AU2003200549A1 - Washer for handles with spring return - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION NAME OF APPLICANT(S):: Reguitti S.p.A.

ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

INVENTION TITLE: Washer for handles with spring return The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- The present utility model relates to handles with spring return, and particularly refers to a washer for such handles.

Several door or window opening/closing devices with spring return have already been proposed. They generally comprise at least one handle torsionally associated to a polygonal (square) shaft protruding from a side of the door or window and co-operating with a usual member for locking the opening or the closing of such door or window, a spring or equivalent elastic member associated to such handle for allowing the return to the rest position after opening or closing the door or window, and a usual covering member intended to cover the door portion at the coupling between the handle and the polygonal shaft.

Such known embodiments, however, exhibit the disadvantage that especially if applied to particularly sturdy and heavy doors, such as armour-plated doors but not only these, the handle is subject to undesired oscillations due to the onset of "backslash" or "yielding" into the assembly system of the washer body, with all its components (yields typical in the common washers manufactured so far according to the prior art of this field).

The present finding aims at solving such disadvantage by providing a washer with a new configuration and arrangement of elements intended to impart a lasting stability and sturdiness to the washer by totally eliminating the above backslash or yields also a long time after the first use.

Such object is achieved by a washer according to at least claim 1, reported hereinafter.

Further features of the finding will appear more clearly from the following description, made with reference to the attached indicative and non-limiting examples, wherein: Fig. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of the elements forming the washer under discussion; Fig. 2 shows an axial section view of the assembled washer; Fig. 3 shows an exploded perspective view of a variant of the same washer but with lock release bolt (commonly called "privacy knob") to which the handle is applied; and Fig. 4 shows an axial section view of the washer of Fig. 3 assembled.

Said drawings show a washer 11 for a handle 12 having a tang 13 with a square hole for coupling with a corresponding shaft 14 protruding from a side of a door or window.

Tang 13 also exhibits at least one longitudinal fissure 13' and an annular groove 13" obtained in the proximity of its free end.

Washer 11 comprises a main body 15 shaped as a small cup, or defining a lowered cylindrical housing 16 intended to receive the other members of the washer, described below, and exhibiting a flat annular edge 17 usually provided with holes 17' for securing to a door or window frame.

An axial thorough hole 18 is obtained on the bottom 16' of the cylindrical housing 16 of body 15 for the passage of tang 13 of handle 12, and around such hole, a plurality of blind holes 19 or optionally, one or more projections shaped as a pin.

The cylindrical housing 16 is intended to receive, in the sequence and in axial superimposition relation, a spiral spring 20, of the winding and -2pre-loadable type, an annular member 21 acting as stroke limiter for the handle rotation, a disc 22 for closing the cylindrical housing 16, and a snap ring 23 for the "pack-wise" axial locking of all washer members to the handle.

The spiral spring 20 exhibits the inside end 20' bent, so as to engage in the longitudinal fissure 13' of tang 13 of handle 12, and the outside end constrained to a pin 24 intended to be housed in one of the blind holes 19 of body 15 for the spring pre-load.

The annular member 21 exhibits at least one radial overhang facing its axial hole 21' intended to engage in the longitudinal fissure 13' of the tang of the handle, and a recess 26 on a portion of its outside edge. The ends delimiting such recess 26 are provided for serving as stops for pin 24 of spring 20, or optionally, for a pin protruding from body The snap ring 23 is intended to abut into the annular groove 13" of tang 13 of the handle and is preferably housed into a lowered annular portion 22' of the closing disc 22.

Washer 11 is completed by a covering and finishing member 27 provided for screwing to body 15 or for being pressure-locked to it, for example by interposing an elastic annular member 28.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a version of washer suitable for the use of a bolt 29 for releasing the door or window lock. In this case, body 15 exhibits a hole 30 for the passage of said bolt 29 while the annular plate 21 and the closing disc 22 exhibit respective undercuts 31, 32 to allow their rotation when the bolt is provided. The closing disc 22, moreover, is provided with a radial overhang 33 intended to engage in the longitudinal fissure 13' of the tang for aligning the respective undercut at bolt 29.

In any case, the closing disc 22 is essential for a proper operation of the washer since Its nominal outside diameter is equal to the total (nominal) diameter of the cylindrical housing 16 of body 15. In this way it is possible to realise a non-integral friction coupling that with appropriate tolerance eliminates backslash and oscillations in the "pulling" of the handle.

The reference numberals in the following claims do not in any way limit the scope of the respective claims.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

Claims (9)

1. Washer for handles with spring return, where the handle exhibits a tang (13) with a square hole for coupling to a corresponding shaft (14) protruding from a side of a door or window, and where the washer comprises a spring (20) intended to co-operate with the handle to allow a controlled movement with return to an initial position upon the opening or closing of the door or window on which the handle is mounted, and a device (21) for limiting the stroke of the handle associated to said spring, characterised in that it comprises a body intended to abut against and engage with, the frame of said door or window and configured so as to define a housing (16) axially crossed by said tang (13) of the handle and intended to receive, arranged one on top of the other around the tang, the spring the device (21) for limiting the handle stroke, and a closing disc (22) of said housing, said disc (22) being provided for serving as handle anti- oscillation member.

2. Washer according to claim 1, wherein said body (15) exhibits a flat peripheral edge (17) for abutting against the door or window frame, crossed by holes for the passage of screws for securing the washer to the frame, the disc (22) for closing the housing of said body being coupled with tolerance that will allow the friction between the two bodies, in the housing 16 of said body

3. Washer according to claim 2, wherein on the bottom of said housing of said body there is a plurality of blind holes wherein the tang (13) exhibits at least one longitudinal fissure and wherein the outside end of the spring is provided with a pin (24) intended to abut into one of said blind holes for the spring pre-load, the other end engaging into said longitudinal fissure of the tang or optionally, into one or more pin-shaped projections.

4. Washer according to claim 3, wherein the device for limiting the handle stroke consists of an annular member provided with at least one annular overhang (25) intended to engage into said longitudinal fissure of the tang and of a peripheral recess (26) whose ends serve as stop for the spring pin (24) or optionally, with a pin protruding from body Washer according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the body, the spring, the stroke limiting device and the closing disc are axially constrained to the handle by a snap ring (23) arranged on top of the closing disc and housed in a corresponding annular groove obtained in the proximity of the tang free end, said snap ring being arranged in a lowered annular portion of the closing disc.

6. Washer according to any one of the previous claims, also comprising a bolt (29) for releasing the lock to which the handle is applied, wherein a hole (30) for the passage of said bolt is obtained in the washer body, and wherein the device for limiting the handle stroke and the disc for closing the body housing exhibit respective peripheral undercuts (31, 32) intended to allow the rotation of the handle when the bolt is provided, said closing disc being provided with a radial overhang (33) intended to engage in the longitudinal fissure of the tang for aligning the relative undercut at the bolt.

7. Washer according to any one of the previous claims, further comprising a covering and finishing member (27) intended to be constrained to the body (15) of the washer.

8. Washer according to claim 7, wherein said covering and finishing member is constrained to the washer body by screwing.

9. Washer according to claim 7, wherein said covering and finishing member is constrained to the washer body by interference with an annular elastic member (28) interposed between them. A washer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings and/or Examples.

11. The steps, features, compositions and compounds disclosed herein or referred to or indicated in the specification and/or claims of this application, individually or collectively, and any and all combinations of any two or more of said steps or features. DATED this EIGHTEENTH day of FEBRUARY 2003 Reguitti S.p.A. by DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys for the applicant(s) 5108