Door handle device

Abstract

To miniaturize a cylinder arrangement part of a cover and a base of a key cylinder in a door handle device that operates a door latch device.SOLUTION: A door handle device 20 comprises: a base 21 having a handle arrangement part 21a and a cylinder arrangement part 21b; a handle 25 rotatably attached to the handle arrangement part 21a; a key cylinder 45 attached to the cylinder arrangement part 21b; and a cover 47 attached to the cylinder arrangement part 21b. The cover 47 has a cover body 47a and an attachment part 47b, and an attachment hole 21g is provided in the cylinder arrangement part 21b. The attachment hole 21g is provided so as to position a part between a first reference line L1 extending through an upper end of a through-hole 21e in a horizontal direction and a second reference line L2 extending through a lower end of the through-hole 21e in the horizontal direction when seen from a direction where an axis A of the through-hole 21e extends.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a door handle device. [Background technology]

[0002] A door latch device and a door handle device are attached to a vehicle door. The door latch device has a latch mechanism and is switchable between a latched state, which holds the door closed relative to the vehicle body, and an unlatched state, which allows the door to be opened relative to the vehicle body. The door latch device further has a lock mechanism and is switchable between an unlocked state, which allows the latch mechanism to be switched from the latched state to the unlatched state, and a locked state, which prevents the latch mechanism from being switched from the latched state to the unlatched state. The latch mechanism and the lock mechanism are operated by the door handle device.

[0003] The door handle device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a handle attached to a base and a key cylinder. By operating the handle, the latch mechanism of the door latch device is switched from a latched state to an unlatched state. By operating the key cylinder using a mechanical key, the lock mechanism of the door latch device is switched from a locked state to an unlocked state.

[0004] The key cylinder in Patent Document 1 is located adjacent to the handle and is covered by a cover when not in use. To prevent the cover from falling off the base when the key cylinder is operated, the cover is provided with an attachment piece, and the cylinder placement portion of the base is provided with an attachment hole to which the attachment piece can be attached. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] France No. 2819539 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In Patent Document 1, the cover mounting hole is provided at a distance below the through-hole in the cylinder arrangement portion that exposes the key cylinder. This has the disadvantage of making the cylinder arrangement portion of the cover and base larger. In other words, Patent Document 1 does not give any consideration to reducing the size of the cover that covers the key cylinder and the cylinder arrangement portion of the base.

[0007] The present invention relates to a door handle device for operating a door latch device, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the size of the key cylinder cover and the cylinder arrangement portion of the base. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention relates to a door handle device comprising: a base attached to a door, the base having a handle arrangement portion and a cylinder arrangement portion provided adjacent to the handle arrangement portion and including a through-hole passing from the vehicle exterior side to the vehicle interior side; a handle for opening a door latch device attached to the door, the handle being rotatably attached to the handle arrangement portion so as to be exposed on the vehicle exterior side of the door; a key cylinder for unlocking the door latch device, the key cylinder being attached to the cylinder arrangement portion so as to expose a key hole on the vehicle exterior side through the through-hole; and a cover attached to the vehicle exterior side of the cylinder arrangement portion. The cover has a cover body that covers the keyhole including the through hole in an exposable manner, and an attachment portion that protrudes from the cover body, and the cylinder arrangement portion is provided with an attachment hole for attaching the attachment portion, and the attachment hole is arranged so that, when viewed from the direction in which the axis of the through hole extends, at least a portion of the attachment hole is located between a first reference line that passes through the upper end of the through hole and extends in the left-right direction and a second reference line that passes through the lower end of the through hole and extends in the left-right direction, or between a third reference line that passes through the left end of the through hole and extends in the up-down direction and a fourth reference line that passes through the right end of the through hole and extends in the up-down direction.

[0009] The mounting hole for attaching the cover's mounting portion is positioned at least partially between a first reference line passing through the upper end of the through hole exposing the key hole and a second reference line passing through the lower end of the through hole, or between a third reference line passing through the left end of the through hole and a fourth reference line passing through the right end of the through hole. This allows the cover body to be as small as possible while still covering the through hole, including the key hole of the key cylinder. This also allows the area required for forming the cylinder arrangement portion to be as small as possible while still allowing the cover to be placed. As a result, the key cylinder cover and the cylinder arrangement portion of the base can be made smaller, and ultimately the entire door handle device can be made smaller. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The present invention relates to a door handle device for operating a door latch device, and it is possible to reduce the size of the key cylinder cover and the cylinder arrangement portion of the base. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram of a door handle device and a door lock device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the door handle device as seen from the front side. [Figure 3] Cross-sectional view of line III-III in Figure 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the door handle device with the cover removed, viewed from the rear side. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the state in which the cover of FIG. 2 is open. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the handle and cover disassembled from the base. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the rear side with the cover disassembled from the base. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the cylinder arrangement portion and cover of the base. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a rear view of the through-hole covered with a cover. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] 1 to 3, a door handle device 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to an outer panel (door panel) 2 of a door 1, and enables the door 1, which is closed, to be opened by operating a door latch device 10 attached to the same door 1. The door handle device 20 of this embodiment is for a left side door whose hinge axis extends in the vehicle height direction. However, the door handle device 20 may also be for a right side door, a sliding door, or a back door.

