HIDDEN DOOR HANDLE, VEHICLE DOOR AND VEHICLE

A hidden door handle includes: a base including an opening; a switch assembly on the base, configured to unlock a vehicle door; and a handle assembly, rotatably mounted to the base, and having an initial position and a first trigger position to which the handle assembly is rotatable inwardly from the opening. In the initial position, the handle assembly is at the opening, and in the first trigger position, the handle assembly triggers the switch assembly to unlock the vehicle door.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202310707545.5 filed on Jun. 14, 2023, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

In automobiles, door handles are required for opening side doors, and the doors may be pulled open by pulling the door handles. There are convex handles, semi-hidden handles, and hidden door handles, among which the hidden door handles can reduce wind resistance for the automobile overall.

SUMMARY

A type of hidden retractable door handle may include with a space for retraction of the handle, and after the handle is retracted, another space completely independent of the space for the retraction of the handle is provided and used to accommodate relevant structures for opening a vehicle door. Operation of corresponding mechanisms by the human hand in the space can open the vehicle door. That is, such a hidden retractable door handle needs has two independent spaces, and such a design adopts electric drive to retract the handle, resulting in a complex overall structure, high cost, and large weight.

The present disclosure relates to the field of door handles, and particularly to a hidden door handle, a vehicle door and a vehicle.

A hidden door handle according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes: a base, including an opening; a switch assembly on the base, configured to unlock a vehicle door; and a handle assembly, rotatably mounted to the base, and having an initial position and a first trigger position to which the handle assembly is rotatable inwardly from the opening. In the initial position, the handle assembly is at the opening. In the first trigger position, the handle assembly triggers the switch assembly to unlock the vehicle door.

A vehicle door according to a second aspect of the present disclosure includes a hidden door handle. The hidden door handle includes: a base, including an opening; a switch assembly on the base, configured to unlock a vehicle door; and a handle assembly, rotatably mounted to the base, and having an initial position and a first trigger position to which the handle assembly is rotatable inwardly from the opening. In the initial position, the handle assembly is at the opening. In the first trigger position, the handle assembly triggers the switch assembly to unlock the vehicle door.

A vehicle according to a third aspect of the present disclosure includes a vehicle door having a hidden door handle. The hidden door handle includes: a base, including an opening; a switch assembly on the base, configured to unlock a vehicle door; and a handle assembly, rotatably mounted to the base, and having an initial position and a first trigger position to which the handle assembly is rotatable inwardly from the opening. In the initial position, the handle assembly is at the opening. In the first trigger position, the handle assembly triggers the switch assembly to unlock the vehicle door.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are illustrative and explanatory, not construed to limit the present disclosure.

In the present disclosure, the use of directional words such as “inner” and “outer” refer to the inner and outer of the corresponding contour unless indicated to the contrary; in addition, the terms “first,” “second,” “third,” and the like, as used in the present disclosure, are intended to distinguish one element from another, not necessarily in order and importance. Furthermore, in the following description, when reference is made to the accompanying drawings, the same or similar elements are denoted by like reference numerals, unless otherwise specified. The foregoing definitions are merely illustrative and explanatory of the present disclosure and are not construed to limit the present disclosure.

As shown inFIGS.1to7, according to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a hidden door handle is provided and includes: a base100including an opening111; a switch assembly200on the base100, configured to unlock a vehicle door700; and a handle assembly300rotatably mounted to the base100and having an initial position (i.e., a hidden position) and a first trigger position to which the handle assembly300is rotatable inwardly from the opening111. In the hidden position, the handle assembly300is at the opening111. In the first trigger position, the handle assembly300triggers the switch assembly200to unlock the vehicle door700.

For the hidden door handle according to the present disclosure, since the opening111is formed on the base100and the switch assembly200for unlocking the vehicle door700is on the base100, the vehicle door700can be unlocked by using the handle assembly300rotatably coupled to the base100, when the handle assembly300is switched from the hidden position to the first trigger position. For example, when the handle assembly300is in the hidden position, the vehicle door700can be locked without starting the switch assembly200; when the handle assembly300is in the first trigger position, the switch assembly200is triggered, and the switch assembly200controls an unlocking structure (not shown) of the vehicle door700to unlock the vehicle door700. For the hidden door handle according to the present disclosure, with the arrangement of the switch assembly200on the base100, the inward rotation of the handle assembly300from the opening111and the switch from the hidden position to the first trigger position, an action of unlocking the vehicle door700can be realized, which eliminates the need for an electric drive assembly, has a simple structure is simple, and reduces both cost and weight.

