A device for electrically operating the inner door of a vehicle equipped with a mechanical emergency control unit.

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device equipped with a mechanical emergency operating unit for electrically operating a vehicle door from the inside, and includes an operating member (5, 29) and an electrical switching member (11) for electrically operating a door lock, which are connected to a power supply. In a device that can be reliably operated in the event of a power supply failure, the mechanical emergency operating member (7, 29) is held in a resting position by an electrically operated switching actuator (13), and when the power supply fails, the electrically deactivated switching actuator (13) releases the motion mechanism (15, 17, 19) of the mechanical emergency operating member (7, 29), and the emergency operating position is set autonomously.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for electrically operating an inner door of a vehicle, the device including a mechanical emergency operation part for operating the door lock electrically, which is connected to a power supply, and including an operating member and an electrical switching member for electrically operating the door lock.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a door knob device for an automobile, which includes a support part fixed to the inside of the door, a handle arranged on the outside of the door, a door lock that can be unlocked mechanically or electrically, and sensor electronics for detecting the operation of the handle. A mechanical holding member applies a holding force to the second longitudinal end of the handle and holds the handle in a position where it does not displace. The sensor electronics electrically opens the door with a force smaller than the holding force when an operation is detected, and at this time, the handle remains in place. When the handle is operated with a force greater than the holding force, the handle can be displaced to an emergency operation position, and at this emergency operation position, the handle mechanically opens the door.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document Ⅰ

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The problem of the present invention is to provide a device for electrically operating a vehicle door from the inside, which is provided with a mechanical emergency operation part that can be surely operated even when voltage supply is not performed.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The present invention is evident from the features of the independent claims. Advantageous variations and configurations are the subject of the dependent claims. Further features, applicability, and advantages of the present invention will be evident from the following description and from the description of embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings. This problem is solved by the subject matter of claim 1.

[0006] The device described above, which includes a mechanical emergency operating unit for electrically operating a vehicle door from the inside, and which is connected to a power source, includes an operating member and an electrical switching member for electrically operating a door lock. In this device, the mechanical emergency operating member is held in a resting position by an electrically operated switching actuator, and when the power supply fails, the electrically deactivated switching actuator releases the mechanical emergency operating member to autonomously set the emergency operating position. This has the advantage that, in the event of a voltage supply failure, the emergency mechanical feedback level can be operated without current. This type of independent operating function improves the availability and operability of the mechanical opening in the vehicle's interior space during an emergency. Since the operation of the operating member for electrically opening the side door and the operation of the emergency operating unit are separated, erroneous operation of the feedback level is reliably prevented.

[0007] In contrast, with an external door handle that needs to be pulled to open the vehicle door from the outside in an emergency, pulling the door handle inward will close the vehicle door, and it will not open as desired in an emergency. To mechanically open the door in an emergency, as described above, it is sufficient to simply release the door lock from the inside. The pull handle can be omitted.

[0008] Advantageously, the emergency operating member is connected to a motion mechanism for performing a fault-tolerant movement from a resting position to an emergency operating position. This motion mechanism allows the vehicle door to be opened from the inside without relying on an electrical actuator and without compromising operational reliability in the event of a voltage supply failure. The motion mechanism can perform the fault-tolerant movement by a pivoting motion or a screw-type motion.

[0009] In one configuration, the motion mechanism has a pivot point fixed to the housing for releasing the emergency operating member to the emergency operating position. This isolates the motion mechanism from the electrically released drive unit when no voltage is supplied, so that their functions do not interfere with each other.

[0010] In one variant, the motion mechanism includes a locking lever, which has a latch for holding a mechanical emergency operating member. This allows the stroke of the operating member to easily actuate the mechanical feedback level.

[0011] In a very simple embodiment, the operating member is formed as a touch member, which is fixed to a support member, and a switching actuator connected to a power supply is mounted inside this support member, which guides a lock lever when in operation. This results in a very small, and therefore space-saving, device.

