Motor vehicle door external opening control

An opening control of a motor vehicle opening has a housing, a handle rotatably housed completely or partially in the housing, in an ejected position the handle extends at least partially from the housing, the handle actuating a door lock, a lock cylinder adjacent to the door handle, and a flap articulated to the housing and to cover the lock cylinder while being flush with the handle, and, when the flap is actuated by hand, exposes the lock cylinder; the flap articulated about an axis of rotation extending with respect to the lateral edge of the handle to a distance greater than or equal to 10 mm and the lateral edge of the handle includes a gripping device, capable of receiving a member inserted between the open flap and the lateral edge of the handle enabling the manual actuation of the handle from the flush position to the ejected position.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates, generally, to motor vehicle door external opening controls and, more particularly, to a so-called “flush” motor vehicle side door external opening control, i.e. an opening control wherein the handle is flush with the body of the door or opening.

PRIOR ART

In the field of motor vehicles, and more particularly in that of openings, it is well known that an external opening control comprises a fixed support intended to be mounted on the opening and a handle movably mounted on the support, for example pivotally mounted on the support by being articulated in rotation about an axis.

The opening control also comprises an unlocking mechanism, which when the handle is pulled, enables the unlocking of the lock and thus the opening of the door. The lock conventionally comprises a bolt rigidly connected to the door capable of cooperating with a catch rigidly connected to the body. When opening the door from outside the vehicle, the bolt is released from the catch by actuating the external opening control.

The invention relates more particularly to a “flush” type handle opening control, i.e. the support whereon the handle is movably mounted forms a cavity capable of receiving the handle in the retracted configuration. In this retracted configuration, the outer surface of the handle is flush with the outer surface of the outer wall of the opening. In the extended or deployed configuration, the handle extends at least partially from the cavity of the support so as to be capable of being gripped by a user of the vehicle with a view to opening the door. To do this, the user can move the handle more outwards in order to control the door lock. In general, the opening control comprises an electrical handle ejection mechanism to make it possible for the user to grip the handle and open the opening. The electrical ejection mechanism operates using an electrical power supply delivered, for example, by a battery of the motor vehicle and can be controlled electronically remotely using a key, a mobile phone or any other device allowing remote communication.

However, in the event of failure of this electrical power supply, the electrical ejection handle is not usable and the user cannot enter the vehicle. It is therefore necessary to have a backup mechanism for unlocking the vehicle door, particularly when the battery does not have enough power for the electrical ejection mechanism to work.

In order to remedy this drawback, an opening control comprising mechanical backup unlocking means has already been devised. This is the case in particular of the French patent application FR3078990.

The document FR3078990 describes an opening control of a motor vehicle opening of the type comprising a housing intended to be mounted on the opening, a handle rotatably mounted with respect to the housing between at least a flush position wherein the handle is housed completely or partially in the housing and an ejected position wherein the handle extends at least partially from the housing, the control comprising a mechanism configured to be triggered mechanically in response to a pushing action of the handle into the housing, the end of the pushing action being capable of triggering the mechanism and the mechanism being configured to automatically move the handle along all or part of a travel from a pushed-in position of the handle to the flush position passing via the ejected position.

Although this manual actuation mechanism makes it possible to eject the handle without electrical assistance, it does not allow access to the key-operated lock cylinder.

The documents DE19731325, EP1985784 and US2014047877 are also known.

The document DE19731325 describes a handle for opening a vehicle door disposed in such a way that the outside of the handle is flush with the outer contour of the door and that the handle can be switched to open the door into an opening position wherein the handle protrudes with respect to the outer contour of the door. An adjustment unit is capable of moving the handle via an external power supply in this opening position. A cylinder lock which is accessible from outside is also disposed next to the handle.

This type of door handle assembly has the disadvantage that the cylinder lock cannot be attached in a concealed manner, such that the aesthetic advantages of a flush handle are partially lost.

The document EP1985784 describes a motor vehicle door external opening control, of the type integrated and concealed in the vicinity of a strut of the vehicle body, the control comprising an operating member of the paddle type pivotally mounted about an axis of rotation between an idle position flush with the body and a switched position enabling manual gripping with a view to opening the door. Said paddle is coupled with an internal mechanism of the control and a lifting button disposed adjacently to the paddle being associated therewith. Said lifting button also has an idle position flush with the body and a mechanical link being produced between the lifting button and the paddle such that pressing the lifting button triggers a start of pivoting of the paddle from the idle position thereof. Said control comprises a locking lever pivotally mounted under the paddle and subjected to the action of a return spring, keeping said paddle locked, while the lifting button includes a boss which cooperates with the locking lever to actuate it, and thus release the paddle.

