U.S. patent application number 09/987321 was filed with the patent office on 2002-05-16 for method of charging slide door-contained battery.
This patent application is currently assigned to YAZAKI CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Gohara, Takashi, Ogasawara, Kazuyoshi.
Application Number | 20020057071 09/987321 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18822901 |
Filed Date | 2002-05-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020057071 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gohara, Takashi ; et
al. |
May 16, 2002 |
Method of charging slide door-contained battery
Abstract
Loads (53) in a slide door are in a stopped condition, and the
charging rate of a slide door-contained battery (38) is below a
predetermined value, the slide door-contained battery (38) is
charged. When the charging rate of the slide door-contained battery
(38) is above the predetermined value, the trickle charging is
effected.
Inventors: |
Gohara, Takashi; (Shizuoka,
JP) ; Ogasawara, Kazuyoshi; (Shizuoka, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SUGHRUE, MION, ZINN, MACPEAK & SEAS, PLLC
2100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington
DC
20037
US
|
Assignee: |
YAZAKI CORPORATION
|
Family ID: |
18822901 |
Appl. No.: |
09/987321 |
Filed: |
November 14, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
320/112 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02J 50/10 20160201;
H02J 7/0042 20130101; H02J 7/00711 20200101 |
Class at
Publication: |
320/112 |
International
Class: |
H02J 007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 16, 2000 |
JP |
P2000-349508 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of charging a slide door-contained battery, mounted in
a slide door slidable mounted to a vehicle body of a vehicle, with
electric power supplied from the vehicle body to the slide door,
the method comprising the step of: charging the slide
door-contained battery with the electric power when a load in the
said slider is in a stopped condition and a charging rate of the
slide door-contained battery is below a predetermined value.
2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of
trickle charging the slide door-contained battery when the charging
rate of the slide door-contained battery is above the predetermined
value.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electric power is
supplied from the vehicle body to the slide door by a mutual
induction operation of a primary coil provided to the vehicle body
and a secondary coil provided to the slide door.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a slide door-contained
battery-charging method for charging a slide door-contained battery
with electric power supplied from a vehicle body of to a slide door
of a vehicle.
[0002] In recent years, automobiles having a slide door slidably
mounted thereon have had a high-function design. With this
high-function design, for example, a power window has been mounted
on the slide door, and it has become necessary to supply electric
power to the slide door so as to drive the power window. Therefore,
in recent years, there have been proposed various vehicle slide
door power supply apparatuses for supplying electric power from a
vehicle body to a vehicle slide door of a vehicle. One example of
such vehicle slide door power supply apparatuses will be described
briefly.
[0003] In FIG. 7, a body-side feed contact 4 is mounted on a
vehicle body 1. When a slide door 2 is closed, this feed contact 4
is brought into contact with a door-side feed contact 3 mounted on
the slide door 2, for an electrical connection thereto. The
body-side feed contact 4 is connected to a battery 5 mounted on the
vehicle body 1. A door-inside controller 6 is mounted in the slide
door 6. The door-inside controller 6 includes a slide
door-contained battery 7 which is chargeable, and the door-side
feed contact 3 is connected to this slide door-contained battery 7.
When the slide door 2 is opened so s that the door-side feed
contact 3 is out of contact with the body-side feed contact 4, the
slide door-contained battery 7 supplies electric power to a
pressure sensor 8 and a pressure-sensitive switch 9 which are
mounted on the slide door 2.
[0004] FIG. BA is a schematic view of the body-side feed contact 4.
FIG. 8B is a schematic view of the door-side feed contact 3. In
FIG. 8A, reference numeral 10 denotes female terminals (female
connector). In FIG. 8B, reference numeral 11 denotes male terminals
(male connector) which contact the female terminals 10 for the
electrical connection thereto when the slide door 2 (see FIG. 7) is
closed.
[0005] In the above related art, during the time when the door-side
feed contact 3 and the body-side feed contact 4 is kept in contact
with each other, the slide door-contained battery 7 is always being
charged. Therefore, this is not an efficient charging method, and
besides this shortened the lifetime of the slide door-contained
battery 7. On the other hand, even when the slide door-contained
battery 7 is in a fully-charged condition, the supply of electric
power to the slide door 2 continues, and this burdens the battery 5
mounted on the vehicle body 1.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] This invention has been made under the above circumstances,
and an object of the invention is to provide a slide door-contained
battery-charging method in which the efficient charging is
effected, and the burden on a battery on a vehicle body is
reduced.
