Claims:We Claim:

1. A compact inertia system (100) for an outer door handle assembly for a vehicle used to operate the door mechanism from outside the vehicle, the compact inertia system (100) comprising:
a lever (10) configured inside a hollow portion of the door handle, the lever (10) having a cutout (70) configured therein and a push feature (5) provided thereon;
a body grip (20) configured within the hollow portion of the door handle, and attached to the lever (10), wherein upon pulling the body grip (20) to open the car door, the lever opens the door;
an inertia catcher (30) capable of reversibly blocking rotation of the lever (10) in case of accident of the vehicle; and
a spring (50) attached to the inertia catcher (30),
characterized in that, the inertia catcher (30) activates during impact on the vehicle and remains at that position by making 0.4 mm engagement with a cap rib until the handle operated again and on pulling the handle, the push feature (5) on the lever (10) pushes the inertia catcher (30) causing 0.4 mm disengagement of the inertia catcher (30) and due to torsion cum compression spring (50) the inertia catcher (30) goes to an initial position thereof,
wherein, in case of accident of the vehicle, the inertia catcher (30) goes inside the cutout (70) of the lever (10) and blocks the rotation of the lever (10) and thereafter, the inertia catcher (30) returns to its zero position by the help of the spring (50).

2. The compact inertia system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inertia catcher (30) is assembled in the cap (40) by the spring (50) and a pin (60). , Description:COMPACT INERTIA SYSTEM FOR OUTER DOOR HANDLE FOR VEHICLE

Field of the invention:

The present invention relates to handles of vehicles and more particularly, to a compact inertia system for an outer door handle for a vehicle.

Background of the invention:

Generally, inertia mechanism in a handle of the vehicle is used to protect a driver of the vehicle in an accident impact. The doors having the inertia system configured therein will not get open with impact of vehicle accident which will save driver to fall out. After accident, the driver can open the door and come out from the vehicle.

In convention handles with inertia system, the outer door handle are assembled with counter weight of precised weight. Further, a high mass inertia system is used to avoid outer door opening after accident. Furthermore, in earlier inertia system of the outer door handle, it rotates during crash and return back by a spring force. However, the inertia system used in the prior art are bulky and require larger space. Also, the cost of manufacturing of the handle using conventional inertia system is high.

Accordingly, there exist a need to provide a compact inertia system for a handle of a vehicle which overcomes the above mentioned drawbacks of the prior art.

Objects of the invention:

An object of the present invention is to provide an inertia system for a handle of the vehicle with low cost.
Another object of the present invention is to provide the inertia system for the handle of the vehicle which is compact.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a compact inertia system for the vehicle that blocks the handle rotation until the handle is operated from an outside of the vehicle.

Summary of the invention:

Accordingly, the present invention provides a compact inertia system for outer door handle assembly for vehicle used to operate the door mechanism from outside the vehicle. The compact inertia system comprises a lever configured inside a hollow portion of the door handle. Specifically, the lever has a cutout adapted thereon. Further, the compact inertia system comprises a body grip configured within the hollow portion of the door handle, wherein the body grip having the lever attached thereto. Specifically, when the body grip is pulled to open the car door, the lever opens the door.

The compact inertia system furthermore comprises an inertia catcher capable of reversibly blocking the lever rotation in case of the accident of the vehicle, and a spring attached to the inertia catcher. In case of accident of the vehicle, the inertia catcher goes inside the cutout of the lever and blocks the rotation of the lever and thereafter, the inertia catcher returns to its zero position by the help of the spring.

In another embodiment, the inertia catcher activates during impact on the vehicle and remains at that position by making 0.4 mm engagement with a cap rib until the handle is operated again and when the handle is pulled, a push feature provided on the lever pushes the inertia catcher causing 0.4 mm disengagement thereof and due to torsion cum compression spring the inertia catcher goes to an initial position thereof.

Brief description of the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a compact inertia system for an outer door handle of a vehicle, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a compact inertia system for an outer door handle of a vehicle, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 shows a push feature of a lever of the compact inertia system of figure 2;

Figure 4a shows position of an inertia catcher and a cap rib of the compact inertia system of figure 2 before engagement;

Figure 4b shows position of the inertia catcher and the cap rib of the compact inertia system of figure 2 after engagement; and

Figure 5 shows position of the inertia catcher of the compact inertia system of figure 2 after pulling the handle.

