Door handle device for vehicle

Abstract

To prevent objects from falling to a bottom of an inner side space through an opening of a vehicle door.SOLUTION: A vehicle door handle unit comprises: a latch release handle that is arranged on the inner side of a vehicle door, can be operated from the outer side of the vehicle door through an opening provided on the vehicle door, and releases a latch of the vehicle door when a prescribed operation is performed; a lid member that can open and close the opening and moves downward from a closed position for closing the opening towards an open position for opening the opening on the inner side of the vehicle door; a base member that forms a storage space for storing the latch release handle and the lid member; and a partition plate that divides the storage space into an upper space for storing the latch release handle and a lower space for storing the lid member in a state where the lid member is located at the open position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, a vehicle door handle device is known that drives a door handle for releasing a latch of a vehicle door by a rack and pinion system (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the vehicle door handle device described in Patent Document 1, the door handle also functions as a lid member for opening and closing an opening provided in the vehicle door, and moves between a closed position for closing the opening and an open position for the door handle to jump outward from the opening and open the opening. When the door handle is in the open position and pulled outward from the door, the latch of the vehicle door is released.

[0003] The vehicle door handle device includes a rotating member that moves a lid member by being rotationally driven. The lid member has a rack portion extending linearly. The rack portion is provided on the lower surface of the lid member. The rotating member is disposed on the inner side of the vehicle door below the opening. The rotating member has a pinion portion that engages with the rack portion of the lid member. When the rotating member rotates, the engagement between the rack portion and the pinion portion causes the lid member to move linearly inwardly and outwardly relative to the vehicle door between a closed position and an open position. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-191279 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] As described above, the rotating member is disposed below the opening on the inside of the vehicle door, and therefore, in order to use the rotating member to move the vehicle door between the closed position and the open position, it is necessary to provide a space below the opening on the inside of the vehicle door for disposing the rotating member. However, if a large space is provided below the opening on the inside of the vehicle door, there is a possibility that objects such as coins or keys may fall into the bottom of the space through the opening when the lid member is in the open position, which may result in malfunction of the rotating member, such as poor rotation.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and has an object to provide a vehicle door handle device that is capable of preventing objects from falling into the depths of the inner space through the opening of the vehicle door. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a vehicle door handle device comprising: an unlatch handle arranged on the inner side of a vehicle door, operable from the outer side of the vehicle door through an opening provided in the vehicle door, and releasing the latch of the vehicle door when a specified operation is performed; a lid member capable of opening and closing the opening and moving downward on the inner side of the vehicle door from a closed position that closes the opening to an open position that opens the opening; a base member that forms a storage space that accommodates the unlatch handle and the lid member; and a partition plate that divides the storage space into an upper space that accommodates the latch release handle and a lower space that accommodates the lid member when the lid member is positioned in the open position.

[0008] This configuration makes it possible to prevent objects from falling into the depths of the inner space through the opening of the vehicle door. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the outside of a door. [Diagram 2] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment, as viewed from the inside of a door. [Diagram 3] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment (with an upper member of a base member removed), viewed from inside a door. [Figure 4] 2 is a perspective view showing a positional relationship between a lid member and a driving rotation member in an accommodation space of the vehicle door handle device according to the embodiment (part of the view is cut away); FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V of FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment, as viewed from the front side; [Figure 7] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment (with a lower member of a base member removed) as viewed from the front side; [Figure 8] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment (with a base member removed) as viewed from the front side; [Figure 9] 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in a state where the vehicle door handle device is disposed on the inner side of a vehicle door and a lid member is located in an open position; [Figure 10] 1 is a perspective view of a main portion of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment, as viewed from inside the door when a lid member is near a closed position and when the lid member is located at the closed position; [Figure 11] 3 is a cross-sectional view for explaining an opening and closing operation of a lid member in the vehicle door handle device according to the embodiment; FIG. [Figure 12] 1 is a perspective view from the inside of the door for illustrating an opening and closing operation of a lid member in a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment (with an upper member of a base member removed); FIG. [Figure 13] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment, taken along a plane including inward / outward directions and upward / downward directions when a lid member is located near a closed position and at the closed position. [Figure 14]1 is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment, taken along a plane including the inward / outward directions and the front-rear directions when a lid member is near a closed position and when the lid member is located at the closed position. [Figure 15] 1 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle door handle device of the embodiment when a lid member is in an open position and an unlatch handle is operated to unlatch; [Figure 16] 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a positional restriction of the latch release handle when an impact load is applied to the vehicle door with the lid member in the closed position in the vehicle door handle device of the embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, specific embodiments of a vehicle door handle device according to the present invention will be described. The vehicle door handle device 1 of this embodiment is a device that controls a latch of a vehicle door 3 provided in a vehicle. Specifically, the vehicle door handle device 1 releases the latch of the vehicle door 3 when a predetermined operation is performed on a latch release handle provided on the vehicle door 3.

[0011] The vehicle door 3 is a door that can be opened and closed relative to the vehicle body. The vehicle door 3 is a door through which vehicle occupants get on and off, a rear door through which luggage is loaded and unloaded, a bonnet that opens and closes an engine compartment, or a door cover that opens and closes a fuel filler port or a charging port.

[0012] The vehicle door 3 is latched by the vehicle door handle device 1 when closed relative to the vehicle body, and can be unlatched and opened relative to the vehicle body when an unlatching operation described later is performed. Note that the vehicle door 3 may be capable of being locked and unlocked by a locking device (not shown) when latched. Also, a part of the vehicle door 3 is shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 12, etc.

[0013] Incidentally, when the vehicle door 3 is a door for getting in and out that has a built-in window that can be opened and closed, the door 3 may have an inner panel (not shown) on the inside of the vehicle, an outer panel 3a on the outside of the vehicle, and a gap space 3b between the inner panel and the outer panel 3a. In this case, the vehicle door handle device 1 is accommodated in the gap space 3b.

[0014] Hereinafter, the vehicle door 3 is assumed to be an entry / exit door having an outer panel 3a and a clearance space 3b, and is assumed to be provided on the left and right sides of the vehicle body. For convenience, the direction perpendicular to the door surface of the vehicle door 3 attached to the vehicle body is referred to as the inside / outside direction I / O, and the direction extending horizontally on the door surface of the vehicle door 3 is referred to as the front / rear direction F / B. A position or area on the inside side of a reference part or part is referred to as the door inside I side of the part or part, and similarly, a position or area on the outside side is referred to as the door outside O side, a position or area on the front side is referred to as the door front F side, and a position or area on the rear side is referred to as the door rear B side.

[0015] The vehicle door handle device 1 is provided for each vehicle door 3 provided in the vehicle. When the vehicle doors 3 are applied to a plurality of entry / exit doors in the vehicle, the vehicle door handle device 1 may have a common shape or structure for each vehicle door 3, or may have a symmetrical shape or structure for the vehicle doors 3 on the left and right sides of the vehicle body. In the following description, the vehicle door handle device 1 is assumed to be provided on the right side of the vehicle body.

[0016] The vehicle door handle device 1 includes a base member 10, a latch release handle 20, a lid member 30, a drive device 40, and a partition plate 50, as shown in FIGS.

[0017] The base member 10 is a member that houses the latch release handle 20 and the lid member 30 that constitute the vehicle door handle device 1, and also houses all or a part of the drive device 40. The base member 10 is formed to a size corresponding to the gap space 3b between the inner panel and the outer panel 3a, and is housed in the gap space 3b. The base member 10 is attached and fixed to a mounting portion (not shown) provided on the back side of the outer panel 3a. This attachment and fixation is performed, for example, by bolting or welding. The base member 10 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and has a lower member 11 and an upper member 12.

[0018] The lower member 11 is a storage box that forms a storage space 13 that houses the latch release handle 20 and the lid member 30. As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the lower member 11 has a bottom wall 11a and four side walls 11b erected from the four sides of the bottom wall 11a. The bottom wall 11a and each of the side walls 11b are formed in a rectangular shape. The bottom wall 11a and the four side walls 11b form the storage space 13. The storage space 13 has a necessary and sufficient size (capacity) to allow the latch release handle 20 and the lid member 30 to move along a predetermined trajectory, respectively.

[0019] The bottom wall 11a faces adjacent to the rear surface of the outer panel 3a. Two of the four side walls 11b face in the up-down direction U / D and face each other. The remaining two side walls 11b face in the front-rear direction F / B and face each other. The portion of the lower member 11 facing the bottom wall 11a across the storage space 13 on the door inward I side is open.

