WO2011077222A2

WO2011077222A2 - Vehicle door safety lock handle assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2011077222A2
Application number: PCT/IB2010/003309
Authority: WO
Inventors: Angelo Bertolotti Potachin
Original assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Current assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Priority date: 2009-12-21
Filing date: 2010-12-20
Publication date: 2011-06-30
Anticipated expiration: 2012-06-21
Also published as: WO2011077222A3

Abstract

A handle assembly (1) including a support (3), a grip (4) carried by the pivoting support between a resting position and a working position, an arm (6) carried integrally by a first end (5) of the grip to release door locking means (8) when the grip is in the working position, and a key latch (10) carried by the support closed to the first end of the grip; wherein the arm (6) is shaped as a frame open towards the door latch, the grip carrying on the back an L- shaped lever (14) which, in the resting position of the grip, has a first wing (15) facing the grip (4) and a second wing (17) accommodated within the arm (6), parallel to the same and provided with the free end (18) of a tooth (19) engaged in a side recess (20) of the door latch, the locking lever (14) being hinged to the first end (5) of the grip, at the joint between the first and the second wing (15,17), perpendicularly to the arm (6).

Description

VEHICLE DOOR SAFETY LOCK HANDLE ASSEMBLY TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a handle assembly for a vehicle door provided with a safety locking system of the handle assembly grip so as to prevent the accidental release of the door locking means, e.g. consisting of a lock, in case of side crash of the vehicle .

BACKGROUND ART

It is known, for example from EP 1950366, a handle assembly for a vehicle door provided with a safety device which prevents the inertia forces which are developed during a side crash from opening the door; such a phenomenon occurs in handle assemblies provided with pivoting grip, in which the user, in order to open the door, makes the grip rotate with respect to a support of the same secured to the door, so as to move one end of the handle away from the support; such an end is normally associated to a control arm, which is operatively associated to a rotating body carried by the support and connected to a Bowden cable, connected in turn to door locking means constituted by the lock itself. By manually rotating the handle, the user strains the Bowden cable and produces the unlocking of the lock. In case of a side crash to the vehicle, however, the grip may be rotated by the inertia forces, thus releasing the lock and causing the opening of the door, with severe danger for the passengers.

In order to avoid this drawback, in the handle assembly according to EP 1950366, the grip is normally disconnected from the rotating body and integrally provided with a safety lever carried on the back of the grip so as that can be pressed by the user during the manual rotation of the grip; the safety lever controls a hooking lever, which only at this point, i.e. with the safety lever manually pressed, connects the grip to the rotating body, thus allowing the manual release of the door locking means, but not the accidentally release thereof caused by a side crash.

The described handle assembly is however relatively complex and costly to make, and may imply operating difficulties during manual opening.

Other handle assemblies are known, for example from US3967844, FR2908441 and US2007/0091680 , in which a blocking system of the rotary motion of the grip is contemplated, which is only disengaged when the user grasps the grip to open the door, instead. These systems are however constructively complex and have a relatively large bulk and, if the locking system is based on a side ratchet which slides transversally to the rotation plane of the grip, seizing or operating difficulty may occur, particularly at low temperatures.

WO2005/021906A teaches of having a locking system based on a pivoting member controlled by an elastic element, which however may seize. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art by providing a handle assembly for a vehicle door which is of simple construction, reliable, compact and relatively cost- effective to make, and which effectively prevents the opening of the door in case of side crashes of the vehicle at the same time.

The present invention thus relates to a handle assembly for a vehicle door, as disclosed in claim 1.

In particular, the handle assembly for a vehicle door comprising a support fixable to the door, a grip carried by the support pivoting between a resting position and a working position, in which the grip is rotated with respect to the support so as to be arranged with at least one first end thereof away from the support, one arm integrally carried by the first end of the grip so as to perpendicularly and overhangingly protrude towards and through the support, to operate releasing means of the door locking means (e.g. consisting of a lock) when the grip is in the working position, and a door latch carried by the support close to the first end of the grip and intended to block the movement of the grip in known manner.

