Abstract:
An emergency trunk release handle for an automobile displays the graphics explaining the use and function of the handle by cutting out the material from the handle. Forming the emergency release handle from a phosphorescent plastic material that can be formed by a molding process, such as injection molding, the cut-out graphics show as darkened areas, when viewed in the dark confines of an automobile trunk, to provide a high degree of visibility for the graphics. The graphics are also visible when seen against the dark carpet in the interior of an opened trunk cavity. The formation of the graphics is accomplished by coring the mold in the configuration of the desired graphics and by forming the plastic material in the mold around the cores. The resultant handle structure is thus formed in a cost effective manner that reduces the process failure potential during the manufacturing of the handle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims domestic priority on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/448,187, filed on Feb. 18, 2003, and entitled “Cost Reduced Trunk Release Handle”, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Automobile trunks require an emergency release mechanism to permit a person trapped accidentally within the confines of the automobile trunk with the trunk lid closed and locked to be able to effect a release of the locked trunk lid and permit the person to escape from the confines of the automobile trunk. The release mechanism is actuated by pulling on an emergency trunk release handle. Conventional emergency trunk release handles are formed from a phosphorescent plastic material, i.e. a material that glows in the dark.  
         [0003]     A label containing printed material to explain graphically the use of the release handle to effect operation of the emergency release mechanism is mounted on the surface of the plastic material only after an adhesion promotion process is applied, i.e. adhesion promotion material, flame treatment, or plasma treatment. The graphics and/or directions for the use of the handle are difficult to see in the dark when the utilization of the handle would be required. It would be desirable to produce a glow-in-the-dark plastic handle without the need to prepare the surface of the material with adhesion enhancement process and also any need to print and/or paint any graphics or directions onto the material.  
         [0004]     Emergency trunk release handles are known in the prior art, as is represented by U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,511, issued to Michael K. Lam, et al, on May 28, 2002. In this Lam patent, which is the specific emergency release handle over which the instant invention presents an improvement, the T-shaped handle is formed from phosphorescent material, or is formed of a dark plastic on which the images are printed in a phosphorescent material so that the images will glow in the dark.  
         [0005]     A phosphorescent vehicle trunk release handle is also taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,369,395, issued to David M. Roessler on Apr. 9, 2002. Light to enhance the excitement of the phosphorescent material is directed into the truck adjacent the emergency release handle to allow the handle to glow in the dark without requiring the trunk lid to be opened or the utilization of electricity.  
         [0006]     The use of electricity to illuminate a light source that causes a fluorescent material to produce letters and numbers on a sheet of material is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,012, issued to Lars A Bergkvist on May 10, 1988. Similarly, the utilization of a luminous material to glow through transparent material, with opaque material blocking the release of light, to illuminate a sign is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,654,971, issued to G. R. Harrison on Oct. 13, 1953, while U.S. Pat. No. 2,125,780, issued to J. F. Goggin on Aug. 2, 1938 uses a luminescent material on the sign to effect illumination.  
         [0007]     Conventional manufacturing processes would involve insert molding or affixation of the label after the plastic handle was formed from a molding process, such as injection molding. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved emergency release handle that would provide superior visibility. Furthermore, the printing of the graphics on a pad or label for affixation to the emergency release handle is a costly process to manufacture the emergency release handle.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     It is an object of this invention to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages of the known prior art by providing an emergency trunk release handle that is formed of phosphorescent material in which the graphics are cut out of the material.  
         [0009]     It is another object of this invention to provide an emergency trunk release handle that will provide superior visibility of the graphics providing instructions on the use and operation of the release handle.  
         [0010]     It is a feature of this invention that the cut out areas of the plastic emergency trunk release handle show as darkened areas, which contrast with the glowing phosphorescent handle to enable the graphics to be seen in the dark.  
         [0011]     It is an advantage of this invention that the graphics on an emergency trunk release handle can be easily seen in the dark.  
         [0012]     It is another advantage of this invention that the cost of producing an emergency trunk release handle is reduced.  
         [0013]     It is still another advantage of this invention to provide the potential for improved manufacturing process robustness and the reduction of process failure modes of the emergency automobile trunk release handle.  
         [0014]     It is another feature of this invention that the cutout graphics in the plastic material of an emergency trunk release handle can be formed during the molding manufacturing process without additional labor required for the placement of decals or labels.  
         [0015]     It is yet another advantage of this invention that the adhesion promotion process and painting, and/or printing, graphics or directions onto the surface of the handle is eliminted.  
         [0016]     It is yet another advantage of this invention that the user of the handle, particularly when trapped in the darkened confines of an automobile trunk, is better able to identify the location of the handle, as well as the use of the handle to allow the user to escape from the automobile trunk.  
         [0017]     It is still another feature of this invention that the formation of the graphics in the material forming an emergency trunk release handle can be accomplished by coring the mold from which the handle is formed.  
