CAP FOR VEHICLE HANDLES AND HANDLE COMPRISING THIS CAP

The present invention relates to a cap for vehicle handles, and in particular to a cap which can cover the lock of a handle for motor vehicles. The present invention also relates to a handle comprising said cap.

FR-A-2753475 discloses a cap for handles which comprise a frame suitable for being fixed to the outer surface of a vehicle door, which frame is provided with a fulcrum around which a lever suitable for being pulled outwards for opening said door can rotate, as well as with an auxiliary body which can include a lock for locking or unlocking said door. The cap can slide between a closed position, in which the auxiliary body is covered, and an open position in which the auxiliary body is accessible. Said sliding occurs along a direction substantially parallel to a reference plane defined by the outer surface of the door and is controlled by a bistable spring that elastically returns the cap from the closed to the open position and vice versa.

Such an arrangement obviously requires sufficient room next to the handle for the sliding movement of the cap, and therefore can not be applied when the handle is not level with the outer surface of the door, i.e. when the cap is partially inserted in a seat made in this surface. Moreover, the presence of the spring makes the mechanism bulky and unreliable, as well as difficult to be assembled.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cap and a handle free from said disadvantages. Said object is achieved with a cap and a handle, whose main features are disclosed in claims 1 and 12, while other features are disclosed in the remaining claims.

Thanks to the particular guide and fastening means made in the cap and in the auxiliary body of the handle, the cap can be fastened in a simple and fast manner to the handle, especially if the auxiliary body is removable from the frame of the handle. According to an aspect of the invention, said guide means comprise particular cursors and grooves for mounting the cap from the outside along a curved

direction which allows the use of a cap partially recessed in the door, even when the gap between the cap and the lever is inclined for aesthetic and/or aerodynamic reasons.

According to another aspect of the invention, said fastening means comprise particular teeth and fins for carrying out a snap-fastening, resistant but in any case reversible, if the cap must be detached from the handle, for example in emergency situations.

Furthermore, the structure of the cap according to the present invention allows the use of additional gaskets, in particular around the appendix of the lever, for improving the seal of the handle.

Further advantages and features of the cap and the handle according to the present invention will become clear to those skilled in the art from the following detailed and non-limiting description of an embodiment thereof with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: - figure 1 shows a bottom view of the handle comprising the cap; figure 2 shows a rear view of the handle of figurei ; figure 3 shows section Ill-Ill of figure 2; figure 4 shows enlarged section IV-IV of figure 3; figure 5 shows section V-V of figure 2; - figure 6 shows enlarged section Vl-Vl of figure 5; figure 7 shows enlarged section VII-VII of figure 5; figure 8 shows enlarged section VIII-VIII of figure 5; figure 9 shows a bottom view of the handle during a first assembling step; - figure 10 shows a rear view of the handle of figure 9; figure 11 shows section Xl-Xl of figure 9; figure 12 shows a bottom view of the handle during a second assembling step; and figure 13 shows a bottom view of the handle during a third assembling step.

Referring to figures 1 to 8, it is seen that the handle according to the present invention comprises in a known way a frame 1 suitable for being fixed behind the outer surface of a door of a motor vehicle, said outer surface defining a reference plane 2 of frame 1. Frame 1 is provided with a fulcrum, around which an end of a lever 3 suitable for being pulled outwards in the direction of arrow 4 can rotate for opening said door. The rotation axis R of lever 3 is substantially parallel to reference plane 2 and to the rotation axis of the same door. The other end of lever 3 is provided with an appendix 5 which protrudes into frame 1 for the mechanical connection to the unlocking mechanism (not shown in the figures) of the door, so that the latter can be opened by pulling lever 3. Frame 1 comprises a seat suitable for housing an auxiliary body 6 which can include a lock for locking or unlocking the door. In the present embodiment, auxiliary body 6 does not include said lock. Auxiliary body 6 is covered by a cap 7 which is arranged beside lever 3 close to the end provided with appendix 5 and has a shape complementary to the shape of lever 3 for obtaining a continuous, tapered and rounded profile. Reference plane 2 is comprised between cap 7 and frame 1. Cap 7 has a substantially half-ogival shape with the tip turned toward the side opposite to lever 3. The gap between lever 3 and cap 7 is inclined with respect to reference plane 2, in particular with an obtuse angle a comprised between 120° and 130° turned toward lever 3. Cap 7 has also a C- shaped cross-section open toward reference plane 2. If auxiliary body 6 includes a lock, cap 7 can be provided with an opening for inserting the key from the outside into the lock or can also be closed, in which case cap 7 has to be removed for inserting the key. Auxiliary body 6 can also be made in a single piece with frame 1.

