EP1644601A1

EP1644601A1 - Handle for doors or hinged flaps of vehicles

Info

Publication number: EP1644601A1
Application number: EP04740687A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Erkan Korultay; Marion Kilian
Original assignee: Huf Huelsbeck and Fuerst GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Huf Huelsbeck and Fuerst GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2003-07-15
Filing date: 2004-07-06
Publication date: 2006-04-12
Anticipated expiration: 2024-07-06
Also published as: US20060180447A1; JP2006528290A; WO2005008003A1; ATE364767T1; KR20060052813A; EP1644601B1; CN1823207B; CN1823207A; JP5057323B2; US7273991B2; DE502004004100D1; DE10331947A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a handle with an integrated switch (20) for doors or hinged flaps of vehicles. The push-button switch is essentially made up of two components which can be fitted together. The first component (21) is made of a single-pieced injection-moulding product made of three plastic components which comprise a solid covering-shaped housing and an elastic membrane. Said membrane closes the housing cover (22) at the base on one end thereof, thus giving the component (21) a shell shape. A solid pressure activator (24) on the membrane (23) is used as the third plastic component. The second component (31) is formed from a circuit board (33) comprising connected cables (19) and a microswitch (30) mounted thereon. The second component (31) is inserted into the inside of a shell (26) of the first component (21). The circuit board (33) is oriented towards the shell opening (28) and is projected from the edge of the shell (43) of the shell-shaped component (21). Said connecting area of both components (21, 31) is secured by a safety plate (37) which covers at least the inserted circuit board (33) in certain areas. The remaining part of the shell edge of the shell-shaped component (21) is used as a mould and becomes a sealing compound (48) which closes the shell opening (28) after hardening.

Description

Handle for doors or flaps on vehicles

The invention is directed to a handle in which a key switch is installed. If the handle and / or the push button switch is operated manually, a locking system in the vehicle is used, which is used to lock, unlock, open and / or close a lock on the door or flap. In addition to the push-button switch, the handle also accepts other electrical or electronic components, such as a capacitive sensor, which reacts when the hand is approached and acts on the locking system.

In the known handle of this type (DE 196 17 038 C2), the push button switch and the electronic components were cast after they were installed in the inside of the handle. If defects occurred on the key switch, the entire handle had to be removed and replaced with a new handle. It was expensive and time consuming.

Electromechanical pushbuttons with housing, elastic membrane and dimensionally stable pressure actuator are known (DE 34 47 085 AI, DE 42 08 087 C l). However, these were assembled from individual plastic components and were not integrated in the handles of vehicles. An electrical composed of numerous mechanical components

Snap-action switch (DE 44 21 275 AI) had a housing which was cast in the opening area after the mechanical and electrical components had been installed.

A circuit board with a microswitch was not used. A pressure actuator integrated in a membrane was missing.

In the case of an actuator which is not integrated into a handle which can be actuated independently and independently (DE 100 20 172 AI), it is known to first snap a membrane into an opening in a frame sitting on the vehicle tailgate. A shell-shaped housing is then provided with a microswitch and an actuating lever and placed with the shell opening on the inner surface of the membrane. A wire clip is used to hold the housing shell together with the membrane. The microswitch and the operating lever are encapsulated on all sides by the housing shell and the membrane. The microswitch is activated by pressing the membrane via the lever. The assembly of this actuator on the vehicle results in high manufacturing costs.

In the case of a handle with a push-button switch integrated therein (DE 198 56 902 C2), it is known to form the push-button switch in a multi-component spraying technique from a shell-shaped structural unit which consists of a soft component and a central hard component, as a result of which a combined plug insert is formed. The shell wall is formed from the soft component, which has radial locking elements at its end, which can be locked in corresponding recesses in the interior of the handle. Before inserting the bowl-shaped housing, the microswitch with its cables must be inserted inside the handle. A reliable tightness of the built-in microswitch against splash water is not guaranteed. The assembly of the key switch from its components in the handle is costly.

