DESC:EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE ASSEMBLY WITH PLATE ACTUATOR BELL CRANK MECHANISM
Field of the invention:
The present invention relates to a handle assembly for vehicles. More particularly to an exterior handle assembly of a vehicle door.
Background of the invention:
The invention here generally relates to an exterior handle assembled on a vehicle door panel to open the door of an automobile. Generally, during operation of the conventional vertical handle assemblies to open the door of the vehicle; friction is generated between counter weight and bell crank arrangement. Because during this operation the force transmission from the counter weight and bell crank is not linear at vertical outer handle. This result in high, snap back noise that is created by the bell crank. It also results in sticky and rigid handle operation. This is the drawback of the existing technology.
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 simplified vertical exterior handle assembly with improved quality to achieve smooth handle operation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a vertical exterior handle assembly with plate actuator bell crank mechanism that can transmit linear force from counter weight to bell crank.
One another object of the present invention is to reduce the handle snap back noise by transmitting less force from handle lever to bell crank.
Summary of the invention
An exterior door handle assembly mounted on a door panel of a vehicle for operating a door latch. The assembly comprises of a mounting bracket, a hand gripper, a cap unit and an actuator mechanism. The mounting bracket is mounted on interior side of the door panel. The hand gripper movable from door latched position to door unlatched position is mounted on exterior side of the door panel. A first end of the hand gripper is fitted with a hand lever extending through the door panel and a second end thereof is fitted on the door panel. The cap unit is fitted on exterior side of the door panel at the first end of the hand gripper. The actuator mechanism mounted on the mounting bracket and operably connected to the hand gripper includes a counterweight, a bell crank actuator and an actuator plate. The counterweight is pivotally mounted on the mounting bracket for moving about a counterweight axis and it is operably connected to the hand lever. The cap unit retains the hand lever in connection with the counterweight. The bell crank actuator is pivotally mounted on the mounting bracket for moving about a bell crank axis. The bell crank actuator is having a first lever arm connected to the door latch through a link rod wherein the pivotal movement of the bell crank actuator latches and unlatches the door latch. The actuator plate connects a second lever arm of the bell crank actuator to the counterweight for linear transmission of force from the counterweight to the bell crank actuato, for latching and unlatching of the door latch on movement of the hand gripper between the door latched position and the door unlatched position and subsequent movement of the counterweight. Two knurling pins and two actuator pins pivotally holding the actuator plate the bell crank actuator and the counterweight together on the mounting bracket defines the bell crank axis and the counterweight axis.
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 exterior door handle assembly, in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 shows a B-B (Vertical Cut) view of exterior door handle assembly, in with plate actuator bell crank mechanism, in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 3 shows vertical cut section view of the exterior door handle assembly along with a door latch, in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 4 shows front view of a door panel fitted with the exterior door handle assembly, in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 5 shows perspective view of inner side of the door panel fitted with exterior door handle assembly along with a door latch; in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 6 shows exploded view of hand gripper and cap unit and door panel, in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 7 shows exploded view of mounting bracket unit and actuator mechanism, in accordance with the present invention; and
Figure 8 shows detailed view of mounting bracket unit fitted with actuator mechanism, 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.
The present invention provides an exterior door handle assembly with plate actuator bell crank mechanism that transmits linear force from counterweight to the bell crank. This reduces the handle snap-back noise due to less force transmitted from handle lever to bell crank. That in turn provides a simplified exterior door handle assembly that improves the quality and smooth operation of the handle when compared to the conventional handles.
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 and in the table below.
Ref. No. Component Ref. No. Component
10 Hand gripper 62 Knurling pin
12 First gasket 63 Circlip
14 Second gasket 64 Actuator pin
18 Handle lever 65 Clip
30 Cap unit 66 Self-tapping screw
32 Cap 67 Screw
34 Cap nut screw 68 Bracket joint
50 Mounting bracket 70 Latch
54 Actuator plate 72 Link rod
56 Bell crank actuator 75 Actuator mechanism
58 Counter weight 90 Door panel
60 Spring
Referring to figures 1 to 8, an exterior door handle assembly (100) of a vehicle door (hereinafter referred to as ‘the assembly (100)’) in accordance with the present invention is shown. The assembly (100) is mounted on a door panel (90) of a vehicle for operating a door latch (70). The assembly (100) comprises of a mounting bracket (50), a hand gripper (10), a cap unit (30) and an actuator mechanism (75) mounted on the mounting bracket (50).
The mounting bracket (50) is mounted on interior side of the door panel (90) with self-tapping screw (66) and a screw (67). The hand gripper (10) movable from door latched position to door unlatched position is mounted on exterior side of the door panel (90) with a first end thereof fitted with a hand lever (18) and a second end thereof fitted on the door panel (90). The hand lever (18) extends through the door panel (90). The cap unit (30) is fitted on exterior side of the door panel (90) near the first end of the hand gripper (10).
The actuator mechanism (75) is mounted on the mounting bracket (50) and operably connected to the hand gripper (10). The actuator mechanism (75) includes a counterweight (58), a bell crank actuator (56), and an actuator plate (54).