[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, which
is made in order to solve the above problems, there is provided a
slide door-contained battery-charging method for charging a slide
door-contained battery, mounted in a slide door, with electric
power supplied from a vehicle body of a vehicle to the slide door
slidably mounted on the vehicle body; characterized in that when a
load in the slide door is in a stopped condition, and a charging
rate of the slide door-contained battery is below a predetermined
value, the slide door-contained battery is charged with the
electric power.
[0008] In the slide door-contained battery-charging method of a
second aspect of the invention, trickle charging is effected when
the charging rate of the slide door-contained battery is above the
predetermined value.
[0009] In the slide door-contained battery-charging method of a
third aspect of the invention, the electric power is supplied from
the vehicle body to the slide door by a mutual induction operation
of a primary coil, provided at the vehicle body, and a secondary
coil provided at the slide door.
[0010] In the first aspect, there is adopted the charging method in
which when the load in the slide door is in a stopped condition,
and the charging rate of the slide door-contained battery is below
the predetermined value, the slide door-contained battery is
charged with the electric power.
[0011] In the second aspect, the trickle charging is effected when
the charging rate of the slide door-contained battery is above the
predetermined value.
[0012] In the third aspect, the electric power is supplied from the
vehicle body to the slide door by the mutual induction operation of
the primary coil, provided at the vehicle body, and the secondary
coil provided at the slide door.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of a
vehicle slide door power supply apparatus for the purpose of
explaining a slide door-contained battery-charging method of the
invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is an electromagnetic induction operation logic
corresponding to FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a construction view showing one example of a
vehicle slide door power supply apparatus (in a closed condition of
a slide door).
[0016] FIG. 4 is a construction view showing one example of the
vehicle slide door power supply apparatus (in an open condition of
the slide door).
[0017] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the construction of the
vehicle slide door power supply apparatus (corresponding to that of
FIG. 3) for the purpose of explaining a slide door-contained
battery-charging method of the invention.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a perspective view explanatory of the arrangement
of a primary coil unit and a secondary coil unit.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing a related vehicle slide
door power supply apparatus.
[0020] FIG. 8A is a schematic view showing a body-side feed
contact, and FIG. 8B is a schematic view showing a door-side feed
contact.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] One preferred embodiment of the present invention will now
be described with reference to the drawings.
[0022] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of a
vehicle slide door power supply apparatus for the purpose of
explaining a slide door-contained battery-charging method of the
invention. FIG. 2 is an electromagnetic induction operation logic
corresponding to FIG. 1.
[0023] Before explaining the slide door-contained battery-charging
method of the invention, the construction of the vehicle slide door
power supply apparatus will first be described with reference to
FIG. 1.
[0024] In FIG. 1, the vehicle slide door power supply apparatus for
supplying electric power to a slide door, slidably mounted on a
vehicle body of a vehicle, includes a main battery 21, a vehicle
body-side ECU 22, a main relay 23, and an electromagnetic induction
system 24, which are mounted on the vehicle body, and this
apparatus further includes an electromagnetic induction system 25,
a slide door-inside ECU 26, and a battery 27 (corresponding to a
slide door-contained battery recited in the Claims), which are
mounted on the slide door.
[0025] In the above construction, the main battery 21 is designed
to supply electric power to the vehicle body-side ECU 22 and the
main relay 23. The vehicle body-side ECU 22 controls various
equipments and so on, mounted on the vehicle body, and can turn
on/off the main relay 23. A plurality of vehicle body switches SW
are connected to the vehicle body-side ECU 22. By operating one of
those vehicle body switches SW which correspond to the slide door,
corresponding loads in the slide door can be driven. The
electromagnetic induction system 24 comprises at least a primary
feed-purpose non-contact connector, a primary
feedback-signal-purpose non-contact connector, and a primary
feedback control circuit.
