WO2017009078A1

WO2017009078A1 - Door handle assembly for a motor vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2017009078A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/065645
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andreas Beck; Serdal Bitirim; Dirk MÜLLER; Martin Witte
Original assignee: Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst Gmbh & Co. Kg
Priority date: 2015-07-13
Filing date: 2016-07-04
Publication date: 2017-01-19
Also published as: WO2017009073A1; WO2017009076A1; WO2017009077A1

Abstract

A vehicle door handle (1) with a handle component (2a, 2b). The handle component (2a, 2b) is at least partially designed as a hollow body, and an inductive sensor device (13) is arranged in a cavity in order to detect an actuation of the handle component. A support (10) having a support fastening section (11a, 11b) and a self-supporting section (12) connected to the latter are arranged in the cavity (7), wherein the support fastening section (11a, 11b) is secured to the vehicle door handle, and wherein the self-supporting section (13) of the support extends in the interior of the cavity at a distance from the wall surfaces of the handle component (2a, 2b) such that the self-supporting section (13) of the support is mechanically decoupled from the wall surfaces of the handle component (2a, 2b). The inductive sensor device (13) is held in the self-supporting section (12), wherein a metallic material (15) is arranged in at least one section of those wall surfaces of the handle component (2a, 2b) which surround the self-supporting section (12).

Description

Door handle assembly for a motor vehicle

The invention relates to a vehicle door handle assembly.

In particular, the invention relates to an outside door handle assembly with a fixed handle and a sensor device for detecting an actuation of the handle.

Exterior door handles feature as part of the overall

Door handle arrangement handles on being used by a user

can be grasped or intervened. Thus, the user can exert force on the handle to open or close the door or to move it over its pivoting range.

Vehicle door handles are provided with coupling means which allow the vehicle door handle to be mounted on the vehicle door.

Such vehicle door handles are in different

Designs known and available. However, the invention relates to the subgroup of vehicle door handles with so-called fixed handle. While a handle part of the vehicle door handle assembly which is to be undercut by the user or is gripped by the user is pivoted or moved translationally by means of a movable handle, the handle is included

fixed door handles not pivotable or translationally movable. In vehicle door handles with a fixed handle, the handle against the door is largely immobile. In the case of door handles with fixed handles, there is no continuous mechanical movement due to the lack of a mechanical adjustment path

Chain of action formed by the door handle on a door lock.

Instead, the door lock is electrically driven in response to a detected operation, so that

mechanical hardware can be reduced and costs and

Weight can be saved in the door handle assembly.

In combination with such fixed handles and

Vehicle door handle assemblies come electrically powered

Door locks are used. Such electrically driven

Door locks are commonly called "E-latch" known. Another example of such a door system is described in EP 0 584 499 A1.

In what way vehicle door handle assemblies with

fixed handle detect the operation of the handle, is solved differently in the art. Switches or capacitive sensors can be used on or in the vehicle door handle. The use of inductive sensors is possible and is also provided in the context of this invention.

Inductive sensors for this purpose are available on the market and usually act via a resonant circuit, which causes eddy currents in adjacent, electrically conductive materials. Depending on the position and movement of the electrically conductive material relative to the resonant circuit, the amplitude of the resonant circuit changes. This change in amplitude can be detected and detected for actuation detection. The market

corresponding inductive sensors is correspondingly large.

For example, sensors are also known which are particularly suitable for use in door handles due to their small size and low weight, for example, sensors from Texas Instrument with the series designation LDC.

The handle of a generic vehicle door handle is at least partially formed as a hollow body with a cavity. The cavity is defined by the wall surfaces of the

Handle limited. In the cavity is an inductive

Sensor device arranged to detect an actuation of the handle.

The object of the invention is to provide a particularly light, reliable and inexpensive to produce door handle assembly with a fixed handle.

This object is achieved by a vehicle door handle assembly having the features of claim 1.

Like the vehicle door handles described generically, the inventive door handle also has a handle which can be grasped or gripped behind by a user. Of the

Vehicle door handle has coupling means, which a

Attach the vehicle door handle to the door. The coupling means can also directly on the handle be arranged. The handle is at least partially formed as a hollow body. The hollow body with the handle is completely surrounded by wall surfaces of the handle. An inductive sensor device is arranged in the cavity to a

To detect actuation of the handle.

As described above, inductive sensor assemblies are capable of movement or displacement or rotation of electrically conductive objects in their environment

detect. It is important that a relative movement takes place between the detecting sensor device and the electrically conductive object, for example a metallic object. According to the invention, the detection is characterized

improves and facilitates that in the cavity in the handle a carrier is arranged. This carrier has at least a carrier attachment portion and a cantilever portion connected to this carrier attachment portion. The carrier attachment portion is on the vehicle door handle

established. This means that the carrier attachment portion on any component of the entire

Vehicle door handle assembly is set, which is also one

Includes attachment to the handle.

