Vehicle door for a motor vehicle

Abstract

A motor vehicle door includes a door handle unit fixed on the inside on the door edge opposite a door hinge. The door handle unit is motorically pivotable between a folded-in and a folded-out position. In the folded-in position when the vehicle door is closed the door handle unit is arranged behind the vehicle door. In the folded-out position, the door handle unit protrudes laterally outwards by surrounding the door edge and is grippable to open the door. A door mover unit is configured to move the vehicle door in a closed state out of a closed position into a stand-by position, in which the door handle unit can be moved from the folded-in position into the folded-out position. A control unit has a signal input which, upon obtaining the opening signal, controls the door mover unit to move into the stand-by position and controls the door handle unit to pivot into the folded-out position.

Claims

1. A vehicle door for a motor vehicle, the vehicle door comprising: a door handle unit fixed on an inside on a door edge of the vehicle door opposite a door hinge, wherein the door handle unit is motorically pivotable between a folded-in and a folded-out position, wherein the door handle unit, in the folded-in position when the vehicle door is closed, is arranged behind the vehicle door and, in the folded-out position, the door handle unit protrudes laterally outwards by surrounding the door edge and the door handle unit is grippable to manually open the door; a door mover unit configured to move the vehicle door in a closed state out of a closed position into a stand-by position in which the door handle unit is moveable from the folded-in position into the folded-out position, wherein the door mover unit has a push rod that is laterally movable with respect to the vehicle, and wherein the door mover unit comprises a threaded drive or a gear rack drive coupled to the push rod, and wherein the door mover unit is fixed on the vehicle chassis and is supported on the vehicle door; and a control unit having a signal input, wherein the control unit is configured, upon obtaining an opening signal, to control the door mover unit to move into the stand-by position and to control the door handle unit to pivot into the folded-out position, wherein the door handle unit has a shape adhering to a shape of the vehicle door in a region of a rear edge of the vehicle door and contact an elastic material layer on the rear edge of the vehicle door.

2. The vehicle door of claim 1, wherein the door mover unit is configured to move back into the closed position after a manual opening movement, departing from the stand-by position, of the vehicle door.

3. The vehicle door of claim 1, wherein upon obtaining a closing signal, the control unit is configured to control the door handle unit to pivot into the folded-in position and is configured to control the door mover unit to move the vehicle door into the closed position.

4. A method for operating a vehicle door, the method comprising: providing an opening signal via a manually actuatable switching element or a radio signal; unlocking a door lock of the vehicle door responsive to the opening signal; actuating a door mover unit to move the vehicle door out of a closed position into a stand-by position, wherein the door mover unit has a push rod that is laterally movable with respect to the vehicle, and wherein the door mover unit comprises a threaded drive or a gear rack drive coupled to the push rod, and wherein the door mover unit is fixed on the vehicle chassis and is supported on the vehicle door; actuating a door handle unit in to pivot the door handle unit out of a folded-in position into a folded-out position, wherein the actuation of the door handle unit occurs after the vehicle door has moved a predetermined distance that provides a gap between the vehicle door and a chassis part that is adjacent to the vehicle door, and wherein the gap is large enough so that the door handle unit is pivotable out of the folded-in position into the folded-out position without abutting the chassis part, wherein the door handle unit has a shape adhering to a shape of the vehicle door in a region of a rear edge of the vehicle door and contact an elastic material layer on the rear edge of the vehicle door.

5. A motor vehicle, comprising: a vehicle door, wherein the vehicle door comprises a door handle unit fixed on an inside on a door edge of the vehicle door opposite a door hinge, wherein the door handle unit is motorically pivotable between a folded-in and a folded-out position, wherein the door handle unit, in the folded-in position when the vehicle door is closed, is arranged behind the vehicle door and, in the folded-out position, the door handle unit protrudes laterally outwards by surrounding the door edge and the door handle unit is grippable to manually open the door; a door mover unit configured to move the vehicle door in a closed state out of a closed position into a stand-by position in which the door handle unit is moveable from the folded-in position into the folded-out position, wherein the door mover unit has a push rod that is laterally movable with respect to the vehicle, and wherein the door mover unit comprises a threaded drive or a gear rack drive coupled to the push rod, and wherein the door mover unit is fixed on the vehicle chassis and is supported on the vehicle door; and a control unit having a signal input, wherein the control unit is configured, upon obtaining an opening signal, to control the door mover unit to move into the stand-by position and to control the door handle unit to pivot into the folded-out position, wherein the door handle unit has a shape adhering to a shape of the vehicle door in a region of a rear edge of the vehicle door and contact an elastic material layer on the rear edge of the vehicle door.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

(1) Here are shown:

(2) FIG. 1: a schematic sectional depiction of a door handle device in the folded-in state,

(3) FIG. 2: a schematic sectional depiction of the same door handle device in the folded-out state,

(4) FIG. 3: a schematic sectional depiction through a vehicle door,

(5) FIG. 4: a flow diagram during the opening or closing process of the vehicle door.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) A door handle device 10 for opening a vehicle door 12 of a motor vehicle (not depicted in more detail), is in FIGS. 1 and 2, of which only one chassis part 14, for example a part of a B-pillar, is depicted.

