Vehicle door opening / closing device

Abstract

A door opening / closing device (1) comprises: a door handle (3) that is provided to a door (101) of a vehicle (100) which can be opened by a drive mechanism (107) and that can be moved to an accommodation position in which the door handle (3) is accommodated in the door (101) and a protruding position in which at least a portion of the door handle (3) protrudes from the door (101); a proximity detection sensor (7) that is provided to the door handle (3) and that detects a prescribed proximity operation which is performed when a human body is in proximity to the door handle (3); and a control unit (41) that controls, on the basis of a detection result from the proximity detection sensor (7), the drive mechanism (107) so that the drive mechanism (107) opens the door (101) in a state in which the door (101) is closed. The control unit (41) performs control to open the door (101) when the door handle (3) is in the protruding position and the proximity detection sensor (7) has detected the proximity operation, and does not perform the control to open the door (101) when the door handle (3) is in the accommodation position.

Description

Vehicle door opening and closing device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle door opening and closing device.

[0002] Conventionally, a vehicle door opening / closing device has been proposed that activates a drive mechanism to open or close a vehicle door when a part of a human body approaches a door handle provided on the vehicle. In such a vehicle door opening / closing device, a proximity detection sensor, such as a capacitance sensor, is provided on the door handle to detect the proximity of a human body to the door handle, and the door is opened when a driver or the like of the vehicle performs a predetermined proximity operation, such as bringing a finger close to the door handle (see Patent Document 1). Meanwhile, in recent years, door handles called FSHs (Flush Surface Handles) that can be stored in the door are sometimes provided on the door to improve the aesthetic appearance of the vehicle. The FSH is usually stored in the door and protrudes from the door when a proximity detection sensor provided on the FSH detects that a driver or the like who wants to open the door has brought a finger or the like close to the surface of the door handle (see Patent Document 2).

[0003] However, in a structure that opens and closes a door by detecting proximity to a door handle as described in Patent Document 1, if the door handle is set to FSH as in Patent Document 2, when the door handle is retracted into the door, the proximity detection sensor may mistakenly detect the door as a human body, resulting in the door opening. For example, a capacitance sensor detects an object by utilizing the fact that the closer an object is to the electric field formed by the electrode, the greater the capacitance of the electrode. However, when the door handle is retracted into the door, the distance between the door and the capacitance sensor is closer than when the door handle is protruding from the door, resulting in a greater capacitance of the electrode than when the door handle is protruding from the door. However, since capacitance sensors basically only have the function of determining the magnitude of capacitance, it can be difficult to determine whether the door or a human body is approaching the electrode when the capacitance increases. Therefore, when the door handle is retracted into the door, the capacitance of the electrode becomes greater than when the door handle is protruding from the door, resulting in a greater capacitance of the electrode, resulting in the door opening.

[0004] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-79353 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-142045

[0005] The present disclosure provides a vehicle door opening and closing device that can suppress erroneous detection by a proximity detection sensor even in a structure in which the door is opened when the proximity detection sensor detects proximity to an FSH.

[0006] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle door opening and closing device including: a door handle provided on a vehicle door that can be opened by a drive mechanism, the door handle being movable between a stored position stored in the door and a protruding position in which at least a portion of the door protrudes from the door; a proximity detection sensor provided on the door handle that detects a predetermined proximity operation performed when a human body approaches the door handle; and a control unit that controls the drive mechanism to open the door based on the detection result of the proximity detection sensor when the door is closed, wherein the control unit controls the door to open when the door handle is in the protruding position and the proximity detection sensor detects the proximity operation, and does not control the door to open when the door handle is in the stored position.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, the door is opened only when a proximity action is performed with the door handle in the protruding position, and the door is not opened when the door handle is in the retracted position. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the door from being erroneously detected as a human body and opening when the door handle is in the retracted position. Therefore, even in a structure in which the door is opened when the proximity sensor detects proximity to the FSH, it is possible to suppress erroneous detection by the proximity sensor.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a door opening and closing device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view of a vehicle equipped with the door opening and closing device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the vicinity of the door opening and closing device of the vehicle shown in FIG. 2, with the door handle in a retracted position. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the vicinity of the door opening and closing device of the vehicle shown in FIG. 2, with the door handle in a protruding position. FIG. 5 is a side view of the door opening and closing device of FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is a bottom view of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the door handle of FIG. 3, with the mechanical switch shown in a top view. FIG. 8 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the door handle of FIG. 4, with the mechanical switch shown in a top view. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an outline of the operation of the door opening and closing device. FIG. 10 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of a door opening and closing device according to a second embodiment, with the door handle in a retracted position. FIG. 11 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of a door opening and closing device according to the second embodiment, with the door handle in a protruding position.

[0009] The present disclosure will be described below in accordance with preferred embodiments. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. In addition, in the embodiments described below, some configurations are omitted from illustration and description, but it goes without saying that publicly known or well-known technologies are applied as appropriate to the details of the omitted technologies within the scope of the content described below.

