Abstract:
A closing system for doors having a container provided in a handle. The container has a touch surface that is placed in a window-type recess of the handle, and a switching element that is arranged in the container can be actuated by the touch surface. The switching element is used to switch the control electronics of the closing system between two states, namely a state that prevents opening of the door and a state that allows the door to be opened.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a closing system for a motor vehicle. In such a closing system, an electronic control is activated by means of a switching element which is integrated into a handle and transfers a lock provided on the vehicle door, flap, or car body from a state preventing opening of a door, flap or the like into a state allowing opening of the door, flap or the like. The field of application of the invention is directed in particular to motor vehicles, access to safety areas and the like. 
     In closing systems of the aforementioned kind it is known to allow a person access to, for example, a vehicle by a data inquiry of a data carrier, for example, a check card (keyless go). The data inquiry is triggered by a mechanical switching element provided on the door, flap or the like in the area of the handle and installed on the door handle or at least in the area of the door handle. The person requesting access triggers this data inquiry of the data carrier by a control unit, for example, in the vehicle, by actuating the switching element, more precisely, by moving the handle. The triggered pulse is then transmitted from the control unit to a sender which transmits the data inquiry to the data carrier. The data carrier receives the command for data inquiry and transmits it further to a data unit which transmits the required data to a sender. The sender transmits the data then to the control unit in the vehicle by means of the sending/receiving unit of the vehicle, wherein, in the case of positive data recognition, the control unit triggers a command for releasing the locking system. 
     The electronic device correlated with the switch is protected against exposure to water by encapsulation, for example, in a plastic material. This results in a time-consuming and expensive manufacture. 
     Moreover, the data inquiry takes place with a first actuation of the handle, such as the handle bracket or handle flap of a door handle, only when the user pulls on it and thereby triggers the switch. The data inquiry accordingly occurs at a relatively late point in time because, as can be taken from the above description, a few steps still follow. This delayed data inquiry as well as the subsequent response time of a central lock makes such a system uncomfortable. In many cases this has the result that the closing system upon first actuation of the door handle is not yet released and the person requesting access must actuate the door handle again in order to open a door. 
     Moreover, from DE 197 45 149 a handle for a motor vehicle is known which is comprised of two shells. In the interior of the inner shell a switching element is positioned which is embodied as a sending/receiving unit. This switching element is coated with an insulating layer. In the outer shell a cutout is provided for a push button which allows locking of the closing system by actuation it. A disadvantage of this device is that the encapsulation of the switching element in the inner shell, for example, with a plastic material, results in a time-consuming manufacture. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to develop a closing system which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages. 
     The special feature of the measures described therein is the integration of the switching element in a container which has at least on one accessible side a switching surface for actuating the switching element. The handle has a receptacle into which the container with the switching element is introduced when mounting the handle. In the area of the receptacle the handle has a penetration in its outer wall. In this penetration the container surface supporting the switching surface is positioned when the container is inserted into the receptacle. The switching surface can be flush with the penetration of the handle. The switching surface of the container, however, can also project past the penetration of the handle and/or can overlap the adjoining areas of the outer wall of the handle partially at one or more sides of the switching surface. The penetration can be provided in the grip shell of the handle but can also be of a two-part configuration so that one part of the penetration is positioned in the grip shell of the handle and the second part of the penetration in the grip cover of the handle. The container is preferably of a water-tight configuration so that the sensitive switching elements are protected against water penetration and short-circuiting as a result of penetrated moisture cannot occur. As a result of the arrangement of the switching elements in a water-tight container, manufacturing costs are moreover considerably lowered because the complex encapsulating of the separate interior of the handle is no longer required. 
     The switching surface of the container is arranged directly on the inner surface of the handle so that an actuation of the switching elements is already carried out upon contacting of the switching surface when the hand of the user grips the handle. Accordingly, the handle must no longer be pulled in order to trigger the release process of the lock. This has the advantage that the response time of the system is significantly reduced in respect to the presented request for access. 
     Particularly advantageous is an embodiment in which the provided switching elements are electronically operating push switching elements. These electronically operating push switching elements have the advantage that the switching path is very short and that this results in a time saving allowing a fast response of the electronic control of the closing system to the request for access to the vehicle expressed by the user. 
