JP7537421B2 - Abnormality detection device for vehicle door handle device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an abnormality detection device for a vehicle door handle device.

Conventionally, a vehicle door handle device that releases the latch of a vehicle door when an operator operates an unlatching handle to a predetermined release position is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The vehicle door handle device described in Patent Document 1 includes an inertia stopper. The inertia stopper is a member that rotates from a standby position to a restriction position due to the inertial force applied when a side collision occurs to the vehicle. The inertia stopper is provided on a handle base fixed to the vehicle door. When the inertia stopper rotates to the restriction position, it restricts the operation of the unlatching handle before it reaches the predetermined release position. Therefore, even if an inertial force occurs during a vehicle side collision, the latch release handle can be prevented from moving to the predetermined release position due to contact with the inertia stopper, and the vehicle door can be prevented from being opened unintentionally.

A vehicle door handle device is also known in which an opening is provided in a vehicle door, a lid member for opening and closing the opening is disposed on the inside of the vehicle door, and a latch release handle is disposed on the inside of the vehicle door so that it can be operated through the opening (see, for example, Patent Document 2). This device is equipped with a motor that moves the lid member between a closed position that closes the opening and an open position that opens the opening. The lid member is normally in the closed position, and when the latch release handle is operated, it moves to the open position by the rotational drive of the motor. When the opening is opened or closed, the lid member does not protrude outward beyond the vehicle door, but moves on the inside of the vehicle door. This makes it possible to improve the design of the vehicle door and the aerodynamic characteristics of the vehicle body.

JP 2020-125612 A Special table 2019-512623 publication

However, in the device described in Patent Document 2, the latch release handle and the lid member must be placed on the inside of the vehicle door, so there are restrictions on the space on the inside of the vehicle door. In addition, the inertial stopper described in Patent Document 1 is a dedicated part for preventing unintentional opening of the vehicle door, so if this inertial stopper is placed on the inside of the vehicle door, the space on the inside of the vehicle door will be further restricted. In addition, the inertial stopper has a metal spring and sliding parts in its structure, but there is a risk that it will not function properly due to deterioration over time or wear. Therefore, in order to ensure the reliability of the door opening prevention mechanism, it is conceivable to use a sensor or the like to detect that the inertial stopper can rotate to a restricted position by inertial force, thereby restricting the movement of the latch release handle to a specified release position.

In addition, instead of the dedicated inertial stopper described above, a lid member, which is an existing part, can be used as a door opening prevention mechanism. Specifically, a structure is conceivable in which, when the lid member is in the open position, the latch release handle is allowed to move to a specified release position without interfering with the lid member, while, when the lid member is in the closed position, the latch release handle interferes with the lid member and is restricted from moving to the specified release position.

In this door opening prevention mechanism, in order to prevent the vehicle door from opening unintentionally in the event of a side collision with the vehicle, it is necessary for the lid member to be in the closed position. Therefore, in order to ensure the reliability of the door opening prevention mechanism, it is possible to provide a detection device that detects that the lid member is in the closed position. For example, since the number of motor rotations when the lid member moves between the closed position and the open position is predetermined, it is possible to determine whether the motor has moved the lid member to the closed position by measuring the number of motor rotations from the lid open position.

However, simply measuring the motor rotation speed can result in situations where the lid member is unable to restrict the movement of the latch release handle to the release position, for example if the motor is broken or if a part of the lid member that may interfere with the latch release handle is damaged, making it impossible to prevent the vehicle door from opening unintentionally.

The present invention was made in consideration of these points, and aims to provide an abnormality detection device for a vehicle door handle device that has a simple structure and improves the reliability of the mechanism that prevents the unintended opening of a vehicle door.

One aspect of the present invention is an abnormality detection device for a vehicle door handle device that includes: an unlatch handle that is disposed on the inside of a vehicle door and can be operated from the outside of the vehicle door through an opening provided in the vehicle door, and that unlatches the vehicle door when the unlatch handle moves from a reference position to a predetermined release position; a lid member that can open and close the opening and moves between a closed position that closes the opening and an open position that opens the opening; a drive device that moves the lid member between the closed position and the open position; and a restriction member that moves with the movement of the lid member and restricts the latch unlatch handle from reaching the predetermined release position when the lid member is located at the closed position. The abnormality detection device for a vehicle door handle device includes a sensor unit that detects that the restriction member is capable of restricting the reach; and an abnormality determination unit that determines an abnormality when the sensor unit does not detect an abnormality when the drive device moves the lid member to the closed position.

This configuration improves the reliability of the mechanism that prevents unintentional opening of the vehicle door with a simple structure.

1 is a front view of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the door outer side. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment, as viewed from the inside of a door. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment (with an upper member of a base member removed) as viewed from inside a door; 2 is a perspective view showing a positional relationship between a lid member and a driving rotary member in an accommodation space of the vehicle door handle device according to the embodiment (part of the view is cut away); FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV shown in FIG. 1. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment, as viewed from the front side; 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment (with a lower member of a base member removed) as viewed from the front side; 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment (with a base member removed) as viewed from the front side; 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in a state where the vehicle door handle device is disposed on the inner side of a vehicle door and a lid member is located in an open position; 1 is a perspective view of a main portion of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment, as viewed from inside the door when a lid member is near a closed position and when the lid member is located at the closed position; 3 is a cross-sectional view for explaining an opening and closing operation of a lid member in the vehicle door handle device according to the embodiment; FIG. 1 is a perspective view from the inside of the door for illustrating an opening and closing operation of a lid member in a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment (with an upper member of a base member removed); FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment, taken along a plane including inward/outward directions and upward/downward directions when a lid member is near a closed position and at the closed position. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment, taken along a plane including the inward/outward directions and the front-rear directions when a lid member is near a closed position and at the closed position. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle door handle device of the embodiment when a lid member is in an open position and an unlatch handle is operated to unlatch; 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a positional restriction of the latch release handle when an impact load is input to the vehicle door with the lid member in the closed position in the vehicle door handle device of the embodiment. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an abnormality detection device for a vehicle door handle device according to an embodiment; 4 is a flowchart of an example of a control routine executed in the abnormality detection device for a vehicle door handle device according to the embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the abnormality detection device for a vehicle door handle device according to the present invention will be described.
The vehicle door handle device 1 of the present embodiment is a device that controls a latch of a vehicle door 3 provided in a vehicle. Specifically, the vehicle door handle device 1 releases the latch of the vehicle door 3 when a predetermined operation is performed on a latch release handle provided on the vehicle door 3.

The vehicle door 3 is a door that can be opened and closed relative to the vehicle body. The vehicle door 3 can be a boarding door through which vehicle occupants get on and off, a rear door through which luggage is loaded and unloaded, a bonnet for opening and closing an engine room, or a door cover for opening and closing a fuel filler or charging port. The vehicle door 3 can be latched by the vehicle door handle device 1 when closed relative to the vehicle body, and can be unlatched by a predetermined operation to open the vehicle body. In addition, the vehicle door 3 can be locked by a locking device (not shown) when latched, and can be unlocked by a predetermined unlocking operation. Also, a part of the vehicle door 3 is shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 12, etc.

The vehicle door 3, particularly when it is an entry/exit door incorporating an openable/closable window, may have an inner panel (not shown) on the inside of the vehicle, an outer panel 3a on the outside of the vehicle, and a gap 3b between the inner panel and the outer panel 3a. The vehicle door handle device 1 is housed in this gap 3b.

Hereinafter, the vehicle door 3 is assumed to be an entry/exit door having an outer panel 3a and a clearance space 3b, and is assumed to be provided on the left and right sides of the vehicle body. For convenience, the direction perpendicular to the door surface of the vehicle door 3 attached to the vehicle body will be referred to as the inward/outward direction I/O, and the direction extending horizontally on the door surface of the vehicle door 3 will be referred to as the forward/backward direction F/B. In addition, a position or area on the inward side of a reference part or part will be referred to as the door inward I side of that part or part, and similarly, a position or area on the outward side will be referred to as the door outward O side, a position or area on the forward side will be referred to as the door forward F side, and a position or area on the rear side will be referred to as the door rear B side.

