ARRANGEMENT FOR ACTUATING A COMPONENT OF A VEHICLE

Abstract

An arrangement for actuating a component of a vehicle, wherein the component has a manually actuable actuating portion which is mounted on the vehicle so as to be movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the arrangement comprises a control element and an electric drive which is connected to the control element via an electrical connection, wherein, when the actuating portion moves into its open position, the control element activates the electric drive, and therefore the electric drive actuates the component, wherein a centrifugal weight element is mounted movably on the arrangement, wherein the centrifugal weight element is moved from an inoperative position into an interruption position by a predetermined acceleration acting on the component and moving the actuating portion into the open position, wherein, in the interruption position, the centrifugal weight element interrupts the electrical connection between the control element and the electric drive.

Claims

1. Arrangement for actuating a component of a vehicle, wherein the component has a manually actuable actuating portion (10) which is mounted on the vehicle so as to be moveable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the arrangement comprises a control element and an electric drive which is connected to the control element via an electrical connection, wherein, when the actuating portion (10) moves into its open position, the control element activates the electric drive, and therefore the electric drive actuates the component, characterized in that a centrifugal weight element is mounted moveably on the arrangement, wherein the centrifugal weight element is moved from an inoperative position into an interruption position by a predetermined acceleration acting on the component and moving the actuating portion (10) into the open position, wherein, in the interruption position the centrifugal weight element interrupts the electrical connection between the control element and the electric drive.

2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuating portion (10) is moveable from the closed position into the open position by manual pressing-in and/or manual pulling-out and/or manual rotation, and in that the control element comprises a switch, in particular a micro-switch, which is actuated by the movement of the actuating portion (10) into the open position.

3. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrical connection between the control element and the electric drive comprises an elastically deformable contact tab (32, 32) and a contact portion (34, 34), which is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the contact tab (32, 32) in an inoperative position of the contact tab (32, 32), wherein, when the centrifugal weight element moves into the interruption position, the contact tab (32, 32) is deformed from the inoperative position into an interruption position in which the electrically conductive connection with the contact portion (34, 34) is interrupted.

4. Arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the centrifugal weight element is a centrifugal weight ball (36) which is mounted in a receptacle (38) below the contact tab (32), wherein the receptacle (38) has a central region (40) of greatest depth that receives the centrifugal weight ball (36) in its inoperative position, and wherein the depth of the receptacle (38) is reduced from the central region (40) of greatest depth towards the edge (42) of the receptacle (38), wherein the centrifugal weight ball (36) is moved from the central region (40) of greatest depth to the edge (42) of the receptacle (38) by the predetermined acceleration which acts on the component and moves the actuating portion (10) into the open position.

5. Arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that the centrifugal weight ball (36) is pre-tensioned into its inoperative position by the contact tab (32).

6. Arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the receptacle (38) is of curved design such that the resetting force acting on the centrifugal weight ball (36) during a movement from the central region (40) of greatest depth to the edge (42) of the receptacle (38) is identical in all directions of movement of the centrifugal weight ball (36).

7. Arrangement according to claim 6, characterized in that the receptacle (38) is conical or frustoconical, or in that the receptacle (38) is arched, preferably is arched spherically.

8. Arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the centrifugal weight element is a centrifugal weight arm which is below the contact tab (32), is mounted pivotably about a pivot axis (48) and is pivoted by the predetermined acceleration, which acts on the component and moves the actuating portion (10) into the open position, from an inoperative position into an interruption position in which the centrifugal weight arm presses the contact tab (32) from its inoperative position into its interruption position.

9. Arrangement according to claim 8, characterized in that the centrifugal weight arm is pivotable in two opposed pivoting directions from its inoperative position into its interruption position.

10. Arrangement according to claim 9, characterized in that the centrifugal weight arm is prestressed into its inoperative position by a spring element (58).

11. Vehicle door of a vehicle with at least one door lock and at least one arrangement which interacts with the door lock, the arrangement being according to claim 1.