[0026] On the other hand, the slide door-side electromagnetic
induction system 25 is similar to the vehicle body-side
electromagnetic induction system 24, and comprises a secondary
feed-purpose non-contact connector, a secondary
feedback-signal-purpose non-contact connector, and a secondary
feedback control circuit. The electromagnetic induction system 25
is designed to supply electric power to the slide door-inside ECU
26 and the battery 27 to charge the battery 27 with electricity. A
plurality of loads in the slide door are connected to the slide
door-inside ECU 26, and this ECU is designed to drive these loads.
When electric power (for driving the loads) is supplied from the
battery 27 to the slide door-inside ECU 26, the electromagnetic
induction system 25 serves as an electric charger for the battery
27, and therefore a compact design is achieved.
[0027] Next, the operation of the above construction, as well as
the slide door-contained battery-charging method of the invention,
will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0028] (1) When vehicle body conditions (The main battery is in an
engine-operating condition, and the slide door is in a closed
condition) are established, the main relay 23 is turned on by the
vehicle body-side ECU 22, and electric power is supplied to the
vehicle body-side electromagnetic induction system 24. At this
time, electric power is supplied to the primary feed-purpose
non-contact connector via the main relay 23.
[0029] (2) The vehicle body-side electromagnetic induction system
24, thus supplied with electric power, supplies electric power to
the slide door-side electromagnetic induction system 25 by a mutual
induction operation. An electromotive force is produced in the
electromagnetic induction system 25, and this electromotive force
is supplied (charged) to the slide door-inside ECU 26 and the
battery 27. When the main relay 23 is turned on, electric power is
always supplied to the slide door. The charging of the battery 27
is effected when the loads in the slide door are in a stopped
condition.
[0030] (3) The slide door-inside ECU 26 controls the battery 27 and
the plurality of loads in the slide door. Then, when the charging
rate of the battery 27 exceeds a predetermined value, the slide
door-inside ECU 26 outputs a feed stop request to the secondary
(feedback-signal-purpose) non-contact connector.
[0031] (4) The feed stop request from the secondary non-contact
connector is transmitted to the primary (feedback-signal-purpose)
non-contact connector by the feedback signal (see F.B in the
drawings). A lag at this time, which is shown in FIG. 2, is defined
by Tw (A trickle cycle and a pulse width are selected, using Tw as
a reference).
[0032] (5) The primary feedback control circuit refers the feedback
signal in order to adjust the voltage and outputs the feedback
signal to the exterior via a buffer. The vehicle body-side ECU 22,
monitoring the feedback signal, inputs the feedback signal
thereinto as a feed stop signal. When there is a feed stop request,
this ECU 22 turns off the main relay 23, thereby stopping the
supply of electric power from the main battery 21 to the vehicle
body-side electromagnetic induction system 24. When there is no
feed stop request, the supply of electric power is continued.
[0033] (6) When the supply of electric power from the main battery
21 to the vehicle body-side electromagnetic induction system 24 is
kept stopped by the feed stop request, the vehicle body-side ECU 22
effects the trickle charging (trickle charge, pulse charge)
corresponding to the self-discharge and dark current of the battery
27. This operation is not influenced whether or not there is the
feed stop request.
[0034] (7) When the vehicle body conditions are changed to be
established, the trickle charging (trickle charge, pulse charge) is
effected unconditionally. At this time, if it is judged by the
slide door-inside ECU 26 that the charging rate of the battery 27
is above the predetermined value, the trickling operation is
effected, and if not, the ordinary charging is effected. This is
the same even after the loads are operated.
[0035] The feed stop function of the non-contact connectors will be
additionally described.
[0036] (1) During the time when electric power is supplied to the
primary feed-purpose non-contact connector, electric power is
supplied to the secondary feed-purpose non-contact connector.
[0037] (2) During the time when electric power is supplied to the
secondary feed-purpose non-contact connector, the power supply stop
signal, superimposed on the voltage-adjusting feedback signal, is
outputted from the secondary feedback-signal-purpose non-contact
connector to the primary feedback-signal-purpose non-contact
connector.
[0038] This is not effected when electric power cannot be supplied
to the secondary feed-purpose non-contact connector.
[0039] (4) The actual feed stop and recovery are effected by
supplying and interrupting the electric power of the main battery
in accordance with the power stop signal and vehicle-body
conditions.
[0040] From the foregoing description, it will be readily
appreciated that the efficient charging of the battery 27 can be
effected. It will also be readily appreciated that the burden on
the main battery 21 is reduced. Therefore, there is achieved an
advantage that there is provided the charging method which
overcomes the problems of the prior art.
