Closure fasteners – Operators with knobs or handles
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-08
2001-07-24
Estremsky, Gary (Department: 3627)
Closure fasteners
Operators with knobs or handles
C292S348000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264257
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to motor vehicle door handle assemblies and, more particularly, to a simplified assembly providing both inside and outside door handle assembly functions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Motor vehicle door assemblies typically include an outside door handle assembly, an outside door handle linkage for connecting the outside door handle to the door latch, an inside door handle, and an inside door handle linkage for connecting the inside door handle to the door latch. Whereas this basic arrangement is satisfactory in providing opening of the door from either inside or outside of the door, the total door handle assembly tends to be rather complex and rather expensive both from a materials standpoint and a labor/assembly standpoint.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to the provision of improved motor vehicle door handle assembly.
More particularly, this invention is directed to the provision of a motor vehicle door handle assembly wherein the outside door handle assembly and the inside door handle assembly share common elements to simplify the construction and operation of the overall assembly and reduce the overall materials and labor cost of the assembly.
The invention is directed to a motor vehicle door handle assembly comprising an outside door handle, an outside door handle linkage for connecting the outside door handle to a door latch, an inside door handle, and an inside door handle linkage for connecting the inside door handle to the door latch.
According to the invention, the outside and inside door handle linkages share a common spring element which is interposed in each linkage and acts to yieldably resist opening movement of the inside and outside door handles and provide a spring biased return movement of the inside and outside door handles upon release of the handles. This arrangement simplifies the overall construction of the total door handle assembly without any sacrifice in the performance of either the inside or the outside door handle assembly.
According to a further feature of the invention, the outside and inside door handle linkages further share a common damper mechanism which is interposed in each linkage and acts to cushion the spring biased return movement of the door handles. With this arrangement, a single damper mechanism acts to provide a soft, cushioned return of either the outside or the inside door handle to its rest position upon release of the handle.
According to a further feature of the invention, the assembly further includes a lost motion means allowing movement of either door handle to an open position without corresponding opening movement of the other door handle. This arrangement allows the utilization of shared componentry as between the inside and outside door handle assemblies without causing interference between the operation of the inside and outside door handles.
According to a further feature of the invention, the outside door handle linkage and the inside door handle linkage further share a common latch actuator element positioned at a location remote from the latch and a common linkage element for interconnecting the latch actuator element and the latch; and the common latch actuator element is moved to actuate the common linkage element and thereby actuate the latch in response to opening movement of either the outside door handle or the inside door handle. This arrangement further simplifies the overall construction of the total door handle assembly without sacrifice of handle performance.
According to a further feature of the invention, the common spring element resiliently resists movement of the common latch actuator element in an unlatching direction in response to opening movement of the outside door handle or the inside door handle and returns the common latch actuator to a rest position upon release of the actuated handle. This common spring arrangement further simplifies and reduces the cost of the total door handle assembly.
According to a further feature of the invention, the common latch actuator element comprises a latch lever mounted for pivotal movement about a fixed axis; the common spring element comprises a coil spring centered on the axis and resisting movement of the latch lever in an unlatching direction; and the assembly further includes a common damper mechanism including a housing containing a viscous fluid and a vane movable in the housing against the resistance of the viscous fluid in response to pivotal movement of the latch lever. This arrangement allows the common latch lever to actuate the latch, mount the spring, and drive the damper mechanism.
According to a further feature of the invention, the common damper mechanism further includes a gear driving the vane and the latch lever includes gear teeth formed on the lever concentric with the axis and driving the gear. This arrangement provides a simple means of actuating the damper utilizing the pivotal movement of the latch lever.
According to a further feature of the invention, the outside door handle linkage includes an outside linkage lever pivotally mounted at one end thereof proximate the remote location for pivotal movement about a fixed axis and operatively connected proximate a free end thereof to the outside door handle; the latch lever is pivotally mounted at one end thereof on the axis and is operatively connected to the inside door handle and to the shared common linkage element; and the lost motion means includes a first lost motion connection between the one ends of the levers operative to allow relative pivotal movement between the levers. This arrangement provides a simple means of driving the latch lever either from the outside door handle or from the inside door handle.
According to a further feature of the invention, the first lost motion connection provides a driving connection between the levers in response to opening movement of the outside door handle and allows relative movement between the levers in response to opening movement of the inside door handle so as not to disturb the outside door handle.
According to a further feature of the invention, the lost motion means further includes a second lost motion connection between the latch lever and the inside door handle whereby pivoting of the latch lever in response to opening movement of the outside door handle does not disturb the inside door handle.
According to a further feature of the invention, the inside door handle linkage includes a linkage element; the second lost motion connection comprises a mounting structure on the latch lever remote from the pivot axis slidably receiving one end of the inside door handle linkage element; and the one end of the inside door handle linkage element is headed so as to allow unlatching movement of the latch lever in response to opening movement of the inside door handle while not disturbing the inside door handle in response to unlatching movement of the latch lever in response to opening movement of the outside door handle.
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Adac Plastics Inc.
Estremsky Gary
Young & Basile
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