The invention is directed to a door outer grip of the kind indicated in the preamble of claim 1, wherein the door outer grip exhibits a two part casing. This casing comprises a grip body, wherein the body in the case of assembly serves both for the application of the door outer grip at the door as well as for opening a lock furnished at the door. The other part of the casing is a grip cover. A hollow chamber is generated between the grip cover and the grip body and the hollow chamber serves for receiving a container.
The German printed Patent Document DE 199 35 290 A1 shows such a door outer grip. In case the electronic container is formed as an electrical sensor, problems are generated by liquids entering into the interior of the hollow chamber. The slots between the surfaces of the container and the inner faces of the casing attract liquids by capillary action. Then the sensor is non-fit for use.
It is an object of the present invention to develop a door outer grip of the kind recited in the preamble of claim 1, which door outer grip eliminates this problem. This is accomplished by the steps recited in claim 1, which steps have the following particular importance.
An elastic mold compound is employed for the formation of the container, wherein the sensor and/or at least several electrical and/or electronic device components serving for sensor operation are embedded in the elastic mold compound. This mold compound generates an elastic surface at least one end piece of the container, wherein the elastic surface is pressed against the inner face of the casing cover or of the casing body in an assembly situation. The end piece of the container is deformed in connection with this pressing on and serves as sealing means, which prevent the penetration of liquid to between the container surface and the casing interior face. The capability of functioning of the sensors is therefore not any longer interfered with by liquids entering into the sensors.
The construction according to the invention is of particular importance in connection with capacitive acting sensors, which generate an electrical field. The mold mass of the container serves in fact as a dielectric for the electric field. Where penetrating liquids are prevented according to the invention to enter into this region, thus these liquids cannot also falsify the physical properties of the dielectric.
Further steps and advantages of the invention result from the sub claims, the following description and the drawings. The invention is shown in the drawing by way of an embodiment example. There is shown in:
b the same cross-section, however after the assembly of the grip components of
The door outer grip is formed as a two part casing as shown in
The other body end 12 is formed as an extension arm and furnished with an end side hook 14, wherein the hook 14 grips behind a starting member of a lock not shown in detail in the door or hatch of the vehicle. The starting member is captured through the hook 14 upon actuation of the door outer grip and the lock is actuated. This second body end 12 is also the actuation end of the door outer grip. A middle section 17 of the grip body 10 is formed as a shell 15, where the shell 15 is open toward the outside, namely in the sense of the arrow 16.
The grip cover 20 is coordinated primarily in the middle section 17 of the grip body 10 and formed as a counter shell 25, which counter shell 25 exhibits its in the direction of the inwardly directed arrow 26.
In the assembly situation, the hollow chamber 21 receives a particular container 30, where the container 30 is electrically connected to corresponding control device components and/or with a current source through various electrical signal and operational lines 33. The container 30 has the dimensions recognizable from
The container 30 contains two electrodes 31, 32, which electrodes 31, 32 belong to two capacitive sensors having different effects as can be recognized from the cross section of
The two electrodes 31, 32 are embedded in a casting mold mass 35 emphasized by a grid of points, wherein the casting mold mass 35 is formed elastically yielding. Further electronic and electric device components serving for operating the two sensors 31, 32 can be integrated in this casting mold mass 35. The outwardly or, respectively, inwardly directed surfaces 36, 37 in the sense of the two arrows 16, 26 drawn also in
b shows the assembly case of the two casing shells 10, 20, which shells 10, 20 exert a pressure illustrated by force arrows 41 on the container 30 disposed in the hollow chamber 21. The hollow chamber 21 has a height 52 as shown in
An analogous sealing effect could, if required, also be performed on the oppositely disposed container surface 37 relative to the grip body inner face 19. Such press on zones 47 could also be generated simultaneously at several face sides of the container. Particular positioning means 44 exist however there, which positioning means 44 take care of a defined position of the container 30 in the hollow chamber 21.
The positioning means 44 comprise a projection 42 at the inwardly 26 directed container surface 37 on the one hand and a complementary recess 43 at the outwardly directed inner face 19 of the grip body 10 on the other hand according to the illustrated embodiment example. The engagement position of the two positioning means parts 42, 43 can be recognized in
The positioning means 44 take care of a distance 48 between the container 30 and the inner face of the grip body 10 in the present case. This distance 48 is formed so large that a capillary action of entering liquid into the hollow chamber 21 is prevented. Despite of the liquids; the capability of functioning of the sensor or, respectively, of the sensors 31, 32 is maintained. The projection 42 with its projection residue 49 projecting out of the oppositely disposed recess 43 could be considered as a “distance spacer” for the container 30 in the hollow chamber 21 in the present case. This distance spacer 49 is as mentioned formed as a single piece with the container surface 37, since the projections 42 are formed there. Therefore the container 30 and the distance spacer 49 form a preassembled device unit. The projections 42 or, respectively, the distance spacer 49 are formed as a single piece together with the container 30.
Such single piece form of a distance spacer could of course also be formed in an analogous fashion with the inner faces 19, 29 of the two grip components 10, 20 or with the surfaces of the grip cover 25. Finally, it is also possible to employ separate, preproduced inserts as distance spacers, which are used in these regions.
The sensors 31, 32 are active as a capacitance in the present case and they generate an electrical field, which extends through the sealed off press on zone 47 of the container. The elastic casting mold mass 35 of the container 30 is the dielectric for the electrical field. The faces of the capacitor of the one or, respectively, the two capacitive sensors 31, 32 are running essentially parallel to the sealed off press on zone 47 of the container in case of assembly. Of course also other sensors can be employed instead of the capacitive sensors.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
10 2007 011 080 | Mar 2007 | DE | national |
10 2007 024 594 | May 2007 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/EP2008/000619 | 1/26/2008 | WO | 00 | 9/4/2009 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2008/107046 | 9/12/2008 | WO | A |
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