Inner handle device

Abstract

The present invention provides an interior handle device for a vehicle that is connected to a door latch device fixed to a vehicle door via a cable device through which an inner cable passes into an outer cable, enabling remote operation of the door latch device. The interior handle device comprises: a handle base supporting a handle body for free swinging; the handle body having an operating portion operable from a surface at one end and a cable connection recess opening towards the rear at the other end; and a cable holding housing having a cable fixing portion for fixing one end of the outer cable, and being connectable to the handle base such that a handle connection portion formed at one end of the inner cable is held in place, and in the connected state, the handle connection portion is locked into the cable connection recess of the handle body. The cable holding housing can be released from its connection with the handle base by a release force in the rear direction, the release force being obtained by changing the load direction of the pull-out direction of the cable fixing portion towards the outer cable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an inner handle device. Background Technology

[0002] As an inner handle device attached to the inner wall of the vehicle door, the device described in Patent Document 1 is known.

[0003] In this conventional example, the inner handle device is formed by connecting the locking knob and the inner door handle to the handle base in a rotatable manner, with one end of the inner door handle connected to the other end of the cable of the latching mechanism.

[0004] The spherical end formed at the top of the cable (inner cable) is engaged with the engagement hole opened in the inner door handle, thereby connecting the inner door handle and the cable.

[0005] Existing technical documents

[0006] Patent documents

[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-97476 Summary of the Invention

[0008] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0009] In the aforementioned previous example, the operation of engaging the end of the inner cable with the engagement hole of the inner door handle was rather complicated.

[0010] According to embodiments of the present invention, an inner handlebar device for a vehicle with a simple connection operation of a cable device can be realized.

[0011] Solution for solving the problem

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the inner handle device of a vehicle is connected to a door latch device 4 fixed to the door via a cable device 3 that inserts an inner cable 2 into an outer cable 1, and the door latch device 4 is remotely operated. The inner handle device of the vehicle has: a handle base 8 that supports a handle body 7 for free swinging, the handle body 7 having an operating part 5 that can be operated from the surface at one end and a cable connection recess 6 that opens to the rear direction at the opposite end; and a cable holding housing 11 that has a cable fixing part 9 that fixes one end of the outer cable 1 and can be connected to the handle base 8 in such a way as to hold the handle connection part 10 formed at one end of the inner cable 2, and in the connected state, the handle connection part 10 is locked in the cable connection recess 6 of the handle body 7. The cable holding housing 11 can be released from its connection with the handle base 8 by a connection release force in the rear direction, the connection release force being obtained by changing the load direction of the pull-out direction of the outer cable 1 on the cable fixing part 9.

[0013] In an embodiment of the present invention, the inner handle device includes: a handle base 8, to which the handle body 7 is rotatably connected; and a cable holding housing 11, to which the outer cable 1 of the cable device 3 is fixed at the cable fixing part 9. The inner handle device connects the cable holding housing 11 to the handle base 8 by a suitable connection means, thereby locking the handle connection part 10 of the inner cable 2 held in the cable holding housing 11 to the cable connection recess 6 of the handle body 7. Then, the operating force on the handle body 7 is transmitted to the door latch device 4 via the inner cable 2.

[0014] Therefore, by simply connecting the cable retaining housing 11 to the handle base 8, the handle connection part 10 of the inner cable 2 can be connected to the handle body 7, eliminating the need for the operation of guiding the handle connection part 10 into the locking hole of the handle body 7 as in the conventional example, thus improving the connection workability.

[0015] Furthermore, if the relative positions of the inner handle device and the door latch device 4 change from their initial settings to a direction of separation due to a collision or the like, the cable fixing part 9 of the cable holding housing 11 will be subjected to a tensile force under the load of the outer cable 1.

[0016] By applying a load to the cable fixing part 9, the cable holding housing 11 moves toward the direction of releasing the locking of the cable connecting recess 6 in the handle connecting part 10 and disengages from the handle base 8. After that, the cable holding housing 11, to which the cable device 3 is fixed, moves along with the door latch device 4.

