The present invention relates to a door handle structure of a vehicle comprising a door handle lever (door outer handle) having a flush surface structure, in which the door handle lever is stored in such a manner that the door handle lever is flush with a door panel (door outer panel.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0019261 A1 discloses a door handle lever (hereafter, referred to as “lever” as well) having the flush surface structure, which comprises a swan-neck type of hinge arm which is provided to extend so as to connect the lever and a rotational axis of the lever, wherein the rotational axis is not provided at the lever itself but provided to be spaced apart from the lever along a door outer panel.
The lever can be electrically rotated from a storage position where the lever is stored at the door outer panel to a gripping position where a user is able to grip the lever by using the swan-neck type of hinge arm, thereby projecting the lever outwardly from the door outer panel as a whole. Thereby, the user can easily hold the lever with a finger.
Herein, it is preferable that a counterweight be provided at an opposite-end side of the hinge arm to a one-end side where the lever is arranged relative to the rotational axis so that a gravity position of the hinge arm can be made close to the rotational axis in such a manner that when a large inertia force, such as an impact generated in a vehicle collision, is applied to the hinge arm, the lever provided at the one-end side of the hinge arm is not projected outwardly from the door outer panel so as to prevent the door from being unlocked.
However, there is a problem in that because a driving mechanism to electrically rotate the hinge arm is generally arranged at the above-described opposite-end side of the hinge arm, this counterweight may not be properly provided at its ideal position, i.e., the opposite-end side of the hinge arm.
The door handle structure disclosed in the above-described patent document has the same problem as well. That is, in this door handle structure, while a control arm (43) which corresponds to the above-described counterweight is provided at the hinge arm, the driving mechanism is provided on a door-side at the above-described opposite-end side of the hinge arm via a bracket and the like. Thus, it has the problem in that the counterweight may not be properly provided at the above-described opposite-end side of the hinge arm.
An object of the present invention is to provide a door handle structure of a vehicle comprising the swan-neck type of hinge arm to be electrically rotated which can properly perform the counterweight function to prevent the lever from being projected from the door panel (door outer panel) when the large inertia force is applied to the hinge arm.
The present invention is a door handle structure of a vehicle, comprising a hinge arm having a lever to be gripped by a user and a rotational support axis to rotate the lever so as to be projected from the door panel, and a driving unit to transmit a drive force to the hinge arm, wherein the lever is configured to be rotatable among a storage position where the lever is flush with the door panel, a gripping position where the lever is projected from the door panel by driving of the driving unit so that the user is able to grip the lever, and an open position where the lever is further projected from the gripping position, the driving unit is fixed in an opposite area of the hinge arm which is opposite, relative to the rotational support axis, to an area of the hinge arm where the lever is arranged, and the area of the hinge arm where the lever is arranged and the driving unit are provided to face each other relative to the rotational support axis when the lever takes the storage position.
According to the present invention, since the driving unit is arranged in the opposite area of the hinge arm which is opposite, relative to the rotational support axis, to the area of the hinge arm where the lever is arranged, the gravity position of the hinge arm becomes properly close to the rotational support axis. Further, the driving unit and the lever can be rotated integrally by driving of the driving unit. Accordingly, the driving unit itself as a heavy object can be made to perform the counterweight function for the lever.
Thus, the lever can be prevented from being improperly projected from the door panel when the large inertia force is applied to the hinge arm, without providing any additional counterweight in the opposite area of the hinge arm.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the hinge arm is attached to a member which is provided on a side of the door panel so as to rotate via the rotational support axis, a wire harness connected to the driving unit is provided, and the wire harness is fixed to a portion of the member which is closely positioned to the rotational support axis.
According to this embodiment, even if a connection portion of the wire harness is moved according to the position change of the lever because of rotating of the hinge arm where the driving unit is fixed around the rotational support axis, the length of the wire harness between its connection portion to the driving unit and its fixation portion where the wire harness is fixed closely to the rotational support axis can be suppressed from changing.
