Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a swing handle assembly, comprising a rotation limiting means to substantially restrict rotation of the handle member relative to the frame of the assembly, thereby substantially minimizing or preventing damage to the surrounding surface to or on which the handle assembly is attached or mounted.

Background of the Invention Swing handles have become popular because of their simplicity of function and because they can be made to fit substantially flush against a surface and thereby reduce the likelihood of injury to passers-by. Accordingly, swing handles have found wide-spread acceptance as the door handle of choice on access points such as on transport vehicles and the like; housings for computer equipment for which controlled access is desirable; and for situations in which entry to a high security area is required.

In particular, in circumstances where the handle assembly is in relation to high security, it is necessary to incorporate a high security locking mechanism in the handle member, which engages with the cooperating supporting frame or door upon which the swing handle assembly is mounted. Such high security locking mechanisms generally incorporate heavy lock barrels which could damage or dent the surrounding door or other surface to which the handle assembly is attached or mounted upon, should the handle member be accidentally dropped thereon. It would be preferable if the degree of rotation of the handle member could be restricted to positions where the handle member and in particular its locking means protruding therefrom does not contact the surfaoe area surrounding the handle assembly, if accidentally dropped or when resting upon its supporting frame.

The present invention therefore seeks to provide a swing handle assembly comprising a rotation limiting means, which seeks to substantially ameliorate or minimize the disadvantages of the prior art. Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention, there is provided a swing handle assembly comprising a handle member and a supporting frame therefor; a handle shaft receivable through said frame; and a rotation limiting means operable upon said handle shaft, whereby axial rotation of the handle member and the handle shaft is limited.

As is common with swing handle assemblies, the swing handle member and the handle shaft are axially pivotal relative to the supporting frame. Such an arrangement allows the swing handle to be used to rotate devices attached to the handle shaft, such as a locking cam. Accordingly, such devices may be used to secure doors and the like.

The supporting frame which is preferably a substantially open-box member having a substantially rectangular periphery preferably comprises a base section and substantially upwardly or vertically extending outer walls, which terminate in a frame opening, which opening provides entry into the interior of the frame. The frame is more preferably of a substantially obround configuration.

The base section of the frame preferably has' a first opening therein through which the handle shaft is receivable. The base section further preferably contains a second opening therein, which leads to a chamber or well. The chamber or well may be formed integral with the base section or be separately locatable under the base section opening.

The handle member is also preferably of a generally obround shape and more preferably, of a complimentary shape to the frame opening, whereby the handle member is able to substantially sit or be accommodated within the frame opening. The handle member preferably has an open box-like body comprising a free end and an attached end, opposed side walls and an underside that may be partially open. The first end or the attached end is preferably in the form of a ball joint or the like. More preferably, the ball joint is formed with a channel section to receive first end of the handle shaft therein. The handle member may further comprise a locking means, which locking means is aligned with the chamber to permit the locking means to be received therein. When so positioned, the locking means can be operated to lock or unlock the handle member relative to the frame. To the underside of the frame, there may be attached a mounting means which is preferably in the form of an externally-threaded passageway and which is adapted to be substantially aligned with the first opening in the base section of the frame through which the handle shaft is receivable or is accessible. The mounting means may he integral with the frame or may be a separate item, which is subsequently attached to the underside of the frame. Further openings may be provided in the base section to permit -fixing of the frame to the device, such as a door or the like, that will cany the assembly.

The mounting means is preferably of a substantially open cylindrical form, being more preferably of a substantially circular peripheral configuration, but could be of any shape. More preferably, the mounting means is a substantially open externally-threaded cylinder, wherein the thread extends wholly or partially around the entire circumference thereof. That end of the mounting means which is distant from the frame, is the exposed end.

The rotation limiting means is operable and preferably locatable on the handle shaft Further, it is preferably secured in position by a securing means. In one form, the securing means can be a fastener, such as a locking nut, which can be screwed along the threaded handle shaft and releasably secured into position.

