Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Handle – handle component – or handle adjunct – Extensible handle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-12
2001-05-01
Mah, Chuck Y. (Department: 3626)
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Handle, handle component, or handle adjunct
Extensible handle
C016S445000, C016S438000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223395
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a retractable assist grip for a car body, which is retracted from its use position to its retracted position when it is not in use, and particularly relates to pivotal type one which is retractable so as to be swung to its retracted position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
There is known a conventional retractable assist grip of such kind, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Gazette No. 9-263166. In this case, respective pairs of extensions are provided on each leg of a U-shaped grip body and each corresponding part of a car body, and one pair of extensions, extending from one of the legs of the grip body or the corresponding part of the car body, are interposed between the other pair of extensions. In addition, coaxial holes are formed over the two pairs of extensions, and a damper, which is formed of an outer cylinder and an inner pin inserted into the outer cylinder and in which a high-viscosity viscidity is encapsulated, is inserted into the coaxial holes. And, the outer cylinder and the inner pin of the damper are fixed to the two pairs of extensions, one located on the grip body side and the other located on the car body side, respectively. Thus, when the grip body is swung from use to retracted position, it is urged against the swing motion by the viscosity of the viscidity in the damper thereby reducing its swinging speed.
When the swing motion of the grip body toward the retracted position is slowed down in the above manner, the grip body slowly moves from use to retracted position. Therefore, it is prevented that the grip body immediately moves to the retracted position and hits the car body hard to cause a beating sound. This provides a desired upscale image to the assist grip.
As another example of conventional pivotal type retractable assist grips, there is known an assist grip in which one leg of the grip body is supported to a bearing member through a support pin, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Gazette No. 5-96982. In this assist grip, the support pin is contacted with a frictional brake made of viscoelastic resin material. When the grip body is swung from use to retracted position, it is given sliding resistance by the frictional brake thereby reducing its swinging speed.
The former conventional example (Japanese patent Application Laid-Open Gazette No. 9-263166) can provide improved quality appearance and durability. However, in this example, since the damper formed of the outer cylinder and the inner pin is fitted as a pin into holes through the pairs of extensions of the grip body and the car body, the number of components forming the damper mechanism becomes increased, which invites a rise in cost.
On the other hand, in the latter conventional example (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Gazette No. 8-96982), it is necessary to provide, in the bearing member, a frictional brake for contacting the support pin therewith. This increases the number of components for the damping mechanism. In addition, since the swing motion of the grip body is damped by sliding resistance, this makes it difficult to give an upscale image to the swing motion and may cause a drop in durability due to friction.
An object of the present invention is to improve a damper mechanism of a pivotal type retractable assist grip that uses a damper in which a high-viscosity viscidity is encapsulated, and more specifically not only to slow down the swing motion of the assist grip to its retracted position by an excellent damping effect of the damper in which the viscidity is encapsulated but also to reduce the number of components of the assist grip thereby resulting in cost reduction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the above object, in the present invention, an assist grip is configured such that a damper, in which the above-mentioned high-viscosity viscidity is encapsulated, is incorporated together with the grip body and a mount.
Specifically, the present invention is directed to a retractable assist grip including: a mount fixed to a fixed body such as a car body; a grip body pivotally mounted for swing motion at a leg thereof onto the mount; and urging means for urging the grip body into swing motion from its use position to its retracted position.
Further, the mount includes a fulcrum pin extended integrally from one side thereof, a recess formed coaxially with the fulcrum pin on the opposite side of the mount, and a loose-fit pin extended integrally from the inner bottom toward the opening of the recess and coaxially with the fulcrum pin. Furthermore, the leg of the grip body is formed with a pin support journaled on the fulcrum pin. In addition, the leg of the grip body is assembled against relative rotation with a spacer rotatably inserted into the recess of the mount and including a pin loose-fitting part for loosely receiving the loose-fit pin therein, and a viscidity is provided between the outer periphery of the spacer and the inner periphery of the recess of the mount.
With this arrangement, when the grip body swings with respect to the mount, the pin support in the leg of the grip body rotates about the fulcrum pin of the mount and the spacer assembled against relative rotation with the leg of the grip body rotates about the loose-fit pin within the recess of the mount. Since the viscidity is provided between the inner periphery of the recess of the mount and the outer periphery of the spacer, a damper is formed by the mount and the spacer fitted on the grip body side. The viscosity of the viscidity in the damper produces resistance against the rotation of the spacer, so that the grip body can swing slowly. This provides an upscale image to the swing motion.
Further, since the grip body is supported to the mount such that the pin support of the leg of the grip body is journaled on the fulcrum pin of the mount and the spacer fitted on the grip body side is inserted into the recess of the mount, the assist grip can be built up form the urging means, the grip body, the mount and the spacer only. Accordingly, the number of components of the assist grip is reduced than that of the conventional one, which achieves cost reduction. In addition, since the damper is accommodated in the grip body, the appearance of the assist grip can be improved.
The viscidity is preferably also provided between the inner periphery of the pin loose-fitting part of the spacer and the outer periphery of the loose-fit pin of the mount. In this case, when the grip body swings with respect to the mount, resistance against the swing motion produces not only by the viscosity of the viscidity between the inner periphery of the recess of the mount and the outer periphery of the spacer but also by the viscosity of the viscidity between the inner periphery of the pin-loose-fitting part of the spacer and the outer periphery of the loose-fit pin. The increase in resistance against the swing motion resulting from the viscidity of both the parts further increases the damping effect. In addition, since the parts for giving resistance against the swing motion by the viscidity are disposed in two layers around the rotational axis, the axial length of the damper can be shortened correspondingly.
Alternatively, a retractable assist grip of the present invention may be arranged as follows: In the retractable assist grip directed in the above manner, the mount is formed of first and second mounts; a leg of the grip body is assembled into unitary rotation with a fulcrum pin supported to the first mount; the grip body is formed with a spacer fitting part formed of a concavity coaxial with the fulcrum pin, the fulcrum pin extending inside the spacer fitting part toward the opening thereof; the second mount includes a spacer part rotatably fitted into the spacer fitting part and provided with a recess for loosely receiving the fulcrum pin extending inside the spacer fitting part therein; and a viscidity is provided at least between the outer periphery of the spacer part of the second mount and the inner periphery of the sp
Miho Sugumune
Noda Hozumi
Mah Chuck Y.
Nishikawa Kasel Co., Ltd.
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Robinson Eric J.
LandOfFree
Retractable assist grip does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Retractable assist grip, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Retractable assist grip will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2473341