Deployable vehicle door handle having lighting

• US 10,633,895 B1
• Filed: 02/26/2019
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2019
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Glickman, David Brian, Dellock, Paul Kenneth, Gardner, Cornel Lewis, Brown, Kristopher Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): Garlen, Alexander K
• Application Number:
  US16/285,740
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2669 on door or boot handles lighting devices for vehicle interior on door handles B60Q3/267
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/324 for signalling that a door is open or intended to be opened
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/10 Illuminating devices on or for locks or keys; Transparent or translucent lock parts; Indicator lights
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/06 using rotary motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/34 of geared transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/64 Monitoring or sensing, e.g. by using switches or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/76 Detection of handle operation; Detection of a user approaching a handle; Electrical switching actions performed by door handles
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/77 comprising sensors detecting the presence of the hand of a user
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/103 creating a completely closed wing surface
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/107 Pop-out handles, e.g. sliding outwardly before rotation
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0471 the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/32 characterised by the arrangement of the photoluminescent material
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/64 using a proximity sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/23 by means of a password

Abstract

A vehicle door handle is provided that includes a deployable handle body located on a door, keypad contacts on an outer side of the handle body, an actuator configured to deploy the handle to a deployed position, a plurality of proximity sensors located on the handle body and generating activation fields, and a controller processing signals generated by the sensors to determine an input command for controlling the actuator and to determine a keypad input. The handle body may include one or more light sources for illuminating the handle body and/or areas proximate to the vehicle when in the extended position.

Claims

1. A vehicle exterior door handle comprising:

a housing defining a cavity within a door of a vehicle;

a deployable handle body that moves between a stowed position within the cavity and an extended position extending outside of the cavity;

a visible first light source located on an interior side of the handle body for illuminating light in the cavity within the housing when the handle body is in the extended deployed position; and

a visible second light source located on an exterior side of the handle body for illuminating at least one of a ground surface proximate to the vehicle and a vehicle door; and

an ultraviolet third light source located on an exterior side of the handle body for illuminating phosphor on the vehicle door.

2. The vehicle door handle of claim 1 further comprising a reflective surface disposed within the housing for reflecting light onto the handle body.

3. The vehicle door handle of claim 1, wherein the second light source illuminates the ground surface proximate to the vehicle.

4. The vehicle door handle of claim 1, wherein the third light source is located proximate an outer end of the handle body.

5. The vehicle door handle of claim 4, wherein the handle body further comprises an enlarged portion for preventing a hand from covering the third light source.

6. The vehicle door handle of claim 4 further comprising a proximity sensor for sensing a hand proximate to the third light source, wherein the third light source is deactivated when a hand is detected with the proximity sensor.

7. The vehicle door handle of claim 6, wherein the proximity sensor comprises a capacitive sensor.

8. The vehicle door handle of claim 1, wherein the handle body comprises a push end for actuating the handle body between the stowed and deployed positions, wherein the push end comprises a further light source for illuminating an actuatable area.

9. The vehicle door handle of claim 1 further comprising an actuator for rotating the handle body between the stowed and deployed positions.

10. A vehicle door handle comprising:

a housing defining a cavity within a door of a vehicle;

a deployable handle body that rotates between a stowed position within the cavity and an extended position extending outside of the cavity;

a visible first light source located on an interior side of the handle body for illuminating light into the cavity within the housing when the handle body is in the extended deployed position;

a reflective surface disposed within the housing for reflecting the light onto the handle body;

a visible second light source located on an exterior side of the handle body for illuminating a ground surface proximate to the vehicle; and

an ultraviolet third light source located on an exterior side of the handle body for illuminating a vehicle door.

11. A vehicle door handle comprising:

a housing defining a cavity within a door of a vehicle;

a deployable handle body that rotates between a stowed position within the cavity and an extended position extending outside of the cavity;

a visible interior light source located on an interior side handle body for illuminating the cavity within the housing when the handle body is in the extended deployed position;

a visible

exterior light source located on an exterior side of the handle body for illuminating at least one of a ground surface proximate to the vehicle and a vehicle door; and

an ultraviolet light source located on an exterior side of the handle body for illuminating the vehicle door.

12. The vehicle door handle of claim 11 further comprising:

a reflective surface disposed within the housing for reflecting light from the interior light source onto the handle body.

13. The vehicle door handle of claim 11, wherein the handle body further comprises an enlarged portion for preventing a hand from covering the exterior light source.

14. The vehicle door handle of claim 11 further comprising a capacitive sensor for sensing a hand proximate to the exterior light source, wherein the exterior light source is deactivated when a hand is detected with the proximity sensor.