Exterior door handle for a motor vehicle

An exterior door handle for a motor vehicle, including an electromechanical locking system and a manually actuated handle part that can perform a lifting movement in order to open a door lock. The lifting movement of the handle part is subdivided, a device generating an increased actuation resistance and a switch electrically opening the door lock at the end of a first lifting distance. The handle part can travel an additional lifting distance beyond the first lifting distance in case the electric power supply is interrupted or the electric locking system breaks down, the additional lifting distance mechanically opening the door lock.

The invention is directed to an exterior door handle for a motor vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An exterior door handle comprising two pivot levers projecting from a handle part and each being pivotable by their free end about a common pivot axis in a handle housing is known, for example, from DE 100 15 887 C. Upon a lifting or pulling movement applied to the handle part, the door lock of a motor vehicle door can be opened. With electromechanical locking systems there is a problem that in the event of a system failure or a power breakdown access to the motor vehicle is precluded.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide an exterior door handle for a motor vehicle, wherein access to the interior of the vehicle is still possible in the event of a system or power breakdown.

The invention advantageously provides that the lifting movement of the handle part is divided, wherein at the end of a first lifting distance a means causes an increased actuation resistance and a switch opens the lock electrically, the handle part being adapted to travel an additional lifting distance beyond the first lifting distance to mechanically open the door in the event of a failure of the electric power supply or of the electric locking system.

Such an exterior door handle may be operated in the usual manner, the increased actuation resistance at the end of the first lifting distance and the electric opening of the door lock giving the operator the known impression of a mechanical opening of the door.

In the event of a failure of the electric power supply or another failure of the electric part of the locking system, the handle part can be operated further beyond the first lifting distance to mechanically open the door lock in a manner known per se. To this end, a pivot lever of the handle part actuates a pivot lever that opens the lock mechanically via a Bowden wire.

At the end of the first lifting distance, a device acts on the handle part that rapidly increases the actuating resistance in the form of a pressure point that is perceivable at the handle part and has to be overcome, the pressure point being followed by a stop.

The device for increasing the actuation resistance is formed by at least one damping means deformable under pressure, the deformation requiring an elevated force threshold to be overcome first.

The switch for an electric actuation of the door lock preferably opens after or upon overcoming the pressure point of the door lock generated by the means for increasing the actuation resistance.

The electric switch may be a microswitch, a Hall effect sensor, a capacitive sensor, a Reed switch, or an acceleration sensor.

The means for increasing the actuation resistance may be formed by a plate mechanically rigidly connected with the handle part or a pivot lever of the handle part, wherein the plate, at the end of the first lifting distance, acts on a damping means formed by at least one cup-like deforming element of elastic material. The cup-like deforming element, preferably made of rubber material, is adapted to change its shape abruptly, wherein the effort for deforming can for a short time increase to a multiple, e.g. four times, of the effort for pivoting the handle part. After the damping means has been compressed, a stop is felt upon actuating the handle, which is caused by one of the pivot levers of the handle part abutting against a pivot lever for a mechanical actuation of the door lock, the latter lever being spring-biased in the opposite direction. The damping means is coupled to a pivot lever for a mechanical opening of the door lock.

When the lifting movement is continued, the handle part can take the pivot lever for a mechanical opening of the door lock along beyond the stop formed by the damping means, so as to open the door lock mechanically via a Bowden wire coupled to the pivot lever.

An alternative solution provides that, when the power supply is functional, a lifting magnet with a locking pin limits the lifting movement of the handle part to the first lifting distance by forming a stop using the locking pin, and that in the event of a power breakdown, the lifting magnet withdraws the locking pin and releases the handle part for an additional lifting distance to open the door lock mechanically.

Summarizing, the invention advantageously allows an exterior door handle to open a door in the usual manner with an actuating feeling known to a user, when the electromechanical locking system is functional. In the event of a power failure or a system breakdown, e.g. a failure of a control line, further pulling or lifting the exterior door handle will open the door in a purely mechanical manner by using a mechanical key and lifting the handle part fully.