The limiting means is preferably of a two-part construction comprising interacting portions, one of which is preferably substantially fixed and the other substantially movable relative to the mounting means. The fixed portion is preferably located on, at or in close relation to an exposed end of the mounting means. More preferably, the fixed portion comprises at least one substantially raised portion on the exposed end. The raised portion is preferably formed as one or more segment/s on the arc of a circle. More preferably, the at least one raised portion comprises at least one segment on the exposed end of the mounting means, wherein the segment preferably comprises a top portion intermediate two substantially vertical opposing side portions. Most preferably, the top portion intermediate the two side portions is substantially flat in construction. The at least one raised portion is spaced apart from the least one other raised portion by & corresponding recessed arca/s located therebetween. The movable portion of the limiting means is preferably in the form of a body member, such as a washer or nut, the periphery of which can be of any desired shape such as triangular, sector, circular, a T-piece, etc. The body member is preferably mountablc upon the handle shaft and contains an opening therein, which opening is preferably sized and configured to receive the handle shaft therethrough, whereby upon rotation of the shaft, the body member is also caused to turn or rotate.

The preferred form of the body member is as a washer or nut. The body member comprises at least one protrusion or lug means, which may be integral with or extend from the body member. In one form, the body member can be triangular or sectoral, wherein the apex or tip region thereof can act as a nib means, hi another preferred form, when the body member is a washer, there is a substantially raised portion on one side thereof, which is the protrusion or lug means. In this latter preferred configuration, the lug means is one having at least one outwardly protruding wall/s and a substantially flat top surface. The walls extend from the upper surface of one face of the washer to the top surface of the lug, which top surface is substantially parallel to the upper surface of the washer. Once assembled, the top surface of the lug means preferably substantially cooperates with/is received within the recessed area of the fixed portion of the limiting means. In this embodiment, the or each lug means substantially cooperates with/is received within a corresponding recessed area of the fixed portion and are able to engage with and axe slidable relative to one another. Therefore, upon rotation of the handle member and the handle shaft with respect to the mounting means, the or each lug means is/are rotatable between a first position, where one side wall of the at least one lug means can abut one side wall of the at least one raised portion, to a second position, where another side wall of the at least one lug means can abut another side wall of the at least one raised portion. Accordingly, the arcuate distance between the respective side wall/s of the lug means and side wall/s of the raised portion is able to dictate and substantially limit the arc of rotation of the handle member with respect to the frame.

^• In one form of the invention, in assembly, the threaded handle shaft is received through the first opening in the base of the supporting frame, thereby also passing through and extending out of the passageway formed in the threaded mounting means. The movable portion of the limiting means is then fed over the handle shaft with its lug means being receivable within the corresponding recessed area of the fixed portion. A securing means in the form of a locking nut is then screwed onto the handle shaft and the locking nut is tightened so as to retain the movable and fixed portions of the limiting means in co- operablc contact and also to retain the handle member in movable engagement relative to its supporting frame. Once secured into position, rotation of the handle shaft causes simultaneous rotation of the lug means within the corresponding recessed area, the extent of rotation being governed by the available arcuate distance that the lug means can travel relative to the recessed area.

The arc of rotation is preferably preselected by the size and position of the interacting portions of the rotation limiting means. Preferably, the arc of rotation is between 0 degrees and about 180 degrees or any angle therebetween. Most preferably, the arc of rotation is 180 degrees, whereby the handle member can move up to about 90 degrees Io the left or up to about 90 degrees to the right relative to the mounted frame.

As used herein, the term "open condition" refers to the swing handle member, wherein its non-fixed end is lifted dear of the supporting frame and is able to be moved to either side relative to the supporting frame. An example of "open condition" is shown in FIGs 5a and 5b, which illustrate the handle member being rotated between the first position and the second position, as referred to above. In contrast, the term "closed condition" refers to the swing handle member where it is substantially seated in the supporting frame. An example of "closed condition" is illustrated in FIG 1, where the swing handle member sits substantially within the supporting frame.

