Door handle device

Abstract

This door handle device comprises: a base that is provided to a door panel and has a hole that connects the inside and the outside of the door panel; a handle body that has an arm that is inserted into the hole and connected to a door latch mechanism; and a cover that is provided to an opening of the hole. The handle body is rotatably attached to the base by a relative movement with respect to the base while the arm is inserted into the hole. The cover covers at least a portion of an arm passing area due to the relative movement within the opening.

Description

Door handle device

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

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses a structure that includes a base provided on a door panel and a handle lever, in which the operating part of the handle lever is inserted into a guide hole provided in the base, the handle lever is moved from the other end side to the one end side relative to the base, and the pivot part of the handle lever is attached to the locking part of the base.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-063069

[0004] However, in the structure of the door handle device of Patent Document 1, when the handle lever is pulled out, part of the guide hole into which the operating part of the handle lever is inserted may be visible to the user, which is undesirable from the standpoint of appearance.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a door handle device that can improve the appearance when the door handle is pulled out.

[0006] A door handle device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a base provided on a door panel and having a hole connecting the inside and outside of the door panel, a handle body having an arm inserted into the hole and connected to a door latch mechanism, and a cover provided at the opening of the hole. The handle body is rotatably attached to the base by relative movement with respect to the base when the arm is inserted into the hole. The cover covers at least a portion of the area of ​​the opening through which the arm passes during relative movement.

[0007] According to the door handle device, the appearance of the door handle when pulled out can be improved.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a door handle device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the handle body is pulled outward in the vehicle width direction in the door handle device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the structure of the handle body and base according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing the attachment structure of the handle body to the base according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4B is a perspective view showing the attachment structure of the handle body to the base according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4C is a perspective view showing an excerpt of the attachment structure of the handle body to the base according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4D is a perspective view showing an excerpt of the attachment structure of the handle body to the base according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing an operation of attaching the handle body to the base according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5B is a perspective view showing relative movement for attaching the handle body to the base according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5C is a perspective view showing the structure when a cover is arranged after the handle body according to the first embodiment is attached to the base. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the structure when a cover is arranged after the handle body according to the first embodiment is attached to the base. FIG. 7A is a side view showing the structure before a cover is placed on the base rear opening according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7B is a side view showing the structure when a cover that covers a portion of the base rear opening according to the first embodiment is placed. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the structure of the cover according to the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the door handle device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the structure of the base rear part according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11A is a perspective view showing the structure before a cover is placed on the base rear opening according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11B is a perspective view showing the structure when a cover that covers a portion of the base rear opening according to the second embodiment is placed. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the structure when a cover and a blocking member are placed after the handle main body according to the second embodiment is attached to the base. FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of a main portion of the door handle device according to the second embodiment.

[0009] A door handle device 1 according to an embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, FW indicates the front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, UP indicates the upper side in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and LH indicates the left side in the width direction of the vehicle. In the following description, the front and rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the upper and lower sides in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the left, left side, right side, and right side in the width direction of the vehicle will be simply referred to as the front, rear, upper, lower, left, left side, right, and right side, respectively. In addition, components having the same functions as those already described will be assigned the same reference numerals and will not be described again. Below, the left door handle device 1 will be described. The right door handle device 1 is similar to the left door handle device 1, so its description will be omitted.

[0010] The door handle device 1 according to the first embodiment includes a base 11 provided on a door panel 2, a handle body 21, and a cover 31. The base 11 has a hole 13A that connects the inside and outside of the door panel 2. The cover 31 is provided at an opening 13B of the hole 13A (see FIGS. 1-3, 5C, and 6).

