Patent Publication Number: US-2020277811-A1

Title: Vehicle door exterior handle device

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a vehicle door exterior handle device in which a handle base having part thereof inserted into an outer panel of a vehicle door through an opening provided in the outer panel blocks the opening and is fixed to the vehicle door, a linking arm part provided on an exterior handle that enables a door opening operation outside the outer panel is inserted into an insertion hole provided in the handle base, the linking arm part being capable of moving between a non-operated position when the exterior handle is in a non-operated state and a door opened position when the exterior handle is in a door opening completed state, a handle lever operatively linked to the linking arm part is supported on the handle base while being capable of pivoting between a non-actuated position corresponding to the non-operated position of the linking arm part and an actuated position corresponding to the door opened position of the linking arm part, the handle lever being resiliently urged toward the non-actuated position side, and insertion of the handle lever into the opening is disabled at the non-actuated position but is allowed at the actuated position when the handle base having attached thereto the handle lever in a state of being operatively linked to the linking arm part is attached to the vehicle door. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     When an exterior handle is attached to a vehicle door, a handle base having attached thereto a handle lever operatively linked to a linking arm part of the exterior handle is fixed to an outer panel, the handle lever at a non-actuated position cannot be inserted through an opening provided in the outer panel, and insertion into the opening becomes possible by operating the exterior handle to a door opened position to thus put the handle lever into an actuated position. Because of this, conventionally a worker carries out the attachment while maintaining the exterior handle at the door opened position, but the operation becomes complicated. In order to solve this problem, an arrangement in which a linking arm part of an exterior handle is engaged with a handle base when the exterior handle is in a door opened state is known from Patent Document 1. 
     RELATED ART DOCUMENTS 
     Patent Documents 
     Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3794291 
     DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
     Problems to be Solved by the Invention 
     In the arrangement disclosed in Patent Document 1 above, the handle lever is held at the actuated position by engagement between the linking arm part of the exterior handle and the handle base, but the exterior handle is susceptible to an impact, and there is a possibility that the engagement between the linking arm part and the handle base will be released by a small impact or the attachment operation by a worker. Furthermore, for the purpose of facilitating the attachment operation transporting the exterior handle in a state in which it is provisionally held at the door opened position so as to put the handle lever in the actuated position could be considered, but even in this case the engagement might be released by vibration at the time of transport in the engagement structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 above. 
     The present invention has been accomplished in light of such circumstances, and it is an object thereof to provide a vehicle door exterior handle device that can reliably maintain a state in which an exterior handle is held at a door opened position so as to put a handle lever into an actuated position. 
     Means for Solving the Problems 
     In order to attain the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle door exterior handle device in which a handle base having part thereof inserted into an outer panel of a vehicle door through an opening provided in the outer panel blocks the opening and is fixed to the vehicle door, a linking arm part provided on an exterior handle that enables a door opening operation outside the outer panel is inserted into an insertion hole provided in the handle base, the linking arm part being capable of moving between a non-operated position when the exterior handle is in a non-operated state and a door opened position when the exterior handle is in a door opening completed state, a handle lever operatively linked to the linking arm part is supported on the handle base while being capable of pivoting between a non-actuated position corresponding to the non-operated position of the linking arm part and an actuated position corresponding to the door opened position of the linking arm part, the handle lever being resiliently urged toward the non-actuated position side, and insertion of the handle lever into the opening is disabled at the non-actuated position but is allowed at the actuated position when the handle base having attached thereto the handle lever in a state of being operatively linked to the linking arm part is attached to the vehicle door, characterized in that a provisional holding member is mounted on the handle lever, the provisional holding member being capable of rotating around an axis parallel to a pivot axis of the handle lever, and an engagement portion is provided on the provisional holding member, the engagement portion being engaged with a latching part provided on the handle base when the handle lever is at the actuated position. 
     Further, according to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the first aspect, an operating portion is provided on the provisional holding member, the operating portion carrying out engagement of the engagement portion with the latching part and disengagement therefrom. 