[0020] The upper member 12 is a cover member that closes an opening of the lower member 11 on the door inward I side. The upper member 12 is formed in a substantially plate shape. The upper member 12 is attached and fixed to the lower member 11. The upper member 12 and the lower member 11 are attached and fixed by, for example, bolting or welding. The upper member 12 has a plate-shaped cover plate portion 12a.

[0021] The vehicle door 3 (specifically, the outer panel 3a) has an opening 3d that exposes the clearance space 3b to the door outer side O of the vehicle door 3. The base member 10 is disposed in the vicinity of the opening 3d of the vehicle door 3. The bottom wall 11a of the lower member 11 has an opening 11c that exposes the storage space 13 of the base member 10 to the outside of the base member 10. The opening 11c of the lower member 11 is formed to be substantially the same size as the opening 3d of the outer panel 3a. The openings 3d and 11c are large enough to allow an operator's hand to be inserted. The lower member 11 and therefore the base member 10 are attached and fixed to the attachment portion such that the opening 11c of the bottom wall 11a communicates with the opening 3d of the outer panel 3a. The storage space 13 of the base member 10 can be exposed to the door outer side O of the vehicle door 3 through the openings 3d and 11c.

[0022] The unlatch handle 20 is an operating part that performs an input operation (hereinafter referred to as an unlatch operation) to unlatch the vehicle door 3 when the vehicle door 3 is closed. The unlatch handle 20 can be operated to unlatch by an operator positioned on the outer door O side of the vehicle door 3. When the unlatch operation of the unlatch handle 20 is performed, the latch of the vehicle door 3 to the vehicle body is released and the vehicle door 3 is opened.

[0023] The latch release handle 20 is accommodated in the accommodation space 13 of the base member 10, and is disposed on the door inner side I of the vehicle door 3 (specifically, the outer panel 3a) on the upper U side of the opening 11c. The latch release handle 20 is formed in a handle or lever shape, and extends in the front-rear direction F / B. The latch release handle 20 is rotatably supported on the base member 10 (specifically, on the two front and rear side walls 11b of the lower member 11). The latch release handle 20 can rotate about a horizontal axis (specifically, an axis extending in the front-rear direction F / B). The latch release handle 20 has a handle main body 21 and a rotation axis 22.

[0024] The handle main body 21 is an operating part that is touched by an operator's hand to perform a rotation operation (latch release operation). The handle main body 21 is formed in a plate shape. The handle main body 21 extends in the front-rear direction F / B. The rotation shaft 22 is an axial part that rotates the handle main body 21 relative to the base member 10 by the rotation of the rotation shaft 22. The rotation shaft 22 is formed in a columnar or cylindrical shape. The rotation shaft 22 is integrated with the handle main body 21. The rotation shaft 22 is provided so as to penetrate the handle main body 21 and protrude from the front end of the handle main body 21 toward the door front F and from the rear end of the handle main body 21 toward the door rear B.

[0025] The lower member 11 has a support groove 11d having a semicircular cross section. The support groove 11d is provided at an end portion of a protruding wall 11e protruding from the bottom wall 11a of the lower member 11 toward the door inside I. The protruding wall 11e is provided adjacent to the inside of each of the two front and rear side walls 11b. The protruding wall 11e may be a part of the side wall 11b. The protruding wall 11e is provided in a stepped shape so that the end portion on the door inside I side changes depending on the vertical position. The support groove 11d is provided at the upper portion of the protruding wall 11e.

[0026] The upper member 12 also has a support groove 12d having a semicircular cross section. The support groove 12d is provided at an end portion of a protruding wall 12e protruding from the cover plate portion 12a of the upper member 12 toward the door outside O. The protruding wall 12e is provided adjacent to the inside of each of the two front and rear side walls 11b of the lower member 11 and facing the protruding wall 11e of the lower member 11 in the inward / outward direction I / O. The protruding wall 12e is provided in a stepped shape such that the end portion of the door outside O changes depending on the up-down position in correspondence with the protruding wall 11e of the lower member 11. The support groove 12d is provided at the upper portion of the protruding wall 12e.

[0027] The support groove 11d of the lower member 11 and the support groove 12d of the upper member 12 form a circular support hole that supports the rotating shaft 22 when the upper member 12 is attached and fixed to the lower member 11. The rotating shaft 22 is rotatably supported by the base member 10 in a state where it is fitted into the support groove 11d of the lower member 11 and the support groove 12d of the upper member 12.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 5, the latch release handle 20 is configured such that the handle body 21 extends radially outward from the pivot shaft 22. The latch release handle 20 is biased by a biasing member such as a torsion spring so that the handle body 21 rotates from the latch release position to the latched position. The biasing direction is the clockwise direction in Fig. 5 around the pivot shaft 22. The latch release handle 20 can be rotated (unlatched) from the latch position to the latch release position against the biasing force of the biasing member. The biasing direction is the counterclockwise direction in Fig. 5 around the pivot shaft 22.

[0029] The latch release handle 20 is released by the operator pulling the radial tip of the handle main body 21 from the latch position toward the door outer side O (toward the operator outside the vehicle) around the pivot axis 22.

[0030] The pivot shaft 22 is disposed on the door outer side O within the accommodation space 13. The pivot shaft 22 is connected to a door latch device (not shown). The door latch device is disposed on one end side (for example, on the left side as viewed from the door outer side O side of the base member 10) of the pivot shaft 22. The above-mentioned latched position is a position where the vehicle door 3 is latched by the door latch device. The above-mentioned unlatched position is a position where the vehicle door 3 is unlatched by the door latch device.

[0031] At the latched position, the handle body 21 extends obliquely downward (specifically, toward the door inward I and downward D) from the rotation shaft 22 (the state shown in FIG. 5). The angle that the handle body 21 makes with a vertical line passing through the axis of the rotation shaft 22 at the latched position is greater than 0° and less than 90°, and is set to, for example, 30° so that an operator can easily insert his or her hand into the accommodation space 13 through the openings 3d, 11c to perform an unlatching operation of the handle body 21.

[0032] Furthermore, in the unlatch position, the handle body 21 extends from the rotation shaft 22 in a generally downward direction D. The angle that the handle body 21 makes with respect to a vertical line passing through the axis of the rotation shaft 22 in the unlatch position is set to be smaller than the angle that the handle body 21 makes with respect to the latch position. In the process in which the unlatch handle 20 moves from the latch position to the unlatch position, the radial tip of the handle body 21 moves toward the outside O of the door just before reaching the unlatch position.

[0033] The lid member 30 is a panel cover that opens and closes the opening 11c of the base member 10 and the opening 3d of the vehicle door 3. The lid member 30 is formed in a plate shape so as to be larger than the openings 3d, 11c overall. The lid member 30 is accommodated in the accommodation space 13. The lid member 30 can fit into the openings 3d, 11c to close the openings 3d, 11c, and can retract from the openings 3d, 11c to open the openings 3d, 11c. The lid member 30 moves between a closed position that closes the openings 3d, 11c and an open position that opens the openings 3d, 11c in the door inner space of the vehicle door 3 (specifically, in the accommodation space 13).

[0034] The storage space 13 of the base member 10 is wider at a position D below the opening 11c. The lower area of ​​the storage space 13 is capable of accommodating the lid member 30 which moves between a closed position and an open position. The open position of the lid member 30 is at the height position of the opening 11c, i.e., on the lower D side than the closed position of the lid member 30. The lid member 30 moves mainly downward D from the closed position to the open position. Specifically, the lid member 30 moves in the up-down direction U / D between the closed position and the open position, and also moves in the inward-outward direction I / O to prevent interference with the outer panel 3a and the base member 10 near the closed position.

[0035] Within the accommodation space 13, the movement path of the unlatch handle 20 between the latch position and the unlatch position and the movement path of the lid member 30 between the closed position and the open position overlap each other to some extent, so that the unlatch handle 20 and the lid member 30 may interfere with each other.

[0036] The overlapping range is limited to a part of the movement trajectory of the latch release handle 20 and also to a part of the movement trajectory of the lid member 30. Specifically, the area near the latch release position of the latch release handle 20 and the area near the closed position of the lid member 30 overlap with each other. That is, when the latch release handle 20 is located near the latch release position and the lid member 30 is located near the closed position, the latch release handle 20 and the lid member 30 may interfere with each other. The timing at which the latch release handle 20 and the lid member 30 interfere with each other will be described in detail later.

