Movement Or Position Of Motor Or Driven Device Patents (Class 318/286)
  • Patent number: 8541969
    Abstract: In a method and a device for pulse width modulated (PWM-) activation of an electrical drive motor (2) of an adjustment arrangement based on a reference of the mechanical system of the adjustment arrangement that corresponds to a relationship between the force (F) on the drive motor (2) and the adjustment path (s) or the adjustment time (t) of the adjustment arrangement stored in a memory (9), an anticipated future force value (F(t+t0)) is determined based on the reference of the mechanical system in order to adjust the PWM activation in advance by utilizing this future force value such that motor synchronization fluctuations can be prevented upon anticipated mechanical fluctuations in the adjustment arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Holzinger, Roman Morawek, Daniel Zuffer
  • Patent number: 8531301
    Abstract: A warning device includes a sensing unit, a comparing unit, a controlling unit and a warning unit. The sensing unit sense whether a part of the body of a person is sticking out of the window and generates a sensing signal. The comparing unit detects if the sensing signal is at least a predetermined value. If it is determined that the sensing signal is at least the predetermined value, a part of the body of the person is sticking out of the window and the comparing unit generates a warning signal. The warning unit is used for generating the alarm, and is capable of alternating between an alarm state and standby state. The controlling unit responds to the warning signal to detect whether the warning unit is in the alarm state, and disables the warning unit to start generating the alarm when the warning unit is in the standby state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Lung Dai
  • Patent number: 8525462
    Abstract: An automated shade system comprises one or more motorized window coverings, sensors, and controllers that use one or more algorithms to control operation of the automated shade control system. These algorithms may include information such as: 3-D models of a building and surrounding structures; shadow information; lighting and radiation information; ASHRAE clear sky algorithms; log information related to manual overrides; occupant preference information; motion information; real-time sky conditions; solar radiation on a building; a total foot-candle load on a structure; brightness overrides; actual and/or calculated BTU load; time-of-year information; and microclimate analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: MechoShade Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel Berman, Jan Berman, Alex Greenspan, Stephen P. Hebeisen
  • Patent number: 8519646
    Abstract: A container lid is adapted to be releasably mounted on a container and includes a base, a control mechanism bore on the base, and first and second hoods pivotally mounted and bore on the base. The control mechanism and the first and second hoods are within an outer circumferential edge of the base. The first hood is engaged with and driven to pivot by the control mechanism. Moreover, the first and second hoods are structurally connected to each other in a manner that the pivoting of the first hood would cause the second hood to pivot oppositely from the first hood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: THN Shong Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsong-Yow Lin
  • Publication number: 20130207577
    Abstract: A wiper device is provided that suppresses plastic deformation of a blade rubber of a wiper blade without wasting power of a battery installed to a vehicle. A wiper device is equipped with wiper blades that wipe a vehicle front glass, a wiper motor that swings the wiper blades in alternating between an upper turn position and a lower turn position by accompanied rotation of the output shaft, and a control unit that controls the wiper motor. In a case of the vehicle ignition switch being ON or OFF, the control unit controls the wiper motor such that from a stopped position where the wiper blades are located, the wiper blades are swung in a specific range of between a first stopping position and a second stopping position, and then stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: ASMO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: ASMO CO., LTD.
