Motor vehicle door handle assembly
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HUF HÜLSBECK & FÜRST GMBH & CO KG
- Filing Date
- 2024-06-28
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-20
AI Technical Summary
Existing motor vehicle door handle arrangements require increased assembly effort and have a higher number of components due to the integration of an actuation button and a separate wing-shaped handle, which complicates the assembly process and increases costs.
A compact motor vehicle door handle arrangement featuring a rigid main support, an elastically deformable housing with an inductive sensor device and metallic material, allowing for simplified assembly by eliminating the need for a separate actuation button and enhancing functionality with a capacitive sensor for user detection.
The solution provides a cost-effective, compact, and aerodynamically optimized door handle arrangement with reduced components, simplifying assembly and enhancing functionality while maintaining reliability and user convenience.
Smart Images
Figure EP2024068227_16012025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001]ZENZ Patentanwälte · Gutenbergstr. 39 · D-45128 Essen H01449WO AZ Motor vehicle door handle assembly. The invention relates to a motor vehicle door handle assembly, comprising a rigid main support that can be attached to a motor vehicle door, and a housing that is releasably attached to the main support via a bearing point, wherein the housing has a handling section. Such a motor vehicle door handle assembly is known, for example, from US 2020 / 0369128, in which the classic door handle below the window pane is replaced by an actuating button and a wing-shaped handle. The actuating button is attached to the motor vehicle door and, in the case of a front door, is arranged in the area of the B-pillar.When the actuation button is pressed, the motor vehicle door is opened and a user can open the motor vehicle door by pulling on the wing-shaped handle arranged below the actuation button. The omission of a conventional door handle is based on the realization that users grasp the corresponding motor vehicle door laterally to open it, instead of using the conventional door handle. Even if this motor vehicle door handle arrangement known from US 2020 / 0369128 corresponds to the actual handling of a user when opening a motor vehicle door, the integration of an actuation button on the motor vehicle door and the attachment of the handle below the actuation button represent an increased assembly effort compared to conventional door handles. The object of the invention is therefore to provide a motor vehicle door handle arrangementwhich is characterized by a compact construction and a reduction in components, and which allows simplified assembly. This object is achieved according to the invention by a motor vehicle door handle assembly with the features according to claim 1. The motor vehicle door handle assembly according to the invention comprises a main support which is rigidly designed and can be fastened to a motor vehicle door, a housing which is elastically deformable at least in partial sections and which is detachably fastened to the main support via a bearing point and whose housing wall forms a cavity, an electronics support which is detachably fastened to the main support via a bearing point and which is arranged within the cavity of the housing, an inductive sensor device which is arranged on the electronics support and within the cavity of the housing, and at least one metallic material,which is arranged on the housing wall opposite the inductive sensor device and at a predetermined distance from the sensor device. The housing has a handling section, on which the at least one metallic material is arranged on the inside of the housing and which is designed to be elastically deformable such that, when a force is introduced into the handling section by a user, the handling section deforms elastically and, as a result, the at least one metallic material is arranged at a distance from the inductive sensor device that is greater or smaller than the predetermined distance. Advantageous and expedient embodiments and further developments of the invention emerge from the corresponding subclaims. The invention provides a motor vehicle door handle arrangement,which is characterized by a functional and cost-effective design and which offers a high degree of functionality. By arranging the inductive sensor device within the housing equipped with a handling section, a compact arrangement is realized, which, in comparison to the prior art, eliminates the need for a separate actuation button, which additionally advantageously simplifies assembly. In an embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the main carrier has a fixing surface designed for attachment to the motor vehicle door and a support surface extending from the fixing surface, wherein the electronics carrier is attached to the support surface via the bearing point. The support surface of the main carrier thus also extends within the cavity of the housing and is thus arranged in a concealed manner.so that the external appearance of the motor vehicle door handle assembly is not adversely affected by the main support. Likewise, it is advantageous for a compact design of the motor vehicle door handle assembly if, in an embodiment of the invention, the housing is attached to the support surface via the bearing point. In a further embodiment of the invention, it is particularly advantageous for functionality if the bearing point is arranged on the support surface at a bearing point distance formed between the bearing point and the fixing surface, which is smaller than a bearing point distance formed between the bearing point and