The invention has for its object to develop a reliable, inexpensive handle of the type mentioned, which can be manufactured quickly and easily. This object is achieved according to the invention by the measures mentioned in claim 1, which have the following special significance. Essentially two components are used to manufacture the key switch. There is a first structural unit, which is manufactured in one piece in a three-plastic component injection molding technique and is to be referred to below for short as "shell unit". This shell unit consists of a dimensionally stable, sleeve-shaped housing, an elastic membrane closing the bottom end of the shell and a dimensionally stable pressure actuator The second assembly is preassembled from the following individual parts: a circuit board with electrical supply and discharge cables and a microswitch located on the circuit board Shell interior of the shell unit inserted and thus forms an "insertion unit".

The position of the insertion unit in the sleeve-shaped housing of the shell unit is secured by a locking plate. The locking plate covers the board of the inserted shell unit at least in some areas. This facilitates the final manufacturing stage, where the remaining shell edge residue from the shell unit housing serves as a casting mold. This remainder of the shell holds a potting compound. After solidification, the potting compound closes the shell opening and thus makes the housing media-tight.

This makes it possible to check the push button switch before installing it in the handle cavity. If a key switch fails after prolonged use, it can be easily replaced in the handle according to the invention without the entire handle having to be replaced in a costly manner. The potting compound used in the handle according to the invention is small in terms of quantity and allows the pushbutton switch and thus the handle to be manufactured quickly. Finally, the handle according to the invention is also easy to disassemble and can be easily recycled in its components.

Further measures and advantages of the invention result from the subclaims, the following description and the drawings. In the drawings, the invention is shown in one embodiment. Show it: 1 shows the handle according to the invention in the dismantled state, before being installed in a door,

2, in enlargement, the side view of the electrical and electronic components that are installed inside the handle shown in FIG. 1,

3, in a further enlarged view, the front perspective view of the push-button switch to be integrated in the handle,

4 shows a cross section through the pushbutton switch shown in FIG. 3 along the jumped section line IV-IV of FIG. 9,

5, in large enlargement, the perspective view of the back of a first injection molding unit for the push button switch after a spring-loaded plunger has been installed,

6, in a representation corresponding to FIG. 5, the perspective rear side of the first structural unit after a volume reducer has been inserted into the interior of the shell,

7, again, in a perspective rear view corresponding to FIGS. 5 and 6 of the first structural unit, after a second structural unit consisting of a circuit board and microswitch with connected cables has been installed there,

Fig. 8, in the same representation as Fig. 7, the subsequent manufacturing stage, where a locking plate covers the back of the board and Fig. 9, in the same representation as already in Fig. 5 to 8, the back of the finished push button switch after the protruding shell edge has been filled with a potting compound.

The handle 10 according to the invention has a bearing receptacle 13 at one end of the handle, about which the handle 10 can be pivoted manually in its installation situation in a door or flap. At the other end 12 of the handle sits a shaft 14 which engages in the door and acts with its end hook head 15 during the aforementioned pivoting movement of the handle 10 on a lock located inside the door. This is normally done to open the door when the lock is unlocked. The lock is part of a complex locking system.

This locking system also includes a proximity sensor, which is integrated in the interior of the hollow handle 10. The proximity sensor 16 can be seen in the dismantled state from FIG. 2 and normally acts capacitively when the hand approaches the handle 10. The generation and derivation of the sensor signals takes place via electrical cables 17 which, as shown in FIG. 1, emerge from the handle end 11 on the bearing side and end in an electrical coupling part, such as a plug 18. Further electronic components can also be arranged on the carrier 16 of the proximity sensor and, in particular, cables 19 lead away, which lead to a special push button switch 20. The push button switch 20 has the following structure, which can be seen in FIGS. 3 to 9.

As can best be seen from FIG. 4, the first structural unit 21 consists of a one-piece injection-molded body which is composed of three plastic components. There is a first dimensionally stable plastic component that creates the outer sleeve-shaped housing 22. The sleeve-shaped housing 22 is closed at one end with a profiled membrane 23 made of elastic plastic, which forms the second component, into which, as the third component, a pressure actuator 24 formed from a further dimensionally stable plastic is centrally integrated. The pressure actuator 24 consists of a plate, the outer surface 25 of which is used for actuation. In the installed state, according to FIG. 1, this outer surface 25 lies flush with the curved outer grip surface, the jacket parts of the membrane 23 having the opening provided for this purpose in the handle caulk. Because this first structural unit 21 is designed in the form of a shell, it is to be referred to below as the “shell unit”, as mentioned at the beginning.