The counterweight (58) is pivotally mounted on the mounting bracket (50) for moving about a counterweight axis. The counterweight (58) is operably connected to the hand lever (18). Movement of the hand gripper (10) from door latched position to door unlatched position pivotally moves the counterweight (58) about the counterweight axis. The counterweight (58) is mounted with a spring (60) that maintains the hand gripper (10) biased in a door latched position. Whenever the hand gripper (10) in door unlatched position is released, it rests back in the door latched position due to spring tension.
The bell crank actuator (56) is pivotally mounted on the mounting bracket (50) for moving about a bell crank axis, the bell crank actuator (56) is having a first lever arm connected to the door latch (70) through a link rod (72) for latching and unlatching of the door latch (70) with the pivotal movement of the bell crank actuator (56).
The actuator plate (54) connects a second lever arm of the bell crank actuator (56) to the counterweight (58) for linear transmission of force from the counterweight (58) to the bell crank actuator (56). The actuator plate (54) pivotally rotates about the bell crank axis and the counterweight axis. The bell crank axis and the counterweight axis are defined by two knurling pins (62) and two actuator pins (64) with two circlips (63) holding the actuator plate (54), the bell crank actuator (56) and the counterweight (58) together on the mounting bracket (50). Movement of the hand gripper (10) between door latched position and door unlatched position pivotally rotates the counterweight about the counterweight axis thereby rotating the bell crank actuator (56) to move the first lever arm to latch or de-latch the door latch (70). Once the door is de-latched, the hand gripper (10) automatically rests back in the door latched position due to spring tension.
In an embodiment, the mounting bracket (50) is fitted on the door panel (90) with a first gasket (12) configured around a boundary of the cap unit (30) and a second gasket (14) configured around a boundary of the second end of the hand gripper (10). The first gasket (12) and the second gasket (14) to avoid dust and water entering through the gap. The cap (32) is fixed on the door panel (90) with the help of a cap nut screw (34) for providing smooth movement of the hand gripper (10).
The bell crank actuator (56) is mounted on the mounting bracket (50) depending upon the latch orientation to open the door. Linear transmission of force from the counterweight (58) to the bell crank actuator (56) through the actuator plate (54) requires comparatively less force thereby reducing the handle snapback noise.
Advantages of the invention:
• The assembly (100) provides a simplified vertical outer handle assembly with improved quality and smooth operation of the handle when compared to the conventional handles.
• The assembly (100) reduces the handle snap back noise due to less force transmitted from handle lever to bell crank.
• In the assembly (100), the bell crank actuator (56) can be placed depending upon the latch orientation to open the door.
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 exterior door handle assembly (100) mounted on a door panel (90) of a vehicle for operating a door latch (70), the exterior door handle assembly (100) comprising:
a mounting bracket (50) mounted on interior side of the door panel (90);
a hand gripper (10) movable from door latched position to door unlatched position mounted on exterior side of the door panel (90), the hand gripper (10) having a first end fitted with a hand lever (18) extending through the door panel (90) and a second end fitted on the door panel (90);
a cap unit (30) fitted on exterior side of the door panel (90) at the first end of the hand gripper (10),
an actuator mechanism (75) mounted on the mounting bracket (50) and operably connected to the hand gripper (10), the actuator mechanism (75) having:
a counterweight (58) pivotally mounted on the mounting bracket (50) for moving about a counterweight axis and operably connected to the hand lever (18), wherein the cap unit (30) retains the hand lever (18) in connection with the counterweight (58);
a bell crank actuator (56) pivotally mounted on the mounting bracket (50) for moving about a bell crank axis, the bell crank actuator (56) having a first lever arm connected to the door latch (70) through a link rod (72), wherein the pivotal movement of the bell crank actuator (56) latches and unlatches the door latch (70); and
an actuator plate (54) connecting a second lever arm of the bell crank actuator (56) to the counterweight (58) for linear transmission of force from the counterweight (58) to the bell crank actuator (56), for latching and unlatching of the door latch (70) on movement of the hand gripper (10) between the door latched position and the door unlatched position and subsequent movement of the counterweight (58), wherein two knurling pins (62) and two actuator pins (64) pivotally hold the actuator plate (54), the bell crank actuator (56) and the counterweight (58) on the mounting bracket (50) defining the bell crank axis and the counterweight axis.
2. The exterior door handle assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting bracket (50) is fitted on the door panel (90) with a first gasket (12) configured around a boundary of the cap unit (30) and a second gasket (14) configured around a boundary of the second end of the hand gripper (10).
3. The exterior door handle assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting bracket (50) is fitted on the door panel (90) with a self-tapping screw (66) and a screw (67).
4. The exterior door handle assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the counterweight (58) is mounted with a spring (60) for biasing the hand gripper (10) in a door latched position.
Dated this 19th day of December, 2019

Ashwini Kelkar
(Agent for the applicant)
IN/PA-2461)