Patent ID: 8029032
Filing Date: 2011-10-04
Classification: E05B,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A door handle assembly with directly coupled-inertia activated mechanism, comprising: (a) a chassis which is to be installed in a vehicle door; (b) a handle which is pivotally supported on said chassis and is able to rotate about a pivot axle, one direction of rotation causes said vehicle door to be unlatched and open as understood by those skilled in the art; (c) an inertia lever which is pivotally supported on said chassis and is able to rotate about a second pivot axle; (d) said handle has a set of engagement features; (e) said inertia lever has a set of engagement features; (f) a coupling wherein through interaction between said set of engagement features on said handle and said set of engagement features on said inertia lever, said inertia lever rotates about said second pivot axle oppositely to said handle when said handle rotates about said first pivot axle; (g) said handle has an inertia moment relative to said first pivot axle, said inertia moment of said handle is associated to size, shape, and mass of said handle; (h) said inertia lever has an inertia moment relative to said second pivot axle, said inertia moment of said inertia lever is associated to size, shape, and mass of said inertia lever; (i) a biasing means which keeps said inertia lever at a rest position; (j) said handle's center of mass is on one general side of said first pivot axle; (k) said inertia lever's center of mass is on said general side of second pivot axle; wherein said handle is subjected to an inertia force acting on said handle's center of mass due to said handle's mass and the side impact in concern; said inertia force on said handle is transformed into a first force acting at the location of said first pivot axle, and a first moment of momentum acting on said handle as said handle is constrained by said first pivot axle; said first moment of momentum causes said handle to rotate in a first rotational direction about said first axle and has a magnitude of a product of said inertia moment of said handle and a first angular acceleration of said handle about said first axle; said first moment causes said handle to rotate inadvertently to a open position; said inertia lever is subjected to an inertia force acting on said inertia lever's center of mass due to said inertia lever's mass and the side impact in concern; said inertia force on said inertia lever is transformed into a second force acting at the location of said second pivot axle, and a second moment of momentum acting on said inertia lever as said inertia lever is constrained by said second pivot axle; said second moment of momentum causes said inertia lever to rotate in said first rotational direction about said second pivot axle and has a magnitude of a product of said inertia moment of said inertia lever and a second angular acceleration of said of said inertia lever about said second pivot axle; said second moment of momentum is transferred onto said handle as a third moment via said coupling; said third moment causes said handle to rotate in a second rotational direction about said first pivot axle; said second rotational direction is opposite to said first rotational direction; a resultant of said first moment of momentum and said third moment on said handle has a magnitude of M is said resultant M H is said first moment of momentum M L ′ is said third moment said resultant causes said handle to rotate inadvertently to said open position with smaller magnitude than said magnitude of said first moment of momentum.