Accordingly, a load of a tensional direction or a compressive direction which is inputted to the wire harness when the hinge arm is rotated around the rotational support axis can be reduced, so that the above-described counterweight-function performance of the driving unit can be achieved without deteriorating the durability of the wire harness.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the lever and the driving unit are provided to face each other relative to the rotational support axis.
According to this embodiment, since the lever which is provided at the farthest position from the rotational support axis and the driving unit are provided to face each other relative to the rotational support axis, the gravity position of the hinge arm can be made close to the rotational support axis.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a bracket which stores the lever and is fixed to the door panel and a sector gear which is fixed to the bracket are provided, and the driving unit comprises a motor, an output axis to transmit a power of the motor to the hinge arm, and a pinion gear which the output axis is fitted into and engages with the sector gear.
According to this embodiment, by gear engagement, i.e., engaging of the sector gear and the pinion gear, the motor power can be transmitted to the hinge arm and also the motor and the pinion gear can be moved together with the hinge arm along an engaging portion of the sector gear with the pinion gear.
That is, a structure in which the driving unit to perform the counterweight function for the lever is provided in the opposite area of the hinge arm can be provided, so that the gravity position of the hinge arm can be arranged closely to the rotational support axis.
Herein, the above-described member provided on the side of the door panel can be configured as the above-described bracket or any other member than this bracket as long as that is any member provided on the side of the door panel which is not the hinge arm nor a member which is rotated together with this hinge arm.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the sector gear is fixed to the rotational support axis of the hinge arm.
According to this embodiment, since poisoning of the sector gear and the rotational support axis around which the hinge arm is rotated can be made precisely, the structure in which the driving unit is fixed in the opposite-side area of the hinge arm so as to be movable together with the hinge arm can be provided.
Accordingly, the gravity position of the hinge arm can be securely arranged closely to the rotational support axis.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the driving unit comprises a motor and a water-proof member which covers over the motor, and has a harness connection portion where the wire harness is connected, and the harness connection portion is positioned at the water-proof member.
According to this embodiment, water can be prevented from coming into an inside of the motor by providing the water-proof member covering over the motor (water-proof cap). Further, since the harness connection portion which becomes an electoral contact point is positioned at the water-proof member (water-proof cap) which is provided at an upper side, even if some water comes into an inside of a vehicle door and then remains at a lower portion of the driving unit, the harness connection portion can be suppressed from becoming wet with the water. Accordingly, the durability of the driving unit against the water can be improved.
The present invention will become more apparent from the following description which refers to the accompanying drawings.
An embodiment of the present invention will be described specifically referring to the drawings. The drawings show a door handle structure of the vehicle, and
In the figures, an arrow F shows a vehicle forward side, an arrow R show a vehicle rearward side, an arrow UP shows a vehicle upward side, and an arrow OUT shows an outward side, in a vehicle width direction. While the door handle structure of the vehicle of the present invention is applicable to a front door, a rear door, a lift gate or the like of a four-door type of vehicle, an application structure to a door of a two-door type of vehicle will be described specifically in the following embodiments.
As shown in
A door opening potion 6 which is partitioned by the hinge pillar 1, the side sill 2, the front pillar 3, the roof side rail 4, and the rear pillar 5 is formed. The door opening portion 6 is closed or opened with a side door 8 which is rotatably attached to the hinge pillar 1 via a pair of upper-and-lower door hinges 7, 7.
As shown in
As shown in
Further, as shown in
Further,
As shown in
The lever 20 is formed by an outer cover 21 shown in
As shown in
Further, as shown in
Moreover, as shown in
As shown in
Moreover, a release wire 62 for releasing a door latch (not illustrated) is fixed to an inward end, in the vehicle width direction, of the crank plate 60. This crank plate 60 is always biased in an anti-release direction by means of a coil spring (not illustrated) having a large spring force.