The vehicle door handle device 1 is provided for each vehicle door 3 provided in the vehicle. Note that, for example, when the vehicle doors 3 are applied to a plurality of entry/exit doors in a vehicle, the vehicle door handle device 1 may have a common shape or structure for each vehicle door 3, or may have a symmetrical shape or structure for the vehicle doors 3 on the left and right sides of the vehicle body. In the following description, the vehicle door handle device 1 is assumed to be provided on the right side of the vehicle body.

As shown in Figures 1 to 8, the vehicle door handle device 1 includes a base member 10, a latch release handle 20, a lid member 30, and a drive device 40.

The base member 10 is a member that houses the latch release handle 20 and the lid member 30 that constitute the vehicle door handle device 1, and also houses all or part of the drive device 40. The base member 10 is formed to a size that corresponds to the gap space 3b between the inner panel and the outer panel 3a, and is housed in the gap space 3b. The base member 10 is attached and fixed to a mounting portion (not shown) provided on the back side of the outer panel 3a. This attachment and fixation is performed, for example, by bolting or welding. The base member 10 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and has a lower member 11 and an upper member 12.

The lower member 11 is a storage box that forms a storage space 13 that contains the latch release handle 20 and the lid member 30. As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the lower member 11 has a bottom wall 11a and four side walls 11b that stand upright from the four sides of the bottom wall 11a. The bottom wall 11a and each side wall 11b are formed in a rectangular shape. The bottom wall 11a and the four side walls 11b form the storage space 13. The storage space 13 has a necessary and sufficient size (capacity) for the latch release handle 20 and the lid member 30 to move along a predetermined trajectory.

The bottom wall 11a is adjacent to and faces the back surface of the outer panel 3a. Two of the four side walls 11b face in the up-down direction U/D and face each other. The remaining two side walls 11b face in the front-to-rear direction F/B and face each other. The part of the lower member 11 facing the bottom wall 11a across the storage space 13 on the door inward I side is open.

The upper member 12 is a cover member that closes the opening of the lower member 11 on the door inward I side. The upper member 12 is formed in a generally plate-like shape. The upper member 12 is attached and fixed to the lower member 11. The upper member 12 and the lower member 11 are attached and fixed, for example, by bolting or welding. The upper member 12 has a plate-shaped cover plate portion 12a.

The vehicle door 3 (specifically, the outer panel 3a) has an opening 3d that exposes the gap space 3b to the outside of the vehicle door 3. The base member 10 is disposed near the opening 3d of the vehicle door 3. The bottom wall 11a of the lower member 11 has an opening 11c that exposes the storage space 13 of the base member 10 to the outside of the base member 10. The opening 11c of the lower member 11 is formed to be approximately the same size as the opening 3d of the outer panel 3a. The openings 3d and 11c are large enough to allow an operator's hand to be inserted. The lower member 11 and therefore the base member 10 are attached and fixed to the mounting portion of the vehicle door 3 so that the opening 11c of the bottom wall 11a communicates with the opening 3d of the outer panel 3a. The storage space 13 of the base member 10 can be exposed to the outside of the vehicle door 3 through the openings 3d and 11c.

The unlatch handle 20 is an operating part that performs an input operation (hereinafter referred to as an unlatch operation) to unlatch the vehicle door 3 when the vehicle door 3 is closed. The unlatch handle 20 can be operated to unlatch by an operator positioned on the outside of the vehicle door 3. When the unlatch operation of the unlatch handle 20 is performed, the latch of the vehicle door 3 to the vehicle body is released and the vehicle door 3 is opened.

The latch release handle 20 is accommodated in the accommodation space 13 of the base member 10 and is disposed on the door inner side I of the vehicle door 3 (specifically, the outer panel 3a) above the door opening 11c. The latch release handle 20 is formed in a handle or lever shape and extends in the front-rear direction F/B. The latch release handle 20 is rotatably supported on the base member 10 (specifically, on the front and rear two side walls 11b of the lower member 11). The latch release handle 20 can rotate around a horizontal axis (specifically, an axis extending in the front-rear direction F/B). The latch release handle 20 has a handle main body 21 and a rotation axis 22.

The handle body 21 is an operating part that is touched by the operator's hand and turned (unlatched). The handle body 21 is formed in a plate shape. The handle body 21 extends in the front-rear direction F/B. The rotation shaft 22 is an axis part that rotates the handle body 21 relative to the base member 10 by the rotation of the rotation shaft 22. The rotation shaft 22 is formed in a columnar or cylindrical shape. The rotation shaft 22 is integrated with the handle body 21. The rotation shaft 22 is provided so as to penetrate the handle body 21 and protrude from the front end of the handle body 21 to the front of the door F and from the rear end of the handle body 21 to the rear of the door B.

The lower member 11 has a support groove 11d with a semicircular cross section. The support groove 11d is provided at the end of the protruding wall 11e, which protrudes from the bottom wall 11a of the lower member 11 toward the door inward I. The protruding wall 11e is provided adjacent to the inside of each of the two front and rear side walls 11b. The protruding wall 11e may be part of the side wall 11b. The protruding wall 11e is provided in a stepped shape so that the end on the door inward I side changes depending on the vertical position. The support groove 11d is provided at the upper part of the protruding wall 11e.

The upper member 12 also has a support groove 12d with a semicircular cross section. The support groove 12d is provided at the end of the protruding wall 12e, which protrudes from the cover plate portion 12a of the upper member 12 toward the door outside O, on the door outside O side. The protruding wall 12e is provided adjacent to the inside of each of the two front and rear side walls 11b of the lower member 11 and facing the protruding wall 11e of the lower member 11 in the inward/outward direction I/O. The protruding wall 12e is provided in a stepped shape so that the end on the door outside O side changes depending on the up-down position in response to the protruding wall 11e of the lower member 11. The support groove 12d is provided at the top of the protruding wall 12e.

The support groove 11d of the lower member 11 and the support groove 12d of the upper member 12 form a single circular support hole that supports the pivot shaft 22 when the upper member 12 is attached and fixed to the lower member 11. The pivot shaft 22 is rotatably supported by the base member 10 while being fitted into the support groove 11d of the lower member 11 and the support groove 12d of the upper member 12.

As shown in FIG. 5, the latch release handle 20 is configured such that the handle body 21 extends radially outward from the pivot shaft 22. The latch release handle 20 is biased by a biasing member such as a torsion spring so that the handle body 21 rotates from the latch release position to the latch position. The biasing direction is the clockwise direction in FIG. 5 around the pivot shaft 22. The latch release handle 20 can be rotated (unlatched) from the latch position to the latch release position against the biasing force of the biasing member. The biasing direction is the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 5 around the pivot shaft 22.

The latch release handle 20 is released by the operator pulling the radial tip of the handle body 21 from the latch position toward the outside of the door O (the front side from the perspective of the operator outside the vehicle) around the pivot shaft 22.

The pivot shaft 22 is disposed on the door outer side O within the storage space 13. The pivot shaft 22 is connected to a door latch device (not shown). The door latch device is disposed on one end side of the pivot shaft 22 (e.g., on the left side as viewed from the front surface side of the base member 10). The latched position is a position where the vehicle door 3 is latched by the door latch device. The unlatched position is a position where the vehicle door 3 is unlatched by the door latch device.

In the latched position, the handle body 21 extends diagonally downward from the pivot shaft 22 (specifically, toward the inside I of the door and toward the bottom D of the door) (as shown in FIG. 5). The angle that the handle body 21 makes with a vertical line passing through the axis of the pivot shaft 22 in the latched position is greater than 0° and less than 90°, and is set to, for example, 30° so that an operator can easily insert their hand into the storage space 13 through the openings 3d, 11c to unlatch the handle body 21.

In addition, in the unlatched position, the handle body 21 extends from the pivot shaft 22 toward substantially the door downward D. The angle that the handle body 21 makes with respect to a vertical line passing through the axis of the pivot shaft 22 in the unlatched position is set to be smaller than the angle that it makes in the latched position. In the process in which the unlatched handle 20 moves from the latched position toward the unlatched position, the radial tip of the handle body 21 moves toward the door outer side O just before the unlatched position.