[0010] First, the configuration of a door opening and closing device according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the door opening and closing device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view of a vehicle equipped with the door opening and closing device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the vicinity of the door opening and closing device of the vehicle shown in FIG. 2, with the door handle in the retracted position. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the vicinity of the door opening and closing device of the vehicle shown in FIG. 2, with the door handle in the extended position. FIG. 5 is a side view of the door opening and closing device of FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is a bottom view of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the door handle of FIG. 3, with the mechanical switch shown in a top view. FIG. 8 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the door handle of FIG. 4, with the mechanical switch shown in a top view.

[0011] The door opening / closing device 1 (vehicle door opening / closing device) shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on a vehicle 100 shown in FIG. 2 and opens a door 101, which is a front door of the vehicle 100. As shown in FIG. 2, the door 101 is a revolving automatic door that can be opened by a drive mechanism 107 (see FIG. 1), such as an electric actuator, around an axis (not shown) of a hinge 103 provided at a front end 105a (one end) of the door 101 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 100. The axis of the hinge 103 extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle 100. Furthermore, a rear end 105b (free end) of the door 101 is not provided with the hinge 103 and forms the outer periphery of the rotational trajectory of the door 101 when it rotates. As shown in FIG. 1, the door opening / closing device 1 includes a door handle 3, a proximity detection sensor 7, and a control unit 41. The door opening / closing device 1 also includes a rotational protrusion mechanism 19, a protrusion detection unit 9, and a mechanical switch 5 (pressure detection means).

[0012] As shown in FIG. 2 , the door handle 3 is a component operated by a driver or the like of the vehicle 100 when opening the door 101 from outside the vehicle 100, and is provided on the door 101 of the vehicle 100. The door handle 3 is an FSH, and is a lever-type handle that extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle 100 and is movable between a retracted position retracted in the door 101 as shown in FIG. 3 and a protruding position in which at least a portion of the handle protrudes from the door 101 as shown in FIG. 4 . The fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle 100 here refers to a direction parallel to the direction from one end (front end 105 a) of the door 101 to the free end (rear end 105 b) of the door 101. The door handle 3 is also rotatable. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 , the door handle 3 is provided with a handle rotation shaft 23 that extends in the up-down direction of the vehicle 100 and whose axial direction is parallel to the axial direction of the rotation shaft of the door 101. The door handle 3 is rotatable around the handle rotation shaft 23 in the directions B1 and B2 in FIG. 8 . For example, when the door handle 3 rotates in the direction of B1 around the handle rotation shaft 23 in the storage position shown in Fig. 7, the door handle 3 can move (rotate) to the protruding position shown in Fig. 8. On the other hand, when the door handle 3 rotates in the direction of B2 around the handle rotation shaft 23 in the protruding position shown in Fig. 8, the door handle 3 can move (rotate) to the storage position shown in Fig. 7.

[0013] The proximity detection sensor 7 is a sensor that detects when a driver or the like of the vehicle 100 approaches the door handle 3, and an example of such a sensor is a capacitance sensor. More specifically, the proximity detection sensor 7 is a sensor that detects a predetermined proximity operation. The proximity operation here refers to an operation performed when a human body approaches or touches the door handle 3. For example, a swipe operation in which a driver or the like places a finger or elbow near or in contact with the door handle 3 and moves the finger or elbow in the direction of extension of the door handle 3 can be exemplified. However, the proximity operation is not limited to a swipe operation, and also includes a click operation (touch operation) in which a finger or elbow is placed near or in contact with the door handle 3 but is not moved. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the first embodiment will be described using an example in which a swipe operation is performed by touching a finger or elbow to the door handle 3 as a proximity operation. As shown in FIG. 7 , the proximity detection sensor 7 is disposed within the door handle 3 along the direction of extension of the door handle 3. For example, when the proximity detection sensor 7 detects that the contact position is moving from the front end 7a to the rear end 7b of the door handle 3, the proximity detection sensor 7 detects this contact as a swipe operation.

[0014] Note that when the door handle 3 moves to the protruding position by rotating around the handle rotation axis 23, a portion of the door handle 3 may not protrude from the door 101. For example, in FIG. 8 , the door handle 3 is in the protruding position, but the portion of the door 101 closer to the free end than the handle rotation axis 23 does not protrude from the surface 101a of the door 101. Therefore, it is preferable that the proximity detection sensor 7 be provided at a position that protrudes from the surface 101a of the door 101 when moved to the protruding position, rather than at a portion that does not protrude from the surface 101a of the door 101 even when moved to the protruding position. In this configuration, the entire proximity detection sensor 7 protrudes from the door 101 when the door handle 3 moves to the protruding position. This further reduces the possibility that the proximity detection sensor 7 will mistakenly detect the door 101 as a human body.