[0017] Therefore, as in the past, when the inner cable 2 is connected to the handle body 7 in a way that cannot be detached, if the distance between the door latch device 4 and the handle unit becomes larger than expected, the handle connection portion 10 of the inner cable 2 may move away from the door latch device 4 along with the handle unit, causing the door latch device 4 to perform a latch release operation. In this invention, after the cable holding housing 11 is detached from the handle base 8, the cable device 3 moves with the door latch device 4, so the door latch device 4 will not be activated, and the door opening operation caused by accident can be reliably prevented.

[0018] Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the cable holding housing 11 may be provided with a climbing part 13, which climbs onto the climbing protrusion 12 of the handle base 8 as the cable fixing part 9 moves in the pull-out direction, causing the cable holding housing 11 to move in the connection release direction.

[0019] In addition, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the cable retaining housing 11 may be locked to the handle base 8 at the edge portion forming the cable fixing portion 9, and connected to the handle base 8 in such a way that the opposing edge portion is elastically locked to the handle base 8 on a rotation trajectory with the locking portion of the handle base 8 as the rotation center.

[0020] Regardless of the method used, the connection operation of the cable retaining housing 11 to the handle base 8 is simpler than the operation of guiding the handle connecting part 10 formed at the top of the inner cable 2 to the connecting hole of the handle body 7 and then fitting it in. However, according to this solution, after locking one end of the cable retaining housing 11, it can be connected to the handle base 8 simply by rotating the cable retaining housing 11 around the locking part as the rotation center, thus improving the connection workability.

[0021] In addition, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the cable holding housing 11 may be provided with a hook-shaped elastic locking piece 15, the elastic locking piece 15 being elastically locked to a locking protrusion 14 protruding from the handle base 8, and the locking surfaces of the locking protrusion 14 and the elastic locking piece 15 being formed by inclined surfaces, the inclined surfaces causing the elastic locking piece 15 to generate an operating force in the locking release direction by a load on the cable holding housing 11 in the connection release direction.

[0022] In this solution, when a load in the direction of cable pull-out is applied to the cable holding housing 11, combined with the action generated by the operating force direction conversion mechanism, the locking surface of the elastic locking plate 15 moves in a manner that slides off the inclined surface of the locking protrusion 14, so the locking state of the locking protrusion 14 and the elastic locking plate 15 is non-destructively released.

[0023] In addition, according to another embodiment of the present invention, an elastic deformable foot 16 may be provided protruding from either the cable holding housing 11 or the handle base 8. The elastic deformable foot 16 extends in a direction substantially orthogonal to the cable pull-out direction starting from the cable fixing part 9. An interference protrusion 17 is provided on the other side. The interference protrusion 17 abuts against the free end of the elastic deformable foot 16 to restrict the movement of the cable holding housing 11 in the cable pull-out direction.

[0024] In this scheme, when the load has a force in the direction of cable pulling out, the movement of the foot in the direction of cable pulling out is restricted, so the locking and releasing action of the elastic locking plate 15 is restricted. When the load reaches the specified size and the foot undergoes elastic deformation, a force in the direction of locking and releasing is generated in the elastic locking plate 15.

[0025] As a result, by adjusting the elastic deformation capability of the foot, the detachment force of the elastic locking piece 15, i.e. the cable retaining housing 11, can be accurately adjusted, and accidental detachment of the cable retaining housing 11 can be reliably prevented. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the inner handle assembly viewed from the surface side.

[0027] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Sectional view along line 2A-2A.

[0028] Figure 3 (a) and Figure 3 (b) is a diagram representing the handle unit. Figure 3 (a) is a diagram viewed from the surface side. Figure 3 (b) is Figure 3 (a) Sectional view along line 3B-3B.

[0029] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 (a) 4A-4A line section view.

[0030] Figure 5 This is a diagram representing a cable unit.

[0031] Figure 6 (a) to Figure 6 (c) is a diagram representing a cable unit. Figure 6 (a) is Figure 5 View in direction 6A, Figure 6 (b) is Figure 5 Sectional view along line 6B-6B, Figure 6 (c) is Figure 5 Sectional view along line 6C-6C.

[0032] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating the connection operation of cable units.

[0033] Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating the connection operation of cable units.

