EP4177425B1 - External opening control device for a motor vehicle opening - Google Patents

Description

Technical area.

The present invention relates to a device for controlling the exterior opening of a motor vehicle opening. The invention relates more particularly but not exclusively to such a control device which combines an electric actuator and a mechanical actuator, capable of triggering the opening of a lock on the door of the motor vehicle.

The exterior appearance of motor vehicles having become one of the main factors of appeal and success, this invention relates to a device for controlling the exterior opening of a side opening of the vehicle, both very practical in use and presenting an exterior appearance opening new perspectives for improving the style of motor vehicles, particularly the side style.

Generally, the control device comprises an operating pallet (or gripping handle) which is mounted articulated relative to a body panel of the opening, inside a housing. This box is generally housed inside a cutout provided for this purpose in the body panel.

A current trend consists of allowing the opening of the sash by means of an electric actuator, itself triggered manually for example by light pressure, a simple touch or detection of the close presence of a user in a predefined area of the control device, generally a non-visible interior face of the maneuvering pallet. During this manual actuation, an electrical unlocking command to open the vehicle door is generated to the main control unit of the vehicle.

For safety reasons, it is generally expected that the opening control device allows mechanical opening in the event of a failure. electric. The opening of the mechanical actuator is for example carried out by application to the operating pallet of a significantly higher actuation force, then resulting in the mechanical release of the opening by actuation of a transmission assembly, for example a rod connected to the lock.

Prior technique.

Such a control device is known in particular from the prior art, and in particular from the publication of the international application WO2021/009294A1 .

Such an opening control device design allows particularly intuitive operation thereof because the motorist who wishes to open the opening of the vehicle proceeds in the same pulling movement, first of all to an attempt to electrically unlock the lock mechanism associated with the pallet by manually triggering the electric actuator located in an interior gripping area of the pallet, then, only in the event of failure to open the sash by exerting a traction force of intensity higher on the handle. It then causes, without changing its movement, the opening of the door by exerting on the pallet a pulling force oriented upwards, which leads to the pivoting of the pallet and the mechanical actuation of the lock.

This prior art control device, however, has numerous drawbacks.

First of all, it turns out to be particularly complex during assembly because it includes a large number of parts to be assembled together. In addition, gripping the pallet is also poorly optimized from an ergonomic point of view because it requires an amplitude of twisting of the user's wrist when the latter uses the mechanical actuation of the lock of the opening.

Faced with these drawbacks, the present invention aims to further improve external opening control devices of the type considered. The invention aims in particular to propose an opening control device more ergonomic exterior, simpler to assemble while offering new perspectives in the style of the vehicle.

We still know of the prior art, the documents US2014/230329A1 And DE102019135304A1 which describe exterior control handles of an opening of a “fridge” type motor vehicle as well as the documents US2020/332554A1 And DE20210610U1 which describe interior equipment of a motor vehicle.

Summary of the invention

To this end, the subject of the invention is an external opening control device according to the main claim.