[0015] The control unit 41 is a device that controls the opening of the door 101, and is provided, for example, inside the door 101. It is connected to the proximity detection sensor 7 and receives a signal indicating whether or not a proximity operation has occurred. The control unit 41 controls the drive mechanism 107 to open the door 101 based on the detection result of the proximity detection sensor 7 when the door 101 is closed. More specifically, the control unit 41 controls the door 101 to open when the door handle 3 is in the protruding position and the proximity detection sensor 7 detects a proximity operation, in this case a swipe operation performed by touching the door handle 3 with a finger or elbow. The control unit 41 does not control the door 101 to open when the door handle 3 is in the retracted position.

[0016] In this configuration, the door 101 opens only when a proximity operation is performed on the door handle 3 while the door handle 3 is in the protruding position. Therefore, the door 101 does not open when the door handle 3 is in the retracted position, and it is possible to prevent the proximity detection sensor 7 from mistakenly detecting the door 101 as a human body and opening the door 101 when the door handle 3 is in the retracted position. Therefore, even with a structure in which the door 101 opens when the proximity detection sensor 7 detects proximity to the door handle 3, which is an FSH, it is possible to suppress mistaken detection by the proximity detection sensor 7.

[0017] The following examples are specific examples of a configuration for controlling the door 101 to open when the door handle 3 is in the protruding position and the proximity detection sensor 7 detects a proximity operation. First, the control unit 41 may turn on the operation of the proximity detection sensor 7 only when the door handle 3 is in the protruding position, and turn off the operation of the proximity detection sensor 7 when the door handle 3 is in the retracted position. This configuration is advantageous in that the proximity detection sensor 7 does not operate when the door handle 3 is in the retracted position, eliminating the possibility of the proximity detection sensor 7 mistakenly detecting the door 101 as a human body when the door handle 3 is in the retracted position. Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which both a signal indicating that the proximity detection sensor 7 has detected a proximity operation and a signal indicating that the door handle 3 is in the protruding position are input to the control unit 41, and the door 101 is controlled to open only when both signals are input simultaneously. This configuration is advantageous in that it does not require the proximity detection sensor 7 to be turned on and off. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the first embodiment will be described taking as an example a configuration in which the control unit 41 turns on the operation of the proximity detection sensor 7 only when the door handle 3 is in the protruding position.

[0018] A specific means by which the control unit 41 opens the door 101 is a means by which the control unit 41 controls, by an electric signal, the movement of a latch (not shown), which is a component of the drive mechanism 107. More specifically, the latch is a component that can move between a locked position that restricts the rotation of the door 101 and an unlocked position that does not restrict the rotation of the door 101. The control unit 41 moves the latch from the locked position to the unlocked position and then controls the door 101 to open, thereby opening the door 101. Because the door 101 is an automatic door that opens under the control of the control unit 41, the door opening and closing device 1 does not necessarily need to include a mechanism for manually opening the door 101 by, for example, having a driver grip and rotate the door handle 3. However, the door opening and closing device 1 may also include a mechanism that connects the door handle 3 and the latch with a rod wire (not shown), and allows the door 101 to be opened by rotating the door handle 3. Furthermore, the door opening and closing device 1 may be provided with a known locking mechanism that manually fixes the latch in the locked position using a key or the like.

[0019] The rotary protrusion mechanism 19 shown in FIG. 1 is a mechanism for rotating the door handle 3 and is provided inside the door 101. As shown in FIG. 6, the rotary protrusion mechanism 19 includes a motor 11, a drive shaft 13, a screw gear 15, a worm wheel 18, a spur gear 17, and a frame 19a. The motor 11 is an electric motor that generates power to rotate the door handle 3 and receives power from a power source (not shown) of the vehicle 100 to rotate a rotor (not shown). The drive shaft 13 is a shaft that rotates when the rotational force of the rotor is transmitted. The screw gear 15 is a screw-type gear that is coaxially connected to the drive shaft 13 and rotates together with the drive shaft 13. The worm wheel 18 is a helical gear that meshes with the screw gear 15 and forms a worm gear together with the screw gear 15. The spur gear 17 is a gear that meshes with the worm gear, and a handle rotation shaft 23 is provided at the center of rotation. The frame 19a is a housing that holds the motor 11, the worm wheel 18, and the spur gear 17. In the rotary protrusion mechanism 19, power generated by the motor 11 is transmitted in this order through the drive shaft 13, the screw gear 15, the worm wheel 18, and the spur gear 17, causing a handle rotation shaft 23 provided on the spur gear 17 to rotate, thereby rotating the door handle 3. Therefore, the handle rotation shaft 23 also serves as the rotation shaft of the rotary protrusion mechanism 19. As shown in FIG. 1 , the rotary protrusion mechanism 19, specifically the motor 11, may be controlled by the control unit 41, but it may also be controlled by a control mechanism separate from the control unit 41. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the first embodiment will be described taking as an example a case in which the rotary protrusion mechanism 19 is controlled by the control unit 41.

