WO2024171426A1

WO2024171426A1 - Door handle control device and door handle control method

Info

Publication number: WO2024171426A1
Application number: PCT/JP2023/005663
Authority: WO
Inventors: 哲三絹田; 崇志柳原; 稜也石窪; 裕太郎小野
Original assignee: 日産自動車株式会社
Priority date: 2023-02-17
Filing date: 2023-02-17
Publication date: 2024-08-22

Abstract

This door handle control device extends a door handle from a door when a key fob approaches a vehicle such that a distance from the vehicle becomes equal to or smaller than a first distance (D1), and stores the door handle into the door when the key fob moves away from the vehicle such that the distance from the vehicle becomes equal to or larger than a prescribed second distance (D2). Furthermore, if the door handle control device locks the door at a position where the distance between the key fob and the vehicle is equal to or smaller than the second distance (D2), the door handle control device keeps the door handle extended from the door while the distance between the key fob and the vehicle is equal to or smaller than the second distance (D2), and stores the door handle into the door when the distance between the key fob and the vehicle becomes larger than the second distance (D2).

Description

Door handle control device and door handle control method

The present invention relates to a door handle control device and a door handle control method.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a handle device in which, in the stowed state, the outer surface of the handle is flush with the surrounding door surface, and, in the deployed state, the second end of the handle protrudes a sufficient amount from a slot in the door surface.

In the handle device of Patent Document 1, when the door is locked, the handle moves to a stored state. When getting into a vehicle with the doors locked, the handle device of Patent Document 1 requires that the driver be given permission to unlock the door and operate the key fob to unlock the door and move the handle to an extended state.

As a result, with the handle device of Patent Document 1, if for some reason it becomes necessary to get into the vehicle immediately after locking the door, there is a risk that the driver will not be able to get into the vehicle quickly.

Patent No. 6293708

The present invention provides a door handle of a vehicle that can be stored inside a door so as to be flush with the outer surface of the door, the door handle including a door lock locking unit that locks a door lock that can lock the door so that the door cannot be opened, and a door lock unlocking unit that is provided on the door handle so as to be located inside the door when the door handle is stored inside the door and that unlocks the door lock. When an electronic terminal approaches the vehicle until the distance from the vehicle is equal to or less than a predetermined first distance, the door handle is caused to protrude from the outer surface of the door when the electronic terminal approaches the vehicle until the distance from the vehicle is equal to or less than a predetermined second distance, and when the door lock is locked at a position where the distance from the electronic terminal to the vehicle is equal to or less than a predetermined second distance, the door handle is maintained in a state where it protrudes from the outer surface of the door while the distance from the electronic terminal to the vehicle is equal to or less than the second distance, and the door handle is stored inside the door when the distance from the electronic terminal to the vehicle is greater than the second distance.

According to the present invention, when the door is to be unlocked immediately after it has been locked, the vehicle user can operate the door lock/unlock portion of the door handle to quickly unlock the door. Therefore, according to the present invention, the vehicle user can quickly open the door even immediately after the door has been locked, and can quickly get into the vehicle.

1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic overview of a system configuration of a door handle control device according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state in which the door handle protrudes from the outer surface of the door. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state in which the door handle protrudes from the outer surface of the door. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic diagram of the control of a door handle and a door lock; 3 is a flowchart showing a control flow of the door handle control device according to the present invention.

Below, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic overview of the system configuration of a door handle control device 1 according to the present invention. The door handle control device 1 is broadly composed of a key fob 2 as an electronic terminal held by the driver of the vehicle, and an in-vehicle unit 3 mounted on the vehicle.

The key fob 2 is capable of locking and unlocking the vehicle's door lock 9 (described later) from a distance. The door lock 9 is locked or unlocked by operating the key fob 2, such as by pressing a specific part of the key fob 2. As described later, the key fob 2 also has the function of protruding the door handle 5 (described later) from the outer surface 10a of the door 10 (described later) when brought close to the vehicle, and storing the door handle 5 (described later) inside the door 10 (described later) when moved away from the vehicle.

