HANDLE UNIT

Abstract

A handle unit having a handle element for opening and/or closing a lock provided on a moving part includes a lock cylinder, which is protected by a covering cap, and an attachment element, on which the covering cap is releasably disposed. The covering cap has at least one guide projection on the interior thereof, which bears on a guide surface when in the snap-in position, which is formed on the attachment element and is complementary to the guide projection. The attachment element forcibly guides the movement of the covering cap when the covering cap is released, such that the at least one guide projection moves along the complementary guide surface, away from the attachment element.

Claims

1. A handle unit for a moving part of a vehicle, in particular for a door or a hatch, comprising a moving handle element for opening and/or closing a lock provided on the moving part of the vehicle, a lock cylinder, which is protected toward the exterior by a covering cap, and an attachment element, on which the covering cap is releasably disposed, wherein the attachment element has at least one elastic snap-fit hook and the covering cap has at least one snap-fit recess, and wherein the at least one snap-fit hook is designed such that it is complementary to the at least one snap-fit recess, and engages therewith when the covering cap is in a snap-in position, wherein the covering cap has at least one guide projection on the inside, which bears on a guide surface when in the snap-in position, which is formed on the attachment element and is complementary to the guide projection, wherein the attachment element forcibly guides movement of the covering cap when the covering cap is released, such that the at least one guide projection moves along the complementary guide surface and away from the attachment element.

2. The handle unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one guide surface of the attachment element and the at least one guide projection of the covering cap are designed such that they follow a curve.

3. The handle unit according to claim 1, wherein the attachment element has a support on one of its longitudinal ends, on which at least one section of a longitudinal end of the covering cap bears.

4. The handle unit according to claim 3, wherein the support and the at least one guide surface, which is disposed adjacent to the support and runs substantially parallel thereto, collectively form a pivot bearing for the covering cap, about which the covering cap is pivotably supported in relation to the lock cylinder.

5. The handle unit according to claim 1, wherein the attachment element has at least two movement limiting bars, between which at least one movement limiting projection of the covering cap is disposed, wherein the at least two movement limiting bars block a movement of the covering cap transverse to the direction of the forcibly guided movement when releasing the covering cap.

6. The handle unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one elastic, moveable locking arm is formed in the interior of the covering cap, which engages with a locking recess, which is formed on the attachment element and is complementary to the locking arm, such that a movement of the guide projection along the guide surface is blocked.

7. The handle unit according to claim 1, wherein the attachment element has a housing for accommodating the lock cylinder.

8. The handle unit according to claim 1, wherein, in addition to the at least one guide projection, formed on a longitudinal end of the covering cap, a secondary guided projection is formed in the middle of the covering cap, or on a longitudinal end of the covering cap lying opposite the guide projection, wherein the attachment element has a secondary guide surface, which is designed such that it is complementary to the secondary guide projection, and by which the secondary guide projection is guided when releasing the covering cap.

9. The handle unit according to claim 1, wherein the attachment element is releasably attached to a handle mount for the handle unit, or is designed as a component of a handle mount for the handle unit.

10. The handle unit according to claim 1, wherein an opening is formed in the covering cap, through which a tool can be inserted into the interior of the covering cap, such that the at least one elastic snap-fit hook can be released from its snap-in position such that the snap-fit hook is disengaged from the snap-fit recess, and the covering cap can be released from the handle unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Further details, features and advantages of the subject matter of the invention can be derived from the following description in conjunction with the drawings, in which, by means of example, preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are depicted. Therein:

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of the assembly of a handle unit in a door of a motor vehicle, having a lock cylinder and an attachment element, wherein a covering cap attached to the attachment element is provided for covering the lock cylinder,

[0021] FIG. 2 shows the covering cap attached to the attachment element, and a mechanical key for releasing the covering cap, in a perspective view,

[0022] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the covering cap released from the attachment element,

[0023] FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the components of the handle unit according to the invention shown in FIG. 3,

