DOOR HANDLE FOR A VEHICLE DOOR

Abstract

A door handle for a vehicle door of a motor vehicle includes a carrier plate, a handle cavity, and an extendable handle part. At least one lighting device arranged in/on the carrier plate or on the handle part is provided with at least one lighting element and/or a light guide element. The handle part is adjustable between a retracted non-use position, a partially extended intermediate position, and an extended use position. The at least one lighting element and/or the at least one light guide element, when the handle part is in its partially extended intermediate position, at least partially illuminates a gap present between the handle part and the handle cavity. When the handle part is extended, at least one lighting element and/or the at least one light guide element illuminates at least parts of the handle part, of the handle cavity, and/or of an area surrounding the handle part.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A door handle for a vehicle door of a motor vehicle, the door handle comprising: a carrier plate; a handle cavity; an extendable handle part; and at least one lighting device arranged in or on the carrier plate or on the handle part, wherein the at least one lighting device includes at least one lighting element or at least one light guide element, wherein the handle part is adjustable between a retracted non-use position, a partially extended intermediate position, and an extended use position, wherein the at least one lighting element or the at least one light guide element, when the handle part is in the partially extended intermediate position, at least partially illuminates a gap between the extendible handle part and the handle cavity, and wherein, when the extendible handle part is in the extended use position, illuminates at least parts of the extendible handle part, the handle cavity, or an area surrounding the extendible handle part.

12. The door handle of claim 11, wherein the gap has a gap width between 3 mm and 5 mm when the extendible handle part is in the partially extended intermediate position.

13. The door handle of claim 12, wherein the gap has a gap width between 5 mm and 10 mm when the extended handle part is in the extended use position.

14. The door handle of claim 11, wherein the extendible handle part includes at least one edge lighting element or at least one edge light guide element, and when the extendible handle part is in the extended use position, the at least one edge lighting element or the at least one edge light guide element produces an illumination that at least partially surrounds the extendible handle part as a light edge.

15. The door handle of claim 11, further comprising: a control device, wherein the control is configured to set a light intensity of the at least one lighting element depending on a position of the extendible handle part so that the light intensity is increased or reduced based on the position of the extendible handle part, or adjust a color of light emitted by the at least one lighting element based on the position of the extendible handle part.

16. The door handle of claim 11, wherein the extendible the handle part is translationally or pivotally adjustable between the extended use position and the retracted non-use position.

17. A motor vehicle, comprising: a vehicle door; a door lock; an electronic key configured to lock and unlock the door lock; and a door handle, which comprises a carrier plate; a handle cavity; an extendable handle part; and at least one lighting device arranged in or on the carrier plate or on the handle part, wherein the at least one lighting device includes at least one lighting element or at least one light guide element, wherein the handle part is adjustable between a retracted non-use position, a partially extended intermediate position, and an extended use position, wherein the at least one lighting element or the at least one light guide element, when the handle part is in the partially extended intermediate position, at least partially illuminates a gap between the extendible handle part and the handle cavity, and wherein, when the extendible handle part is in the extended use position, illuminates at least parts of the extendible handle part, the handle cavity, or an area surrounding the extendible handle part.

18. A method for operating a door handle on a motor vehicle, the method comprising: detecting that an authorized user with an electronic key approaches the motor vehicle; extending, responsive to the detection, a handle part of the door handle from a retracted non-use position into a partially extended intermediate position, at least partially illuminating, responsive to the detection, a gap between the handle part and a handle cavity of the door handle by at least one lighting element or at least one light guide element that is part of the door handle; determining that the authorized user opens a door lock of the motor vehicle with the electronic key; transferring, responsive to the determination, the handle part from the partially extended intermediate position into an extended use position; illuminating, responsive to the determination and using the at least one lighting element or the at least one light guide element, at least parts of the handle part, the handle cavity or of an area surrounding the handle part.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein a light intensity of the at least one lighting element is set depending on a position of the handle part so that the light intensity increases or reduces with increasing state of extension of the handle part.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein a color of light emitting by the at least one lighting element is adjusted as a function of a position of the handle part.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