This shell unit 21 also includes the following further elements, which can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, and which are produced in one piece with this unit 21 during injection molding. This initially includes an axial projection 26 formed on the inner surface of the pressure actuator 24, which has a central receptacle 27 for a plunger 40 with a mushroom shape. The tappet 40 has a widened foot 41 which is snapped to the axial extension 26 by a narrowed opening in the receptacle 27. The plunger 40 is held in a resilient extension position in the receptacle 27 by a spring 42 arranged between its mushroom head 40 and the pressure actuator 24. 5 shows the installation position of the plunger 40 with its spring 42 through the still open shell opening 28. The shell base 29 is axially overhanged considerably on the rear side by a shell edge 43.

The shell unit 21 is provided with further one-piece links. The sleeve-shaped housing 22 is provided with an inner shoulder 29. Pins 44 are formed on the inner shoulder 29 and extend axially and point against the shell opening 28 of the shell unit 21 produced. Furthermore, two segment-like projections 45 are formed on the inner surface of the pressure actuator 24, which protrude through the membrane layer 23, extend axially into the shell interior 46 and are positioned at a radial distance from the above-described tappet 40.

Then, as can be seen from FIG. 6, a volume reduction piece made of plastic is inserted into the shell interior 46 of the shell unit 21, which is emphasized in FIG. 6 by dot hatching. The ring interior of this piece 35 encloses the other central components, such as the mentioned axial projections 45 of the shell unit 21, at a radial distance 36 which can be seen in FIG. 4. The reduction piece 35 reduces the air volume in the shell interior 46 and becomes elastic due to mutually complementary contour profiles Membrane 23 of the shell unit 21 held.

The push button switch according to the invention also includes a second structural unit 31 which is preassembled from its individual components. This pre-assembled unit 31 is inserted into the interior of the shell 46 and should therefore, to distinguish it from the

Shell unit 21 will be referred to in the following for short as "insertion unit"

Insertion unit, as can best be seen from FIG. 4, initially comprises a circuit board

33 with conductor tracks, to which the mentioned electrical cables 19 are already connected on one surface side. On the other side of the board

33 sits a microswitch 30, which is contacted with its conductor tracks and has an axially movable contact actuator 32. When inserting the insertion unit 31 into the interior 46 of the shell, the pins 44 are used. The circuit board 33 has holes 34 which are best seen in FIGS. 4 and 7 and which are penetrated by the pins 44 of the shell unit 21 after insertion. After inserting the

Inserting unit 31 remains, as shown in FIG. 7, a protruding scarf edge 43 from

Housing 22 exist. This is now used to arrange further elements shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

8, a securing plate 37 is first placed, as shown in FIG. 8, which has the task of securing the position of the inserted insertion unit 31 in the shell unit 21. For this purpose, the locking plate 37 is provided with tips 38 on its circumference. When the locking plate 37 is placed on the back of the board 33, the tips 38 penetrate into the interior of the protruding shell edge 43 and cling to the inner wall surface. The installation position of the two structural units 21, 31 is thus initially secured. The locking plate 37 also has holes 39 in a position that corresponds to the position of the pins 44, through which holes the pins 44 are threaded when inserted. This also ensures the radial position of the locking plate 37 behind the assembled modules 21, 3 1.

As can be seen from FIG. 8, a rest 47 of the shell edge 43 remains behind the inserted locking plate 37, which serves in the last production stage as a casting mold for receiving a casting compound 48 highlighted by hatching in FIG. 9. The potting compound 48 closes the shell opening 28 in a media-tight manner.

Instead of the separate locking plate 37, the locking position between the two assemblies 21, 31 could also be shown by pins and not shown Openings are reached which are provided between the two structural units 21, 22 and come into engagement with one another during assembly. The cohesion then comes about through a deformation at the end of the pin, which results from the

Protrude openings. This deformation of the pin ends can be done by caulking but also by welding the pin ends.

