JP2003221948A - Door outside handle device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a door outside handle device for a vehicle, which is excellent in resistance to discharge breakdown. <P>SOLUTION: The door outside handle device for the vehicle is provided with a capacitance-operated sensor 2 for detecting approach to or contact with a handle 1. A detecting electrode 3 of the capacitance-operated sensor 2 and a capacity detecting circuit for detecting the capacity of the detecting electrode 3 are installed in an installing substrate 4, and the entire body of the installing substrate 4 is covered with a synthetic resin. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle door outside handle device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In constructing a keyless entry system, as a conventional example in which a communication antenna is arranged in an outside handle device which is an element exposed from the vehicle body,
For example, the one described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-520337 is known. In this conventional example, an antenna is housed inside the handle, and a change in capacitance due to insertion of a hand into the gap formed between the antenna or the conductive plated cover of the handle and the vehicle body is detected. To shift the antenna to the communication state.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, there is a problem that electrostatic discharge may occur in the capacitance detection circuit or the like if discharge occurs between the electrode and the hand during the drying period. .

The present invention has been made to solve the above drawbacks, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle door outside handle device having high resistance to discharge breakdown.

[0005]

According to the present invention, the above-mentioned object is a vehicle door outside handle device provided with a capacitance sensor 2 for detecting an approach to or a contact with a handle 1. The detection electrode 3 of the capacitance sensor 2,
This is accomplished by providing a vehicle door outside handle device in which the entire mounting substrate 4 on which a capacitance detection circuit that detects the capacitance of the detection electrode 3 is mounted is covered with a synthetic resin material.

The handle device is provided with a capacitance sensor 2 for detecting the approach or contact of a human body. When the capacitance sensor 2 detects a human body, for example, a communication antenna 8 arranged at an appropriate location of a vehicle is communicated with. The state is changed, and the mobile communication device owned by the driver is communicated with to unlock the device. Even if a discharge phenomenon occurs when a human body comes into contact with or comes close to the handle 1 of the handle device, the entire capacitance sensor 2 is seamlessly covered with the synthetic resin material that is an insulating material. The discharge current will not be guided to the capacitance detection circuit to electrostatically damage the element.

In the capacitance sensor 2, the detection electrode 3 can be insert-molded in the synthetic resin case 6,
In this case, the mounting board 4 on which the capacitance detection circuit is mounted
After being housed in the substrate housing portion 5 formed in the synthetic resin case 6 in contact with the detection electrode 3, the potting resin 7 is filled and sealed.

[0008] Further, if the antenna 8 which is in a communication state when the approach and contact of the human body by the capacitance sensor 2 is detected is insert-molded together with the capacitance sensor 2 in the synthetic resin case 6, the whole is integrated. To be a handle 1
Assembling workability to

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. The outside handle device is used for the vehicle door panel 9
It is formed by attaching the handle 1 to the handle base 10 fixed to the. By rotating the handle 1 around the pivot 10a with the handle base 10, the operation unit 1 is connected to a door lock device (not shown) arranged inside the door.
1 is operated and the door lock device is released.

An auxiliary lock 12 and a lock switch 13 which can be operated by a key plate are arranged on the handle base 10. By operating the auxiliary lock 12, the door lock device is locked and unlocked, and when the lock switch 13 is pushed, the door lock is locked. The device can be locked.

FIG. 2 shows the handle 1 of the handle device.
The handle 1 has a connecting portion 1a to the handle base 10 at one end and is formed to be long in the vehicle front-rear direction (vehicle length direction), and has a handle body 1b made of a synthetic resin including the connecting portion 1a. A recessed groove that opens toward the door panel is provided in almost the entire region of the handle body 1b except the connecting portion 1a, and the sensor unit 14 including the antenna 8 and the capacitance sensor 2 is housed in the recessed groove. Then screw 1
It is closed by a synthetic resin cover 15 fixed to the handle body 1b by 6.

As shown in FIG. 3, the sensor unit 14 includes an antenna 8 in which a conductive wire 8b is wound around a core 8a made of a ferromagnetic material such as ferrite or ceramic, and a detection electrode 3 made of a conductive metal material such as stainless steel. The capacitance sensor 2 detects a change in capacitance detected by the capacitance detection circuit. The detection electrode 3 and the antenna 8 are set in a molding die and then integrated by a molding resin filled in the die. In the molding state, the antenna 8 and the detection electrode 3 cover the entire range. It is covered with a case 6 made of synthetic resin.

Further, when integrally molding with a molding resin, the substrate accommodating portion 5 is provided in the molding portion (case 6).
Is formed, and the mounting substrate 4 is accommodated in the substrate accommodating portion 5. The mounting substrate 4 is electrically connected to the detection electrode 3 and the like via the antenna 8 exposed on the inner wall of the substrate housing portion 5 at the time of molding, and the lead portion 17 to the detection electrode 3, and the lead portion 17 of the antenna 8 is It is connected to the external connection line 18 by a pattern wiring or the like formed on the mounting substrate 4. Figure 3
As shown in (b), the molded portion 6 has a cable lead-out portion 6a in which the wall surface of the substrate housing portion 5 is cut out.
Is formed. Further, an electrostatic capacitance detection circuit is mounted on the mounting substrate 4, and the lead portion 17 of the detection electrode 3 is connected to the input terminal of the electrostatic capacitance detection circuit and the external connection line 18 connected to the output terminal side. Via the sensor unit 14
It is pulled out.

