Door handle for vehicle and smart entry system for vehicle using the same

• US 6,577,228 B1
• Filed: 08/11/1999
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Keiji, Tsuchida, Tamotsu, Murakami, Yuichi, Okada, Hiroki, Nomura, Morihito
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIMIZU, MATSUICHIRO
• Application Number:
  US09/372,205
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.72, 340/10.1, 340/10.33, 340/5.61, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 343/767, 343/702, 343/711, 343/712, 343/713, 343/718
• US Class Current: 340/5.72
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/78 as part of a hands-free locking or unlocking operation
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00373 whereby the wake-up circuit is situated in the lock
• 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: G07C 9/00944 Details of construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3283 side-mounted antennas, e.g. bumper-mounted, door-mounted mounted on windscreens H01Q1/1271
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop

Abstract

A door handle for a vehicle which can miniaturize a transmitter provided on the vehicle and reduce a cost of the system is provided. The door handle includes a handle body which is mounted on an outer face of a door of the vehicle. A least a transmitting antenna of a transmitter which transmits a radio signal toward outside of the vehicle is integrated with the handle body. A smart key entry system for a vehicle using the door handle is also provided.

Claims

1. A door handle for a vehicle, the door handle comprising:

a gripping part which is mounted on an outer face of a door of the vehicle; and

at least a transmitting antenna of a transmitter which transmits a radio signal toward outside of the vehicle, said at least a transmitting antenna being integrated with said gripping part, wherein said gripping part comprises;

a first part which is made of electrically insulating material; and

a second part which is fixed to said first part so that a hollow space is formed between said first and second parts, wherein said at least a transmitting antenna is disposed in said hollow space.

3. The door handle for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitter constitutes a part of an onboard station of a smart entry system.

4. The door handle for a vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein said radio signal is a request signal to received by a portable station of the smart entry system.

5. The door handle for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitting antenna comprises:

a coil which is wound around a magnetic core; and

a condenser which is connected to said coil.

6. The door handle for a vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein said magnetic core has an elongated shape and said condenser is disposed adjacently to said coil in a longitudinal direction of said magnetic core.

2. A door handle for a vehicle, the door handle comprising:

a gripping part which is mounted on an outer face of a door of the vehicle;

at least a transmitting antenna of a transmitter which transmits a radio signal toward outside of the vehicle, said at least a transmitting antenna being integrated with said gripping part; and

a contact detector which detects a contact of a human hand to said door handle based on a current flowing through said at least a transmitting antenna.

7. A smart entry system for a vehicle which includes an onboard station and a portable station, wherein said onboard station comprises:

a transmitter for transmitting a radio request signal via a transmitting antenna, at least said transmitting antenna being integrated with a gripping part of a door handle of the vehicle which is mounted on an outer face of a door of the vehicle; and

a receiver for receiving a radio response signal via a receiving antenna transmitted from said portable station in response to said radio request signal wherein said gripping part comprises;

a first part which is made of electrically insulating material; and

a second part which is fixed to said first part so that a hollow space is formed between said first and second parts, wherein said at least said transmitting antenna is provided in said hollow space.

9. The smart entry system for a vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein said receiving antenna is disposed inside an inner mirror of the vehicle.

8. A smart entry system for a vehicle which includes an onboard station and a portable station, wherein said onboard station comprises:

a transmitter for transmitting a radio request signal via a transmitting antenna, at least said transmitting antenna being integrated with a gripping part of a door handle of the vehicle which is mounted on an outer face of a door of the vehicle;

a receiver for receiving a radio receiver signal via a receiving antenna transmitted from said portable station in response to said radio request signal; and

a contact detector which detects a contact of a human hand to said door handle based on a current flowing through said transmitting antenna.

10. A door handle for a vehicle, the door handle comprising:

a handle body which is mounted on an outer face of a door of the vehicle;

at least a transmitting antenna of a transmitter which transmits a radio signal toward outside of the vehicle, said at least a transmitting antenna being integrated with said handle body; and

a contact detector which detects a contact of a human hand to said door handle based on a current flowing through said at least a transmitting antenna.

11. A smart entry system for a vehicle which includes an onboard station and a portable station, wherein said onboard station comprises:

a transmitter for transmitting a radio request signal via a transmitting antenna, at least said transmitting antenna being integrated with a door handle of the vehicle which is mounted on an outer face of a door of the vehicle;

a contact detector which detects a contact of a human hand to said door handle based on a current flowing through said transmitting antenna; and

a receiver for receiving a radio response signal via a receiving antenna transmitted from said portable station in response to said radio request signal.