Handle device for vehicles

Abstract

This handle device for vehicles comprises a handle base which is fixed to a vehicle, and a handle main body which is connected to the handle base and which can be pulled out from an initial position, wherein, when the handle main body is at the initial position, the position of the handle main body at the initial position is adjusted by changing a position of contact between an adjusting member that is assembled to the handle base and a contacting portion that is provided in the handle device.

Description

Steering device for vehicle

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a steering device for a vehicle.

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art A known handle device having a handle body that can be pulled out from an initial position when operating a door is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-222999.

[0003] Conventional so-called pop-up handle devices, including those disclosed in Patent Document 1, have, for example, a handle body rotatably connected to one end of an operating lever driven by an electric actuator fixed on a handle base, and an unlocking lever connected to the end of the handle body opposite the end connected to the operating lever. When the electric actuator is operated, the handle body moves from an initial position where it is located on the same plane as the door panel to an operating position where it is raised above the door panel, and when the handle body is operated in the operating position, the door latch device can be released.

[0004] In the above-mentioned handle device, the initial position is uniquely determined by the dimensional relationship between the parts, and if there are dimensional errors or the like, the handle body may not be held flush with the door panel.

[0005] U.S. Patent No. 9,103,143

[0006] The present disclosure provides a vehicle handle device that is capable of adjusting the positional relationship between the handle body and the door panel surface to a predetermined position even if there is an error between the parts.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, a vehicle handle device comprises a handle base fixed to a vehicle, and a handle body connected to the handle base and retractable from an initial position, wherein an adjustment member is attached to the handle base to adjust the position of the handle body in the initial position, and when the handle body is in the initial position, the adjustment member adjusts the position of the handle body in the initial position by changing the contact position with an abutment portion provided on the handle device.

[0008] In addition, the handle body may cooperate with the handle base, which serves as a fixed link, to form a link mechanism, and the abutment portion may be provided on any of the movable links, including the handle body, of the link mechanism.

[0009] The adjustment member may be attached to the handle base so as to be displaceable in a direction intersecting the direction in which the handle body is pulled out.

[0010] The contact portions may be formed in a stepped shape with different heights in the drawing direction.

[0011] The adjustment member may be a shock absorbing member that abuts against the adjustment member to absorb shock when the handle body returns to the initial position from a pop-up position after being pulled out from the initial position.

[0012] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a vehicle handle device that can adjust the positional relationship between the handle body and the door panel surface to a predetermined position even if there is an error between the parts.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a handle device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the handle device for the vehicle shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line X3-X3 in FIG. 2. FIG. 4A is an enlarged view of part X1 in FIG. 2. FIG. 4B is an enlarged view of part X2 in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line X4-X4 in FIG. 2. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the handle device for the vehicle shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the handle device for the vehicle shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 8 is a table summarizing examples of assembly of bumper rubber according to various situations of the relative position of the handle body with respect to the door surface in its initial position.

[0014] Specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0015] For ease of explanation, the following definitions are used for the terms "front," "rear," "left," "right," "top," and "bottom" as shown in FIG. 1 and elsewhere. The "front-rear direction," "left-right direction," and "up-down direction" are perpendicular to one another. The left-right direction corresponds to the "pull-out direction" in this disclosure. The front-rear direction and the up-down direction correspond to the "crossing direction" in this disclosure.

[0016] Here, the above-mentioned directions may correspond to the directions when the steering wheel device 1 is mounted on a vehicle. In this case, the steering wheel device 1 shown in Fig. 1 is a steering wheel device mounted on the left side of the vehicle. However, the left-side steering wheel device and the right-side steering wheel device have the same configuration except that they are arranged in opposite directions in the left-right direction and have reversed rotational movements.

[0017] As shown in Figure 1, the handle device 1 includes a handle base 2, a handle main body 3, and a first link 11 and a second link 12 that connect the handle main body 3 to the handle base 2, and is fixed to the vehicle door at the handle base 2.

[0018] The handle body 3 has a grip portion 3a formed in the center of the front-to-rear direction to serve as a handle when operating the door, and when the handle base 2 is fixed to the door, the surface 3b is approximately flush with the door surface 5 (door panel) (see Figure 3).

[0019] In addition, the handle body 3 can be moved between an initial position (see Figure 3) in which the grip portion 3a is housed inside the door, a pop-up position (see Figure 6) in which the grip portion 3a pops out from the door panel and the handle body 3 can be operated by placing a hand on the grip portion 3a, and a latch operation position (see Figure 7) in which one end (the rear end in this example) of the handle body 3 is pulled up from the pop-up position.

[0020] The first link 11 is driven to rotate around the connecting shaft (A1) to the handle base 2 by having the driven part 11a pressed against a cam member 13 that is driven to rotate by a motor (not shown). In order to maintain the pressure contact state between the driven part 11a and the cam member 13, a counterclockwise rotational moment is applied to the first link 11 by a torsion spring 14.