[0011] The door panel 2 is a panel material constituting a door of a vehicle body. The door panel 2 has a recess 3 recessed inward in the vehicle width direction. A panel front hole 3A is provided in front of the recess 3, connecting the interior of the door panel 2, which is on the inside in the vehicle width direction, to the exterior, which is on the outside in the vehicle width direction (see FIGS. 1 and 2 ). A base front portion 12 of a base 11, which will be described later, is disposed in the panel front hole 3A. A panel rear hole 3B is provided in the rear of the recess 3, connecting the interior of the door panel 2, which is on the inside in the vehicle width direction, to the exterior, which is on the outside in the vehicle width direction (see FIGS. 1 and 2 ). A base rear portion 13 of the base 11, which will be described later, is disposed in the panel rear hole 3B. In the embodiment, the panel front hole 3A and the panel rear hole 3B are formed within the recess 3, but the positions of the panel front hole 3A and the panel rear hole 3B are not limited to those described above. For example, the panel front hole 3A may be formed forward of the recess 3, and the panel rear hole 3B may be formed rearward of the recess 3.

[0012] The base 11 is a member that secures the handle body 21 to the door panel 2, and is made of, for example, resin. The base 11 is disposed on the inner side of the door panel 2 in the vehicle width direction, and may be secured to the door panel 2 with screws or the like. The base 11 includes a base front portion 12, a base rear portion 13, and a base main body portion 14 that is connected to the base front portion 12 and the base rear portion 13 (see FIG. 3 ).

[0013] The base front portion 12 constitutes the front portion of the base 11. The base front portion 12 is provided with a base front hole (hereinafter referred to as the base front hole 12A), which is a hole 12A that communicates in the vehicle width direction. The base front portion 12 is fitted into and fixed to the panel front hole 3A of the door panel 2. In other words, the base front hole 12A communicates between the interior and exterior of the door panel 2. In the embodiment, a portion of the base front portion 12 forms a flange 12B that extends outward in the vehicle width direction of the door panel 2 and covers the periphery of the panel front hole 3A (see FIG. 2 ). The flange 12B may be formed as a separate part from the base 11.

[0014] A front guide portion 12C is formed in the base front portion 12, extending from the lower edge of the base front hole 12A toward the vehicle width inward (see FIG. 4B). A locking portion 12D is provided forward of the front guide portion 12C (see FIGS. 4B-4D). That is, the locking portion 12D is located forward and inward of the base front hole 12A in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the locking portion 12D extends rearward from the front of the base front portion 12 and is composed of a locking piece 12D1 that is elastically deformable upward and a bottom portion 12D2 that is positioned below and opposite the locking piece 12D1. The locking piece 12D1 is provided with a locking hole 12E that communicates in the vertical direction of the vehicle (see FIG. 4C). The bottom portion 12D2 is provided with a locking hole (not shown) that faces the locking hole 12E and communicates in the vertical direction of the vehicle. Note that the shape and arrangement of the base front portion 12 are not limited to those described above.

[0015] The base rear portion 13 forms the rear of the base 11 (see FIG. 3). The base rear portion 13 is provided with a base rear hole (hereinafter referred to as the base rear hole 13A), which is a hole 13A that communicates in the vehicle width direction. The base rear portion 13 is fitted and fixed into the panel rear hole 3B of the door panel 2. That is, the base rear hole 13A communicates between the interior and exterior of the door panel 2. In this embodiment, a portion of the base rear portion 13 extends outward in the vehicle width direction of the door panel 2 and forms a flange 13D that covers the periphery of the panel rear hole 3B (see FIGS. 2 and 5A). A rear guide portion 13C may extend from the rear edge of the base rear hole 13A toward the interior in the vehicle width direction (see FIG. 5A). The base main body portion 14 extends in the vehicle front-rear direction and connects the base front portion 12 and the base rear portion 13. Note that the shape and arrangement of the base rear portion 13 are not limited to those described above. Furthermore, the flange 13D may be configured as a separate part from the base 11.

[0016] The handle body 21 extends in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle and is disposed on the outer side of the door panel 2 in the vehicle width direction. The handle body 21 includes a handle front portion 22, a handle rear portion 23, and a grip portion 24 connected to the handle front portion 22 and the handle rear portion 23 (see FIG. 3). A handle cover that covers the handle body 21 from the outside may be attached to the handle body 21. The handle body 21 is also referred to as a door grip, a handle lever, etc.