     Furthermore, according to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the first or second aspect, the provisional holding member is a bush joint that is resiliently and pivotably fitted into the handle lever while having linked thereto a rod connected to a latch mechanism provided within the vehicle door. 
     Effects of the Invention 
     In accordance with the aspect of the present invention, it is possible, by engaging the engagement portion of the provisional holding member mounted on the handle lever with the latching part of the handle base when the handle lever is at the actuated position, to provisionally hold a state in which the exterior handle is at the door opened position and the handle lever is at the actuated position, thereby facilitating the operation when attaching the exterior handle to the vehicle door. Moreover, since the exterior handle, which is susceptible to an impact, is not itself engaged, the possibility of the provisionally held state being released by impact or vibration at the time of transport can be suppressed. 
     Furthermore, in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, since engagement of the engagement portion with the latching part and disengagement therefrom can be carried out by means of the operating portion provided on the provisional holding member, the operation of engaging the engagement portion of the provisional holding member with the latching part of the handle base and disengaging it therefrom is facilitated. 
     Moreover, in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention, since the provisional holding member is an existing bush joint that is resiliently fitted into the handle lever in order to have linked thereto the rod connected to the latch mechanism within the vehicle door, it is possible by using an existing component to prevent any increase in the number of components. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view showing part of a vehicle door. (first embodiment) 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view along line  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1  when an exterior handle is in a non-operated state. (first embodiment) 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view from an outer panel side of the exterior handle in a state in which a handle base and a handle lever at a non-actuated position are assembled. (first embodiment) 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view from the outer panel side of the exterior handle in a state in which the handle base and the handle lever at an actuated position are assembled. (first embodiment) 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a bush joint. (first embodiment) 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view along line  6 - 6  in  FIG. 2  comparing a state (a) in which the handle lever is at the non-actuated position and a state (b) in which it is at the actuated position. (first embodiment) 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of an essential part of  FIG. 4 . (first embodiment) 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view from the direction of arrow  8  in  FIG. 7 . (first embodiment) 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an essential part of an exterior handle in which a handle base and a handle lever at a non-actuated position are assembled. (second embodiment) 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view, corresponding to  FIG. 9 , of the exterior handle in a state in which the handle base and the handle lever at an actuated position are assembled. (second embodiment) 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a bush joint. (second embodiment) 
     
    
    
     EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND SYMBOLS 
     
         
           11  Outer panel 
           12  Exterior handle 
           16  Linking arm part 
           25 ,  45  Handle base 
           26  Opening 
           29  Insertion hole 
           36  Handle lever 
           41 ,  46  Bush joint, which is a provisional holding member 
           41   d ,  46   e  Engagement portion 
           41   e  Operating portion 
           44 ,  48  Latching part 
           42  Rod 
           43  Latch mechanism 
         D Vehicle door 
       
    
     MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the present invention is explained below by reference to the attached drawings. 
     First Embodiment 
     A first embodiment of the present invention is explained by reference to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 8 . First, in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , an exterior handle  12  is pivotably mounted on an outer panel  11  of a vehicle door D, for example a side door, the exterior handle  12  extending in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction (the left-and-right direction in  FIG. 1 ) and being capable of being operated on an outer face side of the vehicle door D. A curved portion  11   a  is provided on the outer panel  11  so as to protrude inward in the vehicle width direction, the curved portion  11   a  forming a depression  13  that enables the hand of a vehicle user holding the exterior handle  12  outside the outer panel  11  to be inserted thereinto. 