[0034] Figure 9 (a) to Figure 9 (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the disconnection action of the cable unit. Detailed Implementation

[0035] like Figure 1As shown below, the inner handle assembly includes: a handle unit 18, which connects the handle body 7 to the handle base 8; and a cable unit 19, which connects the cable assembly 3 to the cable retaining housing 11. The handle base 8 is fixed to the door trim piece (not shown) to assemble the handle base 8 onto the door, wherein the door trim piece is fixed to the inner wall of the door.

[0036] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, the handle body 7 has a hinge piece 7a, which protrudes from the upper and lower ends of one end of the rod-shaped operating part 5 toward the rear side. The handle body 7 is rotatably connected to the handle base 8 via a rotating shaft 7b passing through the hinge piece 7a. A torsion spring (not shown) is installed between the handle body 7 and the handle base 8, which... Figure 2 Apply force at the initial rotational position shown.

[0037] It should be noted that in this instruction manual, Figure 2 Set the top of the middle section to "Face Side", the bottom to "Back Side", the left side to "Front", and the right side to "Rear". Figure 1 Set the top to "top" and the bottom to "bottom".

[0038] Furthermore, a notch-shaped cable connection recess 6 is formed at the rear end of the hinge piece 7a located below, opening towards the rear. As described later, the top surface of this cable connection recess 6 is spherical so that the handle connection portion 10 of the inner cable 2, which is spherical, can be fitted into it. Figure 2 As shown, a slit 7c is formed at the center of the plate in the thickness direction (vertical direction) to prevent interference with the inner cable 2.

[0039] Moreover, such as Figure 4 As shown, the cable connection recess 6 is made smaller in diameter in a manner corresponding to the case where the handle connection portion 10 becomes smaller in diameter as it moves upward and downward from the center. The smaller diameter portion abuts against the peripheral wall of the handle connection portion 10, thereby efficiently transmitting the displacement generated by the rotation operation of the handle body 7 to the cable device 3.

[0040] On the other hand, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, a cable device 3 is formed in such a way that the inner cable 2 can slide freely through the outer cable 1. One end of the cable device 3 is connected to a door latch device 4 fixed to the door panel, and the other end is connected to a cable holding housing 11. A connecting metal part 1a is fixed to the end of the outer cable 1, and a spherical handle connecting part 10 is fixed to the top of the inner cable 2.

[0041] like Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, the cable retaining housing 11 is formed by extending from the side edge of the main body 11a toward the cover 11b, as... Figure 6 As shown in (c), the cover portion 11c bends from the hinge portion 11d in the direction of the arrow and overlaps with the main body portion 11a, thereby being able to be elastically locked to the main body portion 11a.

[0042] These main body parts 11a and cover parts 11b are provided with protrusions 11e, such as Figure 6 As shown in (b), when the cover portion 11b is overlapped with the main body portion 11a with the fitting groove 1b of the connecting metal member 1a formed on the outer cable 1 fitted into the protrusion 11e of the main body portion 11a, the protrusion 11e of the cover portion 11b is fitted into the fitting groove 1b of the connecting metal member 1a. In this state, the protrusion 11e is fitted into the fitting groove 1b of the outer cable 1 from the back side direction to form the cable fixing portion 9, which restricts the removal of the outer cable 1, i.e., the cable device 3.

[0043] Furthermore, a guide recess 20 is formed in the main body 11a to guide the handle connection portion 10 of the cable device 3 connected to the cable holding housing 11 as described above. As will be described later, the guide recess 20 is formed by an arc with a radius equal to the distance from the rotation axis 7b of the handle body 7 when the cable holding housing 11 is connected to the handle base 8 (see reference). Figure 2 At the top of a pair of vertical walls 21 arranged in a manner that sandwiches the guide recess 20, opposing eave-shaped stop strips 21a are respectively provided.

[0044] Therefore, in this example, as Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, when the handle connection 10 is placed on the guide recess 20, the detachment to the surface side is restricted by the stop protrusion 21a. Therefore, even when not connected to the handle base 8, the handle connection 10 will remain in the specified position and will not detach from the guide recess 20.

[0045] In order to connect the cable holding housing 11 formed as described above to the handle base 8, the cable holding housing 11 is provided with a locking hook 22 and an elastic locking piece 15, and the handle base 8 is provided with a locking protrusion 8a and a locking protrusion 14.