  • Patent number: 8508169
    Abstract: A load control system provides for automatically controlling a position of a motorized window treatment to control the amount of sunlight entering a space of a building through a window located in a façade of the building in order to control a sunlight penetration distance within the space and minimize occupant distractions. The load control system automatically generates a timeclock schedule having a number of timeclock events for controlling the position of the motorized window treatment during the present day. A user is able to select a desired maximum sunlight penetration distance for the space and a minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events. In addition, a maximum number of movements that may occur during the timeclock schedule may also be entered. The load control system uses these inputs to determine event times and corresponding positions of the motorized window treatment for each timeclock event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Walter S. Zaharchuk, Brian Michael Courtney, William Bryce Fricke, William H. Howe, Timothy S. Majewski, Joel S. Spira
  • Patent number: 8497643
    Abstract: Disclosed is a linear scale for obtaining a distance from a reference point. A scale detection mechanism is adapted to output waveform signals of the same phase. Also the scale detection mechanism corresponds to a magnetic flux density generated by magnetic bodies of a scale element. The scale detection mechanism may be sensors. The sensors are arranged at even intervals corresponding to a scale length of the scale element. The sensors are adapted to output sine-wave signals having the same phase to continuously detect the scale element in a movement direction of the scale element. The scale element has opposite ends each has the same polarity and configured such that an output voltage of the single sensor detecting the end of the scale element is reduced to one-half of an output voltage of the single sensor detecting the remaining portion of the scale element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Takagi
  • Patent number: 8493015
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a door drive comprising electrically operated components which are supplied with electrical energy via a mains connection. In accordance with the invention, a control and an electrical energy store are provided, with the control separating the door drive from the mains and the electrical energy store providing the electrical energy in a first operating mode and with the control connecting the door drive to the mains in a second operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Marantec Antriebs-Und Steuerungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Michael Hoermann
  • Publication number: 20130162180
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a direct wiper drive having a motor, in particular for a windshield wiper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Joachim Zimmer, Juergen Rapp, Swen Koehn
  • Patent number: 8456120
    Abstract: A touch control arrangement is arranged for a container having a foldable cover being folded between an opened position and a closed position via an actuation unit. The touch control arrangement includes a power source and a touch actuator electrically linked to the power source, wherein the touch actuator is located out of the storage cavity of the container body and is arranged in such a manner that when the touch actuator is activated by a presence of a touch, the actuation unit is actuated to move the foldable cover from the closed position to the opened position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Inventor: Xin Wang
  • Publication number: 20130100206
    Abstract: A driving apparatus includes an endless belt supported by a drive pulley configured to be driven by a motor and an idler pulley, and a moving member configured to be coupled to the endless belt and moved by driving the drive pulley by the motor, wherein a first limit value of electric power to be supplied to the motor when the moving member is moved in a first direction approaching the drive pulley is set larger than a second limit value of electric power to be supplied to the motor when the moving member is moved in a second direction approaching the idler pulley.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
  • Patent number: 8405336
    Abstract: A wiper is pivotably supported and is swung by a drive force of an electric motor. When a command, which commands execution of one of high and low speed modes, is entered through a wiper switch in the middle of operation of the wiper in another one of the high and low speed modes, a control unit controls an electric motor such that a moving speed of the wiper, which is preset for the another one of the high and low speed modes, is changed to the moving speed of the wiper, which is preset for the one of the high and low speed modes, during a time period of executing a predetermined number of swings of the wiper between an upper return position and a lower return position upon entering of the command through the wiper switch means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: ASMO Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Natsume
  • Patent number: 8395334
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a drawer having a door and a receiving box attached thereto. The drawer may be automatically moved in forward and backward directions. A supply of standby voltage may be intercepted by a drawer driving mechanism when the door is closed so as to reduce power consumption and improve response time to drawer opening and closing commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Hwan Eom, Myung Keun Yoo, Hyoun Jeong Shin, Ok Sun Yu, Young Jin Kim, Seung Do Han
  • Patent number: 8390266
