EP1359272B1 - Door handle, especially for vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a handle for doors, tailgates or the like, and in particular a lever handle that can be used to unlock and open at the same time the door of a motor vehicle.

Known handles include a lever which, pulled by a user, can rotate in an opposite support, fixed for example to a door of a motor vehicle, so as to unlock a lock mechanically connected to said lever handle shown in the document FR-A-2 802 563 actually has these elements, but it also comprises elastic means, forming an indexing blade, arranged on the support and applied to the lever to produce a tactile sensation to the user when he enters the the sink. In these known handles, there is a gap between the lever and a cap attached to the lever support to avoid annoying and potentially damaging friction during the rotation of said lever. This gap, though minimal, creates unwanted play and can allow the entry of impurities or liquids from outside, and even interrupt the line of the handle, reducing its aesthetics.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a handle free from such disadvantages. This object is obtained with a handle whose main characteristics are indicated in the first claim and of which other characteristics are specified in the following claims.

Thanks to the particular elastic means, the lever of the handle according to the present invention is pushed against this cap by eliminating any gap between the support and the lever when the latter is not pulled outwards. Thanks to the particular shape of these elastic means and / or the particular shape of the shaped element of the lever which comes into contact with the elastic means, when the handle is pulled by the user, the force exerted by the elastic means is canceled, resulting in the creation of the gap that allows the rotation of the handle without friction associated.

In a particular aspect of the invention, these resilient means may comprise a flexible element, preferably made in one piece with the lever support, so as to reduce the costs, the complexity of the assembly and the risk of damage to the handle.

• la figure 1 représente une vue frontale de la poignée selon le premier mode de réalisation ;
• la figure 2 montre une vue en coupe depuis le haut, suivant le plan II-II de la poignée de la figure 1, en position fermée ;
• la figure 3 représente une vue en coupe depuis le haut suivant le plan II-II de la poignée de la figure 1 en position ouverte (la position fermée est représentée en traits interrompus) ;
• la figure 4 montre une vue en perspective du support de la poignée de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 5 représente une vue en perspective, partiellement agrandie, du support de la figure 4 ; et
• la figure 6 montre une vue en coupe depuis le haut de la poignée selon le deuxième mode de réalisation, en position fermée.

Other advantages and characteristics of the handle according to the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from reading the detailed and nonlimiting description of the invention having two embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings. , wherein :

• Figure 1 shows a front view of the handle according to the first embodiment;
• Figure 2 shows a sectional view from the top, along the plane II-II of the handle of Figure 1, in the closed position;
• Figure 3 shows a sectional view from the top along the plane II-II of the handle of Figure 1 in the open position (the closed position is shown in broken lines);
• Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the support of the handle of Figure 1;
• Figure 5 shows a perspective view, partially enlarged, of the support of Figure 4; and
• Figure 6 shows a sectional view from the top of the handle according to the second embodiment, in the closed position.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5, we see that the handle according to the first embodiment of the invention comprises in known manner a lever 1 adapted to be grasped and pulled out by a user. For this purpose, the lever 1 can rotate in a support 2, preferably made of one or more plastic parts, which can be fixed for example to the outer surface 3 of a door of a motor vehicle. One end of the lever 1 is provided with a first shaped element 4 which passes through a first opening 5 formed in the support 2 and can rotate in a first seat 6 which is also formed in the support 2 which comprises the pivot of the lever 1. L opposite end of the lever 1 is provided with a second shaped element 7 which passes through a second opening 8 formed in the support 2 and can slide in a second seat 9 also formed in the support 2. The second shaped element 7 can be mechanically connected to the device allows to unlock the door 3 during its opening.

According to the invention, the handle advantageously comprises elastic means able to push or pull the lever 1 relative to the opposite part of the pivot, or to the second seat 9 when it is not pulled out by the user. . In particular, according to the first embodiment of the invention, said resilient means comprise a flexible element 10, preferably made in one piece with a wall of the first seat 6 of the support 2. The flexible element 10 is flexed laterally by the first shaped element 4 of the lever 1 when the latter is in the closed position or when it is not pulled outwards. It is obvious that in other embodiments of the invention, the elastic means may be included in the lever 1 and / or comprise different elements or elastic devices, for example springs, elastomers, metal tongues, etc. The flexible element 10 pushes the lever 1 so that one of these parts, for example the second shaped element 7, abuts against a part of the support 2 or another element, in particular against a protrusion 11 which overflows a cap 12 attached to the outside of said support.

