EP0198939B1 - Exterior vehicle door handle - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an outer door handle for motor vehicles, which has a grip shell and a handle arranged in the grip shell and pivotally mounted on door-fixed parts. Such an outside door handle is the subject of European Patent Publication 0 044 952.

The previously known outside door handle lies with its handle shell flat against a correspondingly shaped recess in the door panel and is held in this position by means of two screws which lead from the handle panel through the door panel. The handle of the outer door handle is pivotally articulated on inwardly directed arms of the handle shell. A disadvantage of such a door handle is that the door must be made of a sheet metal which has the thickness and quality required to produce the trough by deep drawing. Apart from this, the type of fastening by means of screws requires considerable assembly effort. Another disadvantage is that it is difficult to paint the handle shell in accordance with the door panel, since the handle shell forms a structural unit with the handle, which is usually delivered pre-assembled.

From DE-OS 26 58 153 it is also known to dispense entirely with a separate grip shell and instead to provide a recess in the door panel which is visible from the outside and into which the handle protrudes. The handle is hinged on the inside of the door to support arms attached to the door panel. Such an embodiment has the advantage that the trough can be painted together with the door and therefore inevitably has the same appearance as the rest of the door panel, which is required for stylistic reasons, especially in the upper class of car.

The invention has for its object to design an external door handle of the type mentioned in such a way that it can be assembled in a particularly simple manner and in which it is as easy as possible to paint the handle shell in accordance with the door panel.

This object is achieved in that the handle is provided on a handle holder to be arranged inside the door and the handle shell has a recess through which the handle protrudes from the handle holder into the handle shell, that the handle shell and the handle holder have facing clamping surfaces and that clamping means for Clamping the handle and the handle holder are provided.

This design makes the handle shell independent of the handle holder that carries the handle. It can therefore be easily painted by the manufacturer in all colors of a model range without complicating the installation in the door. When changing models or colors, the existing handle scales can be repainted, while this is not possible with unchangeable handle assemblies or only after costly disassembly from the manufacturer. This not only makes manufacturing and customer service more flexible, but also the dealers. If a part of the outer door handle is broken or damaged, each part is easily replaceable, whereas normally the entire outer door handle must be replaced.

By means of the tensioning means according to the invention, the outer door handle is fastened by tensioning the door plate between the tensioning surfaces of the handle shell and those of the handle holder. Therefore, no fastening points need to be provided in the door panel. Furthermore, this bracing can be achieved with very little effort to achieve high strength against the high tensile forces that often occur when opening a door.

The outside door handle represents only a small flow resistance if the handle in the assembled state of the outside door handle runs approximately flush with the outer edge of the handle shell.

The outer door handle can be installed particularly quickly if a tensioning slide is provided as the tensioning means. Such a cocking slide can be hammered in, for example, and is therefore much quicker to assemble than, for example, a screw.

An embodiment with a cocking slide is structurally particularly simple; if the grip shell projects with at least one projection having a slot through an opening in the handle holder and the cocking slide is guided through this slot on the back of the handle holder.

The clamping forces are inevitably always the same when the cocking slide is fully inserted if the cocking slide is made of spring steel and is resiliently supported in the assembled state against the back of the handle holder and the slot.

A particularly firm connection between the handle shell and handle holder can be achieved if the handle shell is guided with two projections through a total of two openings in the handle holder.

It helps to further shorten the assembly time if a common cocking slide is provided for both slots of the two projections.

In terms of production technology and optimally shaped with regard to its handling, the cocking slide is, if it is bent into a hairpin shape, guided through a slot with a longer clamping leg and through the other slot with a shorter clamping leg.

It is also advantageous if two holding lugs are provided on the inside of the handle shell on the lower side of the handle shell in such a way that the handle shell with these holding lugs on the inside over the door Sheet metal is able to grip if it lies with its clamping surfaces on the outside of the door against the door sheet. These features make it possible to initially place the handle shell from the outside without any tools into the intended opening of the door panel during assembly. It is already kept loose before it is clamped with the handle holder. The retaining lugs are therefore an assembly aid.

To further simplify the assembly process, it is beneficial if the handle of her used below with provided on arms bearing pins in after ren ^g down to open Halbla and is provided on the Fahrzeuginnnenseite the handle support a spring through which at least one lying behind the half bearing lever arm of the Handle is biased upwards. The spring has a double function in this embodiment. On the one hand, it tensions the handle in the closing direction, that is to say in the pivoted-in position, on the other hand, it holds the handle with its bearing journals in the half bearings so that it cannot get out of them.