[0046] like Figure 5 As shown, the locking hook 22 protrudes rearward from the top of the protruding piece 22a, which protrudes upward and downward from the front end of the cable holding housing 11, and the aforementioned locking protrusion 8a is provided forward from the front end of the handle base 8 in a manner corresponding to the locking hook 22.

[0047] Furthermore, the elastically deformable foot piece 15a protrudes from the rear end of the cable holding housing 11 toward the surface side, and the elastic locking piece 15 is formed by protruding a hook-shaped locking portion 15b from the top of the foot piece 15a toward the rear. The locking protrusion 14 on the handle base 8 side protrudes toward the rear in a manner that can lock the locking portion 15b of the elastic locking piece 15.

[0048] Therefore, as Figure 7 , Figure 8 As shown, in this example, firstly, the locking hook 22 is locked onto the locked protrusion 8a, and then, with the locking part as the center of rotation, the cable is kept in the housing 11 as a whole. Figure 8 When the middle rotates counterclockwise (arrow direction), the locking part 15b of the elastic locking piece 15 abuts against the locking protrusion 14 of the handle base 8.

[0049] When the cable holding housing 11 is pressed further in from this state, the foot 15a of the elastic locking piece 15 temporarily deforms elastically. After the locking part 15b passes over the locking protrusion 14, it locks itself into the locking protrusion 14 as the foot 15a elastically recovers. In the locked state, the rearward sliding motion of the cable holding housing 11 relative to the handle base 8 is restricted by the interference between the locking hook 22 and the handle base 8, and the forward sliding motion, i.e., the sliding motion in the direction in which the cable device 3 is pulled out from the cable fixing part 9, is restricted by the interference of the foot 15a with the locking protrusion 14.

[0050] Furthermore, with the cable retaining housing 11 connected to the handle base 8, the movement of the cable retaining housing 11 in the rearward direction is restricted by the locking hook 22 and the locking protrusion 8a, and the locking part 15b is locked to the locking protrusion 14. By restricting the movement in these directions, the connection state of the cable retaining housing 11 to the handle base 8 is maintained.

[0051] Furthermore, when the cable retaining housing 11 is connected to the handle base 8, as described above, the handle body 7 remains in the initial rotation position. Moreover, while fixed to the cable retaining housing 11, the handle connection portion 10 of the inner cable 2 is determined by the state of the door latch device 4 connected to one end. Figure 8 As shown, the handle connection portion 10 is held in the locked corresponding position. When the cable holding housing 11 is connected to the handle base 8 from this state, the handle connection portion 10 of the inner cable 2 is engaged with the cable connection recess 6 of the handle body 7. Then, the rotational operating force of the handle body 7 can be transmitted to the door latch device 4 via the cable device 3. When the handle body 7 is moved from the initial rotational position in the connected state... Figure 2 When rotating counterclockwise, the inner cable 2 can be stretched to release the latch of the door latch device 4.

[0052] In addition, such as Figure 5 , Figure 8 As shown, at the rear end of the cable holding housing 11 and slightly in front of the elastic locking piece 15, there is a climbing part 13 protruding in the upward and downward direction, and a recess 23 is provided in the handle base 8. The recess 23 is engaged with the climbing part 13 when the handle base 8 is connected to the cable holding housing 11.

[0053] Moreover, such as Figure 9 As shown, the locking surfaces of the locking portion 15b of the cable retaining housing 11 and the locking protrusion 14 of the handle base 8 are formed by an inclined surface (inclination angle θ) that gradually moves toward the rear side as it moves backward. When the cable retaining housing 11 is subjected to a moving force toward the rear side, the elastic locking piece 15 is configured to elastically deform in the locking release direction.

[0054] Moreover, such as Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, the cable holding housing 11 has a rectangular opening 17a that opens to the surface side, and as... Figure 4 As shown, the handle base 8 is provided with an elastic deformable foot 16 protruding towards the rear side. When the cable retaining housing 11 is connected to the handle base 8, as... Figure 2 As shown, the elastic deformable foot 16 abuts against the peripheral wall (interference protrusion 17) of the rectangular opening.

[0055] As a result, the forward movement of the cable retaining housing 11 is limited not only by the elastic deformation resistance of the aforementioned elastic locking piece 15, but also by the elastic deformation resistance of the elastic deformation foot 16.

