US3020075A

US3020075A - Flush type door handle

Info

Publication number: US3020075A
Application number: US34781A
Authority: US
Inventors: Theodore H Johnstone; Robert C Liem
Original assignee: General Motors Corp
Current assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Priority date: 1960-06-08
Filing date: 1960-06-08
Publication date: 1962-02-06
Anticipated expiration: 1979-02-06

Description

Feb. 6, 1962 1'. H. JOHNSTONE ETAL 3,020,075

FLUSH TYPE DOOR HANDLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 8, 1960 quill IN VENTORS fieaab/e /i 4715/71/31 5 ATTORNEY Feb. 6, 1962 T. H. JOHNSTONE ETAL 3,020,075

FLUSH TYPE DOOR HANDLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 8, 1960 ATTORNEY Feb. 6, 1962 T. H. JOHNSTONE ETAL 3,020,075

FLUSH TYPE DOOR HANDLE Filed June 8, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 m a m mwwm/ v, TM w I R 0 W 5 m I r 4,0 M? m x N w IIIIIl/I 3,020,075 lgg Patented Feb. 6, 1962 3,020,075 FLUSH TYPE DQOR HANDLE Theodore H. Johnstone, Lincoln Park, and Robert C. Liern, Livonia, Mich, assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Micln, a corporation of Delaware Filed .lune 8, 196i), Ser. No. 34,781

8 (ilairns. (Cl. 292-3363) This invention relates to a door handle, and more particularly to a flush type handle for a vehicle door.

One feature of the invention is that it provides an improved door handle.

Another feature of the invention is that it provides a handle assembly including an elongated gripping memher which is mounted on the door for pivotal movement between an inoperative position wherein said member lies substantially fiush with the surface of the door and an operative position wherein one end of said member is spaced from the surface of the door so that the member can be gripped by the hand of an operator.

A further feature of the invention is that a shield projects from the free end of the gripping member and extends into the door in both positions of the gripping member so that there is never a hook-like projection extending out from the door.

Still another feature of the invention is that it provides a push button for swinging the gripping member from inoperative position to operative position and a detent for coupling the push button to the gripping member and uncoupling it therefrom; and yet another feature of the invention is that it provides a second detent for holding the gripping member in operative position. I

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of an automobile having the improved handle mounted on the door thereof;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged horizontal, longitudinal section taken along the line 2--2 of FIGURE 1 and showing the improved handle in solid lines with parts in the position they assume when the door is closed, and in broken lines with the parts in the position they assume when the push button is operated to open the door;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 2; I

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal section taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical section taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a section somewhat similar to FIGURE 2 I a door jamb face 12a and the door 14 is formed with a v complementary jamb surface 14a which lies closely adjacent and parallel to the body jamb face 121:, a weatherstrip '16 on the door engaging the body jamb face 12a when the door is closed to seal around the door.

The handle assembly is mounted in a trough-like escutcheon 18 which is secured by bolts 20 to a mounting the door latch 48.

bracket 22 inside the door. The handle assembly includes an elongated gripping member 24 which is pivotally mounted on a stud 2 6 that is mounted between opposite walls of the escutcheon 18. As shown in FiGURE 2, the gripping member 24 is pivotally movable between an inoperative position as illustrated in solid lines wherein it lies substantially flush with the surface of the door, and an operative position as illustrated in broken lines wherein one end of the gripping member 24 has been swung away from the door so that the gripping member may be grasped by the hand of an operator in order to manipulate the door. At the free swinging endof the gripping member 2 there is a projecting shield 23 which extends into the door in both positions of the. gripping member in order to avoid the provision of a hook-like projection extending out from the surface of the door.

The shield 28 is elongated and is formed on an are about theaxis of pivotal mounting 26 of the gripping member and the shield projects into the door through an opening in the base of the escutcheon 18. A flange or lug the gripping member 24 on the stud 26 and is adapted to swing the gripping member from its inoperative position to its operative position, being coupled to the gripping member through a detent 32. The detent 32 is pivotally mounted on the push button 3%} on a pin 34 and is yieldably urged toward a position (clockwise in FIGURE 2) where it couples the push button 3@ tothe gripping member 24. The detent 32 has a coupling arm 35 which is formed at its end with a right angular coupling foot 36 adapted to seat in a coupling notch 38 formed in the gripping member 24. The detent 32 is also formed with an uncoupling arm ll by means of which the detent may be swung from the coupled position of FIG- URES 2 and 4 to the uncoupled or free position of FIGURES 6 and 7 where swinging movement of the gripping member 24 is independent of the push button 30.

