GB2275297A

GB2275297A - Handle assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2275297A
Application number: GB9402592A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenichi Yamada; Takanobu Esaki
Original assignee: Takigen Manufacturing Co Ltd
Current assignee: Takigen Manufacturing Co Ltd
Priority date: 1993-02-15
Filing date: 1994-02-10
Publication date: 1994-08-24
Anticipated expiration: 2014-02-10
Also published as: HK1002508A1; JPH06240929A; GB9402592D0; GB2275297B; CN1096843A

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a flush type handle assembly in which a leaf spring (9) brassing the handle will be held more securely even when the handle (2) is repeatedly operated. A first lip segment (5) is so provided in the leaf spring (9) as to project from a centre of an end portion (10) of the leaf spring (9), the other end portion (11) of which is provided with a second lip segment (6) projecting from a centre of the other end portion (11). A first (16) and a second (17) spring-receiving portion, each of which assumes a deep concave shape or through-hole shape for sufficiently receiving each of the first lip segment (5) and the second lip segment (6), are provided in a front-surface side of a rear wall (15) of the casing (1) and a rear-surface side of the handle (2) respectively. <IMAGE>

Description

DESCRIPTION HANDLE ASSEMBLY The present invention relates to handle assemblies, and in particular to a flush type handle assembly in which a handle is held in its retracted position within a casing during non-use of the assembly, and swingably projected therefrom to its projecting position to permit a user to grip the handle when a predetermined pullup operation of the handle is performed.

Already disclosed in Japanese liti Ii ty Model Publication No. Silo 5U-llIOZ is a conventional flush type handle assembly in which: a single curved leaf spring, which is mounted between a rear surface of a handle and a front surface of a rear wail of a casing, functions to hold a handle in its retracted-position and also functions to force the handle to be swingably projected outward from its retracted position.

however, the conventional assembly suffers from the problem of losing the leaf spring1 because in te conventional assembly1 each of the first spring-receiving portion (which is provided in a front-surface side of a rear wall of a casing) and the second spring-receiving portion (which is provided in a rear-surface side of the handle) are formed into a shallow groove-like shape and the leaf spring has its opposite end portions (which are equal in width to an intermediate portion of the spring) merely inserted in these shallow spring-receiving portions, so that the opposite end portions of the leaf spring tend to drop out of such spring-receiving portions when the handle is pushed in its retracted position and projected therefrom over and over again in use.

In another conventional handle assembly disclosed in japanese Utility Model Publication No.

Hei 2-7148, the leaf spring has its opposite end portions formed in to pointed projection shapes.

However, when a leaf spring smaller in width than a clearance b(' tween opposite side walls of tulle casing is employed to ciii, custs, there is a risk that the leaf spring will become gradually misaligned widthwise in the casing and eventually drop out of the casing when the handle is pushed in its retracted position and projected therefrom over and over again in use. Further, there is a risk that coating films of the springreceiving portions are damaged by these pointed opposite end portions of the leaf spring.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a flush type handle assembly which is free from the problem of losing a leaf spring even when a handle is pushed in its retracted position and projected therefrom over and over again in use, and operates in a stable manner for a long period of time.

The above object of the present invention is accomplished by providing: A flush type handle assembly comprising: a handle received in a casing and pivotally mounted on a side wall of the casing through a first pivot; a latch late which is pivotally mounted on a rear surface of a rear wall of the casing through a second pivot and rotatable in an unlocking direction when the handle is swingably projected;; a leaf spring for forcing the handle to be held In its retracted position within the casing and to be swingably projected therefrom, the leaf spring being mounted between a rear surface of the handle and a front sus face of tulle rear wall of tite casing a first lip segment provided in the leaf spring so as to project from a centre of an end portion of the leaf spring, the other end portion of which is provided with a second lip segment projecting from a centre of the other end portion; and a first spring-receiving portion and a second spring receiving portion, each of which assumes a deep concave shape or through-hole shape for sufficiently receiving each of the first lip segment and the second lip segment provided in a front surface side of a rear wall of the casing and a rear-surface side of the handle respectively.

By way of example only, specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of flush type handle assembly of the present invention in a condition in which the handle is retracted; Fig. 2 is a rear view of the flush type handle assembly of the present invention shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a left-side view of the flush type handle assembly of the present invention shown in Fig.

1; Fig. 4 is a partially broken longitudinal sectional view of the flush type handle assembly of the present invention, taken along the line A-A of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the leaf spring used in tlle flush type handle assembly of the present invention showii in Fig. 1; and Fig. G is a partially brokcii left-side view of another embodiment of flush type handle assembly of the present invention, being a modification of the assembly shown in Fig. 1.

Hereinbelow, tlle present invention will be described in detail w i tti i.e ference to tlie accompanying drawings and the reference numerals and characters.

In a flush type handle assembly of the present invention, a handle 2 is received in a casing 1 and pivotally mounted between side walls 13 of the casing 1 through a first pivot 3. A latch plate 4 is pivotally mounted on a rear surface of a rear wall 15 of the casing 1 through a second pivot 14 and rotated in its unlocking direction when the handle 2 is swingably projected. A leaf spring 0, which forces the handle 2 to be held in its retracted position within the casing 1 or to be swingably projected therefrom, is mounted between a rear surface of the handle 2 and a front surface of the rear wall 15 of the casing 1.