    Abstract: In a method and a device for determining a reference position of a locking part moved by an electric motor, the locking part is moved in the direction of the closed state thereof, until the same reaches a stop position. At that location the meter reading of a position meter describing the stop position is detected and buffered. Subsequently a movement of the locking part is carried out in the direction of the opened state thereof. The locking part is then moved again in the direction of the closed state thereof, until it again reaches a stop position. At that location a meter reading describing the stop position is detected, and compared to the buffered meter reading. If both meter readings agree, the first stop position is determined as the reference position. The method and device can be utilized, for example, for power window lifts and sunroofs of motor vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Günter Franzan, Martin Meissl
  • Patent number: 8384320
    Abstract: A method of protecting a reversible electric motor that includes an armature capable of rotating axially about itself between two angular end positions, the axial rotation of the armature undergoing a deceleration phase as each angular end position approaches, where the method involves determining a characteristic value of the deceleration phase, comparing this characteristic value to a predetermined threshold value, and applying a degraded operating mode when the characteristic value is far from the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Valeo Systèmes d'Essuyage
    Inventor: Michel Soleilhac
  • Patent number: 8368328
    Abstract: The present invention advantageously provides methods for manually and/or remotely controlling a motorized roller shade that includes a shade attached to a shade tube, a DC gear motor disposed within the shade tube and a microcontroller. One method includes detecting a manual movement of the shade using a sensor, determining a displacement associated with the manual movement, and, if the displacement is less than a maximum displacement, moving the shade to a different position by energizing the DC gear motor to rotate the shade tube. Another method includes receiving a command from a remote control, and moving the shade to a position associated with the command by energizing the DC gear motor to rotate the shade tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: HomeRun Holdings Corporation
    Inventors: Willis Jay Mullet, Darrin W. Brunk, Christopher Lee Wysoczynski, Harry Edward Asbury, Richard Scott Hand, Yan Rodriguez, Benjamin Anthony Bruckner
  • Patent number: 8370029
    Abstract: For the purpose of detecting a jam during the adjustment of a component of a motor vehicle using an adjustment drive, wherein measured values related to the adjustment force (F) are compared to a threshold value (FREF) and when the threshold value is reached, the adjusting movement is slowed or stopped, and optionally reversed, it is proposed that the component speed or a parameter correlated therewith is detected and the threshold value (FREF) modified accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Egger, Roman Morawek, Peter Stephan Mulacz
  • Patent number: 8314582
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of controlling a motor in an image reading apparatus. It may be possible to optimize the drive current of the motor for driving the movement of the scanning module by using information associated with, for example, the time it takes for the scanning module to return to a home or rest position after the scanning module is moved from the home position to a predetermined position. Such optimized drive current can result in improvements in the reading performance of an image by the image reading apparatus and reduction of power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ji Young Byun
  • Patent number: 8299740
    Abstract: A motor drive apparatus for driving a motor in a normal rotation direction or a reverse rotation direction in accordance with a state of operation of an operation switch has a first semiconductor switching device that switches ON/OFF state based on a normal rotation instruction provided by the operation switch, a second semiconductor switching device that switches ON/OFF state based on a reverse rotation instruction provided by the operation switch, a control circuit for controlling drive of the motor in the normal rotation direction or the reverse rotation direction, based on the ON/OFF state of the first and second semiconductor switching devices, and a wetting detection circuit for detecting wetting and controlling operation of the first and second semiconductor switching devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Omron Automotive Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Teruo Fukao
  • Patent number: 8299734
    Abstract: The present invention advantageously provides a motorized roller shade that includes a shade tube, a motor/controller unit and a power supply unit. The motor/controller unit is disposed within the shade tube, and includes a bearing, rotatably coupled to a support shaft, and a DC gear motor. The output shaft of the DC gear motor is coupled to the support shaft such that the output shaft and the support shaft do not rotate when the support shaft is attached to the mounting bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: HomeRun Holdings Corporation
    Inventors: Willis Jay Mullet, Darrin W. Brunk, Christopher Lee Wysoczynski, Harry Edward Asbury, Richard Scott Hand, Yan Rodriguez, Benjamin Anthony Bruckner
  • Patent number: 8288981