Meanwhile, a torsion spring 36 as a biasing mechanism is wound around the hinge pin 31. One end 36a of the torsion spring 36 engages with the crank plate 60 shown in
Next, a sector gear G1 which is provided at the above-described bracket 50 and a structure of the driving unit 40 to transmit the drive force to the other side (see the extension portion 35) of the hinge arm 30 in cooperation with this sector gear G1 will be described referring to
A penetration hole G1a is formed at the sector gear G1, and the hinge pin 31 is fitted into this penetration hole G1a, so that the sector gear G1 is fixed to the hinge pin 31 as described above.
The above-described penetration hole G1a is positioned at a center of an arc-shaped engagement portion G1b of the sector gear G1 which engages with the pinion gear G5.
The driving unit 50 comprises a motor 42, a gear train 46 which comprises respective elements G2-G6, and the motor base 41 for assembling these 42, 46.
Specifically, the motor 42 is attached to the motor base 41. A rotational axis 43 of the motor 42 is fitted into an output gear G2. An idle gear G4 having a pinion gear G3 is provided at an axis 44 which is provided at the motor base 41. Further, a driven gear G6 having a pinion gear G5 is provided at another axis 45 which is provided at the motor base 41. The above-described output axis 45 is an axis to transmit an output of the motor 42 to the hinge arm 30 via the pinion gear G5.
As shown in
As the pinion gear G5 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction in
Further, since the motor base 41 is attached to the extension portion 35 of the hinge arm 30 as described above, the driving unit 40 is rotated, together with the hinge arm 30, around the hinge pin 31, so that the lever 20 can be projected from the door outer panel 11.
The above-described lever 20 is configured to be rotatable among the storage position (see
The lever 20 can be rotated by the driving unit 40 between the storage position shown in
In the gripping position shown in
When the hinge arm 30 reaches the gripping position as shown in
Herein, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Meanwhile, as shown in
Further, a key cylinder 15 is, as shown in
As shown in
Further, the driving unit 40 is fixed in an opposite area of the hinge arm 30 which is opposite, relative to the hinge pin 31, to an area of the hinge arm 30 where the lever 20 is arranged, i.e., in a front-side area Rf which is located on a forward side of the hinge pin 31.
When the lever 20 takes the storage position, the rear-side area Rr of the hinge area 30 and the driving unit 40 which is provided in the front-side area Rf face each other relative to the hinge pin 31. That is, in the present embodiment, the rear-side area Rr and the driving unit 40 are arranged such that at least parts of these overlap with each other in a vehicle elevational view.
Specifically, the lever 20 (the inner cover 22) and the lever support portion 34 which are arranged in the rear-side area Rr, the hinge pin 31, and the motor 42 which has the heaviest weight among components constituting the driving unit 40 provided in the front-side area Rf are arranged on an identical straight line extending in the longitudinal direction (see an imaginary line La in
The water-proof cap 65 is made of resin, rubber, or the like which have the water resistance, and comprises an upper wall portion 66 and a peripheral wall portion 67 which extends downwardly from an entire periphery of the upper wall portion 66, which is configured to be upwardly recessed. This water-proof cap 65 is attached tightly to an upper side of the motor 42 so as to cover over the motor 42. Further, a projection piece 65a which projects rearwardly is integrally formed at a rear portion of the upper wall portion 66 of the water-proof cap 65, and a penetration hole 65b which penetrates the projection piece 65a vertically is formed at a central portion of the projection piece 65a in a plan view.
Further, as shown in this figure, the motor 42 is arranged at the motor base 41 such that it projects upwardly relative to the gears G3, G4, G5, G6. In other words, the motor 42 is arranged such that it projects upwardly beyond an upper wall 50A of the bracket 50.
Thereby, the motor 42 is arranged so that at least the upper side of the motor 42 can be suppressed from becoming wet with the water even if the water remains at a lower wall 50B of the bracket 50.
