Alps Electric Co., Ltd.

Akihiko Shinohara

Kenichi Seino

Akira Sasaki

Hiroya Nomura

Kazuhito Matsubara

An MCU monitors changes in motor rotating speed from the motor start so as to detect a peak of the motor rotating speed, and when the peak of the motor rotating speed is detected, it measures a period of time Ta from the motor start to the time, at which the decreasing rate of the motor rotating speed becomes maximal, so as to establish the activation/cancellation time period by adding a time Tb that is a predetermined numerical-fold door vibration period to the time Ta. When a second peak with more than a predetermined amount of the motor rotating speed is detected after the first peak detection, the activation/cancellation time period is established by adding a time Tbthat is a predetermined numerical-fold door vibration period to the activation/cancellation time period obtained before.

Power window apparatus with function of pinching detection

An MCU determines whether a backlash over a predetermined value exists in a driving system including a motor and a window driving mechanism. Then, when it is determined that the backlash over the predetermined value exists in the driving system, the MCU sets the time passed from the detection of the peak of the number of rotations of the motor to a predetermined additional time as a termination time of a start cancellation period. When it is determined that the backlash over the predetermined value does not exist in the driving system, the MCU sets, as the termination time of the start cancellation period, the time when the rate of change of the number of revolutions of the motor reaches a predetermined value or the time when the rate of change of a motor input ratio reaches a predetermined value.

Power window apparatus with pinch detecting function

A power window apparatus includes a window glass having a horizontal side and an inclined side at the upper end thereof; a window frame for supporting the window glass; and a motor for vertically driving the window glass. In this power window apparatus, a parameter (for example, pulse period) corresponding to a load torque on the motor is measured; a first threshold to determine whether an object is caught between the horizontal side and the window frame, and a second threshold (which is smaller than the first threshold) to determine whether an object is caught between the inclined side and the window frame are set; and the measured parameter is compared with the corresponding set threshold to stop or reverse the motor when the parameter exceeds the threshold.

Growing community of inventors

Miyagi-ken, Japan

Akihiko Shinohara