According to an aspect of the invention, the arm is shaped as a frame open towards the door latch and the grip carries a single L-shaped blocking lever on the side of a first rear face thereof, facing the support, which lever has a first wing arranged facing the rear face and having a free end arranged adjacent to a second end of the grip, and a second wing accommodated within the arm, parallel to the same and provided at a free end thereof with a tooth adapted to engage a shoulder element integral with the support, e.g. a side recess of the door latch; the locking lever is hinged to the first end of the grip, at the joint between the first and second wings, so as to be free to rotate, upon of a thrust exerted by the user on the grip to take it from the resting position to the working position, about an axis arranged parallel to the rear face of the grip and perpendicular to the arm.

In this manner, the tooth carried by the free end of the second wing prevents the grip from pivoting between the working and resting positions; while the rotation of the L- shaped lever about the mentioned axis disengages the tooth from the side recess of the door latch, thus allowing the grip to freely pivot between the working and resting positions.

The handle assembly according to the invention further comprises elastic means to maintain the L- shaped lever normally in the resting position of the grip, in which the first wing is arranged parallel to the grip and with a first end thereof abutting against a stop carried by the grip on the rear face, and in that the second wing is arranged at least partially protruding from the arm and towards the door latch, so that the tooth on the free end of the second wing is engaged in the side recess of the door latch.

Finally, according to a non- secondary feature of the invention, the L-shaped lever is made so that the second wing is always arranged at least in part radially and overhangingly protruding with respect to the rotation axis of the L-shaped lever and so that its mass is greater than that of the first wing, which first wing is entirely radially and overhangingly arranged with respect to the rotation axis of the L-shaped lever, on the side opposite to the second wing and over a longer length. The masses and the radially overhanging lengths from the rotation axis of the first and second wings are then chosen so as to generate, due to the dynamic effect when the grip is subjected to a transversal acceleration, torques of substantially equivalent modulus and with opposite direction about the rotation axis, so that the angular position of the L-shaped lever is indifferent to the transversal acceleration.

In this manner, the accidental actuation of the handle assembly grip by the inertia forces which are generated during a side crash of the vehicle is effectively and simply avoided producing the accidental opening of the door; at the same time, the locking mechanism of the rotation of the grip is extremely simple from the construction point of view being constituted by a simple pivoting lever, parallel with and independent of the grip; it is thus not subject to any problem of seizing in use.

Furthermore, the assembly is extremely simple to make and assemble and has small dimensions, using if necessary a side recess which is commonly present in the door latches used in handle assemblies of known type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment, exclusively provided by way of non- limitative example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

- figure 1 is a top plan view of a handle assembly for a vehicle door made according to the invention shown in the first configuration of use;

- figure 2 shows a detail of the handle assembly in figure 1 with parts removed for simplicity on an enlarged scale and in the same view as figure 1;

figure 3 shows a perspective three-quarters view of the handle assembly in figure 1 with parts removed for the sake of simplicity;

figure 4 shows a top plan view of the handle assembly in figure 1 in a second configuration of use;

figure 5 shows a top plan, section view of a handle assembly for a vehicle door made according to a variant of the invention;

figure 6 shows a perspective, three-quarters rear view on enlarged scale of the handle assembly in figure 5 with parts removed for the sake of simplicity; figure 7 shows a perspective, three-quarters front view of two main components of the handle assembly in figure 5.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to figures from 1 to 4 , numeral 1 indicates as a whole an handle assembly for a vehicle door 2 , known and not shown .

The handle assembly 1 comprises a support 3 fixable to the door 2, a grip 4 carried by the support 3 pivoting between a resting position, shown in figure 1, and a working position, shown in figure 4, in which the grip 4 is rotated with respect to the support 3 in the sense of the arrow, so as to be arranged with at least one first end 5 thereof away from the support 3, and an arm 6 integrally carried by the end 5 of the grip 4 so as to perpendicularly and overhangingly protrude towards and through the support 3, to operate releasing means 7 of the door locking means 8 (diagrammatically represented by a block, e.g. constituted by a door lock, known and not shown for the sake of simplicity) when the grip 4 is in the working position in figure 4.

