Motor vehicle door handle assembly

• US 6,241,294 B1
• Filed: 08/04/1999
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ADAC Plastics Incorporated (ADAC Automotive, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADAC Plastics Incorporated (ADAC Automotive, Inc.)
• Inventors: Young, Richard T., Dmytrow, James
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, GARY WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US09/366,861
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 292/144, 292/216, 292/336.3, 292/347, 292/DIG.22, 292/DIG.65, 292/251.5, 180/281, 702/88, 702/787
• US Class Current: 292/336.3
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/04 Preventing unwanted lock actuation, e.g. unlatching, at the moment of collision
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/06 by means of inertial forces
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/12 Automatic locking or unlocking at the moment of collision
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 79/12 using connecting rods
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/08 using electromagnets or solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/18 a longitudinal grip part being pivoted about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the grip part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/22 Inertia operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/65 Emergency or safety
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/11 Magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/57 Operators with knobs or handles

Abstract

A door handle assembly for a motor vehicle which acts to preclude inadvertent unlatching of the door in response to a side impact. The door handle assembly includes a housing and a handle member mounted for pivotal movement on the housing between latched and unlatched positions. An electromagnetic device is mounted on the housing and acts upon energization in response to receipt of an impact signal to preclude movement of the handle to its unlatched position. In one embodiment, the electromagnetic device comprises a solenoid having a plunger which lockingly coacts with detent structure on an arm of the handle in response to a sensed impact. In a second embodiment, the electromagnetic device comprises an electromagnet having a core which coacts upon energization with an armature carried by an arm of the handle to create a magnetic flux force field to preclude handle movement.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle assembly including a door handle assembly for mounting on a door of the vehicle and movable between latched and unlatched handle positions, a latch assembly movable between latched and unlatched positions to releasably secure the door to a vehicle body structure, the latch assembly moveable in response to movement of the handle assembly from the latched handle position to the unlatched handle position to move the latch member from the latched position to the unlatched position to release the door from the vehicle body and allow opening movement of the door, and an electrical circuit operative to preclude inadvertent opening of the door, characterized in that:

the electrical circuit includes an impact sensor operative to make or break the electrical circuit in response to a sensed vehicle impact, and an electromagnetic device operative in response to the impact sensor making or breaking the circuit to preclude movement of the door handle assembly to the unlatched handle position in the event of a sensed vehicle impact.

2. A motor vehicle assembly according to claim 1 wherein the electromagnet device forms a part of the door handle assembly.

3. A motor vehicle assembly according to claim 2 wherein:

the door handle assembly includes a handle and a housing mounting the handle for movement between latched and unlatched positions; and

the electromagnetic device is mounted on the housing and precludes movement of the handle on the housing to its unlatched position.

4. A motor vehicle assembly according to claim 3 wherein the electromagnetic device comprises a solenoid having a plunger movable to a position blocking movement of the handle to its unlatched position.

5. A motor vehicle assembly according to claim 4 wherein the plunger coacts with a detent structure on the door handle.

6. A motor vehicle assembly according to claim 4 wherein the solenoid is a push solenoid and wherein the plunger is normally spring biased to a retracted position and moves to an extended blocking position in response to energization of the solenoid.

7. A motor vehicle assembly according to claim 3 wherein the electromagnetic device comprises an electromagnet secured to the housing and coacting with an armature member carried by the handle.

8. A door handle assembly for use with a motor vehicle including a door, a latch assembly mounted on the door, the door handle assembly adapted to control the latch assembly, and an impact sensor operative to generate an impact signal in response to a sensed vehicle impact, the door handle assembly comprising:

a handle adapted to be mounted on the door for movement between latched and unlatched handle positions;

an electromagnetic device adapted to be mounted on the door in proximity to the door handle and operative when actuated to preclude movement of the handle from the latched handle position to the unlatched handle position; and

means, operative in response to receipt of an impact signal from the impact sensor, for actuating the electromagnetic device to preclude movement of the handle from the latched handle position to the unlatched handle position.

9. A door handle assembly according to claim 8 wherein:

the door handle assembly further includes a housing adapted to be mounted in the door;

the handle is mounted on the housing for movement between its latched and unlatched positions; and

the electromagnetic device is mounted on the housing.

10. A door handle assembly according to claim 9 wherein the electromagnetic device comprises a solenoid mounted on the housing and having a plunger movable to a position blocking movement of the handle to its unlatched position.

11. A door handle assembly according to claim 10 wherein he plunger coacts with a detent structure on the door handle.

12. A door handle assembly according to claim 9 wherein:

the handle includes a main body actuator portion for grasping by an operator and an arm portion extending from the actuator portion and passing rearwardly through an aperture in the housing to position a section of the arm portion rearwardly of the housing; and

the electromagnetic device is mounted on a rear face of the housing proximate the arm portion section.

13. A door handle assembly according to claim 12 wherein:

the housing includes a main body portion, adapted to be positioned in an opening in the vehicle door and pivotally mounting the handle, and a lug portion extending rearwardly from the main body portion;

the arm portion section of the handle is positioned proximate the lug portion of the housing; and

the solenoid is mounted on the lug portion with its plunger extending through the lug portion for coaction with detent structure on the arm portion section.

14. A door handle assembly for use with a motor vehicle including a door and a latch assembly mountable on the door and controlled by the door handle assembly, the door handle assembly comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted in the door;

a handle mounted on the housing for movement between latched and unlatched handle positions; and

an electromagnetic device adapted to be mounted on the door in proximity to the door handle and operative when actuated to preclude movement of the handle from the latched handle position to the unlatched handle position, the electromagnetic device including an electromagnet mounted on the housing and coacting with an armature carried by the handle.