Opening control handle.

Abstract

The invention relates to a control paddle (1) designed to equip a handle for controlling the opening of a motor vehicle opening, the paddle (1) extending between a bearing face (3) and an opposite face (4), the paddle (1) having an axis of rotation (AR) provided with two ends (6) and extending between the bearing face (3) and the opposite face (4), the axis of rotation (AR) being designed to allow rotation of the paddle (1) around the axis of rotation (AR) when the paddle (1) is mounted in the handle, the paddle (1) comprising an arm (8) projecting from the axis of rotation (AR) and having a helical sliding surface (9) designed to allow sliding of a contact surface of an actuator on the sliding surface (9) extending along a helical axis (AH) inclined relative to the axis of rotation (AR). (Figure 2)

Description

Title of the invention: Opening control handle.

[0001] The technical field relates to control paddles and cable actuators designed to equip a control handle, opening control handles comprising such a cable actuator and such a paddle, openings comprising such a control handle and finally motor vehicles comprising at least one such opening.

[0002] For car manufacturers, the quality of their vehicles' finish and their aesthetic aspects are essential to stand out from other brands. Manufacturers are therefore making many efforts to constantly improve these areas.

[0003] Historically, the side doors of motor vehicles are equipped with an opening control, the visible part of which is a handle generally forming a significant protrusion on the sides of the vehicle body. In the context where aesthetics and aerodynamics are essential, a current trend is to seek to conceal the opening controls by embedding them in the door.

[0004] If the aesthetics are neat, the use of an opening control by a user is perfectible. Indeed, the efforts required to manipulate the control to obtain the opening of the opening remain particularly significant, of the order of 85 N. Furthermore, the mechanism of the opening controls requires variable efforts during manipulation. These two phenomena make the experience felt by the user perfectible or even unpleasant. This inconvenience is particularly amplified when the opening control is designed to be arranged along an axis inclined relative to a horizontal plane of the vehicle so as to be housed in a frame.

[0005] Thus, there is a need for a solution to improve the experience felt by a user who manipulates the opening control.

[0006] The present invention aims to overcome the problems set out above. In this technical context, an aim of the present invention is to provide a pallet and a cable actuator which make it possible to form an opening control handle having a lower force than with a conventional control to obtain opening, with better stability of the force required in comparison with a conventional control.

[0007] To this end, the present invention relates to a control paddle designed to equip a control handle for opening a motor vehicle opening panel, the paddle extending between a bearing face and an opposite face, the paddle having a rotation axis provided with two ends and extending between the bearing face and the opposite face. opposite, the axis of rotation being adapted to allow rotation of the paddle about the axis of rotation when the paddle is mounted in the handle, the paddle comprising an arm projecting from the axis of rotation and having a helical sliding surface adapted to allow sliding of a contact surface of a cable actuator on the sliding surface, the sliding surface extending along a helical axis inclined relative to the axis of rotation.

[0008] The invention also relates to a cable actuator designed to equip a handle for controlling the opening of a motor vehicle opening, the cable actuator having a body designed to be mounted so as to be able to rotate in the handle about an actuator axis passing through the body, the body having a helical contact surface, distant from the actuator axis, designed to cooperate by sliding with a sliding surface of a control paddle according to the invention, to allow rotation of the cable actuator about its actuator axis when the helical axis is distant from the actuator axis.

[0009] The invention also relates to a handle for controlling the opening of a motor vehicle opening comprising a pallet according to the invention, mounted so as to be able to rotate about its axis of rotation, the handle comprising a cable actuator according to the invention, mounted so as to be able to rotate about its actuator axis, the cable actuator and the pallet being arranged so that the contact surface of the cable actuator slides on the sliding surface of the pallet during a rotation of the pallet about its axis of rotation to cause a rotation of the cable actuator about its actuator axis.

[0010] The invention also relates to an opening designed to equip a motor vehicle and comprising at least one control handle according to the invention, the axis of rotation of the pallet extending in a direction inclined relative to a direction corresponding to a horizontal plane of the vehicle when the opening is mounted on the vehicle.

[0011] The invention finally relates to a motor vehicle having at least one opening according to the invention.

[0012] Thus, the paddle according to the invention and the cable actuator cooperate, in the handle according to the invention, to move the control cable. The sliding of the contact surface on the sliding surface makes it possible to obtain a high stability of the force required to move the paddle, due to their helical shapes. By helical, it is meant that the surface describes at least a part of a helical envelope. Thus, the paddle and the actuator according to the invention make it possible to obtain a handle according to the invention with an improved experience felt by a user, during its handling.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the control paddle, the helical axis is per- pendicular to the axis of rotation.

