DE102015111311A1 - Door handle assembly for a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle door handle assembly having sensor means for detecting actuation. A handle of the vehicle door handle assembly has a tangible portion, wherein the handle has an outer wall defining an interior in which a sensor electronics is arranged and fixed. The handle is formed in the engageable portion in an operating region with reduced outer wall thickness and there has a relation to the other portions of the handle increased deformability. The reduction in the outer wall thickness is performed exclusively on the side facing the interior of the outer wall. The inner side of the handle outer wall, which faces the interior, is covered with a metallic layer, at least in the actuating region. The sensor electronics comprises at least one inductive distance sensor, which lies opposite the handle of the metallic layer, so that the inductive distance sensor detects a deformation of the opposite outer wall with the resting metallic layer.

Description

The invention relates to a vehicle door handle assembly. In particular, the invention relates to an outside door handle assembly with a sensor device for detecting an actuation of the door handle. The vehicle door handle assembly includes a handle that is available to an operator for operation. The handle can be engaged behind in at least one section to apply a pulling force on the doors.

The handle is formed with an outer wall which limits an interior of the handle. In the interior of the handle sensor electronics is arranged and fixed in place in the handle.

Vehicle door handles of the type mentioned are available in motor vehicles in a variety of designs. In such vehicle door handles to distinguish between handle systems with a movable handle and those with a fixed handle. In the case of movable handles, a handle part of the handle assembly that is to be undercut or engaged by the user is pivoted or moved translationally by the action of force. This movement is transmitted to a lock device in the door for actuation.

For fixed door handles, however, the handles are arranged largely immovable relative to the door. In combination with such fixed vehicle door handles mostly electrically controlled door locks are used, which are commonly referred to as "e-latch". An example of such a door system is in the EP 0 584 499 A1 disclosed. In the case of fixed door handles, due to the lack of a mechanical actuating path, no continuous mechanical chain of action is formed by the door handle on a door lock. Instead, the door lock is electrically energized in response to a detected actuation so that mechanical hardware can be reduced and cost and weight saved.

The fixed vehicle door handle assemblies differ in their way of detecting actuation. Switches or capacitive sensors can be used on or in the vehicle door handle. The object of the invention is to provide an improved actuation detection for vehicle door handle assemblies on fixed door handles of motor vehicles.

This object is achieved by a vehicle door handle assembly having a sensor device according to the features of patent claim 1.

The vehicle door handle assembly according to the invention has a handle, wherein the handle can be gripped around, under-gripped or overlapped. In any case, it is necessary for the operation to engage behind the handle in any section in order to exercise a pulling force required to open the door can.

In this hintergreifbaren section an actuating portion is formed on the handle. The operating range is determined by the fact that there is provided a reduced outer wall thickness of the handle. The outer wall is weakened in this area, there to provide over the other handle increased deformability. According to the invention, the weakening of the outer wall thickness is formed by reducing the wall thickness exclusively on the side facing the interior of the outer wall. On the outside of the handle, e.g. in a surface area which is turned to the vehicle door, the outer wall thickness is not reduced compared to the surrounding areas, there the surface thus runs smoothly, without recesses. The weakening of the outer wall by reducing the wall thickness is performed by the inside of the housing wall, for example by a flat removal, a planar shaping of the wall with reduced cross-section or a partial weakening, for example, arranged in this area linear thinning or deliberately introduced milling or the like ,

In this area with a reduced wall thickness, the inside of the outer wall of the handle is covered with a metallic layer. This layer may be an applied foil or a metallic lacquer layer. Even thin sheets can be applied. Furthermore, it is also possible in principle to introduce metal particles into the material in the thinned area.

The sensor electronics, which is arranged stationary in the interior of the handle, has an inductive distance sensor. The inductive distance sensor is aligned with the metallic layer so that the inductive distance sensor detects a deformation of the weakened area of the opposite outer wall with the overlying metallic layer.

