Fluid-damped automotive door latch actuator

Abstract

A fluid-damped automotive door latch actuator comprising a fluid cylinder mounted adjacent the inside surface of an escutcheon plate between the door handle crank arms. A shaft connected to and extending between the crank arms is rotated to actuate the door latch. Damping action is caused in one embodiment by rotation of a shaft-mounted vane relative to a cylinder housing fixed to the escutcheon plate. In a second embodiment, the damper is designed to provide a fluid shearing action.

I claim: 
     
       1. A fluid-damped automotive door latch actuator comprising: first and second spaced body supports;   a shaft rotatably mounted between said supports;   a manually operated handle;   at least one crank member connected to said handle and mounted for rotation with said shaft;   bias means for resiliently urging the handle toward a rest position;   a first damper element mounted between said supports and in fixed relationship thereto;   a second damper element mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith relative to said first damper element; and   means for trapping a quantity of fluid between said first and second damper elements to damp movements of said handle relative to said body supports.   
     
     
       2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the first damper element is a cylinder housing and the second damper element is a vane mounted for rotation on said shaft for rotation within the cylinder housing. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus as defined in clam 1 wherein the first damper element is a first cylinder and the second damper element is a second cylinder concentric with the first, the relationship between said first and second cylinders being such that the fluid trapped therebetween acts in a shear mode to damp relative movement between the cylinders. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the cross section of said shaft is not round. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a second crank member mounted mechanically in parallel with said one crank member. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including an escutcheon plate adapted for mounting to an automotive body; said first and second spaced body supports being fixed to said escutcheon. .Iadd. 
     
     
       7.  A fluid damped automotive door latch actuator comprising: a handle mounted for movement between an unlatched position in which the door latch is unlatched and a rest position;   first and second relatively moveable damper elements;   means for trapping a quantity of fluid between said first and second damper elements; and   drive means operative to move the first damper element relative to the second damper element against the resistance of the trapped fluid during at least the initial portion of the movement of the door handle from the rest position to the unlatched position..Iaddend..Iadd.8. A fluid damped automotive door latch actuator according to claim 7 wherein the drive means is operative to move the first damper element relative to the second damper element against the resistance of the trapped fluid during the entire range of the movement of the door handle from the rest position to the unlatched position..Iaddend..Iadd.9. A fluid damped automotive door latch actuator according to claim 8 wherein the drive means is further operative to move the first damper element relative to the second damper element against the resistance of the trapped fluid during the entire range of the movement of the door handle from the unlatched position to the rest position..Iaddend..Iadd.10. A fluid damped automotive door latch actuator according to claim 9 wherein the actuator further includes bias means operative in response to opening movement of the handle to urge the handle toward the rest position..Iaddend..Iadd.11. A fluid damped automotive door latch actuator comprising:   a handle mounted for opening movement from a rest position to an unlatched position in which the door latch is unlatched and return movement from the unlatched position to the rest position;   bias means operative in response to opening movement of the handle to urge the handle toward the rest position;   first and second relatively moveable damper elements;   means for trapping a quantity of fluid between said first and second damper elements; and   drive means operative to move the first damper element relative to the second damper element against the resistance of the trapped fluid during the entire range of the opening movement of the door handle from the rest position to the unlatched position and during the entire range of the return movement of the door handle from the unlatched position to the rest position..Iaddend..Iadd.12. A fluid damped automotive door latch actuator according to claim 11 wherein one of the damper elements comprises a cylinder and the other damper element comprises a vane mounted for   
     
     
        rotation in the cylinder..Iaddend..Iadd.13.  A fluid damped automotive door latch actuator according to claim 12 wherein said vane comprises said first damper element..Iaddend.