IP Library Granted Patent US 11,643,857
Granted Patent B2
US 11,643,857 · App. 17/414,474 · Granted May 9, 2023

Vehicle door for a motor vehicle

Inventors: Tobias Konrad (Böblingen, DE); Martin Lindmayer (Sulz, DE)
Assignee: MERCEDES-BENZ GROUP AG
E05B85/107E05B81/20E05F15/53E05F15/611
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,643,857
App. No.
17/414,474
Granted
May 9, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A motor vehicle door includes a door handle unit fixed on the inside on the door edge opposite a door hinge. The door handle unit is motorically pivotable between a folded-in and a folded-out position. In the folded-in position when the vehicle door is closed the door handle unit is arranged behind the vehicle door. In the folded-out position, the door handle unit protrudes laterally outwards by surrounding the door edge and is grippable to open the door. A door mover unit is configured to move the vehicle door in a closed state out of a closed position into a stand-by position, in which the door handle unit can be moved from the folded-in position into the folded-out position. A control unit has a signal input which, upon obtaining the opening signal, controls the door mover unit to move into the stand-by position and controls the door handle unit to pivot into the folded-out position.

Claims (19)

1. A vehicle door for a motor vehicle, the vehicle door comprising:

a door handle unit fixed on an inside on a door edge of the vehicle door opposite a door hinge, wherein the door handle unit is motorically pivotable between a folded-in and a folded-out position, wherein the door handle unit, in the folded-in position when the vehicle door is closed, is arranged behind the vehicle door and, in the folded-out position, the door handle unit protrudes laterally outwards by surrounding the door edge and the door handle unit is grippable to manually open the door;

a door mover unit configured to move the vehicle door in a closed state out of a closed position into a stand-by position in which the door handle unit is moveable from the folded-in position into the folded-out position, wherein the door mover unit has a push rod that is laterally movable with respect to the vehicle, and wherein the door mover unit comprises a threaded drive or a gear rack drive coupled to the push rod, and wherein the door mover unit is fixed on the vehicle chassis and is supported on the vehicle door; and

a control unit having a signal input, wherein the control unit is configured, upon obtaining an opening signal, to control the door mover unit to move into the stand-by position and to control the door handle unit to pivot into the folded-out position,

wherein the door handle unit has a shape adhering to a shape of the vehicle door in a region of a rear edge of the vehicle door and contact an elastic material layer on the rear edge of the vehicle door.

2. The vehicle door of claim 1 , wherein the door mover unit is configured to move back into the closed position after a manual opening movement, departing from the stand-by position, of the vehicle door.

3. The vehicle door of claim 1 , wherein upon obtaining a closing signal, the control unit is configured to control the door handle unit to pivot into the folded-in position and is configured to control the door mover unit to move the vehicle door into the closed position.

4. A method for operating a vehicle door, the method comprising:

providing an opening signal via a manually actuatable switching element or a radio signal;

unlocking a door lock of the vehicle door responsive to the opening signal;

actuating a door mover unit to move the vehicle door out of a closed position into a stand-by position, wherein the door mover unit has a push rod that is laterally movable with respect to the vehicle, and wherein the door mover unit comprises a threaded drive or a gear rack drive coupled to the push rod, and wherein the door mover unit is fixed on the vehicle chassis and is supported on the vehicle door;

actuating a door handle unit in to pivot the door handle unit out of a folded-in position into a folded-out position, wherein the actuation of the door handle unit occurs after the vehicle door has moved a predetermined distance that provides a gap between the vehicle door and a chassis part that is adjacent to the vehicle door, and wherein the gap is large enough so that the door handle unit is pivotable out of the folded-in position into the folded-out position without abutting the chassis part,

wherein the door handle unit has a shape adhering to a shape of the vehicle door in a region of a rear edge of the vehicle door and contact an elastic material layer on the rear edge of the vehicle door.

5. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle door, wherein the vehicle door comprises

a door handle unit fixed on an inside on a door edge of the vehicle door opposite a door hinge, wherein the door handle unit is motorically pivotable between a folded-in and a folded-out position, wherein the door handle unit, in the folded-in position when the vehicle door is closed, is arranged behind the vehicle door and, in the folded-out position, the door handle unit protrudes laterally outwards by surrounding the door edge and the door handle unit is grippable to manually open the door;

a door mover unit configured to move the vehicle door in a closed state out of a closed position into a stand-by position in which the door handle unit is moveable from the folded-in position into the folded-out position, wherein the door mover unit has a push rod that is laterally movable with respect to the vehicle, and wherein the door mover unit comprises a threaded drive or a gear rack drive coupled to the push rod, and wherein the door mover unit is fixed on the vehicle chassis and is supported on the vehicle door; and

a control unit having a signal input, wherein the control unit is configured, upon obtaining an opening signal, to control the door mover unit to move into the stand-by position and to control the door handle unit to pivot into the folded-out position,

wherein the door handle unit has a shape adhering to a shape of the vehicle door in a region of a rear edge of the vehicle door and contact an elastic material layer on the rear edge of the vehicle door.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 29, 2025
From: DAIMLER AG
To: MERCEDES BENZ GROUP AG
Reel/Frame 072886/0467 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2021
From: KONRAD, TOBIAS; LINDMAYER, MARTIN
To: DAIMLER AG
Reel/Frame 056562/0295 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2018 010 026.0 · Dec 19, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220074245A1 · Mar 10, 2022