Patent Description:
Automated door latches selectively lock or release vehicle door panels in an automated fashion. By automated door latches are herein designated door latches where the user does not provide the energy to actuate the latch through grasping and moving a handle lever, knob or other.

Once the door panel is released, the user or an electric panel actuator swings or slides the panel to grant physical access the vehicle. Automated door latches, under normal circumstances, do not require bulging handle levers on the exterior surface of the vehicle. The air drag of the vehicle can consequently be reduced, while the visual aspect of the vehicle can be streamlined.

Most automated door latches comprise an electric actuator that sets a bolt, hook or lever in motion upon reception of an actuation signal so as to release the vehicle door. Such an electric actuator can be activated using an electrical or a mechanical switch. The electrical switch has the advantage, compared to a mechanical switch, of saving space in the door assembly as it there is no need to provide room required by the stroke of a mechanical part to be displaced. However, unlike a mechanical switch, it is costly and complexifies the electronics of the door assembly.

Vehicle door handle assemblies with a rotatable flap and a mechanical actuation switch are known from the documents <CIT> and <CIT>.

The purpose of the invention is therefore to provide an automated vehicle door handle assembly that less manufacturing costs and requires less mounting space and less space for activation.

To that end, the invention concerns a vehicle door handle assembly according to claim <NUM>. The assembly comprises:.

a cam holder and a cam supported by the cam holder, said cam holder being connected to the flap such that the cam holder is rotatable about the rotation axis and that rotation of the flap causes rotation of the cam holder, rotation of the cam holder causing the cam to activate said mechanical actuation switch.

Owing to the fact that the assembly comprises a cam holder connected to the flap such that the cam holder is rotatable about the rotation axis and that rotation of the flap causes rotation of the cam holder and activation of said switch, activation of the switch can be obtained even if very little space is available for the flap to rotate, i.e. little stroke space is available. Such an arrangement indeed only requires space along the rotation axis and not along the flap stroke direction.

According to the invention, the cam holder comprises a cam lever extending along a longitudinal direction, said lever comprising a first end hinged on the rotation axis of the flap and a second end, opposite to the first, supporting the cam. This particular configuration allows to take advantage on the lever constructions and transform a very small pivoting movement of the flap into sufficient movement of the cam to activate the switch.

The rotatable flap is in particular sensibly planar and is delimited, on the one hand, by two parallel rectilinear longitudinal sides extending along the rotation axis and, on the hand, by two parallel rectilinear lateral sides extending along a direction that is sensibly perpendicular to the rotation axis. A flap of such as shape takes very little space and is both easy to manufacture and manipulate for a user.

In order to further limit the space taken by the handle assembly, the axis about which the cam holder is rotatable comprises a pin stemming from the first end of the cam lever configured to be inserted into a hole opened in the flap along the rotation axis, such that the cam lever is substantially parallel to a lateral side of the flap.

The vehicle door handle assembly may present further embodiments, which are described below and are defined in the dependent claims.

In order to yet further limit the space taken by the handle assembly, the length of the cam lever is in particular at least the same as the length of a lateral side of the flap.

According to a further aspect, the mechanical actuation switch comprises for instance a flexible blade and wherein during rotation of the cam holder, a contact surface of the cam comes into contact with and pushes the blade in at least one direction that is transverse to the rotation axis.

According to another aspect, the blade may be oriented perpendicular to the rotation axis of the flap. This particular configuration also allows to transform a very small movement of the flap into sufficient movement to activate the switch.

According to another aspect, the mechanical actuation switch comprises for example a push button and wherein during rotation of the cam holder, the blade comes into contact with and pushes the push button, said pushing of the push button generating an electrical signal to be sent to a vehicle door controller to release the vehicle door.

Furthermore, the contact surface of the cam may present a slope joining two sensibly rectilinear surfaces. Thanks to this configuration, the gradient of the slope determines the stroke speed to push the push button.

The housing of the door handle assembly comprises for example a bowl-shaped reception surface, delimiting a volume giving access to the rotatable flap.

The rotatable flap in rest position and the rotatable flap in door opening position form for example an angle comprised between <NUM>° degrees and <NUM>° degrees.

Moreover, the distance between the rotatable flap in rest position and the rotatable flap in door opening position is less than <NUM>, preferably less than <NUM>.

Should the electric current become unavailable for any reason, the handle assembly also comprises a back-up release mechanism comprising a cable connected, to the door latch mechanism, causing mechanical actuation of the door latch mechanism to release the vehicle door, said back-up release mechanism being configured to be actuated by a key inserted in a keyhole located inside the reception surface.

In order for the handle to be pleasant to the touch for the user but resistant enough, the rotatable flap comprises for example a section made of elastomer, such as rubber, overmolded on a section made of hard plastic, for example polypropylene.

The invention will be better understood in view of the following description, referring to the annexed Figures in which:.

