EP2616616B1 - Vehicle door handle comprising an inertial mass and a fuse - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to the vehicle opening handles.

Sash handles are known that are equipped with an inertial system capable, in the event of a side impact and under the effect of the acceleration variation, of taking a locking position which inhibits the mechanism of the handle to prevent any inadvertent opening. of the opening, especially if the inertia of the shock tends to actuate a control member of the handle.

DE102009016898 describes a handle equipped with a system according to the prior art.

Inertial systems of the reversible type and inertial systems of the irreversible type are known in particular.

A reversible system returns to the rest position at the end of the shock. It has the advantage of allowing the opening of the opening by means of the handle after the shock. However, it has the disadvantage of being generally very sensitive to lateral accelerations in both directions, as well as rebounds. Thus, if there are variations in the direction of the acceleration during the impact, the system may return to its rest position and activate again the mechanism of the handle that was initially inhibited. This can cause the handle to move under the impact and open the opening.

An irreversible inertial system remains in the locked position for the duration of the shock and after the shock. It has the advantage of not being sensitive to variations in acceleration during the shock, or rebounds. It is therefore certain that the handle mechanism is properly inhibited throughout the duration of the shock, so that the opening does not open. This system however has the disadvantage that the handle mechanism remains inhibited after the shock and therefore makes it impossible to open the opening manually by operating the handle.

An object of the invention is to combine the advantages of the two types of system without their disadvantages.

For this purpose, there is provided a handle of a vehicle opening according to claim 1.

shock, and although the mechanism remains a priori inhibited, it is possible to force the opening of the opening by soliciting the control member so as to break or deform the lever which thus forms a mechanical fuse. The opening can be opened to allow the exit of an occupant of the vehicle. This handle combines the advantages of the systems of the two aforementioned types while overcoming their disadvantages.

• le levier est agencé pour transmettre un mouvement de l'organe de commande à un mécanisme d'ouverture de la poignée ;
• le seuil vaut 500 newtons ;
• le levier présente une zone de rupture préférentielle amincie ;
• la zone amincie est ménagée dans une partie plane du levier ;
• la zone amincie présente une forme de « U » ;
• la poignée comprend un bâti formant une butée pour la masse lors de la rupture ou de la déformation du levier ; et
• la poignée est agencée pour interdire à la masse inertielle de passer de la position de blocage à une position de repos autorisant l'ouverture.

The handle may advantageously also have at least one of the following characteristics:

• the lever is arranged to transmit a movement of the control member to an opening mechanism of the handle;
• the threshold is 500 newtons;
• the lever has a thinned preferential rupture zone;
• the thinned zone is formed in a flat part of the lever;
• the thinned zone has a shape of "U";
• the handle comprises a frame forming a stop for the mass during the breaking or deformation of the lever; and
• the handle is arranged to prevent the inertial mass from moving from the locking position to a rest position allowing opening.

• la figure 1 est une vue partielle en perspective d'un mécanisme d'une poignée selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention ; et
• les figures 2 à 4 illustrent trois étapes respectives du fonctionnement de ce mécanisme.

Other features and advantages of the invention defined by the appended claims will appear in the following description of an embodiment given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• the figure 1 is a partial perspective view of a mechanism of a handle according to one embodiment of the invention; and
• the Figures 2 to 4 illustrate three different stages in the operation of this mechanism.

We will describe below an embodiment of a motor vehicle opening handle according to the invention. The opening can be a front door, a rear door or a rag. It is in this case an external handle for the operation of the opening for unlocking and opening from outside the vehicle. The invention is nevertheless also applicable to an internal handle for opening the opening.

The orthogonal coordinate system XYZ is used in the following, in which the horizontal directions X and Y are respectively parallel and perpendicular to the direction of travel of the vehicle and the direction Z is vertical.

With reference first to Figures 1 and 2 , the handle 2 includes a support or frame 4 rigidly fixed to the structure of the opening. It comprises an external gripping portion 6 intended to be actuated manually by a user wishing to open the opening from outside the vehicle. This part 6 is in this case articulated to the support 4 about a vertical axis 8 and this by means known in themselves which are not detailed here. The gripping portion 6 extends inside the handle and the opening by an extension 10 extending in the direction Y.

