AU597440B2

AU597440B2 - Improved handle

Info

Publication number: AU597440B2
Application number: AU80609/87A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Johannes Fokko Cornelis De Weerd; Gilbert Pennington
Original assignee: JOHANNES FOKKO CORNELIS DE WEE
Current assignee: JOHANNES FOKKO CORNELIS DE WEE
Priority date: 1986-11-06
Filing date: 1986-11-06
Publication date: 1990-05-31
Anticipated expiration: 2007-11-02
Also published as: AU8060987A

Description

i ji r _i_ -ir*lr 597440 COMMONWEALTH OF AUS T R L IA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (Original) FOR OFFICE USE Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: ,*Related Art: t ala~:Iia~rl t

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ii I ~~t~y t t t re t c Name of Applicant: c t tcitAddress of Applicant: I t Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: JOHANNES FOKKO CORNELIS DE WEERD and GILBERT PENNINGTON of 4 Crystal Court, Wheelers Hill 3150, in the State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia and 3/138 New Street, Brighton 3186, in the State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia respectively JOHANNES FOKKO CORNELIS DE WEERD and GILBERT

PENNINGTON

DAVIES COLLISON, Patent Attorneys, 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

Complete specification for the invention entitled: "IMPROVED HANDLE" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us 1 |2 2 rt "IMPROVED HANDLE" This invention relates generally to an improved handle suitable for use on doors, drawers or other structures or devices.

The handle of the present invention in a preferred form is suitable for applications where it is desirable that it fits flush with the structure to which it is mounted. It will be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention with reference to this particular application, t. 10 however it is to be understood that this is not to be considered in any way a limitation •'on the scope of the invention.

Handles which sit flush with the structure to which they are secured or formed integral therewith generally comprise a main body section with a recess which enables the user to rrip the handle by use of his fingers so that the handle can be operated. One of the problems with such recessed handles is that they are often not aesthetically pleasing and further tend to collect dust and other materials making them difficult to clean.

L

-3- It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved handle which alleviates one or more of the aforementioned disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided a handle comprising a main body having a cavity or recess therein with an access opening to the cavity, a closure associated with the access opening and movable between an open position in which the cavity can be accessed through the opening and a closed position in which the closure covers the access opening, the closure normally adopting the closed position.

The handle may further include biassing means disposed within the cavity or recess to cause the closure to be urged into the closed position.

Preferably the closure is pivotally mounted to the main body adjacent the access opening.

The pivotal mounting may comprise a hinge which includes a bead on one part which is receivable rt 20 within a complementary shaped bearing recess on the other part so as to permit the pivotal movement.

•A mounting flange may be provided for securing the handle to a support structure and in one preferred form the mounting flange projects from the main body so as to be receivable within a recess in the support structure.

In one form the biassing means may comprise a block of resilient foamed rubber or the like which is disposed within the cavity and arranged so as to urge the closure into the closed position.

In another form the biassing means may comprise a leaf spring which is disposed within the cavity or recess and arranged so as to act on the closure

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i 1 -4to normally urge it into the closed position.

Preferably the leaf spring comprising a mounting arm portion and a biassing arm portion projecting from one end of the mounting arm portion. The mounting arm portion may be L-shaped and arranged to be located within the cavity with the biassing arm portion projecting towards the closure so that its free end abuts against the interior face of the closure. The arrangement is such 1 0 that when the closure is opened the free end of the biassing arm moves along the surface kE of the closure towards the pivot point thereof, thereby reducing the spring force acting on ,ft the closure and thus resulting in a more consistent return pressure on the closure. In one preferred form the mounting arm portion may have a "bellied" r ,or arcuate section on one of its legs.

The main body may take any suitable form.

For example, in one embodiment the main body 20 comprises an elongated member which may be substantially rectangular in cross section and with the access opening in one face thereof. Preferably, the It c tC access opening extends completely along one face of the elongate member. In this particular form the main body may be formed by an extruded or otherwise formed section. In this form, the closure may comprise an elongated strip of substantially complementary shape to the access opening so that in the closed position it overlies the opening.

In another arrdngement, the main body may be ovoid circular in front elevation with an opening in the front side thereof. Any suitable materials may be used for forming the main body, however it is preferable that plastics material or metal such as die cast aluminium be used.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a handle according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic view of that of Figure 1 showing the handle attached to a structure; Figure 3 is a side elevation of a second embodiment according to the present invention; Figure 4 is a front elevation of the embodiment shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a sectional side elevation of another form of the invention; Figure 6 is a sectional side elevation of a closure element; Figure 7 is a sectional side elevation of another form of handle according to the invention; and aFigures 8 and 9 are schematic perspective views of two forms of leaf spring suitable for use in the invention.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a handle generally indicated at 1 which comprises a main body 2 having e cavity or recess 4 therein, with an access opening 6 to the cavity 4. The handle further includes a dlosure 8 which is associated with the access opening 6 and movable between an open position in which the cavity 4 can be accessed through the opening 6 and a closed position in which the closure covers the access opening. The closure 8 normally adopts the closed position.

-6- As shown, biassing means 15 is provided to cause the closure 8 to be uged into the closed position. As shown, movement of the closure 8 between the open and closed positions is by virtue of a pivotal mounting.

