Patent Application
20170370133
The present disclosure generally relates to a motor vehicle emergency handle door release, and more particularly, to a simple, robust, lightweight integrated handle for an emergency door handle release for use in conjunction with electrically actuated door release systems.
Some motor vehicles manufacturers offer mechanical emergency handle door releases, often in combination with electrically actuated door latch release systems, or so-called e-latch systems, which require a mechanical backup door release system for use by the vehicle occupants to allow the doors to be opened when there is no electrical power, especially in an emergency. Such mechanical emergency handle door releases, however, have generally been large, heavy, and expensive. Further, the use of a traditional style door latch handle often obviates the styling and design benefits of such e-latch systems and is not warranted given its minimal normal usage.
Further, some mechanical emergency handle door release systems employ an emergency handle located in interior locations which, given their infrequency of use, may not be readily observable or known to the vehicle occupants. This shortcoming is compounded by the fact that the use of such mechanical emergency handle door release systems may be necessary in an emergency situation, when intuitive actuation of the mechanical emergency handle door release by the vehicle occupant is necessary.
An improvement over such electronically actuated door release systems having a motor vehicle emergency handle door release was desired.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a simple, robust, low-cost, and light-weight integrated emergency handle door release is disclosed, having a handle with a door latch release cable end fitting and being attached through the door trim near the map pocket where an emergency release is thought to be expected. The disclosed emergency handle door release is thus easy to find and operate, requires minimal componentry and comprises a housing having a pair of opposed walls extending from a first end to a second end of the housing, wherein each of the opposed walls has an interior surface, and one of a pair of opposed pivot bosses disposed on the interior surface of each of the opposed walls. A pivotable handle has a stowed and an actuated position, and comprises a pivot mount, a lever disposed on one side of the pivot mount, and a door latch release cable end fitting disposed on another side of the pivot mount. The pivot mount includes a pair of opposed pivots extending laterally from the pivot mount of the pivotable handle and one of the pair of opposed pivots extends laterally through and is received within one of the pivot bosses disposed on the interior surface of each of the opposed walls when the emergency handle door release is assembled. A spring has a first leg disposed against a surface of the housing and a second leg disposed against a surface of the pivotable handle urging the pivotable handle to the stowed position.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a door release comprises a housing having a pivot boss disposed on each of a pair of opposed walls, a handle having a lever disposed on one side of a pivot mount, a cable end fitting disposed on another side of the pivot mount, and a pair of opposed pivots disposed within the pivot bosses, and a spring disposed against each of the housing and handle urging the handle to a stowed position.
According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a motor vehicle emergency handle door release comprises a housing forming a substantially rectangular structure having a first end and a second end, a pair of opposed walls extending from the first to the second end wherein each of the opposed walls has an interior surface, and one of a pair of opposed pivot slots disposed on the interior surface of each of the opposed walls, each of the opposed pivot slots terminating in a pivot boss, and wherein each of the opposed pivot slots comprise an open-ended channel having opposed inclined surfaces narrowing to a throat portion proximate an open end of the open-ended channel and terminating at one of the pivot bosses at a terminal end of the open-ended channel. A pivotable handle has a stowed and an actuated position, and comprises a pivot mount, a lever disposed on one side of the pivot mount, and a door latch release cable end fitting disposed on another side of the pivot mount, wherein the pivot mount includes a pair of opposed pivots extending laterally from the pivot mount of the pivotable handle and one of the pair of opposed pivots extends laterally through and is received within one of the pivot bosses disposed on the interior surface of each of the opposed walls when the emergency handle door release is assembled. The pivotable handle further comprises a pair of cross-members mounted to an internal surface of the pivotable handle opposite the pair of opposed pivots in the pivot mount of the pivotable handle. A torsion spring has a first leg disposed against a surface of the housing, a second leg disposed against a surface of the pivotable handle urging the pivotable handle to the stowed position, and a pair of coiled center portions coupled with the cross-members.
These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present disclosure will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.
In the drawings:
As referenced in the figures, the same reference numerals may be used herein to refer to the same parameters and components or their similar modifications and alternatives. For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the present disclosure as oriented in
Referring to
The motor vehicle emergency handle door release 10 primarily comprises a housing 12, a pivotable handle 14, and a spring 16. The housing 12 is preferably formed from a structurally robust and durable plastic resin material, more preferably such as POM acetal, 30% GF polypro or nylon (PA6) via an injection molding process, into a substantially rectangular structure having a base 18 and a pair of opposed walls 20, 22 extending between a first end 24 and a second end 26 of the housing 12. Preferably, each of the first and second ends 24, 26 of the housing 12 is open, and the side of the substantially rectangular structure opposite the base 18 is likewise open and forms an open traverse 28 between the opposed walls 20, 22 within which the pivotable handle 14 is received, as further discussed below. The base 18 also includes an inclined cable brace mount 30 extending from the second end 26 to which a cable brace 32 is attached.