         [0018]     It is a further object of this invention to provide an emergency automobile trunk release handle that is more reliable than pad printing and/or painting, durable in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, carefree of maintenance, facile in assemblage, and simple and effective in use.  
         [0019]     These and other objects, features and advantages are accomplished according to the instant invention by providing an emergency trunk release handle for an automobile in which the graphics explaining the use and function of the handle are displayed by cutting out the material from the handle. Forming the emergency release handle from a phosphorescent plastic material that can be formed by a molding process, such as injection molding, the cut-out graphics show as darkened areas, when viewed in the dark confines of an automobile trunk, to provide a high degree of visibility for the graphics. The formation of the graphics is accomplished by coring the mold in the configuration of the desired graphics and by forming the plastic material in the mold around the cores. The resultant handle structure is thus formed in a cost effective manner that reduces the process failure potential during the manufacturing of the handle. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]     The advantages of this invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed disclosure of the invention, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle trunk in which the instant invention can be utilized, the trunk lid being depicted in the opened position;  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view of the latch area of the vehicle trunk depicting the utilization of the instant invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged interior view of the automotive trunk depicted in  FIG. 2  to show the utilization of the instant invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged plan view of the emergency trunk release handle incorporating the principles of the instant invention; and  
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged cross-section view through the trunk release handle corresponding to lines  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0026]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , an automotive vehicle trunk having an emergency trunk release handle incorporating the principles of the instant invention can be seen. The automotive vehicle  10  incorporates a trunk  12  at a rear portion thereof which is provided with a trunk lid  15  positionable against the chassis  13  of the vehicle  10  to close the trunk opening  17  through which access to the trunk cavity  12  can be gained. The trunk lid  15  is pivotally movable between an opened position, depicted in  FIGS. 1-3 , and a closed position in which the opening  17  is closed and no access to or from the trunk cavity  12  can be gained.  
         [0027]     A latch mechanism  20  is provided on the rear portion of the trunk lid  15  to lock the trunk lid  15  in the closed position The latch mechanism  20  is engagable with a striker member  22  mounted at a corresponding position on the chassis  13  to cooperate with the latch mechanism  20  to secure the trunk lid  15  against the chassis  13 . The latch mechanism  20  is movable between a latched position and an unlatched position, corresponding to the closed and opened positions of the trunk lid  15 . Typically, the latch mechanism  20  is operated through a key (not shown) insertable through a key hole  19 , or through an internal trunk release mechanism (not shown) accessible within the operative compartment (not shown) forwardly of the trunk cavity  12 , to effect operation of the latch mechanism  20  to permit the trunk lid  15  to be opened from the locked, closed position  
         [0028]     From an emergency standpoint, the latch mechanism  20  is also operable from appropriate manipulation of an emergency release handle  25  that is positioned within the trunk cavity  12  for access to permit operation of the latch mechanism  20  from the inside of the trunk cavity  12  when the trunk lid  15  is in the closed and locked position. The emergency release handle  25  is connected to the latch mechanism  20  by a cable  27  that actuates the latch mechanism  20  when the handle  25  is grasped and pulled in a generally downwardly direction. A general description of the operation of the latch mechanism  20  can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,511, issued to Michael King Lam, et al, assigned to Ford Global Technologies, Inc., and entitled “Automotive Vehicle Decklid Latch System”, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0029]     Preferably, the emergency release handle  25  is positioned within the trunk cavity  12  to hang from the trunk lid  15  in a generally vertical orientation so as to be easily visible and accessible from the underside of the trunk lid  15  when in the closed position. Even when the trunk lid  15  is in the opened position, as depicted in  FIGS. 1-3 , the emergency release handle  25  will hang vertically to provide a handle by which the trunk lid  15  can be retrieved from the opened position. One skilled in the art, however, will recognize that so long as the emergency release handle  25  is being pulled against the latch mechanism  20 , the latch mechanism  20  will not latch against the striker  22  and, thus, the trunk lid  15  would not lock against the chassis  13  until the emergency release handle  25  is released.  
         [0030]     Referring now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the emergency release handle  25  is preferably formed of a phosphorescent material, such as a phosphorescent plastic, for example polypropylene, that will be energized by the receipt of light thereon for a short period of time and then be operative to emit light for an extended period of time after the light source has been removed, i.e. a material that will glow in the dark. As noted in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,511, the trunk lid  15  or the chassis  13  may be formed with light transmitting passageways (not shown) that may be operative to energize the phosphorescent material to extend the period over which the material will emit light; however, exposure to light when the trunk lid  15  is opened will provide some measure of time during which the phosphorescent material will glow in the darkened trunk cavity  12  after the trunk lid  15  is closed against the chassis  13 .  