12. An arrangement for actuating a component of a vehicle, wherein the component has a manually actuable actuating portion (10) which is moveable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the arrangement comprises a control element and an electric drive which is connected to the control element via an electrical connection, wherein, when the actuating portion (10) moves into its open position, the control element activates the electric drive, wherein a centrifugal weight element is mounted moveably on the arrangement, wherein the centrifugal weight element moves from an inoperative position into an interruption position by a predetermined acceleration acting on the component and moving the actuating portion into the open position, wherein, in the interruption position the centrifugal weight element interrupts the electrical connection between the control element and the electric drive.

13. An arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the actuating portion is moveable from the closed position into the open position by manual pressing-in and/or manual pulling-out and/or manual rotation, and in that the control element comprises a switch that is actuated by the movement of the actuating portion into the open position.

14. An arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the electrical connection between the control element and the electric drive comprises an elastically deformable contact tab (32, 32) and a contact portion (34, 34), which is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the contact tab (32, 32) in an inoperative position of the contact tab (32, 32), wherein, when the centrifugal weight element moves into the interruption position, the contact tab (32, 32) is deformed from the inoperative position into an interruption position in which the electrically conductive connection with the contact portion (34, 34) is interrupted.

15. An arrangement according to claim 14, characterized in that the centrifugal weight element is one of: a centrifugal weight ball (36) which is mounted in a receptacle (38) below the contact tab (32); or a centrifugal weight arm which is below the contact tab (32).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Exemplary embodiments of the invention shall be explained more closely below with the aid of the figures. There are shown schematically:

[0024] FIG. 1 an arrangement according to the invention in a cross section view,

[0025] FIG. 2 a portion of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 in a perspective view according to a first exemplary embodiment,

[0026] FIG. 3 a cross section view through the part of the arrangement according to the invention shown in FIG. 2,

[0027] FIG. 4 another partial perspective view of the part of the arrangement according to the invention shown in FIG. 2,

[0028] FIG. 5 another partial perspective view of the part of the arrangement according to the invention shown in FIG. 2,

[0029] FIG. 6 a portion of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 according to another exemplary embodiment in a perspective view, and

[0030] FIG. 7 a side view of the part shown in FIG. 6.

[0031] Unless otherwise indicated, the same reference numbers in the figures designate the same objects.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The invention shall be described below making reference to the figures on the example of a door handle arrangement for the activating, especially the unlocking of a door lock or for the activating, especially the opening of a vehicle door. It is pointed out that this is only an exemplary embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention. As explained in the beginning, the arrangement according to the invention can also be provided for other electrically operated components of a vehicle.

[0033] The door handle arrangement shown in FIG. 1 comprises an actuating portion 10, which in the example shown is mounted on a vehicle door by a bearing portion 12 so that it can move, in particular pivot, between a closed position and an open position, shown by broken lines. Due to the movement of the actuating portion 10, a micro-switch 11 forming a control element 11 in the example shown is activated and thereupon actuates, by an electrical connection shown at reference number 13 in FIG. 1, an electrical drive 14 to unlock the door lock of the vehicle door and optionally to open the vehicle door. Furthermore, at reference number 16 in FIG. 1 there is shown a housing of a device according to the invention, which prevents an unintentional opening of the vehicle door in event of a crash.

[0034] This device is explained more closely in FIG. 2 for a first exemplary embodiment. The housing 16 comprises a top part 18, which is joined by screw connections 20 to a bottom part 22. By a fastening shoulder 24 with a borehole 26, the housing 16 can be attached to a bearing portion, such as the bearing portion 12. At reference numbers 28 and 30 in FIG. 2, electrical lines are represented partially. These are part of the electrical connection 13 between the control element 11 and the electrical drive 14. The electrical lines 28, 30 are interconnected within the housing 16 in the operating position shown in FIG. 3 by an elastically deformable contact tab 32 and a contact portion 34 situated underneath, in the present case a contact tongue 34. In FIG. 4, for reasons of clarity, the top part 18 of the housing 16 has been removed. In FIG. 5, for reasons of further illustration, the contact tab 32 and the contact portion 34 have been omitted.