[0037] When the unlatch handle 20 is in the latched position, there is no interference between the lid member 30 and the latch handle 20 when the lid member 30 moves between the closed position and the open position. Also, when the lid member 30 is in the open position, there is no interference between the unlatch handle 20 and the lid member 30 when the unlatch handle 20 moves between the latched position and the unlatched position.

[0038] The lid member 30 has a closing portion 31, a peripheral portion 32, a guide portion 33, and an interference portion 34. The closing portion 31 is a portion that fits into the openings 3d, 11c to close the openings 3d, 11c. The closing portion 31 is provided on the door outer side O of the lid member 30. The closing portion 31 has a size (area) corresponding to the size (area) of the openings 3d, 11c, and a predetermined thickness in the inward and outward directions.

[0039] The above-mentioned specified inward and outward thickness is set so that the surface of the blocking portion 31 (i.e., the outer surface facing the door outside O) is flush with the surface of the outer panel 3a when the peripheral portion 32 of the lid member 30 is in contact with the bottom wall 11a, i.e., when the lid member 30 is in the closed position. For example, the inward and outward thickness of the blocking portion 31 is equal to the sum of the inward and outward thickness of the outer panel 3a near the opening 3d and the inward and outward thickness of the bottom wall 11a near the opening 11c. The surface of the blocking portion 31 is flush with the surface of the outer panel 3a when the lid member 30 is in the closed position.

[0040] The peripheral portion 32 is a flange portion that spreads outward in a plate shape from the periphery of the closing portion 31. The peripheral portion 32 is provided around the entire periphery so as to surround the closing portion 31. The peripheral portion 32 forms the outer edge of the lid member 30. The peripheral portion 32 is disposed facing the bottom wall 11a of the lower member 11 of the base member 10 and the cover plate portion 12a of the upper member 12. The peripheral portion 32 has a predetermined thickness in the inward / outward direction I / O. When the lid member 30 is in the closed position, the peripheral portion 32 abuts against the bottom wall 11a of the lower member 11 to regulate the position of the lid member 30.

[0041] When the lid member 30 is in the closed position, a seal member 70 may be disposed between the peripheral portion 32 of the lid member 30 and the bottom wall 11a of the base member 10 (see FIG. 5). The seal member 70 is an O-ring or the like for ensuring the sealing of the accommodation space 13 when the lid member 30 is in the closed position. When the lid member 30 is in the closed position, the seal member 70 is interposed between the outer surface of the peripheral portion 32 (i.e., the surface of the peripheral portion 32 facing outward from the door) and the inner surface of the outer panel 3a (more specifically, the inner surface of the bottom wall 11a of the base member 10 facing inward from the door). The seal member 70 is formed in an annular shape around the peripheral portions of the openings 3d, 11c in the bottom wall 11a, and is attached to the bottom wall 11a.

[0042] The peripheral portion 32 has a flat portion 32a in the shape of a flat plate and a curved portion 32b in the shape of a curved plate. The flat portion 32a is provided on the periphery of the blocking portion 31. The curved portion 32b is formed integrally with the flat portion 32a below the flat portion 32a. The curved portion 32b is curved from one end (i.e., the end connected to the flat portion 32a) to the other end so as to be located on the lower D side and on the door inner side I side. In other words, the curved portion 32b is curved around an axis extending in the front-rear direction F / B so that the other end is located on the lower D side and on the door inner side I side.

[0043] The curved portion 32b is disposed in a lower region of the accommodation space 13, and is located on the lower side D of the openings 3d, 11c in the accommodation space 13 not only when the lid member 30 is in the open position but also when it is in the closed position. The vicinity of the other end of the curved portion 32b extends linearly in the inward / outward direction I / O. Note that it is preferable that the linear distance of this portion is set to at least the inward / outward thickness of the blocking portion 31 in order to prevent the blocking portion 31 from interfering with the peripheral portions of the openings 3d, 11c.

[0044] The guide portion 33 is a portion that guides the lid member 30 that moves between the closed position and the open position. The guide portion 33 is formed in a columnar or cylindrical shape. The guide portion 33 is provided at the upper end and the lower end of the peripheral portion 32, and is also provided at the front end and the rear end of the peripheral portion 32. The two guide portions 33 on the door front F side each protrude from the front end of the peripheral portion 32 toward the door front F. The two guide portions 33 on the door rear B side each protrude from the rear end of the peripheral portion 32 toward the door rear B.

[0045] The base member 10 has a guide groove 14 that guides the lid member 30. The guide groove 14 is a groove into which the guide portion 33 of the lid member 30 is slidably fitted. The guide portion 33 and the guide groove 14 constitute a guide mechanism that guides the lid member 30. The peripheral portion 32 of the lid member 30 is formed so as to form a J-shape when the base member 10 is viewed from the rear side. The guide groove 14 is formed so as to form a shape that is a 180° inverted J when the base member 10 is viewed from the rear side.

[0046] The guide grooves 14 are provided in four locations to match the four guide portions 33. That is, the guide grooves 14 are provided at two locations, one above and one below, on the front side of the base member 10, and at two locations, one above and one below, on the rear side of the base member 10. The four guide portions 33 fit into the four guide grooves 14. The four guide grooves 14 are formed in a common shape.

[0047] The upper and lower guide grooves 14 are formed in substantially the same shape. The front and rear guide grooves 14 are formed in substantially the same shape. Each guide groove 14 is formed corresponding to the shape of the front-rear end of the peripheral portion 32 and extends linearly. Each guide groove 14 has a straight portion 14a that extends linearly in the up-down direction U / D corresponding to the flat portion 32a of the peripheral portion 32, and a curved portion 14b that extends curvedly with a predetermined curvature corresponding to the curved portion 32b of the peripheral portion 32.

[0048] The straight portion 14a and the curved portion 14b are integrated so as to be continuously connected to each other. The curved portion 14b is curved from one end (i.e., the end connected to the straight portion 14a) to the other end opposite the connected end so as to be located on the upper U side and on the door outer side O side. In other words, the curved portion 14b is curved about an axis extending in the front-rear direction F / B so that the other end is located on the upper U side and on the door outer side O side. The vicinity of the other end of the curved portion 14b extends linearly in the inward / outward direction I / O.

[0049] The four guide grooves 14 are formed between an end portion of the protruding wall 11e of the lower member 11 on the door inner side I side and an end portion of the protruding wall 12e of the upper member 12 on the door outer side O side when the upper member 12 is attached and fixed to the lower member 11. The four guide portions 33 slide along the four guide grooves 14 by being driven by the drive unit 40, thereby moving the lid member 30 between the closed position and the open position.

[0050] When the lid member 30 is in the closed position, the guide portion 33 is located at the farthest point from the connection portion of the curved portion 14b with the straight portion 14a, as shown in Figures 5 and 11(A). When the lid member 30 is in the open position, the guide portion 33 is located at the farthest point from the connection portion of the straight portion 14a with the curved portion 14b, as shown in Figure 11(C).

[0051] The blocking portion 31 protrudes from the peripheral portion 32 toward the door outside O. The length of protrusion of the blocking portion 31 from the peripheral portion 32 corresponds to the thickness of the blocking portion 31, and is approximately equal to the sum of the inner / outer thickness of the outer panel 3a near the opening 3d and the inner / outer thickness of the bottom wall 11a near the opening 11c. The blocking portion 31 and the peripheral portion 32 are configured such that a step corresponding to the openings 3d, 11c is formed on the outer surface facing the door outside O.

[0052] When the lid member 30 is in the closed position, the surface of the blocking portion 31 is exposed to the door outer side O of the vehicle door 3 and is flush with the surface of the outer panel 3a. The blocking portion 31 may be formed from the same material as the outer panel 3a, or may be a portion that has been subjected to a surface treatment such as gloss or matte, in order to ensure the appearance design and visibility of the surface on the door outer side O.

[0053] The interference portion 34 is a restricting portion that can interfere with the latch release handle 20. The interference portion 34 moves with the movement of the lid member 30 between the closed position and the open position. The interference portion 34 restricts the latch release handle 20 from reaching the latch release position from the latch position when the lid member 30 is in the closed position. The interference portion 34 is provided at a location where the latch release handle 20 can pass through the movement path of the lid member 30. Specifically, the interference portion 34 is provided integrally with the peripheral portion 32 (specifically, the inner surface facing the inside of the door). The interference portion 34 interferes with the latch release handle 20 before it reaches the latch release position in the process of the latch release handle 20 moving from the latch position to the latch release position when the lid member 30 is in the closed position, thereby restricting the position of the latch release handle 20.

