Vehicle door handle

Abstract

A vehicle door handle formed by connecting a front cover and a rear cover is provided, wherein one of the front cover and the rear cover has a latch body, each latch body has an elastically deformable leg portion and a latch hook protruding from a distal end of the leg portion, the latch hook is connected to a latch receiving portion formed on the other of the front cover and the rear cover by elastically latching to the latch receiving portion, and each latch body is biased in a direction in which the latch hook presses against the latch receiving portion when latched to the corresponding latch receiving portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a vehicle door handle. Background Technology

[0002] As a type of door handle formed by connecting the front cover and the rear cover, the door handle disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known.

[0003] In related technologies, after the front and rear covers for door handles are pre-connected to each other using the connecting claw portion, the end portion of the through-hole is melted to prevent a clicking sound due to the connection.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP-A-2016-199921 Summary of the Invention

[0007] Technical issues

[0008] In the aforementioned related technologies, manufacturing efficiency is reduced because the through-section needs to be melted.

[0009] According to embodiments of the present invention, vehicle door handles that produce less clicking noise after connection and are manufactured with high efficiency can be achieved.

[0010] Solution to the problem

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention provide a vehicle door handle formed by connecting a front cover and a rear cover 1, 2. One of the front cover and the rear cover 1, 2 includes a locking body. The locking body includes a leg portion 3 configured to elastically deform and a locking hook 4 protruding from the end of the leg portion. The locking hook 4 is elastically locked and connected to a locking portion 6, which is formed on the other of the front cover and the rear cover. In the locked state of the locking body 5 and the locking portion 6, the locking body 5 is biased and the locking hook 4 is pressed into contact with the locking portion 6.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention, one of the front cover and the rear cover 1, 2 includes a locking body 5, wherein a locking hook 4 protrudes from the end of the leg portion 3, the leg portion being configured to elastically deform, such that by simply overlapping the front cover and the rear cover 1, 2, the locking hook 4 of the locking body 5 interferes with the locking portion 6 of the other of the front cover and the rear cover 1, 2, and once the leg portion 3 elastically deforms, it then returns to its initial position by an elastic restoring force, the locking hook 4 is locked to the locking portion 6, and the connection state of the front cover 1 and the rear cover 2 is maintained.

[0013] As described above, in order to lock the locking hook 4 formed at the end of the leg portion 3 to the locking portion 6, it is necessary to move the locking hook 4 to the locked position immediately after retracting it to the non-interference position of the locking portion 6. To ensure the movement path of the locking hook 4, a gap is created between the locking portion 6 and the locking surface of the locking hook 4 in the locked state, and this gap causes a clicking sound. Furthermore, if the gap is reduced to prevent clicking, a locking failure will occur when manufacturing tolerances accumulate in the negative direction.

[0014] In this invention, even when a gap is formed, a biasing force in the locking direction is applied to the locking body 5 in the connected state. After the gap is formed, the locking body 5 is also biased in the locking direction, causing the gap to be absorbed and the lock to be set to a pressing contact state. As a result, since the connection is completed solely by locking the locking body 5, work efficiency can be improved, the occurrence of clicking noise can be reliably prevented, and the reliability of the connection operation can be improved.

[0015] The structure can be simplified by, for example, by providing a component in the cover (on which the locking body 5 is formed) to apply a pressing contact force to the locking body 5. The component elastically deforms and presses against the cover on the opposite side when the connection operation is completed, but when the locking body 5 is erected on the support base 7, the component is configured to elastically deform in the pressing contact direction of the locking hook 4.

[0016] The rear cover 2 of the front cover and rear covers 1 and 2 may include a support base 7 and a pressing portion 8. When the front cover and rear cover are connected, the pressing portion presses the support base 7 toward the front cover 1. This reliably prevents the support base 7 from elastically deforming due to contact between the locking hook 4 and the locking portion 6 when the front cover and rear cover 1 and 2 overlap, and prevents incomplete locking.

[0017] Electrical component 9 can be fixed to one or the other of the front cover and rear cover 1, 2. The other of the front cover and rear cover 1, 2 may include a harness holding portion 11 for holding the harness 10 of electrical component 9. The harness holding portion 11 may include a stop protrusion 13 protruding from the ends of a pair of rising members 12 arranged in a facing direction along the width direction of the front cover and rear cover 1, 2. The harness holding portion 11 and the locking portion 6 may be arranged along the width direction. This design prevents the harness 10 from getting stuck when the front cover and rear cover 1, 2 overlap, thus improving work efficiency.