[0017] The handle front section 22 constitutes the front portion of the handle main body 21 and is attached to the base front section 12 (see FIGS. 1-3). The handle front section 22 is provided with an attachment section 22A that is inserted into the base front hole 12A when attached to the base front section 12 (see FIGS. 4A-4D). The attachment section 22A is generally L-shaped, extending from the front of the handle front section 22 toward the inside of the vehicle width direction, then bending and extending forward. The attachment section 22A is composed of an upper surface 22A1 and a lower surface 22A2 that faces the upper surface 22A1. The upper surface 22A1 is provided with a protrusion 22B that protrudes upward (see FIG. 4A). The lower surface 22A2 is provided with a protrusion (not shown) that protrudes downward and is coaxial with the protrusion 22B in the vertical direction. The vertical dimension of the attachment section 22A, including the protrusion, is larger than the vertical dimension between the locking piece 12D1 and the bottom section 12D2. The shape and arrangement of the handle front portion 22 are not limited to those described above.

[0018] The handle rear portion 23 is provided with an arm 23A that is inserted into the base rear hole 13A. The arm 23A has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape and extends from the handle rear portion 23 toward the inside in the vehicle width direction. The arm 23A is inserted into the base rear hole 13A so as to be movable forward and backward in the vehicle width direction. The rear end of the arm 23A is disposed generally parallel to the rear guide portion 13C. An arm recess 23B is formed in the front portion of the arm 23A on the inside in the vehicle width direction, recessed rearward from the front end. A lever 13E connected to a door latch mechanism is housed in the arm recess 23B. The grip portion 24 extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and is connected to the handle front portion 22 and the handle rear portion 23. By rotating the grip portion 24 toward the outside in the vehicle width direction, a user can activate the door latch mechanism with the lever 13E via the arm 23A and open the door. Note that the shape and arrangement of the handle rear portion 23 are not limited to those described above.

[0019] The method of attaching the handle body 21 to the base 11 will now be described. First, the attachment portion 22A is inserted into the base front hole 12A, and the arm 23A is inserted into the base rear hole 13A (see FIGS. 5A and 5B). Next, the handle body 21 is moved forward relative to the base 11 (see FIGS. 5B and 5C). This relative movement will be referred to as relative movement M below. Due to this relative movement M, the protrusion 22B on the upper surface 22A1 of the attachment portion 22A is received in the locking hole 12E of the locking piece 12D1 of the base front portion 12 (see FIG. 4D). The protrusion on the lower surface 22A2 of the attachment portion 22A is received in the locking hole in the bottom portion 12D2 of the base front portion 12. This allows the handle body 21 to be attached so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction around the protrusion 22B on the upper surface 22A1 and the protrusion on the lower surface 22A2. Furthermore, the lever 13E is accommodated in the arm recess 23B by the relative movement M (see FIG. 5C).

[0020] Due to the relative movement M, the position of the arm 23A moves forward within the base rear hole 13A. Therefore, a gap is created behind the arm 23A within the base rear hole 13A. In other words, due to the relative movement M, the gap in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction between the rear end of the arm 23A and the rear guide portion 13C located at the rear edge of the base rear hole 13A increases. Therefore, when the arm 23A and the base rear hole 13A are viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction, a portion of the base rear opening 13B, which is the opening of the base rear hole 13A, is visible behind the arm 23A. In other words, when the handle body 21 is pulled outward in the vehicle width direction, the area through which the arm 23A passes due to the relative movement M can be visually recognized by the user as part of the base rear opening 13B (see FIG. 7A ). Hereinafter, the area through which the arm 23A passes due to the relative movement M will be referred to as the "passing area P."

