A door handle mechanism and working method thereof

Abstract

For performing the functions of door locking / unlocking / releasing with the door-lock position, door-unlock position and door-release lock position of doors from inside in the vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, minibuses; the invention is related to a door handle mechanism (1) comprising especially at least one inner door handle (1.1), at least one lock lever (1.3), and to a working method thereof.

Description

[0001] A DOOR HANDLE MECHANISM AND WORKING METHOD THEREOF

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The invention is related to a door handle mechanism and working method thereof for locking / unlocking and releasing doors from inside with a single inner door handle in vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, minibuses.

[0004] Prior Art

[0005] In the systems at the state of the art, the locking-unlocking functions of doors of vehicles like automobiles are as follows: There are two external mechanisms connected to the inner door handle. One of these mechanisms is a latch which provides unlock function, and the door is released by pulling the latch by a user to himself and, if he pulls more, the door will be unlocked. The other is an electrical button which provides locking function, and it is generally side by side with the latch mentioned and the door is locked from inside when a user pushes it. Therefore, separate mechanisms are needed to lock and unlock the door. Said two mechanisms make the appearance complex inside the vehicle and cause an appearance of partially incomprehensible mechanism. Also, this situation may cause dissatisfaction of end users. A new inner door handle mechanism should be developed in order that locking-unlocking doors from inside becomes simpler and more usable for end users in terms of equipment. Also, because this situation requires designing by considering movement of directions of these latch and button parts while making industrial design, development of this mechanism challenges industrial designers considerably. For example, one of these parts may rub another neighbour part while moving, the space between these two parts may increase-decrease. It is a hard work to provide the space between said parts and neighbouring parts visually appropriate at two ends of their movements. That’s why, a new mechanism should be developed to eliminate design challenges.

[0006] In the patent document with the number of GB2604643A at the state of the art, a speedbased blocking mechanism for a releasing mechanism of a vehicle door latch is mentioned.

[0007] In the patent document with the number of US2003227178A1 at another state of the art, a safety unlocking device of a door lock of a motor vehicle is mentioned. In the patent document with the number of CN108104618A at another state of the art, a locking mechanism applied vehicle doors and windows is mentioned.

[0008] In the patent document with the number of JP1999247513 at another state of the art, a door locking mechanism is mentioned again.

[0009] Although the documents mentioned at the state of the art and given above are at the same technical field, they are different from each other in terms of their usage aims, designs, working methods, locations of technical units comprised by the mechanism, their geometrical forms and the order in which said technical units trigger each other. When all documents found are analyzed, location of each component especially as technical components of door locking mechanism on a base which is a mounting element, their geometrical forms and connection orders with each other are different.

[0010] Summary of the Invention

[0011] The aim of the invention is to realize a door handle mechanism and working method thereof for locking / unlocking and releasing doors from inside with a single inner door handle in vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, minibuses.

[0012] The invention has gained simplicity of equipment by decreasing the appearance of very complex mechanism which gets the attention of end users in vehicles. Due to the design and location of the mechanism made in a base, locking, half unlocking, full unlocking functions of the door have been activated with a single inner door handle. Because the electrical button mechanism which performs locking function in the locking - unlocking mechanism has been made become invisible by embedding inside said base with the invention while it is visible from outside at the state of the art, time and cost advantages have been obtained by removing the needs for final treatments such as dye etc. in the production of said part. In addition, the challenges occuring with embedding said mechanism performing locking function inside the base have been removed with the invention.

[0013] Besides, designing freedom has been increased for designers by decreasing the number of moving handles in the visible part of the mechanism of the invention. Therefore, because movement trajectory of only one part is included in the calculations while making industrial design, the work of industrial designers becomes quite easier.

[0014] Because there is not another part except for the door handle in the mechanism of the invention, operations are performed only from the door handle by users. In addition, the direction of the operation made in the direction of unlocking from the locking position of the door and the direction of operation for releasing the door are in the same direction, it allows the user to release the door only by pulling the door handle in an emergency intuitively. Namely, the invention provides being able to perform the process of locking door in an emergency (in case that there is no energy) intuitively.

[0015] Also, users starting using the mechanism of the invention get used to the easiness of using the mechanism after a certain time and are satisfied with this situation.

