Abstract:
A vehicle door handle device is provided with a handle base, an escutcheon member, and a plurality of connection portions which connect the handle base and the escutcheon member to each other. The plurality of connecting portions include: a first connecting portion including an inclined surface which causes a motion component force toward a frame exterior to be generated in the escutcheon member by a horizontal operating force applied to the escutcheon member, thereby unlocking the first connecting portion; a second connection portion which is unlocked by deforming the escutcheon member using a moveable region in a vicinity of the first connection portion generated by the unlocking in the first connecting portion; and an n-th connection portion which is unlocked by deforming the escutcheon member using the moveable region due to the unlocking in the preceding connection portions.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a door inside handle device for a vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Patent Document 1 discloses an inside handle device in which a frame-shaped escutcheon member is connected to an upper end of a handle base. In the structure of Patent Document 1, the inside handle device includes an inside handle (operating handle) connected to the handle base and an inside handle bezel (escutcheon member). 
     Connecting operation of the escutcheon member to the handle base is carried out by locking a claw portion formed on the escutcheon member to a jaw portion of the handle base. Detaching operation of the escutcheon member is carried out by inserting a driver into a cut-out portion formed on the escutcheon member and then pulling the driver upward. 
     PRIOR ART DOCUMENT 
     Patent Document 
     Patent Document 1: JP-A-06-193330 
     However, in the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, since a tool such as the driver is required, there is a drawback that the workability of the detaching operation of the escutcheon member becomes poor. Further, since the cut-out portion is exposed on the surface, there is a drawback that the aesthetic appearance is impaired. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide a vehicle door inside handle device which is capable of improving a workability of a detaching operation of an escutcheon member and also improving an aesthetic appearance. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle door handle device may include: a handle base  2  to which an operating handle  1  is pivotally supported; a frame-shaped escutcheon member  3  which is connected to an upper edge portion of the handle base  2  and is elastically deformably formed; and a plurality of connection portions  4  which connect the handle base  2  and the escutcheon member  3  to each other. Each of the plurality of connecting portions  4  may include a locking portion  6  formed on the handle base  1  and a locked portion  5  formed on the escutcheon member  3  and snap-locked onto the locking portion  6 . The plurality of connecting portions  4  may include: a first connecting portion  4 - 1  including an inclined surface  7  which causes a motion component force toward the frame exterior to be generated in the escutcheon member  3  by a horizontal operating force applied to the escutcheon member  3 , thereby unlocking the first connecting portion; a second connection portion  4 - 2  which is unlocked by deforming the escutcheon member  3  using a moveable region in a vicinity of the first connection portion generated by the unlocking in the first connecting portion  4 - 1 ; and an n-th connection portion  4 -n which is unlocked by deforming the escutcheon member  3  using the moveable region due to the unlocking in the preceding connection portions  4 - 1 ,  4 - 2 . 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       [ FIG. 1 ]  FIG. 1  ( a ) is a front view showing a door inside handle device according to an exemplary embodiment.  FIG. 1  ( b ) is a view as seen from a direction of an arrow  1 B in  FIG. 1  ( a ). 
       [ FIG. 2 ]  FIG. 2  ( a ) is a front view showing the inside handle device in a state where an escutcheon member  3  is not mounted thereto.  FIG. 2  ( b ) is a view as seen from a direction of an arrow  2 B in  FIG. 2  ( a ). 
       [ FIG. 3 ]  FIG. 3  ( a ) is a sectional view taken along a line  3 A- 3 A in  FIG. 2  ( a ).  FIG. 3  ( b ) is a sectional view taken along a line  3 B- 3 B in  FIG. 2  ( a ). 
       [ FIG. 4 ]  FIG. 4  ( a ) is a front view showing the escutcheon member.  FIG. 4  ( b ) is a view as seen from a direction of an arrow  4 B in  FIG. 4  ( a ).  FIG. 4  ( c ) is a view as seen from a direction of an arrow  4 C in  FIG. 4  ( a ).  FIG. 4  ( d ) is a sectional view taken along a line  4 D- 4 D in  FIG. 4  ( a ). 
       [ FIG. 5 ]  FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing a handle base. 
       [ FIG. 6 ]  FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along a line  6 B- 6 B in  FIG. 1  ( b ). 