[0021] The cover 31 is positioned on the vehicle widthwise outer side of the base rear opening 13B (see FIG. 6). The cover 31 is generally trapezoidal, and the front portion of the cover 31 covers at least a portion of the base rear opening 13B through which the arm 23A passes during relative movement M (see FIG. 7B). That is, when viewed from the vehicle widthwise outer side, a portion of the base rear opening 13B and a portion of the cover 31 overlap. In other words, the front end of the cover 31 is positioned forward of the rear edge of the base rear opening 13B, and the rear end of the cover 31 is positioned rearward of the rear edge of the base rear opening 13B. This configuration prevents a portion of the base rear opening 13B from being visible to the user when the handle body 21 is pulled outward in the vehicle widthwise direction. Note that the shape of the cover 31 is not limited to the above, as long as it covers at least a portion of the base rear opening 13B through which the arm 23A passes from the vehicle widthwise outer side.

[0022] The front end of the cover 31 may be provided with a wall 32 that protrudes in a direction intersecting the relative movement M (see FIG. 8 ). In the embodiment, the front end of the cover 31 is provided with a flange-shaped wall 32 that extends inward in the vehicle width direction. This improves the rigidity of the cover 31 in the vehicle front-rear direction, which is the direction of the relative movement M. Similarly, the upper, lower, and rear ends of the cover 31 may be provided with walls that extend inward in the vehicle width direction (see FIG. 8 ). For example, if the handle body 21 moves in the direction opposite to the relative movement M due to a side collision or the like, the rear end of the handle body 21 may interfere with the wall 32 of the cover 31. In contrast, by providing the cover 31 with improved rigidity in the vehicle front-rear direction, the cover 31 is less likely to be damaged.

[0023] The cover 31 may be provided with a protrusion 33 that protrudes forward from the wall 32 at the front end of the cover 31. In the embodiment, the protrusion 33 is provided from the vertical center of the wall 32 of the cover 31 (see FIG. 8 ). For example, when pulling the handle body 21 outward in the vehicle width direction, an excessive load may be applied that causes the handle body 21 to be pulled outward in the vehicle width direction beyond the allowable pull stroke. In response to this, the protrusion 33 can restrict the arm 23A from moving outward in the vehicle width direction. This prevents the arm 23A from slipping out of the base rear hole 13A. Note that the position, direction, shape, etc. of the wall 32 of the cover 31 and the protrusion 33 are not limited to those described above.

[0024] As a second embodiment, the door handle device 1 may include a key cylinder 41. For example, a key cylinder hole 13F may be provided behind the base rear hole 13A in the base rear portion 13 (see FIG. 10 ). The key cylinder 41 can be fixed to the base rear portion 13 by fitting it into the key cylinder hole 13F. The key cylinder 41 may be arranged upright from the base rear portion 13 toward the handle body 21 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. The rotation shaft of the key cylinder 41 is connected to the door lock mechanism. A key hole 25 into which a key is inserted may be provided in a portion of the handle body 21 facing the key cylinder 41 (see FIG. 9 ). The door lock mechanism may be unlocked by inserting a mechanical key into the key hole 25 and the key cylinder 41 and rotating it.

[0025] The door handle device 1 according to the second embodiment may also include a base escutcheon 42 that covers the periphery of the key cylinder 41 (see FIG. 11A ). In this case, the base escutcheon 42 is disposed on the outer side of the base rear portion 13 in the vehicle width direction and has a hole in the center for inserting the key cylinder 41. The key cylinder 41 is inserted into the hole, and the base escutcheon 42 covers the periphery of the key cylinder 41 and is fixed to the base rear portion 13. This allows the key cylinder 41 to be locked to the base rear portion 13.

[0026] In the second embodiment, the method of attaching the handle body 21 to the base 11 is the same as in the first embodiment, and therefore description thereof will be omitted. In the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, after the handle body 21 is attached to the base 11, a portion of the base rear opening 13B, which is the opening of the base rear hole 13A, is visible behind the arm 23A when viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. In the second embodiment, the cover 31 can be disposed outside the base rear opening 13B and the base escutcheon 42 in the vehicle width direction. As in the first embodiment, the front portion of the cover 31 covers at least a portion of the area P of the base rear opening 13B through which the arm 23A passes during relative movement M. In this case, the cover 31 may have a hole in its center for inserting the key cylinder 41, and may be engaged with the base escutcheon 42 so as to cover the entire outer surface of the base escutcheon 42 from the outside in the vehicle width direction (see FIG. 11B ). Alternatively, the cover 31 may cover only a portion of the outer surface of the base escutcheon 42. In the first embodiment, the base escutcheon 42 may be provided on the outer side of the base rear portion 13 in the vehicle width direction. In this case, the cover 31 can be disposed relative to the base escutcheon 42 in the same manner as in the second embodiment.

