Patent Publication Number: US-7210715-B2

Title: Door handle device

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   The application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 with respect to a Japanese Patent Application 2002-284172, filed on Sep. 27, 2002, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention generally relates to a door handle device. More particularly, this invention pertains to a door handle device applied to a vehicle door. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   For example, a known door handle device is disclosed in a Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2002-30844. This door handle device includes a handle frame and a handle grip. The handle frame is fixed to an outer panel of a vehicle door. The handle grip is provided on the handle frame from the outside of a vehicle through the outer panel, and electrical components are included in the handle grip. 
   In the door handle device, the handle grip includes an antenna as one of the electrical components. The antenna transmits an identification signal with predetermined frequency to the outside of the vehicle. An oscillating circuit for keeping the antenna oscillating is provided between an inner panel of the vehicle door and a door trim through harness. In this case, since a window glass is located in the vehicle door, the harness connecting the antenna to the oscillating circuit has to be provided so as not to interfere with the window glass. Thus, wiring structure between the antenna and the oscillating circuit cannot be simplified, and noise may be generated due to the complicated wiring structure. 
   The present invention therefore seeks to provide a door handle device in which wiring structure between electric components provided within a door handle and a circuit connected to the electric components is simplified. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to an aspect of the present invention, a door handle device includes a frame fixed to the inside of an outer panel of a vehicle door and a grip provided on the frame from the outside of a vehicle and including an electrical component. The frame is integrally provided with a circuit electrically connected to the electrical component. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, the door handle device further includes a chassis integrally formed with the frame, and the circuit is provided within the chassis. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
     The foregoing and additional features and characteristics of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description considered with reference to the accompanying drawing figures wherein: 
       FIG. 1  shows a configuration of a smart entry system including a door handle device according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  shows a configuration of a smart entry system including a door handle device according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a vehicle door to which a door handle device according to the present invention is mounted; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view taken along the line A—A of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view taken along the line B—B of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a plane view of a frame of the door handle device according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a plane view of the frame on which a cover portion is provided; and 
       FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view taken along the line C—C of  FIG. 5 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to  FIGS. 1–8 . In this embodiment, a door handle device  10  according to the present invention is applied to a smart entry system  50  (hereinafter referred to as a system  50 ). The system  50  is a door locking/unlocking system in which a vehicle door being in a locked state is switched to an unlocked state when an owner of a vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a user) is close to the vehicle and a hand of the user approaching the door handle device  10  is detected. 
   First, the system  50  is briefly explained with reference to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . The system  50  includes a primary transmitting antenna  54  (an electrical component) communicating with the outside of the vehicle and a secondary transmitting antenna  56  communicating with the inside of the vehicle. The primary transmitting antenna  54  is provided within the door handle device  10  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) mounted to a vehicle door  30  (shown in  FIG. 3 ), and the secondary transmitting antenna  56  is provided within an instrument panel in a vehicle compartment. The primary transmitting antenna  54  is connected to a primary transmitting portion  55 , and the secondary transmitting antenna  56  is connected to a secondary transmitting portion  57 . The primary transmitting portion  55  and the secondary transmitting portion  57  are connected to a controller  60 . 
   In the door handle device  10 , a sensor electrode  51  (an electrical component) is provided. The sensor electrode  51  detects the user approaching the vehicle door  30  based on variation of capacitance and connected to a sensor detection portion  53 . The sensor detection portion  53  detects the user based on information from the sensor electrode  51  and connected to the controller  60 . In this embodiment, the sensor detection portion  53  and the primary transmitting portion  55  are integrally included in a single unit as a signaling circuit  52  (a circuit), and yet can be separately provided. Explanation concerning the signaling circuit  52  will be provided later. 
   The controller  60  respectively transmits a primary request signal (hereinafter referred to as an outside request signal) and a secondary request signal (hereinafter referred to as an inside request signal) to the primary transmitting portion  55  and the secondary transmitting portion  57 . In this embodiment, both antennae  54  and  56  transmit the request signals with frequency of 134 kHz to a portable device  70  (shown in  FIG. 2 ). 
   The vehicle is provided with a receiving antenna  58 , and an identification signal outputted from the portable device  70  is received by the receiving antenna  58 . In this embodiment, the identification signal has frequency of 300 MHz. This identification signal is demodulated at a receiving portion  59  and then inputted to the controller  60 . 
