Adjustment device and method for adjusting a vehicle part

Abstract

It is provided an adjustment device for the power-operated adjustment of a vehicle part that is adjustable on a vehicle along an adjustment path between a closed position and at least one open position, comprising a sensor device by means of which an obstacle in the adjustment path of the vehicle part can be detected in a contactless way and upon detection of an obstacle in the adjustment path of the vehicle part an obstacle signal can be generated, and comprising an electronic control device coupled to at least one drive for the adjustment of the vehicle part, at least one actuating element for generating an adjustment signal and the sensor device, by means of which on the basis of the adjustment signal the at least one drive can be actuated for the power-operated adjustment of the vehicle part.

Claims

1. An adjustment device for a power-operated adjustment of a vehicle part that is adjustable on a vehicle along an adjustment path between a closed position and at least one open position, the adjustment device comprising at least one drive for generating an adjusting force for the power-operated adjustment of the vehicle part, at least one actuating element, configured to detect an operating event for adjusting the vehicle part triggered by a user and to generate, in response to a detection of the operating event an adjustment signal, a sensor device configured to detect an obstacle in the adjustment path of the vehicle part in a contactless way and to generate, upon detection of an obstacle in the adjustment path of the vehicle part an obstacle signal, and an electronic control device coupled to the at least one drive, the at least one actuating element and the sensor device, and configured to actuate, based on the adjustment signal, the at least one drive for the power-operated adjustment of the vehicle part and to actuate, if the obstacle signal is present, the at least one drive for stopping and/or reversing an adjustment of the vehicle part, wherein (a) the electronic control device is configured to queue a generated adjustment signal until an obstacle signal no longer is present, and to only then actuate the at least one drive for the adjustment of the vehicle part, or (b) the electronic control device is configured to actuate the at least one drive in the presence of an adjustment signal and an obstacle signal for the adjustment of the vehicle part from the closed position or the at least one open position at a reduced adjustment speed that is less than an adjustment speed at which the vehicle part is adjusted via the electronic control device when the adjustment signal, but no obstacle signal, is present.

2. The adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control device is configured to queue a generated adjustment signal merely for a specified time interval and, at an end of the specified time interval, to not actuate the at least one drive for the adjustment of the vehicle part when the obstacle signal is present until the end of the time interval.

3. The adjustment device according to claim 2, wherein the specified time interval is less than or equal to 10 seconds.

4. The adjustment device according to claim 2, wherein the electronic control device is coupled to at least one signaling means which acoustically and/or visually indicates the generation of an adjustment signal, wherein the electronic control device is configured to acoustically and/or visually indicate by the at least one signaling means that an adjustment signal has been generated and that the obstacle signal was present up to the end of the time interval.

5. The adjustment device according to claim 4, wherein the electronic control device is configured to acoustically and/or visually indicate in various ways by the at least one signaling means that (a) an adjustment signal has been generated and that the obstacle signal was present up to the end of the time interval.

6. The adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein the actuating element is provided on the vehicle part.

7. The adjustment device according to claim 6, wherein the actuating element lies in a monitoring region that is monitored via the sensor device for an obstacle in the adjustment path of the vehicle part.

8. The adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control device is configured to actuate the at least one drive for the adjustment of the vehicle part only after elapse of a defined delay time interval when the obstacle signal is no longer present.

9. The adjustment device according to claim 8, wherein the delay time interval is less than or equal to 2 seconds.

10. The adjustment device according to claim 8, wherein the delay time interval is less than or equal to 1 s.

11. The adjustment device according to claim 8, wherein the delay time interval lies in the range of 0.2 s to 0.5 s.

12. The adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device is equipped and provided for the capacitive detection of an obstacle in the adjustment path of the vehicle part.

13. The adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control device is coupled to at least one signaling means which acoustically and/or visually indicates the generation of an adjustment signal.

14. The adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle part is a liftgate, an engine hood, a trunk lid or a vehicle door.