This type of opening control also has the disadvantage that the cylinder lock cannot be attached in a concealed manner, such that the handle coupled with the cylinder lock is unsightly.

The document U52014047877 describes a door handle assembly comprising a door handle flush with the body and a lock cylinder cover plate, said cover plate being flush with the body and comprising a flap and a front plate. The surfaces of the door handle and of the front plate extend in a common plane with the door. In the event of battery failure, the flap can be pivoted by hand to expose the lock cylinder and thus enable the insertion of a mechanical key and simultaneously the opening of the door handle. When the cover plate and the flap are pivoted by 90° with respect to the normal position, the flap acts upon a lever such that the door handle is moved to the operating position. The flap thus rotates a lever about a pivoting axis which in turn pushes a manual deployment lever, which can pivot about another pivoting axis.

This type of handle assembly has the advantage of being completely flush with the door body, including the flap concealing the lock cylinder. However, it has the drawback of comprising a large number of parts, more particularly the system for actuating the door handle according to the rotation of the flap concealing the lock cylinder.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

One of the aims of the invention is therefore that of remedying these drawbacks by providing a vehicle opening external opening control of simple and inexpensive design, comprising a limited number of parts and making it possible to open the opening including in the absence of electrical power supply.

For this purpose, and according to the invention, a control for opening a motor vehicle opening is proposed comprising a housing intended to be mounted on the opening, a handle configured to actuate a door lock and rotatably mounted with respect to the housing between at least a flush position wherein the handle is housed completely or partially in the housing and an ejected position wherein the handle extends at least partially from the housing, a lock cylinder adjacent to a lateral edge of the handle to lock and unlock the lock, and a flap articulated to the housing and configured to cover the lock cylinder while being flush with the handle in a closing position, and, when the flap is actuated by hand, exposes the lock cylinder in an opening position, characterised in that the flap is articulated to the housing about an axis of rotation extending away from the lateral edge of the handle in such a way that the flap can pivot towards the inside of the housing in the opening position thereof between the edge of the handle and the cylinder in order to free a space between the lateral edge of the handle and the open flap and in that the lateral edge of the handle includes a gripping means, made accessible by the freeing of said space in the flap opening position, capable of receiving a member inserted into the space freed between the open flap and the lateral edge of the handle in order to enable the manual actuation of said handle from the flush position thereof to the ejected position thereof after opening the flap.

It is clearly understood that, unlike the devices of the prior art, the opening control according to the invention includes a very limited number of parts, enables completely flush integration, not only of the opening handle but also of the lock cylinder, in the opening and makes it possible to open the opening including in the absence of electrical power supply, in the event of battery failure for example.

In a preferred embodiment, in the opening position thereof, the flap extends in a configuration erected inside the housing between the lateral edge of the handle and the lock cylinder, protruding partially from the housing.

In a preferred embodiment, the axis of rotation is positioned on the flap in order to delimit a front flap part, upstream from the axis, forming a cylinder cover, and a rear flap part, downstream from the axis, forming a flap pivoting lever.

In a preferred embodiment, the housing comprises a cylinder housing compartment including a support structure whereon the flap is rotatably mounted about the axis of rotation thereof such that, in the flap closing position, the front part closes the compartment and the rear part closes said space capable of being freed.

In an embodiment of the invention, the housing comprises an inner clearance extending between the lateral edge of the handle and the cylinder wherein the flap can pivot in the opening position thereof in an erected configuration between the cylinder and the lateral edge of the handle freeing said space to allow access to the lateral edge of the handle.

In an embodiment of the invention, in the closing position, the flap extends flush in the longitudinal extension of the handle in the flush position thereof.

In an embodiment of the invention, the flap extends adjacent to the handle.

In an embodiment of the invention, the space freed between the lateral edge and the open flap is sized to allow the insertion of an adult user's finger.

In an embodiment of the invention, the distance separating the lateral edge of the handle and the axis of rotation of the flap is greater than or equal to 10 mm, preferably greater than 15 mm.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control includes a switch electrically connected to a vehicle BCM and positioned in a recess extending to the rear of the housing, next to the flap, above the lock cylinder, cooperating with a push-button protruding on the front face of the housing under the flap which includes on the so-called inner face thereof a finger capable of bearing on the push-button when the flap is in the closed and/or pushed-in position.

