EP3404176B1 - Device for unlocking a door latch - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a flush door handle and its device for unlocking a door lock, in particular although not exclusively a motor vehicle door lock.

A non-flush door handle mounted to pivot is known as described in the documents DE 298 04 105 U1 or US 2014/230329 A1 . Such a pivoting handle makes it possible to protect the door lock and thus prevents fouling of the lock. A vehicle lock is for example described by the document EP 1 262 626 A2 .

This type of pivoting door handle which can be flush such as that described in the document WO 2014/049026 A1 already allows easy access to the door lock in the event of a breakdown. Ease of access is permitted since one end of the handle is left free.

We are more particularly interested in the motor vehicle is equipped with a door lock associated with a flush door handle mounted to slide in an opening of the door between a rest position in which the handle is flush with the door and a working position in which the handle projects relative to the door, a motorization is generally provided ensuring passage from the rest position to the working position after identification of the person attempting to open the door.

When the motorisation is faulty, whatever the reason, it is necessary to be able to open the door manually. For this purpose, a key mechanism is generally provided which opens onto the wall of the door. However, since this mechanism is only rarely or even never used, there is a risk of fouling preventing manual opening of the door. In known manner, the key mechanism is arranged next to the flush sliding handle. To prevent this risk, the end of the cylinder is covered with a sliding shutter or a small hood, but this only shifts the problem, the sliding shutter or the small hood being exposed to the weather. In the case of the document WO 2016/188694 A1 , the sliding handle described incorporates the key mechanism within it, so there is no need to seek to protect it.

An object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for unlocking a door lock whose operation is guaranteed under normal conditions of use.

In order to achieve this object, a door handle according to claim 1 is provided.

Thus, during normal use of the vehicle, the entrance to the unlocking mechanism is protected by the handle, so that the risk of fouling is considerably minimized.

According to an advantageous version of the invention, the inclination is sufficient to allow the introduction of the cylinder into the box from the outside of the door when the handle is in the working position.

According to another advantageous version of the invention, the unlocking mechanism comprises a coupling member between the cylinder and the maneuvering member of the unlocking element of the lock, the coupling member having an axis of entry and an exit axis which extend in two different directions. Thus it is possible to adapt the position of the cylinder to the general configuration of the door lock.

According to other characteristics of the invention which can be implemented alone or in combination: the coupling member comprises bevel gears; the coupling member comprises a universal joint assembly; the coupling member comprises a bevel gear fixed to the cylinder, and a bevel gear fixed to a plate carrying part of the gimbal assembly; the cylinder is removably mounted from the outside of the door. Thus it is possible to carry out finishing operations, in particular painting the door, without risking affecting the operation of the unlocking mechanism.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the mechanism comprises a cylinder unlocking member accessible through the rebate of the door.

• La figure 1 est une vue en perspective schématique du mécanisme de commande d'une poignée de porte selon l'invention,
• La figure 2 est une vue de dessus le schématique du mécanisme de commande représenté en dehors de son boîtier pour une position de repos de la poignée,
• La figure 3 est une vue analogue à celle de la figure 2 pour une position de travail de la poignée,
• La figure 4 est une vue analogue à celle de la figure 2 lors d'un actionnement de la poignée dans un sens d'ouverture de la porte,
• La figure 5 est une vue en perspective schématique d'un mode de réalisation du premier levier et du second levier,
• La figure 6 est une vue en perspective partielle schématique depuis l'intérieur du boîtier,
• La figure 7 est une vue en perspective du dispositif de déverrouillage de la serrure de porte selon un premier mode de réalisation des moyens d'accouplement du cylindre et du levier de verrou,
• La figure 8 est une vue en perspective schématique d'un second mode de réalisation du dispositif de déverrouillage.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention with reference to the attached figures, among which:

• The figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the control mechanism of a door handle according to the invention,
• The figure 2 is a schematic top view of the control mechanism shown outside its housing for a rest position of the handle,
• The picture 3 is a view analogous to that of picture 2 for a working position of the handle,
• The figure 4 is a view analogous to that of the picture 2 when the handle is actuated in a door opening direction,
• The figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the first lever and the second lever,
• The figure 6 is a schematic partial perspective view from inside the case,
• The figure 7 is a perspective view of the unlocking device of the door lock according to a first embodiment of the means for coupling the cylinder and the lock lever,
• The figure 8 is a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of the unlocking device.