[0014] In the accompanying drawings, the X direction is the vehicle length direction, with the arrow pointing in the rear direction and the opposite direction being the front direction. The Y direction is the vehicle width direction, with the arrow pointing inward (inside the vehicle) and the opposite direction being the outside (outside the vehicle). The Z direction is the vehicle height direction, with the arrow pointing in the upward direction and the opposite direction being the downward direction.

[0015] 1, the door handle device 20 is connected to an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 5 mounted on a vehicle. The ECU 5 has a calculation unit, a storage unit, and a communication unit, none of which are shown, and reads out a program pre-stored in the storage unit and executes information processing in accordance with steps instructed by the program. The ECU 5 is also connected to a door latch device 10. The ECU 5 electrically operates the door latch device 10 based on an input signal from the door handle device 20.

[0016] To provide an overview of the door latch device 10, the door latch device 10 is arranged along an end panel (not shown) of the door 1 shown in Figure 3. The door latch device 10 includes a latch mechanism 11, an actuator 12, a latch switching mechanism 13, a lock mechanism 14, an actuator 15, and a lock switching mechanism 16.

[0017] The latch mechanism 11 includes a fork and a claw, and can be switched between a latched state and an unlatched state. In the latched state, the fork holds a striker on the vehicle body, holding the door 1 shown in Figure 3 in a closed state. In the unlatched state, the fork releases the striker, allowing the door 1 to be opened.

[0018] The latch mechanism 11 is switched from an unlatched state to a latched state by the striker entering the fork when the open door 1 is closed. The latch mechanism 11 is switched from the latched state to the unlatched state from outside the vehicle (opening operation) by operating the door handle device 20, but the latch mechanism 11 is electrically operated by the actuator 12 via the latch switching mechanism 13 in normal times, when it can be operated electrically, and in emergency times, when it cannot be operated electrically. Switching of the latch mechanism 11 by operating the door handle device 20 will be described in detail later.

[0019] The locking mechanism 14 is composed of multiple levers and the like, and can be switched between an unlocked state and a locked state. In the unlocked state, the latching mechanism 11 can be switched from the latched state to the unlatched state via the latch switching mechanism 13. In the locked state, the latching mechanism 11 cannot be switched from the latched state to the unlatched state via the latch switching mechanism 13.

[0020] The lock mechanism 14 is switched from an unlocked state to a locked state from outside the vehicle by operating the door handle device 20. The lock mechanism 14 is switched from a locked state to an unlocked state from outside the vehicle by operating the door handle device 20, but the state of the lock mechanism 14 differs between normal operation when the lock mechanism 14 can be electrically operated by the actuator 15 and emergency operation when the lock mechanism 14 cannot be electrically operated. Switching of the lock mechanism 14 by operating the door handle device 20 will be described in detail later.

[0021] The door handle device 20 of this embodiment will be specifically described below.

[0022] The door handle device 20 has a configuration for electrically operating the door latch device 10 shown in Fig. 1 under normal circumstances by an ECU 5 and for manually operating it in an emergency. Specifically, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the door handle device 20 has a base 21, a cover 22, a handle 25, and a transmission lever 30. The door handle device 20 also has a release switch 33, an end lever 35, a lock switch 39, an open lever 40, a key cylinder 45, a restriction lever 50, and an emergency button 54.

[0023] The handle 25 is a flush handle that is elongated in the vehicle length direction and extends flush with the outer panel 2, and is rotated in both normal and emergency situations. The handle 25 is provided with an operating unit 26 that protrudes inward in the vehicle width direction and operates a transmission lever 30. The transmission lever 30 is disposed adjacent to the handle 25 on the vehicle interior side, and is equipped with an operation receiving unit 30a that receives operation by the operating unit 26, and rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the handle 25 in both normal and emergency situations.

[0024] The release switch 33 is a detection unit for normally activating the latch mechanism 11 and lock mechanism 14 shown in Fig. 1, and is disposed adjacent to the transmission lever 30. The end lever 35 and lock switch 39 are configured to normally activate the lock mechanism 14 shown in Fig. 1, and are disposed on the vehicle interior side of the front end of the handle 25 in the vehicle length direction.

[0025] The open lever 40 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the transmission lever 30 in an emergency to activate the latch mechanism 11 shown in Fig. 1, and is disposed below the transmission lever 30. The key cylinder 45 operates the lock mechanism 14 shown in Fig. 1 in an emergency, and is disposed adjacent to the handle 25 on the rear side in the vehicle length direction.

[0026] The restricting lever 50 is configured to restrict the rotation of the handle 25 via the transmission lever 30 under normal circumstances, thereby restricting the operating force of the handle 25 from being transmitted to the latch mechanism 11 shown in Fig. 1 via the open lever 40. The emergency button 54 is configured to release the restriction imposed by the restricting lever 50 in an emergency.

[0027] 1 is controlled by the ECU 5 when authentication of the electronic key (not shown) carried by the user is established. In other words, under normal circumstances, if authentication of the electronic key is not established, the ECU 5 does not operate the door latch device 10. An antenna 28, which allows the ECU 5 to wirelessly communicate with the electronic key, is housed in the handle 25.

[0028] The operation of the door latch device 10 in response to the operation of the door handle device 20 will be described below.