The handle 2 comprises a lever 12 mounted to rotate relative to the support 4 about a vertical axis 14. This lever comprises in particular an arm 16 extending in the path of an end edge of the extension 10 of so that when a user maneuvers the gripping portion 6 outward in the direction Y, the extension 10 carries the arm 16, which rotates the lever 12.

The lever is connected, in a manner not shown and which will not be described here, to other parts of the handle mechanism, including a traction cable. This mechanism serves to unlock the opening relative to the vehicle body.

The handle 2 also comprises an inertial system comprising a part 18 forming a mass mounted to rotate relative to the support 4 about a vertical axis 20. This part comprises two profiled parts 22 and 24 giving the part as seen in section on the Figures 2 to 4 a general shape in "V".

The mass 18 can occupy different positions around its axis 20.

In the rest position illustrated in figure 2 , the locking portion 22 extends out of the path of the lever 12, so that it allows its rotation and allows to control the opening of the opening by maneuvering the gripping portion 6.

In the blocking position illustrated in figure 3 , the locking portion 22 extends in the path of the lever 12 so that it prevents rotation, so that it inhibits the handle mechanism. The compression portion 24 of the mass 18 can indeed bear against a stop 26 rigidly secured to the support 4. It thereby holds the gripping portion 6 in position and prevents the opening of the opening.

A return spring 19 of the mass to its rest position is supported on the one hand on the mass and on the other hand on the support 4. The compression portion 24 has a mass greater than that of the locking portion 22 , so that if the mass undergoes an acceleration in the Y direction towards the outside of the vehicle, it pivots in the counter-clockwise direction to move from the rest position to the locking position.

The free end of the locking portion 24 carries an elastic tongue 27 a proximal portion extends in the extension of the face of the locking portion 24 facing outwards, and a distal portion is folded parallel to the Y direction when the mass 18 is at rest. The two parts of the tongue are parallel to the Z direction.

The frame 4 further comprises a stop 29 having a ramp face 31 and a stop face 33, both parallel to the Z direction. The ramp face is inclined with respect to the direction X and extends opposite the tongue 27 when the mass is in the rest position. The stop face 33 is perpendicular to the Y direction and oriented in the opposite direction to the tongue in the rest position of the mass.

The tongue 27 cooperates with the stop 29 to form a non-return device. Indeed, when the mass passes from the rest position to the locking position, the tongue 27 bears against the ramp 31 which has the effect of bending the tongue to allow it to pass the stop 29. When the tongue reaches the level of the face 33, it unfolds elastically. The face 33 then forms an obstacle for the tongue 27 preventing the return of the mass 18 in the rest position. The face 33 is in fact oriented in a plane perpendicular to that of the average fiber of the distal portion of the tongue 27.

Other arrangements for retaining the inertial mass in the locking position are conceivable, such as a ratchet wheel integral with the inertial mass or an elastic metal plate flexion, dissociated from the inertial mass but receiving in a suitable orifice a lug of the inertial mass when the latter is in the locking position.

The stops 26 and 29 are rigid and therefore have negligible elasticity.

The lever 12 comprises an arm or plate 35 by means of which it is adapted to come into direct contact with the locking portion 22. The arm 35 has a substantially planar shape parallel to the axis 14 but not radial to the latter. The arm 35 has a constant thickness, with the exception of a thinned zone forming a rupture primer. This zone 37 has a "U" shape when the arm 35 is observed at rest in a plane in the Y direction. The lever 12 comprises two disks 39 and 41 of axis 14 to which the arms 16 and 35 are rigidly fixed. "U" branches are parallel to the disks and extend along them respectively. The base of the "U" is parallel to the axis 14. The free ends of the branches extend at the free edge of the arm. The thinned zone thus delimits a free end zone 43 of the arm capable of breaking. The lever, and more generally the handle, is configured so that the rupture of the free end 43 only occurs if a user exerts on the member 6 a bias having an intensity exceeding a predetermined threshold. For example, it can be set at 500 newtons.

