Abstract:
An exterior door handle arrangement for a motor vehicle door of a motor vehicle includes a door handle a bearing bracket, and a hinge assembly having a pivot pin and a guide groove receiving the pivot pin for the pivotable connection of the door handle to the bearing bracket, wherein for pivoting the door handle from a resting position into a swivel-out position the pivot pin located in the guide groove forms a pivot axis of the door handle. The contour surfaces of the pivot pin and the guide groove which are in operative connection and which determine the pivot movement of the door handle are designed with a fit, such that the door handle has in the swivel-out position a clearance fit which transitions via a transitional fit into a positive fit when a pivoting movement into to a resting position is made.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is the U.S. National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2013/003073, filed Oct. 12, 2013, which designated the United States and has been published as International Publication No. WO 2014/056624 and which claims the priority of German Patent Application, Serial No. 10 2012 020 265.2, filed Oct. 12, 2012, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to an exterior door handle arrangement for a vehicle door of a vehicle. 
     Such exterior door handle arrangement is disclosed, for example. in EP 0 646 688 A1 and includes a door handle, a bearing bracket and a hinge assembly having a pivot pin and a guide groove receiving this pivot pin for pivotally connecting the door handle with the bearing bracket. In this conventional door handle arrangement, the cylindrical pivot pin may be disposed at a bearing portion of the bearing bracket, so that an end-side of the bearing fork of the door handle surrounds the pivot pin which forms an axis of rotation for the door handle. In another embodiment, the cylindrical pivot pin is secured to an end-side bearing arm of the door handle and is inserted and held in a guide groove arranged on an end side of the bearing bracket, thus allowing pivoting movement of the door handle about the pivot pin which forms a rotation axis. In addition to this hinge assembly, which supports the door handle in the direction of travel of the vehicle, the door handle is connected with a drawbar at another support location opposite the direction of travel of the vehicle. 
     With such an exterior door handle arrangement, the hinge assembly arranged in the direction of travel of the vehicle must guide and stabilize the door handle, wherein the independent return of the door handle from the swivel-out position into the resting position must not be blocked by friction forces in the hinge assembly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide an exterior door handle arrangement of the aforementioned type that holds the door handle in the resting position without play and without impeding the return due to frictional forces. Furthermore, this exterior door handle arrangement should be easy to implement, especially without resulting in a complex assembly. 
     This object is solved by an exterior door handle arrangement. 
     Such an exterior door handle arrangement for a vehicle door of a vehicle, which includes a door handle, a bearing bracket and a hinge assembly having a pivot pin and a guide groove receiving this pivot pin for pivotally connecting the door handle with the bearing bracket, wherein the pivot pin forms a pivot axis of the door handle for pivoting the door handle from a resting position into a swivel-out position in the guide groove, is characterized according to the invention is that the contour surfaces of the pivot pin and the guide groove which are operatively connected and define the pivot movement of the door handle are formed with a fit, in such a way that a clearance fit exists in the swivel-out position of the door handle, which transitions via a transitional fit into an interference fit during a pivoting movement into the resting position. 
     This provides a simple, in particular cost-effective solution, namely by forming the hinge assembly with an asymmetrical support, so that during the pivoting movement from the extended position of the door handle, i.e. the swivel-out position, into the resting position of the door handle, the contour surfaces that determine the support and the pivotal movement produce a clearance fit that transitions during the pivotal movement into the resting position first into a transitional fit and thereafter into an interference fit. 
     The interference fit in the resting position of the door handle ensures support without play. In addition, buzzing sounds when closing the car door are eliminated. 
     According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the pivot pin is formed with an elliptical cross-section, wherein its outer surface forms a contour surface that is operatively connected with parallel surfaces forming contour surfaces of the guide groove. This continuously changes the profile of the fit during the pivotal movement of the vehicle door, which results in improved vibration damping when closing the vehicle door. 
     According to a further development, the pivot pin is arranged for forming the clearance fit, the transitional fit, and the interference fit so that upon pivoting of the door handle from the swivel-out position into its resting position the length of the chord of the elliptical cross-sectional shape of the pivot pin increases between the contact regions of the contour surfaces. By forming the pivot pin as an elliptical cylinder, the fits can be adapted to the respective requirements, because the range of values for the chord can be set between the small value of the minor axis and large value of the major axis of the shape of the ellipse. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, the flat contour surfaces of the guide groove extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (x-direction of the vehicle) when the door handle is in its resting position. In this case, the pivot is to be arranged so as to produce a chord length, which in conjunction with the contour surfaces of the guide groove results in an interference fit. This means that the pivot pin becomes twisted between the two contour surfaces of the guide groove by the relative rotation of the pivot pin and the guide groove. 
     In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the pivot may be connected to the door handle whereby the door handle can be produced in a simple and cost-effective manner. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the pivot pin is connected to the bearing bracket, wherein the door handle has at one end a bearing fork for forming the guide groove with flat contour surfaces. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the pivot pin is formed with a polygonal cross-section, wherein its outer surface forms a contour surface that is operatively connected to parallel faces forming contour surfaces of the guide groove. 
