Handle and door with the handle
A handle includes movable flaps. The movement of one of the flaps in one direction moves another of the flaps in another direction. The distance between the flaps is constant along the flaps. A door can include the handle. Movement of the flaps in a manner similar to that of a pair of scissors can be prevented, preventing any risk of pinching when actuating the flaps.
This application claims priority to French Application FR 05 05 630 filed on Jun. 3, 2005.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to a handle and a door with the handle.
To improve vehicle aerodynamics, doors of the vehicles may include flush handles that do not protrude from an outer skin of the door.
For example, document FR-A-2 840 341 describes such a handle and a mechanism for extracting the handle. The handle is housed inside a cavity formed on an outer face of the door and occupies a portion of a surface area of the cavity. The mechanism includes at least one flap which occupies a remaining surface area of the cavity. The handle and the flap are mounted to pivot independently of one another about a common axis from a rest position in which they together entirely cover an opening of the cavity. The mechanism includes a movement inverter mounted to pivot in the cavity behind the handle and the flap. The inverter is capable of pushing the handle out of the cavity when the flap is pushed into the cavity.
The disadvantage of the handle as explained in this document is that the flaps have a relative movement similar to that of a pair of scissors, and there is a risk of pinching the user's fingers.
There is therefore a need for a door handle that reduces any risk of pinching.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONFor this, the invention proposes a handle including movable flaps. The movement of one flap in one direction moves another flap in another direction, and the distance between the flaps is constant along the flaps.
According to a variant, the flaps have a first rest position in which the flaps are substantially in the same plane. According to a variant, the flaps have a second rest position in which the flaps are in different planes. According to a variant, the flaps are movable in translation.
According to a variant, the handle includes a rocker that inverts the movement of the flaps. According to a variant, the flaps are movable in rotation. According to a variant, the handle includes a motor for actuating the flaps.
The invention also relates to a door including a handle as previously described.
According to a variant, the door further includes an electric lock and a sensor for detecting movement of the flaps. The sensor is suitable for delivering a door opening signal to the lock.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSOther features and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention, given only as an example and with reference to the drawings which show:
The invention relates to a handle including movable flaps. The movement of one of the flaps in one direction moves another of the flaps in another direction. A distance between the flaps is constant along the flaps. This makes it possible to prevent the flaps from moving in a manner similar to that of a pair of scissors, preventing any risk of pinching when actuating the flaps.
The flaps 12 and 14 can be moved, and the movement of one of the flaps 12 and 14 moves the other of the flaps 12 and 14. The movement of the handle 10 via the flaps 12 and 14 makes it possible to initiate a change of state (for example, from a locked state to an unlocked state) of a lock of the door and then to open the door 11. The connection between the handle 10 and the lock is not shown.
In
The flap 14 offers a handhold for the user to open the door 11.
According to
In the example of
The flaps 12 and 14 may be movable in translation. In
The mechanism connecting the two flaps 12 and 14 may also be different. In one example, the elements are racks each connected to a flap 12 and 14, and a pinion is mounted on the shaft or the pivot 18. The movement of one rack in one direction moves the other rack in the other direction by the pinion.
Unlike the embodiment of
In
Equally, and as in
When the flaps 12 and 14 are not moved, the flaps 12 and 14 may occupy a rest position. According to one embodiment of the handle 10 in which the flaps 12 and 14 are superposed, the flaps 12 and 14 have facing edges. The top flap 12 has a bottom edge facing a top edge of the bottom flap 14. According to an example of the first rest position shown in
According to an example of a second rest position, the flaps 12 and 14 are not in the same plane. There is an apparent gap between the flaps 12 and 14. In particular, the outer faces of the flaps 12 and 14 are offset. This makes it possible, for example, to indicate the position of the lock visually to the user. When the door 11 is closed and the flaps 12 and 14 have a gap, the user is shown that the lock is in an unlocked position, and the movement of a flap 12 and 14 makes it possible to open the lock and then the door 11. On the other hand, when the flaps 12 and 14 are in one and the same plane, the indication given to the user is that the lock is in a locked position and that the lock must be unlocked with a key or another means, such as a badge or a control inside the vehicle before the door 11 is opened by the handle 10. Indicating the state of the lock by the position of the flaps 12 and 14 makes it possible, for example, to replace a sill button. It is also possible that the flaps 12 and 14 are capable of occupying the above two rest positions. When the vehicle stops, the flaps 12 and 14 are in the second rest position to indicate the state of the lock, and when the vehicle is in motion, the flaps 12 and 14 are in the first rest position in which the aerodynamics of the vehicle are promoted. The handle 10 may, for example, be placed in the first position when the vehicle reaches a threshold speed.
