GB2435516A

GB2435516A - Vehicle object sensing assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2435516A
Application number: GB0603248A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Klaus-Peter Maass
Original assignee: GDX North America Inc
Current assignee: GDX North America Inc
Priority date: 2006-02-17
Filing date: 2006-02-17
Publication date: 2007-08-29
Also published as: GB0603248D0; WO2007093914A1

Abstract

An object sensing assembly for attachment to a frame (10C) surrounding a vehicle opening such as a window (8) senses an object such as a hand in said opening. The assembly comprises a flexible seal member (60) with first and second separate electrically conductive members (66, 72) within, and vehicle frame trim means (90) for attachment to said frame (10C). The flexible seal member is positioned adjacent to an inside surface of said vehicle frame trim means to sense an object in close proximity thereto. The conductive members energised by a VCO form a capacitor with a field extending below the seal member such that a close object changes the capacitance which is sensed by control circuitry to stop the window closing. Members (66, 72) may also be squashed together similarly changing the capacitance.

Description

1 2435516

PORTABLE OBJECT SENSING ASSEMBLY

This invention relates to an object sensing assembly for attachment to a frame surrounding a vehicle opening for sensing a body part in an opening, such as a vehicle window opening or a vehicle boot opening.

According to the invention there is provided an object sensing assembly for attachment to a frame surrounding a vehicle opening to detect an object in said opening, said assembly comprising: a flexible seal member; a first electrically conductive member within said flexible seal member; a second electrically conductive member within said flexible seal member and separate from said first electrically conductive member; and vehicle frame trim means for attachment to said frame; said flexible seal member positioned adjacent to an inside surface of said vehicle frame trim means.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a motor vehicle; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along line Il-Il of Figure 1 of the window frame with a sealing and guiding assembly showing an arrangement of the sensing assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along line Il-Il of figure 1 of the window frame with a sealing and guiding assembly showing an arrangement of the sensing assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings, like elements are generally designated with the same reference numeral.

Figure 1 shows a motor vehicle 5 having a front door 6 with a power-driven window 8 which is shown cross-hatched for clarity. The power-driven window 8 is raised and lowered by means of a suitable motor, normally an electric motor, under the control of switches positioned within the vehicle for use by the driver or passenger. All or some of the other side windows in the vehicle may also be power-driven.

The window frame 10, forming part of the vehicle door, incorporates a window guide channel 12 one form of which is shown in Figure 2. The window guide channel comprises extruded plastics or rubber material which incorporates an embedded metal core or carrier 18.

The carrier 18 may take any suitable form. For example, it may comprise a simple channel of metal. The channel could additionally be formed with apertures to increase its flexibility. Instead, the carrier could be made from U-shaped metal elements arranged side-by-side to define the channel and either connected together by short flexible interconnecting links or entirely disconnected from each other. The metal could be steel or aluminium, for example.

Instead, the carrier could be made of metal wire looped to and fro to define the channel.

The carrier 18 is advantageously incorporated into the extruded material by a known cross-head extrusion process.

In this embodiment the carrier 18 is C-shaped, with an extension piece 28 extending down from one of the arms of the C-shaped channel. Between extension piece 28 and sidewall 44 is a hollow chamber 46. Advantageously, metal carrier 18 within the window guide channel 12 where it runs along the top part 1OC of the window frame (Figure 1) is separated from the metal carrier 18 in those parts of the window guide channel 12 fitted to parts 1 OA and 1 OB of the window frame.

The extruded material defines a lip 40 projecting outwardly from a sidewall of the window guide channel 12, a lip 62 directed inwardly into a glass receiving channel 14 from sidewall 44 of the channel 12 and a similar lip 38 on the opposite side of the window glass channel 12 but of shorter extent.

The area 14 between window 8 and lip 38 of channel 12 is glass receiving channel 14.

The window frame 10 (Figure 1) may take the form of a metal channel which is sized to receive the window guide channel 12 as shown in Figure 2. When the channel 12 is fitted into position within this frame, lips 24 and 26 (Figure 2) overlap and grip the outsides of the window frame 10, specifically lips 24 contact panel 22 of window frame 10.

