Vehicle door handle assembly and related vehicle door

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle door opening assembly comprising:-a housing providing a recess having an opening,-an elastic rod arranged in the recess, the elastic rod having a first end embedded in the housing and a second free end extending in front of the opening,-a sensor, a sensor configured to detect a deformation of the resilient rod or a displacement of the second free end of the resilient rod,-a fixing device arranged around the housing and configured to be fastened to an inner side of a door panel, in which the sensor is configured to detect a deformation of the resilient rod or a displacement of the second free end of the resilient rod, a second free end of the resilient rod is configured to contact a pin attached to an inner side of the door panel in front of an outer side position associated with an opening actuation area such that a pressure applied on the opening actuation area causes a displacement of the second free end of the resilient rod that can be detected by the sensor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of vehicle door handles for controlling the opening of a vehicle door, and in particular to a door handle assembly suitable for a trunk (such as a trunk door or a trunk lid). Background Art

[0002] It is increasingly common to have door opening actuation devices that are not visible to the user or that are integrated into other equipment or components of the vehicle.

[0003] One way to achieve this is to use optical means configured to detect a predetermined movement of the user causing the trunk to open. This solution is usually expensive because it requires optical detection means and associated processing means to analyze the signal provided by the optical detection means.

[0004] Another solution is to integrate a door opening mechanism, such as a rotating door handle in the form of a brand logo or a membrane that needs to be pushed for activation. Almost all of these concepts use a mechanical switch that needs to be pressed once for the end user to feel the stroke.

[0005] However, such solutions may be expensive or may be bulky.

[0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a door opening assembly which is concealed in the design of the door and which is cheap and easy to implement on the door or on the trunk. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present invention relates to a vehicle door opening assembly, comprising:

[0008] - a housing providing a recess having an opening,

[0009] - an elastic rod arranged in the recess, the elastic rod having a first end embedded in the housing and a second free end extending in front of the opening,

[0010] a sensor configured to detect a deformation of the elastic rod or a displacement of the second free end of the elastic rod,

[0011] - a fixing device arranged around the housing and configured to be fastened to the inner side of the door panel,

[0012] The second free end of the elastic rod is configured to contact a pin attached to the inner side of the door panel in front of an outer side position associated with the opening actuation area, so that pressure applied to the opening actuation area causes displacement of the second free end of the elastic rod, which displacement can be detected by the sensor.

[0013] The use of a resilient rod and an associated sensor configured for detecting a deformation or displacement of the resilient rod enables detection of the pressure exerted on an opening actuation area arranged on the vehicle door.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, the vehicle door panel is a trunk door panel or a trunk lid panel.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, the elastic rod is a metal plate.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, the fixing device includes a resilient member configured to be compressed when pressure is applied to the opening actuation area.

[0017] According to another aspect of the invention, the sensor comprises at least one strain gauge arranged on the elastic rod and configured to deform when the second free end of the elastic rod is displaced.

[0018] According to another aspect of the present invention, the sensor comprises a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor or a piezoelectric sensor configured to detect the displacement of the second free end of the elastic rod.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, the fixing device is arranged on a bracket including a central frame configured to receive the housing and a plurality of legs extending around the central frame.

[0020] The invention also relates to a vehicle door comprising a vehicle door opening assembly as described above, wherein the vehicle door further comprises a pin arranged on the inner side of the vehicle door panel, and wherein the elastic rod is configured to be preloaded by the pin.

[0021] According to another aspect of the invention, a vehicle door comprises a door panel, an opening arranged in the door panel, and a cover fastened to the door panel, the cover being configured to cover the opening, wherein a fastening device is fastened to an inner side of the door panel, the cover corresponding to an opening actuation area.

[0022] According to another aspect of the invention, the cover is a brand logo.

[0023] According to another aspect of the invention, resilient means are combined with fastening means to allow displacement of the cover relative to the door panel.

[0024] According to another aspect of the invention, the cover is made of an elastic material different from the material of the door panel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a trunk including a door assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 yes Figure 1A first perspective view of a housing of a door assembly;

[0027] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 a second perspective view of a housing of a door assembly;

[0028] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A perspective cutaway view of a housing of a door assembly;

[0029] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A side cross-sectional view of a housing of a door assembly;

[0030] Figure 6 and Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of a housing and a fixing frame of a door assembly;

[0031] Figure 8 and Fig. 9 yes Figure 1 Exploded view of the housing and fixing frame of the door assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The following achievements are examples. Although the specification mentions one or several embodiments, it does not imply that each reference refers to the same embodiment or that features apply to only a single embodiment. Simple features of different embodiments may also be combined to provide other embodiments.