Preferably, the flaps 12 and 14 are moved elastically towards their rest position. Thus, when the user releases the flaps 12 and 14, the flaps 12 and 14 return to their positions elastically, but without pinching the user's fingers because the flaps 12 and 14 move in parallel planes.
According to a variant, it is possible that the handle 10 is coupled to an electric lock 50. The handle 10 may be fitted with a sensor 52 detecting a movement of the flaps 12 and 14. When the sensor 52 delivers a signal indicating that the user is actuating the handle 10, the lock motor is activated and the lock changes state. In the event of an accident or a failure of the battery supplying the electric lock 50, a mechanical connection between the flaps 12 and 14 and the lock may take over to ensure that the electric lock 50 and the door 11 are opened.
It is also possible that the handle 10 includes a motor 54 for actuating the flaps 12 and 14. Thus, the movement of the flaps 12 and 14 is made easier by the motor 54. The handle 10 may include a sensor 52 detecting movement of the flaps 12 and 14. When the sensor 52 delivers a signal indicating that the user is actuating the handle 10, the motor 54 actuates the flaps 12 and 14. For example, the motor 54 actuates the pivot of the flaps 12 and 14. In
Naturally, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described as an example. Thus, it is possible that one flap moves in a translation movement according to
The foregoing description is only exemplary of the principles of the invention. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than using the example embodiments which have been specifically described. For that reason the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.
Claims
1. A handle comprising:
- movable flaps, wherein movement of one of the movable flaps in one direction moves another of the movable flaps in another direction, and a distance between the movable flaps is constant.
2. The handle according to claim 1, wherein the movable flaps have a first rest position in which the movable flaps are substantially in a common plane.
3. The handle according to claim 2, wherein the movable flaps have a second rest position in which the movable flaps are in different planes.
4. The handle according to claim 1, wherein the movable flaps are movable in translation.
5. The handle according to claim 1, further including a rocker that inverts movement of the movable flaps.
6. The handle according to claim 1, wherein the movable flaps are movable in rotation.
7. The handle according to claim 1, further including a motor for actuating the movable flaps.
8. A handle comprising:
- movable flaps, wherein movement of one of the movable flaps in one direction moves another of the movable flaps in another direction, and a distance between the movable flaps is constant; and
- a rocker that inverts movement of the movable flaps.
9. The handle according to claim 8, wherein the movable flaps have a first rest position in which the movable flaps are substantially in a common plane.
10. The handle according to claim 9, wherein the movable flaps have a second rest position in which the movable flaps are in different planes.
11. The handle according to claim 8, wherein the movable flaps are movable in translation.
12. The handle according to claim 8, wherein the movable flaps are movable in rotation.
13. The handle according to claim 8, further including a motor for actuating the movable flaps.
14. A door comprising:
- a handle including movable flaps, wherein movement of one of the movable flaps in one direction moves another of the movable flaps in another direction, and a distance between the movable flaps is constant.
15. The door according to claim 14, further including an electric lock and a sensor for detecting movement of the moveable flaps, wherein the sensor delivers a door opening signal to the electric lock.
16. The door according to claim 14, wherein the movable flaps have a first rest position in which the movable flaps are substantially in a common plane.
17. The door according to claim 16, wherein the moveable flaps have a second rest position in which the movable flaps are in different planes.
18. The door according to claim 14, wherein the movable flaps are movable in translation.
19. The door according to claim 14, further including a rocker that inverts movement of the movable flaps.
20. The door according to claim 14, wherein the movable flaps are movable in rotation.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 1, 2006
Publication Date: Dec 7, 2006
Inventors: Frederic Burkat (Bouzy La Foret), Chris Rhodes (Orleans)
Application Number: 11/445,502
International Classification: B65D 25/28 (20060101); B65D 25/10 (20060101);