IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,286,707
Granted Patent B2
US 11,286,707 · App. 16/530,868 · Granted Mar 29, 2022

Opening and closing system

Inventors: Michio Ohashi (Yokohama, JP); Satoru Nishizawa (Yokohama, JP); Takashi Teraoka (Novi, MI)
Assignees: MITSUI KINZOKU ACT CORPORATION; GECOM CORPORATION
E05F15/73B60J5/107E05Y2900/532F21S43/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,286,707
App. No.
16/530,868
Granted
Mar 29, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An opening and closing system includes a first human detection sensor configured to detect a vehicle user who enters a first area defined on a periphery of a vehicle body, a lamp visible by the vehicle user who enters the first area, and a control device configured to control an unlocking operation of the lock device, a closing operation of the striker device, a pop-up operation of the striker device, and switching on and off of the lamp. The control device switches on the lamp when the vehicle user is detected by the first human detection sensor and starts the controlling of the unlocking operation of the lock device and the closing operation and the pop-up operation of the striker device in response to the lamp being switched on.

Claims (27)

1. An opening and closing system comprising:

(A) a lock device provided on a vehicle door, the lock device being configured to lock the vehicle door in a closed state and to perform an unlocking operation;

(B) a striker device provided on a vehicle body, the striker device being configured to perform:

a closing operation comprising moving the vehicle door to a closed position; and

a pop-up operation comprising moving the vehicle door in an opening direction from the closed position to a pop-up position;

(C) a first human detection sensor configured to detect a vehicle user who enters a first area defined on a periphery of the vehicle body;

(D) at least one lamp visible by the vehicle user who enters the first area; and

(E) a control device configured to:

control the unlocking operation of the lock device, the closing operation and the pop-up operation of the striker device, and switching on and off of the lamp;

in a case the vehicle user is detected by the first human detection sensor, switch on the lamp; and

in response to the lamp being switched on, start the controlling of the unlocking operation of the lock device and the closing operation and the pop-up operation of the striker device;

(F) a second human detection sensor configured to detect the vehicle user who enters a second area defined on a periphery of the vehicle door, and,

(G) an illuminance sensor configured to detect an illuminance on the periphery of the vehicle body,

wherein in a case the vehicle user is detected by the second human detection sensor within a predetermined period of time since the vehicle user is detected by the first human detection sensor, the control device is configured to control the striker device to perform the popup operation; wherein the lamp comprises a foot lamp configured to illuminate an area corresponding to the second area on a ground on the periphery of the vehicle door; and wherein the lamp comprises an indicator lamp provided on the vehicle door, and

wherein the control device is configured to:

in a case an illuminance detected by the illuminance sensor is less than a predetermined illuminance, switch on the foot lamp; and

in a case the illuminance detected by the illuminance sensor is equal to or greater than the predetermined illuminance, switch on the indicator lamp.

2. The opening and closing system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a proximity sensor provided on an operation portion of the vehicle door,

wherein in a case the vehicle user is detected by the proximity sensor after the striker device performing the pop-up operation, the control device is configured to control the lock device to perform the unlocking operation.

3. The opening and closing system according to claim 2 , wherein in a case the vehicle user is not detected by the proximity sensor within a predetermined period of time since the striker device performed the pop-up operation, the control device is configured to control the striker device to perform the closing operation.

4. The opening and closing system according to claim 1 , wherein the striker device comprises:

a striker configured to be brought into engagement with the lock device and movable between a first position corresponding to the closed position and a second position corresponding to the pop-up position;

a biasing member configured to bias the striker from the first position toward the second position;

a closer driver configured to move the striker from the second position to the first position;

a hook configured to lock the striker that is disposed in the first position; and

a release driver configured to release an engagement of the hook with the striker.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 2, 2019
From: OHASHI, MICHIO; NISHIZAWA, SATORU; TERAOKA, TAKASHI
To: MITSUI KINZOKU ACT CORPORATION; GECOM CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 049947/0527 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2018-147904 · Aug 6, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200040638A1 · Feb 6, 2020