Patent ID: 6896302

Claim:
A push button release apparatus for releasing a door of a vehicle, the door including a catch, said apparatus comprising: a housing secured to the door of the vehicle, said housing having a first end a second end and a first and a second extremity, said housing defining a cavity which extends between said first and said second end of said housing, and said cavity extending between said first and said second extremities of said housing, said housing defining first and second spaced, parallel slots along said cavity; a push button supported by said housing, said push button being slidably disposed relative to said housing such that said push button moves between an inoperative location disposed adjacent to said first extremity of said housing and an operative location disposed adjacent to said second extremity of said housing, said push button having a first and second end, said first end of said push button defining an operating surface, and said second end of said push button sliding within said cavity, said second end of said push button defining a first and a second laterally extending ear, said first and second ears extending in opposite directions relative to each other, said directions being normal to said direction of movement of said push button, said first ear sliding within said first slot, and said second ear sliding within said second slot such that said push button is guided by an interaction of said ears within said respective slots; a cam having a first and a second termination, said cam being rotatably supported about a rotational axis which is disposed between said first and said second terminations of said cam, said rotational axis extending through said housing, and said first termination defining a cam surface which cooperates with said push button; a cable having a first end connected to said second termination and a second end configured for connection to the catch of the door; and a biasing device connected to said cam for biasing said cam such that said cam surface urges said push button in a direction from said operative location towards said inoperative location thereof, so that when said push button is moved from said inoperative location towards said operative location in opposition to said biasing device, said push button engages said cam surface to cause said cam to rotate about said rotational axis, and said second termination of said cam is caused to move and to pull said cable to allow for the release of the door of the vehicle.