External door handle, in particular for vehicles

US8248205B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH & Co. KG · DE

Inventors

• Mirko Schindler · Velbert, DE
• Helmut Schumacher · Coesfeld, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 21, 2004
• Grant date: Aug 21, 2012
• Expiry date: Oct 27, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T292/85
• WIPO field: Civil engineering
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

The invention relates to an external door handle consisting of a support (10), which is fixed to a door (11) and on which a handle (20) is mounted. In an unlocked position the handle acts on a lock and is inactive in the locked position of said lock. A capacitive sensor is provided to trigger the control of the lock, said sensor comprising an external electrode that is equipped with a sensor surface (37) and is located in the outer region of the door handle. To provide a wide range of configuration options for the location of the sensor surfaces, at least two additional internal electrodes are provided in the inner region of the external door handle, in addition to the sensor surface (37), said electrodes having active surfaces in the form of a transmission surface (36) and an excitation surface (35). An electric switching matrix (50.1), which is connected in series to the field of the sensor surface (37) that is active in the outer region of the external door handle, is generated between the two internal electrodes.