[0014] According to one possibility of the pallet, the arm projects from the axis of rotation between one of the ends of the axis of rotation and an edge of the bearing face.

[0015] In one embodiment of the control paddle, the arm projects from the side of the support face.

[0016] Advantageously, the cable actuator comprises fixing means designed to fix to the cable actuator a remote control cable of the actuator shaft.

[0017] Advantageously, the handle comprises a housing delimiting a housing in which the pallet is arranged.

[0018] The invention will be better understood on reading the detailed description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0019] [Fig-1] [Fig. 1] represents a perspective view of an opening control handle according to the invention showing a pallet according to the invention;

[0020] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a perspective view of the pallet implemented in the handle of [Fig.l];

[0021] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] represents a perspective view of a cable actuator implemented work in the handle of [Fig.l];

[0022] [Fig.4] [Fig.4] represents a detailed view of the interaction between the pallet and the cable actuator in the handle of [Fig.l];

[0023] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0024] A control paddle 1 according to the invention, illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, is designed to equip an opening control handle 2, partially illustrated in Figures 1 and 4, of a motor vehicle opening according to the invention, not illustrated.

[0025] As illustrated in [Fig.l], the paddle 1 extends between a bearing face 3, visible in [Fig.2], and an opposite face 4, visible in [Fig.l]. The bearing face 3 is designed to allow a user to push the paddle 1 with the fingers resting on the bearing face 3. In the example illustrated in [Fig.l], the opposite face 4 has a honeycomb structure 5 to give the paddle 1 strength and lightness.

[0026] As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the pallet has an AR rotation axis provided with two ends 6 and extends between the bearing face 3 and the opposite face 4. As illustrated in [Fig.l], the AR rotation axis is designed to allow rotation of the pallet 1 around the AR rotation axis when the pallet 1 is mounted in the handle 2. In the example illustrated in [Fig.2], each end 6 has a clipping orifice 7 allowing each end 6 to be clipped into the handle 2 thanks, for example, to a clip-on stud, not shown.

[0027] The pallet 1 comprises an arm 8, visible in [Fig. 2], projecting from the axis of rotation AR. The arm 8 has a helical sliding surface 9, illustrated in [Fig. 2]. The sliding surface 9 extends along a helical axis AH, illustrated in [Fig. 2], inclined relative to the axis of rotation AR. Advantageously, the helical axis AH is perpendicular to the axis of rotation AR.

[0028] The sliding surface 9 is designed to allow sliding of a contact surface 10 of a cable actuator 11, illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, on the sliding surface 9.

[0029] As illustrated in [Fig.2], the arm 8 projects from the rotation axis AR between one of the ends 6 of the rotation axis AR and an edge 12 of the bearing face 3. In the example described, the arm 8 projects from the side of the bearing face 3.

[0030] The cable actuator 11 according to the invention is designed to equip the opening control handle 2. The cable actuator 11 has a body 13 designed to be mounted so as to be able to rotate in the handle 2, as illustrated in [Fig. 4], around an actuator axis AA passing through the body 13. The body 13 has a substantially cylindrical shape with a circular base with the actuator axis AA as its main axis. The actuator 11 has the contact surface 10, helical, which is distant from the actuator axis AA. The contact surface 10 is, for example, arranged on a finger 14 projecting from the body 13. The contact surface 10 is understood to be along a plane inclined relative to the actuator axis AA.The contact surface 10 is designed to cooperate by sliding with the sliding surface 9 of the control paddle 1 according to the invention, to allow rotation of the cable actuator 11 around its actuator axis AA when the helical axis AH is distant from the actuator axis AA, as is the case when the actuator 11 and the paddle 1 are mounted in the handle 2. Advantageously, the contact surface 10 has a helical shape complementary to the shape of the sliding surface 9.

[0031] In order to actuate a control cable 15, illustrated in [Fig. 4], the actuator 11 comprises fixing means 16 designed to fix one end 17 of the cable 15 to the actuator 11. The other end of the cable 15, not illustrated, is connected in the opening to a lock of the opening, not illustrated.