According to the present invention, a portion of a vehicle door handle assembly is mechanically weakened to expose that portion to increased strain against the remaining portions of the handle upon actuation of the handle by a user. The mechanical stability of the entire handle system is thereby essentially by the provided surrounding areas of the vehicle door handle. The specifically weakened area is metallized on the interior of the handle facing the interior, and deformation of the area together with the metallization is detected by an inductive distance sensor.

Compared to capacitive systems, this type of detection has a particularly high sensitivity and reliability, since the detection conditions are well defined inside the door handle and subject to slight changes.

Even very small deformations are sufficient to detect them by the inductive distance sensor. The metallic material of the weakened portion of the handle shifts when actuated relative to the inductive distance sensor, since the distance sensor is in turn fixed in place within the handle. So there is a relative movement between the deformed outer wall and the distance sensor instead. The inductive distance sensors detect changes in the position and removal of metallic objects with high precision. Inductive sensors in various designs are available on the market. They are used, for example, for monitoring movements in manufacturing devices, for detecting imbalances or for detecting dimensions of axes. For example, corresponding inductive sensing products are available from Texas Instruments (e.g., Texas Instruments LDC 1000-Q1).

According to the invention, the weakening of the handle in the actuating region is designed so that the inherent elasticity of the wall material is sufficient to reset the wall back to its original shape after an actuation. The deformation is so at the usual operating forces at any time an elastic deformation.

The signals of the sensor electronics with the inductive distance sensor can be evaluated to detect an actuation of the door handle. This actuation signal can be used to actuate an electric door lock to unlock the door or to move it in the direction of an opening operation.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an evaluation circuit is provided in the sensor electronics itself, which detects and evaluates the signals of the inductive distance sensor. The sensor electronics then delivers an operating signal dependent on the evaluation of the signals of the inductive distance sensor. The advantage of an arrangement of the evaluation for the operation in the door handle itself consists in particular in the simple device of the door handle, which outputs defined actuation signals. In addition, the evaluation device can carry out continuous adjustments and calibrations, for example to take into account heat-related expansions or changes in length of the door handle.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sensor electronics are formed with a circuit board mounted in a holder, e.g. a kind of tub, is added. The holder is fixed in the door handle interior and thus aligns the inserted board with sensor at a defined distance from the deformable outer wall.

It is particularly preferred if the circuit board is encapsulated within the holder with a potting compound. This fixes the position of the board in the holder and protects the board and the inductive sensor from environmental influences, in particular moisture or dirt.

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

1a shows a first embodiment of a door handle assembly according to the invention in a first perspective view.

1b shows the first embodiment of the invention in a second perspective view.

2 shows a section through the door handle assembly according to the first embodiment with an associated detail magnification.

3a shows the first embodiment with assumed cover and partially disassembled.

3b shows the first embodiment 3a from a different perspective.

4 shows a block diagram of the components of the embodiment.

In 1a a door handle assembly according to the invention according to a first embodiment is shown. In this embodiment, a door handle is formed with a handle of two shell parts, which form the handle of the door handle in the assembled design.

A vehicle body facing handle inner part 1 the handle is covered by a handle cover part 2 pointing away from the vehicle. fastener 3a . 3b are provided to allow a determination of the vehicle door handle assembly on the vehicle. After assembly of handle inner part 1 and handle cover part 2 These form the handle with an internal cavity in which electronic components of the handle can be accommodated. It is clear in the drawings 1a and 1b that a user of the handle for actuating a door engages behind the handle and thereby a force on the handle inner part 1 if he wants to open the door.

In 2 is a section approximately at the height of half the longitudinal extent of the handle from the 1a and 1b executed. The cutting area is highlighted by an enlarged detail to allow an insight into the interior. In this illustration, it can be seen how the handle through the handle inner part 1 and handle cover part 2 is formed, which together form the outer wall of the handle. It can also be seen that the wall thickness of the handle inner part 1 is reduced in the cut area to an operating area 4 to form with reduced wall thickness. Inside the door handle is a bracket 5 set as a carrier for a sensor electronics 6 serves. The sensor electronics 6 lies the thinned operating area 4 opposite and captured with inductive distance sensors, which are located on the sensor electronics 6 are arranged, a deformation of the operating region 4 , This is possible because of the operating range 4 is covered with a metal foil, in this example, a self-adhesive aluminum foil on the relevant interior 4 is applied.

