Door handle apparatus

• US 7,062,945 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2004
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ichinose, Tomofumi, Saitoh, Hajime, Yamada, Kazuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Redman, Jerry
• Application Number:
  US10/931,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20050057050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 494/60, 495/02, 702/781, 702/782, 702/783, 702/77, 704/32, 292/336.3, 292/347, 307/10.1, 340/5.53
• US Class Current: 70/278.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/246 characterised by the challenge triggering
• 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: E05B 85/18 a longitudinal grip part being pivoted about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the grip part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/57 Operators with knobs or handles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7068 Actuated after correct combination recognized [e.g., numerical, alphabetical, or magnet[s] pattern]

Abstract

A door handle apparatus having a door handle 12 which is provided on a back door of an automobile in such a manner as to oscillate freely and a cover member 20 for covering the door handle 12, wherein a detection sensor 30 for detecting the approach of an operator toward the door handle 12 is provided between the door handle 12 and the cover member 20.

Claims

1. A door handle apparatus comprising:

a door handle provided on a vehicle door in such a manner as to swing freely and having an outer surface facing away from the vehicle door,

a non-movable cover member secured to the vehicle door in a position covering a substantial portion of the outer surface of the door handle, wherein the door handle may swing freely in a space defined between the vehicle door and the cover member, and

a detection sensor provided between the door handle and the cover member for detecting the approach of an operator toward the door handle.

2. The door handle apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the detection sensor is mounted on the door handle.

3. The door handle apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the detection sensor is mounted on the cover member.

4. The door handle apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the detection sensor is formed into a flat shape which extends along a direction in which the cover member extends.

5. The door handle apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cover member is removably mounted to the vehicle door so as to permit access to the detection sensor.

6. The door handle apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the cover member is mounted to the vehicle door so as to remain stationary relative to the door as the door handle freely swings.

7. A door handle apparatus comprising:

a door handle provided on a vehicle door in such a manner as to swing freely and having an outer surface facing away from the vehicle door,

a non-movable cover member covering substantially the outer surface of the door handle, and

a detection sensor provided between the door handle and the cover member for detecting the approach of an operator toward the door handle, wherein the detection sensor is fixed by a screw fastening unit which is screwed and fastened from an opposite side to a side where the door handle is operated.

8. The door handle apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein

the screw fastening unit includes mounting portions which are provided at a certain interval in a direction in which the cover member extends and screw holes provided in the mounting portions, and

the detection sensor is fixed with screws which are inserted into the screw holes.

9. The door handle apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein the mounting portions are boss portions whose axial direction is the direction in which the cover member extends.

10. The door handle apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the detection sensor is mounted on the door handle.

11. The door handle apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the detection sensor is mounted on the cover member.

12. The door handle apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the detection sensor is formed into a flat shape which extends along a direction in which the cover member extends.

13. The door handle apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the cover member is removably mounted to the vehicle door so as to permit access to the detection sensor.