Each of the opposed walls 20, 22 has an interior surface 34, 36, where one of a pair of opposed pivot slots 38, 40 is disposed on the interior surface 34, 36 of each of the opposed walls, respectively, preferably proximate an upper portion 42, 44 thereof near the second end 26 of the housing 12. In turn, each of the opposed pivot slots 38, 40 terminates in a pivot boss 46, 48. Preferably, each of the opposed pivot slots 38, 40 comprises an open-ended channel 50, 52 having opposed inclined surfaces 54 narrowing to a throat portion 56 proximate an open end 58 of the open-ended channel 50, 52 and terminating at one of the pivot bosses 46, 48 at a terminal end of the open-ended channel 50, 52. The pivot bosses 46, 48 preferably are defined by a first portion 64 formed by a curved surface 66 at the terminal end 60 of the open-ended channel 50, 52 and a second portion 68 formed by an opposed curved surface 70 proximate an edge 72 of each of the opposed walls 20, 22. Preferably, the spacing between the interior surfaces 34, 36 of the opposed walls 20, 22 is slightly less that the spacing between the outer surfaces 74, 76 of a pair of opposed pivots 78, 80 on the pivotable handle 14.
Preferably, the housing 12 also has a shelf 82 disposed at the second end 26 of the housing 12 that is attached to each of the opposed walls 20, 22 at the open second end 26 of the housing 12 and that spans the open second end 26, as shown in
The pivotable handle 14 is also preferably formed from POM acetal, 30% GF polypro and nylon (PA6) via an injection molding process and comprises a pivot mount 84, a lever 86 disposed on one side of the pivot mount 84, toward the first end 24, and a door latch release cable end fitting 88 disposed on another side of the pivot mount 84. Preferably, the lever 86 disposed on the pivot mount 84 extends at an oblique angle relative the door latch release cable end fitting 88 disposed on the pivot mount 84. More preferably, the lever 86 disposed on the pivot mount 84 extends at an angle of proximately 90° relative the door latch release cable end fitting 88 disposed on the pivot mount 84, as best shown in
The door latch release cable end fitting 88 preferably comprises a cylindrical clasp 90 into which a first end 92 of a Bowden cable 94 may be secured. The Bowden cable 94 is further directed through the cable brace mount 30 to restrain the sleeve 96 of the Bowden cable 94 against the cable brace 32 to actuate the Bowden cable 94, as is known to those having ordinary skill in the art. Preferably, the Bowden cable 94 proximate the first end 92 is incorporated in the cable brace mount 30 through a heat staking or over-molding process so that it is essentially encased within the cable brace mount 30, as shown in
The pivot mount 84 includes the pair of opposed pivots 78, 80 extending laterally from the pivot mount 84 of the pivotable handle 14. When installed in the housing 12, one of the pair of opposed pivots 78, 80 extends laterally through and is received within one of the pivot bosses 46, 48 disposed on the interior surface 34, 36 of each of the opposed walls 20, 22, as described above. To facilitate such an installation, the opposed pivot slots 38, 40 are disposed adjacent the open traverse 28 to readily receive the pair of opposed pivots 78, 80. As shown in
The spring 16 preferably comprises a torsion steel wire spring having a pair of coiled center portions 98 disposed within the housing 12 and a first leg 100 disposed against a surface of the housing 12 and a second leg 102 disposed against a oblique surface 104 of the pivotable handle 14 urging the pivotable handle 14 to the stowed position. Preferably, the first leg 100 of the spring 16 is a pair of distal ends 106, 108 of the spring 16, and the second leg 102 of the spring 16 is a bent loop 110. As shown in
Preferably, a lower surface 116 of the shelf 82 forms a surface 118 on the housing 12 against which a pair of lever stops 120, 122 disposed on the pivotable handle 14 is disposed when the pivotable handle 14 is urged to the stowed position. As shown in
The pivotable handle 14 further comprises a pair of spring cross-members 124, 126 mounted to opposed internal surfaces 128, 130 of the pivotable handle 14 opposite the pair of opposed pivots 78, 80 in the pivot mount 84 of the pivotable handle 14. The spring cross-members are adapted to engage the coiled center portions 98 of the torsion spring 16 and to restrain and mount the spring 16 within the pivotable handle 14. Preferably, the spring cross-members 124, 126 form a cylindric section 136 having an inclined surface 132 and a stop 134. During assembly, the inclined surfaces 132 of the spring cross-members 124, 126 urge the coiled center portions 98 of the torsion spring 16 together as the coiled center portions 98 are pushed over the inclined surface 132 of the cylindric section 136 of the spring cross-members 124, 126 and brought into engagement with the stop 134 of the spring cross-members 124, 126 to snap in place.