     The exterior handle  12  has a handle body  14  disposed so as to extend in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction outside the outer panel  11 , a substantially L-shaped support arm part  15  connectedly provided on a front end part, in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction, of the handle body  14 , and a linking arm part  16  connectedly provided so as to be closer to the other end part of the handle body  14 . The handle body  14  is formed from a handle body main part  17  having a substantially U-shaped cross-sectional shape opening on the side opposite to the outer panel  11 , and a handle cover  18  covering the handle body main part  17  from the side opposite to the outer panel  11 , and the support arm part  15  and the linking arm part  16  are integrally and connectedly provided with the handle body main part  17 . Furthermore, the handle cover  18  is formed so as to have a jutting-out portion  18   a  extending further rearward from a rear end part of the handle body main part  17 . 
     A support member  19  disposed in front of the curved portion  11   a  in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction is fastened to an inner face of the outer panel  11  by means of a bolt  20  and a nut  21 . A thin flat plate-shaped first sheet member  22  is fitted on a front end part of the handle body main part  17  of the handle body  14 , the first sheet member  22  being disposed between the front end part and an outer face of the outer panel  11 . The support member  19  is provided integrally with a substantially L-shaped bent handle support portion  19   a  inside the outer panel  11 , and the support arm part  15 , which extends through the first sheet member  22  and the outer panel  11  and is inserted into the inside of the outer panel  11 , is pivotably supported on the handle support portion  19   a  via a support pin  23 . 
     A handle base  25  is fixed to the vehicle door D, the handle base  25  sandwiching the curved portion  11   a  between itself and the support member  19 . The handle base  25  is formed so as to integrally have a base main portion  25   a  disposed outside the outer panel  11  so as to block an opening  26  provided in the outer panel  11 , a guide portion  25   b  extending from the base main portion  25   a  toward the inside of the outer panel  11  so as to guide the linking arm part  16  of the exterior handle  12 , and a to-be-mounted portion  25   c  extending from a rear part of the base main portion  25   a  to the inside of the outer panel  11 . When the exterior handle  12  is at a non-operated position, the base main portion  25   a  is covered by the jutting-out portion  18   a , which juts out rearward from the handle body main part  17 , of the handle cover  18  of the handle body  14 . A thin flat plate-shaped second sheet member  27  surrounding the opening  26  is disposed between the base main portion  25   a  and the outer face of the outer panel  11 . 
     A receiving recess  28  is provided in an end part, on the depression  13  side, of the base main portion  25   a , the receiving recess  28  receiving a rear end part of the handle body main part  17  of the handle body  14 , a rectangular insertion hole  29  is formed in the receiving recess  28 , the linking arm part  16  being inserted through the insertion hole  29 , and the guide portion  25   b  is formed into an angular tube and connected to the insertion hole  29 . 
     A nut  30  is press fitted into the to-be-mounted portion  25   c , and a bolt  31  is inserted through an end wall  32 , on the rear end side, of the vehicle door D, the bolt  31  being screwed into the nut  30 . Tightening the bolt  31  fixes the handle base  25  to the vehicle door D. 
     A cylinder body (not illustrated) of a cylinder lock  33  (see  FIG. 1 ) is fixed to the handle base  25  to the rear of the linking arm part  16 , the cylinder lock  33  being locked and unlocked by means of a mechanical key (not illustrated). A through hole  34  is formed in the jutting-out portion  18   a  of the handle cover  18  of the handle body  14  of the exterior handle  12 , the cylinder lock  33  facing the through hole  34 . 
     Referring in addition to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the linking arm part  16  is inserted into the insertion hole  29  so as to be capable of moving between a non-operated position (position shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 ) when the exterior handle  12  is in a non-operated state and a door opened position (position shown in  FIG. 4 ) when the exterior handle  12  is in a door opening completed state, and a handle lever  36  is supported on the handle base  25  while being capable of pivoting between a non-actuated position (position shown in  FIG. 3 ) corresponding to the non-operated position of the linking arm part  16  and an actuated position (position shown in  FIG. 4 ) corresponding to the door opened position of the linking arm part  16 , the handle lever  36  being operatively linked to the linking arm part  16  and resiliently urged toward the non-actuated position side. 
