Closure fasteners – Operators with knobs or handles
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-04
2001-06-05
Estremsky, Gary W. (Department: 3627)
Closure fasteners
Operators with knobs or handles
C292SDIG002, C292SDIG006, C292S251500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241294
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to door handle assemblies and, more particularly, to door handle assemblies for controlling the latch mechanism on vehicle doors.
Vehicle doors typically include a latch mechanism for latching and unlatching the door to the vehicle body, a handle assembly positioned on the door and operative to control the latch mechanism, and a lock mechanism to selectively render the handle assembly effective or ineffective to operate the latch. It is imperative that side impact against the vehicle, resulting for example from a collision, not result in the inadvertent movement of the handle of the handle assembly to a latch release position with consequent movement of the latch to an unlatched position and consequent inadvertent opening of the door. This in general is not a problem when the door is locked since in this case the door handle is either precluded from movement by the lock mechanism or the door handle is allowed to freewheel to its unlatched position but this movement is ineffective to move the latch to its unlatched position. However, when the door is unlocked, as is most typically the case in a moving vehicle, side impact can easily result in inertial movement of the door handle to its unlatched position with consequent unlatching of the latch mechanism, consequent opening of the door, and consequent discharge of unbuckled vehicle passengers from the vehicle.
Various attempts have heretofore been made to address the side impact problem and specifically to avoid inadvertent opening of the vehicle door in a side impact situation. In the most commonly employed arrangement, a heavy duty spring is employed in association with the door handle. The spring may be sized, for example, to preclude movement of the door handle to its open position in crash situations involving up to 30 G's of impact force. Whereas this arrangement satisfies the existing Federal motor vehicle safety standards with respect to side impact, it also results in a door handle that is very difficult to open because of the heavy duty spring employed in association with the door handle. This arrangement has the further disadvantage that the magnitude of the side impact force that the door handle assembly can withstand without inadvertent opening of the door is limited by the strength of the spring associated with the door handle so that, for example, if the door handle spring is sized to resist a 30 G impact force, any side impact force in excess of 30 G will result in opening of the door.
Various other arrangements have been proposed wherein inertial movement of a component of the door handle assembly upon impact has the effect of blocking the opening or unlatching movement of the door handle assembly. However, these inertial devices are complicated and expensive in construction, and require close manufacturing tolerances to ensure successful, consistent operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to the provision of an improved door handle assembly for use with a vehicular door.
More specifically, this invention is directed to the provision of a vehicle door handle assembly that operates to preclude inadvertent opening of the door in the event of a side impact against the vehicle.
Yet more specifically, this invention is directed to a vehicle door handle assembly employing electromagnetic means to preclude inadvertent opening of the door in a collision scenario.
The invention is intended for use with a motor vehicle assembly comprising a door handle assembly for mounting on a door of the vehicle and moveable between latched and unlatched positions; a latch assembly moveable between latched and unlatched positions to releasably secure the door to a vehicle body structure; means operative in response to movement of the handle assembly from its latched to its unlatched position to move the latch member from its latched to its unlatched position whereby to release the door from the vehicle body and allow opening movement of the door; and means operative in response to a vehicle impact to instantaneously preclude movement of the handle to its unlatched position and thereby preclude inadvertent opening of the door in an accident scenario.
According to the invention, the precluding means comprises an electrical circuit, an impact sensor operative to make or break the electrical circuit in response to a sensed vehicle impact, and an electromagnetic device in the vehicle circuit operative in response to making or breaking of the circuit to preclude movement of a door handle assembly to its unlatched position. This arrangement provides an inexpensive and positive preclusion of inadvertent door handle unlatching movement in a collision scenario.
According to further feature of the invention, the electromagnetic device forms a part of the door handle assembly. This arrangement enables the provision of an inexpensive, compact blocking mechanism and greatly facilitates quality control.
According to further feature of the invention, the door handle assembly includes a handle and a housing mounting the handle for pivotal movement between latched and unlatched positions and the electromagnetic device is mounted on the housing and precludes pivotal movement of the handle on the housing to its unlatched position. This specific handle assembly construction provides a simple, effective, and compact arrangement for precluding inadvertent handle opening movement.
According to further feature of the invention, the handle includes a main body actuator portion for grasping by an operator and arm portion extending from the actuator portion and passing rearwardly through an aperture in the housing to position a section of the arm portion rearwardly of the housing, and the electromagnetic device is mounted on a rear face of the housing proximate the arm portion section. This arrangement provides a compact and inexpensive package suitable for placement within the narrow confines of a motor vehicle.
In one embodiment of the invention, the electromagnetic device comprises a solenoid having a plunger movable to a position blocking movement of the handle to its unlatched position. This element is preferably a push solenoid wherein the plunger is normally spring biased to a retracted position and moves to an extended blocking position in response to energization of the solenoid.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the electromagnetic device comprises an electromagnet secured to a rear face of the housing and coacting with an armature carried by the arm portion section of the handle.
Other objects, advantages and applications of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description of the best modes contemplated for practicing the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Dmytrow James
Young Richard T.
Adac Plastics Inc.
Estremsky Gary W.
Young & Basile P.C.
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