The lid member 30 is a panel cover that opens and closes the opening 11c of the base member 10 and the opening 3d of the vehicle door 3. The lid member 30 is formed in a plate shape so that it is larger than the openings 3d, 11c overall. The lid member 30 is accommodated in the accommodation space 13. The lid member 30 can fit into the openings 3d, 11c to close the openings 3d, 11c, and can retract from the openings 3d, 11c to open the openings 3d, 11c. The lid member 30 moves between a closed position that closes the openings 3d, 11c and an open position that opens the openings 3d, 11c in the door inner space of the vehicle door 3 (specifically, within the accommodation space 13).

The storage space 13 of the base member 10 is wider below the door D than the opening 11c. The lower area of the storage space 13 can accommodate the lid member 30 that moves between the closed position and the open position. The open position of the lid member 30 is at the height of the opening 11c, i.e., below the door D, from the closed position of the lid member 30. The lid member 30 moves mainly downward from the closed position to the open position. Specifically, the lid member 30 moves in the up/down direction U/D between the closed position and the open position, and also moves in the inward/outward direction I/O to prevent interference with the outer panel 3a and the base member 10 near the closed position.

In the storage space 13, the movement path of the latch release handle 20 between the latch position and the latch release position and the movement path of the lid member 30 between the closed position and the open position overlap each other to some extent. For this reason, the latch release handle 20 and the lid member 30 may interfere with each other.

The overlapping range is limited to a portion of the movement trajectory of the latch release handle 20 and also to a portion of the movement trajectory of the lid member 30. Specifically, the area near the latch release position of the latch release handle 20 and the area near the closed position of the lid member 30 overlap with each other. That is, when the latch release handle 20 is located near the latch release position and the lid member 30 is located near the closed position, the latch release handle 20 and the lid member 30 may interfere with each other. The timing at which the latch release handle 20 and the lid member 30 interfere with each other will be described in detail later.

When the latch release handle 20 is in the latched position, there is no interference between the latch release handle 20 and the lid member 30 as the lid member 30 moves between the closed position and the open position. Also, when the lid member 30 is in the open position, there is no interference between the latch release handle 20 and the lid member 30 as the lid member 30 moves between the latched position and the unlatched position.

The lid member 30 has a blocking portion 31, a peripheral portion 32, a guide portion 33, and an interference portion 34. The blocking portion 31 is a portion that fits into the openings 3d, 11c to block the openings 3d, 11c. The blocking portion 31 is provided on the portion of the lid member 30 on the outer side O of the door. The blocking portion 31 has a size (area) corresponding to the size (area) of the openings 3d, 11c, and a predetermined thickness in the inward and outward directions.

The above-mentioned specified inward and outward thickness is set so that the surface of the blocking portion 31 on the door outer side O is flush with the surface of the outer panel 3a when the peripheral portion 32 of the lid member 30 is in contact with the bottom wall 11a, i.e., when the lid member 30 is in the closed position. For example, the inward and outward thickness of the blocking portion 31 is equal to the sum of the inward and outward thickness of the outer panel 3a near the opening 3d and the inward and outward thickness of the bottom wall 11a near the opening 11c. The surface of the blocking portion 31 on the door outer side O is flush with the surface of the outer panel 3a when the lid member 30 is in the closed position.

The peripheral edge portion 32 is a flange portion that spreads outward in a plate shape from the periphery of the closing portion 31. The peripheral edge portion 32 is provided around the entire periphery so as to surround the closing portion 31. The peripheral edge portion 32 forms the outer edge portion of the lid member 30. The peripheral edge portion 32 is disposed opposite the bottom wall 11a of the lower member 11 of the base member 10 and the cover plate portion 12a of the upper member 12. When the lid member 30 is in the closed position, the peripheral edge portion 32 abuts against the bottom wall 11a of the lower member 11 to regulate the position of the lid member 30.

When the lid member 30 is in the closed position, a seal member 50 may be disposed between the peripheral portion 32 of the lid member 30 and the bottom wall 11a of the base member 10 (see FIG. 5). The seal member 50 is an O-ring or the like for ensuring the sealing of the storage space 13 when the lid member 30 is in the closed position. When the lid member 30 is in the closed position, the seal member 50 is interposed between the outer surface of the peripheral portion 32 (i.e., the surface of the peripheral portion 32 facing the outside of the door) and the inner surface of the outer panel 3a (more specifically, the inner surface of the bottom wall 11a of the base member 10 facing the inside of the door). The seal member 50 is formed in a ring shape around the peripheral portion of the openings 3d and 11c in the bottom wall 11a, and is attached to the bottom wall 11a.

The peripheral portion 32 has a flat portion 32a in the shape of a flat plate and a curved portion 32b in the shape of a curved plate. The flat portion 32a is provided on the periphery of the blocking portion 31. The curved portion 32b is formed integrally with the flat portion 32a on the door lower side D of the flat portion 32a. The curved portion 32b is curved from one end (i.e., the end connected to the flat portion 32a) to the other end so as to be located on the door lower side D and on the door inner side I. In other words, the curved portion 32b is curved around an axis extending in the front-rear direction F/B so that the other end is located on the door lower side D and on the door inner side I.

The curved portion 32b is disposed in the lower region of the storage space 13, and is located below the door D in the storage space 13 below the openings 3d and 11c not only when the lid member 30 is in the open position but also when it is in the closed position. The vicinity of the other end of the curved portion 32b extends linearly in the inward/outward direction I/O. Note that it is preferable that the linear distance of this portion is set to at least the inward/outward thickness of the blocking portion 31 in order to prevent the blocking portion 31 from interfering with the peripheral portions of the openings 3d and 11c.

The guide portion 33 is a portion that guides the lid member 30 as it moves between the closed position and the open position. The guide portion 33 is formed in a columnar or cylindrical shape. The guide portion 33 is provided at the upper end and lower end of the peripheral portion 32, and is also provided at the front end and rear end of the peripheral portion 32. The two guide portions 33 on the door front F side each protrude from the front end of the peripheral portion 32 toward the door front F. The two guide portions 33 on the door rear B side each protrude from the rear end of the peripheral portion 32 toward the door rear B.

The base member 10 has guide grooves 14 that guide the lid member 30. The guide grooves 14 are grooves into which the guide portions 33 of the lid member 30 slide. The guide portions 33 and the guide grooves 14 form a guide mechanism that guides the lid member 30. Four guide grooves 14 are provided to match the four guide portions 33. That is, the guide grooves 14 are provided at two upper and lower locations on the front side of the base member 10, and at two upper and lower locations on the rear side of the base member 10. Each of the four guide portions 33 fits into one of the four guide grooves 14.

The two upper and lower guide grooves 14 are formed in approximately the same shape. The front and rear guide grooves 14 are also formed in approximately the same shape. Each guide groove 14 is formed to correspond to the shape of the front-rear end of the peripheral portion 32, and extends linearly. Each guide groove 14 has a straight portion 14a that extends linearly in the up-down direction U/D corresponding to the flat portion 32a of the peripheral portion 32, and a curved portion 14b that extends curvedly with a predetermined curvature corresponding to the curved portion 32b of the peripheral portion 32.

The straight portion 14a and the curved portion 14b are integrated so as to be continuously connected to each other. The curved portion 14b is curved from one end (i.e., the end connected to the straight portion 14a) to the other end opposite the connected end so as to be located on the door upper U side and the door outer O side. In other words, the curved portion 14b is curved around an axis extending in the front-to-rear direction F/B so that the other end is located on the door upper U side and the door outer O side. The vicinity of the other end of the curved portion 14b extends linearly in the inward/outward direction I/O.

The four guide grooves 14 are formed between the end of the protruding wall 11e of the lower member 11 on the door inner side I and the end of the protruding wall 12e of the upper member 12 on the door outer side O when the upper member 12 is attached and fixed to the lower member 11. The four guide portions 33 slide along the four guide grooves 14 when driven by the drive unit 40, thereby moving the lid member 30 between the closed position and the open position.

When the lid member 30 is in the closed position, the guide portion 33 is located at the farthest point from the connection between the curved portion 14b and the straight portion 14a, as shown in Figures 5 and 11 (A). When the lid member 30 is in the open position, the guide portion 33 is located at the farthest point from the connection between the straight portion 14a and the curved portion 14b, as shown in Figure 11 (C).