[0016] Although the documents given above are at the same technical field, they are different from each other and from the invention in terms of usage aims of mechanism, their designs, working methods, locations of the technical units in mechanisms, their geometrical forms and the order in which they trigger each other. When all documents found are analyzed, location of each component especially as technical components of door handle mechanism on a base and connection orders with each other are different not only from each other but also from the invention. Namely, all documents at the state of the art do not work according to the working order of the technical units in the invention. Furthermore, the mechanism at the prior art has a more complex mechanism. With the invention, three separate functions such as locking-unlocking and releasing doors are performed with a single inner door handle without any need for another equipment and therefore, the mechanism has been made become simpler.

[0017] Description of the Figures

[0018] Figure 1. It is a symbolic exploded perspective upper-front view of the door handle mechanism of the invention.

[0019] Figure 2. It is a symbolic exploded perspective upper-back view of the door handle mechanism of the invention. Figure 3. It is a symbolic mounted perspective upper-front view of the door handle mechanism of the invention.

[0020] Figure 4. It is a symbolic mounted side view of the first position, lock position, unlock and door-released positions of the inner door handle.

[0021] Figure 5. It is a symbolic mounted view of the first position, lock position, and unlock position and door-released position of the inner door handle from a handle lever respectively, wherein the handle lever is connected to a spring wire.

[0022] Figure 6. It is a symbolic upper sectional view of the door handle mechanism.

[0023] Figure 7. It is a side view of the inner door handle alone.

[0024] Description of the References in the Figures

[0025] To be able to understand the invention better, meanings of the numbers in the figures are given below:

[0026] 1. Door handle mechanism

[0027] 1.1. Inner door handle

[0028] 1.1.1. Stopper

[0029] 1.1.2. Base

[0030] 1.2. Base

[0031] 1.3. Lock lever

[0032] 1.4. Flexible unit

[0033] 1.5. Pin

[0034] IA. The first (initial) position of the inner door handle (1.1)

[0035] IB. Door-lock position of the inner door handle (1.1)

[0036] IC. Door-unlock position of the inner door handle (1.1)

[0037] ID. Door-release lock position of the inner door handle (1.1)

[0038] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0039] For locking / unlocking and releasing doors from inside with a single inner door handle (1.1) in vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, minibuses, the door handle mechanism (1) of the invention comprises at least one inner door handle (1.1) (latch) which comprises at least one stopper (1.1.1) which can rotate forward-backward with an axial movement by fitting in at least one protrusion in a base (1.2) in a rotation axis of the protrusion or in a rotation axis of a pin (1.5) or which comprises at least one protrusion as a single-piece such that providing it to rotate and which brings the door from the first position to any of three positions which are door unlock-lock or door-release lock positions with a contact of an end user and which is produced as a single-piece and at least one base (1.1.2) which is in the form of a half spring having a predetermined width and length and which stores in itself a knob of a door releasing spring wire coming from the external door locking mechanism, at least one base (1.2) which provides said pin (1.5) performing the function of a rotation axis or at least one protrusion in said base (1.2) to be fixed and all other technical units which will be positioned at the center of the pin (1.5) or the protrusion before the pin (1.5) or the protrusion is fixed to be able to be mounted onto its body, namely, bedding, and lastly, to be able to be mounted to the vehicle, at least one lock lever (1.3) which can rotate at the axis of said pin (1.5) or protrusion and which is connected to the lock-unlock lever of the external door locking mechanism with a spring wire and which is contacted with the inner door handle (1.1) with a hold on the inner door handle and a flexible unit (1.4) which fits to a base it has on its body and which performs door lock-unlock functions due to the fact that said flexible unit (1.4) which fits into its base since the user brings the inner door handle (1.1) from the first position to door locking or unlocking position squeezes or expands and depending on stretching or relaxation the spring wire which it is connected to forms on its body, at least one flexible unit (1.4) which provides the door to be released and which squeezes when the inner door handle (1.1) is pulled, which expands when the inner door handle (1.1) is left and which provides the inner door handle (1.1) to return to the first position with the lock lever (1.3) being triggered and at least one pin (1.5) which provides the inner door handle (1.1), lock lever (1.3) to rotate around its axis together.

[0040] Said base (1.2) provides the mechanism of the invention to be able to be mounted to a panel. Also, the base (1.2) is a body which provides other parts in the door handle mechanism (1) to be kept together. Besides, said pin (1.5) is a rotation axis unit, and the rotation axis unit is at least one protrusion allowing the parts to rotate in another embodiment.