     It may be furthermore expedient to provide an additional penetration in the handle in which an additional sensor for securing the locking system is arranged. This additional penetration can also be arranged, for example, on another side of the handle. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       Further measures and advantages of the invention result from the dependent claims, the following description, and the drawings. In the drawings three embodiments of the invention are illustrated. It is shown in: 
         FIG. 1  a handle according to the invention in a schematic three-dimensional view; 
         FIG. 2  a schematic side view of the inventive handle of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  the handle according to the invention of  FIG. 1  in an exploded three-dimensional illustration; 
         FIG. 4  the first embodiment of the handle according to the invention in a longitudinal section along section line IV-IV of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  a longitudinal section of a further embodiment of the handle according to the invention in a section view analog to  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  a cross-section of the handle according to the invention along section line VI-VI of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 7  a third embodiment of the handle according to the invention in a cross-section corresponding to  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  a fourth embodiment of the inventive handle in a cross-section according to  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In  FIGS. 1 through 4  and  6  a first embodiment of a handle for the closing system according to the invention is illustrated. The handle  10  is comprised of a base shell  11  on which a cover part  12  is positioned. At one end of the handle an actuator arm  40  is provided by means of which a door lock can be actuated when the handle according to the invention is mounted on a vehicle. This grip arm  40  is however not mandatory because there are already systems known with which the opening of the lock and the release of the door can be realized automatically after recognizing the access authorization of the person requesting access. At the forward end of the handle  10  in this embodiment of a plug part  42  is arranged with which the switching element or elements arranged in the handle are connected with the electronic device of the vehicle and/or a lock. 
     In the rearward outer wall  19  of the handle which, when the handle is mounted on the door, faces the door, a window cutout  14  is left open. This window cutout  14  is provided in the area of a receptacle  16  (see, in particular,  FIG. 3 ) into which a container containing the switching elements  18 ,  25  is pushed and/or inserted. 
     The container  13  has a touch surface  15  which is manufactured, for example, of a soft to rubber-elastic synthetic material and which positive-lockingly adjoins the surrounding window cutout  14  when the container is inserted and/or pushed into the receptacle  16  of the handle  10 . On the touch surface  15  special markings  22  can be provided which the hand gripping the handle can sense by touch. 
     In the present first embodiment, on the front-facing outer wall  20  of the handle an additional window cutout  27  is provided in which an additional touch surface  26  is provided. This touch surface  26  in the present embodiment is arranged on the same container  13  as the touch surface  15 . 
     In the receptacle  16  various stays and inner surfaces of the handle are formed as guides  17  with which the container  13  is secured almost without play in the receptacle  16  of the handle  10 . 
     The container according to the invention is configured substantially as follows. It is comprised of a peripheral wall  31  which encloses a container interior  21  on four sides. At the underside of the container  13  the bottom part  30  adjoins the peripheral wall  31 . At the upper side of the container  30  it is closed off by a cover part  32  which comprises the touch surface  15 . In the area of the second additional touch surface  26  the container is closed off by the cover part  32 ″. The cover parts are preferably made of a soft-elastic or rubber-elastic plastic material. All parts of the container  13  are preferably adhesively connected or welded so that a water-tight closed container interior  21 ,  21 ′,  21 ″ results. In the container interior  21  the switching elements  18  in the form of a switching foil is arranged on the bottom part  30 . For actuating the switching foil  18 , control means are arranged on the inside of the cover part  32 . In the interior  21 ″ of the container  13  an additional switching element  25  in the form of a microswitch is arranged. This microswitch  25  can be actuated directly via the touch surface  26 . The connection of the switching elements  18 ,  25  with the electronic control and/or the lock is achieved by electric control lines  43  which are connected to the plug part  42 . The plug part  42  during mounting is connected with a counter plug from where the electrical control lines extend to the electronic control or to the lock. In order to ensure a water-tight guiding of the cable  43  into the container  13 , a special cable passage  45  is provided at its forward area in which the cable is surrounded, for example, by rubber-elastic material so as to be media-tight. 
     In a second embodiment of the handle  10 ′ according to the invention, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the container  13 ′ as well as a second container  28  are provided. The following additional features in comparison to the preceding description are present. Between the first container  13 ′ and the second container  28  an additional electric control line  44  is provided which is guided out of the first container  13 ′ via the cable passage  45 ′ and which extends via the cable passage  46  into the second container  28 . The second container  28  has a separate bottom part  30 ′ which covers the peripheral wall  31 ′ in the downward direction. The container  31 ′ is closed to the exterior by the cover part  32 ′ in which the touch surface  26  is positioned. This container is also media-tight by means of welding or adhesive connection. 