The blocking portion 31 protrudes from the peripheral portion 32 toward the door exterior O. The length of protrusion of the blocking portion 31 from the peripheral portion 32 corresponds to the thickness of the blocking portion 31, and is approximately equal to the sum of the inner/outer thickness of the outer panel 3a near the opening 3d and the inner/outer thickness of the bottom wall 11a near the opening 11c. The blocking portion 31 and the peripheral portion 32 are configured so that a step corresponding to the openings 3d and 11c is formed on the surface on the door exterior O side.

The surface of the blocking portion 31 on the door outer side O is exposed to the door outer side O when the lid member 30 is in the closed position. Therefore, the blocking portion 31 may be made of the same material as the outer panel 3a, or may be a portion that has been subjected to a surface treatment such as gloss or matte finish, in order to ensure the appearance design and visibility of the surface on the door outer side O.

The interference portion 34 is a restricting portion that can interfere with the latch release handle 20. The interference portion 34 moves with the movement of the lid member 30 between the closed position and the open position. The interference portion 34 restricts the latch release handle 20 from reaching the latch release position from the latch position when the lid member 30 is in the closed position. The interference portion 34 is provided at a location on the lid member 30 where the latch release handle 20 can pass through the movement trajectory. Specifically, the interference portion 34 is provided integrally with the peripheral portion 32 (specifically, the inner surface facing the inside of the door). The interference portion 34 interferes with the latch release handle 20 before it reaches the latch release position in the process of the latch release handle 20 moving from the latch position to the latch release position when the lid member 30 is in the closed position, thereby restricting the position of the latch release handle 20.

The interference portion 34 may protrude from the inner surface of the peripheral portion 32 of the lid member 30 toward the door inward I, or may extend in the front-rear direction F/B along the inner surface of the peripheral portion 32. In this case, the protruding length of the interference portion 34 from the peripheral portion 32 may be set to a size necessary to ensure positional regulation before the latch release handle 20 reaches the latch release position. The length of the interference portion 34 in the front-rear direction F/B may correspond to the length of the latch release handle 20 in the front-rear direction F/B. Furthermore, the interference portion 34 may extend without gaps in the front-rear direction F/B, or may be scattered with gaps in the front-rear direction F/B. Furthermore, the interference portion 34 may move in accordance with the movement of the lid member 30, and may be provided integrally with the lid member 30, or may be attached to the lid member 30 separately.

The drive device 40 is a device that moves the lid member 30 between a closed position and an open position. The drive device 40 has an electric actuator 41 and a driving rotating member 42. The drive device 40 rotates the driving rotating member 42 by driving the electric actuator 41, thereby moving the lid member 30.

The electric actuator 41 is an actuator that rotates the driving rotating member 42. The electric actuator 41 is a motor that operates by supplying electric power. The electric actuator 41 can rotate in both the forward and reverse directions. The electric actuator 41 is housed in the base member 10. The electric actuator 41 may be housed in the gap space 3b outside the base member 10 and disposed adjacent to the base member 10. The electric actuator 41 is attached to the base member 10. The output shaft of the electric actuator 41 is connected to the driving rotating member 42 directly or via a reducer.

The operation of the electric actuator 41 is controlled by a control unit mainly composed of a microcomputer. When an operation is performed requesting the opening of the vehicle door 3, the control unit operates the electric actuator 41 so that the lid member 30 moves from the closed position toward the open position. The amount of operation of the electric actuator 41 when the lid member 30 moves between the closed position and the open position is determined in advance. After starting the operation of the electric actuator 41, the control unit stops the operation when the amount of operation reaches a value equivalent to the open position of the lid member 30.

The above-mentioned opening request operation may be, for example, the lid member 30 being pushed inward I of the door relative to the outer panel 3a, the switch provided on the outer surface of the lid member 30 being pressed, the completion of a wireless match with a portable device carried by the operator, the pressing of an unlock switch or latch release switch provided on the portable device, or a combination of these operations.

When an operation is performed to request closing of the vehicle door 3, the control unit operates the electric actuator 41 so that the lid member 30 moves from the open position toward the closed position. After starting the operation of the electric actuator 41, the control unit stops the operation when the amount of operation reaches a value equivalent to the closed position of the lid member 30.

The blocking request operation may be, for example, when it is detected that the operator's hand has been removed from the storage space 13, when a switch provided on the outer surface of the lid member 30 has been pressed, when wireless communication with a portable device carried by the operator has been lost, when a lock switch or latch switch provided on the portable device has been pressed, or when a combination of these operations has been performed.

When the lid member 30 is in the closed position, the control unit causes the electric actuator 41 to generate torque in the driving rotary member 42 to hold the lid member 30 in the closed position. This is preferable in order to prevent the lid member 30 from vibrating slightly in the closed position due to vehicle vibration or the like, which may cause abnormal noises.

The control unit may also detect that the lid member 30 is in the closed position using a sensor unit 91 (see Figures 10 and 17) described below, and, for example, when the closed position of the lid member 30 is detected during the movement control of the lid member 30 from the open position to the closed position by the operation of the electric actuator 41, switch the operation of the electric actuator 41 to maintain the lid member 30 in the closed position. Note that the control unit may perform the movement control of the lid member 30 from the open position to the closed position by the operation of the electric actuator 41 only at a predetermined timing, without relying on the detection information of the sensor unit 91, and then switch the operation of the electric actuator 41 to maintain the lid member 30 in the closed position.

The driving rotation member 42 is a shaft that is driven to rotate around an axis that extends in the front-rear direction F/B, i.e., parallel to the surface of the lid member 30. The driving rotation member 42 is formed in a columnar or cylindrical shape. The driving rotation member 42 is driven to rotate by the driving force generated by the electric actuator 41. The driving rotation member 42 is accommodated in the accommodation space 13. The driving rotation member 42 is rotatably supported on the base member 10 (specifically, on the two front and rear side walls 11b of the lower member 11). One end of the driving rotation member 42 (e.g., the left end as viewed from the surface side of the base member 10) is connected to the output shaft of the electric actuator 41 that penetrates the side wall 11b of the lower member 11.

The lower member 11 has a semicircular support groove (not shown) at the end of the protruding wall 11e on the door inner side. This support groove is provided in the center of the protruding wall 11e. The upper member 12 has a semicircular support groove (not shown) at the end of the protruding wall 12e on the door outer side. This support groove is provided in the center of the protruding wall 12e. The support groove of the lower member 11 and the support groove of the upper member 12 form a circular support hole that supports the driving rotation member 42 when the upper member 12 is attached and fixed to the lower member 11. The driving rotation member 42 is supported rotatably on the base member 10 while being fitted into the support groove of the lower member 11 and the support groove of the upper member 12.

The drive unit 40 has a conversion mechanism 44 that converts the rotation of the driving rotating member 42 into the movement of the lid member 30. The conversion mechanism 44 uses a rack-and-pinion system to convert the rotation of the driving rotating member 42 into the movement of the lid member 30 between the closed and open positions. Specifically, the conversion mechanism 44 has a rack portion 45 that extends linearly and has multiple teeth arranged at predetermined intervals, and a pinion portion 46 that is made of a circular gear. The rack portion 45 and the pinion portion 46 engage with each other to convert the rotation of the driving rotating member 42 into the movement of the lid member 30.

The rack portion 45 is provided on the lid member 30. As shown in FIG. 4, the rack portion 45 includes a first rack portion 45a and a second rack portion 45b. That is, the lid member 30 has a first rack portion 45a and a second rack portion 45b. The first rack portion 45a is provided in a pair at a predetermined distance apart on the lid member 30. The second rack portion 45b is provided in a pair at a predetermined distance apart on the lid member 30.

The first rack portion 45a is a portion that extends linearly. The first rack portion 45a is formed on the surface of the peripheral portion 32 on the door inner side, and is disposed on the flat portion 32a. The first rack portion 45a extends linearly in the vertical direction. The length of the first rack portion 45a is set to a size necessary for moving the lid member 30 between the closed position and the open position, and is preferably a size necessary for completely opening the openings 3d and 11c when the lid member 30 is in the open position. The length of the first rack portion 45a may be, for example, a length that causes the driving rotating member 42 to rotate 1.5 times. The teeth of the first rack portion 45a have a shape that extends in the front-rear direction while protruding toward the inside of the door, and are aligned in the vertical direction at a first interval. The pair of first rack portions 45a are disposed in front of and behind the closing portion 31 on the peripheral portion 32.