In particular, the support 3 comprises an end element 9 arranged immediately adjacent to the end 5 of the grip 4 and is provided with a through door latch 10, which is consequently integrally carried by the support 3 close to the end 5 of the grip 4 so as to be able to interact in use in known manner with the same in order to prevent the grip 4 from turning, in particular about an articulated hinge point, constituted by a lever 11 (figure 4) integrally carried by the grip 4 on a second end 12 opposite to end 5, in order to be able to pass from the resting position in figure 1 to the working position in figure 4.

According to an aspect of the invention, the arm 6 is shaped like a frame open towards the door latch 10 and, in combination, the grip 4 carries and L- shaped locking lever 14 (figure 3) on the side of a first rear face 13 thereof, facing the support 3, which lever in the resting position of figure 1 of the grip 4, has a first wing 15 arranged facing the rear face 13 and having a free end 16 arranged adjacent to a second end 12 of the grip 4, and a second wing 17 (figure 3) accommodated within the arm 6, parallel to the same and provided at a free end 18 thereof with a tooth 19 adapted to engage a side recess 20 of the door latch 10, intrinsically known because it is in all cases present in the door latch 10, the construction of which is intrinsically known, in turn.

The locking lever 14 is hinged to the first end 5 of the grip 4, at the joint between the first wing 15 and the second wing 17, so as to be free to rotate, as will be seen, about an axis A (figure 3) , which is parallel to rear face 13 of grip 4 and perpendicular to arm 6, as a consequence of a thrust S (indicated by the arrow in figure 4) exerted by the user on the grip 4 to take it from the resting position in figure 1 to the working position in figure 4.

As apparent from figure 1, the tooth 19 carried by the free end 19 of the second wing 17 prevents the grip 4, when it is engaged by the side recess 20 of the door latch 10, which is integral with the support 3, from pivoting between the working position in figure 4 and resting position in figure 1, withholding it in the latter position; on the other hand, the rotation of the L- shaped lever 14 about the axis A disengages the tooth from the side recess 20 of the door latch 10 (figure 4) , thus allowing the grip 4 to freely pivot between the working and resting positions.

For this purpose, the handle assembly 1 further comprises elastic means 21 made and arranged to be adapted to normally keep the L- shaped lever 14 in a blocking position, shown in figures 1, 2 and 3, wherein the first wing 15 is arranged parallel to the grip 4 and in particular to the rear face 13 of the same, with the free end 16 thereof abutting against a stop 22 facing opposite side to the rear face 13 and carried by the grip 4 on the rear face 13 itself on the side of end 12.

Furthermore, in this locking position, the second wing 17 is arranged at least partially laterally protruding from the arm 6 and towards the door latch 10, so that the tooth 19 at the free end 18 of the wing 17 is necessarily engaged in the side recess 20 of the door latch 10 when this is present, thoroughly mounted, in known manner onto the element 9, and independently of the operative position of the door latch 10, i.e. both when grip 4is free, and the grip 4 is engaged by the locking member (known and not shown for the sake of simplicity) of the door latch 10.

Furthermore, according to a further aspect of the invention, the wing 15 of the L-shaped lever 14 and the lever 14 itself are shaped so that the wing 15 must be gripped by the user at least at the free end 16 thereof as a consequence of any pulling action manually exerted by a user on the grip 4 to move it from the resting position to the working position.

In this manner, any attempt by the user to make the handle 4 pivot with respect to the support 3, to move it from the resting position in figure 1 to the working position in figure 4, necessarily forces the L-shaped lever 14 to rotate about axis A against the bias of the elastic means 21 from the blocking position in figure 1- 3 towards a releasing position, shown in figure 4, in which the second wing 17 is arranged in a retracted position within the arm 6, with the tooth 19 disengaged from the side recess 20 of the door latch 10.

In particular, the lever 14 is hinged to the first end 5 of the grip 4 by means of a pin 23 (figure 3) transversally carried by the grip 4, parallelly to the rear face 13 of the same, and the elastic means 21 consist of a helical spring mounted and concentrically wound on the pin 23 and having opposite ends ending with rectilinear arms 24,25 (figure 3) tangentially and overhangingly protruding from the pin 23 and engaged in abutment against a first portion 26 of the second wing 17 of the L-shaped lever 14 and against a rear part of the end 5 of the grip 4 itself, respectively.