[0027] A locking claw 34 may be provided on the inner side of the cover 31 in the vehicle width direction, extending in a direction intersecting the relative movement M and capable of locking to the base escutcheon 42. For example, the locking claw 34 may be formed to extend in the vertical direction (see FIG. 13 ). The locking claw 34 allows the cover 31 to be locked to the base escutcheon 42 in the vertical direction. The locking claw 34 may also be formed to extend in a direction inclined with respect to the vertical direction. The position, direction, shape, etc. of the locking claw 34 are not limited to those described above.

[0028] In the second embodiment, a clearance C is provided between the key cylinder 41 and the key hole 25 to prevent damage and collision noise due to interference between them (see FIG. 12 ). Wind noise can occur due to the clearance C while the vehicle is moving. Here, wind noise is defined as noise generated outside and inside the vehicle cabin due to pressure fluctuations caused by the vehicle body shape. When a vehicle is moving, a portion of the traveling wind flowing rearward along the exterior surface of the vehicle body bends near the door handle device 1. This increases the wind speed of the traveling wind near the door handle device 1, causing a decrease in pressure. This also decreases the pressure near the clearance C. Therefore, air present on the passenger compartment side of the clearance C (e.g., air present between the handle body 21 and the door panel 2 or the base 11) is sucked through the clearance C to the outside of the vehicle where pressure is reduced. When this occurs, wind noise can be generated as the air passes through the clearance C and is sucked outside the vehicle.

[0029] In the second embodiment, the cover 31 covers a portion of the base rear opening 13B from the outside in the vehicle width direction. As a result, when air passes through the portion of the base rear opening 13B and is sucked out to the outside of the vehicle via the clearance, the cover 31 can act as a passage resistance. Therefore, the cover 31 in the second embodiment can reduce the amount and speed of air that passes through the clearance C and is sucked out to the outside of the vehicle. This has the effect of suppressing wind noise more effectively than a configuration without the cover 31.

[0030] To further suppress wind noise, in the second embodiment, a blocking member 51 may be provided between the handle body 21 and the cover 31. The blocking member 51 may be made of, for example, rubber and disposed between the handle body 21 and the cover 31, contacting the handle body 21 and the cover 31 (see FIG. 13 ). For example, the blocking member 51 may have a groove 52 recessed rearward from its front end and a protrusion 53 extending inward in the vehicle width direction. In this case, the groove 52 may be fitted and fixed to a protrusion 23C extending from the rear end of the arm 23A. In this case, the protrusion 53 is disposed in contact with the outer surface of the cover 31 in the vehicle width direction. This allows the blocking member 51 to block the gap between the relatively moved arm 23A and the cover 31 covering a portion of the opening 11B. In other words, the blocking member 51 can block a narrow gap that exists between the cover 31, a portion of the base rear opening 13B, and the arm 23A. This further reduces the amount and speed of air sucked through the clearance C to the outside of the vehicle, thereby further suppressing wind noise. Furthermore, when the blocking member 51 abuts against the cover 31, snap-back noise that occurs when the handle body 21 returns to its initial position after being pulled outward in the vehicle width direction can be suppressed. Furthermore, when the blocking member 51 abuts against the handle body 21, the groove 52 of the blocking member 51 is prevented from coming off the protrusion 23C, causing the blocking member 51 to fall off. That is, the tip of the wall portion 26 extending from the handle body 21 toward the blocking member 51 abuts against the outer surface 54 that forms the groove 52 of the blocking member 51, thereby restricting movement of the blocking member 51 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle (the insertion / removal direction of the groove 52) (see Figures 12 and 13). Therefore, the blocking member 51 is prevented from falling off. The position, shape, etc. of the blocking member 51 are not limited to those described above, and the blocking member 51 does not have to completely block the gap.