Thanks to the invention, the assembly of the device is simplified thanks to the articulation of the handle on the body of the housing in an arrangement perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle of the device. In particular, this makes it easier to arrange the lock actuation mechanism while being more ergonomic when the handle is operated. This arrangement also makes it possible to offer a new style of motor vehicle opening, allowing relatively discreet integration of the handle into its immediate environment without resorting to complex means.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the handle is provided with a mechanical actuation branch of the lock extending transversely and configured to act on a transmission assembly linked to the lock.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the device comprises a manual control element arranged on the interior face of the handle by means of which an electrical control for the electrical actuation of the lock can be generated in such a way that a user can proceed in a single gripping movement of the handle to the electrical actuation of the lock and, in the event of failure, to the mechanical actuation of the lock by application of a pulling force from the handle towards the open position.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the device comprises a shell shaped to cover the recess, the handle and the shell being configured to cooperate together so that the shell cannot be extracted from the support after assembly of the handle on the support.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cavity of the support is configured to impose on the shell an intermediate assembly and/or disassembly position passing through a final location of the handle in the cavity of the support.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cavity and the shell are shaped to prevent the shell from being placed in a transverse nesting direction inside the cavity directly in a final destination position of the shell.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the support comprises a location for transversely receiving a dummy barrel part provided with a front presentation face, the handle being configured in the support to cover the presentation face in the rest position.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the barrel part comprises a means of attachment to a side wall of the support.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the device comprises a mechanism for resisting the opening of the gripping handle from its rest position to its open position which presents a hard point crossing separating at least a first part of the opening trajectory of the handle with intense tensile effort of a second part of the trajectory with low tensile effort.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the opening resistance mechanism comprises a locking lever movably mounted in the support of a configuration for blocking the movement of the handle at a configuration for releasing the movement of the handle, the resistance mechanism comprising means for elastic return of the blocking lever towards the blocking configuration.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the locking lever comprises a cam profile and the handle comprises an actuation branch configured to act on a transmission assembly of the lock provided at the end with a follower finger cooperating with the along the cam profile when applying a tensile force to the handle.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cam profile has a ramp provided with at least one inflection point defining the two trajectory parts.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lever forms a return lever configured to pull a traction cable of the lock, when moving towards its release configuration.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the support comprises a housing for receiving and guiding the elastic means and the lever is mounted to slide in the longitudinal direction of the housing.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the support includes a passage path which extends from the exterior to the lever in which a handle mounting tool can be engaged to temporarily move the lever to the against the means in order to allow the release of the movement of the handle towards a mounting position.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the handle extends flush with the panel of the opening and has an exterior surface which defines continuity of shape and/or appearance with a surface of the panel of the opening. . For reasons of aerodynamics and aesthetics of the vehicle, the operating handle is preferably made flush with the bodywork skin of the opening panel. The opening panel receiving the control device is then provided with a cavity open towards the outside to allow the user to slide their hand behind the handle, in order to grasp the internal gripping surface constituting the gripping zone of the handle.

Brief description of the drawings

• Fig.1
  [fig.1] représente une vue en perspective d'une face extérieure d'un panneau d'ouvrant de véhicule intégrant en façade un dispositif de commande d'ouverture extérieure selon l'invention ;
• Fig.2
  [fig.2] représente une vue en perspective d'une face intérieure du panneau de la figure 1 ;
• Fig.3
  [fig.3] représente une vue en perspective du panneau de la figure 1 dans une configuration non assemblée ;
• Fig.4
  [fig.4] représente une vue en perspective d'une face arrière du dispositif de la figure 1 ;
• Fig.5
  [fig.5] représente une vue en coupe du dispositif de la figure 4 selon un plan de coupe longitudinale ;
• Fig.6
  [fig.6] représente une vue en perspective à échelle agrandie d'un mécanisme de résistance à l'ouverture du dispositif de la figure 1 ;
• Fig.7
  [fig.7] représente une autre vue en perspective du mécanisme de résistance à l'ouverture de la figure 6 et de son environnement immédiat ;
• Fig.8
  [fig.8] représente une vue en perspective avec écorché partiel du dispositif de commande de la figure 1 dans lequel un élément commutateur manuel d'actionnement électrique d'une serrure de l'ouvrant est apparent ;
• Fig.9
  [fig.9] représente une vue en perspective du support de poignée du dispositif de la figure 1 et du panneau de l'ouvrant à l'état assemblé ;
• Fig.10
  [fig.10] représente une vue en perspective du support de poignée du dispositif de la figure 1 et du panneau de l'ouvrant en cours d'assemblage ;
• Fig.11
  [fig.11] représente une vue en perspective de détail à échelle agrandie de moyens d'accouplement rapides d'un support de poignée du dispositif de la figure 1 et du panneau de l'ouvrant dans une configuration montée ;
• Fig.12
  [fig.12] représente une vue en perspective de détail à échelle agrandie de moyens d'accouplement rapides d'un support de poignée du dispositif de la figure 1 et du panneau de l'ouvrant dans une configuration démontée;
• Fig.13
  [fig.13] illustre une étape d'assemblage d'une coque d'habillage du dispositif de la figure 1 sur le panneau de l'ouvrant ;
• Fig.14
  [fig.14] illustre une étape d'assemblage d'une poignée du dispositif sur le panneau de l'ouvrant ;
• Fig.15
  [fig.15] illustre de façon schématique une étape d'assemblage du dispositif de l'invention ;
• Fig.16
  [fig.16] illustre de façon schématique une étape d'assemblage du dispositif de l'invention ;
• Fig.17
  [fig.17] illustre trois étapes d'ouverture de la poignée, une position extrême de repos (position A), une position intermédiaire d'ouverture (position B) et une position finale d'ouverture (position C).
• Fig.18
  [fig.18] représente une vue en perspective du dispositif de l'invention de la figure 1 prévu pour être installé sur un ouvrant du « côté conducteur » ;
• Fig.19
  [fig.19] représente le dispositif de la figure 1 en cours de montage d'une coque d'habillage selon deux modes d'assemblage différents (A ou B).

