A rail system comprises: a guide rail; a plurality of stationary electromagnets mounted in the guide rail; and a carriage having a plurality of wheels configured to travel along the guide rail. The wheels are magnets. Movement of the carriage along the guide rail is brought about by a fluctuating magnetic field generated by the stationary electromagnets acting on the wheels.

A method for opening and closing a retractable roof of a convertible vehicle, wherein the roof includes a first portion and a second portion, connected together. The method includes: moving the first portion relative to the second portion between a first position and a second position, such that, at the first position, the first portion is at least partly superposed on the second portion and, at the second position, the first portion lies in substantially the same plane as the second portion, rotating the first and second portions about an axis of rotation, and translating the superposed first and second portions between a first position and a second position, such that, at the first position, the first and second portions are inside a compartment in the vehicle and, at the second position, the first and second portions are outside the compartment.

An opening and closing body drive mechanism that drives an opening and closing body between an open position and a closed position; a drive unit to drive the opening and closing body; a detecting unit to detect movement of the opening and closing body; and a control unit to control driving of the opening and closing body. The control unit carries out a feedback control to control driving of the opening and closing body such that the movement of the opening and closing body, detected with the detecting unit, matches a predetermined target value when no abnormality occurs in the detecting unit or in wiring connecting the detecting unit and the control unit.

An opening and closing body drive mechanism that drives an opening and closing body between an open position and a closed position; a drive unit to drive the opening and closing body; a detecting unit to detect movement of the opening and closing body; and a control unit to control driving of the opening and closing body. The control unit carries out a feedback control to control driving of the opening and closing body such that the movement of the opening and closing body, detected with the detecting unit, matches a predetermined target value when no abnormality occurs in the detecting unit or in wiring connecting the detecting unit and the control unit.

A motor module includes: a motor; a driving unit; a control unit; a communication unit that performs communication via a network in the vehicle; and a connection unit to which an operation module is connected without going through the network. The control unit determines identification information of a vehicle-mounted device based on a voltage applied according to a connection state between the motor module and the operation module, controls the driving unit based on control information with information which coincides with the identification information transmitted from a management module that manages the motor module and received by the communication unit, and controls the driving unit to operate the vehicle-mounted device based on an operation signal input from the operation module according to an operation state of the operation module via the connection unit.

A motor module includes: a motor; a driving unit; a control unit; a communication unit that performs communication via a network in the vehicle; and a connection unit to which an operation module is connected without going through the network. The control unit determines identification information of a vehicle-mounted device based on a voltage applied according to a connection state between the motor module and the operation module, controls the driving unit based on control information with information which coincides with the identification information transmitted from a management module that manages the motor module and received by the communication unit, and controls the driving unit to operate the vehicle-mounted device based on an operation signal input from the operation module according to an operation state of the operation module via the connection unit.

A vehicle having powered door assist includes a plurality of powered doors, each powered door having an actuator for moving the door between closed and open door positions, and a plurality of sensors located on the vehicle for sensing objects proximate to the vehicle including one or more potential passengers expected to enter the vehicle and for sensing an obstacle within or proximate to a swing path of at least one of the plurality of powered doors. The vehicle also includes a controller determining an estimated weight of the one or more potential passengers, detecting expected height of the plurality of powered door with the estimated weight added to the vehicle, detecting height of a sensed obstacle within the swing path of one of the powered doors and determining whether the expected height of the one powered door will interfere with the sensed obstacle in the swing path.

A vehicle having powered door assist includes a plurality of powered doors, each powered door having an actuator for moving the door between closed and open door positions, and a plurality of sensors located on the vehicle for sensing objects proximate to the vehicle including one or more potential passengers expected to enter the vehicle and for sensing an obstacle within or proximate to a swing path of at least one of the plurality of powered doors. The vehicle also includes a controller determining an estimated weight of the one or more potential passengers, detecting expected height of the plurality of powered door with the estimated weight added to the vehicle, detecting height of a sensed obstacle within the swing path of one of the powered doors and determining whether the expected height of the one powered door will interfere with the sensed obstacle in the swing path.

The invention relates to a linear motor structure for a sliding door, comprising a rotor assembly, wherein the rotor assembly includes a fixed part and a movable part, the fixed part is provided with a permanent magnet, a slot hole is formed in a bottom part of the permanent magnet, the movable part is provided with a telescopic rod that is slidably inserted into the slot hole from one end of the slot hole, and a motion transmission part capable of transmitting a motion of the rotor assembly, and the movable part and the fixed part are fixed by a fastener. The linear motor structure is novel in design, reasonable in structure and favorable in adaptability due to the capability of flexibly adjustment of the rotor assembly according to a width of a door frame.

The invention relates to a linear motor structure for a sliding door, comprising a rotor assembly, wherein the rotor assembly includes a fixed part and a movable part, the fixed part is provided with a permanent magnet, a slot hole is formed in a bottom part of the permanent magnet, the movable part is provided with a telescopic rod that is slidably inserted into the slot hole from one end of the slot hole, and a motion transmission part capable of transmitting a motion of the rotor assembly, and the movable part and the fixed part are fixed by a fastener. The linear motor structure is novel in design, reasonable in structure and favorable in adaptability due to the capability of flexibly adjustment of the rotor assembly according to a width of a door frame.