[0029] (Normal opening operation) To open the door latch device 10 under normal circumstances, the handle 25, which is in its initial position shown by a solid line in FIG. 3, is pushed inward in the vehicle width direction by a portion 25a rearward of the rotary shaft 27. This causes the handle 25 to rotate in a direction A1 in FIG. 2, and the transmission lever 30, which is journaled on the rotary shaft 31, to rotate in a direction B1 in FIG. 4. The rotation of the transmission lever 30 switches the release switch 33 from an OFF state to an ON state, outputting an open signal. As a result, the ECU 5 shown in FIG. 1 electrically switches the lock mechanism 14 from a locked state to an unlocked state using the actuator 15, and then electrically switches the latch mechanism 11 from a latched state to an unlatched state using the latch switching mechanism 13 using the actuator 12. This allows the door 1 shown in FIG. 3 to be opened.

[0030] Rotation of the handle 25 caused by operation of the rear portion 25a is restricted to a normal operating position shown by a dashed line in Figure 3 by the transmission lever 30 abutting against the restriction lever 50. In this restricted state, the transmission lever 30 allows operation of the release switch 33 as described above, but does not allow operation (pressing) of the open lever 40. In other words, the operating force of the handle 25 is not normally transmitted to the open lever 40 via the transmission lever 30. As a result, it is possible to prevent a malfunction of the door latch device 10 caused by conflict between the electric switching and manual switching of the latch mechanism 11.

[0031] (Normal lock operation) To lock the door latch device 10 under normal circumstances, the portion 25b of the handle 25 in front of the rotary shaft 27, which is in the initial position, is pushed inward in the vehicle width direction. This causes the handle 25 to rotate in direction A2 to the normal lock operation position shown by the dashed line in FIG. 3, and the end lever 35 journaled to the rotary shaft 37 rotates in direction C1 in FIG. 3. The rotation of the end lever 35 switches the lock switch 39 from an OFF state to an ON state and outputs a lock signal. As a result, the ECU 5 shown in FIG. 1 electrically switches the lock mechanism 14 from an unlocked state to a locked state using the actuator 15. This makes it impossible to open the door 1 shown in FIG. 3.

[0032] (Emergency opening operation) In an emergency, the door latch device 10 is opened by first unlocking the lock mechanism 14 and then unlatching the latch mechanism 11, as shown in FIG.

[0033] To unlock the door latch device 10 in an emergency, the cover 47 in Figure 2 is rotated in direction E1, which is outward in the vehicle width direction, to expose the key hole of the key cylinder 45 to the outside of the vehicle. Then, a mechanical key (not shown) is inserted into the key cylinder 45 and turned. As a result, the lock mechanism 14, to which an operating force is transmitted via a transmission member (not shown) and the lock switching mechanism 16 shown in Figure 1, is manually switched from the locked state to the unlocked state.

[0034] Next, to open the door latch device 10 in an emergency, the rear portion 25a of the handle 25 is pushed inward in the vehicle width direction. This causes the handle 25 to rotate in direction A1 in FIG. 2, and the transmission lever 30 to rotate in direction B1 in FIG. 4. However, in an emergency, the latch mechanism 11 cannot be electrically operated to open. Furthermore, the rotation of the handle 25 by operating the rear portion 25a is restricted to the normal operating position shown by the dashed line in FIG. 3 by the abutment of the transmission lever 30 against the restricting lever 50, just as in normal operation.

[0035] Next, in an emergency, the emergency button 54, which is exposed by rotating the handle 25, is pushed inward in the vehicle width direction. This causes the emergency button 54, which is journaled on the rotary shaft 55, to rotate in direction G1 in Figure 4, and the restriction lever 50, which is journaled on the rotary shaft 51, to rotate in direction F1 in Figure 4 so as to move away from the transmission lever 30. As a result, the restriction on rotation of the transmission lever 30 by the restriction lever 50 in direction B1 is released.

[0036] By releasing the restriction of the transmission lever 30, the handle 25 becomes rotatable in direction A1 to the emergency operation position shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3. This operation causes the transmission lever 30 to further rotate in direction B1 in FIG. 4 and press the open lever 40. As a result, the open lever 40, which is journaled on the rotation shaft 41, rotates in direction D1, which is the downward direction in FIG. 4. As a result, the operating force of the handle 25 is transmitted to the latch mechanism 11 via the transmission lever 30, the open lever 40, the rod 43, the lock mechanism 14 shown in FIG. 1, and the latch switching mechanism 13, and the latch mechanism 11 is manually switched from the latched state to the unlatched state. As a result, the door 1 shown in FIG. 3 becomes openable.

[0037] In the door handle device 20 configured as above, in this embodiment, the portion of the base 21 where the key cylinder 45 is disposed (cylinder disposing portion 21b) and the cover 47 that covers the key cylinder 45 are made smaller.

[0038] The configurations of the base 21, the handle 25, the key cylinder 45, and the cover 47 will be described in detail below.

[0039] 3, the base 21 is attached to the inner side of the vehicle relative to the outer panel 2. The handle 25 and the cover 47 are attached to the outer side of the base 21 and are exposed to the outer side of the vehicle via the through-holes in the outer panel 2. The key cylinder 45 is attached to the base 21 so as to be located inside the cover 47 in the vehicle width direction. The transmission lever 30, the restricting lever 50, and the emergency button 54 are all attached to the inner side of the base 21 and are covered by the cover 22.