[0020] The protrusion detection unit 9 shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 is a mechanism for detecting whether the door handle 3 is in the protruding position, and includes a detection switch 9a and a pressing portion 9b as shown in FIG. 6 . The detection switch 9a is, for example, a mechanical tactile switch that closes or opens internal contacts (not shown) when pressed from the side. The pressing portion 9b is a component that presses the side of the detection switch 9a. One of the detection switch 9a and the pressing portion 9b is fixed to the underside of the spur gear 17 and rotates together with the spur gear 17, while the other is fixed to the frame 19a and positioned to overlap the rotational path of the other. More specifically, the detection switch 9a and the pressing portion 9b are positioned so that they do not contact each other when the door handle 3 is in the retracted position and so that they contact each other when the door handle 3 is in the protruding position. In this configuration, when the door handle 3 rotates from the retracted position to the protruding position, one of the detection switch 9a and the pressing portion 9b rotates together with the spur gear 17. Furthermore, when the door handle 3 reaches the extended position, the detection switch 9a and the pressing portion 9b come into contact with each other, opening or closing the contacts of the detection switch 9a, and a protrusion signal S1 (see FIG. 1) indicating that the door handle 3 is in the extended position is sent to the control unit 41. By receiving the protrusion signal S1, the control unit 41 can determine that the door handle 3 is in the extended position. Furthermore, if the control unit 41 is controlling the motor 11, the door handle 3 can be stopped in the extended position by stopping the drive of the motor 11 at the time the protrusion signal S1 is received.

[0021] The mechanical switch 5 shown in FIGS. 1, 7, and 8 is a pressure detection means for detecting pressure on the door handle 3 in the retracted position, and is provided as needed. The mechanical switch 5 is a mechanical switch that closes or opens internal contacts (not shown) when pressed. As shown in FIG. 7, the mechanical switch 5 is provided on the door 101 so that the button 5a to be pressed faces the back surface 3b on the front end 3a (end) side of the door handle 3 in the retracted position. For example, in FIG. 7, when a driver of the vehicle 100 presses the surface 3c on the front end 3a side of the door handle 3 in the retracted position from outside the vehicle 100 in the direction of the white arrow F, the pressed door handle 3 presses the button 5a of the mechanical switch 5, closing or opening the contacts. This closing or opening of the contacts causes the mechanical switch 5 to transmit a pressure signal S2 (see FIG. 1) to the control unit 41, indicating that the door handle 3 has been pressed. When the control unit 41 receives the pressing signal S2 while the door handle 3 is in the stored position, it drives the motor 11 of the rotating protruding mechanism 19 to rotate the door handle 3 in the direction of B1 and move it from the stored position to the protruding position. In this configuration, when the door handle 3 is pressed while it is in the stored position, the door handle 3 moves to the protruding position.

[0022] When the door handle 3 is in the protruding position, the driver or the like can open the door 101 by swiping the surface 3c of the door handle 3. Therefore, when the driver or the like visually confirms that the door handle 3 is in the protruding position, the driver or the like can visually recognize that the door handle 3 is in a standby state in which the door 101 can be opened by a swipe operation. On the other hand, when the door handle 3 is in the stored position, the driver or the like can also recognize that the door 101 cannot be opened even by a swipe operation. In this way, by indicating whether the door 101 is in a standby state in which it can be opened by the protruding and retracting state, i.e., the position, of the door handle 3, the driver or the like can clearly know whether the door is in a standby state without being influenced by the surrounding environment, compared to when the standby state is indicated by sound or light.

[0023] The control unit 41 may drive the motor 11 of the rotary protruding mechanism 19 to move the door handle 3 from the protruding position to the stowed position after a predetermined time has elapsed while the door handle 3 is in the protruding position. The predetermined time is, for example, the time assumed to be required for a driver or the like to open the door 101 and enter the vehicle 100. In this configuration, when a predetermined time has elapsed since the door handle 3 moved from the stowed position to the protruding position, the door handle 3 returns to the stowed position, making it impossible to open the door 101 unless the door handle 3 is moved to the protruding position again. In this way, the door handle 3 in the protruding position returns to the stowed position over time, thereby limiting the time during which the door 101 can be opened to within the predetermined time. Therefore, the door handle 3 does not remain in the protruding position, and the possibility of a passerby walking near the door 101 of the vehicle 100 approaching the door handle 3 that remains in the protruding position and opening the door 101 is reduced.