The second rack portion 45b is a portion that extends in a curved shape with a predetermined curvature. The second rack portion 45b is formed on the door inner surface of the peripheral portion 32 and is disposed on the curved portion 32b. The second rack portion 45b is curved around an axis extending in the front-rear direction. The curvature of the second rack portion 45b is set to a value required for the lid member 30 to smoothly move in the inward/outward direction I/O and in the up-down direction U/D without interfering with the base member 10 or the outer panel 3a when the lid member 30 moves near the closed position. The teeth of the second rack portion 45b have a shape that protrudes toward the center of the curvature and extends in the front-rear direction F/B, and are arranged approximately in the up-down direction U/D along the curved surface at a second interval.

The second rack portion 45b is disposed below the first rack portion 45a. The second rack portion 45b is curved from one end (i.e., the end connected to the first rack portion 45a) to the other end so as to be located downward and on the inside of the door. The vicinity of the other end of the second rack portion 45b extends linearly in the inward/outward direction. The linear distance of this portion is set to at least the inward/outward thickness of the blocking portion 31. The pair of second rack portions 45b are disposed in front of and behind the blocking portion 31 on the peripheral portion 32.

The first rack portion 45a and the second rack portion 45b are arranged offset from each other in the front-rear direction, i.e., in the direction in which the axis of the driving rotation member 42 extends. In other words, the first rack portion 45a and the second rack portion 45b are not arranged in a state in which their ends are directly connected to each other at the same front-rear direction position, but are arranged at an angle on the peripheral portion 32. Note that the first rack portion 45a and the second rack portion 45b may be arranged, for example, so that one of the teeth overlaps each other, or may be arranged at an angle so that the teeth do not overlap at all, as long as smooth movement between the closed position and the open position of the lid member 30 can be ensured.

The pinion portion 46 is provided on the driving rotation member 42. As shown in FIG. 4, the pinion portion 46 includes a first pinion portion 46a and a second pinion portion 46b. That is, the driving rotation member 42 has a first pinion portion 46a and a second pinion portion 46b. The first pinion portion 46a is provided as a pair on the driving rotation member 42 at a predetermined distance apart. The second pinion portion 46b is provided as a pair on the driving rotation member 42 at a predetermined distance apart.

The first pinion portion 46a is a portion that engages with the first rack portion 45a. The second pinion portion 46b is a portion that engages with the second rack portion 45b. The first pinion portion 46a and the second pinion portion 46b are each formed or attached to the outer surface of the driving rotation member 42, and are disposed at both ends of the driving rotation member 42. The pair of first pinion portions 46a are disposed at locations corresponding to the pair of first rack portions 45a. The pair of second pinion portions 46b are disposed at locations corresponding to the pair of second rack portions 45b.

The first pinion portion 46a and the second pinion portion 46b are arranged on the outer surface of the driving rotating member 42 so as to be offset from each other in the front-rear direction, i.e., in the direction in which the axis of the driving rotating member 42 extends.

During the process in which the lid member 30 moves between the closed position and the open position, the engagement between the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a and the engagement between the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b occur successively in a predetermined order. Specifically, when the lid member 30 moves from the closed position to the open position, the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b initially engage with each other, and then, after the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b are disengaged, the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a engage with each other. Also, when the lid member 30 moves from the open position to the closed position, the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a initially engage with each other, and then, after the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a are disengaged, the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b engage with each other.

The distance over which the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a move relative to each other while engaging with each other during one rotation of the driving rotating member 42 (hereinafter referred to as the first pitch length) and the distance over which the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b move relative to each other while engaging with each other during one rotation of the driving rotating member 42 (hereinafter referred to as the second pitch length) may be the same as each other, or may be different from each other. For example, in order to reduce the impact between the lid member 30 and the lower member 11 when the lid member 30 abuts against the bottom wall 11a of the base member 10 and reaches the closed position, or in order to increase the moving speed when the lid member 30 moves toward the door lower D toward the open position and when it moves toward the door upper U from the open position, it is preferable that the second pitch length is shorter than the first pitch length.

The operation of the vehicle door handle device 1 will now be described.
First, a normal operation of the vehicle door handle device 1 will be described.
When the vehicle door 3 is closed relative to the vehicle body, the latch release handle 20 is in the latched position and the lid member 30 is in the closed position (FIGS. 11A and 12A).

At this time, the rack portion 45 of the lid member 30 and the pinion portion 46 of the driving rotating member 42 are positioned such that the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a are disengaged and the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b are engaged. Specifically, the second pinion portion 46b is engaged with the second rack portion 45b near the other end of the curved portion 32b. Also, the guide portion 33 of the lid member 30 is positioned near the other end of the curved portion 14b of the guide groove 14 of the base member 10. At this time, the surface of the lid member 30 (i.e., the blocking portion 31) on the door outer side is flush with the surface of the outer panel 3a, so the exterior design of the vehicle door 3 is ensured.

When an operation is performed to open the vehicle door 3, the electric actuator 41 is operated so that the lid member 30 moves from the closed position to the open position. When the electric actuator 41 is operated, the driving rotary member 42 is driven to rotate in the clockwise direction shown in Figures 5, 11, and 13.

When the lid member 30 is in the closed position, as described above, the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b are engaged near the other end of the curved portion 32b, i.e., near the other end of the second rack portion 45b, and the guide portion 33 is located near the other end of the curved portion 14b. The other end of the curved portion 32b, the other end of the second rack portion 45b, and the other end of the curved portion 14b extend linearly in the inward and outward directions. Therefore, when the driving rotating member 42 is initially driven to rotate in the clockwise direction, the lid member 30 moves toward the inside of the door relative to the base member 10. After that, the guide portion 33 fits into the curved portion 14b while the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b are engaged (FIG. 11(B)). In this case, the lid member 30 rotates and moves diagonally downward, including toward the inside of the door, relative to the base member 10 according to the curvature of the second rack portion 45b.

Next, as the movement of the guide portion 33 on the curved portion 14b progresses, the engagement between the rack portion 45 of the lid member 30 and the pinion portion 46 of the driving rotating member 42 switches from the engagement between the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b to the engagement between the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a, and the guide portion 33 fits into the straight portion 14a. The first rack portion 45a and the straight portion 14a extend linearly in the vertical direction. Therefore, when the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a engage, the lid member 30 moves downward relative to the base member 10. Then, when the upper end of the first rack portion 45a engages with the first pinion portion 46a and the guide portion 33 reaches the lower end of the straight portion 14a, the movement of the lid member 30 is stopped and the lid member 30 reaches the open position (FIGS. 9, 11(C), and 12(B)). Then, when the lid member 30 reaches the open position, the operation of the electric actuator 41 switches to control for holding the lid member 30 in the open position.

When the lid member 30 is in the open position, the operator can insert his/her hand from the door outer side O of the vehicle door 3 into the storage space 13 through the openings 3d, 11c, and can unlatch the latch release handle 20 in the storage space 13 to the unlatched position against the biasing force of the biasing member. When the latch release handle 20 is unlatched from the latched position and reaches the unlatched position as shown in FIG. 15, the door latch device releases the latch of the vehicle door 3 from the vehicle body, and in the unlatched state, the operator can further pull the vehicle door 3 together with the latch release handle 20 toward the door outer side to open the vehicle door 3.

When the operator releases the latch release handle 20, the latch release handle 20 moves toward the latched position due to the biasing force of the biasing member. When the latch release handle 20 reaches the latched position, the door latch device is able to latch the vehicle door 3 to the vehicle body. When the vehicle door 3 is pushed from the open side in this latchable state and closed, the vehicle door 3 is latched in the closed state.

After the operator's hand is removed from the storage space 13, when a predetermined condition is met, the electric actuator 41 is operated to move the lid member 30 from the open position toward the closed position. When the electric actuator 41 is operated, the driving rotating member 42 is rotated counterclockwise as shown in Figures 5, 11, and 13.

