BACKGROUND ART Handle units of the aforementioned type are known which comprise substantially a frame which can be secured rigidly to an inner finishing panel of the door and define an open cavity towards the interior of the motor vehicle, and a handle, which is connected to the frame, and is accommodated in the said cavity.

In particular, the handle is pivoted on the frame around a vertical or horizontal axis, and can be displaced manually, from a position of rest, along circular trajectories in opposite directions, in order, respectively, to open the door from the interior of the motor vehicle and to disable opening of the door from the exterior of the motor vehicle itself, or, in other words, to apply the safety function of the lock associated with the said door.

Commonly, starting from the position of rest, the handle can be rotated around its own axis of pivoting, either towards the interior of the motor vehicle, in

order to reach a position of opening, or towards the interior of the cavity in which it is accommodated, in order to reach a position of application of the safety function of the lock.

In order to transmit to the corresponding lock the commands for opening and application of the safety function, the handle is connected to a lever mechanism of the lock itself, by means of a flexible cable transmission, for example of the Bowden type. In particular, this transmission comprises a sheath, with opposite ends which are secured respectively to the frame of the handle unit and to a support frame of the lock, and a cable which is fitted such as to slide axially inside the sheath and is connected at its own opposite ends, respectively to the handle and to the said lever mechanism of the lock.

Although the type of handle unit described is functionally valid, it has some disadvantages which do not permit optimum use of it.

In particular, since for functional, and above all, ergonomic reasons, it is necessary to limit the amount of displacement which can be carried out by the handle, the position of application of the safety function is relatively close to the position of rest, thus making it difficult to detect the actual state of the handle

itself. In addition, for the same reason, it may happen that the safety function is accidentally removed by the user.

Finally, since the handle has a single attachment to the transmission cable which is connected to the lock and rotates around a single axis, the paths for carrying out opening of the door and application of the safety function are associated with one another by a specific ratio, which depends on the rotation permitted for the handle itself. In other words, the dimensions of the paths of opening and of application of the safety function are closely dependent on one another, since their sum must correspond to the total rotation permitted for the handle around the axis of pivoting; for example, any decision to reduce the path of opening involves an increase of an equivalent extent in the path of application of the safety function.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide a handle unit for a door of a motor vehicle which makes it possible to eliminate the above-described disadvantages simply and economically.

The said object is achieved by the present invention, in that it relates to a handle unit for a door of a motor vehicle, comprising a frame which can be

secured to an inner panel of the said door, a handle and means for constraint which connect the said handle to the said frame in a mobile manner, the said handle being able to be displaced relative to the said frame, at least along a first and a second trajectory which are different from one another, respectively in order to open the said door from the interior of the motor vehicle and to disable opening of the said door from the exterior of the motor vehicle itself, at least the said first trajectory being rotation around a first axis, characterised in that the said means for constraint define a second axis of rotation of the said handle which is different from the said first axis, and the said second trajectory is rotation around the said second axis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to assist understanding of the present invention, a preferred embodiment is described hereinafter, purely by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the attached drawings, in which: - figure 1 illustrates in lateral-front perspective view a handle unit according to the present invention, in a configuration of rest; - figure 2 illustrates in lateral-front perspective view the handle unit in figure 1, in a configuration of

opening; figure 3 illustrates in lateral-front perspective view the handle unit in figure 1, in a configuration of application of the safety function of the lock; - figure 4 illustrates in rear perspective view the handle unit in figure 1 ; - figure 5 illustrates in rear perspective view the handle unit in figure 2; - figure 6 illustrates in rear perspective view the handle unit in figure 3; - figure 7 illustrates in an exploded front view and on an enlarged scale, a constraint assembly of the handle unit in figures 1, 2 and 3, with parts removed for the sake of clarity; - figures 8 and 9 illustrate, in front view and with parts-removed for the sake of clarity, the constraint assembly in figure 7 in two different operative positions; and - figure 10 is a cross-section according to the line X-X in figure 8.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION With reference to figures 1 to 6, 1 indicates as a whole a handle unit for a door of a motor vehicle (not illustrated), of the type which can be actuated from the interior of the motor vehicle itself.

The handle unit 1 is accommodated in a known manner in a longitudinal aperture which is provided inside the door, and is delimited towards the exterior by a bodywork panel (not illustrated), and, towards the interior of the passenger space of the motor vehicle, by a finishing panel (also not illustrated).

It should be noted that the expressions"upper, "lower","front","rear"and the like, used in the present description, do not have any limiting function, but are used exclusively for greater clarity of description, with reference to the position of the handle unit 1 illustrated in figures 1 to 6, and corresponding to the position of fitting of the handle unit 1 itself on a door of the motor vehicle.