[0024] When the door handle 3 is in the protruding position and the vehicle 100 starts moving, the control unit 41 may drive the motor 11 of the rotating protruding mechanism 19 to move the door handle 3 from the protruding position to the stored position. This is because the possibility of opening the door 101 from outside the vehicle is extremely low when the vehicle 100 starts moving. Furthermore, when the door handle 3 is in the protruding position and the proximity detection sensor 7 detects that a proximity operation other than a swipe operation, such as a touch operation, has been performed, the control unit 41 may move the door handle 3 from the protruding position to the stored position. In this configuration, the door handle 3 can be moved to the stored position by an operation by the driver or the like.

[0025] When the control unit 41 controls the movement of the door handle 3 from the extended position to the retracted position, the control unit 41 must determine whether the door handle 3 has moved to the retracted position. Examples of the determination means include the following. First, a switch may be provided whose contacts are closed or opened when the door handle 3 is in the retracted position, and the control unit 41 may make the determination based on a signal from this switch. A mechanical switch 5 may be used as this switch. Alternatively, a means may be used to determine whether the door handle 3 has moved to the retracted position based on the rotation angle of the drive shaft 13.

[0026] The condition for the control unit 41 to move the door handle 3 to the extended position is not limited to when the mechanical switch 5 is pressed. For example, when the door handle 3 is in the retracted position, the control unit 41 may move the door handle 3 from the retracted position to the extended position when it detects that the distance between the communication device 61 (see FIG. 1 ) and the vehicle 100 is within a predetermined distance. The communication device 61 has authority information 63 (information indicating vehicle access authority, see FIG. 1 ) and is a communication terminal such as a smartphone that can communicate wirelessly with the control unit 41. The authority information 63 is information indicating vehicle access authority, for example, authority to access the door 101 or the vehicle 100, and is, for example, identification information for distinguishing the communication device 61 from other communication devices that can communicate with the control unit 41. In this case, the control unit 41 moves the door handle 3 from the retracted position to the extended position when it receives the authority information 63 wirelessly and detects that the distance between the communication device 61 and the vehicle 100 is within a predetermined distance. The predetermined distance is, for example, a distance at which the driver or the like can approach the door handle 3, and can be determined from the strength of the radio waves transmitted from the communication device 61 during wireless communication. In this configuration, when the door handle 3 is in the stored position and the driver or the like of the vehicle 100 carrying the communication device 61 having authority information 63 indicating vehicle access authority approaches the vehicle 100, the door handle 3 moves from the stored position to the extended position. Therefore, the door handle 3 can be moved from the stored position to the extended position without touching the door handle 3.

[0027] When the door 101 is a rotating door, the swipe operation as the proximity operation is preferably a swipe operation from the rotation axis side of the door 101 to the free end side, as indicated by arrow A2 in FIG. 8 . In this configuration, the door 101 opens when the door handle 3 is swiped from the rotation axis side of the door 101 toward the free end side. By specifying the direction of the swipe operation in this manner, when a person performing the swipe operation moves in the swiping direction while performing the swipe operation, the person moves in a direction away from the range of rotation of the door 101. This reduces the possibility that the person performing the swipe will come into contact with the rotated door 101. This point will be described in detail. For example, when a person such as a driver carrying luggage performs a swipe operation to open the door 101, the person cannot perform the swipe operation with a finger, so it is expected that the person will bend the arm carrying the luggage and perform the swipe operation with their elbow. In this case, compared to fingertips, the range of motion of a bent elbow is narrower. Therefore, when swiping with an elbow, the person performing the swipe operation needs to move their entire body in the swiping direction while performing the swipe operation to widen the range of the swipe operation. Furthermore, when performing a swipe operation with an elbow while bending the arm, the distance between the door handle 3 and the torso is closer than when performing a swipe operation with a fingertip, making it easier for the torso to come into contact with the opened door 101. Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 2 , the door handle 3 of the vehicle 100 is located near the free end of the door 101. Therefore, when the door handle 3 is swiped from the rotation axis side toward the free end side, the driver or other person after the swipe operation will be behind the free end of the door 101, i.e., outside the range of the movement trajectory of the door 101. Therefore, by performing a proximity operation as a swipe operation from the rotation axis side toward the free end side of the door 101, the possibility of the driver coming into contact with the door 101 can be reduced.