[0021] The end of the first link 11 opposite to the end connected to the handle base 2 is connected to one end of the handle body 3 so as to be rotatable about a connecting shaft (B1).

[0022] One end of the second link 12 is rotatably connected to the handle base 2 around a connecting shaft (A2). The opposite end of the second link 12 is formed with a long hole 12a, into which a connecting shaft (B2) fixed to the other end of the handle body 3 is inserted so as to be rotatable and slidable.

[0023] Therefore, the components of the handle device 1 form a five-section link mechanism, with the handle base 2 as the fixed link, a first link 11 and a second link 12 each connected to the fixed link by a swivel pair with a gap between the connecting axes (A1, B1), a slider (long hole 12a) connected to the second link 12 by a sliding pair, and the handle main body 3 having both ends connected to the first link 11 and the slider by a swivel pair (see Figures 3 and 6 to 7).

[0024] Furthermore, the end of the sliding stroke of the slider sliding on the second link 12 is predetermined as the end position of the long hole 12a, and by applying a counterclockwise rotational moment to the second link 12 by the torsion spring 15 in addition to the rotational moment applied to the first link 11 described above, the slider is held at the stroke end position on the side of the connecting shaft (A2) of the second link 12 with the handle base 2.

[0025] Furthermore, the link lengths of the fixed link and the handle body 3 are equal, and furthermore, the distance between the slider and the connecting axis (A2) of the fixed link of the second link 12 at the stroke end position (i.e., the distance between A2 and B2 in Figure 3) is formed to be equal to the link length of the first link 11. Therefore, when the first link 11 is electrically rotated as a driving link, it essentially operates as a four-section parallel link.

[0026] Therefore, when the first link 11 is rotated clockwise from the initial state (see Figure 3) in which the surface 3b of the handle body 3 is approximately flush with the door panel (door surface 5), the handle body 3 moves in parallel to the pop-up position (see Figure 6).

[0027] From this state, when the handle body 3 is manually rotated clockwise to the latch operation position (see Figure 7), the clockwise rotation of the first link 11 around the connecting axis (A1) with the handle base 2 is restricted by the motor, so that in response to the rotation operation of the handle body 3 in the above direction, it essentially operates as a slider crank mechanism with the handle body 3, second link 12, and slider as movable links, and the second link 12 rotates a further predetermined angle from the state shown in Figure 6.

[0028] On the other hand, the handle base 2 is provided with a latch operating mechanism (not shown) that is actuated by the rotation of the connecting shaft (A1) between the second link 12 and the handle base 2 from Figure 6 to Figure 7, and as the handle main body 3 rotates to its operating position, the latch operating mechanism releases the door latch device fixed to the door via an appropriate transmission means such as a cable device.

[0029] Additionally, a bumper rubber 4 that adjusts the position of the handle body 3 in the initial position is attached to the handle base 2. The bumper rubber 4 is a known bumper rubber that abuts against an abutment portion 16 to absorb impact when the handle body 3 returns from the pop-up position (see FIG. 6) to the initial position (see FIG. 3). The bumper rubber 4 has a generally gourd-like shape, and its central recess is held by a holding portion 18 (see FIGS. 4A and 4B) of an assembly receiving portion 17 on the handle base 2.

[0030] In the handle device 1, the bumper rubber 4 has at least one of a bumper rubber 4a that abuts against an abutment portion 16a (see Figures 3 and 6 to 7) formed on the right end of the second link 12 in the rear region of the handle body 3, a bumper rubber 4b that abuts against an abutment portion 16b (see Figure 5) formed on the front right end of the handhold portion 3a in the front region of the handle body 3, and a bumper rubber 4c that abuts against an abutment portion (not shown) formed on the right end of the first link 11.

[0031] The abutment portion 16a is formed in a stepped shape with different protruding heights to the right in the front-to-rear direction (three steps in this example, see Figures 3 and 6 to 7), and the bumper rubber 4a is held by one of a plurality of holding portions 18 (three in this example) that are arranged side by side at intervals in the front-to-rear direction, and when adjusting the position of the handle body 3 in the initial position, the bumper rubber 4a passes through a guide portion 19 (see Figure 4A) that connects adjacent holding portions 18 (see Figure 4A) in the front-to-rear direction and is moved to another holding portion 18. The bumper rubber 4a is inserted into each of the assembly holes 20, which have a larger diameter than the outer dimensions of the bumper rubber 4a, and passes through a connecting portion 21 that connects the guide portion 19 and the assembly hole 20, and then through the guide portion 19, and is held by each holding portion 18.