the fixing surface. To ensure the proper functioning of the motor vehicle door handle assembly according to the invention, the invention provides, in a further embodiment,that the bearing point is arranged between the fixing surface and the bearing point. A compact design can be realized in a further embodiment of the invention by forming the electronics carrier with a fastening leg and a support leg, wherein the fastening leg is fastened to an upper side of the support surface, and wherein the inductive sensor device is fastened to a side surface of the fastening leg facing away from the fixing surface. The functionality of the motor vehicle door handle arrangement can be increased in a further embodiment by forming the electronics carrier with an auxiliary support leg to which a capacitive sensor device is attached. For example, with the aid of the capacitive sensor device, the approach of a legitimate user can be detected and the unlocking of the motor vehicle door can then be initiated. The invention provides in a further embodiment,that the housing has a horizontal section which extends from the fixing surface and parallel to the support surface and encloses the support surface, wherein the handling section is configured to extend from the horizontal section at the end in such a way that a gap is formed between the horizontal section and the handling section, into which the hand of a user can dip and grasp the handling section. With the aid of this configuration, a compact arrangement is achieved in which a user can actuate the handling section as a type of pull handle. Of particular advantage with regard to low noise during travel and an aerodynamically optimized shape, an embodiment of the invention providesthat the handling section is designed in the form of a winglet and extends obliquely or curvedly from the end of the horizontal section. For an aerodynamically favorable shape, the invention provides in a further embodiment that the housing has a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, between which the cavity accommodating the electronics carrier is formed, wherein the housing has a width extension at the second longitudinal end and the housing is tapered towards the first longitudinal end in a plan view of the housing. For cost-effective production, a further embodiment of the invention provides that the housing has a lower housing shell and an upper housing shell,The lower housing shell is fastened to an underside of the fixing surface via the bearing point, and the upper housing shell is detachably connected to the lower housing shell via a clip connection. Further advantageous with regard to a compact design, the invention provides in a further embodiment that the at least one metallic material is arranged on the inside of the upper housing shell and / or that a carrier device is formed on the inside of the upper housing shell for supporting the at least one metallic material. In a further embodiment of the invention, it is particularly advantageous from a structural point of view if a partial section of the upper housing shell and a partial section of the lower housing shell form the handling section of the housing. To protect against external influences and to increase the service life, the invention provides in a further embodiment,that the inductive sensor device is hermetically encapsulated with a potting compound. Finally, a further embodiment of the invention provides that a housing distance between the bearing point and the handling section is greater than a carrier distance between the bearing point and the handling section. This embodiment ensures that only the handling section with the metallic material arranged there, and not the inductive sensor device, moves during handling, so that a signal can be clearly and reliably detected during handling. It is understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the respective combinations specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the present invention. The scope of the invention is defined only by the claims. Further details,Features and advantages of the subject matter of the invention will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the drawing, which illustrates an exemplary preferred embodiment of the invention. The drawing shows: Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of a motor vehicle with a motor vehicle door handle assembly according to the invention. Figure 2 shows a perspective detailed view of the motor vehicle door handle assembly according to the invention, which is arranged on a motor vehicle door. Figure 3 shows a further perspective detailed view of the motor vehicle door handle assembly shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 shows a further perspective detailed view of the motor vehicle door handle assembly shown in Figure 2. Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the motor vehicle door handle assembly according to the invention. Figure 6 shows a top view of the motor vehicle door handle assembly shown in Figure 5.Figure 7 is a perspective view of the motor vehicle door handle assembly according to the invention. Figure 8 is a perspective detail view of the motor vehicle door handle assembly according to the invention. Figure 9 is a perspective view of an upper housing shell of a housing of the motor vehicle door handle assembly according to the invention. Figure 10 is a perspective view of an electronics carrier and an inductive sensor device attached to the electronics carrier of the motor vehicle door handle assembly according to the invention. Figure 11 is a perspective detail view of the electronics carrier and the inductive sensor device. Figure 12 is a side sectional view of the motor vehicle door handle assembly with an enlarged