A vehicle door assembly <NUM> according a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown on <FIG> and <FIG>.

Door assembly <NUM> comprises a housing <NUM> that sits flush against an outer panel <NUM> of the vehicle.

The housing comprises an upper casing <NUM> and a bowl-shaped reception surface <NUM>, delimiting a volume V giving access to the inside of the upper casing <NUM>. Here, as can be seen on <FIG>, reception surface <NUM> is delimited by a frame 15A having a rectilinear section, the two extremities of which are joined by a U-shaped section.

The upper casing <NUM> is substantially rectangular in shape and includes a space <NUM> between its front wall <NUM> and its back wall <NUM>, which is substantially parallel to front wall <NUM>. Rotatable flap <NUM> is housed within space <NUM>.

As can be seen on <FIG>, front wall comprises an upper section 17A which is substantially planar and flush against the outer panel <NUM> of the vehicle and a lower section 17B which is substantially planar but transverse to upper section 17A. More particularly, lower section 17B joins upper section 17A and reception surface <NUM> and is connected to reception surface <NUM> behind the rectilinear section of frame 15A. Hence, the distance between lower section 17B of front wall <NUM> and back wall <NUM> is lower than the distance between upper section 17A and back wall <NUM>.

As can be seen on <FIG>, reception surface <NUM> is prolonged by back wall <NUM>. Space <NUM> is connected to the volume V in such a way that the hand of the handle user can be inserted inside volume V and the remaining of space <NUM>, in order to actuate rotatable flap <NUM>. To be more precise, the hand is inserted fingers first inside volume V and moves up inside space <NUM>. Here, space <NUM> has a width less than <NUM>, preferably above <NUM>.

Owing to the narrow space available, most of space <NUM> is left hollow to allow passage for the user's hand. Hence, rotatable flap <NUM> is placed as close as possible to front wall <NUM> of the housing.

Turning now to <FIG> and <FIG>, rotatable flap <NUM> extends along a rotation axis X-X (perpendicular to the plane of <FIG>). To be more precise, as can be seen best on <FIG>, rotatable flap <NUM> is sensibly planar and is delimited, on the one hand, by two parallel rectilinear longitudinal sides <NUM> extending along the rotation axis and, on the hand, by two parallel rectilinear lateral sides 20I extending along a direction that is sensibly perpendicular to the rotation axis X-X.

Rotatable flap <NUM> comprises a first section <NUM> made of elastomer, such as rubber, overmolded on a second section <NUM> made of hard plastic, for example polypropylene. First section <NUM> is placed facing space <NUM> so that a hand that is inserted into space <NUM> first comes in contact with a surface that is pleasant to the touch.

Preferably, rotatable flap <NUM> comprises at its longitudinal side <NUM> that is closest to the reception surface <NUM>, i.e. closest to the entrance to space <NUM> and proximate to volume V, a boss <NUM>, that extends preferably along the whole longitudinal side <NUM>. This boss <NUM> allows the user to easily feel and push onto the rotatable flap <NUM> as soon as their hand is inserted into space <NUM>. Preferably, the distance between the entrance of volume V and boss <NUM> is less than <NUM>.

Rotatable flap <NUM> is configured to rotate about rotation axis X-X between a rest position, which corresponds to the position shown on the Figures, and a door opening position (not shown).

In the present embodiment, the width of the remaining space <NUM> between rotatable flap <NUM> and front wall <NUM> of the housing, which corresponds to the distance between lower section 17B and back wall <NUM>, minus the width of space <NUM> left to insert the user's fingers and the width of rotatable flap <NUM> itself, is less than <NUM>. Hence, the stroke of rotatable flap <NUM> is constrained within this distance. For example, the stroke of rotatable flap <NUM>, i.e. the distance between the rotatable flap <NUM> in rest position and the rotatable flap <NUM> in door opening position is less than <NUM>, preferably less than <NUM>. The rotatable flap <NUM> in rest position and the rotatable flap <NUM> in door opening position form an angle comprised between <NUM>° degrees and <NUM>° degrees.

However, the invention makes it possible for said rotatable flap <NUM>, even if its stroke is so limited, to activate a mechanical actuation switch <NUM>, generating an electrical signal to be sent to a vehicle door controller (not shown) to release the vehicle door. More particularly, the invention makes it possible to have a longer stroke for the mechanical actuation switch <NUM> than the rotatable flap <NUM>.

To that end, the handle assembly <NUM> also comprises a cam holder <NUM> and a cam <NUM> supported by the cam holder <NUM>. Cam holder <NUM> is connected to the flap <NUM> such that it is rotatable about the rotation axis X-X.

The cam holder <NUM> comprises a cam lever <NUM> extending along a longitudinal direction, said lever comprising a first end 34A hinged on the rotation axis X-X of the flap <NUM> and a second end 34B, opposite to the first, supporting the cam <NUM>.