[0032] The contact portion 16b is formed in a stepped shape with different protruding heights to the right in the vertical direction (two steps in this example, see Figure 5), and the bumper rubber 4b is held by one of a plurality of holding portions 18 (two in this example) arranged side by side at intervals in the front-to-rear direction, and when adjusting the position of the handle body 3 in the initial position, it passes through a guide portion 19 (see Figure 4B) that connects adjacent holding portions 18 (see Figure 4B) in the vertical direction and moves to the other holding portion 18. The bumper rubber 4b is inserted into the assembly portion 17b through an assembly hole 20 having a diameter larger than the outer dimension of the bumper rubber 4b, passes through a connecting portion 21 that connects the guide portion 19 and the assembly hole 20, and then passes through the guide portion 19, and is held by each holding portion 18.

[0033] The contact portion 16a is formed in a three-step staircase shape, while the contact portion 16b is formed in a two-step staircase shape. In other words, the bumper rubber 4a can be adjusted in three steps, while the bumper rubber 4b can only be adjusted in two steps. For this reason, the bumper rubber 4 has the bumper rubber 4c.

[0034] Specifically, as shown in Figure 8, in the initial state of the handle body 3, in the standard state where the surface 3b of the handle body 3 is substantially flush with the door panel (door surface 5), the bumper rubber 4a is held by the central holding portion 18 of the mounting portion 17a, and the bumper rubber 4b is held by the lower holding portion 18 of the mounting portion 17b. As a result, the bumper rubber 4a abuts against the central end face of the stepped abutment portion 16a, and the bumper rubber 4b abuts against the lower end face of the stepped abutment portion 16b.

[0035] Furthermore, in the initial state of the handle body 3, when the surface 3b of the handle body 3 is to the right of the door panel (door surface 5), i.e., when it is inserted into the door panel, the bumper rubber 4a is held by the rear holding portion 18 of the mounting portion 17a, and the bumper rubber 4b is held by the upper holding portion 18 of the mounting portion 17b. As a result, the bumper rubber 4a abuts against the rear end face of the stepped abutment portion 16a, and the bumper rubber 4b abuts against the upper end face of the stepped abutment portion 16b.

[0036] Furthermore, in the initial state of the handle body 3, when the surface 3b of the handle body 3 is to the left of the door panel (door surface 5), i.e., when it protrudes from the door panel, the bumper rubber 4a is held by the front holding portion 18 of the mounting portion 17a, and the bumper rubber 4b is not assembled to the mounting portion 17b. The bumper rubber 4a then abuts against the front end surface of the stepped abutment portion 16a, and instead of the bumper rubber 4b, the bumper rubber 4c abuts against an abutment portion (not shown).

[0037] In addition, in the initial state of the handle body 3, only one side in the front-to-rear direction may enter the door panel or protrude from the door panel. In this case, the bumper rubbers 4a, 4b, and 4c may be set appropriately as described above.

[0038] In addition, the bumper rubbers 4a, 4b can be displaced in each direction (moved from one holding portion 18 to the other holding portion 18) by inserting a jig or the like from below the handle portion 3a and operating the jig or the like when the handle device 1 is fixed inside the door and the handle main body 3 is in the pop-up position.

[0039] As described above, by displacing the bumper rubbers 4a, 4b in each direction, the contact positions with the stepped contact portions 16a, 16b of the handle device 1 change (i.e., because they contact end faces that protrude to the right at different heights), and the position of the handle body 3 in the initial position is adjusted.

[0040] As described above, according to this embodiment, when the handle body 3 is in the initial position, the position of the handle body 3 in the initial position is adjusted by changing the contact position between the bumper rubber 4 attached to the handle base 2 and the contact portion 16 provided on the handle device 1. That is, according to this embodiment, the relative position of the handle body 3 with respect to the door surface 5 in the initial position can be adjusted by changing the contact position between the bumper rubber 4 and the contact portion 16. As a result, according to this embodiment, even if the relative position of the handle body 3 with respect to the door panel in the initial position is displaced due to an error in the mounting position or components, the handle body 3 can be adjusted to a predetermined position.

[0041] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the abutment portion 16 is provided on any of the movable links including the handle main body 3 of the link mechanism (in this example, the handle main body 3 and the second link 12), so that the relative position of the handle main body 3 with respect to the door surface 5 in its initial position can be adjusted more appropriately.

[0042] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the bumper rubber 4 is assembled to the handle base 2 so as to be displaceable in the front-rear or up-down direction, which makes it easy to adjust the contact position.

[0043] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the contact portions 16 are formed in a stepped shape with different heights in the left and right directions, which makes it easy to adjust the contact positions with a simple structure.

[0044] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the bumper rubber 4 can be used to adjust the relative position of the handle body with respect to the door surface in its initial position, thereby preventing an increase in the number of parts.