B e z u g s z e i c h e n l i s t e:

Handle (Fig. 1) first, bearing-side handle end of 10 (Fig. 1) different, actuating handle end of 10 (Fig. 1) bearing holder at 1 1 (Fig. 1) shaft at 13 (Fig. 1) hook head at 14 (Fig 1) Carrier for proximity sensor (Fig. 2) electrical cable (Fig. 2) electrical coupling part to 17, plug (Fig. 1) electrical cable between 16 and 20 (Fig. 2) key switch first assembly, shell unit (Fig. 4) dimensionally stable sleeve-shaped housing of 21 (FIG. 4) elastic membrane of 21 (FIG. 4) dimensionally stable pressure actuator of 21 (FIG. 4) outer surface of 24 (FIG. 4) inner axial shoulder on 24 (FIG. 4) receptacle in 26 for 40 (Fig. 4) shell opening of 22 (Fig. 5) inner shoulder of 22 (Fig. 4, 5) microswitch of 31 (Fig. 4) second assembly of 20, insertion unit (Fig. 4) contact actuator of 30 (Fig. 4) Circuit board from 31 (Fig. 4) hole in 33 (Fig. 4) volume reduction piece (Fig. 4, 5) radial distance between 45, 35 (Fig. 4) locking plate (Fig. 4, 8) tips at 37 (Fig 8) Hole in 37 (Fig. 8th) Tappet with mushroom head (Fig. 4) foot of 40 (Fig. 4) compression spring of 40 (Fig. 4) shell edge of 22 (Fig. 4, 5) pins on 29 of 22 (Fig. 4) projections on 24 (Fig. 4, 5) shell interior (FIG. 4) shell edge remainder of 43 (FIG. 8) potting compound (FIG. 9)

Claims

Patent claims

1.) Handle (10) for doors or flaps on vehicles with a manually operable handle (10) and with a manually operable switch (20), which is integrated in the handle, where an actuation of the handle (10) or the switch ( 20) acts on a locking system in the vehicle, which is used for locking, unlocking, opening and / or closing a lock on the door or flap, with a first shell-shaped structural unit in the push button switch, which is produced in a multi-component spraying technique and acts as a shell unit (21) to be referred to, consisting of a dimensionally stable sleeve-shaped housing (22), an elastic membrane (23) which closes the bottom end of the sleeve at the bottom and a dimensionally stable pressure actuator (24) on the bottom membrane (23), the shell unit (21) opening its shell (28) on the rear side opposite the membrane (23), with a second structural unit consisting of a circuit board (33) with electrical connections and discharge cables (19) and from a microswitch (30) seated on the circuit board (33), the second structural unit being inserted into the interior of the shell (46) of the shell unit (21) and thus forming an insertion unit (3 1), the position of the insertion unit (31) in the sleeve-shaped housing (22) of the shell unit (21) is secured by a locking plate (37) which at least partially covers the board (33) of the inserted shell unit (31), and the remaining shell edge residue (47) from the housing (22) of the shell unit (21) serves as a casting mold and receives a casting compound (48) which, after solidifying, closes the shell opening (28).

2.) Handle according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking plate (37) by peripheral tips (38) claws in the protruding shell edge (43) of the shell unit (21).

3.) Handle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the shell interior (46) of the shell unit (21) an annular volume reduction piece (35) is inserted, the ring interior after inserting the second insertion unit (31) whose microswitch (31 ) encloses at a radial distance (36).

4.) Handle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the pressure actuator (24) of the first shell unit (21) in the shell interior (46) has an axial projection (26) for receiving a resilient plunger (40) which is finished Installation state is aligned with the contact actuator (32) from the microswitch (30).

5.) Handle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the pressure actuator (24) of the first shell unit (21) in the shell interior (46) has axially parallel projections (45) which are at a radial distance surround the plunger (40) and / or the microswitch (30) at least in regions like a segment.

6.) Handle according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the housing (22) of the first shell unit (21) has pins (44), the position of the arrangement of holes (34) in the insertable therein (33) corresponds to the second insertion unit (31) and / or a hole arrangement pattern (39) in the locking plate (37) which can be placed above it.

7.) Handle according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that for direct securing of the board (33) on the housing (22) of the first shell unit (21) openings are arranged through pins, the pin ends are caulked or welded.