The invention relates to a door handle assembly for a motor vehicle, having a handle mount, a handle for opening a door or hatch on the motor vehicle, and a mechanical coupling device, wherein the handle is pivotably supported, in the region of its first handle end, on the handle mount that can be installed on the inside of the vehicle, and, in the region of its second handle end, is coupled to the mechanical coupling device, which is pivotably supported on the handle mount, and by means of which, an actuation of the handle can be transferred to a vehicle-side locking assembly.
Door handle assemblies of this type, for a motor vehicle, can be executed as internal or external handles, wherein the present invention primarily relates to a door handle assembly for an external handle. There are numerous different constructions and embodiments for such door handle assemblies. The design according to the invention of a door handle relates to such designs with which the handle mount, on one hand, and the handle, on the other hand, are attached to one another from opposite sides of the door of the motor vehicle. The handle mount is attached thereby on the back of the door, i.e. on the inside of the motor vehicle, while the handle is mounted on the outside of the door, thus on the outside of the motor vehicle. After installation, the two handle ends of the handle pass through respective holes in the door, or in the door panel of the motor vehicle.
A door handle assembly of the type described above is known, for example, from DE 10 2005 049 027 A1. This known door handle assembly has a handle mount, which is attached to the inside of the door, or the door panel, a handle, and a coupling device having a deflection lever. The handle is attached to the outside of the door thereby, in that the two handle ends of the handle are fed through respective openings in the door, and fastened to the handle mount. The first handle end of the handle is pivotably supported thereby on the handle mount, in a floating manner. The play in the longitudinal direction of the handle mount associated with this type of bearing is necessary, because the second handle end of the handle is non-pivotably connected to the deflection lever of the coupling device. As a result, due to the floating bearing of the first handle end, and the fixed support of the second handle end, correspondingly large clearances must be taken into account, which has a negative effect on the tightness of overall door handle assembly. In addition, the floating bearing for the first handle end results in the handle being able to wiggle slightly, or even noticeably, or to be able to execute a rocking movement, when actuated for opening a door or hatch on the motor vehicle, which may result in the user having the impression that the handle is not functioning properly.
The invention addresses the object of providing a solution resulting in a door handle assembly having a simple construction, which can be manufactured inexpensively, and with which the handle can be mounted on the handle mount in a simple, quick and convenient manner. In particular, a door handle assembly is to be provided, with which the play in the longitudinal direction of the handle mount, and thus the clearance in the openings in the door panel for the handle ends is reduced to a minimum.
With a door handle assembly of the type described in the introduction, the object is achieved, according to the invention, that the second handle end of the handle, and a deflection lever of the mechanical coupling device are moveably coupled to one another by means of a pivotable and hinge-like articulated connection of the second handle end in relation to the deflection lever, when the handle has been actuated.
Advantageous and practical designs and developments of the invention can be derived from the dependent claims.
A door handle assembly for a motor vehicle is made available by the invention, distinguished by a functional construction and a simple and inexpensive structure. With the door handle assembly according to the invention, the articulated connection designed in the manner of a hinge ensures that the second handle end of the handle can be pivoted in relation to the deflection lever. Thus, the second handle end of the handle is now no longer non-pivotably attached to the deflection handle. As a result of this obtained degree of freedom, it is possible for the first handle end of the handle to be tightened in a fixed manner to the handle mount, by means of which the play in the first handle end of the handle in the axial direction, or in the longitudinal direction of the handle mount, and as a result thereof, the clearance, can be reduced to a minimum, enabling the use of simple and inexpensive tightening measures for the door handle assembly, by means of which the manufacturing costs for the overall door handle assembly are reduced. Furthermore, the support and movement guidance of the handle now no longer must occur at the first handle end with the door handle assembly according to the invention. Instead, with the door handle assembly according to the invention, the deflection lever guides the movement of the handle when it is actuated, such that the attachment of the first handle end, which is important for the pivotal movement of the handle in door handle assemblies from the prior art, can occur with constructively simple means and inexpensively.