[0024] FIG. 5 shows the attachment element from FIG. 3 in a perspective view,

[0025] FIG. 6 shows the covering cap from FIG. 3 in a perspective view,

[0026] FIG. 7 shows a perspective sectional view of the attachment element from FIG. 5,

[0027] FIG. 8 shows a perspective sectional view of the covering cap from FIG. 6,

[0028] FIG. 9 shows another perspective sectional view of the attachment element from FIG. 5,

[0029] FIG. 10 shows a lateral sectional view of the attachment element and the covering cap in a snap-in position,

[0030] FIG. 11 shows a cutaway front view of the attachment element and the covering cap in a snap-in position,

[0031] FIG. 12 shows a later sectional view of the attachment element and the covering cap after it has been released from the attachment element, and

[0032] FIG. 13 shows an alternative embodiment having a secondary guide surface and secondary guide projection in a schematic sectional view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] FIG. 1 shows an assembly for a handle unit 1 inside a door 2 of a motor vehicle, wherein the door 2 is indicated, as a painted outer panel of the motor vehicle, by a broken line. The handle unit 1 has a handle mount 3, which is substantially located on the inside of the door 2. The door 2 has numerous openings and through-holes, such that the control elements for the handle unit 1 are attached to the outside of the door 2, and can be connected through the openings to the handle mount 3.

[0034] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 12, in which a first exemplary embodiment of the handle unit 1 according to the invention is shown, a control element for a handle element 4 designed in the manner of a handle is provided for the manual operation of the handle unit 1. The handle element 4 interacts with a lock cylinder 5, such that when the lock cylinder 5 is locked, the handle element cannot be effectively operated. The lock cylinder 5 is disposed on the inside of the door 2 of the motor vehicle, and is accommodated in a cylinder housing 6, which is formed as an integral part of the an attachment element 7. The lock cylinder 5 can be attached to the handle mount 3 using the attachment element 7. In the event of a power failure, for example, a mechanical key 8 can be used to actuate the lock cylinder. A covering cap 9 is provided as protection for the lock cylinder 5, which is disposed in the extension of the handle element 4, and is adapted to the shape of the handle element 4. In order to give the handle unit 1, with the covering cap 9 designed as a plastic injection molded component, a high-quality appearance, the attachment of the covering cap 9 is covered, and implemented via internal snap-fit geometries, as shall be explained in greater detail below.

[0035] The covering cap 9 is releasably disposed on the handle unit 1 via the attachment element 7. More precisely, the covering cap 9 is releasably attached to the attachment element 7, wherein, in the depicted exemplary embodiment, the attachment element 7 itself is releasably attached to the handle mount 3. Alternatively, it would also be conceivable for the attachment element 7 to be designed as a component section of the handle mount 3, thus as an integral part of the handle mount 3. In order for the covering cap 9 to be able to be releasably attached to the attachment element 7, the attachment element 7 has an elastic snap-fit hook 10. As can furthermore be seen in FIGS. 2 to 4, a snap-fit recess 11 is formed in the covering cap 9, in which the snap-fit hook 10 engages in order to secure the covering cap 9 in a snap-in position (see FIG. 2) on the attachment element 7.

[0036] In order to disengage the snap-fit hook 10 on the attachment element 7 from the snap-fit recess 11 in the covering cap 9, a tool must be used, which can be the mechanical key 8, or a tool having a similar shape, in the present case. For this, an opening 12 is formed in the covering cap 9, through which the mechanical key 8 can be inserted into the interior of the covering cap 9. The snap-fit recess 11, which is formed in an elastic, moving flap 14, can then be disengaged from the snap-fit hook 10 using the mechanical key 8. The flap 14 is bent elastically to the side thereby, such that the snap-fit hook 10 is disengaged from the snap-fit recess 11. In this manner, the covering cap 9 can move, at least at its longitudinal end 15, on which the snap-fit recess 11 and the snap-fit hook 10 are formed on the covering cap 9 and the attachment element 7, in relation to the attachment element 7, as is shown, for example, in FIG. 3, in which the released longitudinal end 15 of the covering cap 9 is moved away from the longitudinal end 15 of the attachment element 7. In contrast, on the other longitudinal end 16, the covering cap 9 is still retained on the attachment element 7, wherein a guided movement of the covering cap 9 occurs at this longitudinal end 16, as shall be described below.