The spring is advantageously a leg spring which sits with a circularly wound part on a pin of the handle holder, rests with one leg against an inside projection of the handle holder and engages in an arm of the handle with the other leg.

It is also favorable if the bearing journals are clipped into the half bearings. As a result, the handle is provisionally held in the half bearings before the leg spring is installed, which simplifies the assembly process.

According to another embodiment of the invention, this provisional hold can also be achieved in that a segment-like extension is provided on the end faces of the bearing journals, which protrude over a projection of the handle holder when the handle is in the closed position, but when the handle is pivoted up, however, it is used to insert the Bearing journals can be guided past the projections. In such an embodiment, the handle can only be mounted in the handle holder in a certain position - preferably in the opened position - and is held in the closed position by the projections.

The latching of the bearing journals is particularly easy to achieve if a latching projection preventing the bearing journals from falling out of the half bearings is provided below the half bearings.

The outside door handle according to the invention is suitable both for an embodiment with and without a locking cylinder. If a locking cylinder is to be provided, then it is advantageous if a locking cylinder receptacle for holding a locking cylinder which can be inserted from the inside is provided in the grip shell.

The invention allows numerous embodiments. To further clarify its basic principle, one of these is shown in the drawing and is described below.

• Fig. 1 einen Vertikalschnitt durch einen Teilbereich einer Türe mit dem erfindungsgemaßen Türaüßengriff in perspektivischer Darstellung,
• Fig. 2 einen Blick auf eine Handhabe des erfindungsgemäßen Türaußengriffes,
• Fig. 3 einen senkrechten Schnitt durch die Handhabe entlang der Linie 111-111 in Fig. 2,
• Fig. 4 einen Blick von der Seite in Richtung des Pfeiles IV in Figur 2 auf die Handhabe, eingesetzt in die Griffhalterung, in vergrößerter Darstellung,
• Fig. 5 einen Blick auf die Rückseite einer Griffhalterung des erfindungsgemäßen Türgriffes,
• Fig. 6 eine Draufsicht auf die Griffhalterung nach Figur 5,
• Fig. 7 einen Blick in Richtung des Pfeiles VII in Figur 5 auf die Griffhalterung,
• Fig. 8 einen Blick auf die Rückseite einer Griffschale des erfindungsgemäßen Türaußengriffs,
• Fig. 9 eine Draufsicht auf die Griffschale nach Figur 8,
• Fig. 10 eine Seitenansicht der Griffschale nach den Figuren 8 und 9,
• Fig. 11 einen Blick auf einen Spannschieber des erfindungsgemäßen Türaußengriffes,
• Fig. 12 eine Draufsicht auf den Spannschieber nach Figur 11,
• Fig. 13 eine Schenkelfeder des erfindungsgemäßen Türaußengriffes,
• Fig. 14 einen Blick in Richtung des Pfeiles XIV in Figur 2 auf die Stirnfläche eines Lagerzapfens im gegenüber Figur 2 vergrößerten Maßstab.

The drawing shows in

• 1 is a vertical section through a portion of a door with the door handle according to the invention in a perspective view,
• 2 is a view of a handle of the outside door handle according to the invention,
• 3 shows a vertical section through the handle along the line 111-111 in FIG. 2,
• 4 shows a view from the side in the direction of arrow IV in FIG. 2 of the handle, inserted into the handle holder, in an enlarged view,
• 5 is a view of the back of a handle holder of the door handle according to the invention,
• 6 shows a plan view of the handle holder according to FIG. 5,
• 7 is a view in the direction of arrow VII in Figure 5 on the handle holder,
• 8 is a view of the back of a handle shell of the outside door handle according to the invention,
• 9 is a plan view of the grip shell according to FIG. 8,
• 10 shows a side view of the grip shell according to FIGS. 8 and 9,
• 11 is a view of a cocking slide of the outside door handle according to the invention,
• 12 is a plan view of the cocking slide according to FIG. 11,
• 13 is a leg spring of the outside door handle according to the invention,
• 14 shows a view in the direction of arrow XIV in FIG. 2 onto the end face of a bearing journal on an enlarged scale compared to FIG. 2.

FIG. 1 shows a door panel 1 of a door of a passenger car, which has an opening 2 into which an outside door handle 3 is inserted. The door panel 1 has a recessed Haiteflansch 4, on which a handle 5 of the outer door handle 3 rests from the outside of the door panel. On the inside of the door panel, a handle holder 6 is seated on the holding flange 4, which supports a handle 7 pivotable about a horizontal axis 8 in a manner not shown in FIG. This handle 7 projects through a recess 9 (see, for example, FIGS. 8 and 9) of the handle 5 into this handle 5 and runs flush with the door panel 1.