Furthermore, according to an aspect of the invention, the L-shaped lever is made so that the second wing 17 is always arranged at least in part radially and overhangingly protruding with respect to the rotation axis A of the L lever 14 itself (figure 3) and so that the mass of the wing 17 is greater than that of the wing 15: the latter, in turn, is entirely arranged radially and overhangingly outstanding with respect to the rotation axis A of the L-shaped lever 14, on the side opposite to the wing 17 and over a length longer than the protrusion of the wing 17 in turn radially and overhangingly outstanding from axis A.

In particular, the masses and the radially overhanging lengths from the rotation axis A of the first wing 15 and the second wing 17 are chosen so as to generate, in use, about rotation axis A, due to the dynamic effect when the grip 4 is subjected to a transversal acceleration T (indicated by the double arrow in figure 4), torques (torque stresses) of substantially equivalent modulus and with opposite direction, so that the angular position of the L-shaped lever 14 is indifferent to the transversal acceleration T, of any type.

According to the illustrated non- limitative embodiment, the L-shaped lever 14 comprises a joint portion 26 between the first wing 15 and the second wing 17, which is substantially saddle-shaped (V-shaped in the illustrated case in point with concavity facing towards the pin 23) and at which the L-shaped lever 14 is hinged to the first end 5 of the grip 4.

Furthermore, the joint portion 26 is radially overhangingly arranged with respect to the rotation axis A of the L-shaped lever 14 on both its sides adjacent to the first wing 15 and the second wing 17 and the rotation axis A of the L-shaped lever 14 is laterally arranged to the L-shaped lever (14) itself, between the latter and the rear face 13 of the grip 4, being engaged by the L-shaped lever 14 by means of respective ears 27 laterally and overhangingly protruding from the joint portion 26, towards the second wing 17, i.e. from the side facing the same.

According to a preferred embodiment, the free end 18 of the second wing 17 of the lever 14 is arranged obliquely bent on the side of the door latch 10, so as to radially move away from the rotation axis A of the L- shaped lever 14 , so that an angular movement of a few degrees of the wing 15 is sufficient to produce a more consistent angular movement of the end 18.

Furthermore, the end 5 of the grip 4 (figure 3) is

L-shaped and is frontally open towards the door latch 10, so as to leave accessible the joint portion 26 between the and wings 15 and 17 in order to allow in use the L-shaped lever 14 to be easily assembled; for protective reasons of the mechanical defined by the lever 14 with the spring 21 and above all for aesthetic reasons, a closing cap 28 is provided for being snap- fitted on the end 5, from opposite side to the rear face 13, for concealing the L-shaped lever 14 outwards.

In use, when the door latch 10 allows the movements of the grip 4, the latter is normally kept by the releasing means 7 in the resting position in figure 1 ; the spring 21 similarly keeps the lever 14 in the blocking position in figure 1; in such a position, the tooth 19 protrudes laterally from arm 6 and engages the recess 20, which is in all cases present in the door latch 10; consequently the arm 6 is "coupled" to the door latch 10, which is in turn integral with the support 3 , thus making the support 3 integral with the end 5 of the grip 4.

In this configuration, a possible side acceleration T cannot obviously make the grip 4 to move, because this movement is prevented by the tooth 19. Similarly, the acceleration T cannot even make the lever 14 turn, by virtue of the particular balancing of weights and lever arms (constituted by the overhanging length with respect to axis A of the wings 15 and 17) with which the same is made, which makes it indifferent to acceleration T. Consequently, the door 2 remains with the locking means 8 engaged and closed also as a consequence of a violent side crash to which the vehicle on which the handle assembly 1 is mounted is subjected.

On the other hand, when a user attempts to open the door 2, no difficulties are encountered and the maneuver is smooth and without seizing. In this case, indeed, the thrust S that the user applies to the grip 4 translates into the application of the lever 14, onto the end 16 of the wing 15 of the same, of a force F (figure 4) directed against the rear face of the grip 4, which consequently forces the lever 14 to turn anticlockwise about the axis A, even by only a few degrees; consequently, the end 18 is recalled against the bias of the spring 21 towards a retracted position within the arm 6, with movement in direction D (figure 4) of the tooth 19 which, consequently, is released from the recess 20, releasing the grip 4.