With reference to the figures, the invention relates to a mechanism for controlling the handle 1 of a door 2. The handle 1 is movable between a rest position in which the handle is flush with the door, and a working position in which the handle protrudes from the door as shown in the figure 1 . The control mechanism comprises a box 3 equipped with bosses 4 for fixing the box to the door. The handle 1 is mounted to slide in an opening 5 of the door.

In the illustrated embodiment, the handle 1 is hollow. The handle operating mechanism comprises a first lever 6 having the general shape of a Y comprising a tail 7 arched towards the inside of the handle and mounted in an articulated manner on an axis 8 carried by the handle, and two branches 9 symmetrical by relative to a median plane extending in a longitudinal direction of the handle, and each having one end connected along an articulation 54 to one end of a connecting rod 10, the opposite end of which is connected in an articulated manner to a second lever 11 at the means of a joint comprising a pin 12 carried by the second lever 11 and engaged in an oblong slot 13 made in the connecting rod and extending in the longitudinal direction of the connecting rod. The pin 12 and the slot 13 thus produce for each link a clearance in a longitudinal direction of the link.

At the end opposite to the articulation with the connecting rod 10, the second lever 11 is mounted in an articulated manner on a shaft 14 carried by the handle. The axis 14 extends parallel to the axis 8, at a distance from the latter in a longitudinal direction of the handle.

The first lever 6, the second lever 11 and the connecting rod 10 thus produce with the handle 1 a deformable quadrilateral, the deformation of which causes the handle to move in translation.

Furthermore, the mechanism comprises a door lock operating member comprising a plate 15 mounted to pivot about an axis 16 carried by the case 3 and returned by a spring 17 to a position for which one edge of the plate 15 bears against the internal face of the case 3. The plate 15 further comprises a slot in which is engaged a head 18 of a cable 19, the opposite end of which is connected to the door lock 20 (see figure 6 ). The rest position of the handle 1 corresponds to a closed state of the lock 20.

The first lever 6 also comprises an operating arm 21 whose end extends opposite an edge of the plate 15. At the lower end of this edge, the plate 15 comprises an operating lug 22 whose function will be described below.

Opposite one end of the lever 11 opposite the pivot axis 14 of the second lever 11 relative to the handle 1, the mechanism comprises a deployment member, here a cam 23 mounted eccentrically on an axis 24 carried by a motor 25 fixed in the casing and connected to a control unit 26 capable of receiving deployment control signals from a remote control 27.

Furthermore, the lock 20 comprises a lock locking element made active when the handle is in the rest position.

The operation of the mechanism according to the invention is as follows: springs 28 are suitably arranged between the levers and the housing so that, in association with the return spring 17, the support of the operating arm 21 on the edge of the plate 15 and the support of the end of the lever 11 on the deployment member 23, the assembly is maintained in a stable position for which the handle 1 is flush with the opening 5, as illustrated in the figure 2 .

When a deployment control signal is sent to the electric motor 25 by control unit 26, the deployment member 23 is driven in rotation as illustrated by the arrow 29 on the figure 3 so that the levers 6 and 11 are tilted as indicated by the arrows 30 and 31 on the figure 3 . In this movement the handle 1 moves in translation as indicated by the arrows 32, until the operating arm 21 bears against the operating pin 22. Simultaneously an unlocking signal is sent to an unlocking member electric 34 associated with the lock 20. From this position, a traction carried out on the handle as indicated by the arrow 33 on the figure 4 tilts the plate 15 as indicated by the arrow 34 on the figure 4 so that a traction is exerted on the cable 19 which opens the lock 20 of the door.