     The handle lever  36  is supported on the handle base  25  via a support shaft  37  (see  FIG. 4 ) having an axis along the longitudinal direction of the handle body  14 . The support shaft  37  is provided between a pair of support plates  38  and  39  provided integrally with the handle base  25  above the linking arm part  16  while being spaced in the longitudinal direction of the handle body  14 . 
     The handle lever  36  is formed so as to integrally have a support tube portion  36   a  that is disposed between the support plates  38  and  39  and has the support shaft  37  inserted therethrough, a flat plate-shaped engagement arm portion  36   b  that is connectedly provided on a portion, close to the support plate  38 , of the support tube portion  36   a  and protrudes in the radially outward direction from the support tube portion  36   a , and a weight portion  36   c  that is connectedly provided on the engagement arm portion  36   b , and a torsion spring  35  (see  FIG. 4 ) surrounding the support tube portion  36   a  is provided between the handle lever  36  and the handle base  25  so as to resiliently urge the handle lever  36  toward the non-actuated position side. 
     Formed in the linking arm part  16  of the exterior handle  12  is a linking hole  40  that opens on upper and lower sides of the linking arm part  16  and has an end part on the side opposite to the handle body  14  closed by an end wall  16   a  on the extremity side of the linking arm part  16 . The engagement arm portion  36   b  of the handle lever  36  is inserted into the linking hole  40 . The angular tube-shaped guide portion  25   b  is formed so that an extremity part of the engagement arm portion  36   b  can be inserted into the linking hole  40 . 
     The extremity part of the engagement arm portion  36   b  abuts against the extremity side end wall  16   a  within the linking hole  40 , and in response to movement between the non-operated position and the door opened position of the linking arm part  16  accompanying pivoting of the exterior handle  12 , the handle lever  36  pivots between the non-actuated position and the actuated position. 
     A bush joint  41 , which is made of an elastic material, is resiliently fitted into the weight portion  36   c  of the handle lever  36  so that it can pivot around an axis parallel to the axis of the support shaft  37 , and one end part of a rod  42  having the other end part linked to the bush joint  41  is linked to a latch mechanism  43  provided within the vehicle door D. That is, due to the handle lever  36  pivoting from the non-actuated position to the actuated position the pressing force from the rod  42  is inputted into the latch mechanism  43 . 
     In  FIG. 5 , the bush joint  41  is formed so as to integrally have a flat plate portion  41   a  that abuts against a rearward-facing side face of the weight portion  36   c  of the handle lever  36 , a fitting tube portion  41   b  that is provided so as to project from the flat plate portion  41   a  so as to be pivotably and resiliently fitted into the weight portion  36   c , and a rod linking portion  41   c  that has a substantially C-shaped form so that an end part of the rod  42  can be inserted through and engaged with the rod linking portion  41   c  and that is linked to the flat plate portion  41   a.    
     When the intention of a vehicle user to lock the vehicle door D is ascertained, the latch mechanism  43  holds the vehicle door D in a locked state in a state in which a portable apparatus possessed by the vehicle user is ascertained to be legitimate by means of communication between the vehicle and the portable apparatus, and releases the locked state of the vehicle door D in a state in which the portable apparatus possessed by the vehicle user is ascertained to be legitimate by means of communication between the vehicle and the portable apparatus when the intention of the vehicle user to unlock the vehicle door D is ascertained due to the vehicle user holding the handle body  14  in the locked state of the vehicle door D, the vehicle door D in the unlocked state being capable of being opened due to the pressing force from the rod  42  being inputted to the latch mechanism  43 . 