[0040] 5 and 6, the base 21 includes a handle arrangement portion 21a and a cylinder arrangement portion 21b that are provided adjacent to each other in the vehicle length direction.

[0041] The handle mounting portion 21a is configured as a recessed groove that is recessed from the outside to the inside in the vehicle width direction and extends in the vehicle length direction. A through-hole is provided on the rear side of the handle mounting portion 21a in the vehicle length direction, allowing the operating portion 26 of the handle 25 (see Figure 3) to pass through to the inside of the vehicle. An end lever 35 and an emergency button 54 are disposed on the front side of the handle mounting portion 21a in the vehicle length direction, which is exposed when the handle 25 is rotated to the normal operating position shown by the dashed dotted line in Figure 3.

[0042] The cylinder arrangement section 21b is provided adjacent to the rear side of the handle arrangement section 21a in the vehicle length direction. The cylinder arrangement section 21b is separated from the handle arrangement section 21a by a partition wall 21c extending in the vehicle width direction and vehicle height direction. The cylinder arrangement section 21b also has an outer wall 21d that is continuous with the outer end of the partition wall 21c in the vehicle width direction and extends in the vehicle length direction and vehicle height direction.

[0043] A through-hole 21e is provided in outer wall 21d, penetrating in the vehicle width direction from the exterior side to the interior side of the vehicle and exposing key hole 45a of key cylinder 45 to the exterior side of the vehicle. Through-hole 21e is circular and has an axis A extending in the vehicle width direction. However, the shape of through-hole 21e may be a shape other than circular. Referring to FIG. 7, a mounting frame 21f for mounting key cylinder 45 is provided on the interior side of through-hole 21e. Mounting frame 21f protrudes in a generally cylindrical shape from the edge of through-hole 21e toward the interior side of the vehicle width.

[0044] 5 to 7, a pair of mounting holes 21g and a pair of positioning holes 21h are provided in the outer wall 21d of the handle placement portion 21a, and a lock receiving portion 21j is provided in the partition wall 21c.

[0045] The mounting holes 21g penetrate the outer wall 21d in the vehicle width direction, and movably mount the mounting portion 47b of the cover 47. The pair of mounting holes 21g are each provided on the rear side in the vehicle length direction, opposite the handle arrangement portion 21a with respect to the through-hole 21e, and are arranged with a gap in the vehicle height direction.

[0046] 8, when viewed from the direction in which the axis A of the through hole 21e extends, the pair of mounting holes 21g are each provided so that a portion thereof is located between the pair of reference lines L1, L2 and the remainder is located outside the pair of reference lines L1, L2. The first reference line L1 is defined as a tangent line passing through the upper end of the through hole 21e and extending in the vehicle length direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 8). The second reference line L2 is defined as a tangent line passing through the lower end of the through hole 21e and extending in the vehicle length direction. However, the mounting hole 21g may be provided so that its entirety is located between the pair of reference lines L1, L2. In other words, it is sufficient that the mounting hole 21g is provided so that at least a portion thereof is located between the pair of reference lines L1, L2.

[0047] 6 and 8, the positioning holes 21h are provided to position the cover 47 when the through-hole 21e is covered by the cover 47. The positioning holes 21h are generally rectangular and penetrate the outer wall 21d in the vehicle width direction. The pair of positioning holes 21h are provided on the handle placement portion 21a, which is on the opposite side of the through-hole 21e from the mounting holes 21g (front side in the vehicle length direction), and are spaced apart in the vehicle height direction. Of the pair of positioning holes 21h, the upper one is provided at the same height as the upper mounting hole 21g, and the lower one is provided at the same height as the lower mounting hole 21g. More specifically, each positioning hole 21h is provided between the upper end and lower end of the corresponding mounting hole 21g in the height direction.

[0048] The lock receiving portion 21j is provided to maintain a state in which the through-hole 21e is closed by the cover 47. The lock receiving portion 21j is provided on the partition wall 21c toward the handle placement portion 21a so as to be adjacent to the handle 25. More specifically, the partition wall 21c is provided with an insertion groove 21i that is recessed from the front to the rear in the vehicle length direction and extends in the vehicle width direction. The lock receiving portion 21j is provided within the insertion groove 21i. The lock receiving portion 21j includes an elastic piece 21k having a cantilever structure. An inner end of the elastic piece 21k in the vehicle width direction is continuous with the partition wall 21c, and an outer end of the elastic piece 21k in the vehicle width direction is a free end. A lock claw 21m that protrudes forward in the vehicle length direction toward the handle 25 is provided at the outer end of the elastic piece 21k in the vehicle width direction.

[0049] 5 and 6, the handle 25 is disposed in the handle mounting portion 21a so as to be located on the vehicle exterior side of the base 21, and is attached to the base 21 via a rotation shaft 27 extending in the vehicle height direction. The handle 25 can be rotated by the rotation shaft 27 between an initial position shown by a solid line in FIG. 3 and an emergency operation position shown by a two-dot chain line, in directions A1 and A2 via a normal operation position shown by a one-dot chain line. When the handle 25 is in the initial position shown by a solid line in FIG. 3, the latch mechanism 11 shown in FIG. 1 cannot be opened. When the handle 25 is rotated to the normal operation position shown by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 3, the latch mechanism 11 shown in FIG. 1 can be electrically opened. When the handle 25 is rotated to the emergency operation position shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3, the latch mechanism 11 shown in FIG. 1 can be manually opened. The handle 25 is biased in a direction A2 toward the initial position shown by the solid line in FIG. 3 via the transmission lever 30 by a spring that biases the transmission lever 30 shown in FIG. 3 in a direction B2.

