Patent Application
20140013812
Paddle-type door handles are well known for opening a door latch mechanism in various types of vehicles, including automobiles, industrial vehicles, utility vehicles, commercial vehicles and recreational vehicles. Typically, the paddle handle is mounted on the outside of the door, which may be a passenger door or a compartment door. The handle is connected to the latch mechanism through one or more linkages so as to release the latch and open the door. Many handles are provided with a lock to preclude unauthorized entry into the vehicle or the compartment. Normally, when the door is locked, the paddle handle does not move. However, some users mistakenly believe that the locked handle is merely stuck, and pull harder on the paddle in an attempt to open the door, which may lead to breakage of one or more components of the paddle handle.
Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved paddle handle assembly for a vehicle door which is free floating when the door is locked.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved paddle handle wherein a lock arm moves between locked and unlocked positions so that a paddle will unlatch a door latch only when the lock arm is unlocked.
Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of a free floating paddle handle for a vehicle door latch wherein the logic assembly is operative when the lock cylinder is unlocked and inoperative when the lock cylinder is locked.
Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of a free floating paddle handle which engages the logic assembly when the key cylinder is unlocked and disengages from the paddle assembly when the key cylinder is locked.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a free floating paddle handle having a logic assembly with a drive plate and a driven plate, which are connected so as pivot in unison when the paddle is pulled with the lock arm unlocked and which remains stationary when the paddle is pulled with the lock arm locked.
Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of a paddle handle assembly which is economical to manufacture and durable and safe in use.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a handle assembly which can be easily connected to a power actuator for power locking and unlocking of a vehicle door.
These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention.
An improved paddle handle assembly is provided for a vehicle door having a latch mechanism movable between latched and unlatched positions. The handle assembly includes a housing with interior and exterior sides, and a paddle pivotally mounted on the front of the housing for movement between a rest or neutral position and a pulled or actuated position. A logic assembly is mounted on the back side of the housing. The logic assembly includes a drive plate, a driven plate, and a lock arm, all of which are pivotally mounted on the housing. The driven plate is connected to the latch mechanism by linkage arms. The lock arm is also pivotal between locked and unlocked positions. The paddle is mounted on an axle, which in turn is connected to a drive arm. A key lock cylinder with an actuator is mounted in the housing and can be selectively set in a locked or unlocked condition. When the key cylinder is unlocked and the paddle is pulled, the drive arm engages the drive plate to pivot the drive plate and driven plate in unison and thereby open or release the latch. When the key cylinder is locked, the lock arm rotates the drive plate out of alignment from the drive arm, such that when the handle is pulled, the logic assembly does not actuate and the latch remains closed. Thus, the paddle free floats when the key cylinder is locked.
The free floating paddle handle assembly of the present invention is generally designated in the drawings by the reference numeral 10. The handle assembly 10 includes a housing 12, a paddle 14 pivotally mounted to the housing for movement between a rest or neutral position and a pulled or actuated position, and a logic assembly 16 mounted on the rear or interior side of the housing 12. The handle assembly 10 is intended for, but not limited to, use on the outside or exterior of a vehicle door to provide access to the interior of the vehicle or a vehicle compartment. The handle assembly 10 is operatively connected to the latch mechanisms (not shown) of the vehicle which allow the door to be opened and closed.
The paddle 14 is mounted to the front or exterior side of the housing 12 with an elongated pin or axle 18, and appropriate bushings 20, with an O-ring 21 to inhibit moisture migration. The housing 12 also includes a lock cylinder 22, with a seal 24 and an actuator 26, as best seen in
The logic assembly 16 has three primary components: a drive plate 28, a driven plate 30, and a lock arm 32. The drive plate 28 and driven plate 30 are connected by a rivet 34, with a washer 35 residing between the head of the rivet 34 and the drive plate 28 and a bushing 36 on the rivet 34 between the drive plate 28 and the driven plate 30.
The lock arm 32 includes a slot 38. A pin 40 extending upwardly from the housing 12 extends through the slot 38, with a washer 42 provided on the top of the pin 40 to retain the lock arm 32 beneath the swedged head of the pin 40. The pin 40 also extends through a slot 44 in the driven plate 30.
The lock arm 32 also includes a butterfly slot 46 through which the tip of the actuator 26 extends. A washer 48 fits over the lock arm 32 and the tip of the actuator 26, and the tip is swedged to retain the lock arm 32 on the actuator 26.
Another pin 50 is secured to the lock arm 32. The pin 50 extends through a slot 52 in the drive plate 28 and through the slot 44 in the driven plate 30. The drive plate 28 resides between the driven plate 30 and the lock arm 32.
The driven plate 30 is mounted on a stub shaft 54 extending from the housing 12 and through an opening 56 in the driven plate 30. A bushing 58 is provided on each side of the driven plate 30 and a washer 60 retains the driven plate 30 on the shaft 54.
A drive arm 62 is fixed on the end of the paddle axle 18 on the exterior of the housing 12. The free end of the drive arm 62 is adapted to engage a tab 64 on the drive plate 28.
A spring 66 has a first end connected to the housing 12 and a second end connected to the driven plate 30. A second spring 68 has a first end connected to the drive arm 62 and a second end connected to the driven plate 30. The springs 66, 68 bias the driven plate 30 and the drive arm 62, respectively, to a neutral or de-actuated position when the paddle 14 is at rest or in the neutral position.
An over-center spring 70 has opposite ends secured to the housing 12 and to the lock arm 32 so as to bias the lock arm 32 to the fully locked or fully unlocked positions. A lock arm 32 has lost motion via the butterfly slot 44, so as to allow the lock cylinder 22 to return to its home position for key removal, while the lock arm 32 remains biased in the locked or unlocked position, as is conventional in the art.
The handle assembly 10 also includes an ornamental trim bezel 80 with an underlying gasket 82. The housing 12 and paddle 14 form a paddle module which is compression mounted with the bezel 80 onto a door panel, as described in Applicants' co-pending application Ser. No. ______ filed on Jul. ______, 2010, and entitled, “COMPRESSION MOUNTED PADDLE HANDLE”, with the same inventors. This co-pending application is incorporated herein by reference.
The handle assembly 10 has two operating modes: locked and unlocked. When the lock cylinder 22 is rotated to the locked position by a key, and then back to the home position, the lock arm 32 is pivoted by the actuator 26 to the position shown in
When the lock cylinder 22 is rotated to the locked position by an inserted key, and then returned to the home position so as to lock the cylinder 22, the actuator 26 rotates the lock arm 32 to the position shown in
The invention has been shown and described above with the preferred embodiments, and it is understood that many modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.