The push button abuts a push rod 42 which is urged by a coil spring 4 into engagement with the push button. The free end of the push rod 42 in its normal or operative position is spaced from a latch actuating bell crank 46 which, upon operation of the handle, is moved from the solid line position of FIGURE 3 to the broken line position of said figure in order to unlatch the door. The bell crank 46 is connected by a rod 47 to Since the door latch, which is designated diagrammatically in FIGURE 1, forms no part of this invention, it will not be described here. If desired, reference may be had to United States patents to Cockburn et al. No. 2,871,049, or Leslie No. 2,877,043, for a complete disclosure of door latches suitable for use with this invention.

Means responsive to the position of the door are utilized for moving the detent 32 into and out of coupled relation with the gripping member 2-4. A rod 50 is slidably mounted in the escutcheon 18 for axial or longitudinal movement between the two positions illustrated in FIGURE 6, the rod 5d being yieldably urged toward its extended position by a coil spring 52 which seats between a collar 54 on the rod and an abutment 56 on the stud 62 carried by the escutcheon 18. The actuator lever 60 has an uncoupling arm 64 which is formed at its end with a bent uncoupling tab 66 adapted, when the actuator lever is swung in a clockwise direction as the parts appear in FIGURES 2 and 4, to the position of FIG- URES 6 and 7 to pick up the uncoupling arm 40 of the detent 32 and swing the detent 32 from its coupled position of FIGURES 2 and 4 to its uncoupled position of FIGURES 6 and 7.

Pivotally mounted on the stud 62 coaxially with the actuator lever 60 is a second detent 70 having a bent foot 72 for engagement with a holding notch 74 in the gripping member 24 of the handle. A spring 76 is connected between the actuator lever 60 and the second detent 70 for yieldably urging the detent foot 72 toward the gripping member 24 so that the foot can seat in the holding notch 74. When the door is closed, the rotative position of the actuator lever is such that the detent foot 72 is spaced out of the notch 74 as shown in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 2 shows in solid lines the position of the parts when the door is closed. The gripping member 24 lies substantially flush with the door outer panel, and the push button 30 projects outwardly from the door in a position to be actuated by the finger of the operator. The rod 50 engages the jamb surface 12a of the automobile body and is held in restricted position, compressing the spring 52 so that the actuator lever 60 is held at its extreme limit of movement in a counterclockwise direction as the parts appear in FIGURES 2 and 4, and the pickup tab 66 on the actuator lever is out of engagement with the uncoupling arm 40 of the first detent 32. The latch actuating rod 42 is in its withdrawn position.

With the parts in this position, if the push button 30 is depressed, the gripping member 24 is swung out toward the broken line position of FIGURE 2 by virtue of the coupling between the push button and the gripping member since the tab 36 of the detent 32 seats in the coupling notch 38 of the gripping member. The push button 30 has flange extensions 30a and 30]) which project into the door and prevent the formation of an opening in which the fingers of the operator might be caught. The gripping member may now be grasped by the operator and pulled out to its fully extended position. Since the gripping member is connected to the push button 30 through the detent 32, the push button continues to move in toward its flush position and the push rod 42 moves the latch actuator 46 to release the door latch. Continued pull on the gripping member swings the door open. The gripping member 24 swings outwardly beyond the position illustrated in FIGURE 2 until its outward swinging movement is stopped by the lug 28a at the end of the shield 28, which lug engages the inner surface of the escutcheon 18.

When the door swings open to a position where the push rod 50 is free of the jamb face 12a of the body, the push rod 50 moves under the force of the spring 52 to the extended position shown in solid lines in FIGURE 6. Since one end of the push rod 50 is connected to the actuator lever 60, the actuator lever is swung clockwise to the position of FIGURE 6. In its swinging movement the actuator lever picks up the uncoupling arm 40 of the first detent 32 and swings the detent from the coupled position of FIGURE 2 to the free position of FIGURES 6 and 7 where the coupling tab 36 is out of the notch 38 so that the push button 30 is uncoupled from the gripping member 24. The push button 30 may now return under the force of the push rod spring 44 to the position of FIGURES 2 and 4. The detent 32 will, when released by the actuator lever, be urged by the spring 80 back toward its coupled position.