It is important for the invention that the handle shell 5 and the handle holder 6 are clamped together. For this purpose, the handle shell 5 projects with projections 10 through the handle holder 6. A slot 11 is provided in each projection 10, in each of which there is a tension slide (39) which cannot be seen in FIG. 1 but will be explained later.

The exact design of the handle 7 results from FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. It consists of an elongated handle 12, on which an arm 13, 14 is formed on both sides. Both arms 13, 14 have bearing pins 15, 16, 17, 18 directed coaxially to one another with which the handle 7 can be pivotally mounted in the handle holder 6 about the axis 8 already mentioned in connection with FIG. The arms 13, 14 each have a bore 19 at their free end, into which the linkage (not shown) for actuating the door lock can be hung. Below the one bore 19, a hole 20 is provided in the arm 13, into which a leg of a leg spring (42) to be described later can engage.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the inner bearing journals 16, 17 each have a segment-shaped extension 46, 47 on their mutually facing end faces. The exact design of these extensions 46, 47 results from FIG. 14.

In addition to the handle 7, FIG. 4 shows the upper region of the handle holder 6. A half bearing 21 on the handle holder 6, which is open towards the bottom and into which the bearing journal 18 is mounted, can be seen. A projection 22 below the half bearing 21 is designed such that it allows the respective extension 46, 47 of the journals 16, 17 to pass when the handle 7 is folded up, so that the handle can be mounted. If the handle 7 is in the closed position, the extensions 46, 47 sit on these projections 22 from above, so that the handle cannot fall out of the half bearings 21, 28 (see also FIG. 5).

It is of course also conceivable to latch the bearing journals 15, 16, 17, 18 in the half bearings 21, 28 so that they are temporarily held during assembly. To do this, the handle holder would have to be made of a suitable, elastic material.

Also shown in FIG. 4 is a rubber stopper 23 attached to the handle, with which the handle rests against the handle holder 6 in the non-actuated state.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 show the design of the handle holder 6. FIG. 5 shows the back of clamping surfaces 24, 25, 26, 27 with which the handle holder 6 bears against the holding flange 4 shown in FIG. 1. On the outside next to the upper clamping surface 24 are the half bearings 21. Corresponding half bearings 28 are located on the outside next to the upper clamping surface 25. Between each two pairs of half bearings 21 and 28 there is a slot 29, 30 through which the handle 7 with its arms 13, 14 is able to grip. A pin 31 on the back of the handle holder 6 has the shape of a coil segment and serves to hold the circular part of a leg spring, which is able to reach with one leg into the hole in the arm 13 mentioned in connection with FIG. 3, with its other leg but abuts against a stop 32 on the back of the handle 7. On the lower surface of the handle holder 6, as seen in FIG. 5, provision can also be made for fastening switching elements which are actuated by the locking cylinder. Important for the invention are two rectangular openings 33, 34 in the handle holder 6, through which the projections 10 (see FIG. 1) of the handle shell 5 can grip. FIG. 6 shows a top view of the handle holder 6 with the half bearings 21, 28, the slots 29, 30, the pin 31 and the clamping surfaces 24, 25. In FIG. 7 the upper clamping surface 24 and a lower clamping surface 26 can be seen from the clamping surfaces . FIG. 7 also shows the pin 31.

As FIGS. 8 and 9 show, the recess 9 in the grip 5 has a rectangular cross section. It is so large that the handle 12 of the handle 7 mounted on the handle holder 6 can be passed through this recess 9. As the edge, the grip shell 5 has a circumferential clamping surface 35, with which it rests against the holding flange 4 of the door panel 1 from the outside. At the lower end, the grip shell 5 has two retaining lugs 36, 37 which, as shown in FIG. 10, are shaped in such a way that a gap 38 arises between them and the rear of the clamping surface 35, into which the retaining flange 4 can grip. As a result, the handle shell 5 is already held in the opening 2 of the door panel 1 before the handle shell 5 is braced with the handle holder 6.

Figures 11 and 12 show a cocking slide 39 made of spring steel, which is shaped like a hairpin and has a longer leg 40 and a shorter leg 41. This cocking slide 39 is to be pushed into the slots 11, 11 'of the projections 10, 10' in such a way that the longer leg 40 extends through the slot 11 and the shorter leg through the slot 11 '. As a whole, the cocking slide 39 is bent such that it sufficiently clamps the handle holder 6 and the handle shell 5 in the inserted state and thereby clamps the retaining flange 4 of the door panel 1.