(7) In FIG. 1, the vehicle door 12 is shown in the closed state, such that its exterior surface 16 is flush with the exterior surface 18 of the chassis 14. The vehicle door 12 is formed relatively thinly in the region of its rear edge 20. In this region, a door handle unit 22 is fixed on the inside, which comprises a door handle 24, which can be pivoted around a pivot axis 26, which runs in parallel to the rear edge 20. In this figure, the door handle unit 22 is shown in the folded-in position in which the door handle 24 protrudes inwardly.

(8) In FIG. 2, the door handle unit 22 is shown in the folded-out position in which the door handle 24 is pivoted or folded out by c. 120° outwardly around the door rear edge 20. Here, the door handle unit 22 has a shape adhering to the shape of the vehicle door 12 in the region of the door rear edge 20 and, in the contact region, preferably has an elastic material layer, in order to cushion the pivoting movement and to avoid damage of the door rear edge 20. The folding movement of the door handle unit 22 is caused by a preferably electromotive adjustment device (not depicted). A spring device can also be installed, such that a return folding movement of the door handle unit 22 in the one direction can automatically be carried out by spring force, e.g., the pivoting movement out of the folded-out position into the folded-in position.

(9) In FIGS. 1 and 2, a translational door mover unit 28 is furthermore depicted, which is attached to the vehicle chassis 29 via fixing means not depicted in more detail (e.g., in the foot rocker panels), which is supported on a strengthening part 30 of the vehicle door 12. In FIG. 1, the door mover unit 28 is depicted in the retracted state, i.e., when the vehicle door 12 is closed.

(10) In FIG. 2, the vehicle door 12 is shown in the stand-by position, in which the rear door edge is shifted laterally outwards by a distance X. In fact, the vehicle door 12 naturally pivots around a rotational axis, not shown, in door hinges, which is caused by the door mover unit 28 being extended by the distance X after unlocking a door lock and thus the vehicle door 12 shifting laterally outwards. The distance X is measured here in such a way that the door handle unit can fold out without the door handle 24 abutting on the chassis part 14.

(11) In FIG. 3, a section of the vehicle door 12 is shown on a lateral plane. In this design, the door mover unit 28 is arranged in the vehicle door 12, which is supported on the vehicle chassis 29. In this figure, a door lock 32 for the vehicle door 12 is also depicted, as well as a drive device 33 for the door handle unit 22.

(12) An electronic control unit 34 is electrically connected to the door lock 32, the door mover unit 28, the drive device 33 for the door handle unit 22, and a switching element 36. The switching element 36 (e.g., a button) is preferably located in the vehicle interior, in order to move the vehicle door 12 into the stand-by position (FIG. 2) from the inside. A switching element 36 accessible from the outside can additionally be provided, which, in a similar manner, can move the vehicle door 12 into the stand-by position from the outside when the door lock is not bolted.

(13) Furthermore, the control unit 34 can have a signal input 38 for receiving opening or closing signals by means of a remote control.

(14) The opening procedure carried out by the control unit 34 is depicted in FIG. 4.

(15) In step 100, when the vehicle door 12 is closed (FIG. 1), it is checked as to whether an opening command from the switching element 36 or signal input 38 is present. If this is the case, in step 102, the door lock 32 is unlocked by the control unit 34 and then, in step 104, the door mover unit 28 is put into motion, such that it pushes the vehicle door 12 in the closed state out of the closed position shown in FIG. 1 into the stand-by position shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. Then, in step 106, the drive device 33 is activated, which moves the door handle unit 22 from the internal, folded-in position shown in FIG. 1 by c. 120° outwards into the folded-out position shown in FIG. 2.

(16) In this state, the door handle 24 can be gripped by a person located outside, and the vehicle door 12 can be opened completely.

(17) In step 108, in an embodiment with the vehicle door 12 in the stand-by position, it is checked as to whether the vehicle door 12 has been manually opened again. If this is the case, in step 110, the door mover unit 28 is retracted again, such that a manual closing of the vehicle door 12 can be carried out in an unimpeded manner by slamming from the outside or pulling shut from the inside.

(18) However, in the state of the vehicle door 12 in the stand-by position, if it is established in step 108 that an actuation signal has been obtained via the switching element 36 or the signal input 38, then, in step 112, the drive device 36 is prompted to move the door handle unit 22 back into the folded-in position (FIG. 1), and then, in step 110, the door mover unit 28 is retracted again. In one embodiment, the door mover unit 28 can be formed in such a way that its retraction pulls the vehicle door 12 shut again. A timer can also be integrated in the control unit 34, which automatically pulls the vehicle door 12 shut again when a manual opening movement of the vehicle is not carried out for a certain period of time (e.g., 10-60 sec).

(19) Although the invention has been illustrated and explained in more detail by means of preferred exemplary embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples, and other variations can be derived from this by the person skilled in the art, without leaving the protected scope of the invention. It is thus clear that a plurality of variation possibilities exist. It is also clear that the embodiments mentioned by way of example really only constitute examples which cannot be interpreted in any way as limiting, for example, the protective scope, the application possibilities, or the configuration of the invention. Instead, the description above and the description of the figures put the person skilled in the art in the position to concretely implement the exemplary embodiments, wherein the person skilled in the art, with the knowledge of the inventive concept disclosed, can undertake various changes, for example in terms of the function or the arrangement of individual elements mentioned in an exemplary embodiment without leaving the scope of protection, which is defined by the claims and their legal equivalents.