[0041] In the door unlock function, the lock lever (1.3) is prevented from going forward by contacting the hold on the base (1.2) and the door handle (1.1) continues moving in the direction of door unlock by rotating around the pin (1.5) and the door is released, then the door handle (1.1) comes to the initial position with the springback effect of the flexible unit (1.4) squeezed.

[0042] The flexible unit (1.4) is a spring in the preferred embodiment of the invention. Said flexible unit determines the force.

[0043] Due to the invention, the locking mechanism users activate by pushing or turning a separate mechanism from the door handle to lock the door at the state of the art has been integrated to a single handle in the invention, therefore, lock, unlock, release functions of the door have been activated with the inner door handle (1.1).

[0044] Although various design problems were faced while the mechanism of the invention was being developed, solutions have been brought to be able to overcome these problems. Said solutions could be found out after many phases of calculations, trials, development of prototype. Said necessities and solutions which have been developed against them are listed below:

[0045] In the door handle mechanism (1) of the invention, it is required to provide said spring wires coming from said door locking mechanism to move such that they can perform the functions of door-lock, door-unlock and door-release lock separately. To provide this, an inner door handle (1.1) has been developed which can perform the functions of door-lock, door-unlock and door-release lock. Because of the base (1.1.2) and the stopper (1.1.1) the inner door handle (1.1) comprises as a single piece, the door unlock function is performed easily without any need for any other parts. In addition, the geometrical form the base (1.1.2) has is very important. Because the form of the base (1.1.2) is in a form such that it allows the knob of the spring wire coming from the external door locking mechanism to remain stable while it is moved to the door-lock (IB) position of the inner door handle. That’s why, two separate spring wires have been provided to move independently of each other and in different directions if necessary.

[0046] Also, when the inner door handle (1.1) is brought to door-lock position, it is required to provide it to remain stable at this position. To provide this, this stability has been provided by making the base in which the end of spring wire extending to the external door locking mechanism the inner door handle (1.1) moves, providing the door to be released is mounted gain an additional freedom due to the flexible unit (1.4) and the hold surface of the lock lever (1.3), and by benefitting from the tension coming from the locking mechanism.

[0047] While the movement of door-release lock is being made, deactivation of the spring wire performing the functions of door-lock and door-unlock should be provided. Normally, the lock lever (1.3) and the inner door handle (1.1) move together because of the flexible unit (1.4). At the unlock position, the lock lever (1.3) has a hold to the base (1.2) and with this, it is prevented it from moving more in the direction of door-release lock.

[0048] Also, it should be provided that the torque the flexible unit (1.4) forms is more powerful than the torque coming from the door locking mechanism. There is tension in the spring wire connected to the lock lever (1.1), resulted from a flexible unit which is used to position the door locking mechanism (1) at the lock and unlock positions in the mechanism, which is in the external door locking mechanism. While users are moving the inner door handle (1.1) between the positions of door lock and unlock, this movement is transmitted to the flexible unit (1.4) and lock lever (1.3). When the torque of the flexible unit (1.4) is very weak, the lock lever (1.3) cannot move because of the tension coming from the spring wire. The flexible unit (1.4) is required to be able to overcome the resistance torque this tension forms. When the torque of said flexible unit (1.4) is very high, the operating force of users increases. The parameters of the flexible unit (1.4) have been selected such that they will be able to provide these. For the flexible unit (1.4), said parameters are torsional torque, spring steel material, diameter of the spring wire, average diameter of the spring, their first angles. Said parameters can overcome the tension coming from the spring wire.