       [ FIG. 7 ]  FIG. 7(   a ) is a sectional view taken along a line  7 A- 7 A in  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 7  ( b ) is an enlarged view of a main portion of  FIG. 6 , showing a first connecting portion ( 4 - 1 ).  FIG. 7  ( c ) is a view showing an unlocked state of the first connecting portion ( 4 - 1 ). 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The exemplary embodiment is illustrative and not intended to limit the present invention. It should be noted that all features and combinations of the features described in the exemplary embodiment are not necessarily essential to the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  ( a ) to  FIG. 2  ( b ), an inside handle device of the exemplary embodiment includes a handle base  2  which pivotally supports an operating handle  1  and a locking lever  8  to rotate around a pivot shaft  9  and an escutcheon member  3  connected to the handle base  2 . 
     A cable device  10  in which an inner cable  10   b  is slidably inserted into an outer case  10   a  is connected to the operating handle  1  and the locking lever  8 . As will be described later, when the operating handle  1  is operated to rotate from an initial position to an operating position, locking of a door lock device  11  is released and thus an opening operation of a door body can be performed. As the locking lever  8  is operated to rotate from an unlocked position to a locked position, a cancellation part  11   a  is operated to cancel the operation form the operating handle  1 . Accordingly, the opening operation of the door body by the operating handle  1  becomes impossible. 
     The operating handle  1  includes a hand-grip part  1   a  at one end and a wire connection hole  1   b  at the other end with the center of rotation being therebetween. The operating handle is operated to rotate around the pivot shaft  9  between an initial position indicated by a solid line in  FIG. 3  ( a ) and an operating position indicated by a dashed line in  FIG. 3  ( a ). As shown in  FIG. 6 , an urging force toward the initial position is applied to the operating handle  1  by a torsion spring  12 . 
     The cable device  10  is mounted to the operating handle  1  by locking an end of the outer case  10   a  to a cable locking part  2   a  formed on the handle base  2  and fitting a spherical cable end  10   c  fixed to a leading end of the inner cable  10   b  into the wire connection hole of the operating handle  1 . 
     Meanwhile, the locking lever  8  is formed by injection molding a synthetic resin material. The locking lever  8  includes an operation protruding part  3   a  at an external exposed surface when being mounted on the handle base  2  and a cable mounting hole  8   a  at an opposite end with the pivot shaft  9  being therebetween. The cable mounting hole  8   a  is intended to connect the cable end of the inner cable  10   b  to the locking lever. 
     The escutcheon member  3  is a decorative part to improve the aesthetic appearance by covering a boundary of a door trim  13  and the handle base  2 . In the exemplary embodiment, the escutcheon member  3  includes a frame-shaped main body  3   b  and six locked parts  5  formed substantially at equal intervals on a rear surface of the main body  3   b , as shown in  FIGS. 4  ( a ) to ( d ). The main body  3   b  of the escutcheon member  3  is formed from a synthetic resin material having a suitable elastic deformability and each locked part  5  thereof is formed by providing a locking hole  3   d  on the center portion of a thin-plate shaped tongue  3   c  integrally suspended from the main body  3   b.    
     Meanwhile, the handle base  2  is formed in the shape of a tray having a suitable depth so as to provide a space for operating the hand-grip part of the operating handle  1 . The handle base  2  is formed at its outer peripheral wall surface with a locking part  6  to which the locked part  5  of the escutcheon member  3  can be locked. As shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 7  ( a ), each locking part  6  is formed in the shape of a triangular prism having a slanted surface  60 . A protruding amount of the slanted surface  60  from the outer peripheral wall surface of the handle base  2  is gradually increased toward the lower side. 
     Mounting of the escutcheon member  3  is carried out by pushing the escutcheon member  3  from the above of the handle base  2 . By the pushing operation of the main body  3   b , each locked part  5  is interfered with the locking part  6  and then elastically deformed to avoid the locking part  6 . Thereafter, as the escutcheon member  3  is further pushed down, each locked part  5  is snap-locked onto the locking part. In this way, a connection portion  4  is configured. In order to manage the locked size of the locked part  5  and the locking part  6  in each connection portion  4 , a receiving seat  2   b  is formed on the handle base  2  adjacent to the locking part  6 . The locking state of the locked part  5  is maintained in a state where the tongue  3   c  is bearing on the receiving seat  2   b.    