In a preferred embodiment, said control is thus remarkable in that the flap is articulated about an axis of rotation extending with respect to the lateral edge of the handle to a distance for example greater than or equal to 10 mm.

Preferably, the gripping means consists of a hollow formed in the lateral edge of the handle extending next to the axis of rotation of the flap and capable of receiving at least one finger for manually opening the handle.

Moreover, the axis of rotation of the handle is parallel with the axis of rotation of the flap.

Furthermore, the axis of rotation of the flap includes an elastic return means of the flap in the closing position thereof.

Said return means consists, preferably, of a torsion spring.

Preferably, the distance separating the lateral edge of the handle and the axis of rotation of the flap is greater than or equal to 15 mm.

According to a preferred embodiment, the hollow formed in the lateral edge of the handle has a substantially parallelepipedal shape and the hollow formed in the lateral edge of the handle has a depth greater than or equal to 6 mm.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter in the description of the opening control according to the invention, the same reference numbers denote the same elements. Moreover, the different views are not necessarily plotted to scale. Furthermore,FIGS.9to11illustrate an embodiment detail of the opening control, not present inFIGS.1to8, which will be described in the form of an alternative embodiment. However, the description of the opening control in its main aspects of the invention will be carried out with reference to all ofFIGS.1to11.

With reference toFIGS.1and2, the opening control of a motor vehicle opening according to the invention comprises a housing1intended to be mounted on a vehicle opening, not shown in the figures, a handle2rotatably mounted with respect to the housing1between at least a flush position wherein the handle2is housed completely or partially in the housing1and an ejected position wherein the handle2extends at least partially from the housing1, said handle2being configured to actuate a door lock in a manner known to a person skilled in the art and therefore not shown in the figures. In the flush position thereof, as illustrated in the figures, the handle2extends inside the housing1along a longitudinal direction.

Moreover, the opening control of an opening according to the invention also comprises a lock cylinder3adjacent to the door handle2to lock and unlock the door handle (not shown in the figures).

Moreover, the opening control further comprises a flap4articulated to the housing1and configured to cover the lock cylinder3while being flush with the handle2in a closing position (FIG.1), and, when the flap4is actuated by hand, exposes the lock cylinder3in an opening position (FIG.2).

Preferably, the flap4is configured thus to adopt the cover closing position of the cylinder3and the exposure opening position of the cylinder3enabling the actuation of the door lock (FIG.3).

As illustrated inFIG.2, said flap4is for example articulated about an axis of rotation extending with respect to the lateral edge of the handle2to a distance d greater than or equal to 10 mm, and preferably greater than or equal to 15 mm, i.e. greater than or equal to the thickness of a finger.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, said flap4is articulated about the axis of rotation5in such a way that the flap4can be opened by pivoting inside the housing1, between the edge of the handle2and the cylinder3, in order to free a free space28between the lateral edge of the handle2and the open flap4.

The lateral edge of the handle2includes a gripping means6capable of receiving a member, such as a finger for example, inserted between the open flap4and the lateral edge of the handle2in order to enable the manual actuation of said handle2from the flush position thereof to the ejected position thereof after opening the flap4as detailed hereinafter.

Preferably, the gripping means6is made accessible by freeing said space28in the opening position of the flap4and is capable of receiving a member inserted in the freed space28between the open flap4and the lateral edge of the handle2so as to enable the manual actuation of said handle2from the flush position thereof to the ejected position thereof after opening the flap4.

Thus, the freeing of the space28between the lateral edge of the handle2and the open flap4, makes the lateral edge of the handle2accessible, and enables the manual actuation of said handle2, by gripping the lateral edge thereof, from the flush position thereof to the ejected position thereof.

Preferably, the freed space28is sized to enable the insertion of an adult user's finger. To this end, in this preferred embodiment of the invention, said flap4is articulated about an axis of rotation5extending with respect to the lateral edge of the handle2to a distance d greater than or equal to 10 mm, and preferably greater than or equal to 15 mm, i.e. greater than or equal to the thickness of a finger.

Said gripping means, with reference toFIG.2, consists of a hollow7formed in the lateral edge of the handle2extending next to the axis of rotation5of the flap4and capable of receiving at least one finger for manually opening the handle2. In this particular embodiment example, said hollow7formed in the lateral edge of the handle2has a substantially parallelepipedal shape and a depth greater than or equal to 6 mm.

It is obvious that said hollow7may have any shape without for all that leaving the scope of the invention.

Preferably, as seen for example inFIG.1, in the closing position, the flap4extends flush in the longitudinal extension of the handle2. The flap4is preferably as can be seen1, adjoined to the handle2.