[0018] In other words, when the wiring harness 10 connected to the electrical component 9 mounted on the door handle is inserted between the rising members 12 forming the wiring harness holding portion 11, the path of the wiring harness 10 can be stabilized and the wiring harness 10 can be prevented from accidentally getting stuck when the front cover and the rear cover 1, 2 overlap, because the detachment of the wiring harness 10 is restricted by the stop protrusion formed at the end of the rising member 12.

[0019] Typically, in the front and rear covers 1 and 2, the parting surface of the molding die is positioned at an appropriate location in the overlapping direction (i.e., in the front-to-rear direction), such that the stop protrusion required to prevent the wire harness 10 from popping out of the wire harness holding portion 11 is an undercut portion relative to the single-sided parting surface. To form this undercut portion, a sliding model or similar device that slides parallel to the single-sided parting surface is required.

[0020] On the other hand, although the locking part 6 also forms a concave portion relative to the single-sided segmented surface, and similarly requires the use of a sliding model, the concave portion can be machined by the same sliding model by arranging the wire harness holding part 11 and the locking part 6 side by side in the width direction, thereby simplifying the structure of the mold.

[0021] One of the front and rear covers may include an elastic element 15 located near the end portion of one or the other of the front and rear covers 1, 2 and near the support base 7. When the front and rear covers are connected, the free end of the elastic element 15 can press against the inclined surface 14 formed on the other of the front and rear covers 1, 2. The front and rear covers can be biased in the longitudinal direction by the elastic restoring force of the elastic element 15, the sliding stop 16 formed on the front and rear covers 1, 2 can press against each other, the biasing force in the separation direction is applied to the front and rear covers, and the contact pressure between the locking hook 4 and the locking portion 6 can be increased. Since clicking sounds in the longitudinal direction of the covers can be reliably prevented, the front-to-rear component of the force received by the elastic element 15 from the inclined surface can work together with the biasing force (in the locked state with the locking portion 6, the locking hook 4 presses against the locking portion 6 using this biasing force) to completely prevent clicking sounds in the front-to-rear direction. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 (a) and (b) are schematic diagrams illustrating the present invention. Figure 1 (a) is the front view. Figure 1 (b) is along Figure 1 A cross-sectional view taken from line 1B-1B.

[0023] Figure 2 (a) and 2(b) are cross-sectional views of the door handle. Figure 2 (a) is along Figure 1(a) Cross-sectional view taken from line 2A-2A. Figure 2 (b) is along Figure 2 (a) Cross-sectional view taken by line 2B-2B.

[0024] Figure 3 This is an exploded perspective view of the door handle.

[0025] Figure 4 (a) and 4(b) are schematic diagrams showing the back cover. Figure 4 (a) is a plan view. Figure 4 (b) is a side view.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a rear view showing the front cover. Detailed Implementation

[0027] Vehicle door handles use a handle attachment component (not shown) to... Figure 1 In (a), the left-side orientation facing the front of the vehicle is connected to the door (in this specification, "front and rear" and "front and rear" are defined based on the attachment orientation to the vehicle). The door is kept closed by locking a door latch (not shown) to the vehicle body, and in the connected state, the door handle rotates horizontally about the center of rotation to release the locking of the door latch.

[0028] Furthermore, electrical component 9 is attached inside the door handle. In this example, as electrical component 9, antenna 9A is used to communicate with a portable transmission device carried by the user, while switch 9B is pressed into contact when the door latch is moved to the locked state, and wiring harness 10, described later, is pulled out to the outside of the door handle. Figure 1 As shown in (b), the door handle has a C-shaped cross-section and is formed by connecting a front cover 1 and a rear cover 2. The front cover, when attached to the door, provides the outer surface shape shown in the front view, while the rear cover provides a hand hook portion during operation. The rear cover 2 is shaped to close the opening portion of the rear surface of the front cover 1.