Continuing with the application of the thrust S, thus, the user makes the grip 4 pivot outward the working position, releasing the door locking means 8. When the user releases the grip 4 this is returned to the position in figure 1 while the spring 21 returns the lever 21 to the blocking position, forcing the tooth 19 to engage the recess 20 again. The handle assembly 1 is again consequently in a safe configuration in which it is impossible for a side crash to the vehicle to cause the opening of the door 2.

With reference to figures from 5 to 7 , numeral 100 indicates as a whole an handle assembly for a vehicle door 2, known and not shown, which constitutes a variant of the handle assembly 1 in figure 1. Similar or equivalent details to those already described will be indicated with the same reference numbers for the sake of simplicity.

The handle assembly 100 comprises a support 3 fixable to the door 2, and a grip 4 carried by the support 3 pivoting between a resting position, shown in figure 5 with a solid line and in which the grip 4 is arranged substantially adjacent to the support 3, and a working position, shown only partially and with a dashed line in figure 5, in which the grip 4 is arranged rotated about an axis A in the direction of the arrow with respect to the support 3, so as to be arranged with at least one first end 5 thereof away from the support 3. In particular, the grip 4 rotates about the axis A with respect to the support 3 by means of a hinge of known type, including a fork- shaped lever 11 carried integrally by the grip 4 and behind the same by a second end 12 thereof opposite to 5 and which engages a respective fixed pin element of the support 3.

An arm 6 is integrally carried by the end 5 of the grip 4 so as to perpendicularly and overhangingly protrude towards and through the support 3 , to operate (in known manner) releasing means 7 of the door locking means 8 (diagrammatically illustrated by two blocks because known) when the grip 4 is in the working position, shown with a dashed line in figure 5.

In particular, the support 3 comprises the end element 9 arranged immediately adjacent to the end 5 of the grip 4 and thoroughly provided with a door latch, known and not shown for the sake of simplicity, accommodated through a seat 110 of the element 9. For the rest, the support 3 is arranged behind the grip 4, i.e. on the side facing the door 2, and has a concavity 103 facing the grip 4 which allows users to grasp the grip 4 with their hand making their fingers pass within the concavities 103, between the support 3 and a rear face 13 facing towards the support 3 of the grip 4, in use .

According to the invention, the grip 4 consists of an elongated hollow body, e.g. made of synthetic plastic material, and carries on the side of the rear face thereof 13, a lever 114 and hooking means 119, operatively associated to the lever 114; in particular, the lever 114 is accommodated within a longitudinal through seat 115 of the grip 4, obtained through the rear face 13 of the same, in position adjacent to the ends 5, and is also made of a synthetic plastic material, so as to have a relatively small mass.

The lever 114 is hinged with a first end 120 thereof (figure 5) to the grip 4, so as to be able to turn about an axis B constituted by an appropriate pin parallel to the rotation axis A of the grip 4 and, in the illustrated case in hand, arranged adjacent to axis A because the pin B is secured to the end 12 of the grip 4; the lever 114 thus faces the concavity 103 from the side of the support 3 and is thus adapted to selectively assume a first position (shown in figure 5) and a second position (not shown for the sake of simplicity), rotated with respect to one another with respect to the grip 4, when the grip 4 is in the resting position and, respectively when, being the grip 4 in the resting position, the grip 4 is subjected by a user to a manual thrust S (figure 5) directed to taking it to the working position, having the users grasped the grip 4 and introduced their hand through the concavity 103 and, thus, pressing their fingers against the lever 114.

In the first position of the lever 114, shown in figure 5, the hooking means 119 are arranged in a hooking position, in which they engage a shoulder element 121 integral to the support 3 to keep the grip 4 blocked in the resting position.

In the second position which can be assumed by the lever 114, this is rotated about axis B and towards the grip 4, so that one end 122 is moved all within the seat 115 and the hollow body constituting the grip 4; in this position of the lever 114, the hooking means 119 are arranged in a releasing position, not shown, in which they are released by the shoulder element 121, so as to leave the grip 4 free to move into the working position.