When the actuator lever 60 swings clockwise from the position of FIGURES 2 and 4 to the position of FIG- URES 6 and 7, the spring 76 which is connected between this lever and the second detent 70, causes the detent 70 to move clockwise with the actuator lever so that the coupling tab 72 rides on a curved cam surface 82 on the gripping member 24, the spring 76 continuing to urge the second detent clockwise so that the tab 72 will seat in the holding notch 74 on the gripping member 24 when the tab and the notch come into alignment with each other. When the gripping member 24 is released by the operator after the door has been opened the handle spring 84 will pull the gripping member 24 toward its flush or door closed position. During this movement the holding notch 74 will move into alignment with the tab 72 on the second detent 70 and the tab, under force of the spring 76, will seat in the notch 74, holding the gripping member 24 in the operative position illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7.

The door may be closed merely by slamming the door without touching the gripping member 24 or by exerting force through the gripping member 24. If the door is merely slammed shut, the push rod 50 will be depressed as it engages and cams over a camming surface 121: (FIGURE 2) on the body. This movement of the rod 50 swings the actuator lever 60 counterclockwise back to the position of FIGURES 2 and 4 and the second detent 70 is swung out of engagement with the holding notch 74 because of the spring connection 76 between this detent and the actuator lever. Consequently, the spring 84 is permitted to pull the gripping portion 24 back to its flush position and the coupling tab 36 of the first detent 32 will, under force of the spring 80, re-enter the coupling notch 38 in the gripping member 24 so that the parts are back in their solid line position of FIGURE 2.

If the door is closed by gripping the handle and exerting force through it, it is desirable that the gripping member 24 is not swung back flush with the door until it is released by the operator. The abutting surfaces of the holding tab 72 and the holding notch 74 are so arranged that there is sulficient friction between these parts to hold the tab 72 in the notch 74 against the force of the spring 76 despite the fact that the actuator lever 60 swings to the position of FIGURES 2 and 4. When the door has been closed and the gripping member 24 of the handle is released by the operator, the frictional force is removed and the spring 84 returns the gripping member 24 to its flush position.

If it is desired to lock the door without a key in the manner disclosed in Patent No. 2,871,049, the push button 30 may be depressed while the door is being closed to shift the latch actuating push rod 42 and move the door latch parts to their keyless locking position. During this keyless locking operation the gripping member 24 remains in its outer or door-open position. While it is desirable to utilize the gripping member to operate the latch actuator 46 when the door is closed as earlier described, there is no necessity to utilize the gripping member for this purpose when the door is open and the keyless locking operation is being performed. The reason for this is that when the door is open there is no seal force created tby compression of the door Weatherstrip and consequently there is substantially less friction in the latch parts so that considerably less force is required to operate the latch than is required when the door is closed and the Weatherstrip is compressed, which compression forces the bolt teeth against the striker.

In the event the rod 50 is inadvertently pushed in while the door is open, the gripping member 24 would be released and would swing back under the force of its spring to the flush position shown in solid lines in FIG- URE 2 so that there would be no gripping projection extending from the surface of the door except the relatively small push button 30. Means are provided to swing the gripping member 24 back to its outer position in the event the rod 50 is depressed while the door is open. On the detent 32 there is a shoulder which is in alignment with the coupling foot 36 under the conditions above-described so that upon depression of the push button 30 the coupling foot 36 will pick up the shoulder 90 and swing the gripping member back out to a position where it can be grasped by the operator to manipulate the door if desired.

While We have shown and described one embodiment of our invention, it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A flush type handle of the character described for a door movably mounted on a body, comprising: an elongated gripping member pivotally mounted on the door for pivotal movement between an inoperative position wherein said member lies substantially flush with the surface of the door and an operative position wherein one end of said member is spaced from the surface of the door so that the member can be gripped by the hand of an operator; a push button movably mounted on said door for swinging said gripping member from inoperative position to operative position; a movably mounted detent adapted to couple said push button to said gripping member; and means responsive to the position of the door for moving the detent into and out of coupling relation with said gripping member.

2. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim :1, wherein said push button is pivotally mounted coaxially with said gripping member, and wherein said detent is mounted on said push button.