[0041] The construction of the above vehicle slide door power
supply apparatus will be described a little more specifically with
reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. A slide door 33 is mounted on a vehicle
body 32 of a vehicle 31 so as to slide in a forward-rearward
direction of the vehicle body 32. A primary coil unit 34, a vehicle
body-side control unit 35, a feed control switch (SW) 36 and so on
are provided on the vehicle body 32.
[0042] A secondary coil unit 37, a slide door-contained battery 38,
a door-side control unit 39, a charging switch(SW) 40 and so on are
provided on the slide door 33.
[0043] The primary coil unit 34 corresponds to the above-mentioned
vehicle body-side electromagnetic induction system 24, the vehicle
body-side control unit 35 to the above-mentioned vehicle body-side
ECU 22, the feed control switch (SW) 36 to the above-mentioned main
relay 23, the secondary coil unit 37 to the above-mentioned slide
door-side electromagnetic induction system 25, the slide
door-contained battery 38 to the above-mentioned battery 27. A
vehicle body-side battery 41, which will be described later,
corresponds to the above-mentioned main battery 21.
[0044] The constructions of the above elements will be described in
detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5.
[0045] In addition to the above elements, the vehicle body-side
battery 41 of a known construction (serving as a power source), an
ignition switch (IGN SW) 42 of a know construction, courtesy switch
(courtesy SW) 43 and switches 44 of a known construction are
provided on the vehicle body 32. Although not particularly shown,
the vehicle body-side control unit 35 is connected to the vehicle
body-side battery 41so that this battery can supply electric power
to this vehicle body-side control unit 35. The ignition switch 42
is provided midway in a power supply line connecting the vehicle
body-side battery 41 to the vehicle body-side control unit 35 and
the feed control switch (SW) 36, so that the supply of electric
power can be controlled by operating a switch (not shown). The
courtesy switch 43 is provided in a predetermined position on an
opening frame 45 for the slide door 33, and is operated when the
slide door 33 is opened and closed. The courtesy switch 43 is
connected to the vehicle body-side control unit 35. When the slide
door 33 is opened, a courtesy lamp (notshown) is lighted. The
vehicle body-side control unit 35 judges the (open/closed)
condition of the slide door 33 from the operating condition of the
courtesy switch 43 so as to control the feed control switch (SW)
36. The switches 44 include, for example, a centralized door lock
switch, a power window switch and so on.
[0046] The primary coil unit 34 comprises at least a primary feed
coil 46 (corresponding to a primary coil recited in the Claims), a
primary coil oscillation drive control device 47, and a first
feedback-purpose coil 48. The primary feed coil 46 corresponds to
the above-mentioned primary feed-purpose non-contact connector. The
first feedback-purpose coil 48 corresponds to the above-mentioned
primary feedback-signal-purpose non-contact connector.
[0047] The primary feed coil 46 has a known construction, and has a
synthetic resin coating formed on its surface so that it can
achieve a waterproof effect against water (such as water drops
applied thereto from the exterior). A proximity fitting surface 49
of the primary feed coil 46 is exposed from the opening frame 45
(that is, exposed to that side wall of the opening frame 45 close
to the front portion of the vehicle body 32; see FIG. 6) so that a
secondary feed coil 55 (described later) can be disposed in close
proximity to this fitting surface in opposed relation thereto (see
FIG. 6).
[0048] The primary coil oscillation drive control device 47 is
designed to control the oscillation drive of the primary feed coil
46. In other words, this device has the function of an inverter,
and the function of switching the inverter, and is designed to
control the excitation of the primary feed coil 46. The primary
coil oscillation drive control device 47 has a microprocessor and
so on (not shown). Further, the primary coil oscillation drive
control device 47 inputs a feed back signal, fed from the first
feedback-purpose coil 48, thereinto, and controls the oscillation
drive of the primary feed coil 46 so as to stabilize the power
source.
[0049] The first feedback-purpose coil 48 is connected to the
primary coil oscillation drive control device 47 and the vehicle
body-side control unit 35. The first feedback-purpose coil 48
functions in the same manner as the secondary feed coil 55
(described later) does, and has a synthetic resin coating formed on
its surface so that it can achieve a waterproof effect against
water (such as water drops applied thereto from the exterior).
