OPENING CONTROL FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE DOOR EQUIPPED WITH A SAFETY LOCK

Abstract

A control mechanism for opening a door of a motor vehicle, comprising a movable handle actuated to unlock a lock on the door, and an inertia mass (28A) which, under the effect of acceleration of the control along the transverse direction of the vehicle, moves against a return spring (32), reaching a locking position for the handle beyond a certain acceleration threshold. This control mechanism has a second inertia mass (28B) equipped with a second return spring (32), operating independently of the first inertia mass (28A), which reaches a locking position for the handle beyond a second acceleration threshold. Figure 4

Description

Title of the invention: OPENING CONTROL FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE DOOR EQUIPPED WITH A SAFETY LOCK

[0001] The present invention relates to an opening control for a motor vehicle door equipped with a safety lock, as well as a motor vehicle comprising such a control.

[0002] Motor vehicles are subjected to standardized crash tests representing possible accidents, including side impacts that must not cause the side doors to open in order to maintain the protection of the vehicle's occupants. In particular, a significant side impact in the direction of the vehicle's ingress applies a strong lateral acceleration that can cause the door handle to lift outwards due to its inertia, which unlocks the lock and opens the door.

[0003] To avoid these problems, a type of opening control known for doors and windows located on the sides of motor vehicles, described in particular by document FR-A1-3113079, comprises a handle held at one end by a first pivot. An inertial mass mounted on a second pivot parallel to the first tilts under the effect of strong lateral acceleration of the vehicle during a significant impact so that, beyond an acceleration level that produces an inertial force compensating the force delivered by a return spring for this mass, it locks the handle and keeps the lock engaged.

[0004] In a first pivoting range limited by a first level of acceleration the inertial mass remains in a reversible position, after the shock the handle will unlock.

[0005] In a subsequent pivoting range for acceleration exceeding the first level, during a more significant impact, the inertial mass tilts more sharply, passing into an irreversible position that, after the impact, keeps the handle locked and the lock engaged. In this way, during a serious accident, regardless of the various accelerations experienced by the vehicle, the door remains locked.

[0006] However, certain regulations require a reversible door locking system. In particular, in the event of an accident involving impacts with lateral acceleration in both directions, an irreversible locking of the doors on both sides of the vehicle could occur, subsequently preventing rapid access to the vehicle's interior.

[0007] Furthermore, impacts on vehicles during accidents can lead to complex dynamic phenomena on the chain of mechanical components of the door opening control, including in particular successive acceleration variations in different directions, vibration phenomena of the components, or rebounds with the elasticity of these components.

[0008] Despite a strong lateral acceleration exceeding the theoretically required acceleration to actuate the inertial mass, problems can arise where the handle becomes stuck and malfunctions. In this case, the handle can lift, unlocking the lock, with major risks arising from the door opening during an accident.

[0009] Furthermore, depending on the positioning of the opening control on the vehicle, for example on a front or rear door, and depending on the vehicle's characteristics, particularly its mass, the opening controls must be adapted with specific parameters to ensure optimal operation of the safety lock. For a manufacturer of a vehicle range, these control adaptations result in a variety of part numbers, posing specific design challenges, different production processes, and the management of this diversity, which increases quality risks and adds costs.

[0010] The present invention is specifically designed to avoid these problems of the prior art.

[0011] For this purpose, it proposes a control for opening a vehicle door automobile, comprising a movable handle operated to unlock a lock of the opening, and an inertial mass which under the effect of an acceleration of the control along the transverse direction of the vehicle moves against a return spring, taking beyond an acceleration threshold a position of blocking the handle, this control being remarkable in that it has a second inertial mass equipped with a second return spring, having an independent operation of the first inertial mass, which takes beyond a second acceleration threshold a position of blocking the handle.

[0012] One advantage of this opening control is that, simply, by having a second inertial mass with independent operation from the first mass, during the shock in the event that significant irregularities in the different accelerations have prevented the operation of the first mass, the second inertial mass, with characteristics that may be different, allows in a more secure way to still obtain the locking of this handle.