[0031] A method for attaching the cover 31 will be described. In the first embodiment, after the handle body 21 is attached to the base 11, the cover 31 is inserted from above or below between the handle body 21 and the base rear portion 13 with the handle body 21 pulled outward in the vehicle width direction, and the cover is engaged with the base rear portion 13. As a result, the cover 31 is positioned between the base 11 and the handle body 21. At this time, the cover 31 is positioned so as to cover a portion of the base rear opening 13B. In the second or first embodiment, when the base escutcheon 42 is provided, the cover 31 is inserted from above or below between the handle body 21 and the base escutcheon 42 with the handle body 21 pulled outward in the vehicle width direction, and the cover 31 is engaged with the base escutcheon 42.

[0032] A method for attaching the blocking member 51 will now be described. In the second embodiment, the blocking member 51 is disposed between the handle body 21 and the cover 31, and the groove 52 of the blocking member 51 is fitted into the protrusion 23C of the arm 23A. The handle body 21 is then attached to the base 11. At this time, the convex portion 53 of the blocking member 51 abuts against the outer surface of the cover 31 in the vehicle width direction. In addition, the tip of the wall portion 26 of the handle body 21 abuts against the outer surface 54 that forms the groove 52 of the blocking member 51. Note that the attachment method and arrangement of the blocking member 51 are not limited to those described above.

[0033] (1) The door handle device 1 according to the first embodiment includes a base 11 having a base rear hole 13A that is a hole that connects the interior and exterior of a door panel 2, a handle main body 21 having an arm 23A that is inserted through the base rear hole 13A and connected to a door latch mechanism, and a cover 31 provided on a base rear opening 13B that is an opening of the base rear hole 13A. The handle main body 21 is rotatably attached to the base 11 by a relative movement M relative to the base 11 when the arm 23A is inserted through the base rear hole 13A. The cover 31 covers at least a portion of the base rear opening 13B, which is a passage area P through which the arm 23A passes due to the relative movement M. This configuration prevents a portion of the base rear opening 13B from being visible to a user when the handle main body 21 is pulled outward in the vehicle width direction, thereby improving the appearance of the door handle device 1.

[0034] (2) The second embodiment also includes a key hole 25 provided in the handle body 21, a key cylinder 41 extending from the base 11 toward the key hole 25, and a base escutcheon 42 attached to the base 11 and surrounding the key cylinder 41. In the second embodiment, the cover 31 prevents a portion of the base rear opening 13B from being visible to the user, thereby improving the appearance of the door handle device 1. Furthermore, when the vehicle is moving, air passes through a portion of the base rear opening 13B and is drawn to the outside of the vehicle through a clearance C between the key cylinder 41 and the key hole 25. At this time, the cover 31, which covers a portion of the base rear opening 13B, can create resistance to the passage of air. Therefore, the amount and speed of air drawn to the outside of the vehicle through the clearance C are reduced, thereby suppressing wind noise caused by the clearance C.

[0035] (3) Furthermore, in the second embodiment, a blocking member 51 is provided between the handle body 21 and the cover 31. The blocking member 51 contacts the handle body 21 and the cover 31, respectively, and blocks at least a portion of the base rear opening 13B through which the arm 23A passes during the relative movement M. The blocking member 51 thereby blocks the gap between the relatively moved arm 23A and the cover 31, which covers a portion of the opening 11B. This further reduces the amount and speed of air sucked through the clearance to the outside of the vehicle, thereby further suppressing wind noise. Furthermore, if a member is installed to block the clearance C between the key hole 25 and the key cylinder 41, water remaining around the member may freeze, making it impossible to open the handle body 21. This configuration suppresses wind noise while avoiding the above-mentioned problems.