[0049] For locking / unlocking and releasing doors from inside with a single inner door handle (1.1) in vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, minibuses, a working method of door handle mechanism comprises the steps below:

[0050] - Protecting a lock lever (1.3) position by a holding force of a lock spring wire coming from an external door locking mechanism, in the meanwhile, not being able to move in the locking direction by an inner door handle (1.1) and preventing a flexible unit (1.4) from holding to said lock lever (1.3) and rotating at the axis of a pin (1.5) or around the axis of at least one protrusion because of a base (1.2) and in this situation, providing said inner door handle (1.1) to stay at the initial position by preventing it from moving in the door unlocking direction (by moving in forward direction of the vehicle, figure-4 position 1 A),

[0051] - Providing said inner door handle (1.1) to stay in locking position (Figure-4 position IB) by virtue of the fact that locking function is performed by acting on the lock lever (1.3) (by moving the lock lever (1.3)) via a stopper (1.1.1) because said inner door handle (1.1) rotates at the axis of said pin (1.5) or around the axis of at least one protrusion by moving it in the locking direction due to the fact that the user rotates said inner door handle (1.1) from the initial position to the locking direction (position IB in the Figure-4), and when the door is locked electrically, bringing the lock lever (1.3) to the locking position by said lock spring wire coming from the external door locking mechanism by rotating the lock lever (1.3) at the axis of said pin (1.5) by moving it in the locking direction and coming of the inner door handle (1.1) to the lock position via the flexible unit (1.4),

[0052] - Rotating of the inner door handle (1.1) at the axis of the pin (1.5) or around the axis of at least one protrusion by moving the inner door handle (1.1) from the lock position to the initial position by the end user (by moving backwards according to the vehicle, position 1C in the Figure-4), following the inner door handle (1.1) by the lock lever (1.3) by squeezing the flexible unit (1.4) and providing it to rotate in the same way and when the door is unlocked electrically, moving of the inner door handle (1) to the unlock position due to the stopper (1.1.1) on the lock lever (1.3) by moving the lock lever (1.3) in the unlock direction by the lock spring wire coming from said external door locking mechanism,

[0053] - Rotation of the inner door handle (1.1) at the axis of said pin (1.5) or around the axis of at least one protrusion in the reverse direction of locking by moving the inner door handle (1.1) from the initial position to the door unlock direction by the end user (by moving backwards according to the driving direction of the vehicle, Figure-4 position ID) and performing the door unlock function by pulling a door release spring wire coming from the external door locking mechanism by squeezing the flexible unit (1.4), rotation of the inner door handle (1.1) at the axis of the pin (1.5) with the springback effect of the flexible unit (1.4) and bringing it to the initial position.

[0054] The inner door handle (1.1) comprises at least one protrusion at its side holding to the base and at least one other protrusion such that it fits into the base of the lock lever (1.3) and rotates. The inner door handle (1.1) can perform the axial rotation movement easily with contact of the user also because of these protrusions.

[0055] Location of each component especially as technical components of door handle mechanism (1) (lock lever (1.3), flexible unit (1.4), pin (1.5). . .etc.) on the base (1.2) and connection orders with each other, their way of work are different from the state of the art. Locations in the mechanism of the invention, connection orders according to their locations, geometries, functions they perform according to their locations and at the end, usage aims in the invention, working methods of these components are different. In addition, the invention has a simpler mechanism that the prior art. With the invention, three different functions such as door lock-unlock, release lock are operated via a single inner door handle (1.1) and therefore, the mechanism has been made simpler. In addition, the negativities listed above have been removed as a result of various R&D, P&D studies while the invention was being developed.

[0056] Industrial Applicability of the Invention

[0057] The invention is related to a door handle mechanism (1) and working method thereof for locking / unlocking and releasing doors from inside with a single inner door handle (1.1) in vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, minibuses, and it is industrial applicable.