[0037] It can be seen in FIGS. 5 to 12 that the covering cap 9 has numerous guide projections 17 on the inside, wherein there are four guide projections 17 in the exemplary embodiment, which extend on the inside of the longitudinal end 16 toward the open side of the covering cap 9. When in the snap-in position (see FIG. 10, for example), the guide projections 17 of the covering cap 9 bear on a guide surface 18 of the attachment element 7 formed on the longitudinal end 16. Accordingly, the guide surface 18 is complementary to the shape of the guide projection 17. When the snap-fit hook 10 is then disengaged at the longitudinal end 15 from the snap-fit recess 11, the longitudinal end 15 of the covering cap 9 can then be moved in relation to the attachment element 7, as is shown in FIG. 12. The complementary design of the guide surface 18 to the guide projections 17 enables a forced movement when the covering cap 9 is released, in which the attachment element 7 guides, or forcibly guides, the movement of the covering cap 9, such that the guide projections 17 move along the complementary guide surface 18, and way from the attachment element 7. As can be seen in FIG. 6, 7, 10 or 12, the guide surface 18 of the attachment element 7 and the guide projections 17 of the covering cap 9 are designed such that they are arched, or curved, respectively, by means of which the pivotal movement of the covering cap 9 shown in FIGS. 3 and 12 is obtained. This pivotal movement is facilitated in that the attachment element 7 has a support 19 on its longitudinal end 16, on which at least one section of a longitudinal end 16 of the covering cap lies. The support 19 and the guide surface 18, which is formed adjacent to the support 19, and is parallel thereto, form, collectively, a pivot bearing 20 for the covering cap 9. Consequently, the covering cap 9 is supported such that it can pivot about the pivot bearing 20 in relation to the lock cylinder 5, such that it is effectively prevented that the covering cap 9 can strike against the panel of the door 2, and possibly damage the paint on the door 2, when the covering cap 9 is moved, for example, in the case of an emergency, from the snap-in position, and removed.

[0038] In order that the covering cap 9, when in its snap-in position, in addition to the securing at the one longitudinal end 15, is also secured at the other longitudinal end 16, there are three elastically deformable locking arms 21 provided in the interior of the covering cap 9 (see FIG. 8, for example), which have a hook-shaped free end 23. The hook-shaped free ends 23 of the elastic locking arms 21 engage with corresponding locking recesses 22 formed in the attachment element 7 when the covering cap 9 is in the snap-in position. The locking recesses 22 are complementary to the three locking arms 21 of the covering cap 9 in the frame-like structure of the attachment element 7. A movement of the guide projections 17 along the guide surface 19 is blocked by the locking arms 21 until a sufficiently strong force forces the hook-shaped ends 23 of the locking arms 21 out of the locking recesses 22. As can be seen in particular in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, the three hook-shaped ends 23 each face in different directions, which facilitates the securing of the covering cap 9. As can furthermore be seen in these Figures, the two outer guide projections 17 simultaneously form the two outer locking arms 21 (see FIG. 11, for example), by means of which these guide projections fulfill a double function.