[0032] The handle 2 illustrated in the figures comprises a housing 18 designed to allow the fixing of the constituent elements of the handle 2 and in particular of the actuator 11 and of the paddle 1 according to the invention. The housing 18 also delimits a housing 19 opening onto an opening 20 allowing respectively the rotation of the paddle 1 and the introduction of the fingers of a user of the handle 2 to exert a force on the bearing face 3. In the handle 2, the paddle 1 is mounted mobile in rotation about its axis of rotation AR. The actuator 11, for its part, is mounted mobile in rotation around its actuator axis AA. The cable actuator 11 and the paddle 1 are arranged so that the contact surface 10 of the cable actuator 11 slides on the sliding surface 9 of the paddle 1 during a rotation of the paddle 1 around its rotation axis AR to cause a rotation of the cable actuator 11 around its actuator axis AA.

[0033] In an opening according to the invention, designed to equip a motor vehicle according to the invention, the control handle 2 is mounted so that the AR rotation axis of the pallet 1 extends in a direction inclined relative to a direction corresponding to a horizontal plane of the vehicle when the opening is mounted on the vehicle. In particular, the AR rotation axis is mounted in a substantially vertical direction.

[0034] Thus, the pallet 1 according to the invention and the cable actuator 11 cooperate, in the handle 2, to move the control cable 15. The sliding of the contact surface 10 on the sliding surface 9 makes it possible to obtain great stability of the force required to move the pallet 1. Experimental measurements show that the force to obtain opening with the handle 2 is reduced by approximately 5 N compared with a control system of point support on the sliding surface 9.

[0035] The invention is not limited to the embodiments of the control paddle and the handle cable actuator described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and ambit of the present invention.

Claims

Claims

1. Control paddle (1) designed to equip a handle (2) for controlling the opening of a motor vehicle opening, the paddle (1) extending between a bearing face (3) and an opposite face (4), the paddle (1) having an axis of rotation (AR) provided with two ends (6) and extending between the bearing face (3) and the opposite face (4), the axis of rotation (AR) being designed to allow rotation of the paddle (1) around the axis of rotation (AR) when the paddle (1) is mounted in the handle (2), the paddle (1) comprising an arm (8) projecting from the axis of rotation (AR) and having a helical sliding surface (9) designed to allow sliding of a contact surface (10) of a cable actuator (11) on the sliding surface (9), the sliding surface (9) extending along a helical axis (AH) inclined relative to the axis of rotation (AR).

2. Control pallet (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the helical axis (AH) is perpendicular to the axis of rotation (AR).

3. Control paddle (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the arm (8) projects from the axis of rotation (AR) between one of the ends (6) of the axis of rotation (AR) and an edge (12) of the bearing face (3).

4. Control pallet (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the arm (8) projects from the side of the support face (3).

5. Cable actuator (11) designed to equip a handle (2) for controlling the opening of a motor vehicle opening, the cable actuator (11) having a body (13) designed to be mounted so as to be able to rotate in the handle (2) about an actuator axis (AA) passing through the body (13), the body (13) having a helical contact surface (10), distant from the actuator axis (AA), designed to cooperate by sliding with a sliding surface (9) of a control paddle (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, to allow rotation of the cable actuator (11) about its actuator axis (AA) when the helical axis (AH) is distant from the actuator axis (AA).

6. Cable actuator (11) according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises fixing means (16) designed to fix to the cable actuator (11) a cable (15) for remote control of the actuator axis (AA).

7. Handle (2) for controlling the opening of a motor vehicle opening comprising a pallet (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, mounted so as to be able to rotate about its axis of rotation (AR), the handle (2) comprising a cable actuator (11) according to claim 5 or 6, mounted so as to be able to rotate about its actuator axis (AA), the cable actuator (11) and the pallet (1) being arranged so that the contact surface (10) of the cable actuator (11) slides on the sliding surface (9) of the pallet (1) during a rotation of the pallet (1) about its axis of rotation (AR) to cause a rotation of the cable actuator (11) about its actuator axis (AA).

8. Control handle (2) according to claim 7, characterized in that the handle (2) comprises a housing (18) delimiting a housing (19) in which the pallet (1) is arranged.

9. Opening designed to equip a motor vehicle and comprising at least one control handle (2) according to claim 7 or 8, the axis of rotation (AR) of the pallet (1) extending in a direction inclined relative to a direction corresponding to a horizontal plane of the vehicle when the opening is mounted on the vehicle.

10. Motor vehicle having at least one opening according to claim 9.

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