Patent ID: 9708836
Date: 2017-07-18
CPC Classifications: E05B,Y10T

Claim:
1. An inertial blocking member subassembly for a vehicle-door release handle mechanism on a vehicle door, the release handle mechanism including a release handle framework supporting a bell crank assembly and a manually actuatable door handle grip, the door handle grip operatively coupled to the bell crank assembly such that actuation of the door handle grip activates the bell crank assembly to unlatch the vehicle door, the inertial blocking member subassembly comprising: an inertial blocking member associated with the release handle assembly framework, the blocking member having a center of gravity which is offset from an axis of rotation, and the blocking member being rotationally and translationally movable between an at-rest position, in which the blocking member does not prevent actuation of the door handle grip to activate the bell crank assembly to unlatch the vehicle door, and an engaged position, in which the blocking member prevents the actuation of the door handle grip to activate the bell crank assembly to unlatch the vehicle door, wherein the at-rest position is further characterized in that the blocking member is not in motion toward the engaged position; a biasing element associated with the blocking member, the biasing element loaded in the at-rest position of the blocking member so as to urge translational movement of the blocking member into the engaged position; and a blocking member retainer; whereby, as a result of an acceleration force acting on the blocking member center of gravity and the biasing element urging the blocking member, the blocking member is rotationally and translationally moved from the at-rest position to the engaged position, and in the engaged position, the blocking member is retained by the blocking member retainer until the blocking member retainer and blocking member are disengaged from each other so as to permit the blocking member to move to the at-rest position.