The main body 2 may take a number of forms.

For example, in the embodiments of Figures 1, and 7, the main body 2 comprises an elongated member which is substantially rectangular in cross section and with the access opening 6 in the front face thereof. The access opening extends substantially completely along one face of the elongate member although it will be appreciated that this is not essential and it may be smaller.

In this particular embodiment, the main body may be formed by an extruded or otherwise formed section. In this embodiment, the closure 8 comprises an elongated strip of substantially complementary shape to the access opening 6 so that in the closed position it overlies the Sopening.

In the embodiment of Figures 3 and 4, the main body 2 is ovoid or circular in front elevation with the access opening 6 in the front side thereof. Any suitable materials may be used for forming the main body, however, it is preferable that plastics material or metal such as die cast aluminium be used.

As shown, the closure 8' is pivotally mounted to the main body 2 adjacent the access opening 6. The pivotal mounting is in the form of a hinge 10 which comprises a bead 11 which is pivotally or rotatably received and supported within a complementary shaped bearing recess 12.

The handle further includes a gripping lip -7- 17 which is disposed within or adjacent the access opening 6 to assist in enabling the handle to be gripped by, for example, the operator's finger to draw the handle and the structure to which it is attached open.

As shown, mounting means 19 is provided for securing the handle to a structure 20 such as a cupboard door or the like. As shown in Figures 1, 5 and 7, the mounting means 19 is in the form of a flange 18 projecting from the lower edge of the main body. The flange 18 has barbs or other projections thereon to assist in retaining the flange in position. In the embodiment of Figure 3 the mounting means comprises barbs 17 or ribs provided on the outer surface of the main body for securing the handle in position within a recess in the support structure.

As mentioned earlier biassing means 15 is provided to urge the closure 8 into a normally closed position. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the biassing means 15 comprises a block of resilient foamed rubber 16 disposed within the t cavity 4 and arranged so as to act on the closure 8. In the embodiments of Figures 5 and 7, the biassing means 15 is in the form of a leaf spring As shown the leaf spring 25 is disposed within the cavity or recess 4 and arranged so as to act on the closure to normally urge it into the closed position. In the form shown, the leaf spring 25 comprises a mounting arm portion 26 and a biassing arm portion 27 projecting from one end of the mounting arm portion. As shown, the mounting arm portion 26 is generally L-shaped and is arranged to be located within the cavity with the biassing arm portion 27 projecting towards the closure so that its free -8end 28 abuts against the interior face of the closure. The arrangement is such that when the closure is opened the free end 28 of the biassing arm 27 moves along the surface of the closure towards the pivot point or pivotal mounting thereof, thereby reducing the spring force acting on the closure and thus resulting in a more consistent return pressure on the closure.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 9, the upstanding leg of the mounting arm portion is slightly bowed or bellied to reduce initial opening pressure.

In the particular form of the invention shown in Figures i, 2, 5 and 7 where the handle is in the form of an elongated member, end closures 22 (Fig. 2) are provided at each end. These end closures are located by means of lugs (30 and 31 in Figure and 33 and 34 in Figure 7) these lugs defining recesses for receiving co-operating portions on the end closures. Conveniently one of the Vt t 20 defined recesses 31 and 34 can also be used for mounting the leaf spring 25 therein.

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Claims

2. A handle according to claim 1 including biassing means disposed within said cavity or recess causing said closure to be urged into said closed position.
3. A handle according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said closure is pivotally mounted to the main body adjacent the access opening r by means of a hinge said hinge comprising a bead on one of either said main body or said closure said bead being receivable within a Irv complementary shaped bearing recess in the other of said main body or said closure to permit the pivotal movement.
4. A handle according to any preceding claim further including a mounting flange projecting S1i from the main body, the mounting flange being arranged for securing the handle in position within a recess in a support structure. A handle according to claim 2,3 or 4 wherein said biassing means comprises a block of resilient foamed rubber or the like disposed within said cavity and arranged so as to act on said closure. L:
6. A handle according to claim 2,3 or 4 wherein said biassing means comprises a leaf spring which is disposed within said cavity or recess and arranged so as to act on said closure to normally urge it into said closed position.
7. A handle according to claim 6 wherein said leaf spring comprises a mounting arm portion and a biassing arm portion projecting from one end of said mounting arm portion, said mounting arm portion being generally L-shaped and arranged to be located within the cavity with said biassing arm portion projecting towards the closure so that its free end abuts against the interior face of said closure, the arrangement being such that when the closure is opened said free end of said biassing arm can move along said interior surface of the closure towards the pivot point thereof, thereby reducing the spring force acting on the closure and thus resulting in a more consistent return pressure on the closure.
8. A handle according to any preceding claim wherein said main body comprises an elongated member with said access opening being in one face thereof and said closure comprises an elongated strip of complementary shape to said access opening. 4 Ii -11-
9. A handle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1'x- -sez±a.uas LJJ roc herein Qr- a4-V Wn~t'on. the r -Go ft~* ft 4* ft e Dated this 30th day of October, 1987 DAVIES COLLISON Patent Attorneys for JOHANNES FOKKO CORNELIS DE WEERD and GILBERT PENNINGTON t t t I l7\ WI .59)