Device for detecting a user's intention to lock or unlock a motor vehicle door

A device (D′) for a motor vehicle door handle for detecting a user's intention to lock or unlock a motor vehicle door, comprising:

• a casing (B′), configured to be fitted in an interior of the door handle, the casing having a cover element and a bottom element beneath the cover element;
• and
• a contact detection element (100) provided inside said casing,
• wherein the cover element comprises an elastically deformable first part that is elastically deformable along a predetermined axis (Y-Y′), the first part including an area (50) that contacts an interior surface of the door handle (10),
• wherein the contact detection element (100) includes
• a non-magnetic metal target (40), beneath the elastically deformable first part and adapted to move along the predetermined axis (Y-Y′) responsive to a deformation of said elastically deformable first part,
• a coil (20), beneath the non-magnetic metal target, and connected to a capacitance (C1) so as to form with said capacitance (C1) an oscillating circuit having a natural resonance frequency,
• a prestressed compressible element (30), located between the non-magnetic metal target (40) and the coil (20),
• means (M1) for adjusting the frequency of the oscillating circuit to a predetermined frequency, means (51) for transmitting a movement of the first part (52) of the casing (B′) to the nonmagnetic metal target (40),
• means (M2) for measuring an inductance (L) of the coil (20),
• means (M3) for comparison between the measured inductance (L) and a predetermined threshold value of inductance (Ls), for detecting the user's intention to lock or unlock the door, and
• means (60′) for controlling the adjustment means (M1), the measurement means (M2) and the comparison means (M3).

A door handle (10) for a door of a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a top portion and a bottom portion, enclosing an interior space;
• and
• a user detection device that detects a user's intention to lock or unlock the door of the motor vehicle, positioned beneath a surface of the top portion and above a surface of the bottom portion,
• wherein the user detection device includes
• a casing (B′) inside the interior of the door handle, the casing having a cover element and a bottom element beneath the cover element, and
• a contact detection element (100) provided inside said casing,
• the cover element including an elastically deformable first part that is elastically deformable along a predetermined axis (Y-Y′), the first part including an area (50) that contacts an interior surface of the top portion of the door handle (10),
• and wherein the contact detection element (100) includes
• a non-magnetic metal target (40), beneath the elastically deformable first part and adapted to move along the predetermined axis (Y-Y′) responsive to a deformation of said elastically deformable first part,
• a coil (20), beneath the non-magnetic metal target, and connected to a capacitance (C1) so as to form with said capacitance (C1) an oscillating circuit having a natural resonance frequency,
• a prestressed compressible element (30), located between the non-magnetic metal target (40) and the coil (20),
• means (M1) for adjusting the frequency of the oscillating circuit to a predetermined frequency, means (51) for transmitting a movement of the first part (52) of the casing (B′) to the nonmagnetic metal target (40),
• means (M2) for measuring an inductance (L) of the coil (20),
• means (M3) for comparison between the measured inductance (L) and a predetermined threshold value of inductance (Ls), for detecting the user's intention to lock or unlock the door, and
• means (60′) for controlling the adjustment means (M1), the measurement means (M2) and the comparison means (M3).