Door handle apparatus for vehicle

• US 20080061933A1
• Filed: 09/11/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Inaba, Hisashi, Ieda, Kiyokazu, Mushiake, Eiji
• Granted Patent: US 9,108,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.72
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/246 characterised by the challenge triggering
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/34 Protection against weather or dirt, e.g. against water ingress closures or guards for keyholes E05B17/14
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/77 comprising sensors detecting the presence of the hand of a user
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/78 as part of a hands-free locking or unlocking operation
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/65 using means for sensing the user's hand
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A door handle apparatus for a vehicle includes a door handle adapted to be provided at a vehicle exterior of a vehicle door and operated in order to open/close the vehicle door, a sensing electrode provided inside of an upper-outer surface of the door handle, a sensor for detecting a user approaching the sensing electrode on the basis of a variation of an electric capacitance generated by the sensing electrode, controlling device for controlling the vehicle door so as to be locked/unlocked on the basis of information detected by the sensor and water-removing device provided on the upper-outer surface of the door handle in order to remove water retained in the vicinity of the sensing electrode.

Claims

1. A door handle apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a door handle adapted to be provided at a vehicle exterior of a vehicle door and operated in order to open/close the vehicle door;

a sensing electrode provided inside of an upper-outer surface of the door handle;

a sensor for detecting a user approaching the sensing electrode on the basis of a variation of an electric capacitance generated by the sensing electrode;

controlling means for controlling the vehicle door so as to be locked/unlocked on the basis of information detected by the sensor; and

water-removing means provided on the upper-outer surface of the door handle in order to remove water retained in the vicinity of the sensing electrode.

2. The door handle apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the upper-outer surface includes a tapered surface, and the water-removing means includes a projecting portion formed so as to extend along a tapered direction of the tapered surface.

3. The door handle apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the water-removing means is provided within an entire area in which a detecting surface of the sensing electrode is located.

4. The door handle apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the projecting portion is formed so as to be narrower toward a lower portion of the tapered surface, and a plurality of the projecting portions is provided in a manner where a space therebetween is formed so as to be wider toward the lower portion of the tapered surface.

5. The door handle apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of the projecting portions is provided so as to form plural rows.

6. The door handle apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the water-removing means includes a projecting portion and a recessed portion, which extend in the taper direction of the tapered surface.

7. The door handle apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the water-removing means is provided at each of the upper-outer surface and a lower-outer surface of the door handle so that the door handle is symmetrical relative to a center line extending in a longitudinal direction of the door handle.