     In  FIG. 7  a third embodiment of the invention is illustrated. The handle  10 ″ illustrated here is comprised also of a base shell  11  and a cover part  12 . The container  13 ″ is however configured as a monolithic part of light plastic material which in its interior surrounds the container interior  21 . In this interior, the switching element  18  is again positioned which in this embodiment is formed again of a switching foil. The container part  13 ″ is formed such that it has grooves  34  on both its lateral surfaces. In the mounted state of the handle  10 ″, the edges  35 ,  36  of the base shell  11  and of the cover part  12  engage these grooves  34  substantially positive-lockingly. In this way, the container part is position-secured in the handle substantially without play. For facilitating actuation of the switching element  18 , control means  33  are again provided on the inner side of the touch surface  15  which shorten the switching path as a result of the spatial distance between the switching surface and the switching element. 
     In the same sense as described above, a second container, of course, can also be provided whose touch surface is arranged on the side of the handle facing away from the door, in contrast to the one illustrated here provided on the side  23  of the handle  10 ″ facing the door. 
     Also, a container of a monolithic configuration could have touch surfaces on both sides  23 ,  24  of the handle. 
     In a fourth embodiment of the handle  10 ′″ according to the invention, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the container  13 ′″ is provided with only one switching element  18  in the form of a microswitch. This microswitch  18  is arranged in the area of the handle  10 ′″ which neighbors the actuator arm (not illustrated in this embodiment). One end of the touch surface  15 ′ is supported pivotably. On the end of the touch surface  15 ′ opposite the switching element  18  a securing collar  51  is arranged in which one end  38  of a plunger  33 ′ is supported in liftable way. The plunger  33 ′ is supported by means of a spring element  37  on the inner surface of the touch surface  15 ′. The plunger  33 ′ is positioned in the actuation direction above the microswitch  18 . This arrangement of touch surface  15 ′, plunger  33 ′ and spring element  37  together forms advantageously a springy pressure limit for the microswitch by which possible tolerances of the participating components can be compensated. A sufficient movability of the touch surface  15 ′ on the container  13 ′″ is ensured by a membrane  49  extending circumferentially about the touch surface  15 ′. This membrane  49  provides a media-tight connection between the touch surface  15 ′ and the wall  52  of the container  13 ′″. The bottom part  30  of the container can moreover be sealed by sealing elements  50  relative to the wall  52 . The adjusting stroke of the touch surface  15 ′ in the area of the microswitch  18  in this embodiment is limited also by stops  47  formed on the touch surface  15 ′ which can impact on stop surfaces  48  of the bottom part  30  of the container  13 ′″. The further configuration of the handle  10 ′″ according to the invention corresponds to that of the already described handles. 
     The present invention is not limited to the form of the handle illustrated here. Also conceivable is a handle whose base shell at the facing side is covered by a cover part such as, for example, a front cover wherein in the front cover a window cutout for the touch surface of a container can be provided. It is also possible to provide a window cutout in which a touch surface of the container is arranged on the bottom side of the base shell facing the vehicle door. 
     Also, the base shell can be covered relative to the vehicle door by a cover part or a similar part and the window cutout in which the touch surface of a container is positioned can be entirely arranged within the cover part. 
     The touch surface  15  illustrated here and positioned facing the door and the switching element  18  which is to be actuated by it is provided for initializing an access authorization inquiry of an electronic control arranged in the vehicle to a data carrier provided on the user such as, for example, a data card of a keyless go closing system. When the user touches the touch surface  15  and thus triggers a switching process in the switching element  18 , an electronic pulse is sent to the electronic control (not illustrated here) in the vehicle and/or in the door. The electronic control then transfers in fractions of a second an inquiry of the authorization data to the access data on a key card (data carrier), not illustrated, of the user. The key card then also provides within fractions of a second the access data stored therein to the electronic control which examines them and, in the case of positive data recognition, allows access to the user. The access authorization can be provided either in that the handle is released so that the user, upon further pulling of the handle, such as, a door handle or the like, achieves opening of the door lock or in that the electronic control acts directly onto the lock and the door or flap or the like is opened directly, without any further action by the user, via the lock that releases the door. 
     In contrast to this, the second switching element  25  described above can be provided for securing the closing system. When the user touches the touch surface  27  and thus actuates the switching element  25 , the closing system is transferred into a state in which the lock prevents opening of the door or the flap or the like.