   The controller  60  is connected to a door lock device  62  provided on the vehicle door  30 . In the door lock device  62 , switching between a locked state and an unlocked state is performed by the controller  60 . As regarding various switches and sensors connected to the controller  60  (for example, a courtesy switch which detects whether the vehicle door  30  is opened or closed to the vehicle), detailed explanation is omitted. 
     FIG. 2  shows a system configuration of the portable device  70  applied to the system  50 . The portable device  70  includes a transmitting antenna  74  and a receiving antenna  75 . The transmitting antenna  74  transmits the identification signal with frequency of 300 MHz to the vehicle. The receiving antenna  75  receives the outside/inside request signals with frequency of 134 kHz transmitted from the vehicle. The transmitting antenna  74  and the receiving antenna  75  are connected to a transceiving circuit  73 . The transceiving circuit  73  is connected to a controller  71 . 
   The request signal from the vehicle received by the receiving antenna  75  is inputted to the controller  71  trough the transceiving circuit  73 . The controller  71  transmits a response signal, which includes an identification code having been memorized in a memory  72 , to the transceiving circuit  73  responding to the request signal. The response signal is modulated at the transceiving circuit  73  and then transmitted to the vehicle with frequency of 300 MHz from the transmitting antenna  74 . 
   Next, operation of the system  50  is explained below. When the door lock device  62  of the vehicle door  30  is in the locked state, if the user exists within a predetermined distance from the vehicle, the outside request signal transmitted from the primary transmitting antenna  54  can be transmitted to the receiving antenna  74  of the portable device  70  of the user. In the portable device  70 , as described above, the controller  71  transmits the response signal responding to the outside request signal. 
   When the response signal transmitted from the transmitting antenna  74  of the portable device  70  is received by the receiving antenna  58  of the vehicle, the identification code demodulated by the receiving portion  59  is checked against an identification code having been memorized in a memory  61  by the controller  60 . After the check between the identification codes is approved, the controller  60  is in an unlock standby state. 
   When the hand of the user approaches the door handle  10 , variation of capacitance is generated between the sensor electrode  51  and the sensor detection portion  53 . After the hand of the user approaching the sensor electrode  51  is detected based on the variation of capacitance, a detection signal is transmitted to the controller  60  from the sensor detection portion  53 . Responding to the detection signal, the controller  60  transmits a switching signal for switching to the unlocked state to the door lock device  62 . Then, an actuator (not shown) in the door lock device  62  is operated, and the locked state is switched to the unlocked state in the door lock device  62 . 
   Next, with reference to  FIGS. 3–8 , structure of the door handle  10  applied to the system  50  is specifically explained.  FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the vehicle door  30  to which the door handle  10  is mounted. The vehicle door  30  is a swing-type vehicle door at a driver&#39;s seat. In  FIG. 3 , an outer panel of the vehicle door  30  is omitted for the purpose of simplification. 
   The door handle  10  mainly includes a frame  11  and a grip  20 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the frame  11  is fixed to the inside of an outer panel  31  of the vehicle door  30  by using two screws  32 . The frame  11  is resinous and integrally includes a main frame  12  and a chassis  13 , as shown in  FIGS. 3–8  in detail. 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , the main frame  12  extends in directions of the front and back side of the vehicle (a longitudinal direction of the vehicle), and the outside of the main frame  12  has a curved shape. This curved shape of the main frame  12  corresponds to a curved shape formed on the outer panel  31 . As shown in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 , the main frame  12  includes opening portions  12   a  and  12   b  at the front and back side of the vehicle respectively. In the opening portion  12   a , an arm  21   a  of a grip  20  (say later) is inserted. In the opening portion  12   b , a handle lever  21   b  of the grip  20  (say later) and a cylinder case portion  24  of a key cylinder  24  fixed to a cap  23  (say later) are inserted. 
   Next, structure of the chassis  13  is explained. As shown in  FIGS. 5–8 , the chassis  13  mainly includes a case portion  14  and a cover portion  15 . The case portion  14  further includes a base wall portion  14   a , an upper wall portion  14   b , and two lateral wall portions  14   c . The base wall portion  14   a  is formed at an approximately middle part of the main frame  12  so as to have predetermined width along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and to extend integrally upward from the main frame  12 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the base wall portion  14   a  has a bended-shaped cross section, and an upper side of the base wall portion  14   a  is aslant outside (at an angle of a degrees to a perpendicular line). The upper wall portion  14   b  is formed so as to extend outside from an upper end of the base wall portion  14   a . As shown in  FIG. 8 , each lateral wall portion  14   c  is formed so as to extend outside from both lateral ends of the base wall portion  14   a . As explained above, the case portion  14  includes an outer opening portion  14   d  opening outside. 