[0028] 7, in the door handle 3, the handle rotation shaft 23, which is the rotation shaft of the rotation protrusion mechanism 19, is preferably positioned closer to the free end of the door 101 than the center C of the door handle 3 in the direction A of the swipe operation. Furthermore, in the protruding position, the door handle 3 preferably has a front end 3a, which is the end of the door 101 on the rotation shaft side in the direction A of the swipe operation, protruding. When the handle rotation shaft 23 is positioned closer to the free end of the door 101, as shown in FIG. 7, the distance D1 between the front end 3a of the door handle 3 and the handle rotation shaft 23 is longer than the distance D2 between the rear end 3d of the door handle 3 and the handle rotation shaft 23. Therefore, when the door handle 3 is rotated in the direction B1 so that the front end 3a protrudes, the portion protruding from the door 101 can be made wider. Furthermore, when the driver or the like swipes the door handle 3 from the rotation axis side of the door 101 toward the free end side while the front end 3 a is protruding at the protruding position, the swiping direction traces an arc-shaped trajectory as shown by arrow A2 in FIG. 8 because human body movement is basically circular. On the other hand, when the front end 3 a is protruding at the protruding position, the direction A1 from the front end 3 a toward the rear end 3 d of the door handle 3 follows the trajectory of arrow A2. Therefore, the proximity detection sensor 7 can be oriented along the swipe direction, thereby improving the accuracy with which the proximity detection sensor 7 detects the swipe operation. Furthermore, when the position at which the front end 3 a protrudes from the door 101 is the protruding position, and the door handle 3 is swiped from the rotation axis side of the door 101 toward the free end side, the driver will swipe from the front side toward the back side. Therefore, the distance between the proximity detection sensor 7 and the driver or the like is closer in the first half of the swipe operation than in the second half, and the first half of the swipe operation can be reliably detected. In order to detect a swipe operation, it is first necessary to detect the driver or the like approaching the door handle 3. This action occurs in the first half of the swipe operation, so by reliably detecting the first half of the swipe operation, it is possible to reliably detect that the driver or the like has approached the door handle 3, thereby improving the accuracy of detecting the swipe operation.

[0029] The conditions for closing the open door 101 from outside the vehicle are not particularly limited. For example, the control unit 41 may perform control to close the door 101 when the door handle 3 is swiped in the opposite direction to when the door is opened. This completes the description of the configuration of the door opening and closing device 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0030] Next, the operation of the door opening / closing device 1 when the door 101 is opened will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 9 . FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an outline of the operation of the door opening / closing device 1. First, assume that the door 101 is closed and the door handle 3 is in the retracted position. In this case, the control unit 41 determines whether a condition for moving the door handle 3 to the protruding position is met, for example, when the door handle 3 is pressed to depress the mechanical switch 5 or when a person carrying a communication device 61 approaches the door handle 3. If it is determined that the condition is met, the process proceeds to S2. If it is determined that the condition is not met, the process proceeds to S3 (S1 in FIG. 9 ). If it is determined that the condition is met in S1, the control unit 41 drives the rotating protruding mechanism 19 to move the door handle 3 from the retracted position to the protruding position, and then the process proceeds to S4 (S2 in FIG. 9 ). Furthermore, the control unit 41 determines whether a swipe operation has been performed on the door handle 3 while the door handle 3 is in the protruding position, based on the detection result of the proximity detection sensor 7, etc. If it is determined that a swipe operation has been performed, the process proceeds to S5. If it is determined that a swipe operation has not been performed, the process proceeds to S3 (S4 in FIG. 9 ). If it is determined in S4 that a swipe operation has been performed on the door handle 3 while the door handle 3 is in the protruding position, the control unit 41 drives the drive mechanism 107 to open the door 101 and terminates the process (S5 in FIG. 9 ). If it is determined in S1 that the condition for moving the door handle 3 to the protruding position is not met, the door handle 3 is in the retracted position, and the control unit 41 terminates the process without opening the door 101 (S3 in FIG. 9 ). If it is determined in S4 that a swipe operation has not been performed on the door handle 3 while the door handle 3 is in the protruding position, specifically, even if a swipe operation is not detected at the protruding position, the control unit 41 terminates the process without opening the door 101 (S3 in FIG. 9 ). This concludes the description of the operation of the door opening and closing device 1 when the door 101 is opened.

[0031] As described above, the door opening and closing device 1 of the first embodiment includes the door handle 3, the proximity detection sensor 7, and the control unit 41, and the control unit 41 performs control to open the door 101 when the door handle 3 is in the protruding position and the proximity detection sensor 7 detects a proximity operation. In this configuration, the door 101 opens only when a proximity operation is performed while the door handle 3 is in the protruding position. Therefore, even in a structure in which the door 101 opens when the proximity detection sensor 7 detects proximity to the door handle 3, which is an FSH, erroneous detection by the proximity detection sensor 7 can be suppressed.

[0032] The door opening / closing device 1 of the first embodiment also includes a mechanical switch 5 that detects pressure on the door handle 3. When the mechanical switch 5 detects pressure while the door handle 3 is in the retracted position, the control unit 41 moves the door handle 3 from the retracted position to the extended position. The control unit 41 also moves the door handle 3 from the extended position to the retracted position after a predetermined time has elapsed while the door handle 3 is in the extended position. With this configuration, when the door handle 3 is pressed while in the retracted position, the door handle 3 moves to the extended position and returns to the retracted position after the predetermined time has elapsed. Therefore, by visually confirming that the door handle 3 is in the extended position, a driver or other person attempting to open the door 101 can visually recognize that the door 101 is in a standby state where it can be opened by swiping the door handle 3. Furthermore, the door handle 3 returning to the retracted position over time reduces the possibility that a passerby walking alongside the vehicle 100 will approach the door handle 3 and open the door 101.