The window guide channel 12 extends around the sides and top of the frame 10. Thus, it extends up that part 1 OA of the frame alongside the "A" pillar of the vehicle, along the top 1 OC of the frame and down that part 1 OB of the frame corresponding to the "B" pillar. Where the window glass 8 slides into and out of the lower part 5A of the door 5, a waist-seal (not shown) is provided on each side of the slot.

The surfaces of the window guide channel 12, and of the waist-seal, which contact the sliding glass are advantageously covered in flock or other suitable material to provide a low-friction and substantially weather-proof surface.

The window guide channel 12 also has a portion 30 which is clipped into window frame 1OC and also holds the window guide channel in position. Lips 32 and 31 contact parts of window frame bC to hold window guide channel 12 in position.

As shown in Figure 2, window guide channel 12 includes sealing member 52 and sealing lip 50 on the outside of the window frame. Sealing member 52 and sealing lip engage the frame of the door opening when the door 5 is closed, to provide a seal around the edge of the door 5.

Figure 2 also shows vehicle frame trim 90 and flexible seal member 60 positioned between window frame 10 and frame trim 90. Together these elements form the object sensing assembly.

Frame trim 90 is made up of consecutive regions 92, 94, 96 and 98. Section 98 is positioned in contact with upper part 1OC' of vehicle frame 10, the next region 96 is positioned adjacent to part bC" of vehicle frame 10 and continues downward and then moves inward towards the window opening as region 94. Region 94 continues to region 92 which extends upwards substantially parallel to window glass 8.

Lip 48 extends downwardly from sidewall 44 of window guide channel 12 and at the bottom of sidewall 44, next to lip 48 is end wall 47. Lip 48 and end wall 47, along with sidewall 61 of flexible seal member 60 define a trim receiving channel 100.

Region 92 of frame trim 90 is received in channel 100 when the frame trim 90 is fitted to vehicle frame 10. When the frame trim 90 is fitted to the window frame 10, region 98 and upper part of region 96 may be simply clipped onto frame parts bC' and 1OC" respectively, or they may be secured to these parts of the window frame with further securing means (not shown).

As mentioned above, the flexible seal member 60 is positioned between window frame and frame trim 90. The construction of the flexible seal member 60 will now be described in more detail, followed by details of precisely how the flexible seal member is located between the window frame 10 and frame trim 90.

Flexible seal member 60 may be formed of the same extruded plastic or rubber material as window guide channel 12 or a different material. It is formed as a separate element which contacts and may be sealed to window guide channel 12. Seal member may be sealed to window guide channel 12 by an adhesive.

Embedded in flexible seal member 60 are an outer electrically conductive member 72 and an inner electrically conductive member 66. The inner and outer electrically conductive members are separated by hollow chamber 70. Wire 74 is located within and runs the length of outer electrically conductive member 72, and wire 68 is located within and runs the length of inner electrically conductive member 66. One end of wire 68 is for connection to an oscillator which supplies an electrically oscillating signal to wire 68 and one end of wire 74 is for connection to ground. Of course, the connections may be reversed. The other ends of wires 74 and 68 will be connected together by an electrical component, such as a resistor for example, to ensure electrical continuity between the two electrically conductive members, when the assembly is energised and operating to detect objects in the window opening.

Preferably, the inner and outer electrically conductive members 72, 66 are made of electrically conductive rubber. The remainder of flexible seal member 60 is preferably made from insulating rubber. Preferably wires 74 and 68 are metal wires.

Outer electrically conductive member 72 has a main body portion 78 and side portions 76 which extend away from main body portion 78 towards the inner electrically conductive member 66. The outer electrically conductive member 72 is thus substantially channel-shaped and the inner electrically conductive member 66 is located on the opposite side of hollow chamber 70 within, and extending lengthwise of, the channel defined by the outer electrically conductive member 72.

It is understood that the extruded plastic or rubber material of flexible seal member 60 electrically insulates the inner and outer electrically conductive members 66 and 72 from the vehicle frame 10.

As mentioned above, the outer electrically conductive member 72 has a main body portion 78. This main body portion 78 is positioned within the flexible seal member between hollow chamber 70 and seal region 80 of the flexible seal member.

Seal member 60 also includes protrusion 82, located on the underside of flexible seal member 60 below inner electrically conductive member 66. The protrusion 82 is separated from inner electrically conductive member 66 by a part 86 of the body of flexible seal member 60. The ends of side portions 76 of outer electrically conductive member also meet part 86 of flexible seal member 60.