[0050] The key cylinder 45 is provided for manually unlocking the lock mechanism 14 in an emergency. The key cylinder 45 has a key hole 45a into which a mechanical key can be inserted. The key cylinder 45 is attached to the mounting frame 21f of the cylinder arrangement portion 21b from the inside of the vehicle and fixed with screws so that the key hole 45a is exposed to the outside of the vehicle through the through hole 21e. As a result, the key cylinder 45 is positioned adjacent to the handle 25 on the rear side in the vehicle direction.

[0051] 2 and 5, cover 47 is normally provided to cover key hole 45a of key cylinder 45, including through hole 21e. Cover 47 includes a cover body 47a and an attachment portion 47b, and is attached to the vehicle outer side of cylinder arrangement portion 21b so as to be openable and closable in the vehicle length direction, and is opened only in an emergency.

[0052] 2 to 4, 9, and 10 show the closed position of cover 47, which covers keyhole 45a including through-hole 21e, and Figures 5 to 8 show the open position of cover 47, which exposes keyhole 45a including through-hole 21e. The configuration of cover 47 will be described below based on the position of cover 47 in the closed state.

[0053] 2, 3, and 5, the cover body 47a is slightly smaller than the outer wall 21d of the cylinder arrangement portion 21b and covers the key hole 45a of the key cylinder 45, including the through hole 21e, in a manner that allows it to be exposed. The cover body 47a is formed in the smallest possible flat plate shape that can cover the key hole 45a of the key cylinder 45, including the through hole 21e of the cylinder arrangement portion 21b, and the pair of positioning holes 21h.

[0054] When the cover 47 is in the closed state, the outer surface of the cover main body 47a is flush with the outer surface of the handle 25 and the outer surface of the outer panel 2. The dimension of the cover main body 47a in the vehicle height direction is the same as the dimension of the handle 25 in the vehicle height direction. In the closed state, a gap as small as possible is secured between the cover main body 47a and the handle 25, while still allowing the mechanical key to be inserted. In other words, it is difficult for the user to insert their finger into this gap.

[0055] 5 to 7 and 9, the mounting portion 47b protrudes from the cover main body 47a toward the vehicle interior and is movably attached to the mounting hole 21g of the cylinder arrangement portion 21b. The mounting portion 47b is configured by a pair of legs 47c protruding from the cover main body 47a at a distance in the vehicle height direction so as to correspond to the pair of mounting holes 21g. However, the number of mounting holes 21g and the number of legs 47c may be one each, or three or more each, as long as the cover 47 can be attached so as not to come off.

[0056] Each leg 47c is L-shaped when viewed from the vehicle height direction, and is composed of a first leg 47d and a second leg 47f.

[0057] The first leg portion 47d protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the cover body 47a. The first leg portion 47d is provided near the rear end of the cover body 47a in the vehicle length direction and is spaced apart so as to be located near the upper and lower ends in the vehicle height direction. The cross-sectional shape of the first leg portion 47d taken in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the first leg portion 47d, that is, taken along an XY plane extending in the vehicle length direction and the vehicle height direction in this embodiment, is smaller than the shape of the mounting hole 21g of the cylinder arrangement portion 21b.

[0058] 9 and 10, the pair of first legs 47d are each provided with a locking protrusion 47e that locks onto the edge of the mounting hole 21g on the interior surface of the outer wall 21d when the cover 47 is in the closed state. The locking protrusions 47e protrude from the upper surface of the upper first leg 47d and the lower surface of the lower first leg 47d, respectively. The dimension between the tops of the upper locking protrusion 47e and the upper locking protrusion 47e is larger than the dimension between the upper edge of the upper mounting hole 21g and the lower edge of the lower mounting hole 21g, to the extent that the locking protrusions 47e can pass through the corresponding mounting holes 21g.

[0059] The second leg portion 47f is connected to the end of the first leg portion 47d on the vehicle interior side and protrudes rearward in the vehicle length direction, that is, away from the cover body 47a, along the cover body 47a. The second leg portion 47f is bent with respect to the first leg portion 47d so that the angle between the second leg portion 47f and the first leg portion 47d is greater than 90 degrees, and in this embodiment, is 110 degrees. The cross-sectional shape of the second leg portion 47f taken in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the second leg portion 47f extends is smaller than the shape of the mounting hole 21g in the cylinder arrangement portion 21b.

[0060] A pair of second elastic pieces 47h are provided in the second leg portion 47f by forming slits 47g. The slits 47g penetrate the second leg portion 47f in the vehicle width direction and extend from the tip of the second leg portion 47f (the end portion on the rear side in the vehicle length direction) toward the first leg portion 47d. The pair of second elastic pieces 47h are provided above and below the slits 47g.