[0054] The interference portion 34 may protrude from the inner surface of the peripheral portion 32 of the lid member 30 toward the door inward I, or may extend in the front-rear direction F / B along the inner surface of the peripheral portion 32. In this case, the protruding length of the interference portion 34 from the peripheral portion 32 may be set to a length necessary to ensure positional regulation before the latch release handle 20 reaches the latch release position. The length of the interference portion 34 in the front-rear direction F / B may correspond to the length of the latch release handle 20 in the front-rear direction F / B. Furthermore, the interference portion 34 may extend without gaps in the front-rear direction F / B, or may be scattered with gaps in the front-rear direction F / B.

[0055] The drive device 40 is a device that moves the lid member 30 between a closed position and an open position. The drive device 40 has an electric actuator 41 and a drive rotating member 42. The drive device 40 rotates the drive rotating member 42 by driving the electric actuator 41, thereby moving the lid member 30.

[0056] The electric actuator 41 is an actuator that rotates the driving rotating member 42. The electric actuator 41 is a motor that operates by supplying electric power. The electric actuator 41 can rotate in both the forward and reverse directions. The electric actuator 41 is housed in the base member 10. The electric actuator 41 may be housed in the gap space 3b outside the base member 10 and disposed adjacent to the base member 10. The electric actuator 41 is attached to the base member 10. The output shaft of the electric actuator 41 is connected to the driving rotating member 42 directly or via a reducer.

[0057] The rotational drive of the electric actuator 41 is controlled by a control unit mainly composed of a microcomputer. When an operation is performed to request the opening of the vehicle door 3, the control unit operates the electric actuator 41 to move the lid member 30 from the closed position to the open position. The opening request operation is, for example, the lid member 30 being pushed toward the door inward I relative to the outer panel 3a, the switch provided on the outer surface of the lid member 30 being pressed, the verification by wireless communication with a portable device carried by the operator being completed, the lock release switch or the latch release switch provided on the portable device being pressed, or a combination of these operations.

[0058] Furthermore, when an operation is performed to request closing of the vehicle door 3, the control unit actuates the electric actuator 41 to move the lid member 30 from the open position toward the closed position. The closing request operation is, for example, when it is detected that the operator's hand has been pulled out of the accommodation space 13, when a switch provided on the outer surface of the lid member 30 is pressed, when wireless communication with a portable device carried by the operator is no longer established, when a lock switch or a latch switch provided on the portable device is pressed, or when a combination of these operations is performed.

[0059] Furthermore, when the lid member 30 is in the closed position, the control unit causes the electric actuator 41 to generate a torque in the driving rotating member 42 to maintain the lid member 30 in the closed position, which is preferable in order to prevent the lid member 30 from vibrating slightly in the closed position due to vehicle vibration, etc., resulting in abnormal noise, etc.

[0060] Furthermore, the control unit may detect that the lid member 30 is in the closed position using a sensor 60 (see FIG. 10, etc.), and when the closed position of the lid member 30 is detected during the control of the movement of the lid member 30 from the open position to the closed position by the operation of the electric actuator 41, for example, the control unit may switch the operation of the electric actuator 41 to maintain the lid member 30 in the closed position. Note that the control unit may perform the movement control of the lid member 30 from the open position to the closed position by the operation of the electric actuator 41 only at a predetermined timing, without relying on the detection information of the sensor 60, and thereafter switch the operation of the electric actuator 41 to maintain the lid member 30 in the closed position.

[0061] The driving rotation member 42 is a shaft that is driven to rotate about an axis extending in the front-rear direction F / B, i.e., parallel to the surface of the lid member 30. The driving rotation member 42 is formed in a columnar or cylindrical shape. The driving rotation member 42 is driven to rotate by a driving force generated by the electric actuator 41. The driving rotation member 42 is accommodated in the accommodation space 13. The driving rotation member 42 is rotatably supported on the base member 10 (specifically, on the two front and rear side walls 11b of the lower member 11). One end of the driving rotation member 42 (for example, the left end when viewed from the door outer side O side of the base member 10) is connected to the output shaft of the electric actuator 41 that penetrates the side wall 11b of the lower member 11.

[0062] The lower member 11 has a semicircular support groove (not shown) provided at an end of the protruding wall 11e on the door inner side. This support groove is provided in the center of the protruding wall 11e in the up-down direction U / D. The upper member 12 has a semicircular support groove (not shown) provided at an end of the protruding wall 12e on the door outer side. This support groove is provided in the center of the protruding wall 12e in the up-down direction U / D. The support groove of the lower member 11 and the support groove of the upper member 12 form one circular support hole that supports the driving rotation member 42 in a state in which the upper member 12 is attached and fixed to the lower member 11. The driving rotation member 42 is rotatably supported by the base member 10 in a state in which it is fitted into the support groove of the lower member 11 and the support groove of the upper member 12.

[0063] The drive device 40 has a conversion mechanism 44 that converts the rotation of the driving rotation member 42 into the movement of the lid member 30. The conversion mechanism 44 converts the rotation of the driving rotation member 42 into the movement of the lid member 30 between the closed position and the open position using a rack-and-pinion system. Specifically, the conversion mechanism 44 has a rack portion 45 that extends linearly and has a plurality of teeth arranged at predetermined intervals, and a pinion portion 46 made of a circular gear. The rack portion 45 and the pinion portion 46 engage with each other to convert the rotation of the driving rotation member 42 into the movement of the lid member 30.

[0064] The rack portion 45 is provided on the lid member 30. As shown in Fig. 4, the rack portion 45 includes a first rack portion 45a and a second rack portion 45b. That is, the lid member 30 has the first rack portion 45a and the second rack portion 45b. The first rack portion 45a is provided as a pair on the lid member 30 at a predetermined distance apart. The second rack portion 45b is provided as a pair on the lid member 30 at a predetermined distance apart.

[0065] The first rack portion 45a is a portion extending linearly. The first rack portion 45a is formed on the surface of the peripheral portion 32 on the door inner side, and is disposed on the flat portion 32a. The first rack portion 45a extends linearly in the up-down direction U / D. The length of the first rack portion 45a is set to a size necessary for moving the lid member 30 between the closed position and the open position, and is preferably a size necessary for completely opening the openings 3d, 11c when the lid member 30 is in the open position. The length of the first rack portion 45a may be, for example, a length for the driving rotary member 42 to rotate 1.5 times. The teeth of the first rack portion 45a have a shape that extends in the front-rear direction while protruding toward the inside of the door, and are arranged in the up-down direction U / D at a first interval. The pair of first rack portions 45a are disposed in front of and behind the closing portion 31 on the peripheral portion 32.

[0066] The second rack portion 45b is a portion that extends in a curved shape with a predetermined curvature. The second rack portion 45b is formed on the surface of the peripheral portion 32 on the door inner side, and is disposed on the curved portion 32b. The second rack portion 45b is curved about an axis extending in the front-rear direction. The curvature of the second rack portion 45b is set to a value required for the lid member 30 to move smoothly in the inward / outward direction I / O and in the upward / downward direction U / D without interfering with the base member 10 or the outer panel 3a when the lid member 30 moves near the closed position. The teeth of the second rack portion 45b have a shape that protrudes toward the center of the curvature and extends in the front-rear direction F / B, and are arranged at second intervals along the curved surface in the approximately upward / downward direction U / D.

[0067] The second rack portion 45b is disposed below D with respect to the first rack portion 45a. The second rack portion 45b is curved from one end (i.e., the end connected to the first rack portion 45a) to the other end so as to be located on the lower D side and on the door inner side I side. The vicinity of the other end of the second rack portion 45b extends linearly in the inward / outward direction. The linear distance of this portion is set to at least the inward / outward thickness of the blocking portion 31. The pair of second rack portions 45b are disposed in front of and behind the blocking portion 31 in the peripheral portion 32.

[0068] The first rack portion 45a and the second rack portion 45b are arranged to be shifted from each other in the front-rear direction, i.e., in the direction in which the axis of the driving rotation member 42 extends. That is, the first rack portion 45a and the second rack portion 45b are not arranged in a state in which their ends are directly connected to each other at the same front-rear direction position, but are arranged obliquely on the peripheral edge portion 32. Note that the first rack portion 45a and the second rack portion 45b may be arranged, for example, so that one crest of the teeth overlaps each other, or may be arranged obliquely so that the teeth do not overlap at all, as long as smooth movement of the lid member 30 between the closed position and the open position can be ensured.

