DESC:Field of the invention:

The present invention relates to an inner handle assembly of a vehicle door and more particularly to the inner handle assembly of a sliding door in the vehicle.

Background of the invention:

Sliding doors are more common in van type cars that have a door sliding along the side surface of the car body. They open by sliding horizontally or vertically, where the door is suspended on a guided track. The vehicle doors are secured to the vehicle body through latches that can be user operated by a handle that are fixed to the interior and exterior part of the door body. The handle can be operated by the user by any one of the following mechanism by pull, lift or tug.

The closing and opening of the sliding door into a closed state and open state is by inner handle and outer handle connected to the inner handle assembly and outer handle assembly respectively. These handles are manipulatively in turn connected to the locking controller and the door locking knob to maintain the means to control the operation of the door.

Conventionally, the door locking knob, the door open and close mechanisms are connected through plurality of connecting portions in the housing of the inner handle assembly to actuate the latch.

The deficiencies or drawbacks in the existing technology of inner handle assembly of sliding door are that:
1. The knob provided for locking the door in some cases rotates at accidental condition and leaves the door open during operation.
2. Also in most of the cases, the door locking knob should be released manually or automatically before the user uses the inner handle to unlock the door to open position.
3. Further, the knob is separated through another cable to actuate the latch.

Hence, there exists a need of a technical advancement in the prior art that will overcome the above disadvantages.

Objects of the invention:

An object of the present invention is to provide an inner handle assembly with roller mechanism snap fitted in between knob and gripper to fix the lock condition of the sliding vehicle door with a roller and rib at knob.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an inner handle assembly for sliding door that avoids extra cable and actuates the latch at vehicle level.

Further object of the present invention is to provide an inner handle assembly with a snap fitted single knob arrangement to communize for locking, unlocking and open position of sliding vehicle door.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an inner handle assembly with a single actuation cable for simplified vehicle door latch mechanism.

One another object of the present invention is to provide an inner handle assembly with knob that will not rotate at vehicle accidental condition as it is snapped with the roller mechanism.

Summary of the invention:

Accordingly, the present invention provides an inner handle assembly with a roller mechanism for a vehicle sliding door. The inner handle assembly comprises an upper grip unit and a lower grip unit. The lower grip unit has apertures receiving a movable knob therein, when the upper grip unit is fastened to lower grip unit. The movable knob is snap fitted to the lower grip unit using a spring and pin arrangement along with the roller mechanism, thereby moving the knob in open (O), lock (L) and unlock (U) positions. The roller mechanism having roller housing, a roller and a spring arrangement is snap fitted between the knob and a gripper to fix the lock (L) position of the vehicle sliding door. The roller mechanism locks the movable knob at the handle lock (L) position with a rib, thereby avoiding rotation of the movable knob at vehicle accidental condition and also avoiding extra development such as extra cable to actuate the latch at the inner handle assembly.

Brief description of the drawings:

The objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent when the disclosure is read in conjunction with the following figures, wherein

Figure 1 shows an inner handle assembly fixed to the inner panel of the sliding door of the vehicle, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a detailed view of the roller mechanism snap fitted to the knob of inner handle assembly of the vehicle, in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 3 shows the roller mechanism to fix the lock condition of the sliding vehicle door, in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments:

The foregoing objects of the present invention are accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with the prior art, techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention as described below in the preferred embodiments.

Referring to figure 1 to 3, the present invention provides an inner handle assembly of a vehicle door fitted with roller mechanism (500) (hereinafter referred as ‘the assembly (500) in accordance with the present invention is shown. The inner handle assembly (500) is fixed to the inner panel of the vehicle sliding door through fastening means with the help of screws. A sliding door inner handle assembly (500) is an attached object or mechanism used to manually open or close a door.

The inner handle assembly (500) comprises of an upper grip unit (510), a lower grip unit (520). The lower grip unit (520) has apertures (505) to receive a movable knob (550) therein, when the upper grip unit (510) is fastened to lower grip unit (520). The upper grip unit (510) functions as a handgrip and covers the mechanical parts in the lower grip unit (520).

Characterized in that the knob (550) is snap fitted to the lower grip unit (520) with the help of a spring and pin arrangement (551, 552) along with a roller mechanism (530) which can move the knob (550) in open (O), lock (L) and unlock (U) position. The roller mechanism (530) having roller housing (530H), a roller (531) and a spring arrangement (552) is snap fitted between the knob (550) and gripper (540) helps to fix the lock (L) condition of the sliding vehicle door. The roller mechanism (530) has shown in Figure 3 locks the knob (550) at handle lock (L) condition with the help of rib (532). With this arrangement the knob (550) will not rotate at vehicle accidental condition as it is snap fitted with the roller mechanism (530). This arrangement of knob (550) also avoids extra development at inner handle (500) i.e. avoids extra cable to actuate the latch at vehicle level.

The sliding door of the vehicle having an inner handle assembly (500) opens the sliding door of the vehicle, when the knob (550) is operated for unlock (U) and open (O) position. Once the door is unlocked with help of knob (550), passengers have to manually slide the door to open the door with sliding door inner handle assembly (500). For locking condition passenger have to manually close the door with help of finger grip area (540) of sliding door, once the door is in closed condition the door can be locked (L) with knob (550).

Advantages of the invention:

1. The present inner handle assembly (500) provides a knob arrangement that avoids extra developments at an inner handle.
2. The present inner handle assembly (500) avoids extra cable to actuate the latch at vehicle level.
3. The present inner handle assembly (500) provides a knob (550) that communizes for lock, unlock and open positions.
4. The assembly disassembly times are reduced.
5. The quality issues are reduced.
6. The present inner handle assembly (500) reduces the passenger ergonomist issues to actuate the knob (550) for sliding door.
7. With the present inner handle assembly (500), the door latch mechanism is simplified with one actuation of cable.
8. The knob (550) in the inner handle assembly (500) will not rotate at vehicle accidental condition as it snapped with the roller mechanism (530).

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the scope of the claims of the present invention. ,CLAIMS:We claim:
1. An inner handle assembly (500) with a roller mechanism (530) for a vehicle sliding door, comprising:
an upper grip unit (510) and a lower grip unit (520), the lower grip unit (520) has apertures (505) to receive a movable knob (550) therein, when the upper grip unit (510) is fastened to lower grip unit (520);
characterized in that,
the movable knob (550) snap fitted to the lower grip unit (520) using a spring and pin arrangement (551, 552) along with the roller mechanism (530), thereby moving the knob (550) in open (O), lock (L) and unlock (U) positions;
the roller mechanism (530) having roller housing (530H), a roller (531) and a spring arrangement (552) is snap fitted between the knob (550) and a gripper (540) to fix the lock (L) position of the vehicle sliding door;
wherein, the roller mechanism (530) locks the movable knob (550) at the handle lock (L) position with a rib (532), thereby avoiding rotation of the movable knob (550) at vehicle accidental condition and also avoiding extra development such as extra cable to actuate the latch at the inner handle assembly (500),
wherein, the movable knob (550) is operated for unlock (U) and open (O) positions to unlock the vehicle sliding door and once the door is unlocked, passengers have to manually slide the door to open the door with the sliding door inner handle assembly (500), and
wherein, for locking condition passenger have to manually close the door with the finger grip area (540) of the sliding door, once the door is in closed condition the door is locked (L) with the movable knob (550).

2. The inner handle assembly (500) as claimed in claim 1 wherein is fixed to an inner panel of the vehicle sliding door through fastening means such as screws.

Dated this 18 December, 2020
Prafulla Wange
(Agent for Applicant) (IN/PA-2058)