    Abstract: A load control system provides for automatically controlling a position of a motorized window treatment to control the amount of sunlight entering a space of a building through a window located in a façade of the building in order to control a sunlight penetration distance within the space and minimize occupant distractions. The load control system automatically generates a timeclock schedule having a number of timeclock events for controlling the position of the motorized window treatment during the present day. A user is able to select a desired maximum sunlight penetration distance for the space and a minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events. In addition, a maximum number of movements that may occur during the timeclock schedule may also be entered. The load control system uses these inputs to determine event times and corresponding positions of the motorized window treatment for each timeclock event of the timeclock schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Walter S. Zaharchuk, Brian Michael Courtney, William Bryce Fricke, William H. Howe, Timothy S. Majewski, Joel S. Spira
  • Patent number: 8264185
    Abstract: An apparatus for electrically rotating a shutter's axis in order to fold and unfold the shutter includes an electrical motor; a gear that is driven by the motor; and a rotatable adapting unit or a flange to which the shutter's axis is connected. The rotatable adapting unit is connected to the gear. The apparatus may also include two switches, each switch stopping the motor when depressed, located at both ends of a rail, and wherein an element is installed in the rail capable to move along the rail and the element depresses one of the switches when arriving to any end of the rail. A circular plate with a spiral tunnel grooved on its surface is joined to the rotatable adapting unit or flange; and a pin is installed on the element and is settled in the grooved tunnel, moving the element along the rail according to the rotation of the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Inventor: Asif Yadidya
  • Patent number: 8232754
    Abstract: A control device for an electrically driven door is provided that can enhance the sensitivity of detection of a door pinch state and that can prevent a passenger from being pressed when the door pinch state occurs. The control device includes a driving force instruction value producing unit that outputs a driving force instruction value of the electrically driven door, a state observing unit that estimates a mechanical resistant force to a door driving system, a reference model that determines a dynamic characteristic of the electrically driven door to the mechanical resistant force estimated by the state observing unit, a gain compensator that computes a control compensation value that makes an output of the reference model coincide with an actual speed of the electrically driven door; and an adder that adds the control compensation value computed by the gain compensator to the driving force instruction value outputted by the driving force instruction value producing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoru Ozaki
  • Patent number: 8217612
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improved system and method for sensing both hard and soft obstructions for a movable panel such as a sunroof. A dual detection scheme is employing that includes an optical sensing as the primary means and electronic sensing of motor current as a secondary means. The secondary means utilizes system empirical precharacterization, fast processing algorithms, motor parameter monitoring including both current sensing and sensorless electronic motor current commutation pulse sensing, and controller memory, to adaptively modify electronic obstacle detection thresholds in real time without the use of templates and cycle averaging techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Uusi, LLC
    Inventors: Mario Boisvert, Randall Perrin, John Washeleski
  • Patent number: 8198849
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for protection against jamming in a motor-driven locking system and a device for the execution of the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Hubert Lamm
  • Patent number: 8169169
    Abstract: A door operator for controlling operation of a door, the door operator having a motor to open the door against a spring force, the door operator further comprising a door position sensor for transmitting a signal indicative of door position; and among other things, calculates a door moment of inertia based on a net torque and the time for the door to reach a predetermined angle from the closed position. Also provided is a door operator that compares door speed to a desired door speed based on a door speed-position profile and generates a door speed error signal and minimizes the door speed error signal by adjusting the braking load resulting from charging a chargeable battery using the motor as a generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Inventors: Brian Hass, Eric Dube
  • Patent number: 8169178
    Abstract: A method of detecting an angular position of a rotor of a motor includes detecting switching ripple peaks and armature current disturbance peaks using a peak detector configured to generate a square wave having edges coinciding with detected peaks. The method further includes filtering the square wave in a time domain by generating an integration ramp, toward a set value, of an estimated ripple frequency for an interval of time based on the estimated ripple frequency. An enablement range is established to reset the integration ramp by setting a threshold below and above the set value and a time window centered on an end time of each period of the estimated ripple frequency. The method further includes resetting the integration ramp, and updating the estimated ripple frequency based upon a period determined by a time of the resetting, if an edge of the square wave is within the time window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.R.L.