In this embodiment of the invention, region 80 of flexible seal member 60 contacts part 1OC" of window frame 10 and the protrusion 82 located on the underside of flexible seal member 60 contacts the inside surface of part 94 of frame trim 90.

The flexible seal member 60 may be fixed to window frame 10 or may simply be held in position by frame trim 90 without the need for any additional fixing.

Operation of the above described sensing assembly will now be briefly described. In the usual way, when the driver or passenger of the vehicle wishes to raise or lower a window they operate a switch to energise a motor which drives the window up/down in the window guide channel 12. The sensing assembly is used to detect a body part which may have been placed in the gap between the window 8 and window opening when the window is moving, and associated control circuitry will prevent further upward movement of the window, thus avoiding the body part becoming trapped between the window glass 8 and the window frame 10.

Control circuitry (not shown) is connected to the electrically conductive members 72 and 66 in said flexible seal member 60 and applies an electrically oscillating signal, generated by a voltage controlled oscillator to the inner electrically conductive member. This leads to an electric field being generated in the vicinity of the window opening. Typical control circuitry is shown in EP 0648628B for example.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the shape of the inner and outer electrically conductive members is such that the generated electric field is concentrated in the vicinity of the window opening. However the invention is not limited to electrically conductive members having the specific shape herein described.

Once energised, the electrically conductive members 66 and 72 act as a capacitor connected to the control circuitry. When a body part (or other object with a relatively high dielectric constant) is within the vicinity of the electric field this will cause a change in the capacitance of the capacitor formed by the electrically conductive members 66 and 72. This change will be detected by the control circuitry and the control circuitry will stop and/or reverse the motor controlling movement of the window.

In figure 2, protrusion 82 is located on the underside of flexible seal member 66 in contact with an inside surface of region 94 of frame trim 90. Any body part on the rising edge of window glass 8 will (if movement of the window is not halted) eventually contact region 94 of trim 90 as the window rises to the closed position.

Contact between a body part on the rising window edge and region 94 of trim 90 will move the trim upwards toward the window frame 10. This movement will lead to movement or deformation of the protrusion 82. The movement or deformation of the protrusion 82 will subsequently cause flexible seal member 60 to be deformed and inner electrically conductive portion 66 will be moved towards outer electrically conductive member 72.

Movement of inner electrically conductive member 66 towards the outer electrically conductive member 72 will cause a change in capacitance of the capacitor defined by the two electrically conductive members 66 and 72 when they are energised as described above. Like the non-contact detection mode previously described, this change in capacitance will be detected by the control circuitry and will cause the motor to be de-energised, thereby immediately stopping the rising window glass, and preventing damage to the body part on the rising edge of the window.

It is also possible that movement of inner electrically conductive member 66 may be so great, that it moves through the hollow chamber 70 and physically contacts the outer electrically conductive member 72. In this case, there will be electrical contact between the two electrically conductive members 66 and 72, and when they are energised this will cause a short circuit. Once again, this interruption of the control circuitry will cause the motor controlling the movement of window glass 8 to be de-energised as described above, thereby immediately stopping the rising glass, if for some reason it has not been stopped already.

Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention to that shown in figure 2.

As can be seen, in this embodiment of the invention the flexible seal member 60 is separate from, and does not contact, the window guide channel 12.

Elements of this figure which are the same as the corresponding elements of figure 2 will not be described, as the description provided for figure 2 applies equally here.

Like the embodiment in figure 2, frame trim 90 consists of consecutive regions 98, 96, 94 and 92. However, in this embodiment region 92 of frame trim 90 is received in trim receiving channel 100 formed entirely within glass-receiving channel 12.

In the flexible seal member 60 of this embodiment part 86 of the body of flexible seal member 60 is affixed to an inside surface of section 94 of frame trim 90 by adhesive 110, or similar bonding material. Other means of securing the flexible seal member 60 to the inside surface of frame trim 90 may also be used.

In this embodiment the protrusion 82 is on the opposite side of the flexible seal member to the embodiment shown in figure 2, and is separated from outer electrically conductive member 72 by sealing region 80. The protrusion contacts vehicle frame 10 at part 1OC". Also in this embodiment the ends of side portions 76 of outer electrically conductive member 72 define part of the perimeter of the hollow chamber 70.