[0029] The back cover 2 is made of synthetic resin material, and as... Figure 3 and 4 As shown, a pair of locking bodies 5 are positioned symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal center line (C) at the front end portion. The locking bodies 5 are formed by the locking hooks 4 protruding from the ends of the leg portions 3 in a facing direction, the leg portions being elastically deformable by the elasticity of the material of the rear cover 2. Figure 2 (a) and 2(b) and Figure 4As shown in (a) and 4(b), the locking body 5 is formed on the support base 7, which is cantilevered, has an end edge as a fixed end, and is elastically deformable. The rear surface of the support base 7 is a pressing portion 8 for elastic deformation and pushing the entire support base 7 toward the front surface side.

[0030] Furthermore, a pair of elastic members 15 are disposed at the end portion of the rear cover 2 in a position symmetrical about the longitudinal center. The end portion of the elastic member 15 is upright facing the front surface side, and the pressing contact protrusion 15a protrudes forward toward the end portion.

[0031] Additionally, the protrusion 17 extends from the rear end edge portion of the rear cover 2 to the rear surface side, and the insertion protrusion 17a protrudes rearward from its end portion, and a sliding stop 16 is formed at the lower end of the protrusion 17. Conversely, as Figure 2 As shown in (a) and 2(b), the front cover 1 includes a hinge protrusion 1a at the front end portion and an operating leg portion 1b at the rear end portion. A recess 1c is formed in the operating leg portion 1b, into which the insertion protrusion 17a of the rear cover 2 can be inserted. The sliding stop 16 of the rear cover 2 is formed such that the sliding stop 16 can contact the front end surface of the recess 1c.

[0032] The hinge protrusion 1a provides a center of rotation and is mounted on the door by sliding the arcuate portion 18 protruding towards the front surface to the attachment member. The operating leg portion 1b operates the door latch device by rotating around the center of rotation using an operating member (not shown), such as a lever provided on the attachment member. Furthermore, at the front end portion of the front cover 1, as... Figure 2 As shown in (a), in Figure 5 An inclined surface 14 is formed in the shaded area of ​​the rear cover 2, and this inclined surface gradually moves towards the front surface side as the rear is moved. The inclined surface 14 is located at a position where the press contact protrusion 15a of the rear cover 2 can contact the inclined surface 14. As described above, the antenna 9A and the switch 9B are fixed to the front cover 1, and as... Figure 5 As shown, after the wire harness holding portion 11 formed at the front end portion prevents change, the wire harness 10 pulled from the antenna 9A and switch 9B is pulled out to the outside of the door handle. Figure 2 As shown in (b), the harness holding portion 11 is formed by causing a stop protrusion 13 to protrude at the ends of a pair of rising members 12, which stand upright from the rear surface wall of the front cover 1. Figure 5 As shown, the riser 12 is arranged side by side in the width direction (in this example, the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the door handle, at a position symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal center line (C) of the door handle), and the stop protrusion 13 is arranged such that the protruding ends face each other.

[0033] Appropriate intervals are set between the rising parts 12. For example... Figure 2 As shown in (b), when the wire harness 10 is pushed from the gap between the stop protrusions 13 into the gap between the risers 12, the risers 12 elastically deform to receive the wire harness 10 and then elastically return, and thereafter the wire harness 10 is prevented from falling off.

[0034] Furthermore, the front cover 1 is provided with a locking part 6, and the locking hook 4 of the locking body 5 provided on the rear cover 2 can be locked to this locking part. Figure 2 As shown in (b), the locking portion 6 is formed as an inward protrusion so that it can be locked with the outwardly protruding locking hook 4, and as... Figure 5 As shown, they are arranged side-by-side along the width direction. (Example) Figure 2 As shown in (b), the locking portion 6, similar to the stop protrusion 13 of the wire harness retaining portion 11, is laterally recessed relative to the parting surface (PL) of the molding die used to manufacture the front cover 1. When forming these laterally recessed portions, it is necessary to incorporate a sliding model into the molding die, the sliding model being perpendicular to... Figure 2 (b) The paper moves in the direction of the surface. For example... Figure 5 As shown, in this example, by arranging the harness holding portion 11 and the locking portion 6 (which are elements for forming the side recess) in the width direction so that their positions match on the longitudinal centerline (C) of the door handle, both the harness holding portion 11 and the locking portion 6 can be molded by a sliding mold, thus simplifying the structure of the molding die.

