Control apparatus of drive motor for sunroof device, sunroof device, and method for controlling drive motor for sunroof device

1. An apparatus for controlling a motor, which drives an opening and closing body of a sunroof device, wherein the opening and closing body is driven by the motor such that the opening and closing body is tilted to selectively open and close an opening portion formed in a roof panel of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a drive portion, which supplies current to the motor to rotate the motor, the drive portion having a changing device for changing the torque of the motor; and

a control portion, which controls the drive portion, the control portion controls the changing device such that the torque of the motor is increased as the traveling speed of the vehicle is increased during a closing operation of the opening and closing body.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the traveling speed of the vehicle is divided into a plurality of speed ranges, the control portion controls the changing device such that the torque of the motor is discretely switched in accordance with the speed ranges.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the traveling speed of the vehicle is divided into two speed ranges, which are a low speed range and a high speed range.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the changing device discretely changes the torque of the motor.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the changing device includes a switching circuit, which switches between a current path that includes a resistor and a current path that does not include the resistor.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control portion determines whether a foreign object is caught between the rim of the opening portion and the opening and closing body based on the comparison between a value showing the driving state of the motor and a predetermined threshold value, and when it is determined that a foreign object is caught between the rim of the opening portion and the opening and closing body, the control portion controls the motor to release the foreign object,

wherein the control portion changes the threshold value in accordance with the control state of the changing device.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the control portion changes the threshold value such that a catching force of the opening and closing body becomes constant.

8. A sunroof device applied to a vehicle equipped with a roof panel having an opening portion, the sunroof device comprising:

an opening and closing body, which tilts to selectively open and close the opening portion;

a motor, which drives the opening and closing body;

a drive portion, which supplies current to the motor to rotate the motor, the drive portion having a changing device for switching the torque of the motor; and

a control portion, which controls the drive portion, the control portion controls the changing device such that the torque of the motor is increased as the traveling speed of the vehicle is increased during a closing operation of the opening and closing body.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the traveling speed of the vehicle is divided into a plurality of speed ranges, the control portion controls the changing device such that the torque of the motor is discretely switched in accordance with the speed ranges.

10. The device according to claim 9 , wherein the traveling speed of the vehicle is divided into two speed ranges, which are a low speed range and a high speed range.

11. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the changing device discretely changes the torque of the motor.

12. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the changing device includes a switching circuit, which switches between a current path that includes a resistor and a current path that does not include the resistor.

13. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the control portion determines whether a foreign object is caught between the rim of the opening portion and the opening and closing body based on the comparison between a value showing the driving state of the motor and a predetermined threshold value, and when it is determined that a foreign object is caught between the rim of the opening portion and the opening and closing body, the control portion controls the motor to release the foreign object,

wherein the control portion changes the threshold value in accordance with the control state of the changing device.

14. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the control portion changes the threshold value such that a catching force of the opening and closing body becomes constant.

15. A sunroof device incorporated in a vehicle equipped with a roof panel having an opening portion, the sunroof device comprising:

an opening and closing body, which selectively opens and closes the opening portion;

a motor, which drives the opening and closing body; and

a control apparatus for controlling the motor, the control apparatus increases the torque of the motor as the traveling speed of the vehicle increases during closing operation of the opening and closing body.

16. A method for controlling a motor, which drives an opening and closing body of a sunroof device, wherein the opening and closing body is provided with a roof panel of a vehicle, the method comprising:

driving the opening and closing body by the motor such that the opening and closing body is tilted to selectively open and close an opening portion formed in the roof panel of the vehicle; and

controlling the motor such that the torque of the motor is increased as the traveling speed of the vehicle is increased during closing operation of the opening and closing body.