[0061] Each of the pair of second elastic pieces 47h is provided with a locking claw 47i for preventing the cover 47 from falling off the cylinder arrangement portion 21b when the cover 47 is in the open state shown in FIG. 5 . The locking claw 47i protrudes from the tip of the second elastic piece 47h toward the opposite side from the slit 47g. That is, the locking claw 47i protrudes upward from the upper one of the pair of second elastic pieces 47h and downward from the lower one of the pair of second elastic pieces 47h. The distance between the protruding ends of the pair of locking claws 47i is smaller than the vehicle height dimension of the mounting hole 21g of the cylinder arrangement portion 21b when the pair of second elastic pieces 47h are deflected toward each other. On the other hand, the distance between the protruding ends of the pair of locking claws 47i is larger than the vehicle height dimension of the mounting hole 21g when the pair of second elastic pieces 47h are not deflected. As a result, when the cover 47 is in the open state shown in FIG. 5, the pair of locking claws 47i lock onto the edges of the mounting holes 21g on the interior surface of the outer wall 21d, preventing the cover 47 from falling off.

[0062] The cover 47 is further provided with a positioning projection 47j, a locking portion 47p, and a stopper 47s, which project inward in the vehicle width direction from the cover body 47a when the cover 47 is in the closed state shown in FIG.

[0063] The positioning protrusions 47j are provided to position the cover 47 by being inserted into the positioning holes 21h of the cylinder arrangement portion 21b and to restrict movement of the cover 47 in the vehicle length direction and vehicle height direction. The positioning protrusions 47j are plate-shaped and extend in the vehicle length direction and vehicle width direction, and are provided on the front side of the cover body 47a in the vehicle length direction, opposite the leg portions 47c. The pair of positioning protrusions 47j are provided with a gap between them in the vehicle height direction. Each of the pair of positioning protrusions 47j has a protruding rib portion 47k that protrudes in the vehicle height direction and extends in the vehicle width direction. The protruding rib portion 47k is provided on the upper of the pair of positioning protrusions 47j so as to protrude upward, and on the lower of the pair of positioning protrusions 47j so as to protrude downward.

[0064] The positioning projection 47j, which includes the ridge 47k, includes an abutment portion 47m that can abut against the hole edge of the positioning hole 21h in the cylinder arrangement portion 21b. In this embodiment, the abutment portion 47m is formed by the rear end face of the positioning projection 47j in the vehicle length direction and the outer end face of the ridge 47k in the vehicle height direction. The abutment portion 47m of the positioning projection 47j abuts against the hole edge of the positioning hole 21h, thereby restricting movement of the cover 47 in the vehicle length direction when closed. The abutment portion 47m of the ridge 47k abuts against the hole edge of the positioning hole 21h, thereby restricting movement of the cover 47 in the vehicle height direction when closed.

[0065] The positioning protrusion 47j including the ridge 47k is provided with an inclined portion 47n that can slide against the edge of the positioning hole 21h when the cover 47 is closed from the open state shown in Fig. 5 to the closed state shown in Fig. 2. Specifically, the inclined portion 47n is provided by chamfering the positioning protrusion 47j and the ridge 47k. The inclined portion 47n of the positioning protrusion 47j is provided at a tip corner of the positioning protrusion 47j on the rear side in the vehicle length direction. The inclined portion 47n of the ridge 47k is provided at a tip corner of the ridge 47k on the outer side in the vehicle height direction.

[0066] The locking portion 47p is provided to maintain the cover 47 in the closed state shown in FIG. 2. The locking portion 47p protrudes from the cover main body 47a opposite the mounting portion 47b toward the cylinder arrangement portion 21b so as to be positioned adjacent to the handle 25. The locking portion 47p is generally U-shaped and includes a pair of first portions 47q protruding inward in the vehicle width direction from the cover main body 47a and a second portion 47r connected to the tips of the pair of first portions 47q. When the cover 47 is closed from the open state shown in FIG. 5 to the closed state shown in FIG. 2, the locking claw 21m of the lock receiving portion 21j engages with the second portion 47r. This locks the locking portion 47p to the lock receiving portion 21j.

[0067] The stoppers 47s are provided to prevent the cover 47 from being pushed excessively inward in the vehicle width direction and to prevent rattle of the cover 47 in the closed state shown in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, three stoppers 47s are provided. One of the three stoppers 47s is provided at the rear side of the cover body 47a in the vehicle length direction and in the center in the vehicle height direction so as to be located between the pair of legs 47c. The remaining two of the three stoppers 47s are connected to the pair of positioning protrusions 47j and protrude toward the front side in the vehicle length direction. These stoppers 47s abut against the outer wall 21d of the cylinder arrangement portion 21b when the cover 47 is in the closed state shown in FIG. 2. Furthermore, the outer wall 21d of the cylinder arrangement portion 21b is sandwiched between the stopper 47s and the locking protrusion 47e.

[0068] In the door handle device 20 configured as described above, in an emergency, the user operates the rear portion 25a of the handle 25 inward in the vehicle width direction, and then inserts the mechanical key between the handle 25 and the cover 47. Next, the user operates the mechanical key so that the lock claw 21m moves rearward in the vehicle length direction. This releases the lock of the lock portion 47p by the lock receiving portion 21j. Furthermore, the locking protrusion 47e of the cover 47 climbs over the edge of the mounting hole 21g of the cylinder arrangement portion 21b, and the cover main body 47a moves outward in the vehicle width direction.

