US 12,331,574 B2
Control of a power tailgate system responsive to clutch slippage
Nicholas Ozog, South Lyon, MI (US); Gowtham Harsha Pulikonda, New Hudson, MI (US); Ryan Heins, Wixom, MI (US); and Yasuyuki Noiri, Walled Lake, MI (US)
Assigned to AISIN World Corp. of America., Northville, MI (US)
Filed by Aisin Technical Center of America, Inc., Northville, MI (US)
Filed on Feb. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/682,678.
Prior Publication US 2023/0295975 A1, Sep. 21, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E05F 15/41 (2015.01); E05F 15/611 (2015.01)
CPC E05F 15/41 (2015.01) [E05F 15/611 (2015.01); E05Y 2900/546 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for controlling a power tailgate in a vehicle power tailgate system, the system comprising:
a motor;
a reduction drive operably connected to the motor;
a slippable clutch operably connected to the reduction drive;
a screw operably connected to the clutch, the clutch being structured to transmit torque between the reduction drive and the screw;
a processor; and
a memory communicably coupled to the processor and storing a tailgate control module including instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
responsive to an input, operate the motor to attempt to raise the tailgate from a fully open position to a fully closed position;
if the tailgate is in the fully closed position, discontinue operating the motor;
determine a difference between a number of motor rotation edges expected to occur during operation of the motor to raise of the tailgate from the fully open position to the fully closed position, and a number of motor rotation edges that actually occurred during raising the tailgate; and
if the difference is greater than or equal to a predetermined tolerance value,
generate an alert indicating a need for manual reset of the tailgate.