     In such embodiment, the pivot is arranged so that, when the door handle is pivoted from the swivel-out position to the resting position, the length of the chord of the polygonal cross-sectional shape of the pivot pin increases between the contact regions of the contour surfaces from a chord having the length for a clearance fit to a chord generating an interference press fit. 
     According to a further development with such a pivot pin, the pivot pin is connected to the bearing bracket and the door handle has on one end a bearing fork for forming the guide groove with the flat contour surfaces, wherein the bearing fork and the pivot pin are aligned relative to each other that the chord generating the interference fit between the contact regions of the contour surfaces is formed in the resting position, of the door handle. 
     Preferably, the pivot pin and the contour surfaces of the guide groove are aligned relative to each other such that in the swivel-out position of the door handle, the contour surfaces of the bearing fork extend essentially in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, while forming the chord between the contact regions of the contour surfaces that generates the clearance fit. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       The invention will be described below in detail in connection with exemplary embodiments and with reference to the attached figures, which show in: 
         FIG. 1  a schematic perspective view of an exterior door handle arrangement according to the invention, 
         FIG. 2  a schematic perspective sectional view of the exterior door handle arrangement along section A-A of  FIG. 1 , with a door handle in extended position as an exemplary embodiment of the invention, 
         FIG. 2 a    a schematic representation of the detail B of  FIG. 2 , 
         FIG. 3  a schematic sectional view of the exterior door handle arrangement according to  FIG. 2  with a door handle in the resting position, 
         FIG. 4  a schematic perspective sectional view of the exterior door handle arrangement along section A-A of  FIG. 1 , with a door handle in extended position as another exemplary embodiment of the invention, 
         FIG. 4 a    a schematic representation of the detail C of  FIG. 4 , 
         FIG. 5  a schematic sectional view of the exterior door handle arrangement according to  FIG. 4  with a door handle in the resting position, 
         FIG. 6  a schematic perspective sectional view of the exterior door handle arrangement along section A-A of  FIG. 1 , with a door handle in extended position as another exemplary embodiment of the invention, 
         FIG. 6 a    a schematic representation of the detail D of  FIG. 6 , and 
         FIG. 7  a schematic sectional view of the exterior door handle arrangement according to  FIG. 6 , with a door handle in the resting position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The exterior door handle arrangement  1  shown in  FIG. 1  includes a door handle  10  and a bearing bracket  20  with which the door handle  10  is pivotally connected.  FIG. 1  shows the door handle  10  in a resting position I, i.e. in its stored position. 
     In the partial cross-sectional view of  FIG. 2  along section A-A of  FIG. 1 , the door handle  10  is in a swivel-out position II, i.e. in its extended position. 
     According to  FIG. 2 , the bearing bracket  20  composed of a plastic material includes a central part  21  shaped like a recessed grip, which has at one end a bearing portion  22  and at the opposite end an end portion  23 . The bearing portion  22  forms in conjunction with a pivot pin  31 , which is connected to the door handle  10 , a hinge assembly  30 . 
     This hinge assembly  30  includes in addition to the pivot pin  31  a guide groove  32  which is formed in the bearing portion  22  of the bearing bracket  20  and receives the pivot pin  31  so that the pivot pin  31  forms a pivot axis of the door handle  10  for pivoting from its resting position I (see  FIG. 1 ) into its swivel-out position II and vice versa. 
     The door handle  10  which is manufactured also from plastic is formed at one end with a bearing arm  11  and at the other end with a draw hook  13 . The support arm  11  carries at the end the pivot pin  31  oriented in the z-direction of the vehicle, wherein the bearing arm  11  is guided through a bearing opening  25  of the bearing bracket  20 . The draw hook  13  engages through an operational opening  24  in the end portion  23  of the bearing bracket  20  and is connected to an unillustrated drawbar. 
     The circumferential surface  31   a  of the pivot pin  31  is operatively connected as a contour surface with the two parallel and flat contour surfaces  32   a  and  32   b  forming the guide groove  32 , so that the pivot pin  31  is guided and rotatably supported by these two contour surfaces  32   a  and  32   b.    
     The cross-section of the pivot pin  31  has an elliptical shape with a minor diameter d 1  and a major diameter d 2 . This elliptical shape of the pivot pin  31  is oriented such that it generates in the swivel-out position II of the door handle  10  according to the diagram of  FIGS. 2 and 2   a  a clearance fit by way of the contour surface  31   a  of the pivot pin  31  and the contour of surfaces  32   a  and  32   b  of the guide groove  32  and that this clearance fit transitions, when the door handle  10  is pivoted into its resting position I, via a transitional fit into an interference fit, as shown schematically in  FIG. 3 . During this movement, the pivot pin  31  rotates between the two contour surfaces  32   a  and  32   b  such that the length of the chord S 1  connecting the contact regions K 1   a  and K 1   b  of the contour surface  31   a  of the pivot pin  31  and the contact portions  32   a  and  32   b  in the swivel-out position II increases up to the length of the chord S 2  between the contact regions K 2   a  and K 2   b  of the contour surface  31   a  of the pivot pin  31  and the contour of surfaces  32   a  and  32   b  of the guide groove  32 . 