Further, as shown in
Herein, in other figures than
The wire harness 90 is connected to the upper wall portion 66 of the water-proof cap 65 on the side of the driving unit 40 (i.e., on a movable-portion side). Hereafter, a connection portion 68 of the wire harness 90 which is positioned on the side of the driving unit 40 will be referred to as the “harness connection portion 68.”
Specifically, a harness insertion hole 68a (see
Herein, the wire harness 90 extends down the projection piece 65a from the harness connection portion 68 which is positioned at the upper wall portion 66 of the water-proof cap 65, passing through the penetration hole 65b of the projection piece 65a of the water-proof cap 65, and then extends up to the side of the bracket 50 (i.e., to the fixation-portion side). The wire harness 90 is fixed to an edge portion of the penetration hole 65b of the projection piece 65a by a band B. This fixation portion is referred to as a “harness movable-side fixation portion 63” as well.
Meanwhile, the wire harness 90 is fixed, by the band B, to a portion of the bracket 50 which is positioned closely to the hinge pin 31, specifically to a portion of the upper wall portion 66 of the bracket 50 which is positioned closely to an inward side, in the vehicle width direction, of a pin attachment portion 58 where the one end (upper end) of the hinge pin 31 is fixedly attached (i.e., to the portion of the upper wall portion 66 which is positioned closely to a side where the harness connection portion 68 is provided (see
Further, as shown in
By providing the harness fixation portion 69 at this position, the harness connection portion 68 and the harness fixation portion 69 can be positioned as closely to each other as possible in a direction (in the vehicle width direction) where the harness connection portion 68 is not displaced relative to the harness fixation portion 69 when the harness connection portion 68 is moved according to the position change of the lever 20. Consequently, an excessive length of the wire harness 90 connecting the harness connection portion 68 and the harness fixation portion 69 can be properly diminished.
As shown in
According to this structure, as shown in
Accordingly, the driving unit 40 itself as a heavy object which is arranged in the front-side area Rf of the hinge arm 30, which is an ideal layout position of the counterweight, can be made to perform the counterweight function for the lever 20.
Thus, the lever 20 can be prevented from being improperly projected from the door outer panel 11 when the large inertia force is applied to the hinge arm 30, without avoiding a situation where the counterweight improperly interferes with the driving unit 40, which may be caused by providing any additional counterweight in the front-side area Rf of the hinge arm 30, for example.
Additionally, since it is unnecessary to arrange any other counterweight in the front-side area Rf, a layout space of this counterweight and the weight of the vehicle body can be reduced.
Conventionally, a so-called seesaw type of lever is known as the door handle lever having the flush-surface structure. In this seesaw type of lever, the lever itself has the rotational support axis, and the lever is electrically rotated such that its one-end side is provided with the rotational support axis and the other-end side is projected from the door outer panel.
In this seesaw type of lever structure, however, since the lever itself has the rotational support axis as described above, it is necessary to arrange electrical components, such as a motor to rotate the rotational support axis, closely to an opening portion of the door outer panel where the lever is attached, so that there is a concern that the electrical components may become wet with the water easily.
Moreover, since it is difficult to project a whole part of the level including its one-end side provided with the rotational support axis from the door outer panel, there is another concern that it may become difficult for the user to grip the lever taking the gripping position.
Herein, a swan-neck hinge structure in which the rotational support axis is provided to be spaced apart, along the door outer panel, relative to the position of the lever may be useful in solving the above-described problems.
In the swan-neck hinge structure, however, the gravity position of the hinge arm is spaced apart from the hinge pin (rotational support axis) because the lever and the rotational are spaced apart from each other.
Therefore, there is a concern that when the large inertia force is applied to the hinge arm in the vehicle collision or the like, the lever provided at the one-end side of the hinge arm is so projected outwardly from the door panel that the door may be unlocked improperly.
Accordingly, in the swan-neck hinge structure, the gravity position of the hinge arm is conventionally made close to the hinge pin by providing the counterweight (weight object) at the opposite side of the hinge arm which is opposite to the side where the lever is arranged relative to the hinge pin.