[0012] A mechanical emergency operating member is advantageous when it is preloaded to a resting position by a spring drive of a motion mechanism supported by a stopper, and can be pushed out of the latch when no voltage is supplied to the switching actuator. For example, a spring drive in the form of a kick spring ensures that the feedback level is independently set and that the inner door knob is released in an emergency.

[0013] In one further configuration, the mechanical emergency operating member and the touch member are formed by the same operating member. This reduces the number of parts and, consequently, the cost of the device.

[0014] In one further variation, an electrically operated switching actuator is connected to a mechanical operating member via a rod clamping device, the clamp of which forms a heart-shaped cam for guiding a spring member. By using the heart-shaped cam mechanism, the actuator can be set to a resting or emergency operating position simply by applying pressure to the spring member, and setting the emergency position requires only a small amount of force.

[0015] In one further embodiment, the mechanical emergency operating component is ergonomically fitted into the door lining. Thus, the mechanical emergency operating component remains concealed under normal conditions and becomes visible only when an emergency situation occurs. This configuration maintains design flexibility for the vehicle's interior space while remaining unchanged in terms of the ergonomics of operating the electric door opening function.

[0016] The design of the vehicle's interior space is advantageous in that mechanical emergency operating components are always unaffected if they are located on the underside of the vehicle door armrests.

[0017] Further advantages, features, and details will become apparent from the following description, which details at least one embodiment with reference to the drawings as appropriate. The features described and / or shown in the drawings constitute the subject of the present invention, either in themselves or in any meaningful combination, and may also be the subject of one or more separate applications, particularly additionally. Identical, similar, and / or functionally identical parts are given the same reference numerals. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1]It is a schematic diagram of a side door of a vehicle equipped with an opening function from the inside. [Figure 2] It is the first embodiment of the device according to the present invention with an emergency opening function in a normal state. [Figure 3] It is the first embodiment of the device according to the present invention with an emergency opening function in an emergency opening state. [Figure 4] It is a further embodiment of the device according to the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a further embodiment of the device according to the present invention.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] In FIG. 1, a schematic diagram of a side door of a vehicle equipped with an opening function from the inside is shown. The side door 1 includes an armrest 3 in which a device for electrically opening the side door 1 is integrated. The device forms a locking unit. Among this device, in FIG. 1, a touch member 5 for electrically opening the door in a normal state and an emergency operation member 7 for mechanically opening the side door 1 in an emergency are shown. However, alternatively, instead of the touch member 5, an operation member that can be pushed, slid, and / or pulled can also be used.

[0020] A first embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention is shown in Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 shows the apparatus 9 in its normal state, and Figure 3 shows the apparatus 9 in its emergency release state. The operating member 5 is located on a support member, for example, an armrest 3, and is connected to a switching member 11 connected to a voltage source 12, which drives a lock control unit (not shown in detail). This electrical switching member 11 also drives a switching actuator 13 in the form of an electromagnet or electric motor, located on the lower surface of the support member 3 (see Figure 2a). At this time, the switching actuator 13 can be continuously supplied with current, or can be supplied with current only at the moment the touch member 5 is pressed. When current is flowing, the switching actuator 13 blocks the movement of a motion mechanism consisting of a lock lever 15 and a latch 17 located on the lock lever 15. The latch 17 is used as a mechanical latch for the emergency operating member 7, in particular the lever, and also locks the lever in the normal state.

[0021] The lock lever 15 is preloaded against the stopper 21 by a kick spring 19, and its pivot point 23 is located at the connection point between the lock lever 15 and the latch 17, as can be seen in Figure 2b. Figure 2b shows a view of the armrest 3 from below. The free end of the latch 17 is connected to a Bowden cable 25 for operating a door lock, which is not shown in detail. When the touch member 5 is operated with current flowing through the switching member 11, the switching actuator 13 holds the lock lever 15 in place. This causes all the motion mechanisms 15 and 17 supported by the pivot point 27 fixed to the housing to rotate in a predetermined direction, thereby operating a lock, which is not shown, via the Bowden cable 25.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b, when no current is flowing, the switching actuator 13 is also in a no-current state and the lock lever 15 is released. The lock lever rotates counterclockwise about the pivot point 27 fixed to the housing. At that time, the latch 17 releases the emergency operation member 7, and the emergency operation member 7 is pushed out by the kick spring 19 about the pivot point (23). Therefore, since the emergency operation member 7 is operated below the armrest 3, it becomes visible to the vehicle occupant.