     When the handle lever  36  is at the non-actuated position, as shown in  FIG. 6 ( a ) , the weight portion  36   c  of the handle lever  36  protrudes further upward than an upper edge  26   a  of the opening  26  of the outer panel  11 , and in this state the handle lever  36  cannot be inserted through the opening  26  as it is when attaching to the vehicle door D the handle base  25  having attached thereto the handle lever  36  operatively linked to the linking arm part  16  of the exterior handle  12 ; as shown in  FIG. 6 ( b ) , when the handle lever  36  is at the actuated position, the weight portion  36   c  of the handle lever  36  is within the width between the upper edge  26   a  and a lower edge  26   b  of the opening  26  of the outer panel  11 , and by so doing the handle lever  36  can be inserted through the opening  26  as it is when attaching to the vehicle door D the handle base  25  having attached thereto the handle lever  36  operatively linked to the linking arm part  16  of the exterior handle  12 . 
     As is clearly shown in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , an engagement portion  41   d  is provided on the bush joint  41 , which is mounted on the handle lever  36  as a provisional holding member that can rotate around an axis parallel to the pivot axis of the handle lever  36 , the engagement portion  41   d  detachably engaging with a latching part  44  provided on the handle base  25  when the handle lever  36  is at the actuated position. 
     The latching part  44  is projectingly provided integrally with the guide portion  25   b  of the handle base  25  so as to project forward in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction, and the engagement portion  41   d  can move over the latching part  44  and engage with the latching part  44  from the handle body  14  side in a state in which the handle lever  36  pivots from the non-actuated position to the actuated position. An operation portion  41   e  is provided on the bush joint  41 , the operation portion  41   e  being for carrying out engagement of the engagement portion  41   d  with the latching part  44  and disengagement therefrom. That is, the operating portion  41   e  is connectedly provided on the rod linking portion  41   c  so as to extend linearly within a plane orthogonal to the axis of the fitting tube portion  41   b , the engagement portion  41   d  is connectedly provided at right angles on an intermediate part of the operating portion  41   e , and flexing the operating portion  41   e  enables the engagement portion  41   d  to be made to go over the latching part  44  and be engaged with the latching part  44 . 
     A pair of ear portions  41   f  disposed on opposite sides of the fitting tube portion  41   b  are connectedly provided integrally with the flat plate portion  41   a  of the bush joint  41 , and these ear portions  41   f  make resilient contact with the weight portion  36   c  of the handle lever  36  on opposite sides of the fitting tube portion  41   b , thereby suppressing rattling of the bush joint  41 . 
     The operation of the first embodiment is now explained; since the bush joint  41  as a provisional holding member that can rotate around an axis parallel to the pivot axis of the handle lever  36  is mounted on the handle lever  36 , and the engagement portion  41   d , which is engaged with the latching part  44  provided on the handle base  25  when the handle lever  36  is at the actuated position, is provided on the bush joint  41 , a state in which the exterior handle  12  is at the door opened position and the handle lever  36  is at the actuated position can be provisionally held, and the operation of attaching the exterior handle  12  to the vehicle door D is facilitated. Moreover, since the exterior handle  12 , which is susceptible to an impact, is not itself engaged, the possibility of the provisionally held state being released by impact or vibration at the time of transport can be suppressed. 
     Furthermore, since the operation portion  41   e , which is for carrying out engagement of the engagement portion  41   d  with the latching part  44  and disengagement therefrom, is provided on the bush joint  41 , the operation of engaging the engagement portion  41   d  of the bush joint  41  with the latching part  44  of the handle base  25  and disengaging it therefrom is facilitated. 
     Moreover, since the bush joint  41  is pivotably and resiliently fitted into the handle lever  36  while having linked thereto the rod  42  connected to the latch mechanism  43  provided within the vehicle door D and is an existing component, it is possible by using an existing component to prevent any increase in the number of components. 
     Second Embodiment 
     A second embodiment of the present invention is explained by reference to  FIG. 9  to  FIG. 11 , portions corresponding to those of the first embodiment being denoted by the same reference numerals and symbols and detailed explanation thereof being omitted. 