[0021] The figures show, schematically in each case:

[0022] FIG. 1 a sectional depiction through a door handle according to the invention in a vehicle door with the handle part in its non-use position and the lighting device deactivated,

[0023] FIG. 2 a depiction as in FIG. 1, but with the handle part in its partially extended intermediate position and activated lighting device for illuminating a gap present between the handle cavity and the handle part,

[0024] FIG. 3 a depiction as in FIG. 1, but with the handle part in its use position and activated lighting device,

[0025] FIG. 4 a side view of a handle part of a door handle according to the invention in its intermediate position,

[0026] FIG. 5 a view from above of a handle part in its use position with activated lighting device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] According to FIGS. 1 to 3, a door handle 1 according to the invention for a vehicle door 2 of a motor vehicle 3 has a carrier plate 4 and an extendable handle part 5. Also provided is a lighting device 8 with at least one lighting element 6 and/or a light guide element 7, wherein the lighting device 8 can be arranged in or on the carrier plate 4 or on the handle part 5. Theoretically, it is of course also conceivable to arrange a lighting element 6 or a light guide element 7 both on the handle part 5 and on the carrier plate 4. The handle part 5 can be adjusted here between a retracted non-use position (see FIG. 1), a partially extended intermediate position (see FIGS. 2 and 4) and an extended use position. In the retracted non-use position according to FIG. 1, a gap 10 between a handle cavity 9 and the handle part 5 is extremely small, i.e., it has, for example, a gap width S.sub.1 of <1 mm. In the partially extended intermediate position of the handle part 5, as shown in accordance with FIG. 2, the gap 10 has increased to a gap width S.sub.2 of between 1 mm and 5 mm, preferably between 3 mm and 5 mm. When the handle part 5 is in its use position, i.e., preferably fully extended, the gap width S.sub.3 of the gap 10 has increased to 5 mm to 10 mm, as shown in accordance with FIG. 3.

[0028] In accordance with the invention, when the handle part 5 is in its partially extended intermediate position, the at least one lighting element 6 and/or the at least one light guide element 7 at least partially illuminates the gap 10 between the handle part 5 and the handle cavity 9 (see FIG. 4), whereby a kind of annular gap illumination surrounding the handle part 5 can be generated, which not only allows an intuitive and thus simple locating of the handle part 5 in the dark, but also an extremely interesting design, since it forms a clearly contoured light line at least partially surrounding the handle part 5, in comparison to diffuse illuminations known so far from the prior art.

[0029] When the handle part 5 is extended, as shown in accordance with FIG. 3, the lighting element 6 and/or the at least one light guide element 7 illuminate at least parts of the handle part 5, the handle cavity 9, and/or an area 11 surrounding the handle part.

[0030] At least one edge lighting element 6 or at least one edge light guide element 7 can be provided on the handle part 5 and, when the handle part 5 is in its extended use position, allows an illumination that at least partially surrounds the handle part 5 (see FIG. 5). In this case, the at least one lighting element 6 or the at least one edge light guide element 7 emits light in the direction of the handle cavity 9 and is reflected outwards from there, whereby the gap illumination according to the invention can be achieved.