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear in light of the description which follows, made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• Fig.1
  [ fig.1 ] represents a perspective view of an exterior face of a vehicle opening panel integrating on the facade an exterior opening control device according to the invention;
• Fig.2
  [ fig.2 ] represents a perspective view of an interior face of the panel of the figure 1 ;
• Fig.3
  [ fig.3 ] represents a perspective view of the panel of the figure 1 in an unassembled configuration;
• Fig.4
  [ fig.4 ] represents a perspective view of a rear face of the device of the figure 1 ;
• Fig.5
  [ fig.5 ] represents a sectional view of the device of the Figure 4 according to a longitudinal section plane;
• Fig.6
  [ fig.6 ] represents a perspective view on an enlarged scale of a mechanism for resisting opening of the device of the figure 1 ;
• Fig.7
  [ fig.7 ] represents another perspective view of the resistance mechanism when opening the Figure 6 and its immediate environment;
• Fig.8
  [ fig.8 ] represents a perspective view with partial cutaway of the control device of the figure 1 in which a manual switch element for electrical actuation of a lock of the opening is visible;
• Fig.9
  [ fig.9 ] represents a perspective view of the handle support of the device of the figure 1 and the sash panel in the assembled state;
• Fig.10
  [ fig.10 ] represents a perspective view of the handle support of the device of the figure 1 and the opening panel being assembled;
• Fig.11
  [ fig.11 ] represents a detailed perspective view on an enlarged scale of quick coupling means of a handle support of the device of the figure 1 and the sash panel in a mounted configuration;
• Fig.12
  [ fig.12 ] represents a detailed perspective view on an enlarged scale of quick coupling means of a handle support of the device of the figure 1 and the sash panel in a dismantled configuration;
• Fig.13
  [ fig.13 ] illustrates a step of assembling a covering shell of the device of the figure 1 on the sash panel;
• Fig.14
  [ fig.14 ] illustrates a step of assembling a handle of the device on the panel of the opening;
• Fig.15
  [ fig.15 ] schematically illustrates an assembly step of the device of the invention;
• Fig.16
  [ fig.16 ] schematically illustrates an assembly step of the device of the invention;
• Fig.17
  [ fig.17 ] illustrates three stages of opening of the handle, an extreme rest position (position A), an intermediate opening position (position B) and a final opening position (position C).
• Fig.18
  [ fig.18 ] represents a perspective view of the device of the invention of the figure 1 intended to be installed on an opening on the “driver’s side”;
• Fig.19
  [ fig.19 ] represents the device of the figure 1 during assembly of a trim shell using two different assembly modes (A or B).

Description of embodiments

We represented on the figures 1 to 19 a device for controlling the exterior opening of a motor vehicle opening according to the invention. In the remainder of the description, the device will be designated by the general reference 20, the opening by the general reference 12 and the motor vehicle by the general reference 10.

An orthonormal reference mark is indicated on the figure 1 . It defines a first direction which corresponds to a longitudinal axis Z of the vehicle.

In figures 1 and 2 , the control device 20 is intended to be mounted on an exterior body panel 14 of the opening 12 which is for example a side door of the motor vehicle 10. The panel 14 comprises a visible exterior face 18E and a hidden interior face 18I .

In general, as can be seen in the Figure 3 , the device 20 comprises a handle support 26 intended to be mounted in a cutout 16 of complementary shape formed in the exterior panel 14 of the opening 12 and a gripping handle 22 pivotally mounted on the support 26.

