Outer handle device for vehicle door

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10072447-B2
Application number	US-201415034327-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2014
Priority date	Nov 6, 2013
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

An outer handle device for a vehicle door is provided in which an actuator can drive the outer handle to a pop-up position where the operating portion of the outer handle projects outward from the outer panel, wherein in a state in which the outer handle is in a pop-up position, a drive lever of the actuator is held at an operated position by holding means, a release lever is pivoted by a handle lever pivoting with the outer handle when the outer handle pivots from the pop-up position to the full stroke position, the holding of the drive lever by the holding means is released by the pivoting of the release lever, and the drive lever is forcibly returned to the initial position. This enables an outer handle to be returned to a housed position even if there is a malfunction of an actuator-side electric drive source.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An outer handle device for a vehicle door, in which an outer handle having in one end part thereof a manually operable operating portion is pivotably supported on a support case mounted on an outer panel of a door, and an actuator that can drive the outer handle at a housed position where the outer handle is housed on the support case side to a pop-up position where the operating portion projects outward from the outer panel, is mounted on the support case, wherein:
the actuator comprises a drive lever that pivots between an initial position and an operated position and an electric drive source that pivots the drive lever from the initial position to the operated position at a time of energization and that allows the drive lever to return from the operated position to the initial position in a non-energized state when the drive lever is at the operated position,
the outer handle is pivotingly urged toward a side of the housed position and is supported on the support case so as to be able to pivot to a full stroke position in which the outer handle extends further outward from the outer panel than in the pop-up position accompanying a manual operation from the pop-up position,
a biasing device including a spring that applies a biasing force to mechanically hold the drive lever at the operated position is provided on the support case,
a handle lever operatively linked to the outer handle so as to be pushed and pivoted by the drive lever in response to pivoting of the drive lever from the initial position to the operated position and, as a result of said pivoting, pivot the outer handle from the housed position to the pop-up position is supported on the support case so as to pivot together with the outer handle while leaving the drive lever at the operated position when the outer handle pivots from the pop-up position to the full stroke position, and
a release lever that pivots in response to pivoting of the handle lever accompanying a manual operation of the outer handle from the pop-up position to the full stroke position so as to engage and push the drive lever to release the holding by the biasing device and forcibly return the drive lever to the initial position is supported on the support case wherein a switch that outputs a signal for opening a window of the door so that outside air flows into a vehicle compartment is mounted on the support case such that the signal is outputted by changing of the switching mode in response to pivoting of the release lever accompanying manual operation of the outer handle from the pop-up position to the full stroke position.

2. The outer handle device for a vehicle door according to claim 1 , wherein a light that illuminates the operating portion of the outer handle in a state in which it is at the pop-up position is mounted on the support case or the outer handle.

3. An outer handle device for a vehicle door, in which an outer handle having in one end part thereof a manually operable operating portion is pivotably supported on a support case mounted on an outer panel of a door, and an actuator that can drive the outer handle at a housed position where the outer handle is housed on the support case side to a pop-up position where the operating portion projects outward from the outer panel, is mounted on the support case, wherein:
the actuator comprises a drive lever that pivots between an initial position and an operated position and an electric drive source that pivots the drive lever from the initial position to the operated position at a time of energization and that allows the drive lever to return from the operated position to the initial position in a non-energized state when the drive lever is at the operated position,
the outer handle is pivotingly urged toward a side of the housed position and is supported on the support case so as to be able to pivot to a full stroke position extending further outward from the outer panel than the pop-up position accompanying a manual operation from the pop-up position,
a biasing device that mechanically holds the drive lever at the operated position is provided on the support case,
a handle lever operatively linked to the outer handle so as to be pushed and pivoted by the drive lever in response to pivoting of the drive lever from the initial position to the operated position and, as a result of said pivoting, pivot the outer handle from the housed position to the pop-up position is supported on the support case so as to pivot together with the outer handle while leaving the drive lever at the operated position when the outer handle pivots from the pop-up position to the full stroke position, and
a release lever that is separate from the handle lever and pivots in response to pivoting of the handle lever accompanying a manual operation of the outer handle from the pop-up position to the full stroke position so as to engage and push the drive lever to release the holding by the biasing device and forcibly return the drive lever to the initial position is supported on the support case wherein a switch that outputs a signal for opening a window of the door so that outside airflows into a vehicle compartment is mounted on the support case such that the signal is outputted by changing of the switching mode in response to pivoting of the release lever accompanying manual operation of the outer handle from the pop-up position to the full stroke position.

Assignees

• Honda Lock Kk

Inventors

• Fujiwara Hiroto

Classifications

• B60Q1/2669

  on door or boot handles (lighting devices for vehicle interior on door handles B60Q3/267) · CPC title

• E05B77/06

  by means of inertial forces · CPC title

• E05B81/06

  using rotary motors · CPC title

• E05B81/90

  Manual override in case of power failure · CPC title

• B60Q1/323

  on or for doors (illuminated exterior door handles B60Q1/2669; illuminated door locks E05B17/10) · CPC title