In some embodiments, the base100is also configured as an accommodating cavity110with the opening111; the switch assembly200is inside the accommodating cavity110; and the handle assembly300is rotatably mounted in the accommodating cavity110and has the hidden position where the handle assembly300is at the opening111, and the first trigger position where the handle assembly300triggers the switch assembly200to unlock the vehicle door700. The handle assembly300rotates from the opening111to an interior of the accommodating cavity110to the first trigger position.

For the hidden door handle according to the present disclosure, since the accommodating cavity110having the opening111is formed in the base100, and the switch assembly200configured to lock and unlock the vehicle door700is arranged in the accommodating cavity110, the vehicle door700can be locked and unlocked by switching the handle assembly300, rotatably connected in the accommodating cavity110, between the hidden position and the trigger position. For example, when the handle assembly300is in the hidden position, the vehicle door700is locked without starting the switch assembly200; when the handle assembly300is in the trigger position, the switch assembly200is started, and the vehicle door700is unlocked. For the hidden door handle according to the present disclosure, with the arrangement of one accommodating cavity110in the base100, and the rotation of the handle assembly300from the hidden position toward the interior of the accommodating cavity110to the trigger position, the action of unlocking the vehicle door700can be realized, which eliminates the need for an electric drive assembly, has a simple structure is simple, and reduces both cost and weight.

It should be noted that the vehicle door700further includes the unlocking structure for locking and unlocking the vehicle door. For example, the unlocking structure may be configured as a drive assembly and a locking bolt coupled to the drive assembly, and the drive assembly may drive the locking bolt to switch between a locked state and an unlocked state, where the switch assembly200is in communication connection with the drive assembly, and the switch assembly200is configured to control the action of the drive assembly after the switch assembly200is triggered by the handle assembly300, namely, when the switch assembly200is triggered by the handle assembly300in the first trigger position, the switch assembly200may control the drive assembly to switch the locking bolt from the locked state to the unlocked state for unlocking the vehicle door700.

In an initial state, the handle assembly300is in the hidden position, and since the handle assembly300is away from the switch assembly200, the vehicle door700may be in the locked state, and when it is required to unlock the vehicle door700, the handle assembly300may rotate towards the interior of the accommodating cavity110to the first trigger position by being pushed by hand, and the switch assembly200is triggered for unlocking the vehicle door700.

The switch assembly200can be triggered by the handle assembly300and can realize unlocking of the vehicle door when powered on, which is equivalent to electronic unlocking of the vehicle door. In some situations, a relevant component for the electronic unlocking fails to unlock the vehicle door through the switch assembly200when powered off, or in the event of malfunction. In order to satisfy the unlocking of the vehicle door700in a power-off state, as shown inFIGS.3to6, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the hidden door handle further includes an unlocking member600configured to unlock the vehicle door700in the power-off state. The unlocking member600may be configured in any suitable manner, as long as it can satisfy the above-mentioned unlocking of the vehicle door700.

In some embodiments, the handle assembly300also has a second trigger position where the handle assembly300drives the unlocking member600to act on the unlocking structure of the vehicle door700to unlock the vehicle door700. At least a portion of the unlocking member600is in a rotating path of the handle assembly300and may be abutted by the in-turned handle assembly300to achieve mechanical unlocking of the vehicle door700.

It should be noted that the unlocking member600may be a structural member for directly locking the vehicle door, and the unlocking of the vehicle door700may be achieved by directly acting on the unlocking member600by the handle assembly300. Moreover, the unlocking member600may also be a transition member coupled to the unlocking structure (such as the locking bolt) for locking the vehicle door, and the handle assembly300acts on the unlocking member600, and the unlocking member600then drives the locking bolt to switch from the locked state to the unlocked state to achieve the mechanical unlocking of the vehicle door700.

