ELECTRIC DOOR HANDLE FOR A VEHICLE DOOR

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electric door handle (10) for a vehicle door, comprising a main body (20) for arrangement in the vehicle door, wherein a hand grip (30) is mounted on the main body (20) so as to be movable within a range of movement (BB) between a mechanically defined first end position (EP1) and a mechanically defined second end position (EP2) by means of a handle bearing (32), further comprising an electric drive (40) for a movement of the hand grip (30) between the two end positions (EP1, EP2) and at least one sensor means (50) for determining the position of the hand grip (30) between the two end positions (EP1, EP2), wherein the electric drive (40) comprises a transmission device (42) for load-free positioning of the hand grip (30) in a gripping position (GP) of the hand grip (30) at a distance from the end positions (EP1, EP2) and for load-free positioning of the hand grip (30) in a travel position (FP) at a distance from the end positions (EP1, EP2) and from the gripping position (GP).

Claims

1. Electric door handle (10) for a vehicle door, comprising a main body (20) for arrangement in the vehicle door, wherein a hand grip (30) is mounted on the main body (20) so as to be movable within a range of movement (BB) between a mechanically defined first end position (EP1) and a mechanically defined second end position (EP2) by means of a handle bearing (32), further comprising an electric drive (40) for a movement of the hand grip (30) between the two end positions (EP1, EP2) and at least one sensor means (50) for determining the position of the hand grip (30) between the two end positions (EP1, EP2), wherein the electric drive (40) comprises a transmission device (42) for load-free positioning of the hand grip (30) in a gripping position (GP) of the hand grip (30) at a distance from the end positions (EP1, EP2) and for load-free positioning of the hand grip (30) in a travel position (FP) at a distance from the end positions (EP1, EP2) and from the gripping position (GP).

2. Electric door handle (10) according to claim 1, wherein the handle bearing (42) is designed to be free from a mechanical support in the travel position (FP) and/or gripping position (GP) and/or free from a lever mechanism.

3. Electric door handle (10) according to claim 1, wherein the main body (20) comprises a handle recess (22), wherein the first end position (EP1) is arranged inside the handle recess (22) and the second end position (EP2) is arranged outside the handle recess (22).

4. Electric door handle (10) according to claim 1, wherein the sensor means (50) is integrated in the electric drive (40).

5. Electric door handle (10) according to claim 1, wherein the main body (20) comprises a first stop (A1) for the first end position (EP1) and/or a second stop (A2) for the second end position (EP2).

6. Electric door handle (10) according to claim 1, wherein the electric drive (40) comprises the transmission device (42) for additional load-free positioning in at least one of the following positions that are at a distance from the end positions (EP1, EP2): an unlocking position (ERP) between the gripping position (GP) and the second end position (EP2), an indicative position (AP), a defensive position against mechanical loading of the hand grip (30), a protective position (SP) between the travel position (FP) and the first end position (EP1).

7. Electric door handle (10) according to claim 1, wherein the transmission device (42) and the handle bearing (32) form a pivot axis for a pivoting movement of the hand grip (30) over at least part of the range of movement (BB) over the entire or substantially the entire range of movement (BB).

8. Control method for a controlled movement of a hand grip (30) of an electric door handle (10) having the features of claim 1, comprising the following steps: ascertaining the current position of the hand grip (30) within the range of movement (BB), determining a target position of the hand grip (30) within the range of movement (BB), moving the hand grip (30) into the target position within the range of movement (BB) by applying a movement force (BK) by means of the electric drive (40), holding the hand grip (30) in the target position reached with a holding force (HK) by means of the electric drive (40).

9. Control method according to claim 8, wherein, when an externally applied activation force (AK) is detected for moving the hand grip (30) out of the target position in the form of the gripping position (GP), a defined counterforce (GK) is generated by means of the electric drive (40) counter to the activation force (AK).

10. Control method according to claim 9, wherein the counterforce (GK) is lower than the activation force (AK) over part of the movement of the hand grip (30) so as to allow for a defined movement of the hand grip (30).

11. Control method according to claim 8, wherein the movement force (BK), the holding force (HK) and/or a counterforce (GK) is adapted specifically for at least one of the following usage variants: type of the vehicle, make of the vehicle, position of the vehicle door, user.

12. Control method according to claim 9, wherein the curve of the activation force (AK) and/or the curve of the pulling speed of the hand grip (30) is ascertained throughout the movement of the hand grip (30) under the action of the activation force (AK).

13. Control method according to claim 8, wherein a movement duration (BD) is ascertained for the movement from the current position of the hand grip (30) into the target position of the hand grip (30).

14. Control method according to claim 8, wherein a crash situation and/or a pre-crash situation is detected and a crash position and/or a pre-crash position is moved to as the target position for the hand grip (30).

15. Control method according to claim 8, wherein an indicative position (AP) is moved to as the target position in order to output a visual and/or haptic signal.

16. Control method according to claim 9, wherein a movement of the hand grip (30) that is detected as a signal input is produced by introducing an activation force (AK).

17. A calibration method for calibrating an electric door handle (10) for use in a control method having the features of claim 8, comprising the following steps: detecting a position signal of a current position of the hand grip (30), determining a current position of the hand grip (30) in relation to at least one of the two end positions (EP1, EP2), relating the current position signal to the determined current position of the hand grip (30).