[0033] Furthermore, in the door opening and closing device 1 of the first embodiment, when the control unit 41 detects that the communication device 61 having the authority information 63 and the vehicle 100 are within a predetermined distance while the door handle 3 is in the stored position, the control unit 41 moves the door handle 3 from the stored position to the protruding position. In this configuration, when a person carrying the communication device 61 having the authority information 63 indicating vehicle access authority approaches the vehicle 100 while the door handle 3 is in the stored position, the door handle 3 moves to the protruding position. Therefore, the door handle 3 can be moved to the protruding position even if there is no approaching operation to the door handle 3.

[0034] In the first embodiment, the door 101 is a rotary door, and the proximity operation is a swipe operation from the rotation axis side to the free end side of the door 101. In this configuration, when the door handle 3 is in the protruding position, swiping the door handle 3 from the rotation axis side to the free end side of the door 101 opens the door 101. Therefore, when a driver or the like performing a swipe operation moves in the swipe direction while swiping, the driver or the like moves in a direction away from the range in which the door 101 rotates. This reduces the possibility that the driver or the like performing the swipe operation will come into contact with the open door 101.

[0035] On the other hand, the door opening and closing device 1 of the first embodiment includes a rotary protruding mechanism 19 that rotates the door handle 3, and the handle rotation shaft 23 is disposed closer to the free end of the door 101 than the center C of the door handle 3 in the direction A of the swipe operation. Furthermore, the front end 3 a of the door handle 3 protrudes when in the protruding position. In this configuration, the proximity detection sensor 7 is disposed along the trajectory of the swipe operation, and the distance between the proximity detection sensor 7 and the driver or the like is closer in the first half of the swipe operation than in the second half. This improves the accuracy with which the proximity detection sensor 7 detects the swipe operation.

[0036] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, when the door opening and closing device 1 includes the rotary protruding mechanism 19, the proximity detection sensor 7 is provided at a position that protrudes from the door 101 when the door handle 3 is moved to the protruding position. In this configuration, the entire proximity detection sensor 7 protrudes from the door 101 when the door handle 3 is moved to the protruding position. This reduces the possibility that the proximity detection sensor 7 will mistakenly detect the door 101 as a person.

[0037] Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 10 and 11. Figure 10 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing a door opening and closing device according to the second embodiment, with the door handle 3 in the retracted position. Figure 11 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing a door opening and closing device according to the second embodiment, with the door handle 3 in the protruding position. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that it includes a parallel protruding mechanism that moves the door handle 3 parallel to the protruding direction to the protruding position. Elements in the second embodiment that perform the same functions as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same numbers, and differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

[0038] As shown in Figures 10 and 11 , a door opening and closing device 1a (vehicle door opening and closing device) according to the second embodiment includes a parallel protrusion mechanism 52 that moves the door handle 3 parallel to the protrusion direction to a protruding position. The parallel protrusion mechanism 52 includes a handle base 50, a first link 51, and a second link 53. The handle base 50 is a component that supports the other components constituting the parallel protrusion mechanism 52 and is fixed to the door 101. The first link 51 is a rod-shaped component that connects the handle base 50 and the door handle 3. One end of the first link 51 is connected to the handle base 50 via a shaft 51a extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle 100, and the other end is connected to the door handle 3 via a shaft 51b extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle 100. The second link 53 is also a rod-shaped component that connects the handle base 50 and the door handle 3. One end of the second link 53 is connected to the handle base 50 via a shaft 53a extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle 100, and the other end is connected to the door handle 3 via a shaft 53b extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle 100. The first link 51 and the second link 53 are arranged so that their longitudinal directions are parallel to each other. Furthermore, the first link 51 and the second link 53 hold the door handle 3 so that the surface 3c of the door handle 3 is parallel to the surface 101a of the door 101.

[0039] In the parallel protrusion mechanism 52, the first link 51 is rotatable around an axis 51a by a rotation mechanism (not shown), and the second link 53 is rotatable around an axis 53a. The first link 51 is rotatable around an axis 51b relative to the door handle 3, and the second link 53 is rotatable around an axis 53b relative to the door handle 3. On the other hand, in the parallel protrusion mechanism 52, the first link 51 and the second link 53 are connected via the door handle 3 and the handle base 50, and the parallel protrusion mechanism 52 and the door handle 3 form a parallel link mechanism. Therefore, when the first link 51 is rotated in the direction B1 in FIG. 10 when the door handle 3 is in the stored position as shown in FIG. 10, the second link 53 rotates in the direction B1 while maintaining its longitudinal direction parallel to the first link 51. As a result, the door handle 3 moves parallel in the direction E1 (protruding direction) while maintaining the surface 3c parallel to the surface 101a of the door 101, and moves to a protruding position protruding from the door 101 as shown in Fig. 11. On the other hand, when the door handle 3 is in the protruding position as shown in Fig. 11, if the first link 51 is rotated in the direction B2 in Fig. 11, the second link 53 rotates in the direction B2 while maintaining its longitudinal direction parallel to the first link 51. As a result, the door handle 3 moves parallel in the direction E2 while maintaining the surface 3c parallel to the surface 101a of the door 101, and moves to the stored position as shown in Fig. 11. In this way, the door opening and closing device 1a may be provided with the parallel protruding mechanism 52 instead of the rotary protruding mechanism 19.