Preferably, the pivot mount 84 forms a partial cylinder 138 having a curved wall 140, as shown in
The emergency handle door release 10 is preferably mounted to the door trim panel 146 proximate a map pocket 148 so as to expose the lever 86, so that the lever 86 can be readily actuated by the vehicle occupant by simply inserting a finger in a recess 149 in the door trim panel adjacent the emergency handle door release 10 and lifting the lever 86 and rotating the pivotable handle 14. Preferably, an attachment interface 150 is disposed on one or more of the surfaces of the exterior wall 152 of the housing 12 defined by the exterior surface of each of the base 18 and the opposed walls 20, 22. The attachment interface 150 can be one or more resilient clips 154 that secure the housing 12 to an interior door structure member (not shown), whereby the housing 12 can be slid into position until the resilient clip 154 engages a feature of the interior door structure member that otherwise secures the resilient clip 154 in the housing in position, as is known in the art. Alternatively, the housing 12 for the emergency handle door release 10 may be bolted into position by the use of one or more fasteners (not shown). The objective is that the housing 12 for the emergency handle door release 10 be securely mounted so that the load applied to the lever 86 to displace the pivotable handle 14 from the stowed to the actuated position is reliably and positively communicated through the Bowden cable 94 to the mechanical door latch assembly 4.
A particular advantage of the emergency handle door release 10 according to the present disclosure is that assembly can be readily accomplished. First, the first end 92 of the Bowden cable 94 is attached by heat staking or molding the first end 92 of the Bowden cable 94 to the cable brace mount 30 and cable brace 32 of the housing 12. The spring 16 is then slid into the pivotable handle 14 so that the pair of distal ends 106, 108 of the spring 16 extends through the slots 142, 144 in the pivot mount 84. The inclined surfaces 132 of the spring cross-members 124, 126 urge the coiled center portions 98 of the torsion spring 16 together as the coiled center portions 98 are pushed over the inclined surface 132 of the cylindric section 136 of the spring cross-members 124, 126 and brought into engagement with the stop 134 of the spring cross-members 124, 126. Once so engaged, the second leg 100 of the spring 16 is disposed against the oblique surface 104 of the pivotable handle 14.
With the spring 16 assembled with the pivotable handle 14, the pivotable handle 14 is inserted into the open traverse 28 between the opposed walls 20, 22 and the opposed pair of pivots 78, 80 is brought into alignment with the pair of opposed pivot slots 38, 40 formed on the interior surface 34, 36 of the opposed walls 20, 22. The pair of opposed pivots 78, 80 of the pivotable handle 14 is further pushed into the opposed pivot slots 38, 40 within the housing 12 until the pair of opposed pivots 78, 80 is brought into engagement with the pivot bosses 46, 48. Insertion is facilitated with the throat portion 56 of the open-ended channels 50, 52 of the opposed pivot slots 38, 40 being spaced apart by a distance slightly greater than an outer diameter of the opposed pivots 78, 80, which acts as a guide during assembly. As the pivotable handle 14 is inserted in the opposed pivot slots 38, 40, the opposed walls 20, 22 are caused to flex slightly outward as the pair of opposed pivots 78, 80 of the pivotable handle 14 is inserted into and slid through the open-ended channels 50, 52 of the opposed pivot slots 38, 40 and into engagement with the pivot bosses 46, 48, as discussed above.
During this assembly step, the pair of distal ends 106, 108 of the spring 16 inserted through the pair of slots 142, 144 provided in the curved wall 140 of the pivot mount 84 are brought into engagement with the upper surface 112 of the shelf 82 disposed at the open second end 26 of the housing 12. Once the pivotable handle 14 is installed in the housing 12, the first end 92 of the Bowden cable 94 can be attached to the cylindrical clasp 90 of the pivotable handle 14 and the emergency door handle release 10 can be installed in the door 6 as described above.
It will be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art that construction of the described present disclosure and other components is not limited to any specific material. Other exemplary embodiments of the disclosure disclosed herein may be formed from a wide variety of materials, unless described otherwise herein.
For purposes of this disclosure, the term “coupled” (in all of its forms, couple, coupling, coupled, etc.) generally means the joining of two components (electrical or mechanical) directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature or movable in nature. Such joining may be achieved with the two components (electrical or mechanical) and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two components. Such joining may be permanent in nature or may be removable or releasable in nature unless otherwise stated.
For purposes of this disclosure, the term “operably connected” generally means that one component functions with respect to another component, even if there are other components located between the first and second component, and the term “operable” defines a functional relationship between components.
It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the present disclosure as shown in the exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the present innovations have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that, unless otherwise described, many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements shown as multiple parts may be integrally formed, the operation of the interfaces may be reversed or otherwise varied, the length or width of the structures and/or members or connector or other elements of the system may be varied, the nature or number of adjustment positions provided between the elements may be varied. It should be noted that the elements and/or assemblies of the system may be constructed from any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, in any of a wide variety of colors, textures, and combinations. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present innovations. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating positions, and arrangement of the desired and other exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present innovations.
It will be understood that any described processes or steps within described processes may be combined with other disclosed processes or steps to form structures within the scope of the present disclosure. The exemplary structures and processes disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes and are not to be construed as limiting.
It is also to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structures and methods without departing from the concepts of the present invention, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.