It may be understood that the handle assembly300may also act directly on the unlocking member600or indirectly on the unlocking member600through other intermediate assemblies, such as a linkage assembly, a suitable transmission assembly, etc. which will not be described in detail herein.

As shown inFIG.3, in some embodiments, comparing the first trigger position with the second trigger position, the first trigger position is closer to the opening111. For example, both the first trigger position and the second trigger position are arranged in the accommodating cavity110of the base100, and the handle assembly300first rotates to the first trigger position in the rotating path, and may rotate to the second trigger position with increase of a rotating angle when the handle assembly300is pushed to turn inward from the hidden position. That is to say, priority of electronically unlocking the vehicle door700through the switch assembly200should be higher than that of mechanically unlocking the vehicle door700through the unlocking member600, which is more in line with actual operating habits.

In order to realize that the handle assembly300may be automatically reset from the first trigger position or the second trigger position to the hidden position after the vehicle door700is unlocked, as shown inFIG.1, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the hidden door handle further includes a reset assembly400, and the reset assembly400is configured to drive the handle assembly300to switch from the first trigger position to the hidden position, or the reset assembly400is configured to drive the handle assembly300to switch from the second trigger position to the hidden position.

The reset assembly400may be configured in any suitable manner. In some embodiments, the reset assembly400includes an elastic member arranged in the accommodating cavity110, and the elastic member has a first end coupled to the handle assembly300and a second end coupled to the base100. The elastic member is between a back surface of the handle assembly300and the accommodating cavity110, and two ends of the elastic member are coupled to the handle assembly300and an inner side of the accommodating cavity110respectively. When the hand pushes the handle assembly300to rotate inward, the elastic member is compressed to complete energy storage, and when the hand releases the handle assembly300, the energy storage of the elastic member is released, and the handle assembly300is automatically reset to the hidden position from the first trigger position or the second trigger position under an elastic force of the elastic member. The elastic member includes but is not limited to a spring, and may also be an elastic sheet, an elastic rubber and the like with elastic function.

Rotating connection between the handle assembly300and the base100may be realized in any suitable manner. In some embodiments, the handle assembly300is hinged to the base100through a rotation shaft500, and the handle assembly300may rotate around a central axis of the rotation shaft500to switch the hidden position and the first trigger position.

The reset assembly400includes a spring, the spring is fitted over the rotation shaft500or a mounting shaft coaxially provided with the rotation shaft500, and the spring has a first end coupled to the base100and a second end coupled to the handle assembly300.

In some embodiments, the spring may be fitted over the rotation shaft500, and two ends of the spring are coupled to the base100and the handle assembly300respectively, to store energy when the hand pushes the handle assembly300to switch from the hidden position to the trigger position, and the handle assembly300is driven to automatically reset from the trigger position to the hidden position when the hand is released.

In other embodiments, the handle assembly300may be hinged to the base100through the rotation shaft500, and the mounting shaft coaxially provided with the rotation shaft500is also formed on the handle assembly300. The spring may be fitted over the mounting shaft, and two ends of the spring are also coupled to the base100and the handle assembly300respectively, to store energy when the hand pushes the handle assembly300to switch from the hidden position to the trigger position, and the handle assembly300may also be driven to automatically reset from the trigger position to the hidden position when the hand is released.

In some embodiments, the rotating connection between the handle assembly300and the base100may also be realized in the following ways: the handle assembly300includes a rotation portion510at each of two ends of the handle assembly300, and the base100includes rotation grooves in one-to-one correspondence to the rotation portions510, each of the rotation portions510being rotatably coupled to the corresponding rotation groove. It may be understood that the two rotation portions510are arranged coaxially, and a connecting line of the central axes of the two rotation portions510forms a rotating axis of the handle assembly300, so that the handle assembly300may rotate more stably around the rotating axis, thereby switching between the hidden position, the first trigger position and the second trigger position.