In the first embodiment, the flexible element 10 is obtained by two parallel cuts 13, 13 'made in the support 2. The free end of the flexible element 10 is connected to a projection 14 substantially perpendicular to the element 10 and which serves as a point of application to the first shaped element 4 during the assembly of the lever 1 in the support 2. To make the perpendicular projection 14 in one piece with the flexible element 10 and the support 2, the latter is provided with an auxiliary opening 15 formed in correspondence with the perpendicular projection 14. The flexible element 10 is further preferably provided with a boss 16 which is turned towards the first shaped element 4 and which serves to make a sliding contact with the latter .

In Figure 6, there is shown the handle according to the second embodiment of the invention, which differs from the first embodiment in that the elastic means that push the lever 1 are not made of the flexible element 10 but a spring 20 disposed between a wall of the first seat 6 of the support 2 and the first shaped element 4 of the lever 1.

In use, as shown in Figure 3, to open the handle according to the invention, simply pull the lever 1 in the direction of the arrow 17, in the usual manner. In this way, the spring 20, according to the second embodiment, relaxes or the flexible element 10, according to the first embodiment, previously bent laterally, can straighten in the direction of the arrow 18. Therefore, the lever 1, which is no longer pushed by the flexible element 10 or by the spring 20 towards the second seat 9, also moves slightly in the direction of the arrow 19 during opening, so as not to create friction with the protrusion 11 of the cap 12. Once released, the lever 1 is pulled into the support 2 by the elastic means (not visible in the figure) so as to load the spring 20 again or to bend the flexible member laterally 10 and be pushed against the protuberance 11 of the cap 12.

Other variations and / or supplements which will fall within the scope of the claims may be made by those skilled in the art to the embodiments of the invention which have been described and illustrated.

Claims (12)

1. Handle for car side door or tailgate or similar doors (3) comprising a lever (1) that can be gripped and drawn outwards by turning inside a support (2), a first lever end (1) being provided with a first worked element (4) capable of turning in a first seat (6) which comprises a pivot, a second opposite lever end (1) opposite the first end being provided with a second worked element (7) that can slide in a second seat (9), and elastic means (10, 20) that can push or pull the lever (1) towards the end opposite to the pivot or towards the second seat (9) when the lever (1) is not pulled outwards,
   characterised in that when the lever (1) is pushed or pulled by the elastic means (10; 20), part of this lever stops in contact with a part of the support (2) or in contact with an element fixed on the support.
2. Handle set forth in claim 1, characterised in that when the lever (1) is pushed or pulled by the elastic means (10; 20), the second worked element (9) of this lever stops in contact with a protuberance (11) that projects from a cap (12) fixed outside the support (2) .
3. Handle set forth in either of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the lever (1) comprises elastic means (10; 20).
4. Handle set forth in either of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the support (2) of the lever (1) comprises elastic means (10; 20).
5. Handle set forth in any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the elastic means (10; 20) comprise a flexible element (10) that is deflected by the first worked element (4) of the lever (1) when the lever is not pulled outwards.
6. Handle set forth in claim 5, characterised in that the flexible element (10) is made from a single piece with a wall of the first seat (8) of the support (2) of the lever (1).
7. Handle set forth in claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the flexible element (10) is obtained by two cutouts (13, 13') formed in the support (2).
8. Handle set forth in one of claims 5 to 7, characterised in that the free end of the flexible element (10) is connected to a projection (14) essentially perpendicular to said element (10) and that acts as a placement point for the first worked element (4) during assembly of the lever (1) in the support (2).
9. Handle set forth in claim 8, characterised in that the support (2) of the lever (1) is provided with an auxiliary opening (15) formed to match the perpendicular projection (14).
10. Handle set forth in any of claims 5 to 9, characterised in that the flexible element (10) is provided with a bump (18) that is facing the first worked element (4).
11. Handle set forth in any of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that said elastic means (10; 20) include a spring (20) placed between a wall of the first seat (8) of the support (2) and the first worked element (4) of the lever (1).
12. Handle set forth in one of the previous claims, characterised in that the support (2), the first seat (6) and the second seat (9) are made from a single plastic part.

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