[0056] With the above configuration, when a large forward force is applied to the cable fixing part 9 of the cable retaining housing 11, such as Figure 9 As shown in (b), the elastic deformation foot 16 of the handle base 8, which abuts against the interference protrusion 17, elastically deforms, causing the cable holding housing 11 to move slightly forward. As the cable holding housing 11 moves forward, the climbing portion 13 of the cable holding housing 11 climbs onto the wall of the recess of the handle base 8 (climbing protrusion 12), and the cable holding housing 11 rotates around its front end, which is locked to the handle base 8, as its center of rotation. Figure 9 (b) is rotated clockwise, and the elastic locking piece 15 moves toward the back side.

[0057] As the elastic locking piece 15 moves toward the rear side, the locking portion 15b of the elastic locking piece 15 moves toward the locking release direction by sliding off the locking surface of the locking protrusion 14. When further load is applied and a forward moving force is applied, such as... Figure 9 As shown in (c), the locking of the elastic locking piece 15 with the locking protrusion 14 is completely released, and with further load, the cable retaining housing 11 is completely detached from the handle base 8.

[0058] Therefore, in this example, when the gap between the door latch device 4 fixed to the door panel and the inner handle device fixed to the door trim becomes larger than the initial state due to a vehicle collision accident, the outer cable 1 of the cable device 3 connecting the two is stretched, and a pull-out load is applied to the cable fixing part 9 of the cable holding housing 11.

[0059] As described above, the cable holding housing 11 is detached from the handle base 8 by the load on the cable fixing part 9. After that, the cable holding housing 11 moves independently as a cable unit and does not apply tensile force to the inner cable 2, so no latch release operation force is applied to the door latch device 4.

[0060] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-014547, filed on January 31, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0061] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0062] 1: External cable; 2: Internal cable; 3: Cable assembly; 4: Door latch device; 5: Operating part; 6: Cable connection recess; 7: Handle body; 8: Handle base; 9: Cable fixing part; 10: Handle connection part; 11: Cable retaining housing; 12: Climbing protrusion; 13: Climbing part; 14: Locking protrusion; 15: Elastic locking piece; 16: Elastic deformation foot; 17: Interference protrusion.

Claims

1. An interior door handle device for a vehicle, which is connected to a door latch device fixed to a vehicle door via a cable device that allows an inner cable to pass through an outer cable, and remotely operates the door latch device, the interior door handle device comprising: A handle base supports the handle body for free swinging; the handle body has an operating part at one end that can be operated from the surface, and a cable connection recess opening towards the rear at the other end; and The cable retaining housing has a cable fixing part for fixing one end of the outer cable, and can be connected to the handle base in such a way that it retains the handle connecting part formed at one end of the inner cable, and in the connected state, the handle connecting part is locked into the cable connecting recess of the handle body. The cable retaining housing can be disconnected from the handle base by a disconnecting force in the rearward direction, which is obtained by changing the load direction of the outward cable pull-out direction on the cable fixing part. The cable holding housing has a climbing part. As the cable fixing part moves in the pull-out direction, the climbing part climbs up the climbing protrusion of the handle base, causing the cable holding housing to move in the disconnection direction.

2. The inner handle device of the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, The cable retaining housing is locked to the handle base at the edge forming the cable fixing part, and is connected to the handle base in such a way that the opposing edge is elastically locked to the handle base on a rotation trajectory with the locking part of the handle base as the rotation center.

3. The inner handle device of the vehicle according to claim 2, wherein, The cable retaining housing is provided with a hook-shaped elastic locking piece, which elastically engages with a locking protrusion extending from the handle base. Furthermore, the locking surfaces of the locking protrusion and the elastic locking plate are formed by inclined surfaces, which cause the elastic locking plate to generate an operating force in the locking release direction by a load on the cable retaining housing in the connection release direction.

4. The inner handle device of the vehicle according to claim 3, wherein, An elastically deformable foot is provided protruding from either the cable retaining housing or the handle base. The elastically deformable foot extends in a direction approximately orthogonal to the cable pull-out direction originating from the cable fixing part. An interference protrusion is provided on the other side, which abuts against the free end of the elastic deformable foot to restrict the movement of the cable holding housing in the direction of cable pull-out.

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