According to a feature of the invention, the hooking means 119 and the lever 114, which replace the lever 14 of the handle assembly 1, are shaped so that the hooking means 119 move from the hooking position to the releasing position about an axis C parallel to rotation axis A of the grip 4 and constituted by a pin secured to the end 5, as a consequence of the rotation of the lever 114 from the first to the second position; furthermore, the shape of the hooking means 119 and of the lever 114 are such that the hooking means 119 always remain engaged with the shoulder element 121 as a consequence of the application to the grip 4 of an acceleration T traversal to the rotation axis A of the grip 4.

For this purpose, according to a possible embodiment, at least part of the lever 114 and/or of the hooking means 119 have a predetermined mass, which radially and overhangingly protrudes from the rotation axis thereof (B or C in figure 5) in a predetermined direction, where the mentioned predetermined mass and direction are such that, as a consequence of the application of the transversal acceleration T, the hooking means 119 remain however engaged with the shoulder element 121.

According to another possible embodiment, instead, the handle assembly 100 comprises first elastic means 123 shown in figure 5 only diagrammatically, e.g. consisting of a spiral spring wound about the pin C, dimensioned (i.e. having sufficiently high rigidity) so as to keep the hooking means 119 engaged with the shoulder element 121 also against the action of the inertia forces which can be generated in use on the lever 114 and on the hooking means 119 themselves by the application of the transversal acceleration T.

In general, the handle assembly 100 comprises in all cases the elastic means 123 and further comprises^" second elastic means 124 for example consisting of a spiral spring wound about the pin B, mounted preloaded with a sufficient preload to normally keep the grip 4 in the resting position, the hooking means 119 engaging the shoulder element 121 and the lever 114 in the operative position thereof shown in figure 5, in which it is arranged substantially parallel to the grip 4.

In accordance with the description hereto, it is apparent that the hooking means 119 are arranged at the first end 5 of the grip 4, while on the opposite side the lever 114 is hinged, with an end 120 thereof to the end 12 of the grip 4, close to the rotation axis A.

According to this aspect of the invention, the hooking means 119 consist of a second L- shaped lever carried hinged, at an intermediate portion 125 thereof (figures 5 and 7) , from the end 5 of the grip 4 through the pin C, which is integral in one piece with the L- shaped lever 119 and which idling engages in use in known manner and not shown for the sake of simplicity a specific inner seat (not shown for the sake of simplicity) of the grip 4.

The L-shaped lever 119 has a first wing 126 radially protruding from the pin C towards the second end 122 of the lever 114 and which tangentially cooperate in contact with the same; and a second wing 127, opposite to the first, overhangingly protruding from the pin C through a seat 128 made through the rear face 13 of the grip 4, on the side of the arm- 6, and provided on the free end and towards the arm 6, with a tooth 129 adapted to cooperate with the shoulder element 121.

In particular, the shoulder element 121 consists of an edge of a through seat 130 (figure 5) of the support 3 obtained substantially facing the end 5 of the grip 4 and the tooth 129, in the hooking position of the hooking means 119, i.e. in the resting position of the L-shaped lever 119 shown in figure 1, is adapted to be engaged underneath this edge to thus anchor the end 5 to the support 3.

To guarantee an optimal operation, the wing 126 and the end 122 of the lever 114 are coupled in contact by means of respective oblique surfaces of respective adjacent portions 131 and 132 thereof shaped as an inclined surface, so that the rotation motion of the lever 114 with respect to the grip 4 from opposite side of the rear face 13 of the grip 4 itself, i.e. in the sense of the arrow F in figure 5, is translated into a rotation of the L-shaped lever in the sense of the arrow R in figure 5, in such a direction to move the tooth 129 of the wing 127 away from the edge constituting the shoulder element 121, releasing it from the same.

Preferably, the wing 127 is made so as to have a mass adapted to balance the mass of the wing 126 and of the lever 114.

In use, the handle assembly 100, at rest, i.e. without any thrust applied thereto,, is arranged . in the configuration shown with a solid line in figure 5. In this configuration, the lever 114, under the bias of the spring 124, lays parallel to the grip 4, which lays adjacent and parallel to the support 3. The spring 123 keeps the tooth 129 engaged under the edge 121, so that the grip 4 is secured with the end 5 thereof to the support 3 and cannot consequently rotate about axis A towards the working position, partially shown with a dashed line in figure 5.