[0069] The pinion portion 46 is provided on the driving rotation member 42. As shown in Fig. 4, the pinion portion 46 includes a first pinion portion 46a and a second pinion portion 46b. That is, the driving rotation member 42 has the first pinion portion 46a and the second pinion portion 46b. The first pinion portion 46a is provided as a pair on the driving rotation member 42 at a predetermined distance apart. The second pinion portion 46b is provided as a pair on the driving rotation member 42 at a predetermined distance apart.

[0070] The first pinion portion 46a is a portion that engages with the first rack portion 45a. The second pinion portion 46b is a portion that engages with the second rack portion 45b. The first pinion portion 46a and the second pinion portion 46b are formed or attached to the outer surface of the driving rotation member 42, and are disposed at both ends of the driving rotation member 42. The pair of first pinion portions 46a are disposed at positions corresponding to the pair of first rack portions 45a. The pair of second pinion portions 46b are disposed at positions corresponding to the pair of second rack portions 45b.

[0071] The first pinion portion 46a and the second pinion portion 46b are arranged on the outer surface of the driving rotation member 42 so as to be shifted from each other in the front-rear direction, that is, in the direction in which the axis of the driving rotation member 42 extends.

[0072] In the process of the lid member 30 moving between the closed position and the open position, the engagement between the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a and the engagement between the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b occur successively in a predetermined order. Specifically, when the lid member 30 moves from the closed position to the open position, the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b are initially engaged with each other, and then, after the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b are disengaged, the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a are engaged with each other. In addition, when the lid member 30 moves from the open position to the closed position, the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a are initially engaged with each other, and then, after the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a are disengaged, the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b are engaged with each other.

[0073] The distance over which the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a move relative to each other while being engaged with each other during one rotation of the driving rotation member 42 (hereinafter referred to as the first pitch length) and the distance over which the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b move relative to each other while being engaged with each other during one rotation of the driving rotation member 42 (hereinafter referred to as the second pitch length) may be the same as each other, or may be different from each other. For example, in order to reduce the impact between the lid member 30 and the lower member 11 when the lid member 30 abuts against the bottom wall 11a of the base member 10 and reaches the closed position, or in order to increase the moving speed when the lid member 30 moves downward D toward the open position and upward U from the open position, it is preferable that the second pitch length is shorter than the first pitch length.

[0074] The partition plate 50 is a plate that divides the storage space 13 in the base member 10. As shown in Fig. 9, the partition plate 50 divides the storage space 13 into an upper space 13a and a lower space 13b when the lid member 30 is in the closed position. The upper space 13a is an area that houses the latch release handle 20 and is an area that directly communicates with the openings 3d and 11c. The lower space 13b is an area that houses the lid member 30 when the lid member 30 is in the closed position and is an area in which the driving rotation member is housed and arranged. The lower space 13b communicates with the openings 3d and 11c via the upper space 13a.

[0075] The partition plate 50 may be any plate that, when the lid member 30 is in the open position, makes the height position of the bottom surface of the upper space 13a to which the openings 3d, 11c directly communicate with the height position of the lower ends of the openings 3d, 11c or is slightly lower than the lower ends toward the D side. The partition plate 50 may be formed to extend horizontally or approximately horizontally, or may be formed to be inclined, as long as it can divide the storage space 13 into the upper space 13a and the lower space 13b. The upper surface of the partition plate 50 may be not only flat but also curved or bent.

[0076] Furthermore, the partition plate 50 may be provided at least on the lid member 30, or may be provided on the base member 10. Also, the partition plate 50 may be provided integrally on the back surface of the outer panel 3a, instead of or together with the base member 10. In the following, it is assumed that the partition plate 50 is provided on the lid member 30 and the base member 10.

[0077] The partition plate 50 has a first partition plate 51. The first partition plate 51 is provided integrally with the lid member 30. That is, the lid member 30 separates the lower space 13b in which the lid member 30 is accommodated from the upper space 13a by the first partition plate 51 of the lid member 30. The first partition plate 51 includes an upper wall facing upward U at the peripheral portion 32 of the lid member 30.

[0078] The first partition plate 51 may include not only the upper wall of the peripheral portion 32 but also an upper wall facing upward U in the closing portion 31, and may be formed by bending in a stepped shape when viewed from the side. The first partition plate 51 may be curved so that the height position of the upper surface gradually changes in the door interior / exterior direction I / O.

[0079] In addition, the first partition plate 51 may be a plate provided exclusively for the door, separate from the upper wall of the peripheral portion 32 or the upper wall of the blocking portion 31, and may be, for example, a plate protruding from the upper wall of the peripheral portion 32 toward the inside I of the door, or a plate supported by the upper wall of the peripheral portion 32 and positioned above the upper wall U, extending in the door inward / outward direction I / O and the front-to-rear direction F / B.

[0080] The partition plate 50 has a second partition plate 52. The second partition plate 52 is a plate portion integrally provided with the base member 10 (specifically, the upper member 12). The second partition plate 52 is integrally provided with the cover plate portion 12a of the upper member 12, and protrudes from the surface of the cover plate portion 12a on the door outer side O toward the door outer side O. The second partition plate 52 is configured such that the height position of the upper surface of the second partition plate 52 (particularly, the end portion on the door outer side O side) coincides with the height position of the upper surface of the first partition plate 51 (specifically, the upper surface of the upper wall of the peripheral portion 32 (particularly, the end portion on the door inner side I side)) when the lid member 30 is in the open position.

[0081] The second partition plate 52 extends and spreads in the front-rear direction F / B so as to contact the two front and rear protruding walls 12e of the upper member 12. The front and rear ends of the second partition plate 52 may be connected to the protruding walls 12e, respectively, or may face the protruding wall 12e with a gap therebetween large enough to prevent objects from falling.

[0082] The second partition plate 52 is configured such that a movement opening 15 is formed between the end of the second partition plate 52 on the door outer side O and the bottom wall 11a of the base member 10. The movement opening 15 is a hole necessary for the lid member 30 to move between the closed position and the open position. The movement opening 15 only needs to have the minimum necessary size within a range in which the base member 10 and the lid member 30 do not interfere with each other when the lid member 30 moves, and the second partition plate 52 may protrude toward the door outer side O so as to form the minimum movement opening 15.

[0083] The first partition plate 51 and the second partition plate 52 are configured to be continuous when the lid member 30 is in the open position, that is, their ends are in contact with each other or a predetermined gap is formed. The gap between the first partition plate 51 and the second partition plate 52 when the lid member 30 is in the open position is preferably set to, for example, 1 mm or less (more preferably, 0.5 mm or less). This is because when the lid member 30 is in the open position and the first partition plate 51 closes the transfer opening 15 as a lid portion, it is effective in preventing objects from falling from the upper space 13a to the lower space 13b by eliminating or narrowing the gap that communicates the upper space 13a and the lower space 13b.

[0084] In addition, it is preferable that a seal member for ensuring the sealing between the upper space 13a and the lower space 13b is interposed between the outer surface (i.e., the surface facing the door outside O) of the closing portion 31 of the lid member 30 and the inner surface (i.e., the surface facing the door inside I) of the bottom wall 11a of the base member 10 when the lid member 30 is in the open position. This is because when the lid member 30 is in the open position, the first partition plate 51 and the seal member close the movement opening 15, eliminating or narrowing the gap that communicates the upper space 13a and the lower space 13b, which is effective in preventing objects from falling from the upper space 13a to the lower space 13b. The above-mentioned seal member may be attached to either the base member 10 or the lid member 30, but it is preferable that the seal member is attached to the inner surface of the bottom wall 11a of the base member 10 in order to prevent the design of the outer surface of the closing portion 31 of the lid member 30 from being impaired.

[0085] The operation of the vehicle door handle device 1 will now be described. First, a normal operation of the vehicle door handle device 1 will be described. When the vehicle door 3 is closed relative to the vehicle body, the latch release handle 20 is in the latched position and the lid member 30 is in the closed position (FIGS. 11(A) and 12(A)).