Conventionally, the motor vehicle 10 also includes an opening lock (not shown) typically mounted on the opening 12 of the opening. vehicle 10 and configured to be actuated mechanically and/or electrically.

In this example, the handle 22 is intended for operating the opening 14 as well as for the mechanical actuation of opening the lock of the motor vehicle 10. Preferably, the lock is connected to the operating handle 22 by a mechanical connection (also referred to as a transmission assembly) which will be explained in detail later and which allows the mechanical actuation of the opening.

Generally, the opening of an opening of a motor vehicle is carried out for example by means of a lock comprising a bolt (not shown) secured to the opening capable of cooperating with a striker (not shown) secured to the bodywork. of the vehicle. In practice, the action of releasing the bolt is called opening the lock, which allows the sash to be released. Conversely, closing the lock is the act of holding the bolt in the strike plate, which prevents the sash from being released.

For example, the function of the lock is to maintain the opening 12 of the motor vehicle 10 in the closed position. The lock also makes it possible to unhook the opening 12 by action on the exterior opening control device 20 which is connected to the lock and operable by a user. The bolt is released from the striker by electrical or mechanical actuation of the exterior opening control 20.

The lock can be opened electrically by means of an electromechanical actuator (not shown in the figures). In this case, the actuator (not shown) comprises for example an electric motor, electrically powered by the main electrical circuit of the vehicle. This electric motor is sized to allow the lock and sash to open under normal operating conditions.

The lock is also preferably connected to an electronic central unit (not shown in the figures) for controlling the locking and unlocking of the various locks fitted to the motor vehicle 10.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the device 20 further comprises a barrel part 30 having a front presentation face 30A. The barrel part 30 has in the example illustrated on the Figure 3 a general cylindrical shape with a front presentation face which is preferably relatively flat.

In the event of an electrical failure, preferably the lock can be unlocked mechanically. For this purpose, in a “driver” opening configuration of the vehicle 10, in a conventional manner, the barrel part 30 of the device 20 is functional and is configured to allow the insertion of a lock key through its presentation face 30A. As illustrated in the Figure 18 , in this case, the device 20 comprises a lock cover 32 in the form of a cover intended to be mounted removable (articulated in rotation or not) above the location of the barrel part 30 and can be removed manually in order to free access to the presentation face 30A to allow insertion of the lock key.

When the control device 20 is intended to be mounted in a so-called “passenger” opening configuration, as is illustrated in the Figure 3 , the barrel part 30 is preferably a dummy part and is inoperative. Preferably, in this case, the handle 22 is configured to cover the location of the barrel part 30 in its rest position.

Preferably, as illustrated in the Figure 3 , the support 26 is formed by a housing body 40 which is intended to be fixed on the internal side 18I of the panel 14 and the gripping handle 22 is intended to be arranged on the external side 18E of the panel 14, while being attached to the housing body 40 forming a support.

In this exemplary embodiment, the gripping handle 22 is in the form of a body of generally elongated shape which extends in the longitudinal direction X.

As is clear from the figure 1 , the handle 22 is in the form of an elongated bar, in the longitudinal direction the opposite side will be referred to as forward side 22A. This orientation from back to front corresponds substantially to an orientation from right to left on the figure 1 .

In accordance with the invention, as is visible on the Figure 3 , the handle 22 is mounted articulated on the support 26 by the rear end side 22B around a hinge axis extending in the vertical direction Z relative to the housing body 40. The hinge axis will be described as vertical, that is to say substantially parallel to the plane of the exterior panel 14 and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X of the gripping handle 22.

The gripping handle 22 is mounted articulated around the geometric axis of articulation relative to the support 26 between at least one extreme retracted rest position and an extreme deployed opening position causing the mechanical actuation of the opening of the lock of the opening 12 causing the opening of the opening 12.

In order to allow the articulation of the handle 22, in the example illustrated, its rear side 22B has a forked end 34 intended to be mounted for rotation around a pivot rod of the support 26 (not visible in the figures).

Furthermore, in the example illustrated, on the front side 22A, the handle 22 is mechanically linked to the lock mechanism. This allows, thanks to the operation of the handle 22, the mechanical actuation of the opening of the lock and the release of the opening 14.