[0035] Beneath the contact tab 32 there is found a centrifugal weight ball 36 in a receptacle 38. The receptacle 38 has a central region 40 of greater depth, in which the centrifugal weight ball 36 is located in the inoperative position shown in FIGS. 3 to 5. In this inoperative position, the contact tab 32 is also in its inoperative position and lies on the one hand against the contact portion 34 and on the other hand against the centrifugal weight ball 36, as can be seen especially in FIGS. 3 and 4. In the example shown, the receptacle 38 has an edge 42. Starting from the central region 40 of greatest depth, the bottom of the receptacle 38 rises as a truncated cone toward the edge 42, as can be seen in FIG. 3 at reference number 44. If an acceleration of a predetermined magnitude is acting on the door handle arrangement, such as occurs in particular during a crash, the centrifugal weight ball 36 is moved by virtue of its inertia toward the edge 42 of the receptacle 38. The direction of movement of the centrifugal weight ball 36 is dependent here on the direction of the acting acceleration. Owing to the design of the receptacle 38, accordingly, virtually any given directions of acceleration will result in a movement of the centrifugal weight ball 36 in the direction of the edge 42. Because of the bottom rising in the direction of the edge 42 of the receptacle 38, the centrifugal weight ball 36 during this movement presses the contact tab 32 upward under elastic deformation from its inoperative position, so that it is lifted off from the contact portion 34, especially with the curved end portion 46. In this way, the electrical connection is broken between the contact tab 32 and the contact portion 34 and thus between the electrical lines 28 and 30 and thus finally between the control element 11 and the electrical drive 14. An unintentional opening of the vehicle door in event of a crash is thereby securely prevented.

[0036] In FIGS. 6 and 7 another exemplary embodiment of a device for preventing an unintentional opening of the vehicle door is shown, which can be used in the door handle arrangement shown in FIG. 1. Here, a housing 16 of the device is partly cut away for reasons of illustration. Again, at reference number 32, there is shown an elastic contact tab with a curved end portion 46. In the inoperative position shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the contact tab 32 lies by the end portion 46 against a contact portion 34 and in this way connects the electrical lines 28, 30 and thus the control element 11 and the electrical drive 14 to each other. As the centrifugal weight element in the embodiment according to FIGS. 6 and 7, a centrifugal weight arm mounted so that it can swivel about a pivot axis 48 is provided. The centrifugal weight arm has two arm portions 50, 52 arranged at an angle to each other, with a protrusion 54, 56 formed each time at their free ends facing away from the pivot axis 48. By a spring element, in the present case a helical spring 58, the centrifugal weight arm is prestressed in the inoperative position shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. In this inoperative position, the protrusions 54, 56 are situated on opposite sides of the contact tab 32. Upon occurrence of a predetermined acceleration, such as occurs in particular during a crash, the centrifugal weight arm can be swiveled about the pivot axis 48 in opposite directions. In this way, depending on the direction of swiveling, the protrusion 54 or the protrusion 56 comes into contact with the contact tab 32 and presses it upward, so that the end portion 46 is lifted off from the contact portion 34 and the electrical connection is broken between the lines 28 and 30 and thus between the control element and the electrical drive. In this way, also in this exemplary embodiment an unintentional opening of the doors is securely prevented, for example during a side impact.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0037] 10 Actuating portion [0038] 11 Control element [0039] 12 Bearing portion [0040] 13 Electrical connection [0041] 14 Electric drive [0042] 16 Housing [0043] 16 Housing [0044] 18 Top part [0045] 20 Screw connections [0046] 22 Bottom part [0047] 24 Fastening shoulder [0048] 26 Borehole [0049] 28 Electrical line [0050] 28 Electrical line [0051] 30 Electrical line [0052] 30 Electrical line [0053] 32 Contact tab [0054] 32 Contact tab [0055] 34 Contact portion [0056] 34 Contact portion [0057] 36 Centrifugal weight ball [0058] 38 Receptacle [0059] 40 Central region [0060] 42 Edge [0061] 44 Bottom of receptacle [0062] 46 End portion [0063] 46 End portion [0064] 48 Pivot axis [0065] 50 Arm portion [0066] 52 Arm portion [0067] 54 Protrusion [0068] 56 Protrusion [0069] 58 Helical spring