Handle for a vehicle door

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11454052-B2
Application number	US-201815966938-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2018
Priority date	Jun 16, 2015
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

A handle for a vehicle door is provided that includes an activation member configured to activate a latch of a vehicle door and a grip member that cooperates with the activation member to unlatch the door. The grip member is movable between a flush position where a gripping part extends flush to an external panel of the door, an active position where the gripping part is graspable by projecting from the panel and the grip member cooperates with the activation member, and an opening position where the grip member drives the activation member to activate the latch and unlatch the door. In one form, a driving mechanism and actuator lever drives the grip member between the flush and active position. When the grip member is pulled in an opening direction, the grip member drives the activation member which in turn activates the latch to unlatch the door.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A handle for a vehicle door comprising:
an activation member configured to activate a latch of a vehicle door to unlatch the door;
a grip member configured to cooperate with the activation member to unlatch the door, wherein the grip member comprises a gripping part and a grip lever, wherein the grip lever has a first arm connected to the gripping part and a second arm configured to cooperate with the activation member, the grip member being movable between:
a flush position in which the gripping part extends flush to an external panel of the door,
an active position in which the gripping part projects with respect to the external panel and becomes graspable, and the grip member cooperates with the activation member, and
an opening position in which the grip member drives the activation member to activate the latch and unlatch the door; and

a driving mechanism and an actuator lever including a driving shaft and a driven shaft configured to cooperate with the second arm of the grip member such that the grip member may be moved between the flush position and the active position,
wherein the handle is configured such that when the grip member is pulled according to an opening direction, the grip member drives the activation member which in turn activates the latch to unlatch the door,
wherein the grip member is rotatably mounted about a grip axis and the actuator lever is rotatably mounted about an actuator axis, the grip axis and the actuator axis being substantially parallel to each other,
wherein the handle further comprises an actuator spring configured to drive the actuator lever which in turn drives the grip member,
wherein the grip member is spring biased towards the flush position by a grip spring,
wherein the grip member comprises a driven structure and the actuator lever comprises a driving structure cooperating with the driven structure,
wherein the grip member being urged towards the active position by the actuator spring through the actuator lever and the driving structure and the driven structure, and
wherein a force of the actuator spring overcomes the grip spring when the actuator lever is driving the grip member.

2. The handle according to claim 1 further comprising:
a grip return configured to drive the grip member towards the flush position, wherein the actuator lever is moveable between:
an activating position in which the actuator lever drives the gripping member towards the active position, and a rest position in which the actuator lever releases the grip member;

an actuator return configured to drive the actuator lever towards the activating position; and
a retaining device for retaining the actuator lever in the rest position.

3. The handle according to claim 1 further comprising:
a grip return configured to drive the grip member towards the active position, wherein the actuator lever is moveable between:
a locking position in which the actuator lever blocks the grip member in the flush position, and
an unlocking position in which the actuator lever enables the grip member to move towards the active position;

an actuator return configured to drive the actuator lever towards the locking position; and
a retaining device for retaining the actuator lever in the unlocking position.

4. The handle according to claim 1 further comprising a retaining device for retaining the actuator lever in at least one of a rest position and an unlocking position, the retaining device comprising a pressure sensitive bistable spring mechanism connected to the actuator lever and to a bracket, the bistable spring mechanism being movable between a retaining state in which the actuator lever is retained in the rest position or in the unlocking position, and a releasing state in which the actuator lever is released from said position.

5. The handle according to claim 4 , wherein the retaining device comprises a clicking device configured to produce a clicking sound when the actuator lever is released from the rest position or from the unlocking position.

6. The handle according to claim 4 , wherein the retaining device comprises a linear spring configured to be received in a retaining path.

7. The handle according to claim 6 , wherein the linear spring is attached to a bracket of the handle and the retaining path is provided on the actuator level.

8. The handle according to claim 6 , wherein the linear spring is urged between two positions in the retaining path as a first part and a second part of the handle are pressed with respect to each other.

9. The handle according to claim 4 , wherein the retaining device comprises a damper.

10. The handle according to claim 9 , wherein the damper is bi-directional or mono-directional.

11. The handle according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator lever is driven by a motor.

12. The handle according to claim 1 further comprising at least one first switch and a first circuit, closed by a contact between the activation member and the grip member.

13. The handle according to claim 12 further comprising at least one second switch on a motor or on the actuator lever and at least one second circuit, the at least one second switch and the second circuit being configured to inform a user on a state of the actuator lever.

14. The handle according to claim 1 , wherein the grip member comprises a driven structure and the actuator lever comprises a driving structure cooperating with the driven structure,
wherein when the actuator lever is moved from a rest position to an activating position, the driving structure drives the driven structure such that the gripping part is moved from the flush position to the active position.

15. The handle according to claim 14 , wherein the actuator lever has two opposite ends, wherein a second locking structure is placed at one end and the driven structure of the grip member is placed at an opposite end.

16. The handle according to claim 1 , wherein the grip member comprises a first locking structure and the actuator lever comprises a second locking structure cooperating with the first locking structure,
wherein when the grip member is moved from the active position to the opening position, the first locking structure drives the second locking structure so as to drive the actuator lever towards a rest position such that the actuator lever presses and is retained by a retaining device.

17. The handle according to claim 1 , wherein the grip member comprises a first locking structure defining a first trajectory when the grip member is moved from the flush position to the active position, and the actuator lever comprises a second locking structure,
wherein when the actuator lever is in a locking position, the second locking structure blocks the first locking structure so as to block the grip member in the flush position, and
wherein when the actuator lever is in an unlocking position, the second locking structure is moved out of the first trajectory (T1) of the first locking structure.

18. The handle according to claim 1 , wherein the grip member comprises a driving structure and the actuator lever comprises a driven structure cooperating with the driving structure such that when the grip member is in the flush position and the gripping part is pressed from outside the vehicle door, the driving structure drives the driven structure such that the actuator lever presses a retaining device which in turn releases the actuator lever from an unlocking position.

19. The handle according to claim 1 , wherein when the gripping part moves

Assignees

• U Shin Italia Spa

Inventors

• Guerin Anthony
• Rocci Antonio
• Ostovari-Far Siavash

Classifications

• E05B81/64

  Monitoring or sensing, e.g. by using switches or sensors · CPC title

• E05B85/103 Primary

  creating a completely closed wing surface · CPC title

• E05B85/16 Primary

  a longitudinal grip part being pivoted at one end about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the grip part · CPC title

• E05B81/16

  operating on locking elements for locking or unlocking action · CPC title

• E05B79/20 Primary

  using flexible connections, e.g. Bowden cables · CPC title