The mounting substrate 4 accommodated in the substrate accommodating portion 5 as described above is sealed by the potting resin 7 or the like filled in the substrate accommodating portion 5 to prevent water droplets and dust from adhering to the pattern and the like. To be done.

When a human body approaches the handle 1 with the sensor unit 14 incorporated in the handle 1 or a hand touches the handle 1 to open the door, the capacitance of the detection electrode 3 is not changed. It is detected by the capacitance detection circuit and input to the control unit. Upon receipt of the detection signal, the control unit drives the communication circuit and emits a communication radio wave from the antenna 8 to communicate with the mobile terminal device on the driver side, and it is confirmed that the IDs of the mobile terminal devices match. And unlock the locking device. Even if a large force is applied to the handle 1 at the time of opening the door, the antenna 8 covered by the synthetic resin connecting portion is not excessively stressed, so that the core 8a such as ferrite is damaged. There is nothing to do. Further, when the driver goes out of the vehicle and presses the lock switch 13 arranged on the handle 1 case, the lock device shifts to a locked state.

Therefore, in this embodiment, by simply incorporating the sensor unit 14 in the handle body 1b,
The handle device can be used as a component of the keyless entry system. Further, even when the handle 1 is operated during the dry period and discharge is made by bringing the hand close to the handle 1, since the discharge current does not flow to the detection electrode 3, the circuit element of the capacitance detection circuit is kept static. There is no electric breakdown.

FIG. 4 shows a modification of FIG. In the following description, constituent elements that are substantially the same as those in the above-described embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals in the drawings and will not be described.

First, in the sensor unit 14 according to the modified example shown in FIG. 4A, only the capacitance sensor 2 is made of the synthetic resin case 6 so that the antenna 8 can be freely arranged at an appropriate place of the vehicle. It is formed by encapsulating inside, and is shown in FIG.
The modified example shown in (b) is a capacitance type touch sensor 19
The case where is integrally molded in the synthetic resin case 6 is shown. The detection electrode 19a of the touch sensor 19 is sealed in the synthetic resin case 6, and the electrostatic capacitance detection circuit of the touch sensor 19 is a mounting board on which the electrostatic capacitance detection circuit of the electrostatic capacitance sensor 2 is mounted. 4 is implemented.

FIG. 5 shows a modified example in which the antenna 8 and the capacitance sensor 2 are held and integrated in a cylindrical synthetic resin case 6 which is previously formed by injection molding or the like. In these modifications, the antenna 8 is provided with a holder 8c at the base end, and the capacitance sensor 2 is used in a state in which the capacitance detection circuit is sealed in the package 2a.

In the modification shown in FIG. 5A, the antenna 8 is entirely inserted into the case 6 with the holder 8c positioned on the opening end side, and the capacitance sensor 2 uses the package 2a as the antenna. The lead wire 20 that is housed in the case 6 by being superposed on the holder 8c of No. 8 and that is drawn out from the package 2a and the holder 8c is collectively drawn out to the outside of the case 6, and then the filling resin material 21 is filled and solidified.

The modification shown in FIG. 5 (b) shows a case where the lock switch 13 is mounted on the sensor unit 14, and the lock switch 13 is inside the switch accommodating portion 6b formed in advance in the case 6. It is fixed using adhesive or the like.

Further, the modification shown in FIG. 5C shows a case where a capacitance type touch sensor 19 is used as the lock switch. As shown in this figure, touch sensor 1
9 and the circuit part of the capacitance sensor 2 are the same package 2a
If it is sealed in, manufacturing becomes easy.

[0023]

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the electrostatic capacitance sensor is entirely covered with the synthetic resin material, so that electrostatic breakdown of the circuit can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall view showing the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a handle.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a sensor unit, (a) is a sectional view,
(B) is a perspective view showing the vicinity of the substrate housing portion.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the sensor unit.

5 is a cross-sectional view showing another modified example of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 handle 2 Capacitance sensor 3 detection electrodes 4 mounting board 5 Substrate housing 6 Synthetic resin case 7 potting resin 8 antenna

Continued front page    (72) Inventor Kenji Mizushima             1-6-8 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa               Alpha Technical Center Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle door outside handle device including a capacitance sensor for detecting approach or contact with a steering wheel, comprising: a detection electrode of the capacitance sensor; and a capacitance of the detection electrode. An outside door handle device for a vehicle in which the entire mounting board on which a capacitance detection circuit for detecting is mounted is covered with a synthetic resin material. 2. The detection electrode of the capacitance sensor is integrally molded at the time of molding a synthetic resin case having a substrate housing portion, and the mounting substrate is housed in the substrate housing portion and sealed with potting resin. The vehicle door outside handle device according to claim 1. 3. The vehicle door outside according to claim 2, wherein an antenna which is in a communication state when the approach and the contact of the human body are detected by the capacitance sensor is integrally formed when the synthetic resin case is molded. Handle device.