An advantage that may be provided by the present invention is that by careful selection of the positioning and/or size of the at least one segment/s on the mounting means, the handle member when in the open condition can be substantially prevented from damaging the surrounding surface to which the assembly is attached, since it cannot be rotated beyond the arc to which it is limited by the rotation limiting means. To assist this further, the handle member of the present invention is further fitted with a spacer means, which is releasably securable to the underside of the handle member preferably towards, at or near its attached end. If the handle member is rotated to either the first or second position and accidentally dropped, the spacer means being interposed between the underside of the handle member and the top surface of the opposing outer walls of the supporting frame, substantially prevents the handle member from contacting and thus damaging the surrounding outer surface of the door or the like to .which it is attached. In one form, the spacer means is preferably of a substantially flat, rectangular box configuration having a substantially rounded cut-away region on one side thereof, which cut-away region is preferably of a complementary shape to the rounded ball joint of the handle member. Being of this shape, even when the handle member is rotated to its maximum extent of either the first or second position, it will be prevented from being dropped onto the surrounding surface. In another form, the spacer means comprises at least one cut-out region formed on the upper edge of at least one of the side walls of the handle member, whereby when the handle is rotated through the predetermined arc of rotation relative to the supporting frame, the cut-out region/s is caused to rest upon the at least one corresponding side wall's of the frame opening, thereby raising the handle member above the surface surrounding the handle.

While the handle member can be of any shape, appearance and construction including swing handle configurations which have been previously disclosed in for example, PCT/AU2005/000999, PCT/AU2006/000089 and Australian Provisional Patent Application Nos. 2006905561 and 2008902265, the present invention is directed to aspects of the handle shaft, on which the rotation limiting means is preferably located.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, the swing handle assembly may further comprise an engagement means, whereby the swing handle member releasably engages with the supporting frame when the swing handle assembly is in a closed condition.

The engagement means can be as simple as relying upon a snap- or quick-fit engagement or even magnetic attraction between associated parts or through a friction tit. The snap- or quiok-fit engagement means preferably comprises a suitable female member positioned on. the base section of the supporting frame or, in an alternative embodiment, on the underside of the swing handle member. The snap- or quick-fit engagement means further comprises a male member which is releasably receivable within the suitable female member, and which is located on the underside of the swing handle, or in the above alternative embodiment, on the supporting frame. In a preferred form, when the female member is positioned on the underside of the swing handle member, the position of the cooperating male member is aligned therewith on the supporting frame. However, when the female member is located on the supporting frame, then the male member is aligned with and positioned on the underside of the swing handle member. The male member can be as simple as a threaded fastener having a suitably shaped head. The female member preferably comprises a substantially obcoπic iecess formed within a suitable receiving means and into which recess the male member is able to be releasably received and held. The male member, preferably a threaded fastener, can be releasably secured to the supporting frame. When the female member is positioned on the supporting frame, it can be releasably secured thereto via a suitable fastening means such as a threaded bolt, preferably having a countersunk head, which bolt is receivable within the recess and is thus able to be screwed and held onto the supporting frame.

Instead of the snap- or quick-fit arrangement, one or more, preferably a pair of, suitable magnets may act as engagement means. One or more of these may be provided and affixed to the relevant underside of the swing handle member and as a plate affixed to the floor of the supporting frame. In a friction fit arrangement, the provision of grub rubbers which can be affixed to the inside surface of a chamber and/or to an aligned region on the swing handle member to hold the swing handle member in frictional contact with its supporting frame. The engagement means may incorporate a combination of these preferred arrangements.

The scope of the present invention further extends to a swing handle assembly as described above being substantially receivable in a dish. The dish, which is substantially the means for mounting the handle assembly into or onto the surface of a door, cover or hatch and/or the like, is preferably suitably shaped to at least partially accommodate the swing handle arrangement of the present invention therein. The dish may be suitably configured to also permit at least part of the separate locking mechanism to be accommodated therein. For these purposes, the dish preferably has a pair of opposing side walls. Preferably, each set of side walls extends from and diverges outwardly relative to the dish floor to end in the perimeter flange, which flange is substantially outwardly directed. The depth of the Tβcessed area can be varied such that the handle is less prone to injuring passers by. The dish is more preferably of a substantially rectangular configuration.