15. A method for a power-operated adjustment of a vehicle part that can be adjusted on a vehicle along an adjustment path between a closed position and at least one open position, wherein at least the following is provided for the power-operated adjustment of the vehicle part: at least one drive for generating an adjusting force for the power-operated adjustment of the vehicle part, at least one actuating element configured to detect an operating event for adjusting the vehicle part triggered by a user and to generate, in response to a detection of the operating event, an adjustment signal, and a sensor device configured to detect an obstacle in the adjustment path of the vehicle part in a contactless way and to generate, upon detection of an obstacle in the adjustment path of the vehicle part, an obstacle signal, wherein on the basis of the adjustment signal (VS) the at least one drive (2A, 2B) is actuated for the power-operated adjustment of the vehicle part (H) and, if the obstacle signal (HS) is present, the at least one drive (2A, 2B) is actuated for stopping and/or reversing an adjustment of the vehicle part (H), the method comprising: (a) queueing a generated adjustment signal until an obstacle signal no longer is present, and only then actuating the at least one drive for the adjustment of the vehicle part, or (b) actuating the at least one drive for the adjustment of the vehicle part, in the presence of an adjustment signal and an obstacle signal, from the closed position or the at least one open position at a reduced adjustment speed that is less than an adjustment speed at which the vehicle part is adjusted when the adjustment signal, but no obstacle signal is present.

16. An adjustment device for a power-operated adjustment of a vehicle part that is adjustable on a vehicle along an adjustment path between a closed position and at least one open position, the adjustment device comprising: at least one drive for generating an adjusting force for the power-operated adjustment of the vehicle part, at least one actuating element configured to detect an operating event triggered by a user for adjusting the vehicle part and to generate, in response to a detection of the operating event, an adjustment signal, a sensor device configured to detect an obstacle in a monitoring region of the sensor device in a contactless way and to generate, upon detection of an obstacle in the monitoring region, an obstacle signal, wherein the at least one actuating element lies within the monitoring region, and an electronic control device coupled to the at least one drive, the at least one actuating element and the sensor device, and configured to actuate, based on the adjustment signal, the at least one drive for the power-operated adjustment of the vehicle part and to actuate, if the obstacle signal is present, the at least one drive for stopping and/or reversing an adjustment of the vehicle part, wherein the sensor device and/or the electronic control device is configured such that an obstacle in a section of the monitoring region in which the actuating element lies at least temporarily does not lead to an actuation of the at least one drive in order to stop and/or reverse an adjustment of the vehicle part when an adjustment signal has been generated.

17. The adjustment device according to claim 16, wherein a monitoring of the section of the monitoring region in which the actuating element lies can at least temporarily be deactivated upon a generation of the adjustment signal, so that an obstacle in the monitored section of the monitoring region does not lead to the generation of an obstacle signal when an adjustment signal has been generated.

18. The adjustment device according to claim 16, wherein the electronic control device is configured to at least temporarily ignore an obstacle signal that goes back to a detected obstacle in the section of the monitoring region in which the actuating element is located, so that such an obstacle signal does not lead to the actuation of the at least one drive in order to stop and/or reverse an adjustment of the vehicle part when an adjustment signal has been generated.

19. A method for a power-operated adjustment of a vehicle part that can be adjusted on a vehicle along an adjustment path between a closed position and at least one open position, wherein at least the following is provided for the power-operated adjustment of the vehicle part: at least one drive for generating an adjusting force for the power-operated adjustment of the vehicle part, at least one actuating element configured to detect an operating event triggered by a user for adjusting the vehicle part and to generate, in response to a detection of the operating event, an adjustment signal, and a sensor device configured to detect an obstacle in a monitoring region of the sensor device in a contactless way and to generate, upon detection of an obstacle in the monitoring region, an obstacle signal, wherein the actuating element lies within the monitoring region, the method comprising: actuating, on the basis of the adjustment signal, the at least one drive for the power-operated adjustment of the vehicle part and, if the obstacle signal is present, actuating the at least one drive for stopping and/or reversing an adjustment of the vehicle part, except at least temporarily not actuating the at least one drive to stop and/or reverse an adjustment of the vehicle part when an adjustment signal has been generated and when an obstacle is present in a section of the monitoring region in which the actuating element lies.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The attached Figures by way of example illustrate possible design variants of the proposed solution.