[0058] The invention is not limited to the descriptions above, a skilled person in the art can perform different embodiments of the invention easily. These should be interpreted within the protection scope of the invention claimed with the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. For locking / unlocking and releasing doors from inside with a single inner door handle (1.1) in vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, minibuses, a working method of door handle mechanism; a door handle mechanism (1) comprising at least one base (1.2) which provides all technical units to be able to be mounted onto its body, namely, bedding, and lastly, to be able to be mounted to the vehicle; characterized by comprising at least one inner door handle (1.1) (latch) which comprises at least one stopper (1.1.1) which can rotate forward-backward with an axial movement by fitting in at least one protrusion in a base (1.2) in a rotation axis of the protrusion or in a rotation axis of a pin (1.5) or which comprises at least one protrusion as a single-piece such that providing it to rotate and which brings the door from the first position to any of three positions which are door unlock-lock or door-release lock positions with a contact of an end user and which is produced as a single-piece and at least one base (1.1.2) which is in the form of a half spring having a predetermined width and length and which stores in itself a knob of a door releasing spring wire coming from the external door locking mechanism, at least one base (1.2) which provides said pin (1.5) performing the function of a rotation axis or at least one protrusion in said base (1.2) to be fixed and all other technical units which will be positioned at the center of the pin (1.5) or the protrusion before the pin (1.5) or the protrusion is fixed to be able to be mounted onto its body, namely, bedding, and lastly, to be able to be mounted to the vehicle, at least one lock lever (1.3) which can rotate at the axis of said pin (1.5) or protrusion and which is connected to the lock-unlock lever of the external door locking mechanism with a spring wire and which is contacted with the inner door handle (1.1) with a hold on the inner door handle and a flexible unit (1.4) which fits to a base it has on its body and which performs door lock-unlock functions due to the fact that said flexible unit (1.4) which fits into its base since the user brings the inner door handle (1.1) from the first position to door locking or unlocking position squeezes or expands and depending on stretching or relaxation the spring wire which it is connected to forms on its body, at least one flexible unit (1.4) which provides the door to be released and which squeezes when the inner door handle (1.1) is pulled, which expands when the inner door handle (1.1) is left and which provides the inner door handle (1.1) to return to the first position with the lock lever (1.3) being triggered and at least one pin (1.5) which provides the inner door handle (1.1), lock lever (1.3) to rotate around its axis together.

2. A door handle mechanism (1) according to claim 1, characterized by the flexible unit (1.4) which is a spring.

3. A door handle mechanism (1) according to claim 2, characterized by the flexible unit (1.4) which has the parameters of torsional torque, spring steel material, diameter of the spring wire, average diameter of the spring, first angle to overcome the tension coming from the spring wire.

4. For locking / unlocking and releasing doors from inside with a single inner door handle (1.1) in vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, minibuses; a working method of door handle mechanism characterized by comprising the steps below:- Protecting a lock lever (1.3) position by a holding force of a lock spring wire coming from an external door locking mechanism, in the meanwhile, not being able to move in the locking direction by an inner door handle (1.1) and preventing a flexible unit (1.4) from holding to said lock lever (1.3) and rotating at the axis of a pin (1.5) or around the axis of at least one protrusion because of a base (1.2) and in this situation, providing said inner door handle (1.1) to stay at the initial position by preventing it from moving in the door unlocking direction (by moving in forward direction of the vehicle, figure-4 position 1 A),- Providing said inner door handle (1.1) to stay in locking position (Figure-4 position IB) by virtue of the fact that locking function is performed by acting on the lock lever (1.3) (by moving the lock lever (1.3)) via a stopper (1.1.1) because said inner door handle (1.1) rotates at the axis of said pin (1.5) or around the axis of at least one protrusion by moving it in the locking direction due to the fact that the user rotates said inner door handle (1.1) from the initial position to the locking direction (position IB in the Figure-4), and when the door is locked electrically, bringing the lock lever (1.3) to the locking position by said lock spring wire coming from the external door locking mechanism by rotating the lock lever (1.3) at the axis of said pin (1.5) by moving it in the locking direction and coming of the inner door handle (1.1) to the lock position via the flexible unit (1.4),- Rotating of the inner door handle (1.1) at the axis of the pin (1.5) or around the axis of at least one protrusion by moving the inner door handle (1.1) from the lock position to the initial position by the end user (by moving backwards according to the vehicle, position 1C in the Figure-4), following the inner door handle (1.1) by the lock lever (1.3) by squeezing the flexible unit (1.4) and providing it to rotate in the same way and when the door is unlocked electrically, moving of the inner doorhandle (1) to the unlock position due to the stopper (1.1.1) on the lock lever (1.3) by moving the lock lever (1.3) in the unlock direction by the lock spring wire coming from said external door locking mechanism,- Rotation of the inner door handle (1.1) at the axis of said pin (1.5) or around the axis of at least one protrusion in the reverse direction of locking by moving the inner door handle (1.1) from the initial position to the door unlock direction by the end user (by moving backwards according to the driving direction of the vehicle, Figure-4 position ID) and performing the door unlock function by pulling a door release spring wire coming from the external door locking mechanism by squeezing the flexible unit (1.4), rotation of the inner door handle (1.1) at the axis of the pin (1.5) with the springback effect of the flexible unit (1.4) and bringing it to the initial position.

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