[0013] Furthermore, by using characteristics adapted for the second inertial mass to provide a second acceleration threshold that is offset from the first, an opening command is obtained which, thanks to the response of at least one or the other inertial mass, can respond to various positions on the vehicle or to Different vehicle characteristics, particularly vehicle mass, will result in specific acceleration responses to the same impact. This allows for greater standardization of opening controls across a range of vehicles, simplifying design, improving reliability, and reducing costs.

[0014] The opening control according to the invention may further include one or more of the following features, which may be combined with each other.

[0015] Advantageously, the two inertial masses are mounted on pivots.

[0016] In this case, advantageously the pivots of the two inertial masses are arranged along the same axis of rotation.

[0017] Advantageously, the two inertial masses have identical shapes.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the two inertial masses have different angular positions around the axis of rotation at rest.

[0019] According to another embodiment, the two inertial masses have different mass values.

[0020] In this case, one of the two inertial masses may have a cavity which is removed relative to the other inertial mass.

[0021] According to another embodiment, the two return springs have different stiffness characteristics.

[0022] Advantageously, the two acceleration thresholds giving the locking positions of the handle of the two inertial masses have different values.

[0023] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle equipped with side doors having an opening control comprising any one of the preceding characteristics.

[0024] The invention will be better understood and other features and advantages will become more apparent upon reading the following description given by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0025] [Fig-1] is a top view of a vehicle side door opening control according to the prior art;

[0026] [Fig.2] is a view of this control with the handle in the open position;

[0027] [Fig.3] is a view of this control during a lateral impact resulting in a handle lock;

[0028] [Fig.4] is a partial perspective view of an opening control according to the invention;

[0029] [Fig.5] is a top view of this opening control;

[0030] [Fig.6] is a detailed view of this opening control according to a first variant;

[0031] [Fig.7] is a detailed view of this opening command according to a second variant; and

[0032] [Fig.8] is a detailed view of this opening control according to a third variant.

[0033] Throughout the document the transverse direction presents a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the external direction EXT being turned towards the outside of this vehicle, the front direction AV is taken by convention, regardless of the direction of travel of the vehicle.

[0034] Figure 1 shows a control for opening a side door of a motor vehicle, comprising an elongated handle 2 having at its front end a first vertical pivot 4, and at its rear end an arm 6 turned towards the inside of the vehicle, which terminates in a lug 8 located on top. The front pivot 4 and the rear arm 6 retract into the outer sheet metal of the door 10.

[0035] A rocker 12 mounted on a second vertical pivot 14 has a part behind this pivot 16 ending in a fork 18 arranged in a horizontal plane receiving the lug of the handle 8, and a part in front 20 having at its end a notch turned towards the front 22. The rocker 12 has around its pivot 14 in the longitudinal plane a balancing of its masses.

[0036] A locking device 24 mounted on a third vertical pivot 26 comprises an inertia mass 28 disposed in front of this pivot, and a locking finger 30 which is turned outwards, forming a right angle with this mass. A return spring 32 disposed around the third pivot 26 bears against a fixed element of the door to constantly apply a restoring torque to the locking device 24, which tends to keep the inertia mass 28 inwards against a rest stop, the locking finger 30 remaining turned outwards.

[0037] Figure 2 shows normal operation of the control device. The operator pulls on the handle 2, the rear lug 8 of this handle applying an outward pull on the rear part of the rocker 12 which transmits a locking movement.

[0038] Figure 3 shows a significant transverse impact C on the vehicle applied during In a standardized test, a strong inward transverse acceleration of the control device is observed. Since the rocker arm 12 has its masses balanced in this direction relative to the pivot 14, it does not experience an inertial torque. The forward inertial mass 28 of the locking mechanism 24 experiences an outward force G, dependent on the distribution of this mass relative to its pivot 26 and the acceleration, which displaces the locking finger 30 rearward against the return spring 32.

[0039] From an acceleration threshold dependent on the intensity of the transverse impact on the vehicle, the locking finger 30 compressing the return spring 32 moves sufficient to fit into the front notch 22 of the rocker 12, preventing its front part 20 from pivoting inwards.

