Abstract:
A power liftgate drive assembly automatically moves the liftgate of a vehicle between its open and closed positions. The drive assembly is secured to the vehicle at a position near the top of the liftgate. The drive assembly includes a motor that drives a sector gear between two positions. A guide rod is secured to the sector gear to translate the rotational movement of the sector gear into the pivotal movement of the ligtgate. A slot extends through the sector gear that allows the liftgate to be moved manually. A latch locks the guide rod in position with respect to the sector gear for automated movement whereas the latch releases the guide rod to move in the slot for manual operation.
Abstract:
A power-operated system for actuating the rear doors or liftgates of motor vehicles is disclosed. The system includes a strut assembly having two struts, each strut mounted on one side of the door between the door and the vehicle's door frame. One end of each strut is connected to a powered rotating arm. To open the door, the rotating arms change the angular orientation of the struts such that they have a substantial mechanical advantage. In this position, the force provided by the struts overcomes the weight bias of the door, thus opening the door. To close the door, the rotating arms change the angular orientation of the struts such that the struts have a decreased mechanical advantage, reducing the force provided by the struts, and therefore causing the door to fall closed under its own weight bias. A control system for controlling the power-operated system is also disclosed.
Abstract:
A device controller is provided which allows a vehicle occupant to confirm a device to be operated without looking an operation section. When a controller of a microswitch indicates a device such as a window regulator or a sun roof, a control circuit feeds a motion confirmation signal to a corresponding device such as a right-hand front door ECU and a roof ECU. A door glass, a sliding roof or the like then reciprocate slightly (i.e., in an amount that is enough for the vehicle occupant to visually confirm the reciprocation) via a window regulator driving circuit, a sun roof driving circuit or the like. The vehicle occupant can thereby confirm a device to be operated by the operation section without looking an operation section.
Abstract:
A hatch opening and closing device for a vehicle includes a cover, which is adapted to cover and seal an opening in a vehicle and to pivot between an open position and a closed position, and at least one locking device, which is adapted to move between an unlocked position and a locked position. The locking devices includes an engagement surface for engaging the cover when the cover is in the closed position thereby locking the cover in the closed position. The cover is releasably coupled to the locking device by a lost motion device over a first range of motion and decoupled from the locking device over a second range of motion so that the locking device can be independently moved from the cover. The hatch opening and closing device further includes a driver, which pivots the locking device and cover between the unlocked position and the locked position and the open position and the closed position, respectively.
Abstract:
A garage door includes a door connector assembly in operative communication with a garage door carriage track, wherein the connector assembly mounts a plurality of cables, wherein each cable is mounted along the garage door and secured to a respective latch assembly, whereupon lifting of the door removes latch bolts from an underlying garage floor, whereupon closure of the door directs the latch bolts into the garage floor, and the door connector assembly includes biasing spring structure to bias the door into communication with the garage floor to maintain the latch bolt positioning within the floor.
Abstract:
A window system is proposed in which windows (41) which can be both locked and tilted mechanically are connected via microprocessors (43) to a monitoring center (49) which can display the locking and closure status of the individual windows (41) via visual display units (51, 57). The microprocessors (43) are located in the vicinity of the windows (41) and connected to the receiver (61) of a radio-controlled remote control unit by which the windows can be remotely controlled. The windows (41) can also be controlled via an operating unit (65) in the monitoring center (49). The remote control unit may involve either portable transmitters (63) or transmitters with a fixed location (67) which control the windows (41) via sensors (69) as a function of ambient air parameters, such as the relative air humidity, temperature or the CO.sub.2 content of the air in the room. The windows (41) have a locking drive integrated in the handle and a separate tilting drive. A central blocking device which blocks the microprocessors (43) permits central blocking of individual windows or of all the windows in the system.
Abstract:
An auxiliary or backup locking mechanism which is used primarily with garage doors of the swing-up type which are controlled by an automatic garage door opener. The backup mechanism causes the lower corners of the door to be secured when in the closed position and to be unlocked by the oepration of the garage door opener when the door is to be opened.
Abstract:
A lock for use with a garage door having an automatic garage door opener attached thereto includes a housing which attaches to the garage door. A bracket attaches to the inside of the garage and is positioned such that the housing and the bracket are in close proximity to each other when the garage door is closed. An element is movably mounted on the housing to move between a locked and unlocked position. The automatic garage door opener attaches to the element and is capable of moving both the element between its locked and unlocked positions and moving the garage door via motion imparted to the door via the housing and the element. When the garage door is closed and the element is moved from its unlocked to its locked position the garage door is securely locked against being opened by an outside influence. An element positioning member is associated with the element and functions with the element such that when the garage door is closed and locked and the automatic garage door opener is activated, the automatic garage door opener first moves the element from its locked to its unlocked position and in further movement moves the garage from its closed to its open position. Upon reversal, the automatic garage door opener first moves the garage door from its open to its closed position and then subsequently moves the element from its unlocked to its locked position such that the element interacts with the bracket means to securely lock the garage door.
Abstract:
A stationwagon vehicle body has a tailgate movable in an arcuate path between a lowered open position and a raised closed position. The tailgate is power actuated through a bi-directional drive mechanism which allows manual closing of the tailgate but prevents its manual opening.
Abstract:
An automatic operator for an overhead garage door gravity-biased to a closed position includes a keeper centrally positioned on the garage above the doorway, a pivotally biased latch member secured to the top of the door and spring-biased into a locking configuration wherein it is engageable with the keeper for locking the door in its closed position, a reel mounted in the garage above the top of the door centrally thereof, a cable interconnecting the reel and the latch member, a reversible electric gear head motor coupled to the reel for rotating same in a winding direction to unlock the latch and open the door and in an unwinding direction to permit closing of the door and locking thereof by the latch member, means for actuating the motor, and motor control circuitry including a screw-type limit switch responsive to rotation of the reel for deactuating the motor after opening or closing of the door.