However, in the swan-neck hinge structure, the driving unit (motor) to electrically rotate the hinge arm around the hinge pin is arranged at this opposite side of the hinge arm which is opposite to the side where the lever is arranged relative to the hinge pin.
Therefore, it may be considered as shown in
As described above, a gravity position CG of the hinge arm 30′ can be positioned to its forward side which is close to a hinge pin 31′, in the longitudinal direction, from its rearward side where the lever 20′ is arranged by providing the counterweight C/W on the forward side of the hinge pin 30′ of the hinge arm 30′. However, by arranging the counterweight C/W at the position which is located on the inward side, in the vehicle width direction, of the driving unit 40′ as described above, the gravity position CG of the hinge arm 30′ is positioned on the inward side, in the vehicle width direction, of the hinge pin 31′ (see
Thereby, when the vehicle has a rear collision, a moment load (see an arrow M in
Herein, since the present embodiment is configured such that the driving unit 40 itself is utilized as the counterweight as described above, the gravity position of the hinge arm 30 can be made properly close to the hinge pin 31 without interference of the driving unit 40 with any additional counterweight.
Accordingly, the lever 20 can be suppressed from being projected outwardly from the door outer panel 11 improperly when the large inertia force is applied to the hinge arm 30.
In the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in
According to this structure, even if the harness connection portion 68 of the wire harness 90 is moved according to the position change of the lever 20 because of rotating of the hinge arm 30 where the driving unit 40 is fixed around the hinge pin 31, the length of the wire harness 90 between the connection portion 68 and the harness fixation portion 69 where the wire harness 90 is fixed closely to the hinge pin 31 can be suppressed from changing.
Specifically, since the driving unit 40 is fixed to the hinge arm 30 as described above, the distance between the driving unit 40 and the hinge pin 31 of the hinge arm 30 can be maintained substantially at a constant length while the driving unit 40 rotates around the rotational center (hinge pin 31) of the hinge arm 30.
Thus, by fixing the wire harness 90 to the portion of the bracket 50 which is positioned closely to the hinge pin 31 (specifically, to the hinge attachment portion 58), i.e., the harness fixation portion 69, changing of the length of the wire harness 90 between the harness connection portion 68 (specifically, the harness movable-side fixation portion 63) and the harness fixation portion 69 can be suppressed.
Accordingly, a load of a tensional direction or a compressive direction which is inputted to the wire harness 90 when the hinge arm 30 is rotated around the hinge pin 31 can be reduced, so that the counterweight-function performance of the driving unit 40 can be achieved without deteriorating the durability of the wire harness 90.
In the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in
According to this structure, the gravity position of the hinge arm 30 having the lever 20 at its rear end can be made closer to the hinge pin 30.
In the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in
According to this structure, by gear engagement, i.e., engaging of the sector gear G1 and the pinion gear G5, the poser of the motor 42 can be transmitted to the hinge arm 30 and also the motor 42 and the pinion gear G5 can be moved together with the hinge arm 30 along the engaging portion G1b of the sector gear G1 with the pinion gear G5 (see
That is, the structure in which the driving unit 40 to perform the counterweight function for the lever 20 is provided in the front-side area Rf of the hinge arm 30 can be provided, so that the gravity position of the hinge arm 30 can be arranged closely to the hinge pin 31.
In the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in
Accordingly, the gravity position of the hinge arm 30 can be securely arranged closely to the hinge pin 31.
Specifically, the poisoning of the sector gear G1 and the hinge pin 31 can be made precisely by fixing the sector gear G1 to the hinge pin 31.
Thereby, the hinge pin 31 which is the rotational center of the hinge arm 30 can be made to be fixed to a center position of the arc-shaped engagement portion G1b of the sector gear G1 with the pinion gear G5, so that the rotational center of the hinge arm 30 and the rotational center of the pinion gear G5 which moves along the engagement portion G1b of the sector gear G1 can be made to match each other. That is, the center of the arc-shaped engagement portion G1b of the sector gear G1 and the rotational center of the hinge arm 30 can be made coaxial.