Consequently, in case of a transversal crash to the vehicle equipped with the assembly 100, the door 2 will not open. Indeed, the inertia forces consequent to the acceleration T which are generated on the wing 127 are substantially equal to those which are generated on the wing 126 and on the lever 114, due to the differential positioning of the masses of the same, therefore the articulate mechanism consisted by the levers 119 and 114 tends to be indifferent to the transversal acceleration T, however this is directly.

The same effect is obtained if additionally or alternatively to an appropriate portioning of the masses of the wings 127 and 126 and of the lever 114, the rigidity of the spring 123 is appropriately proportioned, so that this can oppose any inertia thrusts generated on the levers 114 and 119.

When instead a user who wants to open the door 2 from the outside grasps the grip 4 in the previously- described manner and, consequently, applies the thrust S also to the lever 114, this latter turns about the pin B, under the bias of the spring 124, so moving the end 122 thereof, which turns in the direction of the arrow R the lever 119 against the bias of the spring 123; in this manner, the tooth 129 is disengaged and the end 5 of the grip 4 is free to turn towards the position shown with a dashed line, thus actuating the mechanism (lock) 8 through the arm 6.

Claims

1.- A handle assembly (1:100) for a vehicle door comprising, a support (3) fixable to the door (2), a grip (4) carried by the support pivoting between a resting position, in which the grip is arranged substantially adjacent to the support, and a working position, in which the grip is arranged with at least one first end (5) thereof away from the support, and an arm (6) integrally carried by the grip so as to overhangingly protrude towards and through the support, to operate releasing means (7) of the door locking means (8) when the grip is in the working position; and a door latch (10) carried by the support (3) close to the first end (5) of the grip; wherein the grip (4) carries on the side of a rear face (13) thereof, facing towards the support, a lever (14; 114) and hooking means (19; 119) operatively associated to the lever; the lever (14; 114) being hinged to the grip about an axis parallel to the rotation axis of the grip and so as to be adapted to selective assume a first and a second position, turned with respect to the grip, when, respectively, the grip (4) is in the resting position and when the grip, being in said resting position, is subjected by the user to a manual thrust (S) directed to take it to the working position; in the first position of said lever (14;114), the hooking means (19; 119) being arranged in a hooking position in which they engage a shoulder element (20_/121) integral with the support for maintaining the grip (4) blocked in the resting position; and in the second position of said lever (14; 114) the hooking means (19; 119) being arranged in a releasing position, in which they are disengaged from the shoulder element (20:121) to leave the grip free to move into the working position; characterized in that hooking means (19; 119) and said lever (14; 114) are shaped so that the hooking means (19; 119) move from the hooking position to the releasing position by turning about an axis parallel to the rotation axis of the grip, consequent to the rotation of said lever (14; 114) from the first to the second position; and so that the hooking means (19; 119) remain engaged with the shoulder element (20; 121) as a consequence of the application on the grip of an acceleration (T) transversal to the rotation axis of the grip.

2. - A handle assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that at least part of said lever (14; 114) and/or of said hooking means (19; 119) have a predetermined mass which radially and overhangingly protrudes from the rotation axis thereof in a predetermined direction, said predetermined mass and direction being such that, as a consequence of the application of said traversal acceleration (T) , the hooking means (19; 119) remain engaged with said shoulder element (20 ; 121) .

3. - A handle assembly according to claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that it comprises elastic means (123; 124) to normally maintain, in the resting position of the grip (4), said hooking means (119) engaged with said shoulder element (121) and said lever (114) in said first position.

4. - A handle assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said hooking means (119) are arranged at said first end (5) of the grip, while said lever (114) is hinged, with a first end (120) thereof, to a second end (12) of the grip, opposite to the first and near the rotation axis of the grip; said hooking means consisting of a second L-shaped lever (119) which is carried hinged, at a first intermediate portion (125) thereof, by the first end (5) of the grip; the L-shaped lever (119) having a first wing (126) radially protruding towards a second end (122) of said lever (114), opposite to the first, and tangentially cooperating in contact with the same; and a second wing (127), opposite to the first, overhangingly protruding to the side of said arm (6) through a through seat (128) of the rear face of the grip, , and provided, on its free end and towards the arm, with a tooth (129) adapted to cooperate with said shoulder element.