[0086] At this time, the rack portion 45 of the lid member 30 and the pinion portion 46 of the driving rotation member 42 are positioned such that the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a are disengaged and the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b are engaged. Specifically, the second pinion portion 46b is engaged with the second rack portion 45b near the other end of the curved portion 32b. Also, the guide portion 33 of the lid member 30 is positioned near the other end of the curved portion 14b of the guide groove 14 of the base member 10. At this time, the surface of the lid member 30 (i.e., the blocking portion 31) on the door outer side is flush with the surface of the outer panel 3a, so that the exterior design of the vehicle door 3 is ensured.

[0087] When an opening request operation is performed to request the opening of the vehicle door 3, the electric actuator 41 is operated in the vehicle door handle device 1 so as to move the lid member 30 from the closed position toward the open position. When the electric actuator 41 is operated, the driving rotation member 42 is rotationally driven in the clockwise direction shown in Figures 5, 11, and 13.

[0088] When the lid member 30 is in the closed position, as described above, the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b are engaged with each other near the other end of the curved portion 32b, i.e., near the other end of the second rack portion 45b, and the guide portion 33 is located near the other end of the curved portion 14b. The other ends of the curved portion 32b, the other ends of the second rack portion 45b, and the other ends of the curved portion 14b extend linearly toward the inward / outward direction I / O. Therefore, when the driving rotary member 42 is initially driven to rotate in the clockwise direction, the lid member 30 moves toward the door inward I relative to the base member 10. After that, the guide portion 33 fits into the curved portion 14b while the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b are engaged with each other (FIG. 11(B)). In this case, the lid member 30 turns and moves diagonally downward including the door inward I relative to the base member 10 according to the curvature of the second rack portion 45b.

[0089] As the above-mentioned movement of the guide portion 33 on the curved portion 14b progresses, the engagement between the rack portion 45 of the lid member 30 and the pinion portion 46 of the driving rotation member 42 eventually switches from the engagement between the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b to the engagement between the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a, and the guide portion 33 fits into the straight portion 14a. The first rack portion 45a and the straight portion 14a extend linearly in the up-down direction U / D. Therefore, when the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a engage with each other, the lid member 30 moves downward D relative to the base member 10.

[0090] Thereafter, when the upper end of the first rack portion 45a engages with the first pinion portion 46a and the guide portion 33 reaches the lower end of the straight portion 14a, the movement of the lid member 30 is stopped and the lid member 30 reaches the open position (FIGS. 9, 11(C), and 12(B)). Then, when the lid member 30 reaches the open position, the operation of the electric actuator 41 is switched to control for maintaining the lid member 30 in the open position.

[0091] When the lid member 30 is in the open position, an operator can insert his / her hand into the accommodation space 13 from the door outer side O of the vehicle door 3 through the openings 3d, 11c, and can perform an unlatching operation of the latch release handle 20 in the accommodation space 13 to the unlatched position against the biasing force of the biasing member. When the latch release handle 20 is unlatched from the latched position and reaches the unlatched position as shown in Fig. 15, the door latch device releases the latch of the vehicle door 3 from the vehicle body, and in the unlatched state, the operator can further pull the vehicle door 3 together with the latch release handle 20 toward the door outer side to open the vehicle door 3.

[0092] When the operator releases the latch release handle 20, the latch release handle 20 moves toward the latched position due to the biasing force of the biasing member. When the latch release handle 20 reaches the latched position, the door latch device is able to latch the vehicle door 3 to the vehicle body. In this latchable state, the vehicle door 3 is pushed from the open state toward the door inward I to close, whereby the vehicle door 3 is latched in the closed state.

[0093] Furthermore, when the operator pulls out his / her hand from the accommodation space 13 and performs a closing request operation to close the vehicle door 3, the electric actuator 41 is operated in the vehicle door handle device 1 so as to move the lid member 30 from the open position toward the closed position. When the electric actuator 41 is operated, the driving rotary member 42 is rotationally driven in the counterclockwise direction shown in Figures 5, 11, and 13.

[0094] When the lid member 30 is in the open position, the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a are engaged with each other near the upper end of the first rack portion 45a, and the guide portion 33 is located near the lower end of the straight portion 14a. The first rack portion 45a and the straight portion 14a extend linearly in the up-down direction U / D. Therefore, when the driving rotation member 42 is rotationally driven in the counterclockwise direction, the lid member 30 first moves upward U relative to the base member 10.

[0095] As the above-mentioned movement of the guide portion 33 on the straight portion 14a progresses, the engagement between the rack portion 45 of the lid member 30 and the pinion portion 46 of the driving rotation member 42 eventually switches from the engagement between the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a to the engagement between the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b, and the guide portion 33 fits into the curved portion 14b (FIG. 11(B)). In this case, the lid member 30 pivots and moves obliquely upward including toward the door outside O relative to the base member 10 in accordance with the curvature of the second rack portion 45b.

[0096] Then, the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b engage with each other near the other end of the second rack portion 45b, and the guide portion 33 reaches the vicinity of the other end of the curved portion 14b (FIGS. 13(A) and 14(A)). The vicinity of the other end of the second rack portion 45b and the vicinity of the other end of the curved portion 14b extend linearly in the inward / outward direction I / O. Therefore, when the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b engage with each other near the other end of the second rack portion 45b and the guide portion 33 reaches the vicinity of the other end of the curved portion 14b, the lid member 30 moves toward the door outward O relative to the base member 10.

[0097] Thereafter, when the other end of the second rack portion 45b engages with the second pinion portion 46b and the guide portion 33 reaches the other end of the curved portion 14b, the movement of the lid member 30 is stopped and the lid member 30 reaches the closed position (FIGS. 11(A), 12(A), 13(B), and 14(B)). Then, when the lid member 30 reaches the closed position, the operation of the electric actuator 41 is switched to control for maintaining the lid member 30 in the closed position.

[0098] In this way, in the vehicle door handle device 1, the lid member 30 can be moved in two directions between a closed position where the opening 3d of the outer panel 3a is closed and an open position where the opening 3d is opened by the rack-and-pinion system. Specifically, when the lid member 30 is located near the closed position, the lid member 30 can be moved inward and outward, and when the lid member 30 is not located near the closed position, the lid member 30 can be moved in the up-down direction U / D.

[0099] According to this configuration, the lid member 30 moves in the inward / outward direction I / O near the closed position, thereby preventing the lid member 30 from interfering with the peripheral edges of the openings 3d, 11c in the outer panel 3a or the base member 10, and since the lid member 30 moves in the upward / downward direction U / D along the vehicle door 3 other than near the closed position, the openings 3d, 11c can be opened and closed to expose the storage space 13 to the door outer side O of the outer panel 3a when the openings 3d, 11c are open.

[0100] In the vehicle door handle device 1, the moving mechanism for moving the lid member 30 in the inward / outward direction I / O near the closed position and in the upward / downward direction U / D near other than the closed position is a rack-and-pinion type using a rack portion 45 and a pinion portion 46. The movement of the lid member 30 in the inward / outward direction I / O near the closed position is realized by the engagement between the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a, and the movement of the lid member 30 in the upward / downward direction U / D near other than the closed position is realized by the engagement between the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a. During the process in which the lid member 30 moves between the closed position and the open position, the engagement between the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a and the engagement between the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b occur successively in a predetermined order.

[0101] According to this configuration, while keeping the lid member 30 parallel to the vehicle door 3, it can be moved in the inward / outward direction I / O near the closed position, moved in the upward / downward direction U / D near a position other than the closed position, and further, can be turned so that the movement components in the inward / outward direction I / O and the upward / downward direction U / D are both included at the switching point between the movement in the inward / outward direction I / O and the movement in the upward / downward direction U / D. Therefore, the lid member 30 can be moved smoothly between the closed position and the open position.

[0102] The rack portion 45 has a first rack portion 45a extending linearly in the up-down direction U / D and a second rack portion 45b extending curvedly with a predetermined curvature around an axis extending in the front-rear direction F / B. The pinion portion 46 has a first pinion portion 46a engaging with the first rack portion 45a and a second pinion portion 46b engaging with the second rack portion 45b. In this configuration, the structure for moving the lid member 30 in the inward / outward direction I / O and in the upward / downward direction U / D between the closed position and the open position can be simplified.

[0103] Therefore, the vehicle door handle device 1 can smoothly and simply achieve movement of the lid member 30 between the closed and open positions using the rack and pinion system (specifically, movement in two directions, inward / outward directions I / O and upward / downward directions U / D).