(2) FIG. 1 partially shows a rear end of a vehicle with a design variant of an adjustment device according to the invention, by means of which design variants of a method according to the invention can be carried out.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of a design variant of a method according to the invention.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a flow diagram of a further design variant of a method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) FIG. 1 partially shows a vehicle F with an open liftgate H that in the open position shown in FIG. 1 provides access to a (liftgate) opening O at the rear end of the vehicle F. The litigate H can be adjusted in a power-operated way by means of two electromotive drives 2A and 2B between the illustrated open position and a closed position in which the liftgate H completely closes the opening O. The adjustment of the liftgate H is effected along two opposite adjustment directions V1 and V2 about a swivel axis in the roof area of the vehicle F.

(6) The adjustment of the liftgate H by means of the two drives 2A and 2B is controlled via an electronic control device SE. This control device SE is coupled to the two drives 2A and 2B and can transmit drive signals AS to the same in order to open or close the liftgate H.

(7) In the present case, the adjustment of the liftgate H can be triggered via different operating events. For example, for opening the liftgate H into the illustrated open position an e.g. capacitive sensor device is provided in the region of the rear bumper of the vehicle F, by means of which a kick movement of a foot can be detected as an operating event (not shown in FIG. 1). Alternatively or in addition, the liftgate H can be opened or closed by means of a remote control unit.

(8) Moreover, an actuating element in the form of an internal button 3 is provided on an inside of the liftgate H. When this internal button 3 is actuated by a user with an open liftgate H, an adjustment signal VS is generated, which causes the electronic control device SE to actuate the drives 2A and 2B for closing the liftgate H.

(9) In order to avoid during the power-operated closing of the liftgate H that the same collides with an obstacle and for example pinches body parts of a user between a lower edge of the liftgate H and a trunk sill of the vehicle F, a capacitive sensor device 1 is provided. This sensor device 1 therefor includes e.g. at least one sensor electrode on the lower edge of the liftgate H. Such a sensor electrode or further electrodes furthermore can extend along the long sides of the liftgate H.

(10) Via the sensor device 1 a monitoring region 10 is defined in the surroundings of the liftgate H, which is monitored e.g. for a changing capacitance. When a potential obstacle in the adjustment path of the closing liftgate H is inferred from such a changing capacitance, an obstacle signal HS is generated on the part of the sensor device 1. When such an obstacle signal HS is present on the electronic control device SE, the same actuates the drives 2A and 2B for stopping and/or reversing the adjusting movement of the closing liftgate H in order to avoid a collision with the potential obstacle.

(11) In the present case, the internal button 2 also lies in the monitoring region 10 of the sensor device 1. In principle, this can now lead to the fact that the hand of a user with which the user actuates the internal button 3 for closing the open liftgate H is detected as a potential obstacle in the adjustment path of the liftgate H. The electronic control device SE then possibly prevents the closing of the liftgate H, although this closing is expressly desired by the user.

(12) According to one design variant the monitoring region 10 now can be divided into different monitoring segments or sections 10A, 10B and 10C. After pressing the internal button 3 for closing the liftgate H, an obstacle in that monitoring region 10B in which the internal button 3 lies then is deactivated or at least temporarily an obstacle signal HS generated thereby is ignored on the part of the electronic control device SE in order to ensure that the hand of a user moving away from the liftgate H and in particular from the internal button 3 does not lead to the response of an anti-pinch protection system and hence to the stopping and/or reversing of the adjusting movement of the closing liftgate H.