[0023] FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of the device according to the invention. In this case, the functions of the touch member and the emergency operation member are integrated into the operation member 29 and are arranged in the recess 31. To realize the touch function, the switching actuator 13 is positioned below the free end of the operation member 29 and below the recess 31. By the touch operation of the operation member 29, a trigger pulse for releasing the door lock is generated, and at the same time the switching actuator 13 is driven and controlled to hold the lever member 7 in the rest position. The operation member 29 maintains its position and is engaged by a mechanical latch 33 formed on the lower surface of the operation member 29 by its free end. The operation member 29 is guided by a bearing 35 at the opposite end, and this bearing 35 is connected to the Bowden cable 25. When a rotational movement is performed about this bearing 35, the Bowden cable 25 releases the lock.

[0024] A further embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention is shown in Figure 5. In this embodiment, a heart-shaped cam 37 is formed within the operating member 29, and a spring member 39, which is preloaded to the lock lever 7, is guided by this heart-shaped cam 37, so that when the lock lever 7 is operated by the spring member 39, a push-push process requiring only a small force is achieved (see Figure 5a). Additionally, the operating member 29 is held via a lock hook 41, which is connected to a switching actuator 13 via a rod 43. When the voltage drops, the switching actuator 13 releases the rod 43, thereby releasing the lock hook 41 from the operating member 29.

Claims

1. A device equipped with a mechanical emergency operating unit for electrically operating a vehicle door from the inside, the device includes an operating member (5, 29) and an electrical switching member (11) for electrically operating a door lock, which are connected to a power source, The apparatus is characterized in that a mechanical emergency operating member (7, 29) is held in a resting position by an electrically operated switching actuator (13), and when the power supply fails, the electrically deactivated switching actuator (13) releases the motion mechanism (15, 17, 19) of the mechanical emergency operating member (7, 29), thereby autonomously setting the emergency operating position.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the emergency operating members (7, 29) are connected to the motion mechanism (15, 17, 19) in order to perform fault-related movement from the resting position to the emergency operating position.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the motion mechanism (15, 17, 19) has a pivot point (27) fixed to the housing for releasing the emergency operating member (7) to the emergency operating position.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the motion mechanism includes a lock lever (15), and the lock lever (15) has a latch (17) for holding the mechanical emergency operating member (7).

5. The apparatus according to at least one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the operating member is formed as a touch member (5), the touch member (5) is fixed to a support member (3), a switching actuator (11) is mounted inside the support member (3), and the switching actuator (11) guides the lock lever (15) in the operating state.

6. The apparatus according to at least one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the mechanical emergency operating member (7) is preloaded to a resting position by a spring drive (19) of the motion mechanism (15, 17, 19) supported by a stopper (21), and the spring drive (19) pushes the mechanical emergency operating member (7) out of the latch (17) when no voltage is supplied to the switching actuator (11).

7. The apparatus according to at least one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the mechanical emergency operating member and the touch member are formed by the same operating member (29).

8. The apparatus according to at least one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the electrically operated switching actuator (13) is connected to a mechanical operating member (29) via rod clamping devices (41, 43), and the clamp (41) of the rod clamping devices (41, 43) forms a heart-shaped cam (37) for guiding a spring member (39).

9. The apparatus according to at least one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the mechanical emergency operating member (7, 29) is ergonomically fitted into the door lining.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the mechanical emergency operating member (7, 29) is positioned on the lower surface of the armrest 3.

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