Vehicle door handle apparatus

• US 7,199,317 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2005
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Ieda, Kiyokazu, Fujitsuna, Takamasa, Mori, Kazuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedhofer; Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US11/108,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20050230237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 200/61.62, 200/520, 200/600, 200/293.1, 200/61.93, 200/61.85, 292/347, 340/5.72, 340/5.62, 340/568.5, 340/522, 340/426, 340/539, 340/573.1, 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 340/825.69, 343/872, 180/287, 702/37, 702/55, 702/58
• US Class Current: 200/61.62
• 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: Y10T 292/82 Knobs

Abstract

A vehicle door handle apparatus includes a door handle having an inner space therein, a first wall portion having an operation surface at an outer side thereof, and a first inner surface at an inner side thereof, the first inner surface being a part of a surface defining the inner space of the door handle; a sensor electrode positioned inside the inner space so as to face the first inner surface of the first wall portion and capable of generating electrostatic capacitance between the sensor electrode and a dielectric approaching the operation surface; and a controlling member housed within the inner space and capable of adjusting the sensor electrode to come in contact with the inner surface of the first wall portion.

Claims

1. A vehicle door handle apparatus comprising:

a door handle having an inner space therein, a first wall portion having an operation surface at an outer side thereof, and a first inner surface at an inner side thereof, the first inner surface being a part of a surface defining the inner space of the door handle;

a sensor electrode positioned inside the inner space so as to face the first inner surface of the first wall portion and capable of generating electrostatic capacitance between the sensor electrode and a dielectric approaching the operation surface; and

a controlling member housed within the inner space and capable of adjusting the sensor electrode to come in contact with the inner surface of the first wall portion.

2. A vehicle door handle apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising;

the door handle having a second wall portion facing the first wall portion, the second wall portion having a second inner surface at an inner side thereof, the second inner surface being a part of a surface defining the inner space of the door handle,

wherein the controlling member projects towards the inner space from the second wall portion.

3. A vehicle door handle apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising;

the door handle having both a handle main body, which has the second wall portion and a recessed portion housing the sensor electrode therein, and a cover, which has the first wall portion and fixed to the handle main body so as to close the recessed portion and to define the inner space together with the handle main body.

4. A vehicle door handle apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controlling member is an elastic member which is in contact with the second inner surface and biases the sensor electrode towards the first inner surface.

5. A vehicle door handle apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

the door handle having an antenna assembly which is allocated within the inner space and supports the sensor electrode,

wherein one end of the elastic member is in contact with the second inner surface, and an other end thereof is fixed to the antenna assembly, wherein the elastic member is a spring for biasing the sensor electrode together with the antenna assembly towards the first inner surface.

6. A vehicle door handle apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the spring is a coil spring.

7. A vehicle door handle apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the antenna assembly includes an antenna case having at least one flange portion, the at least one flange portion includes at least one pawl by which the coil spring is engaged.

8. A vehicle door handle apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the coil spring biases the antenna assembly to the cover.

9. A vehicle door handle apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the coil spring absorbs a mounting error of the antenna assembly relative to the cover.

10. A vehicle door handle apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the antenna assembly includes an antenna that receives a signal for certifying a user who intends to operate the door handle.

11. A vehicle door handle apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the antenna receives a coded information transmitted from a portable terminal carried with a user who intends to operate the door handle.

12. A vehicle door handle apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the sensor electrode is in contact with the first inner surface with no gap therebetween.

13. A vehicle door handle apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controlling member absorbs a mounting error of the cover relative to the handle main body.

14. A vehicle door handle apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the cover is made of resin.

15. A vehicle door handle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controlling member is engaged to the sensor electrode.

16. A vehicle door handle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor electrode generates electrostatic capacitance.

17. A vehicle door handle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the door handle is provided with a door switch for starting-up a door lock operation.

18. A vehicle door handle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor electrode is supported with good precision relative to the operation surface.