Electronic handle for a vehicle door

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11866965-B2
Application number	US-202117443629-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2021
Priority date	Jul 28, 2020
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

Abstract

An electronic handle for a vehicle door including an electronic device, an activation lever, and a bracket. The electronic device electronically activates a latch of the vehicle door. The activation lever is configured to rotate around an activation lever axis between a rest position in which the activation lever is released, and a mechanical activation position in which the activation lever is actuated for mechanically activating the latch of the vehicle door in case of default of the electronic device. The bracket receives the activation lever. The activation lever comprises a driving element pivotally connected to the activation lever, and the bracket comprises a flexible blade with a stop element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic handle for a vehicle door, comprising:
an electronic device for electronically activating a latch of the vehicle door;
an activation lever configured to rotate around an activation lever axis between a rest position in which the activation lever is released, and a mechanical activation position in which the activation lever is actuated for mechanically activating the latch of the vehicle door in case of default of the electronic device; and
a bracket configured to receive the activation lever,
wherein the activation lever comprises a driving element pivotally connected to the activation lever, and the bracket comprises a flexible blade with a stop element, the driving element cooperating with the stop element such that when the activation lever is actuated from the rest position to the mechanical activation position, the driving element passes from a first side of the stop element corresponding to the rest position to a second side of the stop element when the activation lever reaches the mechanical activation position, and
wherein the flexible blade is flexible in elastic deformation such that the driving element bends the flexible blade via the stop element when the activation lever moves from the mechanical activation position to the rest position.

2. The electronic handle according to claim 1 , wherein the driving element is pivotally connected to the activation lever, and configured such that when the activation lever comes back from the mechanical activation position to the rest position, the driving element pivots in order to allow the driving element to come back to the first side of the stop element.

3. The electronic handle according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible blade comprises a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the first end being fastened to the bracket and the second end comprising the stop element.

4. The electronic handle according to claim 1 , wherein the stop element is configured to stop the driving element when the activation lever is actuated by a first driving force, and the driving element passes the stop element when the activation lever is actuated by a second driving force greater than the first driving force.

5. The electronic handle according to claim 4 , wherein the second driving force is equal or greater than 150 N.

6. The electronic handle according to claim 1 , wherein the activation lever further has an electrical activation position between the rest position and the mechanical activation position in which the activation lever activates the electronic device for unlatching the door.

7. The electronic handle according to claim 6 , wherein the electrical activation position is reached when the activation lever is actuated by a first driving force.

8. The electronic handle according to claim 1 , wherein the driving element pivots in order to allow the activation lever to come back to the rest position when the activation lever moves by inertia from the mechanical activation position to the rest position.

9. The electronic handle according to claim 1 , wherein the activation lever is associated with an activation lever return device in order to move from the mechanical activation position to the rest position.

10. The electronic handle according to claim 9 , wherein the driving element is associated with a driving element return device in order to pivot to allow the activation lever to come back from the mechanical activation position to the rest position.

11. The electronic handle according to claim 10 , wherein the activation lever return device has a stiffness greater than a stiffness of the driving element return device.

12. The electronic handle according to claim 10 , wherein the driving element return device is a spring.

13. The electronic handle according to claim 9 , wherein the activation lever return device is a compression spring.

14. The electronic handle according to claim 1 , wherein the stop element comprises a ramp and the driving element comprises a surface configured to be in contact with the ramp when the activation lever moves from the rest position to the mechanical activation position, the ramp having a straight surface configured to be in contact with the driving element.

15. The electronic handle according to claim 1 , wherein the driving element comprises a rolling device in order to limit frictional forces between the driving element and the stop element.

16. A vehicle comprising a door and an electronic handle according to claim 1 fixed to the door.

17. The electronic handle according to claim 1 , wherein the driving element is associated with a driving element return device in order to pivot to allow the activation lever to come back from the mechanical activation position to the rest position.

18. The electronic handle according to claim 17 , wherein the driving element return device is a spring.

Assignees

• U Shin Italia Spa

Inventors

• Frattini Massimo
• Guerin Anthony
• Rocci Antonio
• Devernois Thomas

Classifications

• 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

• E05B81/50

  Powered actuators with automatic return to the neutral position by non-powered means, e.g. by springs · CPC title

• E05B85/10 Primary

  Handles · CPC title

• E05B81/90 Primary

  Manual override in case of power failure · CPC title

• E05B81/04

  Electrical (electrical circuits E05B81/54) · CPC title