In order to meet a rate when the handle assembly300returns to the hidden position from the first trigger position and the second trigger position, it is avoided that the handle assembly300directly impacts the opening111during quick return, which will affect use experience. In some embodiments, the hidden door handle further includes a damping assembly (not shown) which is provided at the base100and is coupled to the handle assembly300, and is configured to control the return speed of the handle assembly when the handle assembly300is switched from the first trigger position and the second trigger position to the hidden position, to avoid noise generated when the damping assembly collides with the base100in the hidden position and improve the use experience.

It should be noted that the damping assembly may be configured in any suitable structure, for example, the damping assembly may adopt a rotating damper, a gear damper and the like.

The hidden door handle is designed based on requirement of reducing wind resistance of a vehicle. In order to further reduce the wind resistance, an outer surface of the handle assembly300does not protrude from the outer surface of the vehicle door700when the handle assembly300is in the hidden position. The outer surface of the handle assembly300may be flush with or slightly lower than the outer surface of the vehicle door700at the opening111when the handle assembly300is in the hidden position, which is beneficial to reducing the wind resistance. It should be noted that the outer surface of the vehicle door700is usually a door trim panel, which may be flat or arc-shaped, and the outer surface of the handle assembly300may also be flat or arc (for example, it may be configured with the same or similar radian as the door trim panel at the opening111) to improve aesthetics of the whole vehicle.

In order to define the hidden position of the handle assembly300, that is, to prevent the handle assembly300from protruding from the outer surface of the vehicle door700from the opening111, as shown inFIG.2, the handle assembly300includes a limiting structure312for defining the hidden position of the handle assembly300. The limiting structure312may be designed with any suitable structure, for example, it may be a platform or a boss on the handle assembly300. When the handle assembly300rotates to the hidden position, the platform or boss may abut against an inner wall of the accommodating cavity110at the opening111to limit the position of the handle assembly300, to ensure that the outer surface of the handle assembly300does not protrude from the outer surface of the vehicle door700, for example, the outer surface of the handle assembly300is flush with the outer surface of the vehicle door700.

The handle assembly300may be configured in any suitable structure. As shown inFIGS.1and3, in some embodiments, the handle assembly300includes a handle body310, and the handle body310has a first end rotatably coupled to the base100and a second end forming a shielding portion311for shielding the opening111. A size of the shielding portion311is adapted to a size of the opening111, the limiting structure312may be formed on the handle body310, and the outer surface of the handle body310cooperates with the inner side of the accommodating cavity110to realize position limiting.

It should be noted that a rotating form of the handle assembly300and the base100is not limited to the above-mentioned structure. In some embodiments, the rotation portion510may be formed on two opposite sides of the handle body310, and rotating holes corresponding to the rotation portion510are formed on the two opposite sides of the opening111on the base100, respectively. By mounting the rotation portion510in the rotating hole, the handle assembly300may rotate to switch the hidden position and the trigger position.

The spring for resetting may be provided at the rotation portion510and the rotating hole. It is also possible to configure the mounting shaft which coincides with the axes of the two rotation portions510, and the same resetting function may be achieved by sheathing the spring on the mounting shaft.

As shown inFIG.7, in some embodiments, the handle body310includes a first body310aand a second body310bwhich are coupled to each other. The first body310aincludes the rotation portion510rotatably coupled to the base100, and the second body310bincludes the shielding portion311. Since the rotation portion510is directly formed by the first body310a, a structural size of the rotation portion510may be reduced, so that a rotating center of the whole handle assembly300may be closer to the outer surface of the vehicle door700in design, thereby reducing a depth of the accommodating cavity110of the base100, facilitating manufacturing and reducing molding difficulty.

In some embodiments, the first body310ais configured as a metal part, and/or the first body310aand the second body310bare detachably coupled to each other. The first body310aand the second body310bare detachably coupled to each other, and the first body310ais configured as the metal part. Since the handle body310is configured as the first body310aand the second body310bwhich are detachably coupled to each other, connection between them is convenient. For example, the first body310amay be mounted first, and then the second body310bmay be mounted, thus improving assembly efficiency. Moreover, due to the structural size of the rotation portion510is reduced, and strength of the rotation portion510is prevented from not meeting use requirements, the first body may be configured as the metal part, for example, a steel structure part, an aluminum alloy part, a titanium alloy part and the like to ensure use strength of the first body. Furthermore, the second body310bmay be made of any suitable material, for example, it may be made of an injection molded part or a metal structural part, which is not specifically limited here.