[0040] The rocker 12, remaining in position, holds the rear lug 8 of the handle 2 and does not unlock the lock. The door remains closed as long as the transverse acceleration stays above the threshold, preventing the inertial mass 28 from returning to its restraint by its return spring 32.

[0041] Figures 4 and 5 show a control device according to the invention comprising, successively on the same pivot axis 26, two locking devices 24A, 24B, each having its own return spring 32, and its locking finger 30 disposed opposite a notch 22 of the rocker 12 so as to have an independent operation of each, capable of locking its notch. During an impact, depending on the operating conditions, one or the other of the locking devices 24, or both, may act to lock the lock.

[0042] The two blockers 24A, 24B, similar so as to facilitate series production of similar components, are arranged on the same axis 26 next to each other to occupy a small space available on the opening control.

[0043] Figure 6 shows the two blockers 24A and 24B, which at rest have different angular positions. The first blocker, 24A, has a greater inclination α with its inertial mass 28 shifted inwards. This results in a different reaction to transverse acceleration for the first blocker 24A, depending on its initial position, giving it a second acceleration threshold for its blocking position that differs from that of the other blocker 24B.

[0044] Figure 7 shows two blockers 24 with the same positions and springs of The 32 identical components, but with slightly different shapes, are recalled. The first blocker 24A has a cavity 40 formed at the end of its inertial mass 28 which reduces the moment of inertia of this mass.

[0045] For the first blocker 24A, a pivoting is obtained requiring a stronger transverse acceleration because of its reduced inertial mass 28 which must oppose the same restoring force of the spring 32, the acceleration threshold is shifted.

[0046] The [Fig.8] shows two identical blockers 24 but return springs 32 with different loads, the load of the spring 32B of the second blocker 24B being greater.

[0047] For the second blocker 24B, a pivoting is obtained which will require a stronger transverse acceleration in order to obtain a higher tipping torque which balances the higher load of the second return spring 32, the acceleration threshold is also shifted.

[0048] Advantageously, the acceleration threshold causing the blockers 24 to tip, generally between 5 and 50g, has a shift between these two blockers so that each can respond to slightly different operating conditions. For example, we can take a threshold of 20g for one and 25g for the other.

[0049] In accidents, which can present situations more complex than those of standardized side-impact tests, highly varied sequences of successive accelerations can occur, varying in direction and intensity, and including irregularities that cannot be fully calculated or simulated in advance. The presence of two independently operating locking devices 24, each capable of exhibiting a specific response, provides significant assurance of achieving at least one locking of the lock.

[0050] Moreover, the two blockers 24 having slightly different characteristics make it possible to cover in particular a more varied range of use, including in particular positioning on the vehicle for the front or rear doors, or use on a range of vehicles including models with different masses.

Claims

Demands

1. A control for opening a door of a motor vehicle, comprising a movable handle (2) actuated to unlock a lock of the door, and an inertia mass (28A) which, under the effect of acceleration of the control along the transverse direction of the vehicle, moves against a return spring (32), reaching a locking position of the handle (2) beyond a certain acceleration threshold, characterized in that it has a second inertia mass (28B) equipped with a second return spring (32), operating independently of the first inertia mass (28A), which reaches a locking position of the handle (2) beyond a certain acceleration threshold, in that the two inertia masses (28A, 28B) are mounted on pivots (26) arranged along the same axis of rotation, and in that the two inertia masses (28A, 28B) have shapes identical, and in that the two inertial masses (28A,28B) exhibit different angular positions around the axis of rotation at rest.

2. Opening control according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the two inertial masses (28A, 28B) have different mass values.

3. Opening control according to claim 1, and claim 2, characterized in that one of the two inertial masses (28A) has a cavity (40) which is withdrawn relative to the other inertial mass (28B).

4. Opening control according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two return springs (32) have different stiffness characteristics.

5. Opening control according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two acceleration thresholds giving the locking positions of the handle (2) of the two inertial masses (28, 28B) have different values.

6. Motor vehicle equipped with side doors, characterized in that each side door has an opening control according to any one of the preceding claims.