   As shown in  FIG. 5 , the cover portion  15  is fixed to the case portion  14  so that the outer opening  14   d  of the case portion  14  can be covered. An upper side of the cover portion  15  is aslant outside so as to be parallel with the upper side of the base wall portion  14   a , and an upper end  15   a  of the cover portion  15  is connected to the upper wall portion  14   b . A connected portion  14   e  between the upper end  15   a  and the upper wall portion  14   b  has what we call a labyrinthine structure in which the upper end  15   a  is held between a pair of flanges formed so as to extend downward from the upper wall portion  14   b . Further, the upper wall portion  14   b  extends outside beyond a position of the connected portion  14   e . According to the labyrinthine structure and the upper wall portion  14   b  extending beyond the connected portion  14   e , if the chassis  13  is watered from above, water is difficult to enter in the chassis  13 . Thus, the chassis  13  has a good water proofing property concerning the signaling circuit  52  provided within the chassis  13 . In addition, as shown in  FIG. 8 , each lateral wall portion  14   c  is connected to both lateral ends of the cover portion  15  so that each lateral wall  14   c  can be held between a pair of flanges formed on the cover portion  15 . That is, the lateral wall portions  14   c  are connected to the cover portion  15  by means of the labyrinthine structure in common with the connected portion  14   e.    
   As shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 7 , a lower side of the cover portion  15  extends so as to face the main frame  12 . The cover portion  15  is located outside at a predetermined distance from the main frame  12 , and the chassis  13  includes a lower opening portion  13   a  opening downward. 
   Next, explanation concerning the grip  20  is provided. As shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , the grip  20  includes a base  21  and a cover  22  made from metal or resin. The cover  22  is fixed to the base  21  by using two screws  25 , and a space is provided within the grip  20 . The arm  21   a  and the handle lever  21   b  are formed at the front and back side of the grip  20  respectively. The grip  20  is assembled to the main frame  12  by inserting the handle lever  21   b  in the opening portion  12   b  after the arm  21   a  is inserted in a receiving space  12   c  through the opening portion  12   a  of the main frame  12 . Then, the grip  20  is fixed to the outer panel  31  of the vehicle door  30 . In the grip  20  assembled to the outer panel  31 , the handle lever  21   b  is connected to a cable  33  (shown in  FIG. 6 ) through a crank mechanism (not shown). The cable  33  is connected to an outside opening lever (not shown) operating the door lock device  62 . Thus, when the grip  20  is operated so as to be pivoted about the arm  21   a  on the vehicle door  30 , the outside opening lever of the door lock device  62  is operated. Then a latch mechanism (not shown) is operated, and the vehicle door  30  is opened. 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , the cap  23  is fixed to the vehicle door  30  at the back side relative to the grip  20 . The cap  23  is formed so that outer design of the cap  23  can be identical with that of the grip  20 , and the key cylinder  24  and the cylinder case  24   a  are provided within the cap  23 . The cylinder case  24   a  is directly connected to the door lock device  62  through the opening portion  12   b  of the main frame  12 , and then operation of the key cylinder  24  is transmitted to the door lock device  62 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , the primary transmitting antenna  54 , the sensor electrode  51 , and a lock switch  26  are provided within the space of the grip  20 . The primary transmitting antenna  54  is made of a ferrite core where wire is coiled so as to be biaxial and functions as a biaxial antenna. The sensor electrode  51  extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and made of nonmagnetic and conductive materials such as copper and brass. The sensor electrode  51  is provided along the base  21  within the space of the grip  20 , and then the hand of the user approaching a space between the grip  20  and the outer panel  31  can be easily detected. The lock switch  26  is membrane switch pushed by a lock switch button  27  provided on the cover  22  of the grip  20 . When the user is close to the vehicle, the unlocked state is switched to the locked state in the door lock device  62  by the controller  60  if the lock switch  26  is pushed. 