When the lid member 30 is in the open position, the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a engage near the upper end of the first rack portion 45a, and the guide portion 33 is located near the lower end of the straight portion 14a. The first rack portion 45a and the straight portion 14a extend linearly in the vertical direction. Therefore, when the driving rotating member 42 is driven to rotate in the counterclockwise direction, the lid member 30 moves upward relative to the base member 10.

Next, as the guide portion 33 continues to move along the straight portion 14a, the engagement between the rack portion 45 of the lid member 30 and the pinion portion 46 of the driving rotary member 42 switches from the engagement between the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a to the engagement between the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b, and the guide portion 33 fits into the curved portion 14b (FIG. 11(B)). In this case, the lid member 30 pivots and moves diagonally upward, including toward the outside of the door, relative to the base member 10 in accordance with the curvature of the second rack portion 45b.

Then, the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b engage near the other end of the second rack portion 45b, and the guide portion 33 reaches near the other end of the curved portion 14b (FIGS. 13(A) and 14(A)). The other end of the second rack portion 45b and the other end of the curved portion 14b extend linearly in the inward and outward directions. Therefore, when the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b engage near the other end of the second rack portion 45b and the guide portion 33 reaches near the other end of the curved portion 14b, the lid member 30 moves outward from the door relative to the base member 10.

Finally, when the other end of the second rack portion 45b engages with the second pinion portion 46b and the guide portion 33 reaches the other end of the curved portion 14b, the movement of the lid member 30 is stopped and the lid member 30 reaches the closed position (FIGS. 11(A), 12(A), 13(B), and 14(B)). Then, when the lid member 30 reaches the closed position, the operation of the electric actuator 41 is switched to control for holding the lid member 30 in the closed position.

In this way, in the vehicle door handle device 1, the rack and pinion system can move the lid member 30 in two directions between a closed position that closes the opening 3d in the outer panel 3a and an open position that opens the opening 3d. Specifically, when the lid member 30 is located near the closed position, the lid member 30 can be moved inward and outward, and when the lid member 30 is no longer near the closed position, the lid member 30 can be moved upward and downward.

With this configuration, the lid member 30 moves in the inward/outward direction I/O near the closed position, preventing the lid member 30 from interfering with the openings 3d, 11c in the outer panel 3a and the base member 10, and the lid member 30 moves in the upward/downward direction U/D along the vehicle door 3 when not near the closed position, openings 3d, 11c can be opened and closed to expose the storage space 13 to the outside of the door.

In addition, in the vehicle door handle device 1, the movement mechanism that moves the lid member 30 in the inward/outward direction I/O near the closed position and in the upward/downward direction U/D near other than the closed position as described above is a rack-and-pinion system using a rack portion 45 and a pinion portion 46. The movement of the lid member 30 in the inward/outward direction I/O near the closed position is realized by the engagement of the first rack portion 45a with the first pinion portion 46a, and the movement of the lid member 30 in the upward/downward direction U/D near other than the closed position is realized by the engagement of the first rack portion 45a with the first pinion portion 46a. Then, in the process of the lid member 30 moving between the closed position and the open position, the engagement of the first rack portion 45a with the first pinion portion 46a and the engagement of the second rack portion 45b with the second pinion portion 46b occur successively in a predetermined order.

With this configuration, the lid member 30 can be moved in the inward/outward direction I/O near the closed position while remaining parallel to the vehicle door 3, and moved in the upward/downward direction U/D near positions other than the closed position, and further rotated so that the movement components in the inward/outward direction I/O and the upward/downward direction U/D are both included at the switching point between the movement in the inward/outward direction I/O and the movement in the upward/downward direction U/D. This allows the lid member 30 to move smoothly between the closed position and the open position.

The rack portion 45 has a first rack portion 45a that extends linearly in the up-down direction U/D, and a second rack portion 45b that extends curvedly with a predetermined curvature around an axis that extends in the front-rear direction F/B. The pinion portion 46 has a first pinion portion 46a that engages with the first rack portion 45a, and a second pinion portion 46b that engages with the second rack portion 45b. In this configuration, the structure that moves the lid member 30 in the inward/outward direction I/O and in the upward/downward direction U/D to move between the closed position and the open position can be simplified.

Therefore, the vehicle door handle device 1 can smoothly and simply move the lid member 30 between the closed and open positions using the rack and pinion system (specifically, bidirectional movement in the inward/outward directions I/O and the upward/downward directions U/D).

The first rack portion 45a and the second rack portion 45b are arranged offset from each other in the front-rear direction F/B in which the axis of the lid member 30 extends. The first pinion portion 46a and the second pinion portion 46b are arranged offset from each other in the front-rear direction F/B on the outer surface of the driving rotating member 42. For this reason, the movement of the lid member 30 in the inward/outward direction I/O due to the engagement between the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a, and the movement of the lid member 30 in the up-down direction U/D due to the engagement between the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b can each be individually parameterized, thereby increasing the design freedom in moving the lid member 30 between the closed position and the open position.

The lid member 30 is guided by a guide mechanism when it moves between the closed position and the open position. The lid member 30 has a guide portion 33. The base member 10 has a guide groove 14 into which the guide portion 33 slidably fits to guide the lid member 30. The guide groove 14 has a straight portion 14a that extends linearly in the up/down direction U/D corresponding to the flat portion 32a of the peripheral portion 32, and a curved portion 14b that extends curvedly with a predetermined curvature corresponding to the curved portion 32b of the peripheral portion 32. Therefore, the posture of the lid member 30 can be maintained in a predetermined posture when the lid member 30 moves between the closed position and the open position.

In particular, the guide portions 33 are provided at four locations to match the plate-shaped lid member 30, and the guide grooves 14 are provided at four locations to match the guide portions 33. Therefore, when the lid member 30 moves between the closed position and the open position, the position of the lid member 30 can be kept parallel to the vehicle door 3.

The second pitch length at which the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b engage may be set shorter than the first pitch length at which the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a engage. The engagement between the first rack portion 45a and the first pinion portion 46a contributes to the movement of the lid member 30 in the up-down direction U/D, and the engagement between the second rack portion 45b and the second pinion portion 46b contributes to the movement of the lid member 30 in the inward/outward direction I/O. Therefore, according to this configuration, the movement speed of the lid member 30 when moving in the up-down direction U/D can be increased while suppressing the movement speed of the lid member 30 in the inward/outward direction I/O when the lid member 30 reaches the closed position, so that the movement of the lid member 30 in the up-down direction U/D can be quickly realized while mitigating the impact between the lid member 30 and the lower member 11 when the lid member 30 reaches the closed position.

In addition, with such a configuration in which the first pitch length and the second pitch length are allowed to be different from each other, the second rack portion 45b can be formed with as small a radius of curvature as possible to make the second pitch length as short as possible. Therefore, when switching the movement of the lid member 30 between movement in the inward/outward direction I/O and movement in the upward/downward direction U/D, a sudden change in angle can be achieved without interfering with the gears of the rack and pinion, and it is possible to avoid restricting the shape of the openings 3d, 11c in order to achieve this.

In addition, in the vehicle door handle device 1, the lid member 30 moves inward I from the closed position that closes the opening 3d of the outer panel 3a to the open position that opens the opening 3d, and then the latch release handle 20 is pulled outward O from the latch position to the latch release position to perform the latch release operation, thereby releasing the latch of the vehicle door 3.

In this configuration, when the latch release handle 20 is operated to release the latch of the vehicle door 3, the lid member 30 and other components do not protrude beyond the outer panel 3a of the vehicle door 3 toward the door outer side O. This prevents the exterior design of the vehicle door 3 from being damaged when the latch release handle 20 is operated to release the latch of the vehicle door 3.

In addition, in the above configuration, the movement of the lid member 30 between the closed and open positions is limited to within the storage space 13, so even if a failure occurs in the drive unit 40 or the like, parts such as the lid member 30 will not remain protruding beyond the outer panel 3a of the vehicle door 3 toward the door exterior O while the vehicle is traveling. This makes it possible to prevent the external design of the vehicle door 3 from being impaired when the drive unit 40 or the like fails, and also to prevent a decrease in the aerodynamic characteristics while the vehicle is traveling.