[0069] Next, the user grasps the cover body 47a with their fingers and moves it outward in the vehicle width direction. This causes the first leg portion 47d of the cover 47 to move outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the mounting hole 21g of the cylinder arrangement portion 21b, and then the second leg portion 47f moves outward in the vehicle width direction while rotating. This movement is stopped by the locking claws 47i of the cover 47 locking around the mounting hole 21g of the cylinder arrangement portion 21b. As a result, the cover 47 can be opened relative to the cylinder arrangement portion 21b as shown in FIG. 5.

[0070] 5, when cover 47 is in the open state, key hole 45a of key cylinder 45 is exposed. Therefore, a user can manually switch lock mechanism 14 shown in FIG. 1 from the locked state to the unlocked state by inserting a mechanical key into key hole 45a and operating key cylinder 45.

[0071] On the other hand, when changing the cover 47 from the open state shown in Fig. 5 to the closed state shown in Fig. 2, the user grasps the cover body 47a and moves it inward in the vehicle width direction. As a result, the second leg portion 47f of the cover 47 moves inward in the vehicle width direction with respect to the mounting hole 21g of the cylinder arrangement portion 21b, and then the first leg portion 47d moves inward in the vehicle width direction accompanied by rotation.

[0072] Next, when the cover body 47a is positioned along the outer wall 21d of the cylinder arrangement portion 21b, the user pushes the cover body 47a inward in the vehicle width direction. This causes the locking protrusion 47e of the cover 47 to climb over the edge of the mounting hole 21g of the cylinder arrangement portion 21b and lock onto the inner surface of the outer wall 21d. In addition, the locking portion 47p of the cover 47 is locked to the lock receiving portion 21j of the cylinder arrangement portion 21b. This allows the cover 47 to be placed in a closed state relative to the cylinder arrangement portion 21b, making it difficult to open.

[0073] The door handle device 20 configured as above has the following features.

[0074] The mounting hole 21g for mounting the mounting portion 47b of the cover 47 is provided so that at least a portion thereof is located between a first reference line L1 passing through the upper end of the through hole 21e that exposes the key hole 45a and a second reference line L2 passing through the lower end of the through hole 21e. Therefore, the cover body 47a can be made as small as possible while still being able to cover the key hole 45a of the key cylinder 45, including the through hole 21e. Therefore, the area required for forming the cylinder arrangement portion 21b can also be made as small as possible while still being able to accommodate the cover 47. As a result, the cover 47 of the key cylinder 45 and the cylinder arrangement portion 21b of the base 21 can be made smaller, thereby enabling the entire door handle device 20 to be made smaller.

[0075] Of the legs 47c that make up the mounting portion 47b, a first leg 47d that protrudes from the cover body 47a is provided with a locking projection 47e that locks onto the edge of the mounting hole 21g. Therefore, the locking projection 47e can maintain the closed state in which the cover 47 covers the key hole 45a of the key cylinder 45, including the through-hole 21e, and can also prevent the cover body 47a from floating up.

[0076] The second leg 47f includes a pair of elastic pieces 21k, each of which is provided with a locking claw 47i that protrudes on the side opposite the slit 47g. This allows the leg 47c to be easily inserted into the mounting hole 21g by bending the pair of elastic pieces 21k toward each other. Furthermore, with the leg 47c inserted into the mounting hole 21g, the locking claws 47i effectively prevent the cover 47 from falling off.

[0077] A positioning protrusion 47j is provided on the cover main body 47a, a positioning hole 21h is provided in the cylinder arrangement portion 21b, and the positioning protrusion 47j includes an abutment portion 47m that can abut against the hole edge of the positioning hole 21h. As a result, when the cover main body 47a covers the key hole 45a of the key cylinder 45, including the through-hole 21e, the abutment portion 47m abuts against the hole edge of the positioning hole 21h, thereby positioning the cover main body 47a with respect to the cylinder arrangement portion 21b. This prevents the cover 47 from rattling when closed.

[0078] The positioning protrusion 47j of the cover 47 is provided with an inclined portion 47n that can slide against the edge of the positioning hole 21h in the cylinder arrangement portion 21b. As a result, when the cover main body 47a is rotated around the leg portion 47c as a fulcrum and the positioning protrusion 47j is inserted into the positioning hole 21h in the cylinder arrangement portion 21b, the inclined portion 47n slides against the edge of the positioning hole 21h. This improves the workability when covering the key hole 45a of the key cylinder 45, including the through hole 21e, with the cover main body 47a.

[0079] A lock portion 47p is provided on the cover main body 47a, and a lock receiving portion 21j that locks the lock portion 47p is provided on the cylinder arrangement portion 21b. As a result, by rotating the cover main body 47a around the leg portion 47c as a fulcrum and locking the lock portion 47p to the lock receiving portion 21j, the key hole 45a of the key cylinder 45, including the through hole 21e, can be reliably maintained in a state where it is covered by the cover main body 47a.

[0080] The locking portion 47p and the lock receiving portion 21j are provided adjacent to the handle 25, and the outer surface of the handle 25 and the outer surface of the cover main body 47a are positioned flush with each other. This makes it difficult to unlock the locking portion 47p and the lock receiving portion 21j and open the cover 47 relative to the cylinder arrangement portion 21b. Therefore, unintentional opening of the cover 47 can be prevented during normal times when the key cylinder 45 is not in use.

[0081] The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible.