Further, the first feedback-purpose coil 48 is arranged and formed
such that its proximity fitting surface (which is, for example, a
common surface with respect to the proximity fitting surface 49)
for a second feedback-purpose coil 57 is exposed from the opening
frame 45.
[0050] The vehicle body-side control unit 35 controls, for example,
various equipments and so on provided on the vehicle body 32, and
comprises a microprocessor (not shown) and peripheral circuits
thereof. The vehicle body-side control unit 35 has a radio
transceiver 50 formed integrally therewith or separately therefrom.
The feed control switch (SW) 36, the switches 44 and the first
feedback-purpose coil 48 are connected to the vehicle body-side
control unit 35. The vehicle body-side control unit 35 monitors a
feedback signal (described later) sent from the slide door 33 side
to the first feedback-purpose coil 48.
[0051] The above microprocessor includes a ROM, a CPU, an EEPROM,
RAM, input/output ports and soon. The ROM is a read-only memory,
and stores a program, fixed data and the like. The CPU is a central
processing unit which operates in accordance with a control program
beforehand stored in the above ROM. The EEPROM is an electrically
erasable/programmable read-only memory, and various set value
information and the like are stored therein. The above RAM is a
free reading-writing memory, and has a data area for storing
various data, used in the process of processing by the CPU, and a
work area used in the processing.
[0052] The radio transceiver 50 is an equipment for transmitting
and receiving control signals in a wireless manner relative to a
radio transceiver 59 (described later) on the slide door 33. For
example, when the driver operates a power window switch for a power
window of the slide door 33, the radio transceiver 50 sends to the
radio transceiver 59 the control signal to move a window pane of
the slide door 33 upward or downward. In this embodiment, although
the radio transceiver 50 transmits and receives the various control
signals in a wireless manner, it may be so constructed as to
transmit and receive these signals by wire or by electromagnetic
induction (that is, by cables or by a mutual induction operation or
the like as described later). The control signals can be
transmitted and received by communication using light, infrared
rays or the like.
[0053] The feed control switch (SW) 36 is the main relay as
described above, and the ON/OFF of this switch is controlled by the
vehicle body-side control unit 35. By turning on/off the feed
control switch (SW) 36, the supply of electric power to the primary
coil unit 34 is controlled.
[0054] A door stay 51 (see FIG. 6) is provided on a lower portion
of the slide door 33. The secondary coil unit 37, the slide
door-contained battery 38, the door-side control unit 39 and the
charging switch (SW) 40 are provided on the slide door 33 as
described above, and in addition door switches 52 and loads 53 are
provided on this slide door.
[0055] The door stay 51 can be guided by a rail portion 54 provided
at a lower portion of the opening frame 45 of the vehicle body 32.
Namely, a roller (not shown) is provided at a distal end of the
door stay 51, and this roller can roll along the rail portion 54.
The door stay 51 is movable, together with the slide door 33, in
the forward-rearward direction (see arrows in FIG. 6) of the
vehicle body 32. In the case where the above-mentioned various
control signals are transmitted and received by cables, the door
stay 51 can be used as support means for the cables.
[0056] The secondary coil unit 37 comprises at least the secondary
feed coil 55 (corresponding to a secondary coil recited in the
Claims), a rectification charging function circuit 56, and the
second feedback-purpose coil 57.
[0057] The secondary feed coil 55 has a known construction, and has
a synthetic resin coating formed on its surface so that it can
achieve a waterproof effect against water (such as water drops
applied thereto from the exterior). A proximity fitting surface 58
of the secondary feed coil 55 is exposed from the opening frame 45
(that is, exposed to that side wall of the opening frame 45 close
to the rear portion of the vehicle body 32; see FIG. 6) so that the
proximity fitting surface 49 of the primary feed coil 46 can be
disposed in close proximity to this fitting surface 58 in opposed
relation thereto (see FIG. 6).
[0058] The rectification charging function circuit 56 comprises a
rectifier circuit for rectifying a dielectric electromotive force,
produced in the secondary feed coil 55, and a charging circuit for
charging the slide door-contained battery 38 with the dielectric
electromotive force produced in the secondary feed coil 55.