[0033] In the following description, the terms “upper”, “upper”, “lower”, “lower”, “vertical”, and “horizontal” refer to relative positions or directions when the door handle is assembled to a vehicle.

[0034] The present invention relates to a vehicle door handle assembly, in particular to a vehicle door handle assembly suitable for a trunk (such as a trunk door or a trunk lid).

[0035] Figure 1 A side view and a cross-sectional view of a portion of a trunk door 2 including such a door handle assembly 10 are shown.

[0036] exist Figure 1In the embodiment of, the opening 1 is arranged in the door panel 3. The opening may have different sizes or shapes. The cover 5 is positioned in the opening and fastened to the door panel 3. The fastening means (e.g., screws 7) are positioned on the inner side of the door panel 3 and are not visible from the outside of the door panel 3. In addition, an elastic element 28 such as an elastomeric damper or a spring may be associated with the fastening means to allow a small displacement of the cover 5 relative to the door panel 3 under pressure from a user. Alternatively, the cover 5 may be flexible enough to allow itself to bend under pressure from a user. The cover 5 may be a brand logo of a car manufacturer. The cover 5 may be made of a material different from that of the door panel 3. The cover 5 is made of, for example, a plastic material. The cover 5 defines an opening actuation area configured to be pushed by a user to open the door 2, in this case the trunk.

[0037] Alternatively, the opening actuation area may be defined by a portion of the door panel 3 which is flexible enough to allow an elastic displacement of a few millimeters towards the inside of the vehicle door 2 .

[0038] The door opening assembly 10 includes Figures 2 to 4 The housing 11 is more visible in FIG. The housing 11 may have the general shape of a cuboid. The housing 11 is a hollow housing which provides a recess 12 with an opening 13 on one side of the housing 11, for example on one of the larger faces of the housing 11. Preferably, a potting resin is injected into the recess 12 to protect and seal the internal components and the electrical connections. The potting resin may surround all internal components except the board 15 located in the recess 12. Particularly preferably, the potting resin surrounds all internal components except the second free end 15b of the board 15.

[0039] The housing 11 may be made of a first part 11 a and a second part 11 b that are clamped together.

[0040] The door assembly 10 further comprises an elastic rod, for example a plate 15 arranged in the recess 12. The plate 15 is for example a metal plate, for example a steel plate. Other types of elastic rods or other materials, for example plastic materials, may also be used. The plate 15 has a first end 15a embedded in the housing 11, for example via a screw 17. The second free end 15b is a free end extending in front of the opening 13.

[0041] The door assembly 10 also includes a sensor 14, which is configured to detect the deformation of the elastic rod (here, the plate 15) or the displacement of the free end 15b of the elastic rod 15. In this example, the sensor 14 includes a strain gauge 19 arranged on the plate 15, for example, arranged in the middle part 15c between the first end 15a and the second free end 15b. The sensor 14 may include a printed card board 16. The sensor 14 may include a Wheatstone bridge, wherein the strain gauge 19 is positioned in different branches of the Wheatstone bridge. The strain gauge 19 is configured to detect the deformation of the plate 15 when the free end 15b of the plate 15 is displaced. The strain gauge 19 can be positioned on both sides of the plate 15. Thermal compensation can be applied to the strain gauge 19.

[0042] Alternatively, the sensor 14 may be a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor or a piezoelectric sensor configured to detect a displacement of the free end 15 b of the plate 15 .

[0043] A connector 21 may also be arranged on the housing 11. The connector 21 may be connected to the printed card 16. The connector 21 enables power to be supplied to the sensor 14 (a Wheatstone bridge in the present case) and transmits a detection signal to the central controller to open the trunk.

[0044] The door opening assembly 10 further includes a fixing device 20 configured to be fastened to the inner side of the door panel 3. The fixing device 20 may be arranged around the housing 11. Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the fixing device 20 may include legs 23 extending around the housing 11, for example, four legs 23 distributed at the four corners of the housing 11. The legs 23 include holes 25 at their ends for receiving screws 7 and possible elastic elements 28, such as dampers made of elastomers or other damping materials (the screws 7 are therefore used to fasten the legs 23 and the cover 5. Alternatively, the cover 5 and the legs 23 may use different fastening devices or fixing devices). Figure 8 and Fig. 9 As shown, the legs 23 can be gathered in a single part, which forms a bracket and includes a central frame 24 configured to receive the housing 11. The housing 11 may include two opposing lateral arms 11c and 11d, which include holes at their ends. The housing 11 can then be fastened to the frame 24 by screws 26 positioned in the holes of the arms 11c, 11d. Other types or shapes of fixing means 20 may also be used.