For this purpose, preferably, the handle 22 comprises, on its front side 22A, a transverse extension actuation branch 36 configured to act on a transmission assembly coupled to the lock mechanism which makes it possible to carry out the mechanical opening of the lock of the opening 12. The transmission assembly comprises for example a traction cable and a return lever 62 which will be described in more detail below.

As is clear from the figure 2 or 3 , the housing body 40 has frontally an open front face 42 on the outside of the opening 12 in the general shape of a frame and a rear wall 44 which is arranged to extend from the internal side of the panel 14 of the opening 12 The housing body 40 includes again in this example a peripheral wall 46 which delimits with the rear wall 44 a cavity 48 for receiving the handle 22 open towards the outside of the opening 12.

Preferably, as is visible on the figure 2 , the cavity 48 of the housing body 40 is arranged in the panel 14 of the opening 12 to extend back relative to the exterior surface of the panel 14 and thus receive the gripping handle 22 substantially flush with the exterior surface of panel 14 (or vehicle body skin). Preferably, the handle 22 has an exterior surface which defines surface continuity with a surface of the panel 14 of the opening 12 and possibly also appearance continuity.

As illustrated in the figures, the handle 22 is arranged in the body of the housing 40 to partially close the internal cavity 48 of the housing body 40 in the rest position so that in the example illustrated, a lower longitudinal edge of the handle 22 defines vertically downwards a concave clearance 50 in the shape of, for example, a bucket or half-bowl allowing the insertion of a user's hand behind the handle 22.

In the retracted position of the handle 22, the cavity 48 open towards the outside is partially closed by the handle 22 so as to make an interior face of the handle 22 accessible for gripping through the clearance 50. In fact, when the hand of the user slides into the clearance 50 of the housing body 40, the internal face of the user's phalanges faces the internal face of the handle 22.

Of course, as a variant, the handle 22 can be arranged so as to close a lower portion of the internal cavity 48 such that an upper longitudinal edge of the handle 22 delimits vertically in this case upwards the concave clearance. It is also possible that the handle 22 can be arranged so as to close a middle portion of the internal cavity 48 such that the handle 22 vertically delimits both upwards and downwards concave clearances.

Preferably, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the device 20 further comprises a covering shell 52 configured to fit the clearance 50 of the open cavity 48 of the housing 40 not closed by the handle 22 in its position of rest. In this example, the shell 52 forms a finishing trim making it possible to cover the part of the recess 48 of the housing body 40 not covered by the handle 22 in its rest position.

For example, as shown in the Figure 10 , the housing 40 is functionally composed of at least two parts: a first upper part for receiving the handle 22 in the rest position and a second lower part for access to gripping the handle 22 in its rest position. This second part comprises the concave recess 48 open to the outside which forms the access clearance 50 to the internal face of the handle 22 in its retracted rest position.

In the example illustrated, the housing body 40 comprises in the longitudinal direction at one end of its first part a location in which is provided a bore 54 shaped to transversely accommodate the barrel part 30 such that the barrel 30 presents frontally its presentation side 30A.

Furthermore, preferably, in the so-called "passenger" opening configuration, the front end part 22A of the handle 22 is shaped to cover the presentation face 30A in the rest position of the handle 22. In the preferred configuration of the invention, the front end portion 22A of the handle 22 forms a front longitudinal extension of the handle 22 beyond a position of the actuating branch 36 of the handle 22.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the visual delimitation of the first and second parts of the housing body 40 is marked by a vertical step 56 forming a shoulder and visible on the Figure 9 . In the example illustrated, the housing body 40 has a generally oblong contour and is provided with a lobe-shaped projection in which the location for the cylindrical bore 54 for receiving the barrel part 30 is located. . In the example illustrated on the Figure 15 , the barrel part 30 comprises a means of attachment 78 to a side wall of the support 26.

Preferably, as shown on the figure 8 , the device 10 also comprises a manual control element 100 arranged on an interior gripping face of the handle 22 by means of which an electrical command for the electrical opening of the lock of the opening 12 can be generated.