[0035] In the door handle constructed as described above, firstly, the insertion protrusion 17a of the rear cover 2 is fitted into the recess 1c of the front cover 1, and then the insertion protrusion 17a rotates around the fitting portion, which serves as the rotation center, such that the front end portion of the insertion protrusion 17a and the fitting portion overlap each other. When the support base 7 (which is exposed on the rear surface side and can be pressed when the front and rear covers 1 and 2 overlap each other) is pushed to the front cover 1 side, with the elastic deformation of the support base 7, the locking hook 4 of the locking body 5 contacts the locking portion 6 of the front cover 1, and then the leg portion 3 elastically deforms inward, while the locking hook 4 crawls over the locking portion 6, and then the leg portion 3 returns to the initial position, while the locking hook 4 elastically locks into the locking portion 6.

[0036] In the locked state, the support base 7 returns to its initial position through elastic restoring force. Since the support base 7 in its pre-deformation state is configured such that the locking hook 4 is slightly positioned relative to the locking part 6 on the rear surface side, when the support base 7 returns to its initial position with the locking hook 4 locked to the locking part 6, the locking hook 4 is pulled to the rear surface side, the contact pressure between the locking hook 4 and the locking part 6 increases, and clicking sounds in the overlapping direction are completely prevented.

[0037] When the front cover and the back cover 1, 2 are connected, the pressing contact protrusion 15a of the back cover 2 presses against the inclined surface 14 of the front cover 1, and the elastic element 15 elastically deforms and generates a force in a direction approximately perpendicular to the inclined surface 14 through its restoring force.

[0038] The component of the force received from the inclined surface 14 in the rear surface direction presses against the rear cover 2 in the rear surface direction. As a result, the contact pressure between the locking hook 4 and the locking part 6 increases, which helps to prevent clicking in the front-to-back direction.

[0039] On the other hand, the rear cover 2 is pressed backward into contact by the component of the force received from the inclined surface 14 in the longitudinal direction of the door handle. As a result, the sliding stop 16 of the front cover and the rear cover 1, 2 press into contact with each other, thereby preventing the door handle from clicking in the longitudinal direction. This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-149429, filed on August 8, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0040] List of reference numerals

[0041] 1 Front Cover

[0042] 2 back cover

[0043] 3-leg section

[0044] 4 locking hooks

[0045] 5. Lock the main body

[0046] 6 Locked sections

[0047] 7 Support base

[0048] 8 Pressing Parts

[0049] 9 Electrical components

[0050] 10 wire harness

[0051] 11. Harness Holding Section

[0052] 12 rising parts

[0053] 13 Stop protrusions

[0054] 14 Inclined Surface

[0055] 15 elastic elements

[0056] 16. Sliding stop.

Claims

1. A vehicle door handle formed by connecting a front cover and a rear cover, in, One of the front and rear covers includes a locking body. The locking body includes a leg portion configured to elastically deform and a locking hook protruding from the end of the leg portion. The locking hook is resiliently locked and connected to a locking portion formed on another of the front and rear covers, and In the locked state of the locking body and locking part, the locking body is biased and the locking hook is pressed into the locking part. The locking body is erected on a support base, which is formed as a cantilever shape with one end edge as a fixed end, and the support base is configured to elastically deform in the pressing contact direction of the locking hook.

2. The vehicle door handle according to claim 1, in, The rear cover of the front cover and the rear cover includes a support base and a pressing portion. When the front cover and the rear cover are connected, the pressing portion presses the support base toward the front cover side.

3. The vehicle door handle according to claim 1 or 2, in, Electrical components are fixed to one or the other of the front cover and the rear cover. The other of the front and rear covers includes a wiring harness holding portion for holding the wiring harness of the electrical components. The wiring harness holding portion includes a pair of rising members arranged along the width direction of the front and rear covers, and a stop protrusion protruding from the ends of the pair of rising members in a facing direction. The wire harness holding portion and the locking portion are arranged along the width direction.

4. The vehicle door handle according to claim 1 or 2, in, One of the front and rear covers includes an elastic element near an end portion of one or the other and near a support base. When the front cover and the rear cover are connected, the free end of the elastic element presses into contact with an inclined surface formed on the other of the front and rear covers, and The front and rear covers are biased in the longitudinal direction by the elastic restoring force of the elastic element, the sliding stop formed on the front and rear covers presses against each other, the biasing force in the separation direction is applied to the front and rear covers, and the contact pressure between the locking hook and the locking portion increases.

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