Improved door handle assembly for vehicle doors

Abstract

The present invention provides an electric flush handle equipped with a grip member that can be easily disassembled from the outside of the vehicle, even when the connector for connecting electronic components is located outside the grip member. [Solution] A door handle assembly comprising a removable cover portion positioned within the handle opening of a vehicle door, the door handle assembly further comprising a connector connecting a first wire harness and a second wire harness, the first wire harness being connected to a grip member, the connector being detachably mounted inside the cover portion, and the cover portion being secured to a bracket by a detachable snap-in connection.

Description

Technical Field

[0006] ,

[0007] ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle, and more specifically, to a door handle assembly of a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] A handle assembly of a vehicle door generally includes a handle, a bracket to which the handle is fixed, and mechanical means and / or electronic means configured to unlock the vehicle door and operate a latch to open the vehicle door.

[0003] The handle of a vehicle door is a component that has a great influence on the style of the vehicle.

[0004] In this regard, automobile manufacturers often place the handle within the plane of the vehicle door and occupy a flush position, also called a flush placement. A flush handle generally makes the handle as inconspicuous as possible. Furthermore, a flush handle has the advantage of reducing aerodynamic noise caused by turbulence of the airflow generated during vehicle travel.

[0005] A flush handle generally includes a grip member configured to cooperate with a latch mechanism to release the latch of the vehicle door. The grip member is movable between a flush position extending flush with the exterior panel of the vehicle door, a deployed position protruding relative to the exterior panel to be graspable, and an open position cooperating with the latch mechanism to release the latch of the vehicle door.

[0006] The grip member is generally connected to an actuator, and the actuator is configured to move the grip member to the deployed position so that a user can grasp the grip member to open the vehicle door. This type of flush handle is called an electric flush handle.

[0007] The grip portion of an electric flush handle is typically equipped with various electronic components, such as sensors. These electronic components are connected to the handle assembly via connectors and wire harnesses, with the connectors located within the grip portion. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] Generally, grip components are required to be easily disassembled, especially for maintenance purposes.

[0009] However, handle assemblies are becoming increasingly complex, with more and more electronic components incorporated into the grip members. This makes it difficult to integrate connectors within the grip members. Therefore, in some cases, it is easier to integrate connectors within the handle assembly, near the grip members.

[0010] However, placing the connector on the outside of the grip component could make it more complicated to disassemble the grip component from the outside of the vehicle, i.e., without disassembling the inner door panel. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The object of the present invention is to provide an electric flush handle equipped with a grip member that can be easily disassembled from the outside of the vehicle, even when the connector for connecting electronic components is located outside the grip member.

[0012] For this purpose, the present invention relates to a door handle assembly for a vehicle door, wherein the door handle assembly is - Grip component and, - The operating system comprises a flush position in which the grip member is held flush with the outer surface of the door of the vehicle and an extended position in which the grip member protrudes from the outer surface of the door of the vehicle, wherein the operating system comprises a link mechanism connecting the grip member to a bracket fixed to the door and an actuator assembly configured to actuate the link mechanism to move the grip member, The door handle assembly comprises a removable cover portion positioned within the handle opening of the door of the vehicle, such that the outside of the removable cover portion is visible from the outside when the grip member is in its extended position. The door handle assembly further comprises a connector connecting a first wire harness and a second wire harness, the first wire harness being connected to the grip member, and the connector being detachably mounted inside the detachable cover portion. The removable cover portion is characterized by being fixed to the bracket by a removable snap-in connection.

[0013] This handle assembly, either alone or in any technically possible combination, may have the following features:

[0014] The removable cover portion includes a clip, and the bracket includes corresponding retaining elements such as lugs or recesses.

[0015] The removable cover portion is provided with four clips that constitute a hook, and all of these clips are oriented in the same direction.

[0016] The clip on the removable cover portion is characterized by being L-shaped.

[0017] The connector is fixed to the removable cover portion directly or via a removable intermediate support by a removable snap-in connection.

[0018] The removable cover portion is characterized by being plate-shaped.

[0019] The actuator assembly includes an electric rotary actuator and an output member such as a cam, and the output member is configured to move the second lever from a first position where the grip member is in the flash position to a second position where the grip member is in the deployed position.

[0020] The link mechanism includes an elastic biasing device, and the elastic biasing device is configured to bias the second lever toward its first position.

[0021] The actuator is a non-reversible actuator.