[0104] Moreover, the first rack portion 45a and the second rack portion 45b are disposed in the lid member 30 so as to be shifted from each other in the front-rear direction F / B in which the axis extends. Moreover, the first pinion portion 46a and the second pinion portion 46b are disposed in the lid member 30 so as to be shifted from each other in the front-rear direction F / B on the outer surface of the driving rotation member 42. For this reason, the movement of the lid member 30 in the inward / outward direction I / O caused by the engagement between the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a and the movement of the lid member 30 in the upward / downward direction U / D caused by the engagement between the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b can be individually parameterized, thereby increasing the design freedom in moving the lid member 30 between the closed position and the open position.

[0105] Furthermore, the lid member 30 is guided by a guide mechanism when moving between the closed position and the open position. The lid member 30 has a guide portion 33. The base member 10 has a guide groove 14 in which the guide portion 33 slidably fits to guide the lid member 30. The guide groove 14 has a straight portion 14a that extends linearly in the up-down direction U / D corresponding to the flat portion 32a of the peripheral portion 32, and a curved portion 14b that extends curvedly with a predetermined curvature corresponding to the curved portion 32b of the peripheral portion 32. Therefore, the movement of the lid member 30 between the closed position and the open position can be made to follow a desired trajectory including the inward / outward directions I / O and the up-down directions U / D, and the posture of the lid member 30 can be maintained in a predetermined posture when the lid member 30 moves between the closed position and the open position.

[0106] In particular, the guide portions 33 are provided at four locations in accordance with the plate-shaped lid member 30, and the guide grooves 14 are provided at four locations in accordance with the guide portions 33. Therefore, when the lid member 30 moves between the closed position and the open position, the orientation of the lid member 30 can be kept parallel to the vehicle door 3.

[0107] The second pitch length at which the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b engage may be set shorter than the first pitch length at which the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a engage. The engagement between the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a contributes to the movement of the lid member 30 in the up-down direction U / D, and the engagement between the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b contributes to the movement of the lid member 30 in the inward / outward direction I / O. Therefore, according to this configuration, the movement speed of the lid member 30 in the up-down direction U / D can be increased while suppressing the movement speed of the lid member 30 in the inward / outward direction I / O when the lid member 30 reaches the closed position, so that the movement of the lid member 30 in the up-down direction U / D can be quickly realized while mitigating the impact between the lid member 30 and the lower member 11 when the lid member 30 reaches the closed position.

[0108] In addition, according to such a configuration in which the first pitch length and the second pitch length are allowed to be different from each other, the second rack portion 45b can be formed with the smallest possible radius of curvature to make the second pitch length as short as possible. Therefore, when switching the movement of the lid member 30 between the movement in the inward / outward direction I / O and the movement in the upward / downward direction U / D, a sudden change in angle can be realized without interfering with the gears of the rack and pinion, and therefore it is possible to avoid restricting the shapes of the openings 3d, 11c in order to realize the change.

[0109] In addition, in the vehicle door handle device 1, after the lid member 30 moves inward I of the door from a closed position that closes the opening 3d of the outer panel 3a toward an open position that opens the opening 3d, the latch release handle 20 is pulled toward the door outward O from the latch position to the latch release position to perform an unlatch operation, thereby unlatching the vehicle door 3.

[0110] In this configuration, when the latch release handle 20 is operated to release the latch of the vehicle door 3, the lid member 30 and other components do not protrude beyond the outer panel 3a of the vehicle door 3 toward the door outside O. This makes it possible to prevent the exterior design of the vehicle door 3 from being impaired when the latch release handle 20 is operated to release the latch of the vehicle door 3.

[0111] In addition, in the above configuration, the movement of the lid member 30 between the closed position and the open position is limited to within the accommodation space 13, so even if a failure occurs in the drive device 40, the lid member 30 and other components will not remain protruding beyond the outer panel 3a of the vehicle door 3 toward the door outside O while the vehicle is traveling. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the external design of the vehicle door 3 from being impaired when the drive device 40 or the like fails, and also to prevent a decrease in the aerodynamic characteristics while the vehicle is traveling.

[0112] Incidentally, the latch release handle 20 is biased toward the latched position by a biasing member, and is maintained at the latched position unless an unlatch operation is input. In addition, the latch release handle 20 extends diagonally downward, including downward D, from the pivot shaft 22 in the latched position. For this reason, in this structure, when an impact load is input to the door inward I due to a vehicle side collision against the host vehicle door 3, the latch release handle 20 of the host vehicle door 3 may rotate toward the unlatch position due to inertia, and the host vehicle door 3 may unintentionally reach the unlatch position and be unlatched.

[0113] In contrast, in the vehicle door handle device 1, the movement path of the unlatch handle 20 between the latched position and the unlatch position and the movement path of the lid member 30 between the closed position and the open position have a mutually overlapping range. Specifically, the area near the unlatch position of the unlatch handle 20 and the area near the closed position of the lid member 30 overlap with each other. For this reason, the unlatch handle 20 and the lid member 30 may interfere with each other.

[0114] Furthermore, the direction in which the latch release handle 20 moves from the latched position to the unlatched position is opposite to the direction in which the lid member 30 moves from the closed position to the open position. Specifically, in the process in which the latch release handle 20 moves from the latched position to the unlatched position, the radial tip of the latch release handle 20 moves toward the door outside O just before the unlatched position, while on the other hand, when the lid member 30 moves from the closed position to the open position, the lid member 30 moves toward the door inside I with respect to the base member 10.

[0115] In the above configuration, when an impact load is applied to the door inward I of the vehicle door 3 with the lid member 30 in the closed position, the latch release handle 20 moves to the latch release position side due to inertial force, and the lid member 30, while in the closed position, is pressed against the bottom wall 11a of the base member 10 due to inertial force. In addition, the lid member 30 is held in the closed position by the torque of the electric actuator 41.

[0116] When the lid member 30 is in the open position (more specifically, when the lid member 30 is outside the overlapping range in the movement trajectory), the latch release handle 20 does not interfere with the lid member 30 when the latch release handle 20 moves between the latch position and the unlatch position. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 16, when the lid member 30 is in the closed position (more specifically, when the lid member 30 is in the overlapping range in the movement trajectory), the latch release handle 20 interferes with an interference portion 34 of the lid member 30 before reaching the unlatch position from the latch position, and is restricted in position. Therefore, when the lid member 30 is in the closed position, even if the latch release handle 20 moves, it is restricted from reaching the unlatch position.

[0117] Therefore, when the lid member 30 is in the closed position, even if the latch release handle 20 moves toward the latch release position due to the inertial force caused by the input of an impact load to the inside I of the vehicle door 3, the latch of the vehicle door 3 can be prevented from being released, thereby preventing unintended opening of the vehicle door 3.

[0118] Furthermore, since it is sufficient to have the latch release handle 20 and the lid member 30 interfere with each other to prevent the vehicle door 3 from being opened unintentionally, there is no need to provide a separate dedicated part such as an inertia stopper, and this allows for a reduction in the number of parts and the storage space. Therefore, the vehicle door 3 can be prevented from being opened unintentionally with a simple structure.

[0119] In addition, when an impact load is input to the door outward O of the vehicle door 3 due to a vehicle side collision with the vehicle door 3 on the opposite side of the vehicle body, the latch release handle 20 will first rotate from the latched position in a direction away from the latched position, but then may rotate toward the latched position due to a reaction and reach the latched position. In addition, when this impact load is input, the lid member 30 may first move toward the door inward I away from the closed position relative to the base member 10 due to inertia, so the latch release handle 20 may not interfere with the lid member 30 before it reaches the latched position, and the latch of the vehicle door 3 may be unintentionally released.

[0120] In the vehicle door handle device 1, the drive device 40 has an electric actuator 41 that rotates a drive rotation member 42. In this configuration, the drive rotation member 42 is restricted in rotation by frictional resistance with the electric actuator 41 except when the drive rotation member 42 is rotated by the electric actuator 41, and further, when the lid member 30 is located in the closed position, the electric actuator 41 generates torque to hold the lid member 30 in the closed position. Therefore, even if an inertial force is applied to the latch release handle 20 or the lid member 30 in either the case of an inward side collision or an outward side collision against the vehicle door 3 described above, the lid member 30 can be prevented from moving from the closed position to the open position.

[0121] Therefore, even if any of the above-mentioned side collisions occur when the lid member 30 is in the closed position, the lid member 30 can be prevented from moving out of the above-mentioned overlapping range in its movement trajectory before interference between the latch release handle 20 and the lid member 30 occurs, and the above-mentioned interference can be reliably caused to occur before the latch release handle 20 reaches the latch release position from the latch position, thereby improving the function of preventing unintended opening of the vehicle door 3.