While the 2 shows the arrangement of the components in the fully assembled handle shows 3a the arrangement, wherein the handle cover part 2 was removed. In this illustration, it is easy to see how the area 4 of the handle inner part 1 is designed as a weakened area with thinner wall thickness. The area 4 is covered with a self-adhesive aluminum foil. The holder 5 has in each case at their ends fastening portions, with associated fastening means on the handle inner part 1 are definable. In the holder 5 is the sensor electronics 6 inserted. For clarity, in this example a situation is shown in which the electronics are not potted, but the electronics may be in the receptacle 5 be shed to reduce external influences on the electronics.

In 3b is shown that the weakened area 4 is executed exclusively from the inside of the handle with reduced wall thickness. In the 3b shown outside of the handle inner part 1 is smooth and even with a smooth surface. This gives a user a more comfortable operating experience and prevents dirt or water or ice from accumulating or becoming lodged in recessed areas and resulting in malfunction. The weakening of the material is solely from the protected inside of the handle inner part 1 executed.

The block diagram in 4 shows the connection and effect between the components. An inductive sensor 10 is with an evaluation circuit 11 on a circuit board 12 coupled. Spaced apart is a thinned in the wall cross section operating area of a shell 13 a door handle handle. On the sensor 10 facing side is a metallic layer 14 arranged. The metallic layer 14 is together with the underlying wall 13 deformable, as indicated by the dashed line and the double arrow. Deformation leads to a change in the signals of the inductive sensor 10 , The evaluation circuit 11 evaluates the signals of the sensor 10 from and generates an operating signal, which a central control device 15 is fed in the vehicle. The evaluation circuit 11 allows continuous calibration of the system using a moving average as the output value for actuator detection. This allows the adaptation of the sensitivity of the sensor 11 to changed environmental conditions, such as temperature changes and elongations or contractions. Be signals from the inductive distance sensor 11 detected, which indicate an actuation, the evaluation circuit compares the corresponding sensor signals with comparative values of the recent past.

Various signal responses are possible for detecting the actuation. For example, the actuation may be required to exceed a certain threshold for a predetermined period of time to cause release of the door lock by outputting a corresponding actuation signal. In principle, other operating patterns can also be recognized, for example several times.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• EP 0584499 A1 [0004]

Claims (4)

Vehicle door handle assembly ( 1 ) with a sensor device for detecting an actuation, with a handle ( 3 ), which has a tangible portion behind, wherein the handle has an outer wall and bounded by the outer wall interior, wherein in the interior of the handle sensor electronics is arranged and fixed, characterized in that the handle in the tangible portion in an operating area with reduced outer wall thickness is formed, and there has a relative to the other portions of the handle increased deformability, wherein the reduction of the outside wall thickness is formed exclusively on the interior side of the outer wall, wherein the interior of the directed inside of the outer wall is occupied at least in the operating area with a metallic layer wherein the sensor electronics has at least one inductive distance sensor which lies opposite the metallic layer, so that the inductive distance sensor causes a deformation of the opposite outer wall ng detected with the overlying metallic layer. Vehicle door handle assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sensor electronics comprises an evaluation circuit which detects the signals of the inductive distance sensor and detects an operation in response to the signals and provides an output signal. Vehicle door handle assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sensor electronics, a circuit board ( 8th ), on which the inductive distance sensor is formed, and wherein the board ( 8th ) in a holder ( 7 ), wherein the holder is fixed in place in the interior of the handle. Vehicle door handle assembly according to claim 3 wherein the board ( 8th ) with the inductive distance sensor in the holder ( 7 ) is poured with a potting compound.

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