Handle assembly

Abstract

The invention is useful for upgrading a mechanical handle assembly to an electronic handle assembly without the need to remove the handle from the door or the like to which the handle is attached. The handle assembly (100) is of the type which is mountable to a surface of a door. Handle (18) is moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position. A first housing useful for a mechanical locking handle is replaceable by a second housing (80) during conversion of the handle assembly from a mechanical version to an electronic version. Handle (18) is received at least partially within the housing (80) and is substantially within housing (80) in the locked position. In the unlocked position, handle (18) protrudes from the housing (80) and can be cause to swing sideways. Opening of the door when handle (18) is in the locked position is prevented by a lock (24). When converted to the electronic version, lock (24) may remain but is capable of being unlocked by electronic actuation means (44, 78, 82).

Claims

1. A swing handle assembly attachable to a door, comprising: an elongated swing handle which is peripherally encircled by and at least partially received in a housing in a locked position of the elongated swing handle; the elongated swing handle having a lock cylinder; the housing having a first aperture through which the elongated swing handle is attachable to the door; the housing having a second aperture in which the lock cylinder is received; the lock cylinder having a lock barrel arm; a roll pin fitted through the first aperture such that the elongated swing handle is pivotably disposed in the first aperture; a spring biasing the elongated swing handle to pivotably protrude from the housing when the swing handle is in an unlocked position; the elongated swing handle being pivotable relative to the roll pin as the elongated swing handle pivotably protrudes from the housing; an electronic actuator comprising a shape memory alloy wire; a lock slider biased by one or more slide springs, the lock slider being configured to lock the lock cylinder; wherein the shape memory alloy wire is attached to the lock slider to act against a biasing action of the one or more slide springs when activated by the electronic actuator to unlock the swing handle; and wherein the first aperture is sized such that the elongated swing handle is receivable through the first aperture to enable removal of the housing while the elongated swing handle remains attached to the door.

2. The swing handle assembly of claim 1, further comprising a light indicator configured to indicate lock status.

3. The swing handle assembly of claim 2, wherein the light indicator displays a red light to indicate lock status as locked, a flashing red light to indicate lock status as error, and orange light to indicate lock status as unlocked, and a green light to indicate lock status as open.

4. A swing handle assembly attachable to a door, comprising: a housing having a first aperture and a second aperture; the first aperture being spaced from said second aperture and each having different shapes; an elongated swing handle received at least partially through the first aperture, the elongated swing handle being configured to be coupled to the door and transitionable between a locked position and an unlocked position, the elongated swing handle having a lock cylinder; the first aperture being sized such that the elongated swing handle is receivable through the first aperture such that the housing is removable while the swing handle remains coupled to the door; the lock cylinder received in the second aperture; a lock slider biased by one or more slide springs, the lock slider being operatively coupled to the lock cylinder and configured to lock the lock cylinder; a pin being disposed in the first aperture; a spring biasing the swing handle to pivot about the pin when the swing handle is in the unlocked position; and an actuator comprising a shape memory alloy wire that is attached to the lock slider to act against a biasing action of the one or more slide springs upon actuation of the actuator to cause the swing handle to transition to the unlocked position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the broad scope of the invention.

(2) In the drawings:

(3) FIG. 1 depicts an exploded view of an embodiment of a mechanical handle assembly with part of a door to which the mechanical handle assembly is to be mounted;

(4) FIG. 2 depicts an exploded view of an embodiment of an electronic handle assembly to which the mechanical handle assembly of FIG. 1 is to be upgraded;

(5) FIG. 3 depicts an exploded view of an embodiment of an electronic actuating means being a module;

(6) FIG. 4 depicts the handle assembly of FIG. 1 or 2 placed on the door of a server rack cabinet;

(7) FIG. 5 shows a close-up view of the handle assembly of FIG. 2 placed on the door as in FIG. 4;

(8) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the electronic actuating module of FIG. 3, in position on the rear of the door;

(9) FIG. 7 is a rear elevation of the module of FIG. 6;

(10) FIG. 8 shows a front elevation of a second embodiment of a mechanical handle assembly;

(11) FIG. 9 is a side elevation of the handle assembly of FIG. 8;

(12) FIG. 10 is a rear elevation of the handle assembly of FIGS. 8 and 9;

(13) FIG. 11 is an exploded view of the mechanical handle assembly of FIGS. 8 to 10;

(14) FIG. 12 shows a front elevation of a second embodiment of an electronic handle assembly, to which the mechanical handle assembly of FIGS. 8 to 11 is to be upgraded;

(15) FIG. 13 is a side elevation of the handle assembly of FIG. 12;

(16) FIG. 14 is a rear elevation of the handle assembly of FIGS. 12 and 13;

(17) FIG. 15 is an exploded view of the electronic handle assembly of FIGS. 12 to 14;

(18) FIG. 16 shows a detail of part of the electronic actuating means of the electronic handle in FIGS. 12 to 15, in the locked position;

(19) FIG. 17 is the same view as in FIG. 16, but showing the unlocked position;

(20) FIG. 18 is the same view as in FIGS. 16 and 17, but depicting the slam locked position; and

(21) FIG. 19 shows an embodiment of the method of the invention when converting the mechanically-locked handle assembly to the electronic version, involving replacing the first housing with a second housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(22) With reference to the embodiment in FIG. 1, mechanical handle assembly 10 is mountable to front surface 12 of a door, part of which is shown at 14. As per usual industry standard, door 14 includes two cut outs 16 and 17.