The manual control element 100 may for example comprise, by way of example but not limitation, a gesture and/or touch detector configured to detect at least one control instruction linked to a result of the gesture and/or detection. tactile in a control region preferably located on the interior face of the handle 22.

The detector comprises, for example, a sensor using pressure-sensitive resistor technology (also known as the FSR sensor for “Force Sensing Resistor” according to Anglo-Saxon terminology), using, for example, pressure-sensitive resistive inks, a optical technology or even capacitive technology. Such technologies are well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in more detail below.

Thanks to this manual control actuated by a simple tactile touch, a very light pressure or detection of the presence of the user, the latter can proceed in a single gripping movement of the handle 22 to the electrical unlocking of the lock of the opening and, only in the event of failure, to mechanical unlocking of the opening lock by applying a pulling force from the handle towards the open position.

In normal operation of the device 20, the handle 22 is intended to mainly occupy its retracted rest position and to be operated only occasionally.

Thus, preferably, in order to avoid the unwanted movement of the handle 22 during electrical actuation of the device 20, the device 20 further comprises a mechanism 60 for resisting the opening of the handle 22 from its rest position to its opening position. The mechanism 60 comprises for example a hard point crossing which separates at least a first part opening trajectory of the handle 22 with intense tensile effort of a second part of trajectory with low tensile effort.

In the example, the opening resistance mechanism 60 comprises a locking lever 62 movably mounted in the housing body 40 from a locking configuration of the handle 22 in the retracted position to a release configuration of the handle 22 towards its deployed position. The resistance mechanism 60 preferably comprises elastic return means 64 of the lever 62 towards the blocking configuration.

Preferably, the locking lever 62 comprises a cam profile 66 and the actuation branch 36 of the handle 22 is provided at the end with a follower finger 38 cooperating along the cam profile 66 ( Figure 6 ) when applying a tensile force to the handle 22 towards its open position (the movement of the follower finger 38 and the lever 62 is shown in broken lines).

Preferably, the cam profile 66 has a ramp provided with at least one inflection point P separating the first part of the trajectory with relatively higher tensile effort and a second part of the trajectory with relatively lower tensile effort.

Preferably, the locking lever 62 comprises mechanical connection means to a mechanical transmission element of the lock, such as a cable. In this case, the locking lever 62 is part of the mechanical transmission assembly and is configured to pull the traction cable of the lock, as it moves towards its release configuration. In the example described, moving the handle 22 towards its deployed opening position has the effect of moving the lever 62 and thus causing traction on the cable causing the lock to release.

Preferably, the support 26 further comprises a housing 80 for receiving and guiding the elastic return means 64 and the locking lever 62 which is mounted movable in sliding in the longitudinal direction of the housing 80. The housing 80 is presented in this example in the form of a frame, generally rectangular and extending in length according to the direction longitudinal of the support 26 on the rear wall 44. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the actuation branch 36 of the handle 22 extends transversely inside the support 26 passing through the rear wall 44 of the housing 40 so that the end of the actuating branch 36 cooperates with the resistance mechanism 60 of the handle 22 located at the rear of the housing 40 ( figure 2 ).

We see in particular on the Figure 16 that the follower finger 38 extends inside the housing 80 in the vertical direction Z and is positioned in contact with the ramp portion 66 of the lever 62. The lever 62 is in this example guided in movement according to the main direction of the housing 80 in sliding.

Preferably, as illustrated in the Figure 16 , the support 26 comprises a passage path 82 which extends from the outside to the locking lever 62 in which a temporary assembly tool 84 can be engaged which can for example be a screw 76 ( Figure 15 ) or a specifically shaped mounting part such as that shown on the Figure 16 . When the tool 84 is inserted in the passage path 82, for example formed by a through orifice 82 of a wall of the frame of the housing 80, it can temporarily move the locking lever 62 against the elastic return means 64 in order to allow the installation of the handle 22 in its final mounting destination position inside the housing 40.

For example, advantageously, when the mounting tool 84 is a mounting screw 76 as illustrated in the Figure 15 , the device 20 can be delivered pre-assembled with the mounting screw 76 in the screwed state, that is to say engaging the locking lever 62 in the release configuration of the handle 22 easily allowing the installation of the handle 22 in its resting mounting position ( Figure 17 , position A). Once the handle 22 is installed on the support 26, the mounting screw 76 can be unscrewed in order to release the locking lever 62 and allow its elastic return in the locking configuration of the handle 22 thanks to the elastic means 64.