     The chord is S 1  between the contact regions K 1   a  and K 1   b  is here selected so that a clearance fit is realized in conjunction with the distance a between the two contour surfaces  32   a  and  32   a , while the length of the chord S 2  between the contact regions K 2   a  and K 2   b  has a larger value, thus forming in conjunction with the distance a between the two contour surfaces  32   a  and  32   b  an interference fit in the resting position I of the door handle  10 . Thus, the length of the chord S between the contact regions of the contour surface  31   a  of the pivot pin  31  and contour surfaces  32   a  and  32   b  of the guide groove  32  continuously increases during the pivoting movement of the door handle  10  from the swivel-out position II into its resting position I, i.e. from a length of the chord S 1  to the length of the chord S 2 . 
     The value of the length of the chord S 1  is hereby in the range of the value of the minor diameter d 1  of the elliptical shape of the pivot pin cross-section, whereas the value of the length of the chord S 2  is in the range of the value of the major diameter d 2 . 
     The exterior door handle arrangement  1  according to  FIGS. 4, 4   a  and  5  differs from that according to  FIGS. 2, 2   a  and  3  only by the hinge assembly  30 , while the other components are identical. 
     This hinge assembly  30  according to  FIGS. 4, 4   a  and  5  also includes a pivot pin  31  with an elliptical cross-section arranged in the region of the bearing portion  22 , at which a ridge  31   b  is formed on the side facing away from the door handle. The associated guide groove  32  with parallel and flat contour surfaces  32   a  and  32   b  is formed of a bearing fork  12 , which supports the end of the bearing arm  11  of the door handle  10 . 
     The elliptical shape of the cross-section of the pivot pin  31  has also a minor diameter d 1  and a major diameter d 2 , wherein in this exemplary embodiment the pivot pin  31  and the guide groove  32  are also oriented with respect to one another such that the outer surface  31   a  as a contour surface of the pivot pin  31  in conjunction with the contour surfaces  32   a  and  32   b  of the guide groove  32  form a clearance fit when the door handle is in the swivel-out position II shown in  FIGS. 4 and 4   a . When the door handle  10  is pivoted back from this swivel-out position II into its resting position I, this clearance fit merges transitions via a transitional fit into an interference fit. 
     To achieve this effect, the pivot pin  31  is disposed with its elliptical cross-sectional shape on the bearing portion  22  of the bearing bracket  20  in such a way that the direction of the major diameter d 2  forms an acute angle to the x-direction of the vehicle. In this way, in the swivel-out position II of the door handle  10 , the chord S 1  connecting the contact regions K 1   a  and K 1   b  of the contour surface  31   a  of the pivot pin  31  with the contour surfaces  32   a  and  32   b  has a value which realizes a clearance fit in conjunction with the distance a of the two contour surfaces  32   a  and  32   b  of the bearing fork  12 . The length of this chord S 1  increases continuously to the length of the chord S 2  between the contact regions K 2   a  and K 2   b  when the door handle  10  is pivoted back into its resting position I, wherein the length of this chord S 2  has a value which forms an interference fit in conjunction with the two contour surfaces  32   a  and  32   b  of the guide groove  32 . In this resting position I, the two contour surfaces  32   a  and  32   b  extend in the x-direction of the vehicle. 
     The last exemplary embodiment according to  FIGS. 6, 6   a  and  7  also differs from the previous embodiments only by the joint assembly  30 . 
     The pivot pin  31  of this hinge assembly according to the  FIGS. 6, 6   a  and  7  is arranged on the bearing portion  22  of the bearing bracket  20  of the exterior door handle arrangement  1  and has a polygonal, i.e. a five-cornered cross-section, wherein a ridge  31   b  is formed on the side facing away from the door handle. The door handle  10  has a support arm  11  with an end-side bearing bracket  12 , with encompasses the pivot pin  31  as a guide groove  32  with two parallel and flat contour surfaces  32   a  and  32   b.    
     The outer surface  31   a  of the pivot pin  31  forms a clearance fit in conjunction with the contour surfaces  32   a  and  32   b  of the bearing fork  12  in the swivel-out position II of the door handle  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 6   a , which transitions via a transitional fit into an interference fit when the door handle  10  is pivoted back into its resting position I shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     To achieve this effect, the contour of surfaces  32   a  and  32   b  of the bearing fork  12  are oriented such that the chord S 1  connecting the contact regions K 2   a  and K 2   b  of the contour surfaces  31   a ,  32   a  and  32   b  in the resting position I of the door handle  10  has a length that produces a clearance fit in conjunction with the distance a between the two contour surfaces  32   a  and  32   b  of the bearing fork  12 . When the door handle  10  is pivoted back into the resting position I shown in  FIG. 7 , the length of this chord increases up to the chord S 2  between the contact regions K 2   a  and K 2   b  that corresponds to the distance between two opposite corners of the pentagonal cross-sectional shape of the pivot pin  31 . In this resting position I, the contour surfaces  32   a  and  32   b  are oriented at an acute angle with respect to the x-direction of the vehicle and caused tilting of the pivot  31  in the guide groove  32  and thus an interference fit due to the pivoting back from the swivel-out position II.