If only a control line of the electromechanical locking system or merely an electrical switch of the electromechanical locking system is defect, the vehicle may still be started.

The invention is applicable to all kinds of exterior door handles and, in particular, not limited to hinged handles. It is suited also for pull handles and pull/pivot handles with an inclined pivot axis or pull handles with a substantially vertical pivot axis.

The following is a detailed description of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 5shows a detail of a door11of a motor vehicle comprising an exterior door handle1that has a manually operable handle part3. The handle part3may be operated to open the door lock by a lifting or pulling movement. To open the vehicle door11, an electromechanical locking system2is activated by means of which the door lock8can be opened and closed. The handle part3comprises two mutually spaced pivot levers4a,4bpivotable about a common axis5in the handle housing13. To realize a pivot/pull handle, the axis5may also extend not in parallel with the handle part3.

At least one of the pivot levers4a,4bmay be provided with a means9for increasing the actuation resistance, which engages at the end of a first lifting distance21.

As obvious fromFIGS. 1 and 2, the means for increasing the actuation resistance is arranged at the lower end of the pivot lever part4aand specifically comprises a plate10rigidly connected to the pivot lever part4a, the plate having protrusions16acting on cup-like deforming elements14at the end of the first lifting distance21, wherein an elevated force threshold has to be overcome first to obtain a deformation. The cup-like deforming elements14of elastic material deform in the manner illustrated inFIGS. 4a,4b, wherein an increased actuation force has to be exerted to flatten the upper part of the deforming elements. This increased actuation force can be felt as a pressure point to be overcome when operating the handle part3, so that the operator is given the impression of a mechanical opening of the door lock8.

Upon deformation of the cup-like deforming elements or shortly after having overcome the pressure point, a switch20is actuated by a protrusion22at the lower end of the pivot lever4a.

FIG. 2shows the pivot lever4a,4bin a position shortly before the end of the first lifting movement21. The angular positions drawn inFIG. 2refer to the pivot lever part4aand illustrate its position at rest15, in a middle position17at the end of the first lifting distance21, and in an end position19at the end of the additional lifting distance23after the mechanical opening of the door lock8.

The cup-like deforming elements14of elastic material, preferably a rubber material, are arranged on a supporting plate12connected to another pivot lever6via a transverse web18. The pivot lever6serves the mechanical opening of the door lock8when the handle part3with the pivot lever part4ais pivoted beyond the middle position17. A spring28supported in the housing13biases the pivot lever6in a direction opposite to the actuation direction of the handle part3shown inFIG. 2, so that the pivot lever6, together with the supporting plate12and the deforming elements14fixed thereon, forms a surmountable stop for the first lifting distance21.

The pivot lever6is pivotable about a pivot axis7supported in the housing13, a Bowden wire receptacle30for a Bowden wire32being attached to the pivot lever6so that upon a pivot movement of the pivot lever6the Bowden wire32is operated to open the door lock8mechanically.

The pivot movement of the pivot lever6is started if, in the event of a power breakdown or a failure of an electric component of the locking system, the handle part3is pivoted further beyond the first lifting distance21by, as is best seen inFIG. 3, the pivot lever part4ataking along the transverse web18of the pivot lever6.

Thus, in case of a power breakdown or a failure of a control line of the locking system2, it is possible to operate the locking cylinder15with a mechanical key and to open the door mechanically by actuating the handle part3.

As can be seen inFIG. 3, four deforming elements may be arranged on the supporting plate12, for example.

The advantage of the deforming elements shown inFIGS. 4aand4bis that an elevated force threshold has to be overcome first in order to flatten the cup-like portion of the deforming element.

Thereby, when operating the handle part3, a feeling of overcoming a pressure point at the end of the first lifting distance21is created so that the process of opening a door11, with the locking system2fully functional and the power supply uninterrupted, can be finished after having overcome the pressure point and after an electrical opening of the door lock8.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that minor variations may be made in the apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.