[0059] The second feedback-purpose coil 57 is connected to the
rectification charging function circuit 56 and the door-side
control unit 39. The second feed back-purpose coil 57 functions in
the same manner as the primary feed coil 46 does, and has a
synthetic resin coating formed on its surface so that it can
achieve a waterproof effect against water (such as water drops
applied thereto from the exterior). Further, the second
feedback-purpose coil 57 is arranged and formed such that its
proximity fitting surface (which is, for example, a common surface
with respect to the proximity fitting surface 58) for the first
feedback-purpose coil 48 is exposed from the opening frame 45. The
second feedback-purpose coil 57 and the first feedback-purpose coil
48 are provided for stabilizing the power source.
[0060] The slide door-contained battery 38 is a power source of a
known construction, and is connected to the door-side control unit
39 and the charging switch (SW) 40. Namely, the charging of the
slide door-contained battery 38 is controlled by turning on/off the
charging switch (SW) 40. The slide door-contained battery 38 can
supply electric power to the door-side control unit 39 (It can
always supply electric power though depending on the capacity. In
the case where the slide door-contained battery 38 does not supply
electric power in the closed condition of the slide door 33, a
dielectric electromotive force, which can drive the loads 53, need
to be produced in the secondary coil unit 37, and therefore there
is a fear that the secondary coil unit 37 becomes large in size.)
The slide door-contained battery 38 does not need to have a large
capacity as in the vehicle body-side battery 41, and has a compact
size and a capacity which can drive the loads 53. The slide
door-contained battery 38 is mounted on the slide door 33 in an
exchangeable manner.
[0061] The door-side control unit 39 drives and controls various
loads 53 and so on provided on the slide door 33, and comprises a
microprocessor (not shown) and peripheral circuits thereof. The
door-side control unit 39 is designed to monitor the charged
condition (charging rate) of the slide door-contained battery 38.
The door-side control unit 39 is designed to control the ON/OFF of
the charging switch (SW) 40. The door-side control unit 39 has the
radio transceiver 59 formed integrally therewith (or separately
therefrom). The radio transceiver 59 is an equipment for
transmitting and receiving the control signals (for the loads 53
and so on) relative to the radio transceiver 50.
[0062] The charging switch (SW) 40 is controlled by the door-side
control unit 39, and the charging of the slide door-contained
battery 38 is controlled by turning on/off this switch.
[0063] The door switches 52 include, for example, a door
opening/closing handle switch and a power window switch.
[0064] The loads 53 include, for example, a power window and a door
lock.
[0065] The primary coil unit 34 can be formed as one module.
Similarly, the secondary coil unit 37 can be formed as one module
(in which the door-side control unit 39 and soon may be included)
With this construction, the efficiency of the assembling operation
is enhanced. It will be appreciated from the above construction
that there is no bridge member for cables (cables for feeding
purposes and cables for the control signals) between the vehicle
body 32 and the slide door 33. Therefore, the efficiency of the
assembling operation is enhanced.
[0066] Next, the operation of the vehicle slide door power supply
apparatus of the above construction (as well as the charging
method) will be described.
[0067] The operation of the vehicle slide door power supply
apparatus of the above construction will be described with
reference to an example different from the operation described
above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0068] When a key (not shown) is withdrawn from the ignition switch
42, electric power is not supplied from the vehicle body-side
battery 41 to the vehicle body-side control unit 35 so that the
supply of electric power to the slide door 33 is interrupted.
Although electric power is supplied from the slide door-contained
battery 38 to the door-side control unit 39, this control unit 39
will not operate before it receives the control signals from the
vehicle body-side control unit 35. Therefore, even when the door
switches 52 are operated, the door-side control unit 39 will not
drive the loads 53.
[0069] When the key (not shown) is inserted into the ignition
switch 42, and is operated, electric power is supplied from the
vehicle body-side battery 41 to the vehicle body-side control unit
35. When electric power is supplied to the vehicle body-side
control unit 35, this control unit 35 is driven, and sends the
control signals to the door-side control unit 39 via the radio
transceivers 50 and 59, thereby turning the door-side control unit
39 into a stand-by condition. The vehicle body-side control unit 35
confirms the ON/OFF condition of the courtesy switch 43, and judges
whether or not the slide door 33 is closed. If the slide door 33 is
closed, the feed control switch (SW) 36 is turned on, so that
electric power can be supplied to the primary coil oscillation
drive control device 47.