The unlatch handle 20 is biased toward the latched position by a biasing member, and is maintained in the latched position unless an unlatch operation is input. In addition, in the latched position, the unlatch handle 20 extends diagonally downward from the pivot shaft 22, including toward the door downward D. For this reason, in this structure, if an impact load is input to the door inward I due to a vehicle side collision against the vehicle door 3, the unlatch handle 20 of the vehicle door 3 may rotate toward the unlatch position due to inertia, and the vehicle door 3 may unintentionally reach the unlatch position and be unlatched.

In contrast, in the vehicle door handle device 1, the movement path of the unlatch handle 20 moving between the latched position and the unlatched position and the movement path of the lid member 30 moving between the closed position and the open position have a range in which they overlap. Specifically, the area near the unlatched position of the unlatch handle 20 and the area near the closed position of the lid member 30 overlap with each other. For this reason, the unlatch handle 20 and the lid member 30 may interfere with each other.

The direction in which the latch release handle 20 moves from the latch position to the unlatch position is opposite to the direction in which the lid member 30 moves from the closed position to the open position. Specifically, when the latch release handle 20 moves from the latch position to the unlatch position, the radial tip of the latch release handle 20 moves toward the door outside O just before the unlatch position, while when the lid member 30 moves from the closed position to the open position, the lid member 30 moves toward the door inside I relative to the base member 10.

In the above configuration, when an impact load is applied to the inside I of the vehicle door 3 with the lid member 30 in the closed position, the latch release handle 20 moves toward the latch release position due to inertial force, and the lid member 30 is pressed against the bottom wall 11a of the base member 10 by inertial force while in the closed position. In addition, when in the closed position, the lid member 30 is held in the closed position by the torque of the electric actuator 41.

When the lid member 30 is in the open position (more specifically, when the lid member 30 is outside the overlapping range in the movement trajectory), the latch release handle 20 and the lid member 30 do not interfere with each other as the latch release handle 20 moves between the latch position and the unlatched position. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 16, when the lid member 30 is in the closed position (more specifically, when the lid member 30 is in the overlapping range in the movement trajectory), the latch release handle 20 interferes with the interference portion 34 of the lid member 30 before reaching the unlatched position from the latched position, and the position is restricted. Therefore, when the lid member 30 is in the closed position, even if the latch release handle 20 moves, it is restricted from reaching the unlatched position.

Therefore, when the lid member 30 is in the closed position, even if the latch release handle 20 moves toward the latch release position due to the inertial force caused by the input of an impact load to the inside I of the vehicle door 3, the latch of the vehicle door 3 can be prevented from being released, thereby preventing the vehicle door 3 from being opened unintentionally.

Furthermore, since interference between the latch release handle 20 and the lid member 30 is sufficient to prevent unintentional opening of the vehicle door 3, there is no need to place a separate dedicated part such as an inertia stopper, which reduces the number of parts and the storage space. Therefore, unintentional opening of the vehicle door 3 can be prevented with a simple structure.

When an impact load is applied to the door exterior O of the vehicle door 3 due to a vehicle side collision with the vehicle door 3 on the opposite side of the vehicle body, the latch release handle 20 will initially rotate from the latch position in a direction away from the latch release position, but then may rotate toward the latch release position in reaction and reach the latch release position. In addition, when this impact load is applied, the lid member 30 may first move toward the door interior I away from the closed position relative to the base member 10 due to inertia, so the latch release handle 20 may not be able to interfere with the lid member 30 before it reaches the latch release position, and the latch of the vehicle door 3 may be unintentionally released.

In the vehicle door handle device 1, the drive device 40 has an electric actuator 41 that rotates the drive rotating member 42. In this configuration, the drive rotating member 42 is restricted in rotation by frictional resistance with the electric actuator 41 except when it is being driven to rotate by the electric actuator 41, and further, when the lid member 30 is in the closed position, the electric actuator 41 generates torque to hold the lid member 30 in the closed position. Therefore, even if an inertial force is applied to the latch release handle 20 or the lid member 30 during either an inward or outward collision of the vehicle door 3 described above, the lid member 30 can be prevented from moving from the closed position to the open position.

Therefore, even if any of the above-mentioned side collisions occur when the lid member 30 is in the closed position, the lid member 30 can be prevented from moving out of the overlapping range in the movement trajectory before interference occurs between the latch release handle 20 and the lid member 30. The above interference can be reliably caused to occur before the latch release handle 20 moves from the latch position to the unlatched position, thereby regulating the position of the latch release handle 20, thereby improving the function of preventing unintended opening of the vehicle door 3.

In the vehicle door handle device 1, in order to prevent the vehicle door 3 from being unintentionally opened, it is necessary for the latch release handle 20 to interfere with the lid member 30 in the closed position. Therefore, when the unintentional movement of the latch release handle 20 occurs, it is required that the lid member 30 is actually in the closed position and that there is actually a portion of the lid member 30 where the latch release handle 20 can interfere.

Therefore, in order to ensure the reliability of the above-mentioned interference prevention function of the vehicle door 3, the abnormality detection device 90 detects whether or not there is an abnormality or malfunction in the function of preventing the unintended opening of the vehicle door 3 in the vehicle door handle device 1, and notifies the vehicle driver of the abnormality when it is detected, as described below.

As shown in FIG. 17, the abnormality detection device 90 has a sensor unit 91, a discrimination unit 92, an abnormality determination unit 93, a command unit 94, and a notification unit 95.

The sensor unit 91 is a sensor that detects whether the interference portion 34 of the lid member 30 is capable of restricting the latch release handle 20 from reaching the latch release position. Specifically, the sensor unit 91 detects that the lid member 30, which moves integrally with the interference portion 34, is in the closed position. The sensor unit 91 may be of any type, such as a contact type, pressure-sensitive type, electromagnetic type, optical type, or ultrasonic type, as long as it can detect the lid member 30 in the closed position, and may be, for example, a limit switch, a microswitch, or a proximity switch. The sensor unit 91 outputs a signal according to the position of the lid member 30 (in particular, whether the lid member 30 is in the closed position or not).

The sensor unit 91 may be disposed on either the base member 10 or the lid member 30, so long as it can detect the lid member 30 in the closed position. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the sensor unit 91 may be disposed on the lower member 11 of the base member 10, and may be a contact-type sensor that comes into contact with and deforms against the guide portion 33 when the lid member 30 is in the closed position. It is preferable that the sensor unit 91 is provided in correspondence with all four guide portions 33 of the lid member 30, but the sensor unit 91 may be provided in correspondence with any one of the guide portions 33. For example, the sensor unit 91 may be provided in correspondence with any one of the two upper guide portions 33.

The output signal of the sensor unit 91 is supplied to the controller 96. The controller 96 is mainly composed of a microcomputer and has a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc. The controller 96 processes the output signal of the sensor unit 91 and controls the operation of the notification unit 95. The controller 96 is also supplied with information such as the amount of operation of the electric actuator 41 from a control unit that operates the electric actuator 41 of the drive device 40. The controller 96 can detect the position of the lid member 30 that moves due to the operation of the electric actuator 41 based on the information supplied from the control unit on the drive device 40 side. The discrimination unit 92, the abnormality determination unit 93, and the command unit 94 are included in the controller 96.

The discrimination unit 92 is a part that discriminates whether or not the sensor unit 91 detects that the interference portion 34 of the lid member 30 is capable of restricting the latch release handle 20 from reaching the latch release position when the control unit on the drive device 40 side has operated the electric actuator 41 by an amount sufficient to move the lid member 30 to the closed position. Specifically, the discrimination unit 92 first detects the position of the lid member 30 that is moved by the operation of the electric actuator 41 based on information supplied from the control unit on the drive device 40 side, and then discriminates whether or not the sensor unit 91 detects the lid closed position when the detected position becomes the closed position of the lid member 30, i.e., when the electric actuator 41 moves the lid member 30 to the closed position.

The abnormality determination unit 93 is a part that determines an abnormality based on the determination result of the determination unit 92. Specifically, the abnormality determination unit 93 determines that an abnormality has occurred in the vehicle door handle device 1 if the sensor unit 91 does not detect the lid closed position when the electric actuator 41 moves the lid member 30 to the closed position. Note that this abnormality refers to a situation in which prevention of unintended opening of the vehicle door 3 does not function because the sensor unit 91 does not detect the lid closed position even though the control unit causes the electric actuator 41 to move the lid member 30 to the closed position.