[0039] In order to ensure that the covering cap 9 does not strike the door panel 2 due to a tilting movement when it is being dismantled from the handle unit 1, the attachment element 7 furthermore has two movement limiting bars 24, between which two movement limiting projections 25 of the covering cap 9 are disposed, such that a movement of the covering cap 9 transverse to the direction of the forcibly guided movement is blocked when releasing the covering cap 9 (see FIG. 11), by means of which a tilting of the covering cap 9 is prevented when it is released from the handle unit 1. The two outer locking arms 21 of the covering cap 9 also each form a type of movement limiting projection 25 (see FIG. 11), each of which bears on corresponding outer movement limiting bars 24, by means of which a tilting of the covering cap 9 is prevented when it is dismantled.

[0040] A second embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 13, which differs from the first embodiment in that here an additional guide for the covering cap 9 is provided. This additional guide can be formed at either the longitudinal end 15 and/or in the middle of the covering cap 9, as is shown in FIG. 13. The guide formed in the middle is formed by a secondary guide projection 17 of the covering cap 9 and a secondary guide surface 18 of the attachment element 7, while in contrast, with an additional guide on the longitudinal end 15, the guide is formed by a secondary guide projection 17 of the covering cap 9 and a secondary guide surface 18 of the attachment element 7. The projections 17, 17, 17 and 18, 18, 18 are not arched or curved, as in the first exemplary embodiment, but rather, they are straight, such that when dismantled, a straight movement of the covering handle 9 away from the handle unit 1 occurs. For the second exemplary embodiment it is the case that in general, in addition to the at least one guide projection 17, formed on the longitudinal end 16 of the cover cap 9, the secondary guide projection 17, 17 is formed in the middle of the covering cap 9 and/or on the longitudinal end 15 of the covering cap 9 lying opposite the guide projection 17, wherein the attachment element 7 has a secondary guide surface 18, 18, which is complementary to the secondary guide surface 17, 17, and by which the secondary guide projection 17, 17 is guided when releasing the covering cap 9.

[0041] In summary, a handle unit 1 for a moving part of a vehicle, in particular for a door 2 or a hatch 2, is described above. The handle unit 1 comprises a moving handle element 4 for opening and/or closing a lock provided on the moving part, the cylinder lock 5, which is protected toward the exterior by means of the covering cap 9, and the attachment element 7, on which the covering cap 9 is releasably disposed. The attachment element 7 has at least one elastic snap-fit hook 10 and the covering cap 9 has at least one snap-fit recess 11, wherein the at least one snap-fit hook 10 is complementary to the at least one snap-fit recess 11, and engages therewith when the covering cap 9 is in a snap-in position. It is provided according to the invention that the covering cap 9 has at least one guide projection 17 on its interior, which bears on a guide surface 18 when in the snap-in position, which is formed on the attachment element 7, and is complementary to the guide projection 17, wherein the attachment element 7 forcibly guides the movement of the covering cap 9 when releasing the covering cap 9, such that the at least one guide projection 17 moves along the complementary guide surface 18, away from the attachment element 7. The advantage to be seen in this design in comparison with the designs known from the prior art is that the covering cap 9 is not immediately released from the handle unit when rotated during the dismantling, such that it falls onto the ground. The guide furthermore ensures that the pointed longitudinal end of the covering cap 9 does not move against the panel of the vehicle body, damaging the paint or the panel. On the contrary, the guide according to the invention ensures that the covering cap 9 is guided away from the panel. Moreover, the invention presented herein provides for a more secure attachment of the covering cap to the handle unit than the solutions known form the prior art. It is to be understood that not only one guide, but also a second or even a third guide may be provided, as is shown in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 13, and described above.

[0042] The invention described above is, as a matter of course, not limited to the embodiments described and depicted herein. It is clear that numerous modifications, obvious to the person skilled in the art with regard to the intended use, could be made to the embodiments depicted in the drawings, without abandoning the scope of the invention thereby. By way of example, it is sufficient when, instead of numerous guide projections 17, just one is provided for implementing the guided movement of the covering cap out of the snap-in position. Everything contained in the description and/or depicted in the drawings belongs to the invention, including that which is obvious to the person skilled in the art, deviating from the concrete exemplary embodiments.