The handle unit 1 comprises substantially a frame 2, preferably made of a plastics material, which can be secured rigidly in a conventional manner to the inner finishing panel of the door, and a handle 3 which is connected in a mobile manner to the frame 2, by means of an articulated constraint assembly 4.

The frame 2 consists substantially of a body in the form of a shell 5 which can be inserted in a through opening in the inner finishing panel of the door, and of a facing 6 which is substantially in the form of a frame, and is connected at the front to the body in the

form of a shell 5, and can be disposed such as to abut the said finishing panel, such as to cover the edge of the opening of the finishing panel itself, towards the interior of the motor vehicle. The body in the form of a shell 5 defines a cavity 7 to accommodate the handle 3, which is open towards the interior of the motor vehicle.

In particular, the body in the form of a shell 5 has a base wall 8 with a shaped profile, which is substantially parallel to the finishing panel of the door, and a lateral wall 9 which projects from the outer periphery of the base wall 8 towards the interior of the passenger space of the motor vehicle and can be connected at the front to the facing 6.

The handle 3 comprises a grasping portion 10 which can be actuated manually by a user and is accommodated inside the cavity 7 of the frame 2, and a vertical control arm 11 which projects laterally from the grasping portion 10, is connected to the frame 2 by means of the constraint assembly 4 and is connected in a manner which is known, and is not illustrated, to a lock (not illustrated) of the door by means of a flexible cable transmission 12, for example of the Bowden type.

Preferably, the grasping portion 10 has a shape in the form of a C with concavity facing in the direction opposite the direction of travel of the motor vehicle,

and the control arm 11 extends from one side of the grasping portion 10, which defines the base of the said concavity.

In greater detail, the grasping portion 10 comprises a pair of respectively upper and lower teeth 10a, lOb, which extend in a manner substantially parallel to one another, and to the direction of travel of the motor vehicle.

The control arm 11 of the handle 3 is accommodated in a through manner between two lateral projections 13, 14, respectively of the body in the form of a shell 5 and of the facing 6, which are connected to one another in order to define with the arm 11 itself the connection assembly 4, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

In particular, the projections 13 and 14 define a casing 19 to accommodate the control arm 11, which projects from the casing 19 itself with its own lower end portion 15.

From the projection 13 of the body in the form of a shell 5 there extends in a projecting manner from the base a support arm 16 substantially in the shape of an L, which is disposed on the side opposite the grasping portion 10 of the handle 3 and defines an attachment for the transmission 12. The support arm 16 consists of an

upper portion 17 which extends obliquely from a lower end of the projection 13, along a plane which is substantially parallel to the base wall 8 of the body in the form of a shell 5, and from a lower portion 18, which extends at right angles in a projecting manner from a lower end of the upper portion 17.

The transmission 12 consists of a sheath 20 which has an end 21 secured to the lower portion 18 of the support arm 16 of the frame 2, and an opposite end (not illustrated), which is secured to a support frame (also not illustrated) of the lock of the door, and of a cable 22 which is fitted such as to slide axially inside the sheath 20 and has an end 23 which is connected to the handle 3, and an opposite end (not illustrated) which is connected to a lever mechanism (also not illustrated) of the lock of the door. More particularly, the end 23 of the cable 22 is connected to a projection 24 which extends at right angles in a projecting manner from the lower end portion 15 of the control arm 11 of the handle 3.

According to an important aspect of the present invention, the constraint assembly 4 defines two axes A, B, with different rotation of the handle 3 relative to the frame 2, which are incident with one another. In the embodiment illustrated, the axes A and B are at right

angles to one another and to the direction of travel of the motor vehicle. In particular, the axis A is substantially a vertical axis, with reference to the position of fitting of the door and of the handle unit 1 on the motor vehicle and is co-axial to the control arm 11 of the handle 3, whereas the axis B is a horizontal axis which extends transversely to the base wall 8 of the frame 2 and to the inner finishing panel of the door itself.

In particular, the handle 3 can be displaced relative to the frame 2, respectively along a circular trajectory with an axis A, in order to open the door from the interior of the motor vehicle (figure 2), and along a circular trajectory with an axis B in order to disable opening of the door from the exterior of the motor vehicle itself (application of the safety function of the lock, figure 3).

More particularly, the handle 3 can be displaced around the axis A, between a position of rest or removal of the safety function (figures 1 and 4), in which its own grasping portion 10 is completely engaged in the cavity 7 in the frame 2, and co-operates such as to abut with the base wall 8 of the body in the form of a shell 5, and a position of opening (figures 2 and 5), in which the grasping portion 10 projects from the cavity 7 in

the frame 2 towards the interior of the passenger space of the motor vehicle. The handle 3 is subjected to the action of a cylindrical helical spring 25, which is interposed between the lower portion 18 of the support arm 16, and the projection 24 of the control arm 11, and can hold the grasping portion 10 of the handle 3 against the base wall 8 of the body in the form of a shell 5.