In the ejected opening position thereof, preferably as seen clearly inFIGS.2,5to7, the flap4extends in a configuration erected inside the housing1, between the lateral edge of the handle2and the lock cylinder3, protruding partially from the housing1.

Moreover, in this particular embodiment example, the axis of rotation5of the handle2is substantially vertical and the axis of rotation of the handle2is parallel with the axis of rotation5of the flap4, the axis of rotation5of the flap4being thus substantially vertical.

However, it is obvious that the axis of rotation of the handle2may also be horizontal, i.e. perpendicular to the axis of rotation5of the flap4without for all that leaving the scope of the invention.

Furthermore, preferably, as illustrated inFIGS.3and4, the lock cylinder3comprises a body of general cylindrical shape for example and a passage way for a key10in the body to actuate a door lock mechanism. According to the invention, the lock cylinder3extends adjacently to a lateral edge of the handle2, preferably extending along the longitudinal direction from the handle2.

In the example illustrated in the figures, and in particular inFIGS.9and11, the housing1delimits a cavity20of elongate shape configured to house the handle2and the lock cylinder3, disposed adjacently along the longitudinal direction inside the recess of the housing1but located at a distance from one another along the longitudinal direction.

In the example illustrated in particular inFIGS.9and11, it is seen that the housing1delimits a cavity20of substantially elongate shape along the longitudinal direction and delimits along this longitudinal direction a main recess22shaped to house the handle2and a secondary recess24to house the lock cylinder3, located in the longitudinal extension of the main recess22.

In the sectional view ofFIG.11, it is seen for example that the main recess22moulds the shape of the handle2and is extended by the secondary recess24in the form of a longitudinal extension of the cavity20of the housing1.

Moreover, preferably, the housing1comprises a compartment26for housing the lock cylinder3, positioned in this example in the secondary recess24of the housing1.

In the example described, the compartment26for housing the cylinder3includes a support structure27whereon the flap4is rotatably mounted about the axis of rotation5thereof such that, in the closing position of the flap4, the front part4A closes the compartment26and the rear part4B closes said space28capable of being freed.

This compartment26is presented for example in the form of an internal separating wall29including a first side which has a surface facing the handle2and a second side which delimits an internal receiving seat of substantially semi-cylindrical shape complementary with the general shape of the lock cylinder3. In this illustrated example, the internal separating wall29comprises the support structure27which supports the axis of rotation5. For example, the support structure27includes two perforated flanges intended to receive the axis of rotation5and extending the internal wall29along the transverse direction.

In the example described, the axis of rotation5is an axis positioned on the flap4in order to delimit a front flap part4A, upstream from the axis, forming a cover of the cylinder3, and a rear flap part4B, downstream from the axis, forming a pivoting lever of the flap4.

Thus, in the example illustrated, the axis of rotation5shares the flap4in a so-called proximal rear part4B as it is near the handle2and a so-called distal front part4A covering the cylinder3, as it is distant from the handle2. In operation, preferably, the rear part4B of the flap4forms the pivoting lever of the flap4and is configured to be folded back by pivoting about the axis5inside the housing1and towards the cylinder3.

Preferably, the flap4delimits an outer face visible from outside the opening control and an inner face facing the inside of the housing1. This inner face bears in the example described at least one bearing30for guiding the axis of rotation5in rotation and the axis of rotation5is preferably formed by a rod (FIG.9).

In the embodiment illustrated, the distance between the axis of rotation5and a proximal end of the flap4(near the handle2) is less than the distance between the axis of rotation and a distal end of the flap4(distant from the handle2). In the example illustrated, the axis of rotation5of the flap4is disposed at around one-third of the dimension of the flap4along the longitudinal direction from the proximal end of the flap4. The axis of rotation5can alternatively be substantially medial.

Furthermore, the axis of rotation5of the flap4includes an elastic return means8of the flap4in the closing position thereof. In this particular embodiment example, said return means8consists of a torsion spring9but it may be substituted by another elastic return means well-known to a person skilled in the art.

Preferably, the housing1comprises an inner clearance32extending between the lateral edge of the handle2and the cylinder3wherein the flap4can pivot in the opening position thereof in an erected configuration between the cylinder3and the lateral edge of the handle2freeing said space28to allow access to the lateral edge of the handle2. This inner clearance32preferably forms a travel chamber of the flap4inside the housing1, and in this example described, of the rear part4A of the flap4, making it possible to free the space28.