[0040] In the door opening and closing device 1a of the second embodiment, the door 101 is also opened when the door handle 3 is in the protruding position and the proximity detection sensor 7 detects a proximity operation. Therefore, the second embodiment has the same effects as the first embodiment. This concludes the description of the second embodiment.

[0041] Whether the door handle 3 is moved to the protruding position by rotating it about the handle rotation shaft 23 as in the first embodiment or by moving it parallel to the protruding direction as in the second embodiment can be selected appropriately taking into account the advantages of each. For example, the first embodiment is advantageous in that it does not require a link mechanism such as the first link 51 or the second link 53, and therefore has a simpler structure than the second embodiment. On the other hand, the second embodiment is advantageous in that the entire door handle 3 can be made to protrude from the door 101, and therefore the range in which the proximity detection sensor 7 can be attached can be made wider than in the first embodiment.

[0042] The present disclosure has been described above based on the embodiments, but the present disclosure is not limited to these, and modifications may be made within the scope of the spirit of the present disclosure, and if possible, techniques from the embodiments or other known techniques may be combined.

[0043] For example, in the above embodiment, the door opening and closing devices 1 and 1a are applied to the front door of the vehicle 100, but the door opening and closing devices 1 and 1a can also be applied to the back door and rear door of the vehicle 100.

[0044] This application is based on a Japanese patent application (Patent Application No. 2024-102225) filed on June 25, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0045] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1a: Door opening / closing device (vehicle door opening / closing device) 3: Door handle 3a: Front end (end) 5: Mechanical switch (pressure detection means) 7: Proximity detection sensor 19: Rotational protrusion mechanism 23: Handle rotation shaft 41: Control unit 52: Parallel protrusion mechanism 61: Communication device 63: Authority information (information indicating vehicle access authority) 100: Vehicle 101: Door 105a: Front end (one end) 105b: Rear end (free end) 107: Drive mechanism C: Center

Claims

1. A vehicle door opening and closing device comprising: a door handle provided on a vehicle door that can be opened by a drive mechanism, the door handle being movable between a stored position stored in the door and a protruding position in which at least a portion of the door protrudes from the door; a proximity detection sensor provided on the door handle that detects a predetermined proximity operation performed when a human body approaches the door handle; and a control unit that controls the drive mechanism to open the door based on the detection result of the proximity detection sensor when the door is closed, wherein the control unit controls the door to open when the door handle is in the protruding position and the proximity detection sensor detects the proximity operation, and does not control the door to open when the door handle is in the stored position.

2. A vehicle door opening and closing device as described in claim 1, further comprising a pressure detection means for detecting pressure on the door handle when the door handle is in the stored position, wherein the control unit moves the door handle from the stored position to the protruding position when the pressure detection means detects pressure on the door handle, and moves the door handle from the protruding position to the stored position when a predetermined time has elapsed while the door handle is in the protruding position.

3. A vehicle door opening and closing device as described in claim 1, wherein when the control unit detects that the distance between the vehicle and a communication device that has information indicating vehicle access authority and is capable of wireless communication with the control unit is within a predetermined distance when the door handle is in the stored position, the control unit moves the door handle from the stored position to the extended position.

4. The vehicle door opening and closing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the door is of a rotary type that rotates around a rotary axis provided at one end, and the proximity operation is a swipe operation from the one end side of the door that is the rotary axis side to the free end side that is the end that forms the outer periphery of the rotation trajectory when the door rotates.

5. A vehicle door opening and closing device as described in claim 4, further comprising a rotating and protruding mechanism that moves the door handle from the stored position to the protruding position by rotating the door handle around a handle rotation axis that is parallel to the rotation axis of the door, wherein the handle rotation axis is positioned closer to the free end of the door handle than the center of the door handle in the direction of the swipe operation, and wherein the door handle has an end that protrudes at the protruding position that is closer to the rotation axis of the door in the direction of the swipe operation.

6. The vehicle door opening and closing device according to claim 5, wherein the proximity detection sensor is provided at a position where it protrudes from the door when the door handle is moved to the protruding position.

7. A vehicle door opening and closing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a parallel protrusion mechanism that moves the door handle in parallel in a protruding direction to move it from the stored position to the protruding position.

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