The command unit 94 is a part that issues a command to the notification unit 95 based on the judgment result of the abnormality judgment unit 93. Specifically, the command unit 94 issues an operation command to the notification unit 95 when the abnormality judgment unit 93 judges that the sensor unit 91 does not detect the lid closed position when the electric actuator 41 moves the lid member 30 to the closed position.

The notification unit 95 is a part that notifies the vehicle driver of an abnormality. The notification unit 95 notifies the vehicle driver of an abnormality according to an operation command from the command unit 94. The notification unit 95 may be any device that can notify the vehicle driver of an abnormality, and may be, for example, a display device that stimulates the driver's vision, a buzzer or speaker that stimulates the driver's hearing, or a vibrator that stimulates the driver's tactile sense. The display device may be, for example, a warning light provided in the instrument panel or a monitor located in the center console. The vibrator may be built into, for example, the steering wheel or the seat. The notification unit 95 is not limited to an in-vehicle device, and may be a mobile terminal carried by the vehicle driver.

Next, the operation of the abnormality detection device 90 will be described with reference to FIG.
In the abnormality detection device 90, the controller 96 determines in the determination unit 92 whether or not the electric actuator 41 has moved the lid member 30 to the closed position based on information supplied from the control unit on the drive device 40 side (step S100). If it is determined that the electric actuator 41 has not moved the lid member 30 to the closed position (a negative determination in step S100), no further processing is performed and this routine is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S100 that the electric actuator 41 has moved the lid member 30 to the closed position (i.e., if a positive determination is made in step S100), the controller 96 then determines in the determination unit 92 whether or not the sensor unit 91 has detected the lid closed position (step S101). If it is determined that the sensor unit 91 has detected the lid closed position (if a positive determination is made in step S101), no further processing is performed and the routine is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S101 that the sensor unit 91 has not detected the lid closed position (i.e., if a negative determination is made in step S101), the controller 96 performs an abnormality determination in the abnormality determination unit 93 (step S102). Then, the controller 96 issues a command in the command unit 94 to the notification unit 95 to notify the vehicle driver of the occurrence of an abnormality (step S103). In this case, the notification unit 95 issues an abnormality notification in accordance with the operation command from the command unit 94.

In this way, in the abnormality detection device 90, when the electric actuator 41 of the drive device 40 moves the lid member 30 to the closed position under the control of the control unit on the drive device 40 side, the sensor unit 91 determines whether or not the lid member 30 is in the closed position. If the lid is not in the closed position, an abnormality is determined, and the notification unit 95 notifies the vehicle driver of the abnormality.

In this configuration, when the electric actuator 41 has moved the lid member 30 to the closed position under the control of the control unit, but the lid member 30 is not in the closed position, it is possible to detect an abnormality in which the latch release handle 20 cannot interfere with the interference portion 34 of the lid member 30 and the prevention of unintended opening of the vehicle door 3 does not function. Then, the vehicle driver can be notified of the abnormality via the notification unit 95.

For example, when the lid member 30 cannot move to the closed position due to a malfunction of the electric actuator 41 or the driving rotating member 42, or when the interference portion 34 of the lid member 30 that may interfere with the latch release handle 20 is damaged and the latch release handle 20 and the lid member 30 cannot interfere with each other, the abnormality can be detected and the vehicle driver can be notified.

The abnormality detection device 90 can therefore detect when the function for preventing the unintentional opening of the vehicle door 3 is impaired and notify the vehicle driver, thereby encouraging the vehicle driver to replace or repair the components that make up the vehicle door handle device 1, thereby reducing the risk of failure due to deterioration of the vehicle door handle device 1 over time and improving the reliability of the mechanism for preventing unintentional opening of the vehicle door 3.

In the above embodiment, the interference portion 34 corresponds to the "control member" described in the claims, the latch position corresponds to the "reference position" described in the claims, and the latch release position corresponds to the "predetermined release position" described in the claims.

In the above embodiment, the first rack portion 45a and the second rack portion 45b are arranged in the lid member 30 with a mutual offset in the front-rear direction F/B, and the first pinion portion 46a and the second pinion portion 46b are arranged in the driving rotation member 42 with a mutual offset in the front-rear direction F/B. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and in a structure in which the lid member 30 can move between the closed position and the open position while the driving rotation member 42 rotates once, the first rack portion 45a and the second rack portion 45b may be arranged in the lid member 30 ...

In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the first rack portion 45a is disposed on the outside of the peripheral portion 32, the second rack portion 45b is disposed on the inside of the peripheral portion 32, and the second rack portion 45b is disposed closer to the blocking portion 31 than the first rack portion 45a. Also, the first pinion portion 46a is disposed on the outside of the driving rotation member 42 in the axial direction, and the second pinion portion 46b is disposed on the inside of the driving rotation member 42 in the axial direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the arrangement of the first rack portion 45a and the second rack portion 45b, and the arrangement of the first pinion portion 46a and the second pinion portion 46b may be reversed.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the interference portion 34 as a regulating member is provided on the lid member 30 and moves with the movement of the lid member 30. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, in a structure in which the lid member 30 can move between the closed position and the open position while the driving rotation member 42 rotates once, the interference portion 34 as a regulating member may be provided on a member other than the lid member 30, for example, the driving rotation member 42, to regulate the position of the latch release handle 20 when the lid member 30 is in the closed position.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and variations, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

1: Vehicle door handle device, 3: Vehicle door, 3a: Outer panel, 3d: Opening, 10: Base member, 13: Storage space, 14: Guide groove, 20: Latch release handle, 30: Lid member, 31: Closure portion, 32: Periphery portion, 33: Guide portion, 34: Interference portion, 40: Drive device, 41: Electric actuator, 42: Drive rotating member, 44: Conversion mechanism, 45: Rack portion, 45a: First rack portion, 45b: Second rack portion, 46: Pinion portion, 46a: First pinion portion, 46b: Second pinion portion, 50: Seal member, 90: Abnormality detection device, 91: Sensor portion, 92: Discrimination portion, 93: Abnormality determination portion, 94: Command portion, 95: Notification portion, 96: Controller.

Claims (6)

an unlatching handle that is disposed on an inner side of the vehicle door, is operable from an outer side of the vehicle door through an opening provided in the vehicle door, and unlatches the vehicle door when moved from a reference position side to a predetermined unlatching position;
a lid member capable of opening and closing the opening and moving between a closed position at which the opening is closed and an open position at which the opening is opened;
a drive device for moving the lid member between the closed position and the open position;
a restricting member that moves in association with the movement of the lid member and restricts the latch release handle from reaching the predetermined release position when the lid member is located at the closed position;
A device for detecting an abnormality in a vehicle door handle device, comprising:
a sensor unit that detects whether the regulating member is capable of regulating the reaching of the regulating member;
an abnormality determination unit that determines an abnormality when the sensor unit does not detect an abnormality in a state in which the drive device has moved the lid member to the closed position;
An abnormality detection device for a vehicle door handle device comprising: The restricting member is integrally provided with the lid member,
2. The abnormality detection device for a vehicle door handle device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor portion detects that the lid member is located at the closed position, thereby detecting that the restricting member is capable of restricting the reaching. the lid member has a closing portion that closes the opening, and a peripheral portion that extends outwardly from a peripheral edge of the closing portion in a plate shape,
3. The abnormality detection device for a vehicle door handle apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sensor portion is disposed at a position capable of detecting the peripheral edge portion when the lid member is located at the closed position. the vehicle door handle device has a guide mechanism that guides the lid member as it moves between the closed position and the open position,
The guide mechanism includes a guide portion provided on the lid member and a guide groove provided on the vehicle door into which the guide portion fits.
4. The abnormality detection device for a vehicle door handle apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sensor portion is disposed at a position where the sensor portion can detect the guide portion when the lid member is located at the closed position. The abnormality detection device for a vehicle door handle device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a notification unit that notifies a vehicle driver of an abnormality when the abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection unit. The abnormality detection device for a vehicle door handle device according to claim 5, wherein the notification unit has a warning light that emits light in the instrument panel of the vehicle.

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