Accessorily, with reference toFIG.3, it will be noted that, once the flap4is open, a key10can be inserted into the lock cylinder to open the lock beforehand. After opening the lock with the key10, the operator can insert their finger between the flap4and the lateral edge of the handle2until the distal end of their finger is housed in the hollow7formed in the lateral edge of the handle2then, by pulling with their finger, gets the opening to open. Furthermore, with reference toFIGS.4and5, it will be observed that the opening control according to the invention enables quick and easy assembly of the lock cylinder3. Indeed, it is simply necessary to open the flap4(FIG.4) and then insert the lock cylinder3in the hole formed in the housing1(FIG.5).

The operation of the opening control of a vehicle opening according to the invention will now be described with reference toFIGS.6and7.

With reference toFIG.6, in the event of battery failure, the flap4is opened by pivoting it about its axis of rotation5in order to free a free space between the lateral edge of the handle2and said flap4thus making accessible the hollow7forming the gripping means6of said handle2which is then in the flush position thereof, wherein the handle2is housed completely or partially in the housing1. In the event of the lock being closed, a key10is inserted in the lock cylinder3, made accessible by opening the flap4, and after rotating the key in the cylinder3, the lock is opened.

Secondly, with reference toFIG.7, the operator inserts a finger between the flap4and the lateral edge of the handle2until the distal end of their finger is housed in the hollow7formed in the lateral edge of the handle2then, by pulling with their finger, gets the handle2to move to the so-called ejected position thereof wherein the handle2extends at least partially from the housing1thus getting the opening to open.

According to an alternative mode of execution of the opening control of an opening according to the invention, with reference toFIGS.8to11, the opening control of a motor vehicle opening according to the invention comprises, as above, a housing1intended to be mounted on a vehicle opening, not shown in the figures, a handle2rotatably mounted with respect to the housing1between at least a flush position wherein the handle2is housed completely or partially in the housing1and an ejected position wherein the handle2extends at least partially from the housing1, said handle2being configured to actuate a door lock in a manner known to a person skilled in the art and therefore not shown in the figures.

Moreover, the opening control also comprises a lock cylinder3adjacent to the door handle2to lock and unlock the door lock, not shown in the figures, and a flap4articulated to the housing1and configured to cover the lock cylinder3while being flush with the handle2, and, when the flap4is actuated by hand, exposes the lock cylinder3. Said flap4is articulated about an axis of rotation5extending with respect to the lateral edge of the handle2to a distance d greater than or equal to 10 mm, and preferably greater than or equal to 15 mm, i.e. greater than or equal to the thickness of a finger, and the lateral edge of the handle2includes a gripping means6capable of receiving a member, such as a finger for example, inserted between the open flap4and the lateral edge of the handle2in order to enable the manual actuation of said handle2from the flush position thereof to the ejected position thereof after opening the flap4.

Said gripping means, with reference toFIGS.9and10, consists of a hollow7formed in the lateral edge of the handle2extending next to the axis of rotation5of the flap4and capable of receiving at least one finger for manually opening the handle2. In this particular embodiment example, said hollow7formed in the lateral edge of the handle2has a substantially parallelepipedal shape and a depth greater than or equal to 6 mm. It is obvious that said hollow7may have any shape without for all that leaving the scope of the invention.

Moreover, the axis of rotation of the handle2is substantially vertical and the axis of rotation of the handle2is parallel with the axis of rotation5of the flap4, the axis of rotation5of the flap4being thus substantially vertical. Said axis of rotation5of the flap4includes an elastic return means8of the flap4in the closing position thereof. In this particular embodiment example, said return means8consists of a torsion spring9but it may be substituted by another elastic return means well-known to a person skilled in the art.

Said opening control is distinguished from that described above in that it includes a switch11positioned in a recess12extending to the rear of the housing1, next to the flap4, above the lock cylinder3, cooperating with a push-button13protruding on the front face of the housing1under the flap4. Said switch11is electrically connected to the vehicle BCM, an acronym of “Body Control Module”, said BCM being connected with the vehicle door locks and generates and the door locking and/or unlocking signal. Moreover, said flap4includes on the so-called inner face thereof, i.e. the face of the flap4extending next to the housing1in the closed position, a finger14capable of bearing on the push-button13without pushing it in. When the flap4is pushed in, i.e. when the flap4is rotated towards the housing1by pushing with a finger of the hand for example, the finger14bears on the push-button13and pushes in said push-button13to set said switch11to the closing position thus actuating the locking or unlocking of the doors.

Finally, it is obvious that the examples given above are merely particular illustrations in no way restrictive as to the fields of application of the invention.