[0031] A control device 12 is also expediently provided, which is designed in such a way that it sets a light intensity of the at least one lighting element 6 depending on the position of the handle part 5, in particular increasing or reducing it with increasing state of extension. The control device 12 can additionally or alternatively be designed in such a way that it adjusts a color of the light emitted by the at least one lighting element 6 as a function of the position of the handle part 5. The lighting element 6 can, for example, be designed as a light-emitting diode (LED) and thus not only be dimmable, but also generate light with different colors. For example, it is conceivable that when the handle part 5 is in its intermediate position, the lighting device 6 emits red light, which can be perceived better, especially from a greater distance. If the user continues to approach and the handle part 5 is extended into its use position, the color can be changed to yellow or white, for example, which allows for better diffuse lighting. Theoretically, it is of course also conceivable that the lighting device 8 emits light with a high luminous intensity when the handle part 5 is in its intermediate position, since in this case the light can only exit via the annular gap, so that this forms a kind of target ring around the handle part 5 in the strongly illuminated state. If the handle part 5 is extended further, the light intensity can be reduced, for example, because less bright, diffuse lighting is sufficient when the user is standing directly at the door handle 1.

[0032] In general, it is of course conceivable that the handle part 5 is translationally or pivotally adjustable between its retracted non-use position, its partially extended intermediate position and its extended use position. In FIGS. 1 to 5, however, only a translationally adjustable handle part 5 is shown. An adjustment device 13, in particular an electric motor, is provided for adjusting the handle part 5 between its non-use position and its use position.

[0033] In general, the door handle 1 on the motor vehicle 3 can be operated as follows:

[0034] Initially, a user approaches the motor vehicle 3, with the handle part 5 still being in its retracted non-use position and the lighting device 8 deactivated. If the user continues to approach the motor vehicle 3, the handle part 5 can be transferred from its retracted non-use position into a partially extended intermediate position, for example via remote polling or active operation of an electronic key 14 (see FIG. 2), and in this position the at least one lighting element 6 and/or the at least one light guide element 7 at least partially illuminates the gap 10 present between the handle part 5 and the handle cavity 9, thereby providing significant, clearly contoured locating lighting for the user.

[0035] If the driver continues to approach the motor vehicle 3 or actuates the electronic key 14, the handle part 5 is transferred from the partially extended intermediate position in accordance with FIG. 2 to the extended use position according to FIG. 3 and the at least one lighting element 6 and/or the at least one light guide element 7 illuminate at least parts of the handle part 5 (see FIG. 5), the handle cavity 9 and/or an area 11 surrounding the handle part. The complete extension of the handle part 5 into its use position can also be coupled with the opening of a door lock of the motor vehicle 3.

[0036] The control device 12 can, at the same time, adjust a light intensity of the at least one lighting element 6 depending on the position of the handle part 5, in particular increase or decrease it with increasing state of extension of the handle part 5 and/or vary a color of the light emitted by the lighting element 6.

[0037] Looking again at FIGS. 4 and 5, it can be seen from these that, for example according to FIG. 4, the lighting device 8 forms a light rim 15 at least partially surrounding the handle part 5, which according to FIG. 4 is in its intermediate position, forming a target illumination. This target illumination naturally remains present even when the handle part 5 is fully extended, since, for example, the at least one lighting element 6 continues to illuminate the handle cavity 9, as shown in accordance with FIG. 5. In addition, when the handle part 5 is fully extended, the at least one lighting element 6 can also illuminate the area 11 surrounding the handle, at least parts of the handle part 5, in particular an inner edge 16 thereof and/or the handle cavity 9.

[0038] All in all, the door handle 1 according to the invention can be used to create a significantly improved and, in terms of a design, extremely high-quality lighting ambience.

[0039] Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by way of preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the examples disclosed, and other variations can be derived from these by the person skilled in the art without leaving the scope of the invention. It is therefore clear that there is a plurality of possible variations. It is also clear that embodiments stated by way of example are only really examples that are not to be seen as limiting the scope, application possibilities or configuration of the invention in any way. In fact, the preceding description and the description of the figures enable the person skilled in the art to implement the exemplary embodiments in concrete manner, wherein, with the knowledge of the disclosed inventive concept, the person skilled in the art is able to undertake various changes, for example, with regard to the functioning or arrangement of individual elements stated in an exemplary embodiment without leaving the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims and their legal equivalents, such as further explanations in the description.