The in-vehicle unit 3 has a hands-free module 4, a door handle 5, a CDL (center door lock) switch 6, a vehicle speed detection module 7, a vehicle body control module 8, and a door lock 9.

The hands-free module 4 is capable of mutual communication with the key fob 2, and is capable of receiving the operation results of the key fob 2 and detecting the position information of the key fob 2. The position of the key fob 2 (distance from the vehicle) can be detected, for example, using the strength of the signal transmitted from the key fob 2. In addition, the hands-free module 4 receives a door lock signal (operation signal) from a door lock unit 15 (described later) of the door handle 5 and a door unlock signal (operation signal) from a door lock unlock unit 16 (described later).

Figures 2 and 3 are explanatory diagrams that show the door handle 5 protruding from the outer surface 10a of the door 10. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the door handle 5. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the door handle 5 as seen from above (looking down from above).

The door handle 5 is provided for each door 10 of the vehicle, and is used by the vehicle user to grasp (hold) the door 10 when opening or closing the corresponding door 10. The door handle 5 can be stored inside the door 10 so that the outer surface 5a is flush with the outer surface 10a of the vehicle door 10. In other words, the door handle 5 can be stored inside the door 10 so that the outer surface 5a is on the same plane as the outer surface 10a of the vehicle door 10. The door handle 5 can be raised and lowered between a predetermined lower limit position where the door handle 5 is stored inside the door 10, and a predetermined upper limit position where the door handle 5 protrudes from the outer surface 10a of the door 10. In the lower limit position, the outer surface 5a of the door handle 5 is flush with the outer surface 10a of the door 10.

The door handle 5 has a main body 11 and a protruding/retracting mechanism 12 that can raise and lower the main body 11 relative to the outer surface 10a of the door 10.

The main body 11 has a pair of columnar legs 13 spaced apart from each other, and a columnar grip 14 whose both ends are connected to the tips of the pair of legs 13, and the whole body is generally U-shaped. The grip 14 is a part that is grasped by the vehicle user when opening and closing the door 10.

The pair of legs 13 are stored inside the door 10 at the lowermost position. The gripping portion 14 is stored inside the door 10 so that the outer surface 14a is flush with the outer surface 10a of the door 10 at the lowermost position. In other words, the gripping portion 14 is stored inside the door 10 so that the outer surface 14a is on the same plane as the outer surface 10a of the door 10 at the lowermost position. In this embodiment, the outer surface 14a of the gripping portion 14 is the outer surface 5a of the door handle 5. The pair of legs 13 and the gripping portion 14 protrude from the outer surface 10a of the door 10 at the uppermost position.

The body 11 of the door handle 5 moves up and down by moving in parallel between the lower limit position and the upper limit position. In other words, the outer surface 14a of the gripping portion 14 at the lower limit position is parallel to the outer surface 14a of the gripping portion 14 at the upper limit position.

Furthermore, the main body 11 has a door lock locking section 15 that detects that an operation to lock the door lock 9 has been performed by the vehicle user pressing or touching it, and a door lock unlocking section 16 that detects that an operation to unlock the door lock 9 has been performed by the vehicle user pressing or touching it.

The door locking portion 15 is formed, for example, by a touch sensor, and is provided so as to be exposed on the outer surface 14a of the gripping portion 14, as shown in FIG. 2. The door locking portion 15 is formed so as to be substantially flush with the outer surface 14a of the gripping portion 14. In other words, the door locking portion 15 is exposed to the outside of the vehicle even when the door handle 5 is stored inside the door 10.

The door lock unit 15 is operated when locking the door lock 9. The door lock unit 15 is visible from the outside and is relatively small, about the size of a fingertip. When the door lock unit 15 is operated by a vehicle user, it outputs an operation signal (door lock signal) to the vehicle body control module 8 via the hands-free module 4.