Thereby, the distance between the output axis 45 fitted into the pinion gear G5 which moves along the engagement portion G1b of the sector gear G1 and the axis of the hinge pin 31 which is the rotational center of the hinge arm 30 can be maintained at the constant length while the lever 20 moves.
Accordingly, the structure in which the driving unit 40 is fixed in the opposite area of the hinge arm 30 so as to be movable together with the hinge arm 30 can be provided, so that the gravity center of the hinge arm 30 can be positioned closely to the hinge arm 31 securely.
Further, since the positioning accuracy of the sector gear G1 and the hinge pin 31 can be controlled easily, an assembling error of the hinge arm 30 to the sector gear G1 via the hinge pin 31 can be properly diminished.
In the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in
According to this structure, the durability of the driving unit 40 against its becoming wet with the water can be improved.
Specifically, since the door inside (a space between a door inner panel, not illustrated, and the door outer panel 11) corresponds to an area where the water may exist, there is a concern that in a rainy day or at car washing, for example, the water coming into the door inside through a gap between the door window glass 10 and the door body 9 may drop toward the door handle structure.
Further, the driving unit 40 moves outwardly (inwardly, in the vehicle width direction, of the structure) from the inside of the bracket 50 according to the position change of the lever 20 because the hinge arm 30 rotates around the hinge pin 31 (see
Herein, by providing the water-proof cap 65 covering over the motor 42 as shown in
In the present embodiment, the water-proof cap 65 comprises the upper wall portion 65 and the peripheral wall portion 67, this cap 65 is attached such that it is pushed down over the motor 42, and a gap between an inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 67 and an outer surface of the motor 42 is configured to be opened downwardly. Therefore, even if the water drops onto the upper wall portion 66 of the water-proof cap 65, for example, this water which tends to flow down from an upper face of the upper wall portion 66 to a lower portion of the motor 42 along an outer surface of the peripheral wall portion 67 can be prevented from coming into the inside of the motor 42 through the gap between the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 67 and the outer surface of the motor 42.
Further, since the harness connection portion 68 is positioned at the water-proof cap 65 covering over the motor 42, this harness connection portion 68 can be suppressed from becoming wet with the water which drops from an upper side of the door handle structure and remains at the lower wall 50B of the bracket 50. Thus, the harness connection portion 68 can be positioned at an appropriate location against the water.
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be materialized by various modifications.
The lever of the present invention is not limited to the lever 20 of the above-described embodiment which is formed integrally with another portion of the hinge arm 30 than the lever 20, but the lever may be formed separately from this other portion of the hinge arm 30 as long as the lever is provided at the one-end side of the hinge arm relative to the rotational support axis.
Further, the driving unit of the present invention is not limited to the driving unit 40 of the present embodiment. For example, it may be a crank-operational type of device which comprises an output axis to transmit a rotational force of the motor and a crank which has its base end fixed to the output axis and its free end configured to contact the bracket and be slidable.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2021-015647 | Feb 2021 | JP | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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20030019261 | Wittwer | Jan 2003 | A1 |
20140000167 | Patel | Jan 2014 | A1 |
20190284850 | Couto Maquieira | Sep 2019 | A1 |
20200190848 | Murata | Jun 2020 | A1 |
20210156178 | Heyduck | May 2021 | A1 |
20220243506 | Moriyama | Aug 2022 | A1 |
20220243507 | Moriyama | Aug 2022 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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108374615 | Aug 2018 | CN |
3 540 157 | Sep 2019 | EP |
2020-094455 | Jun 2020 | JP |
WO-2017198917 | Nov 2017 | WO |
WO-2019038194 | Feb 2019 | WO |
Entry |
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The extended European search report issued by the European Patent Office dated Jun. 3, 2022, which corresponds to European Patent Application No. 21217669.7-1005 and is related to U.S. Appl. No. 17/512,247. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20220243505 A1 | Aug 2022 | US |