In tlie present invention, a first li) segment 5 is so provided in the leaf spring 9 so as to Droiect from a centre of an end portion 10 of the leaf spring 9 and the other end portion 11 of which is provided with a second lip segment G projecting from a centre of the other end portion 11. A first spring-receiving portion 16 arid a second spring-receiving portion 17, each of which assumes a deep concave shape or through-hole shape for sufficiently receiving each of tlie first lip segment 5 and tiie second lip segment G, are provided in a front-surface side of a rear wall 15 of tlie casing 1 anti, a rear-surface side of said handle 2 respectively.

As shown in Fig. 4, when tie handle 2 is pushed in its retracted position within the casing 1, the leaf spring forces the handle 2 to swing clockwise on the first pivot 3 to forcibly hold the handle 2 in its initial retracted position, because, at this time, the second lip segment 6 is disposed in a position behind a line drawn between the first lip segment 5 of tite leaf spring 9 and the first pivot 3.

When the handle 2 is forcibly pulled out of the casing 1 to swing counterclockwise against a resilient force exerted by the leaf spring 9 through a predetermined operation, the second lip segment 6 of the leaf spring 9 moves forward. When the second lip segment 6 passes forward through the above line (which is drawn between the first lip segment 5 of the leaf spring 9 and the first pivot 3), the resilient force exerted by the leaf spring 9 forces the handle 2 to swing on the first pivot 3 counterclockwise, in an over centre type action.

In the embodiments of the present invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6, each of the first lip segment 5 and the second lip segment 6 of the leaf spring 9 is formed into a square shape as shown in Fig. 5. The handle 2 has its upper-end portion pivoted between the side walls 13 of the casing 1 tllrough the first pivot 3, and has a front-surface portion of the same upper end portion projecting obliquely forward to form a push-button port i on 2a, which is clearly shown in Fig.

4. Consequently1 il. is possible for the user to pull tite handi e 2 oiit of tulle casing 1 by simply depressing tlte push-button protion 2a ol t.Iie handle 2 until the -front surface of the push-button portion 2a becomes flush with the front surface of the casing 1.

Alien, the handle 2 is forcibly projected forward from its retracted position under the influence of the resilient force exerted by tlie leaf spring 9. The thus projected handle 2 is further pulled forward by the user's hand. At this time, tlie latch plate 4, which has a hole edge portion of its follower hole 22 abutted against an operating projection 12 of the handle 2, swings on a second pivot 14 (which assumes a screw-like shape as shown in Figs. 2 and 6) clockwise to become free from a receiving member (not shown) of a frame element (not shown) to which a door (not shown) carrying the casing 1 is swingably mounted. As a result, the door is disengaged from the frame element to permit the user to open it hy pulling the handle 2 thereof.

A reinforcing plate 7 forming a part of the rear wall 15 of the casing 1 is welded to an upper portion of the rear surface of the rear wall 15. The second pivot 14 and a screw 23 for guiding tlie latch plate 4 in swinging operation are threadably engaged with the reinforcing plate 7 which is provided with a play opening 8 for tlle operating projection 12 of the handle 2.

In another embodiment of the present invention siiowii in Fig. 6, there is provided a push button 18 separated ft'oni tlte haiidie 2. In operation, when the push buttorl 18 is depressed against a resilient force exerted by a returns spring 13, s tlrive )projection 20 of the push button 18 pushes a driven projection 21 of the handle 2 to start a predetermined pulling operation of the handle 2, so that the handle 2 is projected from its retracted position in the same manner as that of the foregoing embodiment.

In the present invention having the above construction, a first lip segment 5 is so provided in the leaf spring 9 as to project from a centre Of an end portion 10 of tulle leaf spring 9 the other end portion 11 of which is provided with a second lip segment 6 projecting from a center of the other end portion 11. A first spring-receiving portion 16 and a second spring-receiving portion 17, each of which assumes a deep concave shape or through-hole shape for sufficiently receiving each of the first lip segment 5 and the second lip segment 6, are provided in: a front-surface side of a rear wall 15 of the casing 1; and, a rear-surface side of the handle 2; respectively. Consequently, in the present invention, there is no risk that the leaf spring 9 will drop out of the casing 1 even when the handle 2 is pulled out of and pushed iii its retracted position over and over again in use, wliicli permits the flush type handle assembly of the present irivejition to serve in a stable manner for a long period of time.

Further, in the present invention, there is no risk that tlie first lip segment 5 and the second lip segment 6 of the leaf spring 9 will bite the first spring receiving port ion I 6 and tlle second spring-receiviiig portion 17, respectively. Consequently, the flush type handle assembly of the present invention is free from the problem of damaging the coating films of the casing 1.

Claims

1. A flush type handle assembly comprising: a handle received in a casing 1 and pivotally mounted between side walls of said casing through a first pivot; a latch plate which is pivotally mounted on a rear surface of a rear wall of said casing through a second pivot and rotatable in an unlocking direction when said handle is swingably projected; a leaf spring for forcing said handle to be held in its retracted position within said casing or to be swingably projected therefrom, said leaf spring being mounted between a rear surface of said handle and a front surface of said rear wall of said casing; a first lip segment provided in said leaf spring so as to project from a centre of an end portion of said leaf spring the other end portion of which is provided with a second lip segment projecting from a centre of the other end portion; and a first spring-receiving portion and a second spring-receiving portion, each of which assumes a deep concave shape or through-hole shape for sufficiently receiving each of said first lip segment and said second lip segment, provided in a frontsurface side of a rear wall of said casing and a rear surface side of said handle respectively.

2. A flush type handle assembly substantially as herein described, with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.