The cantilever portion of the carrier extends, held by the carrier mounting portion, at a distance from the wall surfaces in the cavity of the handle. This means that the cantilever portion of the carrier is mechanically decoupled from the surrounding wall surfaces of the cavity, since it is held and fixed on the carrier mounting portion, but even at a distance from the wall surfaces. The cantilevered portion is therefore kept between the inner wall surfaces of the cavity. The cantilevered portion may be e.g. can be arranged protruding into the cavity starting from the carrier mounting portion, it can also span a portion of the cavity between a plurality of carrier mounting portions.

In this cantilevered portion of the carrier, the inductive sensor device is held. In at least one

Section of the wall surfaces of the cavity, which the Surrounded by a cantilevered section, a metallic material is arranged.

The sensor device is thus on the self-supporting

Section held inside the cavity, with distance to the wall surfaces. In or on the spaced wall surfaces or a portion thereof is the metallic material by means of

Detected sensor device. By the mechanical

Decoupling the cantilevered portion in the cavity makes it possible to detect a relative displacement of the metallic material in the surrounding wall surfaces. The displacement or deformation of the wall surfaces relative to the sensor device is particularly reliable and sensitive detectable, as a

mechanical decoupling exists. This is achieved in that the carrier-mounting portion on which the

cantilevered portion is set in a range that is not or only slightly deformed or moved at a designated operation. If the handle of the door handle is actuated, for example by the door handle

is pressed or pulled on the door handle, so the outer wall may be slightly opposite to the inside

cantilevered section with the inductive

Move sensor device. The relative movement is sensitively detected by the inductive sensor device.

It is essential that by the self-supporting design of a portion of the carrier and the cantilevered bracket of the

Sensor device improved decoupling between

Movements of the sensor device and the surrounding walls takes place. This requires the attachment section of the carrier

be set as possible in a portion of the handle or generally the vehicle door handle assembly, which is much less affected during operation than the walls of the

Handle.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the handle is formed as an elongate body, wherein the cavity extends along the largest longitudinal extent of the handle in a central portion in the interior of the handle. The carrier attachment portion is in the direction of this Longitudinal extent determined offset relative to the central portion decentralized.

In this embodiment, so at a

elongate handle, the cantilevered portion in the actuated central portion is carried freely, wherein the carrier mounting portion is fixed adjacent to the central portion or in an end portion of the central portion. As a result, the sensor device hangs in the cantilevered portion in the central portion to be actuated, but the suspension is fixed laterally therefrom in an end portion of the handle or at least laterally of the central portion. If the central portion is deformed by an actuator, for example by a pull on the door handle, this deformation takes place around the sensor device and thus detectable. The point of the suspension, however, is hardly affected by the operation, since it is offset laterally offset from the operating area.

It is advantageous if carrier attachment sections are arranged on the cantilevered portion of the carrier at opposite ends.

In this design, several carrier

Provided attachment portions, for example, at two opposite ends of a cantilevered portion.

This support structure may provide attachment similar to a bridge with two lateral points, while the central part, the cantilevered portion, carries the sensor means spaced from the surrounding walls and spans a portion of the cavity.

In a development of the invention, the carrier fastening section is connected to the fixing on the vehicle door handle with the coupling means of the vehicle door handle. In this

Design, the mounting points, which serve a determination of the entire door handle assembly on the vehicle, also for

Determination of the carrier used. It creates one

particularly stable and low-deformation suspension and attachment of the support structure in the door handle.

It is particularly preferred if the carrier attachment portions are laterally spaced therefrom arranged cantilevered portion extend in an angled or curved manner and inside the handle

spaced points are fixed so that the cantilevered portion between these points is clamped in the cavity and held cantilevered. By the support structure, the space between the mounting points is again like a

Bridge structure spans and while the Mitteilteil spaced to the surrounding walls and of these

largely mechanically decoupled, ensure the

Fixing points a safe and stable mounting of the

Sensor device in the clamped cantilevered section. Bending or angulation may also contribute to further decoupling handle deformations from the location of the cantilevered section.

It is preferable that as the metallic material, a metallic layer is disposed on a portion of the inside of the walls of the handle in the cavity.

The inner side of the handle is particularly close to the sensor device and, when the walls of the handle are deformed, detection can therefore take place in a particularly sensitive form. As a metallic layer, a coating, a

Foil coating or other metallic

Layer material to be used.

It is particularly advantageous when the cantilever

Section has a trough-like structure in which the sensor device can be inserted. In such a trough-like receptacle, the sensor device, for example arranged and interconnected on a circuit board, is received and locked in a particularly secure manner. It is particularly advantageous

furthermore, when the sensor device in the trough-like

Recording is enclosed with a potting compound. In this way, a shift or wobble of the sensor device is prevented within the recording.