An upper projecting part 26 of the control arm 11, which is accommodated with play inside the casing 19 formed by the projections 13 and 14, can be disposed such as to abut the edges of the casing 19 itself in order to define the maximum rotation permitted for the handle 3 around the axis A, and thus the position of opening.

In order to permit rotation of the handle 3 around the axis B, the lateral wall 9 of the body in the form of a shell 5 delimits with a corresponding portion of the facing 6, a lower through opening 27 which is elongate in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle and can be engaged by the tooth 10B of the grasping portion 10 of the handle 3 itself.

In greater detail, the handle 3 is mobile around the axis B, between the position of rest and a position of application of the safety function (figures 3 and 6), in which the tooth 10b of the grasping portion 10

engages the opening 27 of the frame 2. Both the position of rest and the position of application of the safety function are made stable by a bi-stable spring 28, in a known manner, which spring has an end connected to a projecting part 29, which extends in a projecting manner from the lower end of the upper portion 17 of the support arm 16, on the side opposite the lower portion 18, and an opposite end, which is connected to the lower end portion 15 of the control arm 11 of the handle 3.

The position of application of the safety function is defined by the contact of the lower outer edge of the tooth lOb of the grasping portion 10 with the front lateral edge of the opening 27.

The displacements of the handle 3 around the axes A and B give rise to traction of a different extent on the cable 22 of the transmission 12, thus permitting actuation of the lock of the door.

With particular reference to figures 7 to 10, the constraint assembly 4 consists of a male element 30, formed along the control arm 11 of the handle 3, and a seat 31 to receive the male element 30, which is delimited by the projections 13 and 14 of the body in the form of a shell 5, and of the facing 6.

In particular, the male element 30 consists of a spherical knob 32, provided along an intermediate

portion of the control arm 11, and of a plurality of cylindrical projecting parts 33, in this case four, which project radially from the knob 32 and are spaced angularly equidistantly from one another around the axis A.

The seat 31 has an intermediate region 34 which is in the form of a spherical area, inside which the knob 32 with the projecting parts 33 can rotate around the axis A, and two end regions 35 which are in the form of a spherical segment and extend from diametrically opposite parts of the intermediate region 34 in order to permit rotation of the knob 32 itself around the axis B.

In use, the door opening manoeuvre is carried out by pulling the grasping portion 10 of the handle 3 towards the interior of the passenger space of the motor vehicle (figure 2), from the position of rest. The rotation of the grasping portion 10 around the axis A gives rise to corresponding rotation of the control arm 11 inside the casing 19 and sliding of the projecting parts 33 of the male element 30 along the surface of delimitation of the intermediate region 34 of the seat 31 (figure 8). The projection 24 is displaced with the corresponding control arm 11, thus giving rise to traction on the cable 22 of the transmission 12 (figure 5), with consequent actuation of opening of the lock of

the door, and elongation of the spring 25. When it has been released, the handle 3 returns to its own position of rest, under the thrust of the spring 25.

The manoeuvre for application of the safety function of the lock is carried out by rotating the grasping portion 10 of the handle 3 downwards (figure 3), from the position of rest. In practice, the grasping portion 10 rotates along a vertical plane at right angles to the axis B.

During this rotation, the tooth 10b engages the opening 27 of the frame 2 and gives rise to inclination of the control arm 11 around the axis B. The projecting parts 33 of the male element 30 slide along the surfaces of delimitation of the respective end regions 35 of the seat 31 (figure 9), and the consequent displacement of the projection 24 of the control arm 11 gives rise to an action of compression on the cable 22 of the transmission 12 (figure 6), thus actuating locking of the door in order to apply the safety function. In order to return the handle 3 to the position of rest from the position of application of the safety function, it is necessary to adjust the upper tooth 10a of the grasping portion 10 of the handle 3, by pushing it upwards.

Examination of the characteristics of the handle unit 1 produced according to the present invention makes

apparent the advantages which the invention makes it possible to obtain.

In particular, owing to the fact that the paths of opening and of application of the safety function consist of rotations of the handle 3 around different axes (A, B), the positions of rest and of application of the safety function can easily be distinguished, thus making it simple for the user to determine the actual state of the handle 3, and therefore preventing accidental or involuntary removal of the safety function.

In addition, the rotations of the handle 3 for opening and for application of the safety function are totally independent, since the attachment. to the transmission 12 is positioned at different distances in relation to the axes A, B of rotation. Consequently, the displacements of the handle 3 in order to obtain the two functions can be selected as different entities without any type of correlation.

Finally, it is apparent that modifications and variations which do not depart from the protective scope of the present invention can be made to the handle unit 1.

For example, there can be associated with the handle 1 a device to indicate the state of the safety function of the lock, which can be seen from the exterior of the motor vehicle.