Detailed description of the invention:

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.

The present invention provides a compact inertia system for an outer door handle of a vehicle. The compact inertia system blocks an operation of the handle thereby stopping the opening of the outer door by the impact of the accident thereby saving a driver from fall out of the vehicle. After accident, the driver can open the door and come out from the vehicle.
The present invention is illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which reference numbers indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. These reference numbers are shown in bracket in the following description.

Referring to figure 1, a compact inertia system (100) for an outer door handle assembly for vehicle is shown in accordance with the present invention. The outer door handle assembly is used to operate the door mechanism from an outside of the vehicle.

The compact inertia system (100) comprises a lever (10) configured inside a hollow portion of the door handle. The lever (10) is attached to a body grip (20) configured within the hollow portion. The lever (10) is attached with a cap (40) and is in sliding contact with the body grip (20) as a torsion spring (80) continuously pushes the lever (10) towards the body grip (20). Specifically, when the body grip (20) is pulled to open the car door, the lever (10) opens the door.

Accordingly, to stop the opening of door during crash, an inertia catcher (30) is provided which is assembled in the cap (40) by a spring (50) and a pin (60). Specifically, in the case of any accident of the vehicle, the lever (10) rotation is blocked by the inertia catcher (30) and the vehicle door will not open by the impact of accident. In an embodiment, the cap (40) is separate part.

The inertia catcher (30) works by weight of itself. The inertia catcher (30) gets activated and get into the cap (40) to block the lever (10) rotation.

More specifically, the inertia catcher (30) goes inside the cutout (70) of the lever (10) and blocks the rotation of the lever (10). After blocking the rotation of the lever (10), the inertia catcher (30) returns to its zero position by the help of the spring (50).
Referring to figures 2-5, a compact inertia system (100) for an outer door handle assembly for a vehicle in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention is shown. Specifically, the compact inertia system (100) is used to operate the vehicle door from an outside of the vehicle. As shown in figure 2, the compact inertia system (100) includes a lever (10), a body grip (20), an inertia catcher (30), a cap (40), a spring (50) and a pin (60). The lever (10) includes a torsion spring (not shown) configured therein.

The lever (10) is used to open the door of the vehicle from the outside of the vehicle. The lever (10) includes a cutout (70) configured therein. In this one embodiment, the lever (10) includes a push feature (5) provided thereon as shown in figure 3. The push feature (5) is adapted to disengage the inertia catcher (30). The lever (10) is attached to the body grip (20). The inertia catcher (30) is assembled in the cap (40) by the spring (50) and the pin (60). The inertia catcher (30) is used to stop the opening of the door during the crash.

As the lever (10) is attached to the body grip (20), when the body grip (20) is pulled to open the vehicle door, the lever (10) opens the door. In case of any accident of the vehicle, the lever (10) rotation is blocked by the inertia catcher (30). The inertia catcher (30) goes inside the cutout (70) of the lever (10) and blocks the rotation of the lever (10) until the handle is operated from the outside of the vehicle by an end user.

The compact inertia system (100) as shown in figure 2 is designed to capture the secondary shocks as well by remaining in engaged position until the impact is nil.
The inertia catcher (30) activates during the impact on the vehicle and remains at that position by making 0.4 mm engagement with a cap rib as shown in figure 4b until the handle is operated again. When the handle is pulled, the push feature (5) on the lever (10) pushes the inertia catcher (30) by 0.7 to 0.8 mm causing 0.4 mm disengagement of the inertia catcher (30) and due to torsion cum compression spring (50) the inertia catcher (30) goes to an initial position thereof as shown in figure 5.

Advantages of the invention

1. The compact inertia system (100) of the present invention has low cost with less quality issue and increased commercial benefits.
2. The compact inertia system (100) has easy assembly process which is time saving, and has less child parts.
3. The compact inertia system (100) provides highest safety rating.
4. During crash, the inertia catcher (30) blocks an operation of the handle until the end user operates the handle from the outside of the vehicle.

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.