view. Figure 1 shows an exemplary motor vehicle 1 in the form of a passenger car, which in the example has four motor vehicle doors 2 (two of which are visible in Figure 1). On the front motor vehicle door 2,i.e., the left motor vehicle door 2 in Figure 1, a motor vehicle door handle assembly 3 according to the invention is attached, with the aid of which the motor vehicle door 2 can be opened. The motor vehicle door handle assembly 3 is a type of fixed handle, which is largely immovable relative to the motor vehicle door 2. The motor vehicle door handle assembly 3, which is only schematically shown in Figure 1, has a housing 4, which can be seen in Figures 2, 3 and 4 and which is wing-shaped and protrudes from the motor vehicle door 2. The housing 4 has a horizontal section 5 and a handling section 6. The horizontal section 5 extends in a horizontal direction pointing away from the motor vehicle door 2, wherein at the end of the horizontal section 5, i.e., at the free end of the horizontal section 5, the handling section 6 extends in such a way thatthat a gap 7 is formed between the horizontal section 5 and the handling section 6, into which gap a user's hand can penetrate and engage behind the handling section 6 for actuation. A pulling movement or a pushing movement on the handling section 6 is considered for actuation. The handling section 6 extends transversely to the horizontal section 5. In particular, the handling section 6 is designed in the form of a winglet, i.e., a wing ear, and extends from the end of the horizontal section 5, wherein the extension at the free end of the horizontal section 5 is designed to be oblique or curved, as can be seen, for example, in Figures 3 and 4. Figure 5 shows the motor vehicle door handle assembly 3 according to the invention in a perspective view, wherein a representation of the motor vehicle door 2 has been omitted in this view. From Figure 5 it can be seenthat the motor vehicle door handle arrangement 3 has, in addition to the housing 4, a main support 8. The main support 8 is fastenable and rigid to the motor vehicle door 2, wherein the housing 4 is detachably fastened to the main support 8. Furthermore, in the assembled state on the motor vehicle door 2, the main support 8 is arranged concealed by trim components 9 (see, for example, Figure 2). Figure 6 shows a plan view of the motor vehicle door handle arrangement 3. The housing 4 has a first longitudinal end 10 and a second longitudinal end 11. At the second longitudinal end 11, the housing 4 has a width 12, wherein the width 12 results from the distance from the main support 8 up to the handling section 6. As can be seen from the plan view of Figure 6, the housing 4 is tapered towards the first longitudinal end 10. In other words, the first longitudinal end 10 has no width extension at all,because it is tapered to a point in order to minimize aerodynamic drag while the motor vehicle 1 is moving. Figures 7 and 8 again show the motor vehicle door handle assembly 3 shown in Figure 5, with Figure 7 showing the multi-part construction of the housing 4, whereas Figure 8 additionally shows an individual part view of the motor vehicle door handle assembly 3. The housing wall 14 of the housing 4 forms a cavity 15, with the main support 8 being arranged at least in sections within the cavity 15. According to Figures 7 and 8, the housing 4 has a lower housing shell 16 and an upper housing shell 17, which form the cavity 15. The lower housing shell 16 is attached to the main support 8,The upper housing shell 17 is detachably connected to the lower housing shell 16 via a clip connection 18 (see, for example, Figure 9). A partial section of the upper housing shell 17 and a partial section of the lower housing shell 16 further form the handling section 6 of the housing 4. The housing 4 is designed to be elastically deformable, at least in partial sections. The partial sections of the lower housing shell 16 and the upper housing shell 17 can form the elastically deformable partial sections and represent the handling section 6. Furthermore, the housing 4 is detachably fastened to the main support 8 via a bearing point 19, as shown, for example, in Figure 7. In particular, the lower housing shell 16 is detachably fastened to the main support 8 via the bearing point 19, wherein the bearing point 19 is realized by two screw connections in the embodiment shown in the figures. The individual part view in Figure 8 also showsthat the motor vehicle door handle assembly 3 has an electronics carrier 20. The electronics carrier 20 is detachably attached to the main carrier 8 via a bearing point 21, wherein in the illustrated embodiment, the bearing point 21 is formed by a total of four screw connections. In the assembled state, the electronics carrier 20 is arranged within the cavity 15 of the housing 4. The lower housing shell 16 and the upper housing shell 17 enclose the electronics carrier 20. An inductive sensor device 22 is arranged and mounted on the electronics carrier 20. Consequently, the inductive sensor device 22, which is formed on a printed circuit board, is also arranged within the cavity 15. Inductive sensor devices are known from the prior art and usually act via an oscillating circuit which is arranged in adjacent,electrically conductive materials cause eddy currents. Depending on the position and movement of the electrically conductive material relative to the resonant circuit, the amplitude of the resonant circuit changes. This amplitude change can be detected and recorded for actuation recognition. In the present exemplary embodiment, the motor vehicle door handle arrangement 3 has at least one metallic material 23, which interacts with the inductive sensor device 22 and which is arranged opposite the circuit