More specifically, the axis around which the cam holder <NUM> is rotatable is formed by a pin <NUM> stemming from the first end 34A of the cam lever inserted into a hole <NUM> opened in the flap <NUM> along the rotation axis X-X so that the cam lever <NUM> is substantially parallel to a lateral side 20I of the flap <NUM>. In the present embodiment, a second pin <NUM> inserted in a hole <NUM> of the cam lever <NUM> located next to the second end 34B of the cam lever <NUM> is also inserted in a second hole <NUM> of the flap <NUM>, located opposite the first hole <NUM> along the lateral side 20I of the flap.

Here, as can be seen on <FIG> and <FIG>, the length of the cam lever <NUM> is at least the same as the length of a lateral side 20I of the flap, here sensibly the same length.

Turning now to <FIG> and <FIG>, handle assembly <NUM> is configured so that that rotation of the flap <NUM> causes rotation of the cam holder <NUM>, rotation of the cam holder <NUM> causing the cam <NUM> to activate mechanical actuation switch <NUM>.

More specifically, mechanical actuation switch <NUM> comprises a flexible blade <NUM> such that during rotation of the cam holder <NUM>, a contact surface <NUM> of the cam <NUM> comes into contact with and pushes the blade <NUM> in at least one direction that is transverse to the rotation axis X-X. Here, the blade <NUM> extends along a longitudinal axis which is sensibly perpendicular to the rotation axis X-X of the flap. One end <NUM> of the blade <NUM> is recurved.

As can be better seen on <FIG>, the contact surface <NUM> of the cam <NUM> is formed of a slope <NUM> joining two sensibly rectilinear surfaces <NUM>. Thanks to this configuration, the gradient of the slope <NUM> determines the stroke speed to push the push button <NUM>.

The blade <NUM> first comes into contact with the first rectilinear surface <NUM>, which does not actuate the switch <NUM> yet. Activation of the switch <NUM> becomes possible when the blade <NUM> comes into contact with the slope <NUM>, which corresponds to the point when the blade <NUM> also comes into contact with a push button <NUM> placed opposite blade <NUM>. Hence, during rotation of the cam holder <NUM>, blade <NUM> comes into contact with and pushes the push button <NUM>. Pushing of the push button <NUM> generates an electrical signal to be sent to the vehicle door controller to release the vehicle door.

As can be seen on <FIG> showing the backside of door handle assembly <NUM> compared to <FIG>, it also comprises a back-up release mechanism <NUM> that enables a user to open the vehicle door in case no electric current is available, such as a power shortage in the vehicle.

Back-up release mechanism <NUM> comprises a cable <NUM> connected to the door latch mechanism (not shown), causing mechanical actuation of the door latch mechanism to release the vehicle door.

Back-up release mechanism <NUM> is configured to be actuated by a key (not shown) inserted in a keyhole located inside the reception surface <NUM>. Here, as can be seen on <FIG>, the keyhole is hidden by a hiding wall <NUM> which can be displaced to gain access to the keyhole.

Claim 1:
Vehicle door handle assembly (<NUM>) comprising :
- a housing (<NUM>) that sits flush against an outer panel (<NUM>) of the vehicle,
- a rotatable flap (<NUM>) housed within said housing (<NUM>), said flap (<NUM>) extending along and configured to rotate about a rotation axis (X-X) between a rest position and a door opening position,
- a mechanical actuation switch (<NUM>) generating an electrical signal to be sent to a vehicle door controller to release the vehicle door,
wherein it also comprises a cam holder (<NUM>) and a cam (<NUM>) supported by the cam holder (<NUM>), said cam holder (<NUM>) being connected to the flap (<NUM>) such that the cam holder (<NUM>) is rotatable about the rotation axis (X-X) and that rotation of the flap (<NUM>) causes rotation of the cam holder (<NUM>), rotation of the cam holder (<NUM>) causing the cam (<NUM>) to activate said mechanical actuation switch (<NUM>).
wherein the cam holder (<NUM>) comprises a cam lever (<NUM>) extending along a longitudinal direction, said lever comprising a first end (34A) hinged on the rotation axis (X-X) of the flap (<NUM>) and a second end (34B), opposite to the first, supporting the cam (<NUM>),
wherein the rotatable flap (<NUM>) is sensibly planar and is delimited, on the one hand, by two parallel rectilinear longitudinal sides (<NUM>) extending along the rotation axis (X-X) and, on the hand, by two parallel rectilinear lateral sides (20I) extending along a direction that is sensibly perpendicular to the rotation axis (X-X),
wherein the axis about which the cam holder (<NUM>) is rotatable is a pin (<NUM>) stemming from the first end (34A) of the cam lever configured to be inserted into a hole (<NUM>) opened in the flap (<NUM>) along the rotation axis (X-X), such that the cam lever (<NUM>) is substantially parallel to a lateral side of the flap (<NUM>).