The elastic return member 64 comprises in this example a spring operating in compression. In the example illustrated, the lever 62 comprises a main body in the form of a stud provided with a bearing face with the spring 64. The lever 62 also includes a cable traction arm which is formed in the extension of the main body. For example, the arm comprises a cable retaining end in the form of a pin 63 and the support 26 also comprises a cable guide element 27. The lever 62 preferably comprises, opposite the bearing face of the spring, a protuberance longitudinal extension delimiting the ramp profile. The bearing face of the lever 62 also includes, in the example illustrated, a pin 68 for centering the spring 64.

We will now describe with reference to the figures 5 to 7 And 16 and 17 the main aspects of operation of the opening resistance mechanism 60. As appears on the figures 5 And 6 and on the Figure 17 (position A), in the rest position, the lever 62 is held, by the deployed spring 64, in a blocking configuration preventing the handle 22 from opening unintentionally. In the event of high traction exerted on the handle 22 ( Figure 17 , position B), the application of the follower finger 38 following the trajectory of the cam profile of the lever 62 causes the lever 62 to be pushed back inside the housing 80, against the action of the return spring 64, which allows at the end of the trajectory the complete release of the handle 22 towards its final opening position ( Figure 17 , position C).

The device 20 according to the invention also differs from the prior art by a simplicity of design allowing simple and robust assembly without the need for multiple parts.

Indeed, in the example illustrated on the Figure 3 , the housing body 40 forming the support 26 is attached by rapid coupling means 70 to the panel 14 of the opening 12. As can be seen on the figures 3 , 5 , 6 , the panel 14 of the opening 12 has at the periphery of its cutout 16 a plurality of snap-fit or interlocking projections 72 and the housing body 40 comprises a plurality of complementary cavities 74 arranged at the peripheral edge of the front face of the housing 40.

The projections 72 and the complementary cavities 74 form in this example the quick coupling means 70. However, other quick coupling means can be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention. These means of rapid coupling of the two parts (the body of the housing 40 and the panel 14) advantageously allow the two parts to be relatively positioned between them before fixing them with each other by conventional fixing means 75. This allows easy, rapid and precise positioning of the support 26 when its mounting on the opening panel 14.

In the example illustrated on the figure 8 , we see that the housing body 40 is secured to the panel 14 by conventional fixing means 75 such as screws and fixing holes.

Furthermore, preferably, the opening 12 has laterally an orifice 79 configured to allow access to the fixing of the screws 76 and 78 ( figure 2 And 15 ). This orifice 79 is for example accessible through a side wall 15 of the opening 12 when opening the opening 12.

The hubcap shell 52 and the support 26 are preferably shaped to fit into one another as is illustrated in the Figure 14 . The shell 52 is shaped to cover the recess 50, the handle 22 and the shell 52 being configured to cooperate together so that the shell 52 cannot be extracted from the support 26 after assembly or installation of the handle 22 on the support 26 in its final mounting destination position.

Preferably, the cavity 48 of the support 26 is configured to impose on the shell 52 an intermediate assembly and/or disassembly position passing through a final location of the handle 22 in the cavity 48 of the support 26. In the example illustrated, the shell 52 reaches an intermediate mounting position passing through the first part of the body of the housing 40 intended to receive the handle 22. Consequently, once the handle 22 positioned in the cavity 48, the shell 52 cannot be removed without crossing the location reception of the handle 22 which is then made impassable by the handle 22.

Preferably, the cavity 48 and the shell 52 are shaped to prevent the shell 52 from being placed in a transverse nesting direction inside the cavity 48 directly in a final destination position of the shell 52.

For example, with reference to the Figure 19 , the intermediate mounting position (shown in dotted lines) is a vertically higher position relative to the final destination position of the shell 52 in the support 26 (mode A) or is an inclined position relative to the final destination position of the shell 52 (mode B) or a combination of these two positions intermediaries.