According to the invention, cap 7 is provided with guide and fastening means for the coupling with complementary guide and fastening means of auxiliary body 6. In particular, said guide means of cap 7 comprise one or more cursors, in particular two cursors 8, 9 protruding from two opposite inner walls of cap 7, respectively. The complementary guide means of auxiliary body 6 comprise one or more grooves, in particular two grooves 10, 11 in which cursors 8, 9 can slide

- A -

and rotate. Cursors 8, 9 have a substantially cylindrical shape. Grooves 10, 11 have an initial tract 10a which forms an obtuse angle with a final tract 10b. Initial tract 10a of grooves 10, 11 is substantially parallel to the gap between lever 3 and cap 7, while final tract 10b is substantially parallel to reference plane 2. The fastening means of cap 7 comprise one or more first teeth, in particular two first teeth 12, 13 protruding from two opposite inner walls of the cap 7, respectively. The complementary fastening means of auxiliary body 6 comprise one or more fins, in particular two fins 14, 15 which are inclined toward frame 1 and are suitable for engaging with first teeth 12, 13 of cap 7. In particular, fins 14, 15 are arranged along planes diverging toward reference plane 2 and intersecting along a line substantially parallel to reference plane 2, which crosses lever 3 longitudinally. The fastening means of cap 7 can comprise also one or more second teeth, in particular two second teeth 16, 17 protruding from an inner wall of cap 7 between first teeth 12, 13. Cursors 8, 9 are arranged between an opening suitable for being turned toward lever 3 and first teeth 12, 13 and/or second teeth 16, 17. Fins 14, 15 can also engage with second teeth 16, 17 of cap 7. Fins 14, 15 are made of an elastic material for being bent toward frame 1 by first teeth 12, 13 and/or second teeth 16, 17 when cursors 8, 9 are in initial tract 10a of grooves 10, 11 and returning to a locking position of cap 7, in which they are engaged with first teeth 12, 13 and/or second teeth 16, 17, when cursors 8, 9 are in final tract 10b of grooves 10, 11 , so as to prevent the movement of cap 7. For this purpose, the wall of first teeth 12, 13 and/or second teeth 16, 17 suitable for urging fins 14, 15 is inclined for bending the latter. Cap 7 is preferably provided with at least one opening 18 suitable for being crossed by a tool for unlocking the fastening means, in particular for bending at least one fin 15. Cursors 8, 9, first teeth 12, 13 and/or second teeth 16, 17 are arranged in cap 7 in symmetric positions with respect to a longitudinal median plane M crossing lever 3 longitudinally and is substantially perpendicular to reference plane 2. Cursors 8, 9 are arranged along an axis A substantially parallel to reference plane 2. Also first teeth 12, 13 and/or opening 18 are arranged along an axis B substantially parallel to reference plane 2. A flat

gasket 19 can be arranged between cap 7 and reference plane 2. An annular gasket 20 can be arranged around appendix 5 close to a projection of the latter acting as a catch, so that in the rest position of lever 3, i.e. when lever 3 is not pulled, gasket 20 is in a compressed state between frame 1 and said projection. Referring to figures 9 to 11 , it is seen that in a first assembly step of the handle, auxiliary body 6 is inserted into the seat of frame 1 in a direction (indicated by arrow 21 ) substantially perpendicular to the reference plane 2, while lever 3 is pulled outwards. Gaskets 19 and 20 are already arranged in their final position. Figure 12 shows a second assembly step, wherein cap 7 is slidably inserted from the outside in the curved direction indicated by arrow 22, so as to mutually couple the guide means of auxiliary body 6 and cap 7, i.e. by sliding and simultaneously rotating cursors 8, 9 in grooves 10, 11.

Figure 13 shows a third assembly step, wherein cap 7 is in its final position with the fastening means of auxiliary body 6 and cap 7, i.e. teeth 12, 13, 16, 17 and fins 14, 15, mutually coupled. At this moment, lever 3 can be taken to its rest position in the direction indicated by arrow 23. Gasket 19 is in a compressed state.

Possible modifications and/or additions may be made by those skilled in the art to the hereinabove disclosed and illustrated embodiment while remaining within the scope of the following claims.