Anti-rattle structure for door handle

• US 6,409,238 B1
• Filed: 04/26/2000
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Carlson, Sven E., Hlavacek, Conrad E., Mikenis, Mark R., Boone, Donald T., Bowden, Patrick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): AVILA, STEPHEN P
• Application Number:
  US09/559,891
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 292/338, 292/339, 292/341.12, 292/340, 292/347, 292/DIG.38, 292/DIG.39
• US Class Current: 292/347
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/26 specially adapted for child safety
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/36 Noise prevention; Anti-rattling means
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/04 Electrical electrical circuits E05B81/54
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/12 Inner door handles
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/13 with a locking knob forming part of the inside door handle unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/688 With silencing or anti-rattle means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/82 Knobs

Abstract

The door handle assembly includes a pivoting child lock out cam which pivots between a first locked position and a second unlocked position with respect to a door handle. More particularly, the child lock out cam includes a latch with an aperture through which a hook on an underside of the door handle passes in the first locked position. In order to reduce unwanted noises, such as rattling, from the child lock out cam in a vibratory environment, a flexible tab integrally extends from a plate of the door handle assembly to laterally bear against a radially enlarged cam section on the child lock out cam thereby urging the journal of the child lock out cam against the interior walls of the bearing apertures through which the journal passes.

Claims

1. A door handle assembly including:

a base element;

a pivoting element including a journal pivotally engaging a bearing element in said base element; and

a protrusion integrally formed from a portion of said base element and extending toward and bearing against said journal thereby urging said journal against an interior portion of said bearing element thereby reducing rattling of said journal within said bearing element in a vibratory environment.

2. The door handle assembly of claim 1 wherein said protrusion is integral with said base element.

3. The door handle assembly of claim 2 wherein said pivoting element includes a radially enlarged cam portion in contact with said protrusion.

4. The door handle assembly of claim 2 wherein a slot is formed in said base element immediately laterally adjacent to said protrusion.

5. A door handle assembly including:

a base element;

a pivoting element including a journal pivotally engaging a bearing element in said base element; and

a protrusion extending from and integral with said base element and bearing against a portion of said pivoting element thereby urging said journal against an interior portion of said bearing element thereby reducing rattling of said journal within said bearing element in a vibratory environment;

wherein said pivoting element further includes a radially enlarged cam portion in contact with said protrusion; and

wherein said base element includes housing walls extending from a plate element and wherein said bearing element includes a passageway proximate to said base element with openings of said bearing element formed on said housing walls.

6. The door handle assembly of claim 5 wherein said journal includes an end extending through one of said openings, said end further including a structure for receiving a mechanical connection.

7. The door handle assembly of claim 6 further including a pivoting door handle and wherein said pivoting element is a child lock out cam which pivots from a first position locking said door handle to a second position unlocking said door handle.

8. The door handle assembly of claim 7 wherein said door handle includes a first detent element and said child lock out cam includes a second detent element, wherein said first detent element engages said second detent element in said first position, and wherein said first detent element is free of engagement with said second detent element in said second position.

9. The door handle assembly of claim 8 wherein said first detent element is a hook and wherein said second detent element is a latch including an aperture through which said hook passes in said first position.

10. A door handle assembly including:

a base element;

a pivoting element including a journal pivotally engaging a bearing element in said base element; and

a protrusion extending from said base element and bearing against a portion of said pivoting element thereby urging said journal against an interior portion of said bearing element thereby reducing rattling of said journal within said bearing element in a vibratory environment;

wherein a slot is formed in said base element immediately laterally adjacent to said protrusion thereby reducing a force of said protrusion against said portion of said pivoting element.