Such an exterior opening control device 20 reduces the number of parts to be supplied, handled and assembled.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments previously described. Other embodiments within the reach of those skilled in the art can also be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the claims below.

Claims (15)

1. Device (20) for controlling the external opening of an opening (12) of a motor vehicle (10), comprising a support (26) intended to be mounted in a cut-out (16) in a panel (14) of the opening (12), a handle (22) mounted so as to be articulated relative to the support (26) between at least one retracted rest position and a deployed open position for mechanical actuation of a lock on the door (12), and in which the support (26) has a casing body (40) delimiting an outwardly open cavity (48) which the handle (22) partially closes in the rest position, leaving a concave recess (50) for access for gripping an inner face of the handle (22), characterised in that the handle (22) comprises a body of generally elongate shape in a longitudinal direction having an end portion (22B) for articulation to the support (26) about an axis of articulation substantially parallel to the plane of the panel (14) of the opening (12) and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle (22) and in that the handle (22) extends flush with the panel (14) of the opening (12) and has an outer surface which defines a continuity of shape and/or appearance with a surface of the panel (14) of the opening (12).
2. A device (20) according to the preceding claim, in which the handle (22) is provided with a transversely extending mechanical lock actuating arm (36) configured to act on a transmission assembly connected to the lock.
3. Device (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a manual control element (100) arranged on the inside of the handle (22) by means of which an electrical command for the electrical actuation of the lock can be generated in such a way that a user can, in a single gripping movement of the handle (22), electrically actuate the lock and, in the event of failure, mechanically actuate the lock by applying a pulling force to the handle (22) in the direction of the open position.
4. Device (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a shell (52) shaped to cover the recess (50), the handle (22) and the shell (52) being configured to cooperate together so that the shell (52) cannot be extracted from the support (26) after assembly of the handle (22) on the support (26).
5. Device (20) according to the preceding claim, in which the cavity (48) of the support (26) is configured to impose on the shell (52) an intermediate mounting and/or dismounting position passing through a final location of the handle (22) in the cavity (48) of the support (26).
6. Device (20) according to any one of claims 4 to 5, in which the cavity (48) and the shell (52) are shaped to prevent the shell (52) from being placed in a transverse nesting direction inside the cavity (48) directly in a final destination position of the shell (52).
7. Device (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the support (26) comprises a location for transversely receiving a dummy barrel part (30) provided with a front presentation face (30A), the handle (22) being configured in the support (26) to cover the presentation face (30A) in the rest position.
8. A device (20) according to the preceding claim, in which the barrel part (30) comprises a means of attachment (78) to a side wall of the support (26).
9. Device (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a mechanism (60) for resisting the opening of the gripping handle (22) from its rest position to its open position, which has a hard point crossing separating at least a first part of the trajectory for opening the handle (22) with a high tensile force from a second part of the trajectory with a low tensile force.
10. Device (20) according to the preceding claim, in which the mechanism (60) for resisting opening comprises a blocking lever (62) mounted so as to be movable in the support (26) from a configuration blocking movement of the handle (22) to a configuration releasing movement of the handle (22), the resistance mechanism (60) comprising means (64) for elastically returning the blocking lever (62) to the blocking configuration.
11. Device (20) according to the preceding claim, in which the locking lever (62) comprises a cam profile (66) and the handle (22) comprises an actuating branch (36) configured to act on a transmission assembly of the lock provided at the end with a follower finger (38) cooperating along the cam profile (66) when a traction force is applied to the handle (22).
12. Device (20) according to the preceding claim, in which the cam profile (66) has a ramp provided with at least one inflection point (P) defining the two path portions.
13. Device (20) according to any one of claims 10 to 12, in which the lever (62) forms a return lever configured to pull a pull cable of the lock, as it moves towards its release configuration.
14. Device (20) according to any one of claims 10 to 13, in which the support (26) comprises a housing (80) for receiving and guiding the elastic means (64) and the lever (62) is mounted so that it can slide in the longitudinal direction of the housing (80).
15. A device (20) according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the support (26) includes a passageway (82) extending from the exterior to the lever (62) in which a handle (22) mounting tool (84) can engage to temporarily move the lever (62) against the means (64) to allow release of movement of the handle (22) to a mounting position.

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