board with the inductive sensor device 22. In particular, the metallic material 23 is arranged on the inside of the housing on the housing wall 14 of the housing 4 at a predetermined distance 24 from the inductive sensor device 22, as shown, for example, in Figure 9. In the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures, two metallic materials 23 are provided,which are arranged on the inside of the housing on the upper housing shell 17. In particular, the upper housing shell 17 has corresponding support devices 25, which are designed on the inside of the upper housing shell 17 for supporting the metallic materials 23, as shown, for example, in Figure 9. As can also be seen from Figure 9, the main support 8 has a fixing surface 26 designed for attachment to the motor vehicle door 2 and a support surface 27 extending from the fixing surface 26. The electronics support 20 is attached to the support surface 27 via the bearing point 21 (see, for example, Figure 12). Furthermore, the housing 4 is attached to the support surface 27 via the bearing point 19, wherein the sectional view of Figure 12 additionally showsthat the horizontal section 5 of the housing 4 extends from the fixing surface 26 and parallel to the support surface 27 and encloses the support surface 27. With reference to Figures 7 and 12, it can be seen that the lower housing shell 16 is fastened to an underside 34 of the support surface 26 via the bearing point 19. The electronics carrier 20, which can be seen in Figures 8, 10 and 11 and which extends between the first longitudinal end 10 and the second longitudinal end 11 of the housing 4, is formed with a fastening leg 28 and a support leg 29. From the sectional view of Figure 12, it can be seen that the fastening leg 28 is fastened to an upper side 30 of the support surface 27, wherein the inductive sensor device 22 is fastened to a side surface of the fastening leg 28 facing away from the fixing surface 26 of the main support 8. Recesses 31 are formed in the support leg 29 in the areas,which are opposite the metallic materials 23 to enable the interaction between the inductive sensor device 22 and the metallic materials 23 for detecting an actuation of the handling section 6 by a user. As can also be seen from Figures 10 and 11, the electronics carrier 20 is formed with an auxiliary carrier leg 32, to which a capacitive sensor device 33 is attached. With the aid of the capacitive sensor device 33, for example, the approach of a legitimate user can be detected and the unlocking of the motor vehicle door can then be initiated. According to the invention, the at least one metallic material 23 is arranged on the inside of the housing, and at least the handling section 6 of the housing 4 is designed to be elastically deformable in such a way thatthat when a force 35 is introduced into the handling section 6 by a user, the handling section 6 is elastically deformed and, as a result, the at least one metallic material 23 is arranged at a distance 36 from the inductive sensor device 22, which is greater or smaller than the predetermined distance 24. This is illustrated schematically in Figure 12, wherein the force 35 introduced into the handling section 6 by the user can be a tensile force 35a or a compressive force 35b. In order to ensure that, in the fixed motor vehicle door handle arrangement 3, only the handling section 6 is elastically deformed upon force introduction by a user, thus changing the distance between the inductive sensor device 22 and the metallic material 23 and ensuring that the inductive sensor device 22 remains rigidly in its position, certain lever lengths are provided according to the invention.for which a housing distance 37 between the bearing point 19 and the handling section 6 is greater than a support distance 38 between the bearing point 21 and the handling section 6, as shown in Figure 12. Therefore, it is also characteristic of the invention that the bearing point 19 is arranged at a bearing point distance 39 formed between the bearing point 19 and the fixing surface 26 on the support surface 27, which is smaller than a bearing point distance 40 formed between the bearing point 21 and the fixing surface 26. In particular, the bearing point 19 is arranged between the fixing surface 26 and the bearing point 21. The invention described above is of course not limited to the described and illustrated embodiment. It is clear that numerous modifications can be made to the embodiment shown in the drawing, which are obvious to a person skilled in the art depending on the intended application.without thereby departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the inductive sensor device can be hermetically encapsulated with a potting compound. Accordingly, the invention includes everything contained in the description and / or illustrated in the drawing, including thatwhich, deviating from the specific embodiment, is obvious to the person skilled in the art. List of reference symbols 1 Motor vehicle 2 Motor vehicle door 3 Motor vehicle door handle arrangement 4 Housing 5 Horizontal section 6 Handling section 7 Gap 8 Main support 9 Trim components 10 First longitudinal end 11 Second longitudinal end 12 Width extension 14 Housing wall 15 Cavity 16 Lower housing shell 17 Upper housing shell 18 Clip connection 19 Bearing point 20 Electronics support 21 Bearing point 22 Inductive sensor device 23 Metallic material 24 Predetermined distance 25 Support devices 26 Fixing surface 27 Support surface 28 Fastening leg 29 Support leg 30 Top side of 27 31 Recesses in 29 32 Auxiliary support leg 33 Capacitive sensor device 34 Underside of 27 35 Introduced force 35a Tensile force 35b Compressive force 36 Distance 37 Housing distance 38 Carrier distance 39 Bearing point distance 40 Bearing point distance,