    Inventors: Romeo Letor, Francesco Giuffré
  • Patent number: 8143832
    Abstract: In a method for operating an electromechanical adjusting device, having an actuating part driven by a controller controlled motor, and which can be adjusted according to a manual specification for a controller operating element between a first and a second end position, the controller detects the precise position of a blockage of an adjusting movement from fed sensor signals, wherein user action performed on the operating element adjusts the actuating part by a first movement directed toward the end position to a position at which mechanical blockage occurs in order to determine a reference position, and adjusts the actuating part by a second movement into the second end position to examine the validity of the previously determined reference position by a test program which decides whether an automatic operating mode, in which an actuating process runs automatically, is activated, or blocked, as a function of the test result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Holzmann, Roman Morawek, Daniel Zuffer
  • Patent number: 8143823
    Abstract: The present invention discloses that the output end of the electric motor capable of being operated in bidirectional rotation is transmitted to the input end of different rotating speed ratio and direction output transmission device, and it is through the output end of the different rotating speed ratio and direction output transmission device to further provide different directional rotating output for driving the rotating load, wherein the user can operatively control the driving input direction to provide different rotating directional different speed change ratio output in different driving input direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Patent number: 8143821
    Abstract: The present invention discloses that the output end of the bidirectional unequal speed electric motor being particularly used to provide bidirectional rotating input is transmitted to the input end of bidirectional same or different speed change ratio constant directional output transmission device to further provide constant directional rotating output for driving the rotating load, wherein the user can operatively control the driving input direction thereby allowing the bidirectional same or different speed change ratio output transmission device having different speed change ratio to provide constant directional different speed change ratio rotating output in different driving input direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Patent number: 8143822
    Abstract: The present invention discloses that the output end of the bidirectional unequal speed electric motor being particularly used to provide bidirectional rotating input is transmitted to the input end of bidirectional same or different speed change ratio output transmission device, and is through the output end of the bidirectional same or different speed change ratio output transmission device to further provide bidirectional rotating output for driving the rotating load, wherein the user is through operatively controlling the rotating speed and operating direction of the bidirectional unequal speed electric motor to change the driving input direction thereby allowing the bidirectional same or different speed change ratio output transmission device having different speed change ratio to provide same or different speed change ratio bidirectional rotating output in different driving input direction and different rotating speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Patent number: 8136789
    Abstract: A valve actuator operates a valve, such as a drain valve of an industrial washing machine. The valve actuator has a permanent magnet DC motor which drives a gear train which rotatably drives an output shaft. The output shaft is engaged with the drain valve and moves the drain valve to open and closed positions as desired. The valve actuator also has a controller which controls operation of the valve actuator. The controller provides power to the motor only when needed to open and close the drain valve. The controller does not provide power to the motor when the drain valve is in the open and closed positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Molon Motor and Coil Corporation
    Inventor: Stoyan S. Staev
  • Patent number: 8134312
    Abstract: A motor control circuit includes a manipulation unit, a control unit that drives a motor in a normal rotation direction or a reverse rotation direction, a catch detecting unit that detects a foreign substance caught in the opening and closing body, a first relay circuit that connects one of terminals of the motor to a power supply when the motor is driven in the normal rotation direction, a second relay circuit that connects the other terminal of the motor to the power supply when the motor is driven in the reverse rotation direction, a switch element that cuts off connection to the power supply when the normal rotation command is fed into the control unit from the manipulation unit, a detection circuit, and a feed circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventor: Katsunori Kigoshi
  • Patent number: 8125167
    Abstract: A motorized barrier adjustment apparatus and method includes, in particular, in accordance with one embodiment, motorized barrier adjustment apparatus with a barrier. A controllable motor is connected with the barrier, the controllable motor is conformed to detect motion of the barrier such that movement of the barrier within a predetermined amount activates the motor to move the barrier and where movement of the barrier beyond the predetermined amount does not activate the motor such that the barrier remains where it is moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Homerun Holdings Corporation
    Inventors: Willis Jay Mullet, Doug Real, Richard Bardin, Darrin W. Brunk
  • Patent number: 8098037
    Abstract: A vehicle door opening-closing apparatus is provided, which includes a vibration detector and a controller. The controller acquires an envelope formed by connecting crests or troughs of a waveform of vibration detected by the vibration detection sensor. The controller determines whether or not a shape of the envelope meets a condition. A vehicle door is controlled based on a result of determination by the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takehiko Sugiura
  • Patent number: 8093849
    Abstract: In a closure panel control apparatus, an ECU controls a rotational speed of an electric motor, which provides a drive force to drive a closure panel in an opening movement and a closing movement thereof. The ECU obtains a vehicle speed measured with a vehicle speed sensor and receives a command signal from a switch, which is operable by an occupant of a vehicle to command the opening movement or the closing movement of the closure panel. The ECU controls the rotational speed of the electric motor based on the measured vehicle speed that is obtained at the time of receiving the command signal from the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: ASMO Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Shibata