[0022] The present invention also relates to a vehicle including the above-described door handle assembly.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing a vehicle including a handle assembly according to the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing a handle assembly according to the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing the grip member of the handle assembly of FIG. 2 in the flash position. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing the grip member of the handle assembly of FIG. 2 in the deployed position. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing a part of the handle assembly attached to a vehicle door in a state where the grip member is separated. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing the inside of the removable cover portion 28. [Figure 7] This figure shows the grip member 12 removed from the first lever 22 and the second lever 24 in the steps necessary to disassemble the grip member of the handle assembly according to the present invention. [Figure 8] This figure illustrates a removable cover portion 28 in the steps necessary to disassemble the grip member of the handle assembly according to the present invention. [Figure 9] This figure illustrates the operation of separating the removable cover portion 28 from the bracket 18 in the steps necessary to disassemble the grip member of the handle assembly according to the present invention. [Figure 10] This figure illustrates the operation of inverting the removable cover portion 28 to access the interior side, which is necessary in the steps required to disassemble the grip member of the handle assembly according to the present invention. [Figure 11] This figure illustrates the operation of removing the connector 30 from the intermediate support 36, which is a step necessary for disassembling the grip member of the handle assembly according to the present invention. [Figure 12] This diagram illustrates the operation of separating two connector parts 30a and 30b (arrow A4) in the steps necessary to disassemble the grip member of the handle assembly according to the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] Figure 1 shows a vehicle 1 having at least one door 2 equipped with an electric flush handle assembly 10 according to the present invention. Figures 2 to 12 show embodiments of the handle assembly 10 according to the present invention, as well as the steps required to disassemble the grip member 12 of the handle assembly.

[0025] Figure 2 is an elevation view of a door handle assembly 10 according to the present invention. The door handle assembly 10 includes a grip member 12 and an actuation system 14. The actuation system 14 is configured to move the grip member 12 between a flush position in which the grip member 12 is held flush with the outer surface of the door 2 of the vehicle 1, and an extended position in which the grip member 12 protrudes and is offset from the outer surface of the door 2. As shown in Figure 3, in the flush position, the grip member 12 is flush (or nearly flush) with the outer surface of the door 2. As shown in Figure 4, in the extended position, the grip member 12 is offset from the outer surface of the door 2. In this extended position, the user can grasp the grip member 12 and open the door.

[0026] The operating system 14 further includes a link mechanism 16 that connects the grip member 12 to a bracket 18 (see Figure 9) provided to fix the grip member 12 to the door 2, and an actuator assembly 20 configured to actuate the link mechanism 16 to move the grip member 12 between a flush position and an extended position, and vice versa. The link mechanism 16 includes a first lever 22 and a second lever 24, the first lever 22 and the second lever 24 being hinged to the bracket 18 at their first ends 220 and 240, respectively, and hinged to the grip member 12 at their opposite second ends 222 and 242. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the first lever 22 and the second lever 24 are configured as a parallelogram mechanism. By providing the link mechanism 16 configured as a parallelogram mechanism, the grip member can perform circular motion between a flush position and an extended position.

[0027] The first lever 22 and the second lever 24 can be connected by one or two connecting members 26. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the handle assembly comprises two connecting members 26, each connecting member having a first end rotatably connected to the first lever 22 and a second end opposite to the second lever 24.

[0028] Figures 3 and 4 show the door 2 of vehicle 1 in Figure 1, with the grip member 12 of the handle assembly 10 in the flush position (Figure 3) and the extended position (Figure 4), respectively.

[0029] Figure 5 shows a portion of the door 2, with the grip member 12 removed. As shown in Figure 5, the handle assembly 10 is located on the inside of the door 2, and the grip member 12 is located on the outside of the door by the door opening 2a and is connected to the rest of the handle assembly 10.

[0030] According to the present invention, the handle assembly 10 includes a removable cover portion 28 (also shown in Figure 4), which allows the components of the handle assembly 10 to be concealed when the grip member 12 is in the deployed position. Thus, the removable cover portion 28 has an aesthetic function. In the embodiment of Figure 4, the removable cover portion 28 is substantially plate-shaped. The removable cover portion 28 has an outer side facing the same direction as the outer surface of the door 2 and an inner side on the opposite side.

[0031] Figure 6 shows the inside of the removable cover portion 28. According to the present invention, the removable cover portion 28 also has a technical function. The removable cover portion 28 provides support for receiving a connector 30 that connects a first wire harness 32 and a second wire harness 34. The first wire harness 32 connects the first connector portion 30a of the connector to an electronic component (not shown) located inside the grip member 12. The second harness 34 connects the second connector portion 30b of the connector to a door ECU (not shown). In the illustrated embodiment, the first connector portion 30a is a plug (or male part), and the second connector portion 30b is a socket (or female part). In the embodiment of Figure 6, the connector 30 is not fixed directly to the removable cover portion but is detachably fixed to an intermediate support 36, and the intermediate support 36 is detachably fixed to the removable cover portion 28. The intermediate support 36 is detachably secured to the removable cover portion 28 by clips 280 fixed to the removable cover portion 28, the clips 280 engaging with corresponding lugs 360 on the intermediate support 36. Furthermore, the connector 30 is detachably secured to the intermediate support 36 by clips 362. Alternatively, the connector 30 may be detachably secured directly to the removable cover portion 28 by clips.

[0032] To removably attach the removable cover portion 28 to the rest of the handle assembly 10, the removable cover portion includes clips 282 that cooperate with corresponding retaining elements 180 (shown in Figure 9), such as lugs or recesses, located on the bracket 18 of the handle assembly 10. The clips 282 all form hooks facing the same direction. In the embodiment of Figure 6, the clips are L-shaped. The clips 282 and retaining elements 180 are configured such that, in order to remove the removable cover portion from the bracket 18, the operator first slides the removable cover portion 28 from a locked position, where the removable cover portion remains fixed to the bracket 18, to an unlocked position, where the removable cover portion 28 can be pulled away and separated from the bracket 18.