[0045] The cover 5 includes a pin 31 (at Figure 1 and Figure 51 ), the pin 31 is located on the inner side of the cover 5 and is configured to protrude in the opening 13 of the housing 11 to contact the second free end 15b of the plate 15. The cover 5 and the housing 11 can be configured so that when no pressure is applied on the opening actuation area (here the cover 5), the plate 15 is preloaded or prestressed by the pin 31. The housing 11 may include a stopper 33 located in front of the pin 31 to limit the bending of the plate 15 in its elastic bending area. The travel of the second free end 15b can be, for example, a few tenths up to a few millimeters.

[0046] The cover 5 is arranged so that a user can apply pressure (such as Figure 1 The displacement of the second free end 15b of the plate 15 (as shown by the arrow 6 in FIG. 1 ) causes compression of the elastic element 28, thereby allowing the cover 5 to be displaced relative to the door panel 3 and relative to the housing 11. The pin 31 located on the inner side of the cover 5 is also displaced, which causes the second free end 15b of the plate 15 to be displaced due to the contact of the pin 3 with the plate 15. The displacement of the second free end 15b of the plate 15 corresponds to the bending of the plate 15, causing the strain gauges 19 to deform. This deformation of the strain gauges 19 causes a change in their resistance in the Wheatstone bridge. This change in resistance causes a change in the output voltage of the Wheatstone bridge. This change in the output voltage causes an opening electrical signal to be sent to open the trunk 2. In the same way, for other sensors configured to detect the displacement of the second free end 15b of the plate 15, the displacement of the cover 5 causes an opening electrical signal to be sent to open the trunk.

[0047] Therefore, the vehicle door opening assembly 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is capable of opening the vehicle door 2, such as the trunk, by the user's pressure on the opening actuation area. The opening actuation area can be defined by the brand logo so that the vehicle door opening assembly 10 is hidden behind the brand logo. Therefore, the opening actuation area is integrated in the design of the brand logo so that no command button appears in the user's vision. In addition, no specific design of the vehicle door is required to achieve such an opening actuation area.

Claims

1. A vehicle door opening assembly (10), comprising: - a housing (11) providing a recess (12) with an opening (13), - an elastic rod (15) arranged in the recess (12), the elastic rod (15) having a first end (15a) embedded in the housing (11) and a second free end (15b) extending in front of the opening (13), a sensor (14) configured to detect a deformation of the elastic rod (15) or a displacement of the second free end (15b) of the elastic rod (15), - a fixing device (20) arranged around the housing (11) and configured to be fastened to the inner side of the door panel (3), The second free end (15b) of the elastic rod (15) is configured to contact a pin attached to the inner side of the door panel (3) in front of an outer side position associated with an opening actuation area, so that pressure applied to the opening actuation area causes displacement of the second free end (15b) of the elastic rod (15), and the displacement can be detected by the sensor (14).

2. A vehicle door opening assembly (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein: The vehicle door panel (3) is a trunk door panel or a trunk lid panel.

3. A vehicle door opening assembly (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The elastic rod (15) is a metal plate.

4. A vehicle door opening assembly (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The fixing device (20) includes a resilient member (28) configured to be compressed when pressure is applied to the open actuation region.

5. A vehicle door opening assembly (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The sensor (14) comprises at least one strain gauge (19) which is arranged on the elastic rod (15) and is configured to deform when the second free end (15b) of the elastic rod (15) is displaced.

6. The vehicle door opening assembly (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The sensor (14) comprises a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor or a piezoelectric sensor, and the capacitive sensor, the inductive sensor or the piezoelectric sensor is configured to detect the displacement of the second free end (15b) of the elastic rod (15).

7. A vehicle door opening assembly (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The fixing device (20) is arranged on a bracket, which includes a central frame (24) configured to receive the housing (11) and a plurality of legs (23) extending around the central frame (24).

8. A vehicle door (2), comprising a door opening assembly (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The vehicle door (2) further comprises a pin (31) arranged on the inner side of the vehicle door panel (3), and wherein the elastic rod (15) is configured to be preloaded by the pin (31).

9. The vehicle door (2) according to claim 8, comprising a door panel (3), an opening (1) arranged in the door panel (3), a cover (5) fastened to the door panel (3), the cover (5) being configured to cover the opening (1), wherein: A fastening device (7) is fastened to the inner side of the door panel (3), and the cover (5) corresponds to the opening actuation area.

10. The vehicle door (2) according to claim 9, wherein: The cover (5) is a brand logo.

11. The vehicle door (2) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein: Resilient means (28) are combined with the fastening means (7) to allow displacement of the cover (5) relative to the door panel (3).

12. The vehicle door (2) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein: The cover (5) is made of an elastic material different from the material of the door panel (3).

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