The door lock unlocking unit 16 is, for example, a touch sensor, and is exposed on the back side of the gripping unit 14 as shown in FIG. 3. In other words, when the door handle 5 is stored inside the door 10, the door lock unlocking unit 16 is located inside the door 10 and is not exposed to the outside of the vehicle. In other words, when the door handle 5 is stored inside the door 10, the door lock unlocking unit 16 cannot unlock the door lock 9. As shown by the dashed line in FIG. 2, the door lock unlocking unit 16 is formed over the entire rectangular area that is almost the entire back side of the gripping unit 14. When the door lock unlocking unit 16 is operated by the vehicle user, it outputs an operation signal (door lock unlocking signal) to the vehicle body control module 8 via the hands-free module 4. The door lock unlocking unit 16 may be provided intermittently on the back side of the gripping unit 14, or may be provided at a limited predetermined position on the back side of the gripping unit 14.

The protruding and retracting mechanism 12 moves the body 11 of the door handle 5 forward and backward using, for example, an electric actuator (not shown).

The CDL switch 6 is provided inside the vehicle cabin and can simultaneously lock or unlock the door locks 9 of all seats or all seats except the driver's seat. In other words, the CDL switch 6 is a switch that can implement so-called central door locking.

The vehicle speed detection module 7 is capable of detecting the speed of the vehicle. In other words, the vehicle speed detection module 7 is a vehicle speed sensor.

The door lock 9 is provided for each door 10 of the vehicle and has the function of locking (locking) the corresponding door 10 so that it cannot be opened, and unlocking (unlocking) the corresponding door 10 so that it can be opened.

The vehicle body control module 8 controls the locking and unlocking of the door locks 9 of each door 10 of the vehicle and the operation of the protruding and retracting mechanism 12 of the door handle 5 based on the operation results of the key fob 2, the position information of the key fob 2, and information input from the hands-free module 4, the door lock locking unit 15, the door lock unlocking unit 16, the CDL switch 6, and the vehicle speed detection module 7.

Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram that shows a schematic diagram of the control of the door handle 5 and door lock 9 by the vehicle body control module 8. More specifically, Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram that shows a schematic diagram of the flow of changes in the state of the door handle 5 and door lock 9 in response to a series of actions, such as a vehicle user approaching a parked vehicle, getting in the vehicle, starting the vehicle, stopping the vehicle, and getting out of the vehicle and moving away.

The vehicle is parked with the door locks 9 locked and all door handles 5 stored inside the doors 10.

When a user carrying a key fob 2 approaches a vehicle, the door handle control device 1 causes the door handle 5 stored in the door 10 to protrude from the outer surface 10a of the door 10. Specifically, when the key fob 2 approaches the vehicle until the distance from the vehicle is equal to or less than a predetermined first distance D1, the door handle control device 1 activates the protruding and storing mechanisms 12 of all doors 10, raising the main body 11 of the door handle 5 stored in the door 10 to the above-mentioned upper limit position and protruding from the outer surface 10a of the door 10.

When the door handle control device 1 detects that a vehicle user has placed their hand on the door handle 5 and touched the door lock unlocking portion 16 on the back side of the grip portion 14, it unlocks the door locks 9 of all doors 10. This allows the vehicle user to open the vehicle doors 10 and get into the vehicle.

When a vehicle user gets in and starts driving, and the vehicle speed reaches a preset speed, the door handle control device 1 stores the door handles 5 in the doors 10 for all doors 10 and locks the door locks 9 for all doors 10. The door handle control device 1 also stores the door handles 5 in the doors 10 for all doors 10 when a vehicle user gets in and locks the door locks 9 using the CDL switch 6.

When the vehicle stops driving and the ignition switch (not shown) is pressed (off), the door handle control device 1 causes the door handles 5 of all doors 10 to protrude from the outer surface 10a of the doors 10 and unlocks the door locks 9 of all doors 10. The door handle control device 1 also causes the door handles 5 of all doors 10 to protrude from the outer surface 10a of the doors 10 when the vehicle user stops the vehicle and unlocks the door locks 9 using the CDL switch 6.

When the door handle control device 1 detects that a vehicle user has exited the vehicle and touched the door locking portion 15 on the front side of the grip portion 14, it locks the door locks 9 of all the doors 10. At this time, the door handle control device 1 keeps the door handle 5 protruding from the outer surface 10a of the door 10.