18. Calibration method according to claim 17, wherein the current position is determined in at least one of the following ways: using a checking means (200) for immobilising the hand grip (30), camera images from a camera device fixed to the vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] Additional advantages, features and details of the invention are apparent from the following description, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in detail with reference to the drawings. The features mentioned in the claims and in the description may be essential to the invention individually or in any combination. In the schematic drawings:

[0057] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an electric door handle according to the invention in the travel position,

[0058] FIG. 2 shows the embodiment from FIG. 1 in the first end position,

[0059] FIG. 3 shows the embodiment from FIGS. 1 and 2 in the second end position,

[0060] FIG. 4 shows the embodiment from FIGS. 1 to 3 in the gripping position,

[0061] FIG. 5 shows the embodiment from FIGS. 1 to 4 in an indicative position,

[0062] FIG. 6 shows the embodiment from FIGS. 1 to 5 in a protective position,

[0063] FIG. 7 shows the embodiment from FIGS. 1 to 6 in a calibration situation,

[0064] FIG. 8 shows the course of a force-displacement curve during use of an electric door handle, and

[0065] FIG. 9 shows the time curve of the individual positions in one example.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0066] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a door handle 100 that can be fitted via a main body 20 on a vehicle. A handle recess 22 in which the hand grip 30 is arranged so as to be flush with the outer skin of the vehicle in the travel position shown is formed here in the main body 20. In order for the hand grip 30 to be movable, a handle bearing 32 is coupled here to a transmission device 42, such that a movement into desired target positions for the hand grip 30 is possible by means of an electric drive 40. Here, the position detection is given by a sensor means 50, for example in the form of an angle sensor.

[0067] FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematic representations of two possible end positions EP1 and EP2. FIG. 2 shows the correlation between these two end positions EP1 and EP2, which specify the maximum range of movement BB. In order to specify the end positions EP1 and EP2 in a mechanically defined manner, a first stop A1 is specified in each case for the first end position EP1 and a second stop A2 is specified in each case for the second end position EP2. During normal operation of the electric door handle 10, these two end positions EP1 and EP2 should advantageously be understood to be mechanical protection positions that are preferably never assumed or only assumed in exceptional situations.

[0068] FIG. 4 shows a gripping position GP, in which it is possible, for example, to reach into or under the hand grip 30. In this position, an unlocking movement can now be performed, for example by using a gripping movement to pull the hand grip 30 further out of said gripping position GP, towards the second end position EP2.

[0069] FIG. 5 shows a possible indicative position AP, which can be optically distinguished from the gripping position GP. A movement into this indicative position AP can output a signal to the user of the electric door handle 10 in the form of a waving movement.

[0070] FIG. 6 schematically shows a protective position SP, in which the hand grip 30 is retracted further into the handle recess 22 in order to prevent undesired mechanical impairment or damage so as to be able to provide a greater protective effect.

[0071] FIG. 7 shows a possibility with a checking means 200, which temporarily limits a movement of the hand grip 30 here. If the hand grip 30 is then moved towards the second end position EP2 for a calibration method, the checking means 200 sets a new, temporarily mechanically defined end position as the travel position FP. As soon as this mechanically temporarily defined end position is reached, the calibration can set this position as the travel position FP and the checking means 200 can be removed again.

[0072] FIG. 8 schematically clearly shows how freely adjustable force characteristics can, for example, be set by means of an electric door handle 10 of this kind. Proceeding from a travel position FP (not shown in FIG. 8), a movement of the hand grip 30 into the gripping position GP takes place by means of a movement force BK. The hand grip 30 is held in this position by means of the holding force HK. If the user of the electric door handle 10 then grips the hand grip 30 and pulls it further out towards an unlocking position ERP, said user thus introduces an activation force AK until unlocking is achieved. In the process, the electric drive 40 applies a counterforce GK that increases with increasing displacement to the hand grip 30 until a maximum is reached at the unlocking position ERP. Here, either the movement of the hand grip 30 is terminated or a clicking sensation is produced for the user by means of a significant reduction in the counterforce GK over the remaining displacement path. Over the remaining displacement path, it can clearly be seen that the counterforce GK increases sharply even before the second end position EP2 is reached, in order to ensure a maximum blockade effect against said second end position EP2 actually being reached by the hand grip 30.

[0073] FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of how the individual angular positions can be assumed over time. For example, the travel position FP can be defined here as the zero position. In this movement, for example a service movement of the hand grip 30, the movement takes place from the second end position EP2 via an unlocking position ERP, an indicative position AP, a gripping position GP, a travel position FP and a protective position SP into the first end position EP1. Of particular importance is the range of the movement between the unlocking position ERP into the travel position FP and the movement duration BD required for this. If said movement duration is longer than a defined specification or a defined limit value, this may be due, for example, to a trapping situation, which can be detected by means of the time and position curve alone and without a separate trapping sensor.

[0074] The explanation of the embodiments given above describes the present invention exclusively within the scope of examples. Of course, individual features of the embodiments may be freely combined with one another, provided that this is technically feasible, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

REFERECES

[0075] 10 Electric door handle [0076] 20 Main body [0077] 22 Handle recess [0078] 30 Hand grip [0079] 32 Handle bearing [0080] 40 Electric drive [0081] 42 Transmission device [0082] 50 Sensor means [0083] 200 Checking means [0084] BK Movement force [0085] HK Holding force [0086] AK Activation force [0087] GK Counterforce [0088] BD Movement duration [0089] BB Range of movement [0090] GP Gripping position [0091] FP Travel position [0092] AP Indicative position [0093] SP Protective position [0094] ERP Unlocking position [0095] EP1 First end position [0096] EP2 Second end position [0097] A1 First stop [0098] A2 Second stop