Outer handle device for vehicle door

• US 10,072,447 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2014
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minebea AccessSolutions Inc
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Honda Lock
• Inventors: Fujiwara, Hiroto
• Primary Examiner(s): Fulton, Kristina R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmad, Faria F
• Application Number:
  US15/034,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20160273247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 2923363, 292DIG 21, 292DIG 31
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2669 on door or boot handles lighting devices for vehicle interior on door handles B60Q3/267
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/06 by means of inertial forces
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/06 using rotary motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/36 Geared sectors, e.g. fan-shaped gears
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/90 Manual override in case of power failure
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/107 Pop-out handles, e.g. sliding outwardly before rotation
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/02 the controlling member being movable in different independent ways, movement in each individual way actuating one controlled member only

Abstract

An outer handle device for a vehicle door is provided in which an actuator can drive the outer handle to a pop-up position where the operating portion of the outer handle projects outward from the outer panel, wherein in a state in which the outer handle is in a pop-up position, a drive lever of the actuator is held at an operated position by holding means, a release lever is pivoted by a handle lever pivoting with the outer handle when the outer handle pivots from the pop-up position to the full stroke position, the holding of the drive lever by the holding means is released by the pivoting of the release lever, and the drive lever is forcibly returned to the initial position. This enables an outer handle to be returned to a housed position even if there is a malfunction of an actuator-side electric drive source.

Claims

1. An outer handle device for a vehicle door, in which an outer handle having in one end part thereof a manually operable operating portion is pivotably supported on a support case mounted on an outer panel of a door, and an actuator that can drive the outer handle at a housed position where the outer handle is housed on the support case side to a pop-up position where the operating portion projects outward from the outer panel, is mounted on the support case, wherein:

the actuator comprises a drive lever that pivots between an initial position and an operated position and an electric drive source that pivots the drive lever from the initial position to the operated position at a time of energization and that allows the drive lever to return from the operated position to the initial position in a non-energized state when the drive lever is at the operated position,

the outer handle is pivotingly urged toward a side of the housed position and is supported on the support case so as to be able to pivot to a full stroke position in which the outer handle extends further outward from the outer panel than in the pop-up position accompanying a manual operation from the pop-up position,

a biasing device including a spring that applies a biasing force to mechanically hold the drive lever at the operated position is provided on the support case,

a handle lever operatively linked to the outer handle so as to be pushed and pivoted by the drive lever in response to pivoting of the drive lever from the initial position to the operated position and, as a result of said pivoting, pivot the outer handle from the housed position to the pop-up position is supported on the support case so as to pivot together with the outer handle while leaving the drive lever at the operated position when the outer handle pivots from the pop-up position to the full stroke position, and

a release lever that pivots in response to pivoting of the handle lever accompanying a manual operation of the outer handle from the pop-up position to the full stroke position so as to engage and push the drive lever to release the holding by the biasing device and forcibly return the drive lever to the initial position is supported on the support case wherein a switch that outputs a signal for opening a window of the door so that outside air flows into a vehicle compartment is mounted on the support case such that the signal is outputted by changing of the switching mode in response to pivoting of the release lever accompanying manual operation of the outer handle from the pop-up position to the full stroke position.

2. The outer handle device for a vehicle door according to claim 1, wherein a light that illuminates the operating portion of the outer handle in a state in which it is at the pop-up position is mounted on the support case or the outer handle.

3. An outer handle device for a vehicle door, in which an outer handle having in one end part thereof a manually operable operating portion is pivotably supported on a support case mounted on an outer panel of a door, and an actuator that can drive the outer handle at a housed position where the outer handle is housed on the support case side to a pop-up position where the operating portion projects outward from the outer panel, is mounted on the support case, wherein:

the actuator comprises a drive lever that pivots between an initial position and an operated position and an electric drive source that pivots the drive lever from the initial position to the operated position at a time of energization and that allows the drive lever to return from the operated position to the initial position in a non-energized state when the drive lever is at the operated position,

the outer handle is pivotingly urged toward a side of the housed position and is supported on the support case so as to be able to pivot to a full stroke position extending further outward from the outer panel than the pop-up position accompanying a manual operation from the pop-up position,

a biasing device that mechanically holds the drive lever at the operated position is provided on the support case,

a handle lever operatively linked to the outer handle so as to be pushed and pivoted by the drive lever in response to pivoting of the drive lever from the initial position to the operated position and, as a result of said pivoting, pivot the outer handle from the housed position to the pop-up position is supported on the support case so as to pivot together with the outer handle while leaving the drive lever at the operated position when the outer handle pivots from the pop-up position to the full stroke position, and

a release lever that is separate from the handle lever and pivots in response to pivoting of the handle lever accompanying a manual operation of the outer handle from the pop-up position to the full stroke position so as to engage and push the drive lever to release the holding by the biasing device and forcibly return the drive lever to the initial position is supported on the support case wherein a switch that outputs a signal for opening a window of the door so that outside airflows into a vehicle compartment is mounted on the support case such that the signal is outputted by changing of the switching mode in response to pivoting of the release lever accompanying manual operation of the outer handle from the pop-up position to the full stroke position.