[0036] (4) In the second embodiment, the cover 31 covers the outer surface of the base escutcheon 42. As a result, after the handle body 21 is attached to the base 11, the cover 31 can be inserted from above or below between the handle body 21 and the base escutcheon 42 when the handle body 21 is pulled outward in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the cover 31 can be easily attached to the base escutcheon 42.

[0037] (5) Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the cover 31 has locking claws 34 that extend in a direction intersecting the relative movement M and can be locked to the base escutcheon 42. This allows the cover 31 to be locked to the base escutcheon 42 in a direction different from the vehicle longitudinal direction, which is the mounting direction of the handle body 21. Therefore, even if the handle body 21 moves in the direction opposite to the relative movement M due to a collision or the like and the rear end of the handle body 21 interferes with the wall 32 of the cover 31, the cover 31 can be prevented from coming off. Therefore, in the above case, the handle body 21 can be prevented from falling off the base 11.

[0038] (6) In the first and second embodiments, the cover 31 has a wall 32 that protrudes in a direction intersecting the relative movement M. This improves the rigidity of the cover 31 in the vehicle longitudinal direction, which is the direction of the relative movement M. Therefore, even if the handle body 21 moves in the opposite direction to the relative movement M and the rear end of the handle body 21 interferes with the wall 32 of the cover 31, damage to the cover 31 can be suppressed. Therefore, in the above case, the handle body 21 can be suppressed from falling off the base 11.

[0039] (7) Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, the wall 32 is provided in a portion of the base rear opening 13B that covers at least a portion of the area P through which the arm 23A passes during the relative movement M, and the wall 32 is provided with a protrusion 33 that protrudes in the direction of the relative movement. As a result, when the handle body 21 is pulled outward in the vehicle width direction, if an excessive load is applied so as to pull the arm 23A outward in the vehicle width direction beyond the allowable pull-out stroke, the protrusion 33 can restrict the arm 23A from moving outward in the vehicle width direction. This prevents the arm 23A from coming out of the base rear opening 13A.

[0040] The above-described embodiments are merely examples described to facilitate understanding of the invention. The technical scope of the invention is not limited to the specific technical matters disclosed in the above-described embodiments, but also includes various modifications, changes, alternative technologies, etc. that can be easily derived therefrom.

[0041] In the above embodiment, the base 11 is configured as an integrated part, but the base front part 12, the base rear part 13, the base main body part 14, etc. may each be configured as separate parts.

[0042] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Door handle device 2 Door panel 11 Base 13A Base rear hole (hole) 13B Base rear opening (opening) 21 Handle body 23A Arm 25 Key hole 31 Cover 32 Wall 33 Protrusion 34 Locking claw 41 Key cylinder 42 Base escutcheon 51 Closure member

Claims

1. A door handle device comprising: a base provided in a door panel and having a hole connecting the inside and outside of the door panel; a handle body having an arm that is inserted into the hole and connected to a door latch mechanism; and a cover provided at the opening of the hole, wherein the handle body is rotatably attached to the base by relative movement with respect to the base with the arm inserted into the hole, and the cover covers at least a portion of the area of ​​the opening through which the arm passes due to the relative movement.

2. The door handle device according to claim 1, comprising: a key hole provided in the handle body; a key cylinder extending from the base toward the key hole; and a base escutcheon attached to the base and surrounding the key cylinder.

3. A door handle device as described in claim 2, further comprising a blocking member between the handle body and the cover, which abuts against the handle body and the cover, respectively, and blocks at least a portion of the area of ​​the opening through which the arm passes due to the relative movement.

4. The door handle device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the cover covers the outer surface of the base escutcheon.

5. A door handle device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the cover has a locking claw that extends in a direction intersecting the relative movement and can be locked to the base escutcheon.

6. A door handle device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cover has a wall that protrudes in a direction that intersects with the relative movement.

7. A door handle device as described in claim 6, wherein the wall is provided in a portion of the opening that covers at least a part of the area through which the arm passes during the relative movement, and the wall is provided with a protrusion that protrudes in the direction of the relative movement.

Images