In one embodiment of the invention are in the interior of the handle, between the walls of the handle in the area of

Cavity connecting support contours formed. These

Support contours or support structures support wall sections from each other, which face each other in the cavity area. This causes a force application to one of the walls and a deformation of one of the walls by the support contours is transferred by force transfer to another wall. Is for example of a bivalve

Structure of the handle with a vehicle-side shell in the region of the vehicle sheet opposite side and a

Seen from the front side cover, so can through this

Design with supporting contours a Zugbetätigung on the

Vehicle-side side of the handle also cause a deformation of the visible side of the handle. A pressure on the visible side of the handle exerts a deformation on the vehicle side of the handle on the support structures.

This can be used to advantage that only on one side of the inside of the handle a metallic

Structure, for example, a metallic foil is arranged. Depending on whether a pulling force is exerted from one side of the handle or a pressure force is exerted on the handle from the other side, the metal foil is in any case moved by the force transmission of the support structures. Because the

Sensor arrangement in the handle between the walls

is held cantilevered, once carried a movement of the metallic structure of the sensor assembly away and once on the sensor assembly. By a single arrangement of a metallic element and a single sensor arrangement can thus by using the support structures both a

Pressurization on one side of the handle as well as a Zugbeaufschlagung be detected on the other side of the handle.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure la shows an embodiment of the door handle assembly according to the invention in the rest position;

Figure lb shows the embodiment of Figure la in a pulling operation;

FIG. 1c shows the embodiment from FIG. 1a during a pressure actuation. In Figure la, a door handle assembly 1 is shown. The

Door handle assembly has a handle consisting of two

Handle shells 2a, 2b is formed. The handles 2a, 2b form an enclosed, elongated space. In figure la is a

Section shown parallel to the longitudinal axis of the handle. The handle is arranged on a door, on the outside of a door panel 3. Lugs 4a, 4b protrude through the door panel 3 and represent coupling means for securing the door handle assembly to the vehicle. On the inside of the door panel 3 (top of the drawing la) is an inner support 5 of

Door handle arrangement applied to which the fastening means 4a and 4b engage, for example by a screw or locking means.

Between the door panel 3 and the outwardly curved shell 2b of the handle, an engagement space 6 is formed. In this engagement space, the hand of a user can dip and exert a pulling force on the inside of the handle. In the interior of the shells 2a, 2b of the handle, a cavity 7 is formed. Through the cavity 7 extend support structures 8a, 8b, which are formed integrally with the shell 2a in this embodiment. The support structures 8a and 8b extend through the cavity 7 to the opposite inner side of the shell 2b and are supported there. In this way, deformation of one of the shells 2a or 2b in the middle portion is achieved

Power transmission through the support structures 8a and 8b transmitted to the other shell.

Furthermore, extends through the cavity 7 in

Lengthwise, a carrier 10. The carrier 10 has at both

End sides carrier attachment portions IIa, IIb. These carrier attachment portions are fixed to the attachment means 4a and 4b. Between the carrier mounting portions IIa, IIb a cantilevered portion 12 is formed in the form of a trough, in which the sensor assembly 13 is received. The cantilevered portion 12 is held in the manner of a bridge between the support fixing portions IIa and IIb, and is spaced and decoupled from the central portion of the shells 2a and 2b. Along the longitudinal axis of the handle assembly, approximately in the middle, therefore, the sensor assembly 13 rests in the cantilevered portion 12, mechanically decoupled from the shells 2a and 2b. On the shell 2b, a metal foil 15 is glued on the inside of the shell 2b in the area corresponding to the central portion. The metal foil 15 is corresponding to the

Sensor assembly 13 opposite, but is separated from this by an air space. The inductive sensors of the sensor arrangement 13 detect the distance of the metal foil 15. A change in the position of the metal foil 15 relative to the sensor arrangement 13 leads to a signal change. With the sensor assembly 13 leads and signal lines are still connected, which are not shown here for reasons of clarity.

In the idle state of FIG. 1, the distance between the metal foil 15 and the sensor arrangement 13 is indicated by the distance d in FIG. This distance defines a rest position and a corresponding rest signal is supplied by the inductive sensors of the sensor arrangement 13.

Figure lb shows an operation of the door handle assembly. For this purpose, a user intervenes in the intermediate space 6 and deforms the shell 2b in the region in which the metal foil 15 by a tensile force (indicated by the arrow 20)

is applied. The deformation is exaggerated here

presented to make the mode of action clear. Since a mechanical largely decoupling of the sensor device 13 is present in the cantilevered support portion 12 of the shell 2b, the sensor assembly does not move, but the

Metal foil 15 approaches the sensor assembly 13. This can be seen, since in Figure lb continue the rest distance d is shown by broken lines, it being understood here that this rest distance is exceeded. Accordingly, the inductive sensors detect the approach of metal foil 15 to the sensor assembly 13. The deformation of the handle 2b hardly affects the position of the carrier 10, since this is fixed offset to the central portion, in this

Embodiment of the attachment means 4a, 4b, which fasten the entire handle to the door panel 3. In Figure lc the operation case is shown, is pressed in the outside of the handle. This can be done, for example, to confirm a closing request of the user. Again, the rest distance d in FIG. 1c is represented by broken lines.