   The primary transmitting antenna  54 , the sensor electrode  51 , and the lock switch  26  are connected to harness  28  (a connecting member). The harness  28  extends within the vehicle door  30  through an opening provided on the base  21 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 6 , and  FIG. 8 , a board of the signaling circuit  52  is provided within an inner space formed by the chassis  13 . i.e., the board is disposed between the outer door panel  31  and an element defined by the main frame  12  and the case portion  14 . The signaling circuit  52  is fixed to ribs formed on the case wall portion  14  by welding. The harness  28  extending from the grip  20  is, as shown in  FIG. 6 , connected to the signaling circuit  52  through a pair of connector  29 , harness  16  (a connecting member), and a connector  17 . That is, in the door handle  10 , the signaling circuit  52 , which is electrically connected to the primary transmitting antenna  54 , the sensor electrode  51 , and the lock switch  26  provided on the grip  20 , and the main frame  12  are integrally provided. Further, the signaling circuit  52  is connected to harness  19  through a connector  18 , and the harness  19  is connected to a board (not shown) provided within the door lock device  62  through an opening (not shown) formed on a housing of the door lock device  62 . The board of the door lock device  62  is connected to the controller  60  provided on the vehicle through another harness (not shown). 
   As explained above, in the door handle  10 , the signaling circuit  52  and the main frame  12  are integrally provided. Thus, the harness  28  and the harness  16  for connection between the signaling circuit  52  and the primary transmitting antenna  54  may have length being capable of connecting between the grip  20  and the main frame  12 . That is, the connection can be simplified, and generation of noise can be prevented. 
   In this embodiment, as described above, the primary transmitting antenna  54  of the door handle  10  is electrically connected to the controller  60  through the door lock device  62 . That is, the harness between the door lock device  62  and the controller  60  and the harness between the primary transmitting antenna  54  of the door handle  10  and the controller  60  are unified, then wiring structure can be simplified. Especially, since various members such as a window glass  40  (shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 ) are provided in the vehicle door  30 , the simplification of the wiring structure is very effective. 
   Further, in the chassis  13  of the door handle  10 , the harness  16  and the harness  19  extend through the lower opening portion  13   a  opening downward. That is, if the chassis  13  is watered from above, water is difficult to enter in the chassis  13  through the lower opening portion  13   a , and then the chassis  13  has the good water proofing property concerning the signaling circuit  52  provided within the chassis  13 . 
   Further, as shown in  FIG. 5 , in the door handle  10  according to the embodiment, the harness  16  and the harness  19  are provided along the base wall portion  14   a  integrally extending from the main frame  12 . That is, the harness  16  and the harness  19  are separated from the members (the window glass  40 ) in the vehicle door  30  by the base wall portion  14   a , and then the base wall portion  14   a  functions as a protector for preventing the harness  16  and the harness  19  from interfering with the window glass  40 . 
   Furthermore, in the door handle  10  according to the embodiment, the upper side of base wall portion  14   a  is aslant outside, as described above. That is, clearance between the upper side of the base wall portion  14   a  and the members (the window glass  40 ), which are located inside at a distance from the base wall portion  14   a , can be sufficiently ensured. 
   According to the present invention, the chassis  13  for protecting the signaling circuit  52  is integrally formed with the main frame  12 . Thus, a protector for protecting the signaling circuit  52  does not need to be provided, the number of components can be reduced, and then the door handle  10  can be simplified. 
   According to the present invention, since the connected portion  14   e  between the upper wall portion  14   b  and the cover portion  15  has the labyrinthine structure, if the chassis  13  is watered from above, water is difficult to enter in the chassis  13  through the connected portion  14   e . That is, the chassis  13  has the good water proofing property concerning the signaling circuit  52  provided within the chassis  13 . 
   According to the present invention, since the upper wall portion  14   b  extending from the base wall portion  14   a  further extends outside beyond the position of the connected portion  14   e , if the chassis  13  is watered from above, water is difficult to enter in the chassis  13  through the connected portion  14   e . That is, the good water proofing property concerning the signaling circuit  52  can be attained. 
   The principles, preferred embodiments and mode of operation of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification. However, the invention which is intended to be protected is not to be construed as limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. Further, the embodiments described herein are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Variations and changes may be made by others, and equivalents employed, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that all such variations, changes and equivalents which fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the claims, be embraced thereby.