A particularly simple possibility for obtaining the hinge-like articulated connection exists in the design of the invention, in that the articulated connection is designed in the manner of a pivot joint or hinge, and the deflection lever for the coupling device is pivotably connected to the handle in the region of the second handle end. This possible design uses a minimum of components, because, by way of example, a bolt or screw connection, which pivotably connects the deflection lever to the second end of the handle, is sufficient for obtaining the pivot joint, or hinge.
As an alternative to the design of the articulated connection as a pivot joint or hinge, the invention provides that the articulated connection comprises a joint element which is non-pivotably connected via a form-locking connection to a handle hook of the handle, formed on the second handle end, and which is pivotably connected to the deflection lever via a pivot joint connection. Thus, an intermediate piece is provided in the form of the joint element between the handle hook and deflection lever, which provides for a type of bending, in which the joint element is pivoted in relation to the deflection lever, and an extension, in which the joint element is disposed basically in a line, or flush, with the deflection lever, when the handle is actuated in order to open the door or hatch.
In order to securely attach the handle hook to the joint element, to ensure the moveable coupling with the deflection lever, there is a structurally simple possibility, in that the form-locking connection comprises a screw, screwed into a thread in the joint element, which fixes the free end of the handle hook in place.
In this regard, the screw can be screwed to the handle hook, which, however, requires an additional thread, and would increase the maintaining of manufacturing tolerances, in order that the screw can also actually be screwed to the joint element as well as to the handle hook. For this reason, the invention provides, in an advantageous design, instead, that with the form-locking connection, the screw is inserted through a hole formed on the free end of the handle hook, and the screw is screwed into the joint element with its screw head lying against the joint element.
With a door handle assembly according to the type indicated in the introduction, the handle mount is first attached to the back surface of the door (on the inside), and only after this, the handle is installed from the outside of the door (on the outside). The first handle end of the handle is pivotably attached to the handle mount thereby, and the second handle end of the handle is releasably attached to the mechanical coupling device, which is already pivotably supported on the handle mount attached to the inside of the door. In order to facilitate this attachment of the second handle end, or the handle hook, to the coupling device, the coupling device, designed in the manner of a lever, must be moved to an installation position, by means of which the handle hook that is to be coupled to the second handle end of the handle is disposed in the proximity of the hole in the door allocated thereto. The installation position is to be maintained thereby, until the attachment of the second handle end, or handle hook, of the handle has been completed. For this, until now, locking elements have been necessary in the prior art, which are difficult to bring into their locking position, and then released therefrom, and in some cases, must then be dismantled. This is no longer necessary with the door handle assembly according to the invention, because, in this regard, the invention provides in its design that, in order to install the free end of the handle hook of the handle on the deflection lever of the coupling device, the deflection lever is fixed in place in terms of its movement using the screw, in that the screw is screwed out of the joint element, such that it protrudes from the joint element, such that its screw head lies against one of the contact surfaces formed on the coupling device, such that a relative movement between the joint element and the coupling device is blocked. The contact surface can be designed thereby such that the head surface and/or the circumferential surface of the screw head is supported in sections.
In order to obtain a modular construction of the door handle assembly, in which the individual components can be easily connected, and disassembled, as well as replaced, it is furthermore provided in the design of the invention that the pivot joint connection comprises at least one receiving recess formed in the joint element, and at least one joint pin protruding laterally from the deflection lever, wherein the at least one joint pin is pivotably supported in the at least one receiving recess. The at least one joint pin on the deflection lever is thus inserted in the manner of a plug-in connection in the corresponding receiving recess formed in the joint element.
