opening-direction relay
32
D. One end of the relay winding employed in the window-closing-direction relay
32
U is connected to the collector of the first window-closing control transistor
33
U, employed in the switch control unit
33
while the other end of the relay winding is connected to the ground. One of the fixed contacts employed in the window-closing-direction relay
32
U is connected to the power-supply terminal
40
while the other fixed contact is connected to the ground. In the same way, one end of the relay winding employed in the window-opening-direction relay
32
D is connected to the collector of the first window-opening control transistor
33
D
1
employed in the switch control unit
33
while the other end of the relay is connected to the ground. One of the fixed contacts employed in the window-opening-direction relay
32
D is also connected to the power-supply terminal
40
while the other fixed contact is connected to the ground as well.
In the switch control unit
33
, the base of the first window-closing control transistor
33
U
1
is connected to the collector of the second window-closing control transistor
33
U
2
by a resistor whereas the emitter thereof is connected to the power-supply terminal
40
. The base of the second window-closing control transistor
33
U
2
is connected to the control unit
34
by a resistor and the emitter thereof is connected to the ground. Similarly, the base of the first window-opening control transistor
33
D
1
is connected to the collector of the second window-opening control transistor
33
D
2
by a resistor whereas the emitter thereof is connected to the power-supply terminal
40
. The base of the second window-opening control transistor
33
D
2
is connected to the control unit
34
by a resistor and the emitter thereof is connected to the ground. The movable contact of the window-closing switch
35
U is connected to the control unit
34
. One of the fixed contacts of the window-closing switch
35
U is connected to the power-supply terminal
40
while the other contact is open. In the same way, the movable contact of the window-opening switch
35
D is connected to the control unit
34
. One of the fixed contacts of the window-opening switch
35
D is connected to the power-supply terminal
40
while the other contact is open.
The movable contact of the front-passenger-seat-window-opening-and-closing switch
36
A is connected to the ground while the fixed contacts thereof are both connected to the control unit
34
. The left-rear-seat-window-opening-and-closing switch
36
L and the right-rear-seat-window-opening-and-closing switch
36
R are each wired in the same way of the front-passenger-seat-window-opening-and-closing switch
36
A. The movable contact of the window-opening-and-closing auto switch
37
is connected to the ground while the fixed contact thereof is connected to the control unit
34
. The pinch-detecting circuit
38
is connected to the control unit
34
. One end of the interface circuit
39
is connected to the control unit
34
while the other end is connected to the external connection terminal
41
.
In addition, besides the driver-seat-side-window-operating unit
30
, the conventional power-window apparatus also includes a front-passenger-seat-window-operating unit, a right-rear-seat-window-operating unit and a left-rear-seat-window-operating unit, which are not shown in FIG.
3
. The configurations of the front-passenger-seat-window-operating unit, the right-rear-seat-window-operating unit and the left-rear-seat-window-operating unit are each the same as that of the driver-seat-side-window-operating unit
30
except for the following differences. In the first place, in the front-passenger-seat-window-operating unit, the right-rear-seat-window-operating unit and the left-rear-seat-window-operating unit, the window-closing switch
35
U and the window-opening switch
35
D are switches for respectively closing and opening a window of a seat for which the window-operating unit is provided. In the second place, the front-passenger-seat-window-operating unit, the right-rear-seat-window-operating unit and the left-rear-seat-window-operating unit are each provided with neither the front-passenger-seat-window-opening-and-closing switch
36
A, the left-rear-seat-window-opening-and-closing switch
36
L, the right-rear-seat-window-opening-and-closing switch
36
R and the window-opening-and-closing auto switch
37
. The driver-seat-side-window-operating unit
30
, the front-passenger-seat-window-operating unit, the right-rear-seat-window-operating unit and the left-rear-seat-window-operating unit are connected to each other by connecti
Alps Electronic Co., Ltd.
DeBeradinis Robert
Sircus Brian
LandOfFree
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