The handle according to the invention operates as follows.

The figure 1 illustrates the handle in the rest position of all parts. The locking portion 22 extends out of the path of the lever and its compression portion 24 extends away from the stop 26. If a user wishes to open the opening, it actuates the gripping portion 6 which drives with the extension 10 the lever 12 in rotation about its axis to cause the unlocking of the opening. The return spring 19 keeps the mass 18 out of the path of the lever 12 so that the extension 10 can freely drive the latter.

With reference to the figure 2 it is assumed that there is a side impact of the vehicle in the Y direction outwards and that this shock is such that the gripping portion 6 initiates inertial displacement to the outside of the vehicle. It is the same for the inertial mass 18 which moves beforehand by turning in the anti-clockwise direction with respect to its position of the figure 1 until the stop 29 is reached at the tongue 27. In the blocking position thus reached, the portion 22 extends in the trajectory of the lever 12, which prevents any further rotation if necessary by bearing against the stop 26, despite the bias exerted by the extension 10. The gripping portion is therefore held in position against the force generated by the acceleration of the shock. This avoids any inadvertent opening of the opening. Knowing that the tongue 27 now extends facing the face 33 of the stop 29, the passage of the mass 18 from the rest position to the locking position is irreversibly performed, so that the mass remains in the blocking position during the whole shock and after the end of the latter.

It is assumed figure 3 that the shock phase is completed and that a user wishes to open the opening from the outside. It actuates the gripping portion 6 by providing a force having an intensity exceeding the predetermined threshold. The extension 10 therefore tends to turn the lever 12 in the clockwise direction and thus to rotate the inertial mass counterclockwise. However, the latter bears against the abutment 26. The biasing of the arm 35 against the locking portion 22 at its free end zone 43 causes the latter to break along the thinned zone 37 as illustrated in FIG. figure 4 . This break is sufficient for the mass 18 does not extend in the path of the remaining portion of the arm 35, allowing the latter to rotate in the clockwise direction under the effect of the bias exerted on the part of gripping. This movement allows the opening of the opening.

The handle according to the invention thus has both the advantage of providing an irreversible inertial system which remains in the locking position during the entire shock and at the end of the latter, and to allow the voluntary opening of the opening on command of a user after the shock.

Of course, we can bring to the invention defined by the appended claims many changes without departing from the scope thereof.

One could provide that the tongue 27 is carried by the frame and that the stop 29 is carried by the mass 18.

It is also possible that the fuse piece is not able to break but to deform, provided that it suffices to allow the opening of the opening when the mass occupies the blocking position.

The threshold value of 500 newtons is given only as an example. It can be expected to increase or reduce this threshold. It is a question of determining a threshold which avoids an inadvertent opening of the sash under the effect of the inertial displacement of the gripping member but allows a deliberate opening of the sash by the manipulation of this member.

Claims (8)

1. A handle for a movable panel of a vehicle, including:

   - an inertial mass (18) capable of assuming a position of blocking opening of the handle, and

   - a lever (12) adapted to break or to be deformed because of the effect of applying a force to an operating member (6) of the handle having an intensity exceeding a predetermined threshold to allow opening when the mass is in the blocking position, characterized in that the lever (12) is arranged to be in direct contact with the mass (18).
2. Handle according to the preceding claim in which the lever (12) is adapted to transmit a movement of the operating member (6) to an opening mechanism of the handle.
3. Handle according to at least either one of the preceding claims wherein the threshold has a value of 500 newtons.
4. Handle according to at least any one of the preceding claims in which the lever (12) has a thinner preferential rupture area (37).
5. Handle according to the preceding claim wherein the thinner area (37) is provided in a plane portion (35) of the lever (12).
6. Handle according to at least either one of claims 4 and 5 in which the thinner area (37) is U-shaped.
7. Handle according to at least any one of the preceding claims which includes a frame (4) forming an abutment (26) for the mass (18) on rupture or deformation of the lever (12).
8. Handle according to at least any one of the preceding claims which is adapted to prevent the inertial mass moving from the blocking position to a rest position allowing opening.

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