In one preferred embodiment, the dish is formed integral with the supporting frame such that the dish becomes the supporting frame and the swing handle assembly of the present invention is then attached to the dish at a later stage in the manufacturing process. In yet another preferred embodiment, the dish is manufactured separately with the swing handle member and its supporting frame subsequently attached thereto.

Description of the Drawings

Other features and advantages of one or more preferred embodiments of the present invention will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from the following written description with reference to, and used in conjunction with, the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG 1 is a perspective view of the handle assembly of the invention attached to a door or the like with the handle member in the closed position as seen from underneath;

FIG 2 is an exploded and partially cut-away view of the handle assembly of FIG 1;

FIG 3 is a partially cut-away view of the underside of the supporting frame" showing the mounting means and the rotation limiting means disassembled; FIG 4 is a perspective cut-away view of the handle assembly of FIG 1 in an open condition;

FIG 5a is the handle assembly of FIG 4 with the handle member fully rotated to one side; and

FIG 5b is the handle assembly of FIGSa with the handle member rotated through about 180 degrees.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

Referring to all the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, em assembled view of an embodiment of the handle assembly 10 is shown in FIG 1. The handle assembly 10 generally comprises a swing handle member 20, preferably of a generally obround shape, a supporting frame 30 of a preferably substantially rectangular periphery and a handle shaft 50 attachable to said handle member 20 and receivable through first opening 32 in the base section 31 of the frame 30. A rotation limiting means 60 is locatable on said handle shaft SO whereby the arc of rotation of the handle member 20 with respect to the frame may be limited. The handle member 20 having an open box-like body 21 comprising a free end 23a and an attached end 23b, opposed side walls 24a and 24b and an underside 25 that may be partially open. The first end or the attached end 23b is preferably in the form of a ball joint 26 or the like. More preferably, the ball joint 26 is formed with a channel section 27 to receive first end 5 Ia of the handle shaft 50 therein.

To the underside 31 of the frame 30, there may be attached a mounting means 32 which may be in the form of an externally threaded passageway 32a, which is adapted to be substantially aligned with the first opening 32 in the base section 31 of the frame 30 through which the handle shaft 50 is receivable or is accessible. The mounting means 32 may be integral with the frame 30 ox may be a separate item which is subsequently attached to the underside 31 of the frame 30. Further openings may be provided in the base section 31 to permit fixing of the frame 30 to the device, such as a door 100 or the like, that will carry the assembly 10.

Referring to FIG 2, which illustrates the method of attachment of handle member 20 to the supporting frame 30, once the first end 51a of handle shaft 50, preferably threaded, is attached to the handle member 20, the free end 5tb of the threaded handle shaft 50 is fed through first opening 32 in the base of the supporting frame 30 and through passageway 32a of mounting means 32 and releasably secured to the mounting means 32 using spacer means 54 and securing means 56, preferably, a threadable nut. The mounting means 32 is preferably in the form of an externally-threaded cylinder, having an exposed end 32b through which passageway 32a proceeds.

With particular reference to FIG 3, the rotation limiting means 60 is preferably of a two- part construction comprising interacting portions, one of which is preferably substantially fixed and the other substantially movable relative to the mounting means 32. The fixed portion 70 is preferably located on, at or in close relation to the exposed working end 32b of the mounting means 32. More preferably, the fixed portion 70 is a substantially raised portion 71 on the exposed end 32b. Preferably the remainder of the exposed end 32b is recessed relative to the raised portion, 71. Thus, the raised portion 71 is a segment, of an arc of the circle of the configuration of the exposed end 32b of the mounting means 32. The raised portion 71 preferably comprises two vertical side portions 71a and 71b and a flat top portion 71c. The recessed area 75 is preferably the remaining portion of the exposed working end 32b of the mounting means 32 that lies between the two vertical side portions 71a and 71b of raised portion 71.

The movable portion of the rotation limiting means 60 is in the form of a body member 80, preferably a washer. To one side of the body member 80, there is provided a protrusion or lug means 81. Lug means 81 preferably has outwardly protruding walls 83a and 83b and a substantially flat top surface 82.