[0122] The vehicle door handle device 1 also includes a partition plate 50 that divides the storage space 13 into an upper space 13a that accommodates the latch release handle 20 and a lower space 13b that accommodates the lid member 30 when the lid member 30 is in the open position. In this configuration, the space that can be seen by a person through the openings 3d and 11c from the door outer side O of the vehicle door 3 when the lid member 30 is in the open position, that is, the space that an operator can insert through the openings 3d and 11c from the door outer side O of the vehicle door 3 to perform an unlatching operation of the latch release handle 20, is limited to the upper space 13a of the storage space 13. In this case, the lower space 13b of the storage space 13 is partitioned by the partition plate 50 as a space separate from the upper space 13a. In other words, the upper space 13a of the storage space 13 is partitioned from the lower space 13b with the partition plate 50 as the bottom, so that the storage space 13 looks like it has a raised bottom from the door outer side O of the vehicle door 3.

[0123] Therefore, when an object such as an operator's coin or key enters the storage space 13 from the door outer side O of the vehicle door through the openings 3d, 11c, in the open position of the lid member 30, the entered object remains on the upper surface of the partition plate 50. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the entered object, which enters the storage space 13 from the door outer side O of the vehicle door through the openings 3d, 11c, from falling into the lower space 13b (i.e., the bottom of the storage space 13). This makes it possible to avoid unnecessary rotation of the driving rotation member 42 arranged in the lower space 13b and poor engagement between the rack portion 45 of the lid member 30 and the pinion portion 46 of the driving rotation member 42, which are caused by the entered object.

[0124] Furthermore, when the lid member 30 is in the open position, the driving rotation member 42 and the lid member 30 (excluding the upper wall of the lid member 30 as the first partition plate 51) that are located further back than the partition plate 50 and housed in the lower space 13b are hidden by the partition plate 50, and the area that can be seen when a person looks at the storage space 13 through the openings 3d, 11c from the door outer side O of the vehicle door 3 is limited to the upper space 13a. In particular, the opening 3d of the vehicle door 3 is generally positioned lower than the human eye.

[0125] For this reason, when a person on the door outer side O of the vehicle door 3 looks at the storage space 13 through the openings 3d, 11c, the person's line of sight mainly includes the partition plate 50, but does not include the driving rotation member 42 and the lid member 30 housed in the lower space 13b. This makes it possible to improve the design of the vicinity of the openings 3d, 11c (particularly, within the storage space 13) when the lid member 30 is in the open position.

[0126] In the vehicle door handle device 1, the partition plate 50 that divides the accommodation space 13 into an upper space 13a and a lower space 13b is provided not only on the lid member 30 but also on the base member 10. That is, the partition plate 50 has a first partition plate 51 that is integrally provided on the lid member 30 and a second partition plate 52 that is integrally provided on the base member 10. The second partition plate 52 protrudes from the cover plate portion 12a of the upper member 12 of the base member 10 toward the door outside O, and forms a movement opening 15 between the tip of the second partition plate 52 and the bottom wall 11a of the lower member 11. The first partition plate 51 closes the movement opening 15 when the lid member 30 is positioned at the open position.

[0127] In this configuration, it is not necessary to increase the size of the first partition plate 51 provided on the lid member 30 to the extent that the first partition plate 51 comes into contact with the cover plate portion 12a of the upper cover 12. That is, the size of the first partition plate 51 can be made as small as possible by increasing the amount of protrusion (size) of the second partition plate 52 provided on the base member 10 from the cover plate portion 12a to the extent that the movement of the lid member 30 is ensured. This makes it possible to avoid problems with the movement of the lid member 30 between the closed position and the open position caused by the lid member 30 being excessively large in size or weight, and, for example, makes it possible to realize smooth movement and movement with good energy efficiency.

[0128] In the above embodiment, the second partition plate 52 of the partition plate 50 is integrally provided with the upper member 12 and protrudes from the cover plate portion 12a toward the door outside O. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the second partition plate 52 may protrude in the front-rear direction F / B from the protruding wall 12e of the upper member 12. In addition, the second partition plate 52 may be integrally provided with the lower member 11 in a state in which the movement opening 15 is formed.

[0129] In the above embodiment, the partition plate 50 is composed of the second partition plate 52 integrally provided with the base member 10 and the first partition plate 51 integrally provided with the lid member 30. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the partition plate 50 may be integrally provided only with the lid member 30. For example, the partition plate 50 may be formed so as to protrude from the upper wall of the peripheral portion 32 of the lid member 30 toward the door inward I, and further, the tip of the partition plate 50 on the door inward I side may be configured to contact the cover plate portion 12a of the upper member 12.

[0130] In the above embodiment, the first rack portion 45a and the second rack portion 45b are arranged to be shifted from each other in the front-rear direction F / B on the lid member 30, and the first pinion portion 46a and the second pinion portion 46b are arranged to be shifted from each other in the front-rear direction F / B on the driving rotation member 42. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and in a structure in which the lid member 30 can move between the closed position and the open position while the driving rotation member 42 rotates once, the first rack portion 45a and the second rack portion 45b may be arranged separately in the up-down direction U / D at the same front-rear position on the lid member 30 without being shifted from each other in the front-rear direction F / B, and the first pinion portion 46a and the second pinion portion 46b may be arranged separately in the up-down direction U / D at the same front-rear position on the driving rotation member 42 without being shifted from each other in the front-rear direction F / B.

[0131] In the above embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4 etc., the first rack portion 45a is disposed outside the peripheral portion 32, the second rack portion 45b is disposed inside the peripheral portion 32, and the second rack portion 45b is disposed closer to the blocking portion 31 than the first rack portion 45a. Also, the first pinion portion 46a is disposed outside the driving rotation member 42 in the axial direction, and the second pinion portion 46b is disposed inside the driving rotation member 42 in the axial direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the arrangement of the first rack portion 45a and the second rack portion 45b, and the arrangement of the first pinion portion 46a and the second pinion portion 46b may be reversed.

[0132] Also, in the above embodiment, the interference portion 34 as a regulating member is provided on the lid member 30 and moves with the movement of the lid member 30. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, in a structure in which the lid member 30 can move between the closed position and the open position while the driving rotation member 42 rotates once, the interference portion 34 as a regulating member may be provided on a member other than the lid member 30, for example, the driving rotation member 42, to regulate the position of the latch release handle 20 when the lid member 30 is in the closed position.

[0133] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and modified forms, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0134] 1: vehicle door handle device, 3: vehicle door, 3a: outer panel, 3d: opening, 10: base member, 13: storage space, 13a: upper space, 13b: lower space, 14: guide groove, 15: movement opening, 20: latch release handle, 30: lid member, 31: closing portion, 32: peripheral portion, 33: guide portion, 34: interference portion, 40: drive device, 41: electric actuator, 42: drive rotating member, 44: conversion mechanism, 45: rack portion, 45a: first rack portion, 45b: second rack portion, 46: pinion portion, 46a: first pinion portion, 46b: second pinion portion, 50: partition plate, 51: first partition plate, 52: second partition plate, 70: sealing member.

Claims

1. an unlatching handle that is disposed on an inner side of the vehicle door, is operable from an outer side of the vehicle door through an opening provided in the vehicle door, and unlatches the vehicle door when a predetermined operation is performed; a lid member that is capable of opening and closing the opening and that moves downward from a closed position that closes the opening to an open position that opens the opening on the inner side of the vehicle door; a base member forming an accommodation space for accommodating the latch release handle and the lid member; a partition plate that divides the accommodation space into an upper space that accommodates the latch release handle and a lower space that accommodates the lid member when the lid member is located at the open position; a seal member for ensuring a seal between the upper space and the lower space when the lid member is in the open position; A vehicle door handle device comprising:

2. The vehicle door handle device according to claim 1 , wherein the partition plate includes a first partition plate that is integral with the lid member.

3. the lid member has a closing portion that closes the opening, and a peripheral portion that extends outwardly from a peripheral edge of the closing portion in a plate shape, The vehicle door handle device according to claim 2 , wherein the first partition plate includes an upper wall of the peripheral portion.

4. 4. The vehicle door handle device according to claim 2, wherein the partition plate includes a second partition plate that is integral with the base member.

5. a driving rotary member that is rotationally driven to move the lid member between the closed position and the open position, 5. The vehicle door handle device according to claim 1, wherein the driving rotary member is disposed in the lower space.

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