It may be understood that any suitable structure in the related art may be adopted in order to facilitate detachable connection between the second body310band the first body310a, for example, a snap structure may be adopted, that is, a snap part is on the second body310b, and a slot part is on the first body310acorresponding to the snap part, so that the second body310band the first body310amay be detachable coupled to each other by snapping the snap part in the slot part.

It should be noted that the first body310aand the second body310bmay also be fixedly coupled to each other. Moreover, the first body310ais configured as the metal part, and the second body310bis coupled to the first body310aand may not be disassembled, which may also meet the use requirements of the handle assembly300.

In order to improve aesthetic effect, as shown inFIGS.1and3, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the handle assembly300further includes a decorative member320, where the decorative member320is mounted on an outer side of the shielding portion311. The decorative member320may be coupled to the outer side of the shielding portion311in the form of clamping and bonding, which is convenient to cooperate with the outer surface of the vehicle door700and improves overall aesthetics of the vehicle door700.

The switch assembly200may be configured in any suitable structure. In some embodiments, the switch assembly200is configured to be triggered by contact when the handle assembly300abuts against the switch assembly200or by induction when the handle assembly300reaches a preset position, where the switch assembly200may be a mechanical structure. The switch assembly200starts a trigger when the handle assembly300abuts against the switch assembly200, such as an electrically controlled push switch, a travel switch, a limit switch and the like. Furthermore, the switch assembly200may also be a non-contact distance sensor or a position sensor, that is, the switch assembly200may sense the trigger when the handle assembly300reaches the preset position, and may also unlock the vehicle door700, such as an inductive switch. Contact-activated and contactless-activated switch assemblies200may refer to corresponding devices known in the related art, and will not be described in detail here.

It should be noted that the present disclosure is described around core components of the hidden door handle, and other control components and execution components used to unlock and lock the vehicle door700may refer to the technologies known in the related art, and will not be described here.

According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, the vehicle door700is provided, including the above-mentioned hidden door handle. Therefore, the vehicle door700also has all the advantages of the above-mentioned hidden door handle, which will not be described here.

According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, the vehicle is also provided, including the above-mentioned vehicle door. Therefore, the vehicle also has all the advantages of the vehicle door700, which will not be described in detail here. The vehicle may also include the control component and the execution component for unlocking and locking the vehicle door700, for example, including the drive assembly and the locking bolt for cooperating with the hidden door handle to lock and unlock the vehicle door700.

With the hidden door handle, the vehicle door700and the vehicle of the present disclosure, the accommodating cavity110with the opening111is formed on the base100, and the switch assembly200and the unlocking member600for unlocking the vehicle door700are arranged in the accommodating cavity110, so that the vehicle door700is unlocked by switching the handle assembly300rotatably connected in the accommodating cavity110between the hidden position and the first trigger position and the second trigger position. When the handle assembly300is in the hidden position, the vehicle door700is locked without starting the switch assembly200; when the handle assembly300is in the first trigger position, the switch assembly200is started, and the vehicle door700is unlocked, and when the handle assembly300is in the second trigger position, the vehicle door700is unlocked through the unlocking member600. For the hidden door handle according to the present disclosure, only one accommodating cavity110is on the base100, and the action of unlocking the vehicle door700may be realized when the handle assembly300rotates from the hidden position to the interior of the accommodating cavity110to the first trigger position or the second trigger position, so that the hidden door handle is operated by manual operation without the electric drive assembly compared with the related art, which is simple in structure, low in cost and beneficial to lightweight of a vehicle body. Further, the operation is more convenient, and the vehicle door700may be unlocked by operating the door handle at any time, regardless of whether the vehicle has electricity or not.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments, and various simple variations may be made to the technical solutions of the present disclosure within the scope of the present disclosure and fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

It should be noted that the specific technical features described in the above description may be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. To avoid unnecessary repetition, various possible combinations are not explained separately in the present disclosure.

In addition, various embodiments of the present disclosure can be combined as long as they do not depart from the concept of the present disclosure, and should be construed as the content of the present disclosure.