[0082] For example, the cover 47 may be attached to the cylinder arrangement portion 21b so as to be openable and closable in the vehicle height direction. In this case, the attachment hole 21g of the cylinder arrangement portion 21b is provided so that at least a portion thereof is located between a third reference line L3 that passes through the left end of the through hole 21e and extends in the vertical direction, and a fourth reference line L4 that passes through the right end of the through hole 21e and extends in the vertical direction, as shown in FIG.

[0083] The positioning protrusion 47j may be provided in the cylinder arrangement portion 21b, and the positioning hole 21h may be provided in the cover main body 47a. In this case, the positioning hole 21h formed in the cover main body 47a is preferably configured as a recess that is recessed from the vehicle interior side to the vehicle exterior side and does not penetrate in the vehicle width direction in the closed state shown in Fig. 3 .

[0084] The lock portion 47p may be provided on the cylinder placement portion 21b, and the lock receiving portion 21j may be provided on the cover main body 47a. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 1 door 2 outer panels 5 ECU 10 Door latch device 11 Latch mechanism 12 Actuators 13 Latch switching mechanism 14 Locking mechanism 15 Actuators 16 Lock switching mechanism 20 Door handle device 21 Base 21a Handle arrangement section 21b Cylinder arrangement section 21c Partition Wall 21d Exterior wall 21e Through hole 21f Mounting frame 21g Mounting hole 21h Positioning hole 21i Insertion groove 21j Lock receiver 21k elastic piece 21m locking claw 22 Cover 25 Handle 25a rear part 25b Front part 26 Control section 27 Rotation axis 28 Antenna 30 Transmission lever 30a Operation receiver 31 Rotation axis 33 Release switch 35 End lever 37 Rotation axis 39 Lock switch 40 Open Lever 41 Rotation axis 43 Rod 45 Key cylinder 45a keyhole 46 Paddle 47 Cover 47a Cover body 47b Mounting part 47c leg 47d 1st leg 47e Locking protrusion 47f 2nd leg 47g slit 47h Elastic piece 47i Locking claw 47j Positioning protrusion 47k Convex part 47m Contact area 47n Slope 47p Rock Section 47q Part 1 47r 2nd part 47s stopper 50 Regulator lever 51 Rotation axis 54 Emergency button 55 Rotation axis A axis of through hole L1 1st reference line L2 Second reference line L3 3rd reference line L4 4th reference line

Claims

1. a base attached to the door, the base having a handle arrangement portion and a cylinder arrangement portion provided adjacent to the handle arrangement portion and including a through-hole extending from the vehicle exterior side to the vehicle interior side; a handle rotatably attached to the handle arrangement portion so as to be exposed on the vehicle exterior side of the door, the handle being used to open a door latch device attached to the door; a key cylinder for unlocking the door latch device, the key cylinder being attached to the cylinder arrangement portion so that a key hole is exposed to the vehicle exterior through the through hole; a cover attached to the outside of the cylinder arrangement portion; In a door handle device comprising: The cover has a cover body that covers the keyhole including the through hole so as to be exposing, and an attachment portion that protrudes from the cover body, The cylinder arrangement portion is provided with a mounting hole for mounting the mounting portion, A door handle device in which, when viewed from the direction in which the axis of the through hole extends, at least a portion of the mounting hole is located between a first reference line passing through the upper end of the through hole and extending in the left-right direction and a second reference line passing through the lower end of the through hole and extending in the left-right direction, or between a third reference line passing through the left end of the through hole and extending in the up-down direction and a fourth reference line passing through the right end of the through hole and extending in the up-down direction.

2. The mounting portion is configured by a pair of legs protruding from the cover body, the leg portion is configured by a first leg portion that protrudes in a direction intersecting with the cover body, and a second leg portion that is connected to an end portion of the first leg on the vehicle interior side and protrudes along the cover body in a direction away from the cover body, and is attached movably with respect to the attachment hole, The door handle device according to claim 1, wherein the first leg portion is provided with a locking projection that locks onto an edge of the mounting hole when the cover body covers the key hole including the through hole.

3. the second leg portion includes a slit extending from a tip of the second leg portion toward the first leg portion, and a pair of elastic pieces located on both sides of the slit, The door handle device according to claim 2, wherein each of the pair of elastic pieces is provided with a locking claw that projects on a side opposite to the slit.

4. a positioning projection provided on one of the cover body and the cylinder arrangement portion and projecting toward the other of the cover body and the cylinder arrangement portion; a positioning hole into which the positioning protrusion can be inserted is provided in the other of the cover body and the cylinder arrangement portion; The door handle device according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning projection includes an abutting portion that can abut against a hole edge of the positioning hole.

5. The door handle device according to claim 4, wherein the positioning projection is provided with an inclined portion that can slide against the edge of the positioning hole.

6. a locking portion protruding from an opposite side of the mounting portion toward the other of the cover body and the cylinder arrangement portion; The door handle device according to claim 1 , wherein the other of the cover body and the cylinder arrangement portion is provided with a lock receiving portion that locks the lock portion.

7. the mounting hole is provided on the opposite side of the through hole from the handle arrangement portion, the locking portion and the lock receiving portion are provided adjacent to the handle, 7. The door handle device according to claim 6, wherein an outer surface of the handle and an outer surface of the cover body are flush with each other.

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