Motor vehicle door lock system

• US 20030101781A1
• Filed: 08/29/2002
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schmitz, Stephan, Koerwer, Matthias, Budzynski, Edgar
• Application Number:
  US10/111,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20030101781A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 70/239
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/76 Detection of handle operation; Detection of a user approaching a handle; Electrical switching actions performed by door handles
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/01 Mechanical arrangements specially adapted for hands-free locking or unlocking handles with means for initiation of a hands-free locking or unlocking process E05B81/78
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/10 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5898 With switch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/65 Central control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7068 Actuated after correct combination recognized [e.g., numerical, alphabetical, or magnet[s] pattern]

Abstract

A motor vehicle door lock system, an outside door handle arrangement, and a process for controlling a motor vehicle door lock system are proposed. For simple, economical sensing of the actuation of an outside door handle, a first signal is detected when the outside door handle is touched, and when the outside door handle is released a second signal is detected, the signals being evaluated as the start and end of actuation of the outside door handle. Alternatively or in addition, it is provided that a pressure load on the outside door handle is detected for locking the assigned motor vehicle door lock.

Claims

1. Motor vehicle door lock system (2) with a motor vehicle door lock (3), an outside door handle (10) which is assigned to the motor vehicle door lock (3), which is made stationary, and which has no moving parts, and a sensor (12) assigned to the outside door handle (10) for detection of touching and/or actuation of the outside door handle (10) by the hand of the operator,

and when the outside door handle (10) is touched or actuated a first signal (A) and when released a second signal (B) can be produced and output by the sensor (12) and the two signals (A, B) can be evaluated as the start and end of actuation of the outside door handle (10), and/or

a pressure load (20) which acts on the outside door handle (10), at least in the area of one section (21) of the outside door handle (10), can be detected and can be evaluated as a locking signal (D).

2. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed in claim 1, wherein an actuation signal (C) can be produced and output, the first signal (A) determining the start and the second signal (B) determining the end of the actuation signal (C) and especially the motor vehicle door lock (3) can be opened depending on the actuation signal (C), especially if the motor vehicle door lock (3) is already unlocked and/or a corresponding access authorization is present or can be detected.

3. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed one of the preceding claims, wherein the motor vehicle door lock (3) can be opened by

a motor and wherein there is evaluation and/or control electronics (17, 18) which causes opening of the motor vehicle door lock (3) depending on the first signal (A) and closing depending on the second signal (B), especially if the motor vehicle door lock (3) is already unlocked and/or a corresponding access authorization is present or can be detected.

4. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed one of the preceding claims, wherein the first signal (A) can be detected with a tensile load on the outside door handle (10) and/or the second signal (B) can be detected with a pressure load on the outside door handle (10) and wherein when the second signal (B) occurs, especially within a definable time window, before the first signal (A) a pressure load on the outside door handle (10) can be detected and this can be evaluated as the locking signal (D).

5. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed one of the preceding claims, wherein inside touching and/or tensile loading (19) of the outside door handle (10) by the hand of an operator can be detected.

6. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed one of the preceding claims, wherein there is a section (21) on the outside (22) of the outside door handle (10), especially on the side (21) of the outside door handle (10) facing away from the assigned motor vehicle door (4).

7. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed one of the preceding claims, wherein a motor vehicle door lock (3) which is assigned to the outside door handle (10) can be locked when the locking signal (D) is detected.

8. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed one of the preceding claims, wherein all the motor vehicle door locks (3) can be locked when the locking signal (D) is detected.

9. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed one of the previous claim, wherein when inside touching and/or tensile loading (19) of the outside door handle (10) is detected, the motor vehicle door lock (3), especially all the motor vehicle door locks (3), can be unlocked, especially if a corresponding access authorization is present or can be detected.

10. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed one of the preceding claims, wherein when inside touching and/or tensile loading (19) of the outside door handle (10) is detected, the motor vehicle door lock (3) can be opened by motor, especially if the motor vehicle door lock (3) has already been unlocked and/or a corresponding access authorization is present or can be detected.

11. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the outside door handle (10) and the sensor (12) are made such that the sensor (12) can detect inside touching and/or tensile loading (19) of the outside door handle (10) as well as pressure loading (20) of the outside door handle (10).

12. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the motor vehicle door lock (3) can be opened by motor and/or electrically.

13. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor (12) has a sensor element (13) which is located on the outside door handle (10), which is connected to it, or which is integrated into it.

14. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor (12) has a sensor element (13) which is sensitive to pressure or force.

15. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor (12) has several sensor elements (13) which are sensitive to force or pressure, which are located especially on the outside door handle (10) and/or which are connected to it.

16. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor (12) or the sensor element (13) of the sensor (12) is made such that it converts changes of force and/or pressure into electrical signals or changes of at least one electrical characteristic, especially the first signal (A) and the second signal (B) having opposite polarity or direction of change and opposite time response.

17. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed one of claims 13 to 16, wherein the sensor element (13) is made as a piezoelement.

18. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor (12) has a sensor element (13) which is sensitive to touching or proximity.

19. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed one of claims 13 to 18, wherein the sensor element (13) is located at least essentially solely in the area of the inner side (15) of the outside door handle (10) facing the engagement space (14) which is bordered by the outside door handle (10).

20. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor element (13) covers and/or forms the actuation surface of the outside door handle (10).

21. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor (12) or the sensor element (13) is made and/or arranged to be at least essentially immovable.

22. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed one of the preceding claims, wherein the outside door handle (10) is made and/or arranged to be at least essentially rigid or elastically deformable and/or wherein the sensor (12) is made stationary or immovable.

23. Motor vehicle door lock system as claimed one of the preceding claims, wherein the motor vehicle door lock system (2) has at least one outside door handle arrangement (9) as claimed in one of claims 24 to 31.

24. Outside door handle arrangement (9) for a motor vehicle door lock system (2), especially as claimed in one of the preceding claims, the outside door handle arrangement (9) having a stationary outside door handle (10) and a sensor (12) assigned to the outside door handle (10) for detecting inside touching and/or

a tensile loading (19) of the outside door handle (10) by the hand of an operator, the outside door handle (10) and the sensor (12) being made such that the sensor (12) can detect inside touching and/or tensile loading (19) of the outside door handle (10) as well as pressure loading (20) of the outside door handle (10).

25. Outside door handle arrangement as claimed in claim 24, wherein the outside door handle (10) is made elastically deformable.

26. Outside door handle arrangement as claimed in claim 24 or 25, wherein the outside door handle (10) is made in several parts.

27. Outside door handle arrangement as claimed in one of claims 24 to 26, wherein the outside door handle (10) is made at least essentially rigid or elastically deformable, especially has no moving parts, and/or wherein the sensor (12) is made stationary or immovable.

28. Outside door handle arrangement as claimed in one of claims 24 to 27, wherein the sensor (12) is located in a cavity (25) of the outside door handle (10).

29. Outside door handle arrangement as claimed in one of claims 24 to 28, wherein the sensor (12) has at least one sensor element (13), especially a piezoelement and/or a strain gauge.

30. Outside door handle arrangement as claimed in claim 29, wherein the sensor element (13) is located on an especially strip-shaped support (23), the support (23) preferably being connected only in opposing end areas (24) to the outside door handle (10) and/or the support (23) being made rigid.

31. Outside door handle arrangement as claimed in one of claims 24 to 30, wherein the sensor (12) has an electrode arrangement (30), and deformation of the outside door handle (10) as a result of a tensile or pressure load (19, 20) can be detected by the sensor (12) and/or assigned electronics (17, 18), especially by detection of the change of the capacitance, inductance and/or impedance of the electrode arrangement (30).

32. Process for controlling a motor vehicle door lock system (2) with a motor vehicle door lock (3) and a stationary outside door handle (10) which is assigned to the motor vehicle door lock (3),

touching and/or actuation of the outside door handle (10) by the hand of an operator being detected by means of a sensor (12) which is assigned to the outside door handle (10),

when the outside door handle (10) is touched or actuated a first signal (A) and when the outside door handle (10) is released a second signal (B) being produced by the sensor (12) and the two signals (A, B) being evaluated as the start and end of actuation of the outside door handle (10),

the sensor (12) converting changes of force and/or pressure into electrical signals or changes of at least one electrical characteristic, and the first signal (A) and the second signal (B) being detected by evaluation of the time response and/or time derivation of the sensor signals,

when the first signal (A) is detected the motor vehicle door lock (3) being opened by a motor until the second signal (B) is detected and/or

the first signal (A) being detected with a tensile load (19) on the outside door handle (10) and when the second signal (B) occurs before the first signal (A) a pressure load (20) acting on the outside door handle (10), at least in the area of one section (21) of the outside door handle (10), being detected and this being evaluated or used as a locking signal (D) for locking the motor vehicle door lock (3).

33. Process as claimed in claim 32, wherein the first signal (A) and the second signal (B) have opposite polarity or direction of change and an opposite time response.

34. Process as claimed in claim 32 or 33, wherein upon motorized opening the detent pawl of the motor vehicle door lock (3) is lifted and/or wherein motorized opening only takes place if the motor vehicle door lock (3) is already unlocked and/or a corresponding access authorization is present or is established.

35. Process as claimed in one of claims 32 to 34, wherein when the second signal (B) occurs within a given time window before the first signal (A) a pressure load (20) on the outside door handle (10) is detected and this is evaluated or used as a locking signal (D) for locking the motor vehicle door lock (3).

36. Process as claimed in one of claims 32 to 35, wherein when a pressure load (20) is detected all the motor vehicle door locks (3) are locked.

37. Process as claimed in one of claims 32 to 36, wherein when inside touching and/or tensile loading (19) of the outside door handle (10) is detected, the motor vehicle door lock (3), especially all motor vehicle door locks (3), is or are unlocked, especially if a corresponding access authorization is present or detected.

38. Process as claimed in one of claims 32 to 37, wherein when inside touching and/or tensile loading (19) of the outside door handle (10) is detected, the motor vehicle door lock (3) is opened by a motor, especially if the motor vehicle door lock (3) is already unlocked and/or a corresponding access authorization is present or is detected.