Then, when the user carrying the key fob 2 moves away from the vehicle, the door handle control device 1 stores the door handle 5 inside the door 10. Specifically, when the distance of the key fob 2 from the vehicle becomes greater than a predetermined second distance D2, the door handle control device 1 activates the protruding and storing mechanisms 12 of all the doors 10 to lower the main body 11 of the door handle 5 to the above-mentioned lower limit position and store it inside the door 10.

In addition, when the vehicle user gets off and the door locks 9 of all the doors 10 are locked, and the key fob 2 is still within the second distance D2 from the vehicle for a predetermined period of time (e.g., 5 minutes) or more, the door handle control device 1 activates the protruding and storing mechanisms 12 of all the doors 10 to lower the main body 11 of the door handle 5 to the lower limit position and store it inside the door 10.

Here, if a predetermined time has elapsed since the door lock 9 was locked and the door handle 5 has been stored inside the door 10, unless the door lock 9 is unlocked using the key fob 2, the door handle 5 will remain stored inside the door 10 even if the distance between the key fob 2 and the vehicle becomes within the first distance D1.

The second distance D2 is set to a value greater than the first distance D1. In other words, when the door handle 5 stored inside the door 10 is caused to protrude from the outer surface 10a of the door 10, the key fob 2 needs to be brought closer to the vehicle than when the door handle 5 protruding from the outer surface 10a of the door 10 is stored inside the door 10.

In addition, when the door lock 9 is locked from inside the vehicle, the door handle control device 1 stores the door handle 5 inside the door 10 even if the distance of the key fob 2 from the vehicle is less than or equal to the second distance D2.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the control flow of the door handle control device 1 in the above-described embodiment, and shows the control flow of the door handle 5 when the door lock 9 is locked.

In step S1, the locking operation of the door lock 9 is detected.

In step S2, it is determined whether the door lock 9 was locked from inside or outside the vehicle. If it is determined in step S2 that the door lock 9 was locked from inside the vehicle, the process proceeds to step S3. If it is determined in step S2 that the door lock 9 was locked from outside the vehicle, the process proceeds to step S4.

In step S3, the door handle 5 is stored inside the door 10.

In step S4, it is determined whether the user holding the key fob 2 is further away from the vehicle than the second distance D2. If it is determined in step S4 that the user holding the key fob 2 is further away from the vehicle than the second distance D2, the process proceeds to step S3. If it is determined in step S4 that the user holding the key fob 2 is not further away from the vehicle than the second distance D2, the process proceeds to step S5.

In step S5, the door handle 5 is maintained in a state in which it protrudes from the outer surface 10a of the door 10. In step S5, when a predetermined time has elapsed while the door handle 5 is protruding from the outer surface 10a of the door 10, the door handle 5 is stored inside the door 10.

As explained above, the door handle control device 1 of the above-mentioned embodiment has a vehicle body control module 8 as a door handle control unit that protrudes the door handle 5 from the outer surface 10a of the door 10 when the key fob 2 approaches the vehicle until the distance from the vehicle is equal to or less than the first distance D1, and stores the door handle 5 inside the door 10 when the key fob 2 moves away from the vehicle until the distance from the vehicle is equal to or greater than the predetermined second distance D2.

When the vehicle body control module 8 locks the door lock 9 at a position where the key fob 2 is at or below the second distance D2 from the vehicle, the vehicle body control module 8 keeps the door handle 5 protruding from the outer surface 10a of the door 10 while the key fob 2 is at or below the second distance D2 from the vehicle, and stores the door handle 5 inside the door 10 when the key fob 2 is at or above the second distance D2 from the vehicle.

As a result, in cases where the door lock 9 is to be unlocked immediately after it has been locked, the door handle control device 1 enables the vehicle user to operate the door lock unlocking section 16 of the door handle 5 to quickly unlock the door lock 9. Therefore, the door handle control device 1 enables the vehicle user to quickly open the door 10 even immediately after the door lock 9 has been locked, allowing the vehicle user to quickly get into the vehicle.