3. A flush type handle of the character described for a door movably mounted on a body, comprising: an elongated gripping member pivotally mounted at one end on the door for pivotal movement between an inoperative position wherein said member lies substantially flush with the surface of the door and an operative position wherein the other end of said member is spaced from the surface of the door so that the member can be gripped by the hand of an operator; a shield projecting from said other end of the gripping member and extending into the door in both positions of the gripping member; a push button movably mounted on said door for swinging said gripping member from inoperative position to operative position; a movably mounted detent adapted to couple said push button to said gripping member; and means responsive to the position of the door for moving the detent into and out of coupling relation with said gripping member.

4. A flush type handle of the character described for a door movably mounted on a body, comprising: an elongated gripping member pivotally mounted at one end on the door for pivotal movement between an inoperative position wherein said member lies substantially flush with the surface of the door and an operative position wherein one end of said member is spaced from the surface of the door so that the member can be gripped by the hand of an operator; a push button movably mounted on said door for swinging said gripping member from inoperative position to operative position; a first detent pivotally mounted on said push button for coupling said push button to said gripping member; a second detent for holding said gripping member in operative position; and means responsive to the position of the door for moving the first detent into and out of coupling relation with said gripping member and for moving said second detent into position to hold said gripping member in operative position.

5. A flush type handle of the character described for a vehicle door movably mounted on a body, comprising: an elongated gripping member pivotally mounted at one end on the door for pivotal movement between an inoperative position wherein said memberlies substantially flush with the surface of the door and an operative position wherein the other end of said member is space-d from the surface'of the door so that the member can be gripped by the hand of an operator; a push button pivotally mounted on said door coaxially with said gripping member for swinging said gripping member from inoperative position to operative position; a first detent pivotally mounted on said push button for coupling said a 6 push button to said gripping member, said detent being swingable between a coupling position wherein it couples the push button to the gripping member and a free position wherein it is out of engagement with said gripping member; a second detent pivotally mounted on the door for engaging a holding notch in the handle to hold the handle in operative position; means responsive to the position of the door for moving said first detent into and out of coupled relation with said gripping member, comprising a rod adapted to engage and be moved by the body when the door is closed and an actuator member connected to said rod and movable therewith to move said first detent from coupled position to free position; and spring means connecting said second detent to said actuator member wherein said second detent means moves 6. A flush type handle of the character described for a vehicle door movably mounted on a body, comprising:

an elongated gripping member pivotally mounted at one end on the door for pivotal movement between an inoperative position wherein said member lies substantially flush with the surface of the door and an operative position wherein the other end of said member is spaced from the surface of the door so that the member can be gripped by the hand of an operator, said gripping member having a coupling notch and a holding notch formed therein; a push button pivotally mounted on said door coaxially with said gripping member for swinging said gripping member from inoperative position to operative position; a first detent pivotally mounted on said push button for coupling said push button to said gripping member, said detent being swingable between a coupling position wherein it engages said coupling notch to couple the push button to the gripping member and a free position wherein it is out of engagement with said coupling notch; a second detent pivotally mounted on the door for engaging the holding notch in the gripping member to hold the gripping member in operative position; means responsive to the position of the door for moving said first detent into and out of coupled relation with said gripping member, comprising a rod adapted to engage and be moved by the body when the door is closed, and an actuator member connected to said rod and movable therewith to move said first detent from coupled position to free position when the door is opened; and yieldable means connecting said second detent to said actuator member, whereby said second detent moves to a position where it may engage said holding notch when the from the surface of the door so that the member can be gripped by the hand of an operator, said gripping member having a coupling notch and a holding notch formed therein; a push button pivotally mounted on said door for swinging said gripping member from inoperative position to operative position; a push rod connected to said push button and movable thereby for unlatching the door; a first detent pivotally mounted on said push button for coupling said push button to said gripping member, said detent being swingable between a coupling position wherein it engages said coupling notch to couple. the

push button to the gripping member and a free position wherein it is out of engagement with said coupling notch;

a second detent pivotally mounted on the door for engaging the holding notch in the handle to hold the handle in operative position; means responsive to the position of the door for moving said first detent into and out of coupled relation with said gripping member, comprising a rod adapted to engage and be moved by the body when the door is closed and an actuator member connected to said rod and movable therewith to move said first detent from coupled position to free position when the door is opened; and spring means connecting said second detent to said actuator member, whereby said second detent moves to a position where it may engage said holding notch when the door is opened.

8. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 7 wherein the angular relationship between said second detent and said holding notch is so arranged as to provide a frictional component sufiicient to maintain the detent UNITED STATES PATENTS 340,620 Russell Apr. 27, 1886 FOREIGN PATENTS 632,123 Great Britain Nov. 16, 1949