When the rotation limiting means 60 has been assembled on the handle shaft 50, the lug means 81 is preferably receivable within the recessed area 75 of the fixed portion 70 of the limiting means 60. In this assembled state, top surface 82 of lug means 81 is able to engage with the recessed area 75 and is slidable relative thereto. Referring to FIG 5a, rotation of the handle member 20 and the handle shaft 50 with respect to mounting means 32, causes lug means 81 to move between a first position where side wall 83a of lug means 81 abuts side wall 71a of the raised portion 71 and a second position, where side wall 83b abuts side wall 71b of raised portion 71. In so doing, the arc of rotation of the handle member 20 with respect to the frame can be determined by the size/width of the raised portion 71 and the recessed area 75-

Referring to FIG 2, handle member 20 can be further fitted with a spacer means 28, which is releasably sccurable to the underside 25 of the handle member 20 preferably towards, at or near its attached end 23b. If the handle member 20 is rotated to either the first or second position and accidentally dropped, the spacer means 28 being interposed between the underside 25 of the handle member 20 and the top surface of the opposing outer walls 24a or 24b of the supporting frame 30, substantially prevents the handle member 20 from contacting and thus damaging the surrounding outer surface of door 100 or the like, to which it is attached. The spacer means 28 can be of any preferred shape. Spacer means 28 preferably comprises a substantially rounded cut-away region 28a on one side thereof, which cut-away region is preferably of a complementary shape to the rounded ball joint 26 of handle member 20. Being of this shape, even when the handle member 20 is rotated to its maximum extent of either the first or second position and is dropped the handle member is prevented from contacting the surrounding surface of door 100. To assemble the handle assembly, handle shaft 50 is placed in channel 27 of ball joint 26 of the handle member 20 and joined thereto by joining means (not shown). Handle shaft 50 is then fed through mounting means or first opening 32 of supporting frame 30. The handle assembly 20 is then installed into a door 100, access point, Hd or the like, the underside 31 of the frame 30 is positioned such that it is substantially flat against a first surface of the door 100, whereby handle shaft 50 and mounting means 32 protrude through to the other side of the door. Spacer means 54 and securing nut 56 are then fed over the shaft 50 and tightened into position.

To assemble the rotation limiting means 60, washer 80 is then fed over end 51 of shaft

50, with the lug means 81 disposed towards the underside 31 of supporting frame 30, bringing its top surface 82 into co-operation with recessed area 75. At least one additional securing means 58, preferably a locking nut, is then fed over handle shaft 50 to secure washer 80 into its workable relationship with the exposed working end of the mounting means 32. A further securing means and again preferably another locking nut 59a is fed onto the shaft 50. Locking cam 90 is then positioned on the shaft 50 and is fixed thereto and in between locking nuts 59a and 59b, so that cam 90 cooperates with handle shaft 50. Accordingly, upon rotation of the handle member 20, once placed in the open condition, and handle shaft 50 with respect to the mounting means 32 to either the first or second position/s, as is illustrated in FIGs 5a and 5b, locking cam 90 will simultaneously disengage from being in a locked condition, thereby perraittbg opening of the door. When the handle member 20 is in the closed position and seated within the supporting frame 30, locking cam 90 is simultaneously rotated to its locking condition, as illustrated in FlG 1 , thereby closing the door.

When required, the handle member 20 can be brought into lockable engagement with the frame 30, by means of a locking means (not shown), preferably in the form of a barrel/cylinder lock means (not shown) carried by the handle member 20.

Where the terms "comprise", "comprises", "comprised" or "comprising" are used in this specification, they are to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components referred to, but not to preclude the presence or addition of one or more other feature, integer, step, component or group thereof. Further, any prior art reference or statement provided in the specification is not to be taken as an admission that such art constitutes, or is to be understood as constituting, part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that although the invention described herein for simplicity's sake has referred in particular to a swing handle assembly, it has a general applicability to handles in general. It is to be understood that the invention includes all variations and modifications of the features identified, including all types of handles and locks referred to or any two components which are required to be latched together as ' indicated in the specification individually or collectively and any and all combinations of any two or more of said features.