FIG. 13 shows a leg spring 42 which is to be placed on the pin 31 with its circular part 43, engages with one leg 44 in the hole 20 of the arm 13 and bears against the stop 32 with its other leg 45.

It is not shown that a conventional locking cylinder can be used in the handle shell 5.

The assembly of the outside door handle according to the invention is extremely simple. First, the handle 7 is inserted into the handle holder 6. Then the leg spring 43 is to be mounted, as a result of which the handle 7 is pretensioned in the basic position and is reliably held in the half bearings 21, 28 of the handle holder 6.

Next, the handle 5 is to be placed in the opening 2 of the door panel 1. Then you push the handle holder 6 from the inside of the door onto the handle shell 5 such that the handle passes through the recess 9 and the projections 10, 10 'engage through the openings 33, 34. Finally, the cocking slide 39 is to be pushed into the slots 11, 11 '.

Claims (14)

1. Outside door handle (3) for motor vehicles, which comprises a handle plate (5) and a lever (7) disposed in the handle plate, wherein the lever (7) is provided on a handle mounting (6) to be disposed on the inside of the door, characterised in that the handle plate (5) has a recess (9) through which the lever (7) extends from the handle mounting (6) into the handle plate (5), the handle plate (5) and the handle mounting (6) have clamping surfaces directed towards each other (24,25,26,27,35), and clamping means (clamping slide 39) are provided for clamping the handle plate (5) and the handle mounting (6) together, wherein the handle plate (5) and the handle mounting (6) can be fixed in an opening (2) disposed in the door panel (1) for assembly.

2. Outside door handle according to claim 1, characterised in that, when the outside door handle (3) has been assembled, the lever (7) lies approximately flush with the outer edge of the handle plate (5).

3. Outside door handle according to claim 1 or any of the preceding claims, characterised in that a clamping slide (39) is provided as the clamping means.

4. Outside door handle according to Claim 1 or any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the handle plate (5) extends, by at least one projection (10, 10') comprising a slot (11, 11'), through an opening (33, 34) in the handle mounting (6), and the clamping slide (39) is passed through this slot (11, 11') on the reverse side of the handle mounting (6).

5. Outside door handle according to claim 1 or any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the clamping slide (39) is made of spring steel and, when assembled, is supported resiliently against the reverse side of the handle mounting (6) and the slot (11, 11').

6. Outside door handle according to claim 1 or any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the handle plate (5) extends by two projections (10, 10') through a total of two openings (33, 34) in the handle mounting (6).

7. Outside door handle according to claim 1 or any of the preceding claims, characterised in that a common clamping slide (39) extends through the two slots (11, 11') of the two projections (10, 10').

8. Outside door handle according to claim 1 or any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the clamping slide (39) is bent to a hairpin shape, with one longer arm (40) passing through one slot (11) and one shorter arm (41) passing through the other slot (11').

9. Outside door handle according to claim 1 or any of the preceding claims, characterised in that on the lower side of the handle plate (5), two retaining lugs (36, 37) are provided on the inside of the plate in such a way that the handle plate (5) can engage by these retaining lugs (36, 37) over the door panel (1) on the inside when it abuts by its clamping surface (35) against the door panel (1) on the outside of the door.

10. Outside door handle according to claim 1 or any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the lever (7) is inserted from below by bearing journals (15,16,17,18) provided on arms (13,14), in open-bottom halfbearings (21, 28), and on the vehicle interior side of the handle mounting (6) is provided a spring (spring clip 42) by which at least one arm of the lever (7) located behind the half-bearing (21) is biassed upwards.

11. Outside door handle according to claim 1 or any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the spring is a spring clip (42) which is seated by a circularly wound portion (43) on a pin (31) of the handle mounting (6), with one arm (45) abutting against an inside stop (32) of the handle mounting (6) and with the other arm (44) engaging in one arm (13) of the lever (7).

12. Outside door handle according to claim 1 or any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the bearing journals (15, 16, 17, 18) are clipped in the halfbearings (21, 28).

13. Outside door handle according to claim 1 or any of the preceding claims, characterised in that at the end faces of the bearing journals (16, 17) are provided segment-Like extensions (46, 47) which, when the lever (7) has been assembled and is in the closed position, in each case project beyond a projection (22) of the handle mounting (6) but, when the lever (7) is pivoted upwards, can be moved past the projections (22) for engagement of the journals (15, 16, 17, 18).

14. Outside door handle according to claim 1 or any of the preceding claims, characterised in that in the handle plate (5) is provided a lock cylinder seat for holding a lock cylinder which can be inserted from the inside.

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