[0070] When the primary coil oscillation drive control device 47 is
driven by the vehicle body-side control unit 35 and the feed
control switch (SW) 36, the primary feed coil 46 is excited by the
primary coil oscillation drive control device 47. When the primary
feed coil 46 is excited, magnetic flux 60, produced by this
excitation, penetrates through the secondary feed coil 55, disposed
in close proximity to the primary feed coil 46 in the closed
condition of the slide door 33, so that the secondary feed coil 55
produces an electromotive force by a mutual induction operation.
Then, the electromotive force, produced in the secondary feed coil
55, is transmitted to the slide door-contained battery 38 through
the rectification charging function circuit 56 and the charging
switch (SW) 40, so that this battery is charged with this
electromotive force (In this case, the loads 53 are in a stopped
condition). At this time, in order to stabilize the power source,
the feedback signal for voltage-adjusting purposes is sent by the
mutual induction operation of the second feedback-purpose coil 57
and the first feedback-purpose coil 48 (Reference numeral 61
denotes magnetic flux).
[0071] On the other hand, the door-side control unit 39, supplied
with electric power, controls the slide door-contained battery 38
and the plurality of loads 53 in the slide door 33. Then, when the
charging rate of the slide door-contained battery 38, which has
been kept monitored, exceeds the predetermined value, this control
unit outputs a feed stop request to the second feedback-purpose
coil 57. The feedback signal, representative of this feed stop
request, is transmitted from the second feedback-purpose coil 57 to
the first feedback-purpose coil 48.
[0072] The vehicle body-side control unit 35, which has been
monitoring the feedback signal, inputs this feedback signal
thereinto as a feed stop signal. When there is the feed stop
request, this control unit turns off the feed control switch (SW)
36, thereby stopping the supply of electric power to the primary
coil unit 34. When the supply of electric power to the primary coil
unit 34 is interrupted, the vehicle body-side control unit 35
effects the trickle charging (trickle charge, pulse charge)
corresponding to the self-discharge and dark current of the slide
door-contained battery 38. This operation is not influenced whether
or not there is the feed stop request. When there is no feed stop
request, the supply of electric power is continued. When the
vehicle body conditions (the engine is in the operating condition,
and the slide door 33 is in the closed condition) are changed to be
established, the trickle charging (trickle charge, pulse charge) is
effected. At this time, if it is judged by the door-side control
unit 39 that the charging rate of the slide door-contained battery
38 is above the predetermined value, the trickling operation is
effected, and if not, the ordinary charging is effected. This is
the same even after the loads 53 are operated.
[0073] As described above, it will be readily appreciated that the
charging of the slide door-contained battery 38 can be effected
efficiently. It will also be readily appreciated that the burden on
the vehicle body-side battery 41 is reduced.
[0074] Therefore, there is achieved an advantage that there is
provided the charging method which overcomes the problems of the
related art. In the present invention, various modifications can be
made within the scope of the subject matter of the invention.
Namely, the supply of electric power from the vehicle body 32 to
the slide door 33 does not always need to depend on the
above-mentioned mutual induction operation. The power supply
through the body-side feed contact 4 and the door-side feed contact
5 as in the conventional construction, as well as the power supply
through feed cables mounted on the slide door 33, may be
adopted.
[0075] As described above, in the present invention, when the load
in the slide door is in a stopped condition, and the charging rate
of the slide door-contained battery is below the predetermined
value, the slide door-contained battery is charged with the
electric power. Therefore, the efficient charging of the slide
door-contained battery can be effected. And besides, with this
charging method, the burden on the vehicle body-side battery can be
reduced. Therefore, there is achieved an advantage that there can
be provided the slide door-contained battery-charging method in
which the efficient charging is effected, and the burden on the
vehicle body-side battery is reduced.
[0076] Further, the trickle charging is effected when the charging
rate of the slide door-contained battery is above the predetermined
value, and therefore there is achieved an advantage that the more
efficient charging can be effected.
[0077] Further, there is achieved an advantage that the more
efficient charging can be effected by utilizing the mutual
induction operation. And besides, there is achieved an advantage
that those portions, related to the power supply, can be made
compact.
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