     First, in  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10 , the handle lever  36  is supported on a handle base  45  via the support shaft  37  having an axis along the longitudinal direction of the handle body  14  of the exterior handle  12 . The extremity part of the engagement arm portion  36   b  of the handle lever  36  is inserted into the linking hole  40  formed in the linking arm part  16  of the exterior handle  12 , and in response to movement between the non-operated position and the door opened position of the linking arm part  16  accompanying pivoting of the exterior handle  12  the handle lever  36  pivots between the non-actuated position and the actuated position. 
     A bush joint  46  that is made of an elastic material is resiliently fitted into the weight portion  36   c  of the handle lever  36  so that it can pivot around an axis parallel to the axis of the support shaft  37 . One end part of the rod  42  having the other end part linked to the bush joint  46  is linked to the latch mechanism  43  (see first embodiment). 
     Referring in addition to  FIG. 11 , the bush joint  46  that can rotate around an axis parallel to the pivot axis of the handle lever  36  is mounted on the handle lever  36  as a provisional holding member. This bush joint  46  is formed so as to integrally have a flat plate portion  46   a  that abuts against a rearward-facing side face of the weight portion  36   c  of the handle lever  36 , a fitting tube portion  46   b  that is provided so as to project from the flat plate portion  46   a  so as to be pivotably and resiliently fitted into the weight portion  36   c , a rod linking portion  46   c  that has a substantially C-shaped form so that an end part of the rod  42  can be inserted through and engaged with the rod linking portion  41   c  and that is connected to the flat plate portion  41   a , a projecting portion  46   d  that projects from an end part, on the flat plate portion  46   a  side, of the rod linking portion  46   c  to the side opposite to the opening side of the rod linking portion  46   c , and an engagement portion  46   e  that projects from an extremity part of the projecting portion  46   d  so that it can detachably engage with a latching part  48  provided on the handle base  45  when the handle lever  36  is at the actuated position. 
     A pair of ear portions  46   f  disposed on opposite sides of the fitting tube portion  46   b  are connectedly provided on the flat plate portion  46   a  of the bush joint  46 , and these ear portions  46   f  make resilient contact with the weight portion  36   c  of the handle lever  36  on opposite sides of the fitting tube portion  46   b , thereby suppressing rattling of the bush joint  46 . 
     Furthermore, the engagement portion  46   e  projects from a middle part in the width direction of the extremity part of the projecting portion  46   d  along a direction in which the projecting portion  46   d  projects and is formed into a substantially L-shaped cross-sectional shape. 
     A guide groove  47  is formed in an outer face of a guide portion  45   a  provided integrally with the handle base  45  so as to guide the linking arm part  16  of the exterior handle  12 , the guide groove  47  carrying out guiding by slightly flexing an extremity part of the engagement portion  46   e  of the bush joint  46  and making sliding contact therewith when pivoting the bush joint  46  around the axis of its fitting tube portion  46   b  while the handle lever  36  is at the actuated position. This guide groove  47  is formed into an arc shape with the axis of the fitting tube portion  46   b  of the bush joint  46  as the center when the handle lever  36  is at the actuated position. 
     Moreover, the latching part  48  is provided on an intermediate part of the guide groove  47  so as to form a step, an extremity part of the engagement portion  46   e  of the bush joint  46  engaging with the latching part  48 , and letting the bush joint  46  go in a state in which the engagement portion  46   e  is pivoted so as to slide within the guide groove  47  while slightly flexing it enables the engagement portion  46   e  to be engaged with the latching part  48 , thereby holding the handle lever  36  at the actuated position. 
     In accordance with the second embodiment, a state in which the exterior handle  12  is at the door opened position and the handle lever  36  is at the actuated position can also be provisionally held, and the operation of attaching the exterior handle  12  to the vehicle door D (see the first embodiment) is facilitated. Moreover, since the exterior handle  12 , which is susceptible to an impact, is not itself engaged, the possibility of the provisionally held state being released by impact or vibration at the time of transport can be suppressed. 
     Embodiments of the present invention are explained above, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and may be modified in a variety of ways as long as the modifications do not depart from the spirit and scope thereof.