  • Patent number: 8089230
    Abstract: In a method for limiting the excess force of a closing part of an adjusting device, the closing part is actuated by external force. An anti-jamming system determines, during an adjusting operation, current adjusting force values at least within a partial area of the adjusting path and respectively, in predetermined positions of the closing part, and compares the values to adjusting force comparative values which are already stored in a storage device. At least one of the stored adjusting force comparative values are adapted to mechanical technical conditions of the adjusting device and the extent of the adaptation is predetermined according to the service life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Fuchs, Stefan Holzmann, Roman Morawek
  • Patent number: 8067915
    Abstract: An appliance, such as a refrigerator, includes a drawer mounted within a cabinet for movement between an opened position and a closed position. A driving mechanism, including an electric motor connects to the drawer for driving the drawer between the opened position and the closed position. A control circuit connected to the electric motor and the transmission assembly of the driving mechanism commands the transmission assembly to connect or disconnect the electric motor and the drawer, and further commands the electric motor to drive the drawer to one of the opened position and the closed position when the electric motor is connected to the drawer. The control circuit also senses obstructions and adjusts the movement of the drawer accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John K. Hooker, Konstantin Grigoryan, Arti Shah
  • Patent number: 8063592
    Abstract: A door system includes a support connected to a structure, and a door mounted on the support and movable relative to the support between an opened position and a closed position. The door includes a detection device and a remote module coupled to the detection device. The remote module includes a battery and an RF module for supporting two-way communication and sending signals indicative of the status of the detection device and the battery. The door system also includes a motor to drive the door, and a controller to control the motor. The controller includes a user interface and a memory. The door system also includes a base module coupled to the controller for receiving signals from the remote module. The received signals are indicative of the status of the detection device and the battery. The base module also sends signals related to successful transmission acknowledgements to the remote module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Albany International Corp
    Inventors: William W. Shier, Lee H. Theusch, Allan B. Czubin, Robert J. Miller
  • Patent number: 8058824
    Abstract: A control system for an electric motor is arranged to determine the position of the motor from at least one electrical parameter by means of a position determining algorithm which is reliant on movement of the motor to determine the motor position, and to start up the motor from rest by applying voltages to the motor that are independent of the position of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: TRW Limited
    Inventors: Connel Brett Williams, Christopher David Dixon, Jiang Li
  • Patent number: 8044616
    Abstract: A system for controlling a disk in a disk drive includes a motor control circuit and a first circuit that retrieves firmware speed control instructions from non-volatile memory. During retrieval of the firmware speed control instructions, at least one of the motor control circuit determines a position of the disk, one of the first circuit and the motor control circuit spins up the disk and the motor control circuit ramps up a speed of the disk. The first circuit performs speed control of the disk based on the firmware speed control instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Ravishanker Krishnamoorthy, Foo Leng Leong
  • Patent number: 8044626
    Abstract: An actuation assembly (INST) of a screen (SCR) for closure, solar protection or privacy, comprising, on the one hand, a motorized actuator (ACT) furnished with wireless control command receiving means (RCU) and, on the other hand, a standalone power supply assembly (PWU) furnished with at least one rechargeable accumulator (BAT) and with a power supply connector (PR), designed to be connected to the motorized actuator (ACT) via an electric connection line (LIN) for the latter to be supplied with power by the energy of the accumulator (BAT), wherein the power supply assembly (PWU) comprises a man-machine interface (MMI) whose activation allows the transmission of information to the actuator, this information relating to the control of the wireless control command receiving means (RCU) of the actuator (ACT).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: SIMU
    Inventors: Mélanie Adamus, Valérie Bourgeois, Emmanuel Carvalheiro, Floriant Lallemand, Régis Leuvrey, Guillaume Pailleret, Patrick Pignot, Claude Vitali
  • Patent number: 7994743
    Abstract: A device is proposed for moving a first furniture part relative to a second furniture part, using a drive unit, by means of which the first furniture part, can be moved in a driven manner relative to the second furniture part via a monitoring unit for monitoring the movement of the first furniture part. According to the invention, the monitoring unit is designed to render the automatic closing inoperative for positioning the first furniture part, in an open position, from which the first furniture part, returns automatically to a closed position after a predetermined closing time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignees: Grass GmbH, Küster Automotive Door Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Albrecht, Joerg Janzen, Holger Wenzel
  • Patent number: 7990086
    Abstract: Seat-assembly movement system, for collecting up and deploying rows of seats (1) at the installation site, by means of sliding on guides (2) arranged in the floor, the movement of the rows of seats (1) being managed by means of a control system comprising a master PLC or a computer unit, for governing the installation, in combination with respective slave PLCs arranged on the carriages (3) carrying the rows of seats and in connection with devices for controlling the position of said carriages (3) on the mounting guides (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Figueras International Seating, S.A.
