Door handle device for vehicle and door opening and closing system for vehicle applied therewith

• US 7,173,346 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2003
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Mori, Kazuyoshi, Aiyama, Takaya
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson; Stephen W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AMAYA, CARLOS DAVID
• Application Number:
  US10/367,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20030184098A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 292/336.3
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/06 by means of inertial forces
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/78 as part of a hands-free locking or unlocking operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure

Abstract

A vehicle door handle device which includes a handle body assembled to a panel of a vehicle door, an operation member provided in the handle body for operating a latch mechanism for switching a latched state and an unlatched state relative to a vehicle body of the vehicle door, and a detection member provided in the handle body for detecting an impact.

Claims

1. A vehicle door handle device comprising:

a grip assembled to a panel of a vehicle door;

an operation member provided in the grip for operating a latch mechanism through driving of an actuator for switching a latched state and an unlatched state relative to a vehicle body of the vehicle door; and

a detection member provided in the grip for detecting an impact,

the driving of the actuator being prohibited when the detection member detects the impact to the grip.

2. A vehicle door handle device according to claim 1, wherein the operation member and the detection member are connected as one unit within the handle body.

3. A vehicle door handle device according to claim 2, wherein the operation member includes a latch switch and the detection member includes a G sensor.

4. A vehicle door opening and closing system comprising:

a latch mechanism provided on a vehicle door for switching a latched state and an unlatched state relative to a vehicle body of the vehicle door;

an actuator for operating the latch mechanism;

a grip assembled to a panel of the vehicle door;

an operation member provided on the grip for operating the latch mechanism through the actuator;

a detection member provided in the grip for detecting an impact to the grip; and

a control means for controlling a driving of the actuator based on an operation of the operation member and a detected result of the detection member,

wherein the control means drives the actuator by operation of the operation member and prohibits driving of the actuator when the detection member detects the impact to the grip.

5. A vehicle door opening and closing system according to claim 4, wherein the control means releases the prohibition of the driving of the actuator when the detection member detects the impact to the handle body and a predetermined time has elapsed after detecting the impact.

6. A vehicle door opening and closing system according to claim 5, further comprising an impact detecting circuit having

the operation member;

the detection member;

a central processing unit provided at one end of the circuit; and

a resistance level varying means for varying a resistance level applied to the central processing unit.

7. A vehicle door opening and closing system according to claim 4, wherein the control means controls the driving of the actuator based on an electric voltage.

8. A vehicle door opening and closing system according to claim 7, the control means drives the actuator by the operation of the operation member and prohibits the driving of the actuator when the detection member detects the impact to the handle body.

9. A vehicle door opening and closing system according to claim 8, further comprising an impact detecting circuit having

the operation member;

the detection member;

a central processing unit provided at one end of the circuit; and

a resistance level varying means for varying a resistance level applied to the central processing unit.

10. A vehicle door opening and closing system according to claim 9, wherein the control means prohibits the driving of the actuator when the electric voltage is at high level.

11. A vehicle door opening and closing system according to claim 9, wherein the control means prohibits the driving of the actuator when the electric voltage is at low level.

12. A vehicle door opening and closing system according to claim 7, further comprising an impact detecting circuit having

the operation member;

the detection member;

a central processing unit provided at one end of the circuit; and

a resistance level varying means for varying a resistance level applied to the central processing unit.

13. A vehicle door opening and closing system according to claim 12, wherein the control means prohibits the driving of the actuator when the electric voltage is at low level.

14. A vehicle door handle device according to claim 13, wherein the operation member includes a latch switch and the detection member includes a G sensor.

15. A vehicle door opening and closing system according to claim 12, wherein the control means prohibits the driving of the actuator when the electric voltage is at high level.

16. A vehicle door handle device according to claim 15, wherein the operation member includes a latch switch and the detection member includes a G sensor.

17. A vehicle door opening and closing system according to claim 4, further comprising an impact detecting circuit having

the operation member;

the detection member;

a central processing unit provided at one end of the circuit; and

a resistance level varying means for varying a resistance level applied to the central processing unit.

18. A vehicle door opening and closing system according to claim 4, further comprising an impact detecting circuit having

the operation member;

the detection member;

a central processing unit provided at one end of the circuit; and

a resistance level varying means for varying a resistance level applied to the central processing unit.

19. A vehicle door opening system according to claim 4, wherein the grip has a base fixed with a door panel and a cover fixed with the base, and the detection member is a semiconductor strain gauge which detects the impact by detecting a variation of a strain stress applied to the base.

20. A vehicle door opening system according to claim 4, wherein the detection member is a deformative fuse which detects the impact by detecting that a fuse portion is cut by the impact to the handle device or the deformation of the fuse.