The door handle control device 1 sets the first distance D1 to be smaller than the second distance D2.

This allows the door handle control device 1 to prevent the door handle 5 from being stored inside the door 10 against the intention of the holder of the key fob 2.

The door handle control device 1 also prevents the door handle 5 from accidentally protruding from its retracted state when the holder of the key fob 2 does not intend to enter the vehicle.

　Specific examples of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above examples, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, the door handle control device 1 may use a smartphone with dedicated application software downloaded as the electronic terminal instead of the key fob 2. In this case, the smartphone as the electronic terminal only needs to have the same functions as the key fob 2 described above (locking/unlocking the door lock 9, and extending/retracting the door handle depending on the distance from the vehicle).

For example, when the key fob 2 is inside the vehicle, the door handle control device 1 may stop transmission and reception between the key fob 2 and the hands-free module 4, which serves as a position detection unit that detects the position of the key fob 2. This can reduce power consumption of the battery built into the key fob 2, and extend the service life of the battery.

The above-described embodiment relates to a door handle control device 1 and a door handle control method.

Claims

a vehicle door handle retractable within a vehicle door so as to be flush with an exterior surface of the door;
a door lock capable of locking the door so that the door cannot be opened; a door lock locking unit provided on the door handle and operated when locking the door;
a door lock unlocking section that is provided on the door handle so as to be located inside the door when the door handle is stored inside the door, and that is operated when unlocking the door lock;
An electronic terminal capable of locking and unlocking the door lock;
a door handle control unit that causes the door handle to protrude from an outer surface of the door when the electronic terminal approaches the vehicle until the distance from the vehicle becomes equal to or shorter than a predetermined first distance,
The door handle control device, when the door lock is locked at a position where the distance from the electronic terminal to the vehicle is equal to or less than a predetermined second distance, maintains the door handle protruding from the outer surface of the door while the distance from the electronic terminal to the vehicle is equal to or less than the second distance, and stores the door handle inside the door when the distance from the electronic terminal to the vehicle becomes greater than the second distance.
The door handle control device according to claim 1, wherein the door handle is stored inside the door when the door lock is locked from inside the vehicle.
The door handle control device according to claim 1, wherein the door handle is stored inside the door when a predetermined time has elapsed since the door lock was locked, even if the distance of the electronic terminal from the vehicle is equal to or less than the second distance.
The door handle control device according to claim 1, wherein the first distance is set to be smaller than the second distance.
The door handle control device according to claim 3, in which, when the predetermined time has elapsed since the door was locked and the door handle is stored inside the door, the door lock is unlocked by operating the electronic terminal, allowing the door handle to protrude from the outer surface of the door.
The door handle control device according to claim 1, which locks the door and stores the door handle inside the door when the vehicle speed reaches or exceeds a predetermined speed while the door lock is unlocked.
The door handle control device according to claim 1, which unlocks the door lock and protrudes the door handle from the outer surface of the door when a vehicle that has been running with the door lock locked stops and the ignition switch of the vehicle is turned off.
The door handle control device according to claim 1, which stops transmission and reception between a position detection unit that detects the position of the electronic terminal and the electronic terminal when the electronic terminal is inside the vehicle.
a door lock locking unit that locks a door lock capable of locking the door so that the door cannot be opened, the door handle being capable of being stored inside the vehicle door so as to be flush with an outer surface of the door; and a door lock unlocking unit that is provided on the door handle so as to be located inside the door when the door handle is stored inside the door, and that unlocks the door lock;
When an electronic terminal capable of performing a door lock and unlock operation approaches the vehicle to within a predetermined first distance, the door handle is caused to protrude from an outer surface of the door;
The door handle control method includes, when the door lock is locked at a position where the distance from the electronic terminal to the vehicle is equal to or less than a predetermined second distance, maintaining the door handle in a protruding state from the outer surface of the door while the distance from the electronic terminal to the vehicle is equal to or less than the second distance, and storing the door handle inside the door when the distance from the electronic terminal to the vehicle becomes greater than the second distance.