In the event that the electrical operation is faulty, pressing manually on the handle plumb with the shaft 14 causes a slight tilting of the lever 6, sufficient to engage the hand in the handle and exert traction thereon.

Simultaneously it is necessary to ensure unlocking of the lock.

To this end, the mechanism according to the invention comprises an unlocking device comprising a cylinder 37 carried by a support directly or indirectly fixed to the door, here a ring 40 fixed in the housing and in which the cylinder 37 is kept blocked by a screw 41 screwed into the ring 40 and the end of which rests in a groove 39 of the cylinder 37. The screw 41 is preferably arranged to be accessible from the rebate of the door, by passing a screwdriver through a tube 51 which opens into the door frame. The cylinder 37 has an opening 38 for the introduction of a key 55. The cylinder 37 is connected to the unlocking element 35 of the lock via an operating member, here a lock lever 42 mounted to pivot on a pin 43 carried by the housing and connected to the unlocking member 36 by a cable 44.

In the embodiment of the figure 7 the lock lever 42 is connected to the cylinder 37 by a coupling member comprising a male bevel gear 45 carried by the cylinder 37, and a female bevel gear 46 carried by the lock lever 42.

The coupling member thus has an input axis 52 and an output axis 53 which extend in two different directions. By an appropriate choice of the direction of the output axis, the coupling can therefore be adapted to the arrangement of the various elements contained in the box.

In the embodiment of the figure 8 , the female gear 46 is carried by a plate 47 connected to the lock lever 42 by a universal joint assembly comprising a lever 48 carrying at each of its ends a ball joint 49 engaged in a ball joint support 50.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and is susceptible to variant embodiments which will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

In particular, although in the preferred embodiment of the invention the cylinder 37 is introduced through the front face of the door, which makes it possible to carry out finishing touches before putting the cylinder 37 in place, it is interesting to make unclog cylinder 37 behind handle 1 in order to protect the mechanism associated with key 55 against fouling.

Claims (8)

1. A door handle (1) configured to be mounted to slide in an opening (5) of the door between a rest position in which the handle is flush with the door and a working position in which the handle projects with respect to the door, the handle comprising:

   - a mechanism for operating the handle,

   - an unlocking device including a cylinder (37) carried by a support directly or indirectly configured to be fixed to the door, the cylinder being configured to be connected to an unlocking element (35) of the latch via an operating member (42) of the unlocking element of the latch, characterized in that the mechanism for operating the handle comprising a first lever (6) and a second lever (11) articulated on the handle and connected to each other by a connecting rod (10) to form with the handle a deformable quadrilateral whose deformation causes a translational displacement of the handle,

   and in that the cylinder (37) is mounted to emerge facing the handle in an inclined manner with respect to a direction (56) normal to the door.
2. The handle according to claim 1, characterized in that the inclination is sufficient to allow the introduction of the cylinder into the housing from the outside of the door when the handle is in the working position.
3. The handle according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that it includes a coupling member (45,46; 48,49,50) between the cylinder and the operating member of the unlocking element of the latch, the coupling member having an input axis (52) and an output axis (53) which extend in two different directions.
4. The handle according to claim 3, characterized in that the coupling member comprises bevel gears (45,46).
5. The handle according to claim 3 or claim 4, characterized in that the coupling member comprises a dial mounting (48,49,50).
6. The handle according to claim 4 and claim 5 considered in combination, characterized in that the coupling member comprises a bevel gear (45) fixed to the cylinder, and a bevel gear (46) fixed to a plate (47) carrying a part of the dial mounting.
7. The handle according to at least one of the preceding claims characterized in that the cylinder (37) is removably mounted from the outside of the door.
8. The handle according to claim 7, characterized in that it includes a member (41) for releasing the cylinder accessible through the rabbet of the door.

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