In this example, the effect of the support structures 8a and 8b is particularly evident. The pressure on the outer surface first deforms the shell 2a. By the support structures 8a and 8b force is introduced into the shell 2b, since the

Support structures 8a and 8b are supported on this shell.

As a result, the shell 2b is deformed in the direction of the arrow 21 and the metal foil 15 moves away from the sensor device 13. Again, the deformation does not affect the support 10, since it is mechanically decoupled from its deformed areas with its cantilevered section 12. The carrier is in particular also completely decoupled from the support structures 8a and 8b, these may run past the carrier 10 or pass through openings in the carrier without mechanical contact.

Through this design, it is possible with a single

Sensor assembly 13 both the train on the door handle according to Figure lb, as well as a pressure on the door handle according to Figure lc to

to capture. The deformations are in reality significantly less than the deformations of the figures lb and lc, for

Clarification of the invention, however, these are exaggerated.

In modifications of the invention may instead of a metal foil and a chromium plating of the door handle act as a metallic element. Alternatively, the material of the handles can also be equipped with metallic particles or regions in order to influence the inductive sensors of the sensor arrangement 13.

Claims

claims

A vehicle door handle (1) for placement on a vehicle door, wherein the vehicle door handle has a handle (2a, 2b) engageable by a user, wherein the

Vehicle door handle has coupling means (4a, 4b) for attaching the vehicle door handle to the door,

wherein the handle (2a, 2b) is at least partially formed as a hollow body with a cavity (7), wherein the cavity is bounded by the wall surfaces of the handle,

wherein at least one inductive sensor device (13) is arranged in the cavity in order to detect an actuation of the handle,

characterized in that

a carrier (10) is arranged in the cavity (7), the carrier having at least one carrier attachment portion (IIa, IIb) and a cantilevered portion (12) connected thereto, the at least one carrier attachment portion (IIa, IIb) is fixed to the vehicle door handle and wherein the cantilever portion (13) of the carrier extends at a distance from the wall surfaces of the handle (2a, 2b) inside the cavity, so that the

cantilevered portion (13) of the carrier is mechanically decoupled from the wall surfaces of the handle (2a, 2b),

wherein the inductive sensor device (13) is held in the cantilevered portion (12) of the carrier,

wherein in at least a portion of the wall surfaces of the handle (2a, 2b), which surround the cantilevered portion (12), a metallic material (15) is arranged.

2. A vehicle door handle according to claim 1, wherein the handle (2a, 2b) is formed as an elongated body and the cavity (7) extends along the largest longitudinal extent in a central portion in the interior of the handle, wherein the carrier mounting portion (IIa, IIb) in the direction of Longitudinal extent relative to the central portion decentralized offset set.

3. A vehicle door handle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein on the cantilevered portion (12) of the carrier to each other

remote ends each carrier-mounting portions (IIa, IIb) are arranged.

4. Vehicle door handle according to claim 3, wherein the carrier mounting portion (IIa, IIb) for fixing on

Vehicle door handle with the coupling means (4a, 4b) of

Vehicle door handle is connected.

A vehicle door handle according to claim 3 or 4, wherein said bracket fixing portions (IIa, IIb) are laterally spaced from said cantilevered portion (12) therebetween.

angled or bent and are fixed inside the handle (2a, 2b) at spaced points, so that the cantilevered portion between these points is clamped in the cavity and held cantilevered.

6. Vehicle door handle according to one of the preceding

Claims, wherein as metallic material, a metallic layer (15) on a portion of the inside of the handle (2a, 2b) is arranged in the cavity.

7. A vehicle door handle according to claim 6, wherein the

Metallic layer (15) is a metal foil.

8. Vehicle door handle according to one of the preceding

Claims, wherein the cantilever portion (12) of the carrier has a trough-like receptacle, in which the inductive sensor device is accommodated.

9. A vehicle door handle according to claim 8, wherein the inductive

Sensor device in the trough-like receptacle with a

Encapsulation material is enclosed.

10. Vehicle door handle according to one of the preceding

Claims, wherein between the walls of the handle (2a, 2b) in the region of the cavity (7) connecting support contours (8a, 8b) are formed, which support opposing areas of the handle (2a, 2b) against each other, so that a deformation of the Handle is introduced by power transmission via the support contours in an opposite region of the handle.