(13) In an alternative design variant the electronic control device SE is configured to queue an adjustment signal VS generated by the actuation of the internal button 3 until an obstacle signal HS no longer is provided by the sensor device 1 and thus to actuate the drives 2A and 2B for the adjustment of the liftgate H (with a delay) only at a time when no more obstacle is present in the monitoring region 10. Hence, as soon as a user has moved his hand, with which the user has acted on the internal button 3 for closing the liftgate H, sufficiently far away from the monitoring region 10, closing of the liftgate H is effected automatically, with a corresponding time delay.

(14) Such a design variant is illustrated by means of the flow diagram of FIG. 2.

(15) In a first method step A1, an operating event triggered by a user by actuation of the internal button 3 initially is recognized. An adjustment signal VS generated thereby is registered on the part of the electronic control device SE and queued. Subsequently, it is checked in a method step A2 whether an obstacle is present in the monitoring region 10. When this is the case, an obstacle signal HS is present on the electronic control device SE, which signal has been generated by means of the sensor device 1. As long as this obstacle signal HS is present, the liftgate H is not adjusted. Only upon cessation of the obstacle signal HS is the adjustment of the liftgate H effected in a method step E1.

(16) In a possible development, for which a flow diagram is represented in FIG. 3, the queuing of the generated adjustment signal VS by the electronic control device SE is effected only for a limited period and hence for a specified time interval of e.g. 5 seconds. When the obstacle signal HS does not cease within this period from the generation of the adjustment signal HS, an adjustment of the liftgate H is not effected.

(17) Furthermore, the actuation of the internal button 3 initially is acoustically acknowledged after the first method step A1, in which the actuation of the internal button 3 has been detected and the adjustment signal VS has been generated and queued, via a signaling meansin FIG. 1 in the form of an audio output unit Acoupled to the electronic control device SE. After the corresponding method step Q the check for the presence of an obstacle signal HS then is made in the method step A2. When such an obstacle signal HS is present, it is repeatedly or continuously checked for a specified period, of e.g. 5 seconds, whether the obstacle signal HS still is present or ceases (method step A3timeout reached?). When the cessation of the obstacle signal HS is recognized within this time interval, the adjustment of the liftgate H is made in method step E1.

(18) When on the other hand the elapse of the time interval in method step A3 and hence a corresponding timeout is reached without the obstacle signal HS having ceased, an adjustment of the liftgate H fails to be made. In a method step E2 merely an acoustic information is provided to the user via the audio output unit A that an adjustment of the liftgate H is not made. For example, this is indicated by a multiple beep.

(19) Alternatively or in addition to an acoustic information about a proper actuation of the internal button 3 or the non-occurrence of the adjustment due to a still present obstacle signal HS a visual information can of course also be output to the user, for example via one or more corresponding lamps in the region of the vehicle rear and/or on the liftgate H.

(20) In a development of the method according to FIG. 3 it is additionally provided that an actuation of the drives 2A and 2B by the electronic control device SE is effected with a delay when the obstacle signal HS ceases within the time interval and hence during the check in method step A2. Here, an adjustment of the liftgate H for closing thus is not triggered immediately as soon as no more obstacle is detected in the monitoring region 10 by means of the sensor device 1. Rather, a corresponding actuation of the drives 2A and 2B and hence an adjustment of the liftgate H is effected only after the elapse of a defined delay time interval, of e.g. 0.5 seconds. A corresponding waiting time, before the adjustment of the liftgate H begins, avoids that the adjusting liftgate H and hence the monitoring region 10 moving along with the same catches up with the hand of the user moving away from the internal button 3, and hence a stopping and/or reversing of the adjusting movement of the liftgate H still is triggered after all. The provision of a corresponding delay time interval thus can additionally ensure that a user can move his hand away from the internal button 3 without this hand again leading to the activation of the anti-pinch protection system already shortly after the adjustment of the liftgate H.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(21) 1 sensor device 10 monitoring region 10A, 10B, 10C monitoring segment (section of the monitoring region) 2A, 2B drive 3 internal button (actuating element) A audio output unit (signaling means) AS drive signal F vehicle H liftgate (vehicle part) HS obstacle signal O (liftgate) opening SE electronic control device V1, V2 adjustment direction VS adjustment signal