[0045] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the bumper rubber 4a is disposed in the rear region of the handle body 3, and at least one of the bumper rubber 4b and the bumper rubber 4c is disposed in the front region of the handle body 3, so that the relative position of the handle body 3 with respect to the door surface 5 in its initial position can be more appropriately adjusted. Specifically, in the initial state of the handle body 3, only one side in the front-to-rear direction may enter the door panel or protrude from the door panel, but by disposing the bumper rubber 4 as described above, the surface 3b of the handle body 3 can be kept parallel to the door panel (door surface 5) and become almost flush with it.

[0046] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately modified, improved, etc. Furthermore, the material, shape, size, number, location, etc. of each component in the above-described embodiments are arbitrary and not limited as long as they can achieve the present invention.

[0047] The vehicle handle device (1) of the present disclosure comprises a handle base (2) fixed to the vehicle, and a handle body (3) connected to the handle base (2) and retractable from an initial position, wherein an adjustment member (bumper rubber 4) that adjusts the position of the handle body (3) at the initial position is attached to the handle base (2), and the adjustment member (bumper rubber 4) adjusts the position of the handle body (3) at the initial position by changing the contact position with an abutment portion (16) provided on the handle device (1) when the handle body (3) is at the initial position.

[0048] According to this configuration, when the handle body is in its initial position, the contact position between the adjustment member attached to the handle base and the contact portion provided on the handle device is changed, thereby adjusting the position of the handle body in the initial position. Generally, in a handle device, due to design requirements or the like, the surface of the handle body must occupy a predetermined relative position with respect to the door surface (door panel) in the initial position. That is, according to the present disclosure, the relative position of the handle body with respect to the door surface in the initial position can be adjusted by changing the contact position between the adjustment member and the contact portion. As a result, even if the relative position of the handle body with respect to the door panel in the initial position is displaced due to errors in the mounting position or components, the handle body can be adjusted to the predetermined position.

[0049] In addition, the handle body (3) cooperates with the handle base (2), which is a fixed link, to form a link mechanism, and the abutment portion (16) is provided on any of the movable links (first link 11) including the handle body (3) of the link mechanism, in this vehicle handle device (1).

[0050] According to this configuration, the abutment portion is provided on any of the movable links including the handle body of the link mechanism, so that the relative position of the handle body with respect to the door surface in the initial position can be adjusted more appropriately.

[0051] The adjustment member (bumper rubber 4) may be attached to the handle base (2) so as to be displaceable in a direction intersecting the direction in which the handle body (3) is pulled out.

[0052] According to this configuration, the adjustment member is attached to the handle base so as to be displaceable in a direction intersecting the direction in which the handle body is pulled out, thereby facilitating adjustment of the contact position.

[0053] The contact portions (16) may be formed in a stepped shape with different heights in the drawing direction.

[0054] According to this configuration, the contact portions are formed in a stepped shape with different heights in the pull-out direction, which makes it easy to adjust the contact position with a simple structure.

[0055] The adjustment member (bumper rubber 4) may also be an impact absorbing member that abuts against the handle body (3) when the handle body (3) returns to the initial position from a pop-up position into which the handle body is pulled out from the initial position, thereby absorbing impact.

[0056] According to this configuration, the adjustment member is an impact absorbing member (e.g., a bumper rubber) that abuts against and absorbs impact when the handle body returns from the pop-up position to the initial position, making it possible to utilize the impact absorbing member also provided in conventional handle devices. In other words, according to the present disclosure, the relative position of the handle body in its initial position with respect to the door surface can be adjusted without increasing the number of parts.

[0057] Although various embodiments have been described above, it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the components of the above-described embodiments may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0058] This application is based on a Japanese patent application (Patent Application No. 2023-202812) filed on November 30, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0059] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Handle device 2 Handle base 3 Handle body 3a Handhold portion 3b Surface 4, 4a, 4b, 4c Bumper rubber (adjustment member) 11 First link 12 Second link 16, 16a, 16b Contact portion

Claims

1. A handle device for a vehicle comprising: a handle base fixed to a vehicle; and a handle body connected to the handle base and capable of being pulled out from an initial position, wherein an adjustment member is attached to the handle base for adjusting the position of the handle body at the initial position, and when the handle body is in the initial position, the adjustment member adjusts the position of the handle body at the initial position by changing the position of contact with an abutment portion provided on the handle device.

2. A vehicle handle device as described in claim 1, wherein the handle body cooperates with the handle base, which is a fixed link, to form a link mechanism, and the abutment portion is provided on any of the movable links, including the handle body, of the link mechanism.

3. A handle device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment member is attached to the handle base so as to be displaceable in a direction intersecting the pull-out direction of the handle body.

4. A handle device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the abutment portion is formed in a stepped shape with each step having a different height in the pull-out direction.

5. A handle device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment member is a shock absorbing member that abuts against the handle body when the handle body returns to the initial position from a pop-up position into which it has been pulled out.

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