Vehicle door outer handle system

• US 7,931,314 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2004
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Honda Lock
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Honda Lock
• Inventors: Otsuta, Yuho, Fujiwara, Hiroto, Nitawaki, Masakatsu, Sueyoshi, Masahiko, Hidaka, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lugo; Carlos
• Application Number:
  US10/559,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20070091627A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,503 Days
• Field of Search: 292/336.3, 340/5.62, 340/5.71
• US Class Current: 292/336.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/246 characterised by the challenge triggering
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/78 as part of a hands-free locking or unlocking operation
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/65 Emergency or safety
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0908 Emergency operating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/57 Operators with knobs or handles

Abstract

A vehicle door outer handle system is provided in which a pair of electrodes and a circuit board on which is provided a detection circuit for detecting a change in capacitance between the electrodes are housed within an operating handle formed from a handle main body and a cover covering the outer side of the handle main body, the operating handle being disposed on an outer side of a vehicle door, and the electrodes (43) being patterned on the circuit board (44), the operating handle thereby being made thin.

Claims

1. A vehicle door outer handle system comprising:

an operating handle comprising a handle main body made of a synthetic resin and a cover made of a synthetic resin so as to cover the outer side of the handle main body, the operating handle being disposed on an outer side of a vehicle door;

a sensor unit positioned within the operating handle, comprising;

a circuit board formed of a single plate;

a ground plate covering the circuit board;

a pair of electrodes patterned on the circuit board;

a detection circuit provided on the circuit board for detecting a change in capacitance between the electrodes, wherein, among opposite faces of the circuit board, a component of the detection circuit is mounted on the face of the circuit board that is opposite to the face of the circuit board where the electrodes are patterned;

wherein, the circuit board and the ground plate are mounted on a holder positioned within the operating handle; and

wherein, a covering portion made of synthetic resin and the holder envelops the ground plate and the circuit board.

2. The vehicle door outer handle system according to claim 1, wherein, among opposite faces of the circuit board, the electrodes are patterned on the face on the vehicle side.

3. The vehicle door outer handle system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is fixedly housed in a housing recess formed in the handle main body so as to open on the cover side.

4. The vehicle door outer handle system according to claim 3, wherein a majority of the holder is covered by the covering portion so as to form a part of the sensor unit.

5. The vehicle door outer handle system according to claim 4, wherein a portion of the holder projecting from the covering portion is mounted on a mounting seat provided on the handle main body.

6. The vehicle door outer handle system according to claim 3, wherein a portion of the holder projects from the covering portion and is mounted on the mounting seat provided on the handle main body.