     In the exemplary embodiment, the connection portion  4  includes six connection portions of first connection portion ( 4 - 1 ) to the sixth connection portion ( 4 - 6 ) in corresponding to the locked locations of the locking part  6  and the locked part  5 . Out of the six connection portions, the first connection portion ( 4 - 1 ) includes a slanted surface  7  on a side wall portion of the locking part  6 , as shown in  FIG. 7  ( b ). As indicated by an arrow A in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  ( a ), by pressing a side wall portion of the escutcheon member  3  facing the second connection portion ( 4 - 2 ) in parallel to a surface of the door trim  13 , a component force in a direction opened to the outside can be applied to the locked part  5 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7  ( b ), the slanted surface  7  of the first connection portion ( 4 - 1 ) has a shape in which a protruding amount of the locking part  6  from the outer peripheral wall surface of the handle base  2  is gradually increased toward a direction along the outer peripheral wall surface of the handle base  2 , in a cross-section (that is, a horizontal cross-section, the cross-section in  FIG. 7  ( b )) perpendicular to an up-down direction. 
     Accordingly, in the exemplary embodiment, in the mounted state of the escutcheon member  3  shown in  FIG. 7  ( a ), the locked part  5  in the first connection portion ( 4 - 1 ) rides on the locking part  6  when the above-described horizontal operating force is applied to the escutcheon member  3  and the escutcheon member  3  is pushed outward, as shown in  FIG. 7  ( c ) and the movement restraint of the escutcheon member  3  in the first connection portion ( 4 - 1 ) is released. 
     Thereafter, when a force from the inner side toward the outer side is applied to the escutcheon member  3  of the second connection portion ( 4 - 2 ) placed at a position opposed to the first connection portion ( 4 - 1 ), as indicated by an arrow B in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  ( a ), the locking state of the locked part  5  and the locking part  6  is released while accompanying the deformation and movement of the released main body  3   b  in the first connection portion ( 4 - 1 ). In this way, the connection in the second connection portion ( 4 - 2 ) is released. 
     And then, the third, the fourth, the fifth and the sixth connection portions  4  are similarly released in this order and therefore the escutcheon member  3  can be detached. 
     Here, the arrangements after the second connection portion ( 4 - 2 ) are not limited to those shown but suitably determined in consideration of the locking state of each connection portion  4 , the deflection property of the main body of the escutcheon member  3 , etc. 
     As described above, according to the exemplary embodiment, the door inside handle device includes the handle base  2  pivotally supporting the operating handle  1 , the frame-shaped escutcheon member  3  mounted on an upper edge portion of the handle base  2  and a suitable number of connection portion  4  composed of the first, the second, . . . the n-th connection portion ( 4 - 1 ,  4 - 2 , . . .  4 -n) connecting the escutcheon member  3  to the handle base  2 . (Although the number of the connection portion  4  is six in the above specific embodiment, the number of the connection portion  4  is not limited to six and the function of the connection portion  4  is achieved even if the number of the connection portion is not six). 
     The escutcheon member  3  has a proper elastic deformability and each connection portion  4  connects the escutcheon member  3  and the handle base  2  by snap-locking the locked part  5  of the escutcheon member  3  onto the locking part  6  of the handle base  2 . 
     The first connection portion ( 4 - 1 ) includes the slanted surface  7  which causes a motion component force toward the exterior to be generated in the escutcheon member  3  by the horizontal operating force applied to the escutcheon member  3  to release the locked state. The second connection portion ( 4 - 2 ) and the n-th connection portion ( 4 -n) can be formed to be unlocked by an deformation operation to the escutcheon member  3  using the deformability or movement possibility which is newly generated in the whole escutcheon member  3  by the locking release of a preceding connection portion, that is, the first connection portion ( 4 - 1 ) in the case of the second connection portion ( 4 - 2 ) and an (n- 1 )th connection portion ( 4 ) in the case of the n-th connection portion ( 4 -n). 
     Therefore, according to the exemplary embodiment, the escutcheon member  3  can be detached from the handle base  2  by first applying a horizontal operating force along a door inner wall surface, specifically a trim surface to the escutcheon member  3  to unlock the first connection portion ( 4 - 1 ) and then sequentially unlocking the second, the third . . . the n-th connection portion ( 4 -n) while applying an operation force to the escutcheon member  3 . 
     As a result, since an especial tool, etc. to detach the escutcheon member  3  is not required and also it is not necessary to provide a tool insertion opening, etc., it is possible to improve the aesthetic appearance. 
     According to the structure of the exemplary embodiment, it is possible to improve the workability of the detaching operation of the escutcheon member and also to improve the aesthetic appearance. 
     DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       1  OPERATING HANDLE 
       2  HANDLE BASE 
       3  ESCUTCHEON MEMBER 
       4  CONNECTION PORTION 
       4 - 1  FIRST CONNECTION PORTION 
       4 - 2  SECOND CONNECTION PORTION 
       4 -n Nth CONNECTION PORTION 
       5  LOCKED PART 
       6  LOCKING PART 
       7  SLANTED SURFACE