Adaptive door handles
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorUmesh N. Gandhi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A force adjustment system that inhibits door handle actuation is provided. The force adjustment system includes a sensor configured to provide a signal in response to an input. An energy source is configured to provide an output in response to the signal. A force adjustment component is configured to be linked to a door handle assembly. The force adjustment component comprises a material having a property that is changed in response to the output provided by the energy source to change a force applied to a handle of the door handle assembly.
Claims20
A force adjustment system that inhibits door handle actuation, the force adjustment system comprising:
- a sensor that detects vehicle acceleration and provides a signal in response to the vehicle acceleration;
- an energy source that provides an output in response to the signal;
- and
- a force adjustment component linked to a door handle assembly, the force adjustment component comprising a material having a property that is changed in response to the output provided by the energy source to change a force applied to the door handle assembly to maintain the door handle assembly in a closed configuration, wherein the force adjustment component has a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein the force adjustment component transitions from the first configuration to the second configuration in response to the output provided by the energy source, and wherein the force adjustment component inhibits door handle actuation in the second configuration.
A door handle assembly, comprising:
- a door handle having an open position and a closed position;
- and
- a force adjustment system comprising:
- a sensor that detects vehicle acceleration and provides a signal in response to the vehicle acceleration;
- an energy source that provides an output in response to the signal;
- and
- a force adjustment component linked to the door handle, the force adjustment component comprising a material having a property that is changed in response to the output provided by the energy source to change a force applied to the door handle to maintain the door handle in the closed position, wherein the force adjustment component has a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein the force adjustment component transitions from the first configuration to the second configuration in response to the output provided by the energy source, and wherein the force adjustment component inhibits door handle actuation in the second configuration.
A door, comprising:
- a door handle assembly having an open position and a closed position;
- and
- a force adjustment system connected to the door handle assembly, the force adjustment system comprising:
- a sensor that detects vehicle acceleration and provides a signal in response to the vehicle acceleration;
- an energy source that provides an output in response to the signal;
- and
- a force adjustment component linked to the door handle assembly, the force adjustment component comprising a material having a property that is changed in response to the output provided by the energy source to impede movement of the door handle assembly from a closed position to an open position, wherein the force adjustment component has a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein the force adjustment component transitions from the first configuration to the second configuration in response to the output provided by the energy source, and wherein the force adjustment component impede movements of the door handle assembly from the closed position to the open position in the second configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.