    Inventor: Jose Figueras Mitjans
  • Patent number: 7982425
    Abstract: A position control apparatus includes a reverse displacement calculation unit configured to calculate a reverse displacement that represents an amount of movement made from a preceding reverse point to a current reverse point by an axis that performs a reversing motion; a reversing-time segmenting number calculation unit configured to compare the reverse displacement to a predetermined value, and, when the reverse displacement is less than the predetermined value, increase a value of a reversing-time segmenting number, which is a coefficient indicating a number of segments per unit time during a reversing motion, and, when the reverse displacement is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, decrease the value of the reversing-time segmenting number; and a quadrant inversion compensation unit configured to automatically adjust a quadrant inversion compensation amount according to the reversing-time segmenting number and perform the quadrant inversion compensation based on the automatically adjusted co
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Okuma Corporation
    Inventor: Masaya Minamide
  • Patent number: 7977902
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pinch protection method and device for a motor-driven closing system. The method comprises the following steps: detecting a reduced motor speed, switching off the motor, analyzing a sensor signal for detecting a pinch situation, deciding whether a pinch situation is present, and controlling the motor depending on the detection of a pinch situation. The device for detecting a pinch situation comprises a motor, a detection unit, a control unit and at least one sensor. The device is adapted to carry out the method according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Fabian Batejat, Holger Pruessel
  • Patent number: 7977904
    Abstract: This invention generally relates to automated shade systems. An automated shade system comprises one or more motorized window coverings, sensors, and controllers that use one or more algorithms to control operation of the automated shade control system. These algorithms may include information such as: 3-D models of a building and surrounding structures; shadow information; lighting and radiation information; ASHRAE clear sky algorithms; log information related to manual overrides; occupant preference information; motion information; real-time sky conditions; solar radiation on a building; a total foot-candle load on a structure; brightness overrides; actual and/or calculated BTU load; time-of-year information; and microclimate analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Mechoshade Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel Berman, Jan Berman, Alex Greenspan, Stephen P. Hebeisen
  • Patent number: 7960932
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling an electrical door drive by means of which the door drive is switched off if the maximum torque is overshot and/or a defined nominal closing rate of the door is undershot as a result of the door drive being obstructed. In order to reliably prevent injuries and damage to people and objects in the event of a functional failure of the safety control system, and in order to nevertheless reliably block or reverse the door, it is proposed that pulse monitoring be carried out on the door drive, for redundant obstruction identification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Heinz Ludwig, Guido Sonntag, Hans-Wilhelm Wilken
  • Patent number: 7923948
    Abstract: A method for adjusting the residual light gap between slats of a motorized blind when oriented in a set closed position of the blind, where at least one closed position of the slats is set by automatic detection using detecting means, comprising the following steps: adjusting a detection criterion of the detecting means, performing anew automatic detection of the closed position with adjusted detection criterion, recording the new value of the detection criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Somfy SAS
    Inventors: Herbert Rodas, Vyacheslav Baran
  • Patent number: 7919942
    Abstract: A wiper system for a vehicle includes a first wiper assembly, a second wiper assembly spaced apart from the first wiper assembly, and a controller in communication with at least one of the first wiper assembly and the second wiper assembly. The controller controls at least one of the first wiper assembly and the second wiper assembly based on at least one of an aerodynamic characteristic of the vehicle and a soiling characteristic of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC
    Inventors: Michael F. Donoughe, Stacie N. Farina