DOOR HANDLE APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE

• US 20100237635A1
• Filed: 03/16/2010
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: IEDA, Kiyokazu, Mushiake, Eiji
• Application Number:
  US12/724,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20100237635A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 292/336.300
• 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 85/16 a longitudinal grip part being pivoted at one end about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the grip part
• 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: Y10T 292/57 Operators with knobs or handles

Abstract

A door handle apparatus for a vehicle includes a door handle arranged at an outer surface of an outer panel and releasing a latch mechanism when the door handle is manually operated, and a detection unit arranged within the outer panel so as to face the door handle, the detection unit including an electrode mechanism, whose electrostatic capacitance changes when a portion of a body of a user is inserted between the door handle and the outer panel, so that an unlocking operation or a locking operation is executed by means of a lock mechanism on the basis of the change of the electrostatic capacitance, and including an antenna sending a request signal for identifying a portable device, to the portable device, carried by the user.

Claims

1. A door handle apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a door handle arranged at an outer surface of an outer panel and releasing a latch mechanism when the door handle is manually operated; and

a detection unit arranged within the outer panel so as to face the door handle, the detection unit including an electrode mechanism, whose electrostatic capacitance changes when a portion of a body of a user is inserted between the door handle and the outer panel, so that an unlocking operation or a locking operation is executed by means of a lock mechanism on the basis of the change of the electrostatic capacitance, and including an antenna sending a request signal for identifying a portable device, to the portable device, carried by the user.

2. The door handle apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the detection unit is configured in a manner where the electrode mechanism and the antenna are accommodated in a case, and wherein

the case is arranged at an opening, formed at the outer panel.

3. The door handle apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

a width of the opening is set to be smaller than a width of the door handle, and wherein the door handle is arranged so as to overlap longitudinal sides of the opening.

4. The door handle apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the electrode mechanism is configured by an unlock detection electrode for executing the unlocking operation and a lock detection electrode for executing the locking operation.

5. The door handle apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

the unlock detection electrode and the lock detection electrode are arranged in series with each other along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

6. The door handle apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the electrode mechanism and the antenna are accommodated in the case.