5. - A handle assembly according to claim 4 , characterized in that said shoulder element consists of an edge (121) of a through seat (130) of the support (3) obtained substantially facing the first end (5) of the grip.

6. - A handle assembly according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that said first wing (126) and said second end (122) of the lever are coupled in. contact to one another by means of oblique surfaces of respective adjacent wedged-shaped portions (131,132) thereof, so that a rotation motion of the lever (114) with respect to the grip on the opposite side of the rear face of the grip is translated into a rotation of the L- shaped lever (119) in sense so as to move the tooth (129) of the second wing away from the shoulder element, releasing it therefrom .

7. - A handle assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the arm (6) is shaped like a frame open towards the door latch and in that, in combination, the grip carries a single L-shaped blocking lever (14) on the side of a first rear face (13) thereof, facing the support, which lever has a first wing (15) arranged facing the rear face (13) and having a free end (16) arranged adjacent to a second end (12) of the grip, and a second wing (17) accommodated within the arm (6), parallel to the same and provided at a free end (18) thereof with a tooth (19) adapted to engage said shoulder element (20), the locking lever (14) being hinged to the first end (5) of the grip (4), at the joint between the first and second wings (15,17), so as to be free to rotate, upon of a thrust (S) exerted by the user on the grip (4) to take it from the resting position to the working position, about an axis arranged parallel to the rear face of the grip and perpendicular to the arm .

8. - A handle assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that said shoulder element is a side recess (20) of the door latch.

9. - A handle assembly according to claim 7 or 8 , characterized in that said tooth (19) carried by the free end (18) of the second wing (17) prevents the grip (4), when it is engaged with the shoulder element (20), to pivot between the working position and the resting position; and in that the rotation of said L-shaped lever (14) about said axis (A) disengages said tooth from the shoulder element (20), allowing the grip (4) to freely pivot between the working and the resting positions.

10. - A handle assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that said first wing (15) of the L- shaped lever is shaped so as to be gripped by the user at least at the free end (16) of the first wing in consequence of a traction action manually exerted by a user on the grip (4) to move it from the resting position to the working position, so as to force the L- shaped lever (14) to turn against the bias of the elastic means (21) from the blocking position towards a releasing position, in which the second wing is arranged in retracted position within the arm (6) with the tooth (19) disengaged from the shoulder element.

11. - A handle assembly according to one of claims from 7 to 10, characterized in that said L- shaped lever is made so that the second wing (17) is always arranged at least in part radially and overhangingly protruding with respect to the rotation axis (A) of the L- shaped lever and so that the mass thereof is higher than that of the first wing (15), which first wing (15) is entirely arranged radially and overhangingly protruding with respect to the rotation axis (A) of the L-shaped lever on side opposite to the second wing (17) and for a longer length; the masses and the radially overhanging lengths from the rotation axis (A) of the first and second axis (15,17) being chosen so as to generate torques of substantially equivalent modulus and opposite sense about the rotation axis (A) by dynamic effect when the grip is subjected to a transversal acceleration (T) , so that the angular position of the L-shaped lever (14) is indifferent to the transversal acceleration (T) .

12.- A handle assembly according to one of claims from 7 to 11, characterized in that said L-shaped lever (14) comprises a joint portion (26) between the first and second wings (15,17) which is substantially saddle- shaped and at which the L-shaped lever (14) is hinged to the first end (5) of the grip; said joint portion (26) being arranged on both its sides adjacent to the first and second wings (15,17) radially and overhangingly outstanding with respect to the rotation axis (A) of the L-shaped lever and said rotation axis of the L-shaped lever being laterally arranged to the L-shaped lever (14) itself, between the latter and the rear face (13) of the grip, and being engaged by the L- shaped lever by means of respective ears (27) laterally and overhangingly protruding from the joint portion, towards the second wing (17) ; the first end (5) of the grip being L- shaped and being frontally open towards the door latch (10) , so as to leave the joint portion (26) accessible between the first and second wings in order to allow the L-shaped lever (14) to be assembled; a closing cap (28) being provided for concealing the L- shaped lever outwards .