Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Elements
Reexamination Certificate
2003-05-30
2004-03-02
Luong, Vinh T. (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Elements
C074S543000, C074S523000, C074S557000, C074S548000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06698310
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sleeve for a vehicle handbrake lever, and more particularly to a sleeve for a vehicle handbrake lever which selectively restricts the handbrake lever in an unlocked position.
2. Description of Related Art
With reference to
FIG. 6
, a handbrake lever is a brake fitted beside a driver's seat in a vehicle such as a car, which a driver operates by hand to selectively keep the car stationary when parked. The handbrake lever is composed of a handle (
40
) and a button (
41
) secured at a front end of the handle (
40
) to release the handle (
40
). When parking the car, the handbrake lever is pulled up to arrest the car and a ratchet system keeps the handle (
40
) stationary in a locking position. When preparing to drive the car away, the button (
41
) is pressed first to release the handle (
40
) from the locking position and then the handle (
40
) is pushed down to release the car.
In recent years, special driving techniques such as stunt driving and hi-jack evasion procedures have involved frequent and violent use of the handbrake lever to suddenly stop or turn a car. Take sharp-turning for example, the handbrake lever is pulled up to lock the front wheels suddenly when the car is turning fast. At that moment, the tail of the car swings out to make the car rotate around the front wheels because of inertia force. Then, the handbrake lever is released again so that the car can move forward again at the end of the sharp turning maneuver. However, pressing the button (
41
) to release the handle (
40
) before putting down the handbrake lever wastes precious time during such a maneuver that requires split-second timing and that may aggravate the danger to which the driver is already exposed.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide a sleeve for a handbrake lever to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems of the handbrake lever.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main objective of the invention is to provide a sleeve for a handbrake lever, which selectively restricts the handbrake lever in an unlocked position.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1285351 (1918-11-01), Parsons
patent: 2481966 (1949-09-01), Zivi
patent: 3789645 (1974-02-01), Schmid
patent: 4535647 (1985-08-01), Gault
patent: 4750380 (1988-06-01), Hoblingre et al.
patent: 4934496 (1990-06-01), Barske et al.
patent: 5148718 (1992-09-01), Kakuguchi et al.
patent: 5513544 (1996-05-01), Winkler et al.
patent: 5970814 (1999-10-01), Smith et al.
patent: 6116370 (2000-02-01), Puigbo
patent: 6038937 (2000-03-01), Van Order et al.
patent: 2003/0150291 (2003-08-01), Grenier
patent: 1168338 (1969-10-01), None
Luong Vinh T.
Rabin & Berdo P.C.
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