[0033] The removable cover portion 28 allows the operator to easily remove the connector 30 and disconnect the first and second wire harnesses 32 and 34, completely freeing the grip member 12, if it becomes necessary to disassemble the grip member 12 as described later.

[0034] Figures 7 to 12 show the steps for disassembling the grip member 12 from the outside of the vehicle according to the present invention.

[0035] As shown in Figure 7, after moving the grip member to the deployed position (electrically), the first step is to remove the grip member 12 from the first lever 22 and the second lever 24. In the illustrated embodiment, the grip member 12 is fixed to the first lever 22 and the second lever 24 by screws, and therefore the first step includes removing the screws.

[0036] At this stage, the grip member 12 is no longer connected to the first and second levers, but remains connected to the rest of the door handle assembly 10 by the first wire harness 32 fixed to the connector 30. As shown in Figure 8, the operator needs to remove the removable cover 28 by sliding it from the locked position to the unlocked position (in the direction of arrow A1). In the illustrated embodiment, the removable cover 28 needs to be slid to the left. As shown in Figure 8, the configuration of the removable cover 28 allows the operator to move the removable cover with one hand while holding the grip member with the other.

[0037] When the removable cover portion 28 is in the unlocked position, the operator pulls the removable cover portion away from the bracket 18 as shown in Figure 9 (arrow A2). The operator then flips the removable cover portion 28 to gain access to the inside (Figure 10), removes the connector 30 from the intermediate support 36 (Figure 11, arrow A3), and finally separates the first and second connector portions 30a and 30b (arrow A4), thereby completing the disassembly of the grip member 12.

[0038] If the operator needs to reassemble the grip component with the rest of the handle assembly, they must reverse the above steps, i.e., - Connect the two connector parts 30a and 30b to each other. - Attach the connector 30 to the removable cover portion 28 (or intermediate support 36). - Return the removable cover 28 to its unlocked position, - Slide the removable cover part 28 to its locked position, - Attach the grip member 12 to the first and second levers 22 and 24. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0039] 1 vehicle 2 doors 2a Handle opening 10 Door handle assembly 12 Grip component 14 Operating System 16 Link mechanism 18 brackets 20 Actuator Assembly 22. First lever 24. Second lever 26 Connecting member 28 Removable cover 30 connectors 30a First connector section 30b Second connector section 32. First wire harness 34. Second wire harness 36. Intermediate Support 180 Holding Element 220, 240 1st end 222, 242 2nd end 280, 282 clips 360 lag

Claims

1. A door handle assembly (10) of a door (2) of a vehicle (1), wherein the door handle assembly (10) is - Grip member (12) and, - The vehicle (1) comprises an operating system (14) configured to move the grip member (12) between a flush position in which it is held flush with the outer surface of the door (2) of the vehicle (1) and an extended position in which the grip member (12) protrudes from the outer surface of the door (2) of the vehicle (1), wherein the operating system (14) comprises a link mechanism (16) that connects the grip member (12) to a bracket (18) fixed to the door, and an actuator assembly (20) configured to actuate the link mechanism (16) to move the grip member (12), The door handle assembly (10) includes a removable cover portion (28) positioned within the handle opening (2a) of the door (2) of the vehicle (1), such that the outside of the removable cover portion (28) is visible from the outside when the grip member (12) is in its deployed position. The door handle assembly further comprises a connector (30) connecting a first wire harness (32) and a second wire harness (34), the first wire harness (32) being connected to the grip member (12), and the connector (30) being detachably mounted inside the detachable cover portion (28). The door handle assembly (10) is characterized in that the removable cover portion (28) is fixed to the bracket (18) by a removable snap-in connection.

2. The door handle assembly (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the removable cover portion (28) includes a clip (282), and the bracket (18) includes a corresponding retaining element (180), such as a lug or a recess.

3. The door handle assembly (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the removable cover portion (28) is provided with four clips (282) that constitute a hook, and all of these are facing the same direction.

4. The door handle assembly (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the clip (282) of the removable cover portion (28) is L-shaped.

5. The door handle assembly (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the clip (282) of the removable cover portion (28) is L-shaped.

6. The door handle assembly (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the connector (30) is fixed to the removable cover portion (28) directly or via a removable intermediate support (36) by a removable snap-in connection.

7. The door handle assembly (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the removable cover portion (28) is plate-shaped.

8. The door handle assembly (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the actuator assembly (20) includes an electric rotary actuator and an output member such as a cam, and the output member is configured to move the second lever (24) from a first position in which the grip member (12) is in the flush position to a second position in which the grip member (12) is in the extended position.

9. The door handle assembly (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that the link mechanism (16) is equipped with an elastic biasing device, and the elastic biasing device is configured to bias the second lever (24) toward its first position.

10. The door handle assembly (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that the actuator is a non-reversible actuator.

11. A vehicle (1) comprising a door handle assembly (10) according to claim 1 or 2.

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