Actuating device for a lock of a vehicle, and vehicle door and vehicle having said vehicle door

Abstract

An actuating device (1) for a lock of a vehicle, which is arranged, or can be arranged, on a vehicle, wherein the actuating device (1) has an actuating component (10), which is to be grasped manually and which can be brought from a stowed position into a standby position, wherein the stowed position is a position in which the actuating component (10) to be grasped is stowed and wherein the standby position is a position in which the actuating component can be grasped by a user, wherein the actuating component (10) is operatively connected, or can be operatively connected, to at least the lock of the vehicle in such a way that the lock can be opened by actuating the actuating component. A vehicle door having such an actuating device and a vehicle having such a vehicle door are also contemplated.

Claims

1. An actuating device for a lock of a vehicle, which is arranged, or can be arranged, on a vehicle, wherein the actuating device has an actuating component, which is to be grasped manually and which can be brought from a stowed position into a standby position, wherein the stowed position is a position in which the actuating component is stowed and is not able to be grasped by a user, and wherein the standby position is a position in which the actuating component can be grasped by a user, wherein the actuating component is operatively connected, or can be operatively connected, to at least the lock of the vehicle in such a way that the lock can be opened by manually actuating the actuating component when in the standby position; wherein the actuating component comprises a flexible force-transmission element in the form of a flexible tube or a cable or band portion, wherein, in the stowed position, the flexible tube or cable or band portion is stowed and not able to be grasped by a user, wherein, in the standby position, the flexible tube or cable or band portion is exposed and forms a flexible loop that is able to be directly grasped by a user.

2. The actuating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuating device further has a housing, wherein the actuating component, in a first portion, is mounted on the housing of the actuating device via a prismatic joint, wherein the actuating component is designed to be moved between the stowed position and the standby position, namely from the stowed position into the standby position, by displacing the actuating component along the degree of freedom enabled by the prismatic joint.

3. The actuating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the actuating component has a rigid, linear portion, which has a circular or angular cross section and is guided in the prismatic joint.

4. The actuating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the actuating device has a releasable latch device, which is designed to latch the actuating component in the stowed position, wherein the latch device has at least two latching elements which can be brought into mutual latching engagement, wherein the actuating device has an actuator, which is designed to release the latching device.

5. The actuating device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the actuating device has a pressure surface and/or tension surface, via which the latching device is released accordingly via pressure or tension.

6. The actuating device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the housing has two mutually relatively movable housing parts, wherein one housing part has a guide portion for the actuating component as part of the prismatic joint and the other housing part has one of the latching elements, and wherein, via the relative movement of the housing parts, the latching element is designed to move away from the guide portion to such an extent that the latching engagement with the other of the latching elements is released when the actuating component is located in the stowed position.

7. The actuating device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the actuating device is designed to convert a pressure or tension exerted on the pressure surface and/or tension surface into the relative movement and wherein the actuating device has a spring element, which is designed to act against the relative movement.

8. The actuating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuating device has a groove, in which the actuating component is recessed, at least for the most part, in its stowed position.

9. The actuating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuating device has a spring element, which preloads the actuating component in the direction of the standby position when it is in the stowed position.

10. The actuating device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the actuating component is designed, at least in part, as a light-conducting and/or light-diffusing body, wherein the actuating component has a light source or such a light source is arranged on the actuating component, which is designed such that it couples light into the light-conducting and/or light-diffusing body at one or more points.

11. A vehicle door having an actuating device as claimed in claim 1.

12. A vehicle having a vehicle door as claimed in claim 11.

13. An actuating device for a lock of a vehicle, which is arranged, or can be arranged, on a vehicle, wherein the actuating device has an actuating component, which is to be grasped manually and which can be brought from a stowed position into a standby position, wherein the stowed position is a position in which the actuating component is stowed, and wherein the standby position is a position in which the actuating component can be grasped by a user, wherein the actuating component is operatively connected, or can be operatively connected, to at least the lock of the vehicle in such a way that the lock can be opened by actuating the actuating component; wherein the actuating device has a spring element, which preloads the actuating component, when in the stowed position, in a direction of the standby position, wherein the housing has first and second housing parts that are relatively movable for adjusting a distance between the first and second housing parts in order to enable the spring element to move the actuating component to the standby position.

14. The actuating device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the actuating component has a flexible force-transmission element in the form of a flexible tube or a cable or band portion.

15. The actuating device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the actuating component, in the standby position, assumes a graspable form of a loop.

16. The actuating device of claim 13, wherein the spring device is configured to move the actuating component linearly out of the housing.

17. An actuating device for a lock of a vehicle, which is arranged, or can be arranged, on a vehicle, wherein the actuating device has an actuating component, which is to be grasped manually and which can be brought from a stowed position into a standby position, wherein the stowed position is a position in which the actuating component is stowed, and wherein the standby position is a position in which the actuating component can be grasped by a user, wherein the actuating component is operatively connected, or can be operatively connected, to at least the lock of the vehicle in such a way that the lock can be opened by actuating the actuating component; wherein the actuating device includes a releasable latch device configured to releasably latch the actuating component in the stowed position; wherein the housing has first and second housing parts that are relatively movable for adjusting a distance between the first and second housing parts in order to release the releasable latch device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is explained in more detail below by way of the description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(2) In the drawings:

(3) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of the actuating device in a state fitted on a vehicle but not released;

(4) FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the actuating device in a state fitted on the vehicle and released;

(5) FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of the actuating device in an unreleased state;

(6) FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of the actuating device in a released state;

(7) FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of a region of the actuating device in an unreleased state;

(8) FIG. 6 shows an enlarged view of a region of the actuating device in a released state;

(9) FIG. 7 shows a further enlarged view of a region of the actuating device, which shows the releasable latching device in an engaged state; and

(10) FIG. 8 shows a further enlarged view of a region of the actuating device, which shows the releasable latching device in an unengaged state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an actuating device 1 in a state fitted on a vehicle but not released, and FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of the actuating device 1 in a state not fitted on a vehicle. An unreleased state is understood to be a state in which an actuating component 10 is in its stowed position.