In order to prevent lateral movements of the joint pin in the receiving recess, the invention provides, in a further design, that the at least one receiving recess is designed with at least one step in the cross-section, and the at least one joint pin has, at least in sections, an expanded head, of which at least one section is disposed such that it lies behind the at least one step inside the joint element. The joint pin thus has a type of flange, which rests against the step in the receiving recess, and blocks a lateral movement of the joint pin in the receiving recess in the manner of a rail.
It is then further provided in the design of the invention that the joint element has an installation funnel facing the screw head, for inserting and orienting a tool for adjusting the position of the screw in the joint element. The tool necessary for a change between the installation state and the operating state, such as a screwdriver, can be inserted in a simple manner as a result, without the tool having to be brought into position by means of special skills.
In this regard, there is a further possibility for facilitating the installation, in that an additional funnel of an installation aid is disposed in a virtual extension of the installation funnel, wherein the installation aid is secured on the handle mount by means of locking connection elements, such that it can be dismantled, or is designed as an integral part of the handle mount.
By means of the door handle assembly according to the invention, having the joint element designed in the manner of a hinge, in contrast to door handle assemblies from the prior art, with which the handle hook of the handle is non-pivotably connected to the deflection lever of the mechanical coupling device, there is now the possibility that the first handle end of the handle is tightened down in a fixed manner. As a result of the secure tightening of the first handle end of the handle, there is no longer any play in the longitudinal direction of the door handle mount, such that rocking movements of the handle when it is actuated no longer occur for the most part, giving the appearance of a higher quality to the overall door handle assembly.
It is to be understood that the features specified above, and to be explained below, can be used, not only in the respective combinations given herein, but also in other combinations or in and of themselves, without abandoning the scope of the present invention. The scope of the invention is defined only by the claims.
Further details, features and advantages of the subject matter of the invention can be derived from the following description, in conjunction with the drawings, in which a preferred embodiment example of the invention is depicted, by way of example. In the drawings:
A vehicle, or motor vehicle 1, respectively, in the form of a passenger car, is depicted by way of example in
The door handle assembly 3 is depicted in greater detail in
As is shown in
A movement of the handle 4 can be transferred to the corresponding, vehicle-side closing assembly 5 by the mechanical coupling device 6, which is pivotably supported on the handle mount 7, in order to open the corresponding door 2 by this means. The coupling device 6 in the selected embodiment example can be pivoted, against the force of a mechanical return element 17 designed as a spring element, from an inactive position (see
The handle 4 can be coupled with its second handle end 12 to the coupling device 6 pivotably supported on the handle mount 7. The handle 4 is thus moveably coupled to the closing assembly 5 when it is actuated in order to open the door 2 of the motor vehicle 1. For this moveable coupling, the door handle assembly 3 has a joint element 20, in addition to the handle mount 7, the coupling device 6 pivotably supported on the handle mount 7, and the handle 4 attached at its first handle end 11 to the handle mount 7. The joint element 20, which is depicted in detail, for example, in
For the installation of the door handle assembly 3 according to the invention, the handle mount 7 shown in
The pivot joint connection 28 is part of an articulated connection 29 (see
In
After the installation of the handle 4 on the handle mount 7, as described above, the handle 4 can then be moved between its inactive position (when the handle 4 has not been actuated) and an end position (when the handle 4 has been actuated to open the door 2). The screw 22, which is then fully screwed into the joint element 20 is then disposed running through the through hole 33 of the handle hook 15, and holds the handle hook securely in this manner, or fixes it in place.
The receiving recesses 27, which are open at one end, toward the mechanical coupling device 6, are each designed with at least one step 38 in the cross-section (see
The invention described above is, as a matter of course, not limited to the described and depicted embodiment. It is apparent that numerous changes can be made to the embodiment depicted in the drawings, which are obvious to the person skilled in the art, depending on the intended use, without abandoning the scope of the invention thereby. Everything contained in the description and/or depicted in the drawings belongs to the invention, including that which is obvious to the person skilled in the art, deviating from the concrete embodiment example.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2014 107 406.8 | May 2014 | DE | national |