The methods of operation of the sensing assembly showing in this figure are the same as the methods of operation described for the assembly shown in figure 2.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. An object sensing assembly for attachment to a frame surrounding a vehicle opening to sense an object in said opening, said assembly comprising: a flexible seal member; a first electrically conductive member within said flexible seal member; a second electrically conductive member within said flexible seal member and separate from said first electrically conductive member; and vehicle frame trim means for attachment to said frame; said flexible seal member positioned adjacent to an inside surface of said vehicle frame trim means
2. An object sensing assembly according to claim 1 wherein said first electrically conductive member is substantially channel shaped and said second electrically conductive member is substantially flat and runs length wise of said channel.

3. An object sensing assembly according to claim 2 wherein said first electrically conductive member has a main portion and two side portions extending away from said main portion to define said channel.

4. An object sensing assembly according to claim 3 wherein said second electrically conductive member is within said channel defined by said first electrically conductive member.

5. An object sensing assembly according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein said first side portion extends away from said main portion of said first electrically conductive member in a first direction and said second side portion extends away from said main portion in a second direction non-parallel to said first direction.

6. An object sensing assembly according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein said first side portion extends away from said main portion of said first electrically conductive member in a first direction and said second side portion extends away from said main portion in a second direction parallel to said first direction.

7. An object sensing assembly according to any of claims 1-6 wherein said first and second electrically conductive members are made of electrically conductive rubber.

8. An object sensing assembly according to any of claims 1-7 wherein said first and second electrically conductive members include an electrical conductor embedded within said electrically conductive members.

9. A sensing assembly according to claim 8 wherein said electrical conductor is a metal wire.

10. An object sensing assembly according to claim 9 wherein said first and second electrically conductive members each have first and second ends and said wires run through each said electrically conductive member between said first and second ends.

11. An object sensing assembly according to anyone of claims 1 to 10 wherein said flexible sealing member is made of electrically insulating rubber.

12. An object sensing assembly according to any of claims 1-1 1 wherein said first and second electrically conductive members are separated from each other by a hollow chamber.

13. An object sensing assembly according to any preceding claim wherein said flexible seal member has a protrusion contacting said inside surface of said vehicle frame trim means.

14. An object sensing assembly according to claim 13 wherein said flexible seal member contacts said frame when said vehicle frame trim means is attached to said frame.

15. An object sensing assembly according to any of claims 1-12 wherein said flexible seal member is attached to said inside surface of vehicle frame trim means.

16. An object sensing assembly according to claim 15 wherein said second side of said flexible seal member includes a protrusion contacting said frame when said vehicle frame trim means is attached to said frame.

17. An object sensing assembly according to any preceding claim wherein said vehicle frame trim means is flexible, and is attached to said frame by a snap-fit.

18. A sealing and guiding assembly for sealing and guiding a closure member in a vehicle opening, said sealing and guiding assembly comprising a sealing and guiding strip for attachment to a frame surrounding said vehicle opening and an object sensing assembly according to any preceding claim said object sensing assembly being arranged for attachment to said frame and to said sealing and guiding strip.

19. A sealing and guiding assembly according to claim 18 wherein the flexible seal member of said object sensing assembly is bonded to said sealing and guiding strip.

20. A sealing and guiding assembly according to claim 18 wherein the flexible seal member of said object sensing assembly is separate from said sealing and guiding strip.

21. A sealing and guiding assembly according to claim 19 or 20 wherein said sealing and guiding strip has a trim receiving channel and an end of said frame trim means is received in said channel when the vehicle frame trim means is attached to the frame and the sealing and guiding strip.

22. A method for attaching a sealing and guiding assembly according to claim 20 to a frame surrounding a vehicle opening including the steps of: attaching said sealing and guiding strip to said frame, and attaching said frame trim means to said frame and said sealing and guiding strip, with the flexible seal member of said object sensing assembly located between said frame and said inside surface of said frame trim means.

23. An object sensing assembly substantially as herein described with reference to figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

24. An object sensing assembly substantially as herein described with reference to figures 1 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

25. A sealing and guiding assembly substantially as herein described with reference to figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

26. A sealing and guiding assembly substantially as herein described with reference to figures 1 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

27. A method for attaching a sealing and guiding assembly to a frame surrounding a vehicle opening substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.