Claims
ZENZ Patentanwälte · Gutenbergstr. 39 · D-45128 Essen H01449WO AZ Patent claims 1. Motor vehicle door handle arrangement (3), comprising: a main support (8) which is rigidly designed and can be fastened to a motor vehicle door (2), a housing (4) which is elastically deformable at least in partial sections and which is detachably fastened to the main support (8) via a bearing point (19) and whose housing wall (14) forms a cavity (15), an electronics support (20) which is detachably fastened to the main support (8) via a bearing point (21) and which is arranged within the cavity (15) of the housing (4), an inductive sensor device (22) which is arranged on the electronics support (20) and within the cavity (15) of the housing (4), and at least one metallic material (23),which is arranged on the housing wall (14) opposite the inductive sensor device (22) and at a predetermined distance (24) from the inductive sensor device (22), wherein the housing (4) has a handling section (6) on which the at least one metallic material (23) is arranged on the housing inside and which is designed to be elastically deformable such that when a force (35) is introduced into the handling section (6) by a user, the handling section (6) is elastically deformed and thereby the at least one metallic material (23) is arranged at a distance from the inductive sensor device (22) which is greater or smaller than the predetermined distance (24). 2 2. Motor vehicle door handle assembly (3) according to claim 1, wherein the main support (8) has a fixing surface (26) designed for fastening to the motor vehicle door (2) and a support surface (27) extending from the fixing surface (26), wherein the electronics support (20) is fastened to the support surface (27) via the bearing point (21).
3. Motor vehicle door handle assembly (3) according to claim 2, wherein the housing (4) is fastened to the support surface (27) via the bearing point (19).
4. Motor vehicle door handle assembly (3) according to claim 3, wherein the bearing point (19) is arranged at a bearing point distance (39) formed between the bearing point (19) and the fixing surface (26) on the support surface (27), which is smaller than a bearing point distance (40) formed between the bearing point (21) and the fixing surface (26).Motor vehicle door handle arrangement (3) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the bearing point (19) is arranged between the fixing surface (26) and the bearing point (21).
6. Motor vehicle door handle arrangement (3) according to one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the electronics carrier (20) is formed with a fixing leg (28) and a carrier leg (29), wherein the fixing leg (28) is fixed to an upper side (30) of the carrier surface (27), and wherein the inductive sensor device (22) is fixed to a side surface of the fixing leg (28) facing away from the fixing surface (26). 3 7. Motor vehicle door handle assembly (3) according to claim 6, wherein the electronics carrier (20) is formed with an auxiliary carrier leg (32) to which a capacitive sensor device (33) is fastened.
8. Motor vehicle door handle assembly (3) according to one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the housing (4) has a horizontal section (5) which extends from the fixing surface (26) and parallel to the carrier surface (27) and encloses the carrier surface (27), wherein the handling section (6) is formed extending at the end from the horizontal section (5) in such a way that a gap (7) is formed between the horizontal section (5) and the handling section (6), into which gap the hand of a user can penetrate and engage behind the handling section (6). 9.Motor vehicle door handle arrangement (3) according to claim 8, wherein the handling section (6) is designed in the form of a winglet and extends obliquely or curvedly from the end of the horizontal section (5).
10. Motor vehicle door handle arrangement (3) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the housing (4) has a first longitudinal end (10) and a second longitudinal end (11), between which the cavity (15) receiving the electronics carrier (20) is formed, wherein the housing (4) has a width extension (12) at the second longitudinal end (11) and the housing (4) is tapered towards the first longitudinal end (10) in a plan view of the housing (4). 4 11. Motor vehicle door handle arrangement (3) according to one of claims 2 to 10, wherein the housing (4) has a lower housing shell (16) and an upper housing shell (17), wherein the lower housing shell (16) is fastened to an underside (34) of the support surface (27) via the bearing point (19) and the upper housing shell (17) is detachably connected to the lower housing shell (16) via a clip connection (18).
12. Motor vehicle door handle arrangement (3) according to claim 11, wherein the at least one metallic material (23) is arranged on the inside of the upper housing shell (17) and / or wherein a support device (25) is designed on the inside of the upper housing shell (17) for supporting the at least one metallic material (23).
13. Motor vehicle door handle assembly (3) according to claim 11 or 12, wherein a partial section of the upper housing shell (17) and a partial section of the lower housing shell (146) form the handling section (6) of the housing (4).Motor vehicle door handle assembly (3) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the inductive sensor device (22) is hermetically encapsulated with a potting compound.
15. Motor vehicle door handle assembly (3) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a housing spacing (37) between the bearing point (19) and the handling section (6) is greater than a support spacing (38) between the bearing point (21) and the handling section (6).