         [0031]     The emergency release handle  25  is preferably formed in a T-shape that has a grasp portion  30  and a shaft portion  35  which are oriented generally perpendicularly to one another. The shaft portion  35  is preferably formed with an enlarged head portion  36  and a narrowed neck portion  37  located between the head portion  36  and the grasp portion  30  to facilitate a gripping of the grasp portion  30 . The shaft portion  35  of the emergency release handle  25  is formed with a deformable clip member  38  that is cooperable with a groove  39  formed at the top of the head portion  36  to effect a connection of the cable  27 . For example, the cable  27  could be formed with a bead (not shown) or affixed to a mating snap member  29  that would be engagable with the clip member  38  to affix the cable  27  to the emergency release handle  25 .  
         [0032]     The grasp portion  30  is preferably formed with raised corners  32  that project above a first surface  33  to which the neck portion  37  is connected to the grasp portion  30 . The distance between the first surface  33  and a second surface  34 , which is generally parallel to the first surface  33  and spaced therefrom, defines the width dimension of the grasp portion  30 . This particular configuration of the grasp portion  30  forming a T-shaped handle comprises a handle shape that is believed to facilitate the grasping of the emergency release handle  25  by a person within the trunk cavity  12  whether young or old.  
         [0033]     To further facilitate the use of the emergency release handle  25 , graphics  40  are imposed on the handle  25 . As noted in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,511, the graphics  40  are preferably in a form to present informational images to convey the purpose of the emergency release handle  25 . For example, an image  42  of a vehicle with an open trunk and a caricature  43  of a person jumping from the vehicle can be placed on the grasp portion  30  of the handle  25 , while an arrow  44 , or other image depicting the downward movement of the handle  25  to effect the images  42 ,  43  on the grasp portion  30 , can be placed on the shaft portion  35 .  
         [0034]     As further noted in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,511, these images are typically printed onto the front and back faces  26  in black to blank off the phosphorescent material so that any light emitted from the phosphorescent material will not shine through the printed graphics. Preferably, the phosphorescent material from which the emergency release handle  25  is formed would be a light color, such as yellow, light green, green-yellow, or white so that the black printed images would contrast with the surrounding material to present a visible image to the user thereof  
         [0035]     The printing of these graphics onto the faces  26  of the emergency release handle  25  has presented process problems in which an insufficient amount of printing or a lack of sharpness in the printing of the image can result in a blurring of the graphic image. The rejection of such improperly formed handles  25  leads to higher manufacturing costs, as does the printing process which adds additional steps to the manufacture of the existing emergency release handles  25 .  
         [0036]     The heretofore known printing process requires an adhesion promotion process, which is difficult to control and detect during the manufacturing process for the handle  25 . The graphic images may be printed or painted onto the surface of the material, but printed graphics nay peel and painted graphics may chip and ultimately become unrecognizable.  
         [0037]     According to the principles of the instant invention, as depicted in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the graphics  40  are cut out of the material forming the emergency release handle  25 , rather than having the graphics printed on the face surfaces  26  of the handle  25 . In the darkened trunk cavity  12  with the trunk lid  15  closed against the chassis  13 , the cut-out graphics emit no light and show as a sharp darkened area against the otherwise light phosphorescent material from which the body of the emergency release handle  25  is formed. Since no graphics are printed onto the faces  26  of the handle  25 , there is no concern over the quality or quantity of the printed material. Furthermore, the contrasting color of the carpet typically places within the trunk  12  will also make the graphic image visible even when not in a darkened trunk cavity  12 .  
         [0038]     To effect the cut-out graphics, the mold (not shown) from which the handle  25  is formed is equipped with cores that are in the shape of the desired graphics  40  and placed at the appropriate locations in the mold to prevent the formation of material at the graphic locations. One skilled in the art will recognize that a third core (not shown) would be placed at the top of the shaft portion to form the clip member  38  in a conventional manner.  
         [0039]     As a result, one skilled in the art will recognize that the manufacturing process is substantially simplified and, thus, reduced in cost as no subsequent manufacturing steps are required to imprint the graphics onto the face surfaces  26  of the emergency release handle  25 . Furthermore, such a manufacturing process has a substantially lower failure rate for producing finished handles  25 . Visibility of the informational graphics  40  is also enhanced as the cut-out images  42 - 44  are inherently sharply defined since there is no phosphorescent material within the image  42 - 44  to emit light.  
         [0040]     Alternatively, the graphic images  4244  could be cut out of the handle  25  after then emergency release handle  25  is formed and separated from the mold (not shown). Cutting technology would permit the sharp cutting of the images  42 - 44 ; however, such a process would significantly increase the manufacturing cost for the handle  25  as subsequent manufacturing steps would be required to produce the final finished product  25 , even though the end result of sharper informational graphics  40 , as compared to painting or pad printing the graphics  40 , could be obtained.  
         [0041]     It will be understood that changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangements of parts which have been described and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention will occur to and may be made by those skilled in the art upon a reading of this disclosure within the principles and scope of the invention. The foregoing description illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention; however, concepts, as based upon the description, may be employed in other embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.