(12) As can be seen in FIG. 1, the actuating component 10, in the stowed position, is stowed in the actuating device 1 or in a housing 30 thereof.

(13) The actuating device 1 is arranged on the vehicle such that the actuating component 1 located in the stowed position is concealed. This means that it is not visible to a person with a height of at least 1.60 m who is standing next to the vehicle. In this case, the actuating device 1 is arranged on a side door on the rear side of a door outer surface.

(14) As can furthermore be seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the actuating device 1 has a coupling portion 11, which is able to be coupled for example with a Bowden cable such that a door lock of the door can be opened manually.

(15) The actuating device 1 has a pressure and/or tension surface 33, on which a user can exert pressure or tension, wherein, if a predetermined pressure or tension is exceeded, the actuating component 10 is transferred into its standby position. This standby position is shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4.

(16) Thus, FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 show the actuating device 1 in a released state, in which the actuating component 10 is graspable by a user. Thus, when it has been moved into the standby position, the actuating component 10 is visible to a user. In particular, it is visible to a person with a height of at least 1.60 m who is standing next to the vehicle.

(17) It is clearly apparent from FIGS. 2 and 4 that the actuating component 10 is no longer arranged in a groove 20 in the housing 30, but protrudes therefrom and as a result is graspable by a user. It is also apparent that the actuating component 10 forms a loop, in which one or more fingers can engage. This loop arises in particular in that the actuating component 10, in the standby position, bulges at least partially out of the groove 20 from the surface of the actuating device 1.

(18) The movement of the actuating component 10 is provided by a prismatic joint 31 and a pivot bearing 32, the positions of which are shown in FIG. 3.

(19) Thus, the actuating component 10 is mounted on the housing 30 of the actuating device 1 in a first portion (here in a linear portion 13) via the prismatic joint 31. The actuating component 10 is displaceable between the stowed position and the standby position along the degree of freedom allowed by the prismatic joint 31.

(20) In a second portion, which is arranged at an opposite end from the first portion, the actuating component 10 is mounted in a pivotable manner on the housing 30 of the actuating device 1.

(21) The first portion is illustrated in FIG. 4 as a rigid, linear portion 13 and has a round cross section. This linear portion 13 is guided in the prismatic joint 31, wherein the prismatic joint 31 is in this case a bore with a corresponding diameter.

(22) As is also illustrated in FIG. 4, the actuating component 10 has a flexible force-transmission element 12, at which the actuating component 10 is graspable. This is preferably illuminated and/or embodied in a signal color in order to draw the attention of a user (rescuer) thereto. Overall, a corresponding presentation can cause the latter to intuitively recognize and use the actuating component 10.

(23) The actuating component 10 is transferred from the stowed position into the standby position for example automatically by means of an actuator when an impact is identified (by sensors). Furthermore, a corresponding signal can also be provided via the pressure and/or tension surface 33.

(24) FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of a region of the actuating device 1 in an unreleased state, and FIG. 6 shows the corresponding enlarged view in a released state. In FIGS. 5 and 6, in particular the preloading mechanism of the actuating device 1 is illustrated more clearly.

(25) For this purpose, the actuating device 1 has a spring element 50, which preloads the actuating component 10, when it is in the stowed position, in the direction of the standby position. If the actuating device 1 is activated (actuator, pressure and/or tension surface), when the spring element 50 relaxes, the actuating component 10 is moved into the standby position.

(26) For this purpose, the actuating device has the releasable latching device 40 illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. The latching device 40 is designed such that the actuating component 10 is latched in the stowed position, i.e. can be held in this position. In this case, the latching device 40 has two latch elements 41 and 42 that are able to be brought into mutual latching engagement.

(27) When the latch elements 41 and 42 are in latching engagement, the spring element 50 can be held in its preloading position. When the latching engagement is released, the spring element 50 can relax, wherein the actuating component 10 is moved from the stowed position into the standby position in a manner driven thereby.

(28) One latch element 41 of the latch elements 41, 42 is arranged on the actuating component 10, more specifically on the linear portion 13. The other latch element 42 of the latch elements 41, 42 is arranged on the housing 30, more specifically in a region of the prismatic joint 31.

(29) In this case, the other latch element 42 belongs to the movable housing part 30.1. During a mutual relative movement of the housing parts 30.1 and 30.2, the latch element 42 is designed and arranged such that it is removed from the housing part 30.1 to such an extent that the latching engagement with the latch element 41 is released.

(30) In this way, a simple, reliable presentation of the actuating component 10 can occur, with the result that the actuating component 10 can be grasped intuitively by a rescuer and is actuated (for example by traction) such that the rescuer has access to the vehicle.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(31) 1 Actuating device 10 Actuating component 11 Coupling portion 12 Flexible force-transmission element 13 Linear portion 20 Groove 30 Housing 30.1 Movable housing part 30.2 Movable housing part 31 Prismatic joint 32 Pivot bearing 33 Pressure and/or tension surface 40 Releasable latching device 41 Latch element 42 Latch element 50 Spring element