(23) Handle 18 is designed to be received within housing 20. In the locked position, handle 18 is designed to protrude partly from housing 20, while in the locked position handle 18 is designed to be received within housing 20. Further details are explained below with regard to the embodiment in FIG. 19. Handle 18 is caused to protrude from housing 20, when unlocked, by a spring 22. Handle 18 has connected to it a standard keyed lock cylinder 24. Unlocking lock cylinder 24 with an authorised key (not shown) turns cam 26 located within first housing 20, which in turn releases the mechanical locking mechanism (not shown) for door 14.

(24) Clamps 28 and 29 with associated screws connect handle assembly 10 to door 14. Face plate 30 covers cavity 32 in first housing 20.

(25) Turning now to FIG. 2, it will be noted that in this embodiment the same first housing 20 has been supplemented with an electronic actuator means in order to convert the mechanical lock of FIG. 1 to the electronic lock of FIG. 2.

(26) In FIG. 2, electronic handle assembly 33 has handle 18, spring 22, lock cylinder 24 (retained for override purposes), clamp 28 and face plate 30, being the same as shown in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the electronic actuating means takes the form of electronic actuating module 34 contained in front housing 34A and rear housing 34B.

(27) To convert the mechanical handle assembly 10 of FIG. 1 to the electronic handle assembly 33 of FIG. 2, clamps 28 and 29 are removed from the rear of door 14 and electronic module 34 is positioned on the rear of door 14. Clamp 28 is used to support housing 20 and module 34. Instead of clamp 29 used with handle assembly 10, screws 36 pass through electronic module rear housing 34B and electronic module front housing 34A into housing 20.

(28) Lock status indicator 38 is inserted into cavity 32, and operated by circuit board 40.

(29) Cam 26 of FIG. 1 is replaced by cam 26.

(30) In the detailed view in FIG. 3, electronic actuating module 34 is shown to contain its parts enclosed between front housing 34A and rear housing 34B, the orientation of electronic actuating module 34 being reversed from that shown in FIG. 2.

(31) A second circuit board 42 controls actuation of shape memory alloy wire 44 wound around shuttle 46 and connected to catch 48 biased by spring 50. Shuttle 46 is biased by spring 52.

(32) When shape memory alloy wire 44 is energised via second circuit board 42, shape memory alloy wire 44 contracts and drives movement of shuttle 46, causing catch 48 to release and unlock handle 18. Base 54 is caused to protrude out of housing 20 by spring 22. Handle 18 can then be pivoted at 56 to swing to the side, to provide sufficient traction to release door 14 from its cabinet 60, as shown in FIG. 4.

(33) In FIG. 5, electronic handle assembly 33 is shown mounted on door 14 of cabinet 60.

(34) In contrast to the previously-described embodiment, the embodiment in FIGS. 8 to 19 replaces first housing 57 with second housing 80. As can be readily appreciated from FIG. 19, in handle assembly 90, first housing 57 is smaller than second housing 80. Handle 18 is essentially the same as handle 18 in the first embodiment, with only minor design changes around lock cylinder 24. Lock cylinder 24 is preferably a Euro-cylinder lock. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 19, lock cylinder 24 is received into housing 62.

(35) Handle 18 works as described for handle 18 in the previous embodiment. FIG. 11 shows how handle 18 is connected by roll pin 64 to handle spindle 72, roll pin 64 fitting through aperture 66. Handle spindle 72 is received within handle mount block 68, which includes backing plate 70.

(36) The electronic lock embodiment 100 shown in FIGS. 12 to 15 has a second housing 80 which is larger than first housing 57. In addition, this embodiment is designed so that most components are contained within housing 80 on the front surface 12 of door 14.

(37) In this embodiment, spring 22 of the first embodiment is replaced by coil spring 74. Light pipe indicator 76 can be lit to indicate lock statusred for locked, flashing red for error, orange to indicate unlocked and awaiting opening, and green to indicate unlocked and open. Other colour signals are within the scope of the invention.

(38) Lock linkage 78 is engageable by lock barrel arm 86 to lock handle assembly 100. Part of the electronic actuating means is sma wire 44, biased by slide springs 84 and coordinating with lock slider and slam lock slider both indicated at 82. Housing 62 I similar to housing 62 and receives lock cylinder 24.

(39) FIGS. 16 to 18 show three states of handle assembly 100. In FIG. 16, barrel arm 86 engages lock linkage 78 and handle assembly 100 is locked.

(40) In FIG. 17, the electronic actuating means has been activated, sma wire 44 has contracted, and lock linkage 78 has been brought out of engagement with barrel arm 86 to the unlocked position. Spring 74 would bias handle 18 to protrude from housing 80 (not shown in this Fig.).

(41) It is to be noted that this has occurred electronically, without the need to unlock lock cylinder 24 by a key. In FIG. 18, handle 18 (not shown) has been slam locked into housing 80. This Figure represents a transient state, since lock linkage 78 will proceed from the state shown in FIG. 18 to engage barrel arm 86, to take the configuration shown in FIG. 16.

(42) Referring now to FIG. 19, Step 1 shows the basic or mechanical handle assembly as in FIGS. 12 to 14. In Step 2, handle 18 has been unlocked and biased towards the partly protruding position. In Step 3, first housing 57 is being removed by passing the handle 18 through an aperture 57A of the housing 57. As can be seen, handle 18 remains attached to the door (not shown). In Step 4, light pipe indicator 76 has been coupled to second housing 80, second housing 80 has replaced first housing 57, electronic actuating components (not shown) have been inserted within housing 80 and housing 62 has replaced former housing 62. The second housing 80 includes an aperture 80A such that the handle 18 is received in a similar manner as described with respect to the first housing 57 and its aperture 57A.

(43) It is to be understood that the word door is intended to refer to any suitable closure, including a drawer.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(44) The handle assembly and method of the invention enable conversion of mechanical handles assemblies to electronic handle assemblies in an economical and labour-efficient manner with minimum disruption to (for example) server rack cabinets.