Operating Handle With Lost Motion For Minimal Stack Height
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Solution Overview
Problem
Folding/sliding door operating handles with minimal stack height are often mechanically complex and costly, and they may foul door panels when opened, limiting the door's opening movement due to their positioning close to the axis of free hinges.
Innovation Solution
An operating handle with a handle part and mounting part that moves between a storage and operating position, allowing for a 360° rotation to actuate a locking mechanism with a drive angle of approximately 180°, incorporating a drive element and driven element with interengaging formations to provide a range of lost motion, enabling the handle to maintain a single storage position regardless of the locking mechanism's state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the operating handle is positioned close to the axis of free hinges to minimize stack height, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the handle fouls door panels when opened, limiting door opening movement
Solution Approach 1:
The operating handle is designed with a pivot mechanism that allows it to dynamically change its position and orientation during door operation. The handle pivots on a pin perpendicular to the door panel surface, enabling it to rotate through an operating angle (e.g., 360° or 180°) while maintaining minimal stack height. This dynamic positioning allows the handle to avoid fouling door panels during opening movement while preserving its compact aesthetic appearance.
2Shape
If the operating handle is designed with minimal stack height, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the mechanical complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The operating handle is segmented into distinct functional components: a mounting part, a handle part, a pivot pin, and a biasing spring. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for its specific function while maintaining overall simplicity. The pivot pin and biasing spring are separate elements that enable the handle's dynamic positioning without requiring complex mechanical assemblies, thus reducing manufacturing complexity despite the minimal stack height.
3Shape
If the operating handle is designed with minimal stack height, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The operating handle incorporates a self-biasing mechanism using a spring that automatically returns the handle to its storage position after operation. This self-service feature eliminates the need for additional actuation mechanisms or complex control systems, simplifying manufacturing. The pivot pin and spring assembly can be manufactured using conventional techniques, and the design allows for easy assembly, thereby reducing manufacturing costs despite achieving minimal stack height.
Data Source
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AI summary
This invention relates to an operating handle (20), in particular for a folding/sliding door. The operating handle (20) has a mounting part (22) by which it may be mounted to the folding/sliding door, and a handle part (21) which is connected to a locking mechanism for the door. The handle part is movable relative to the mounting part between a storage position and an operating position, the storage position providing a minimum stack height for the operating handle whereby to minimise the restriction on opening movement of the folding/sliding door. The handle part is adapted to rotate an operating shaft (25) which is connected to the locking mechanism (26), the handle part (21) in its operating position being rotatable through approximately 360°, during which movement the operating shaft (25) is driven to rotate through an angle which is less than 360°. Accordingly, there is some "lost motion" within the operating handle, and the rotation of the handle part is not required to match that of the operating shaft.