Telescoping handle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11453428-B2
Application number	US-202015931048-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2020
Priority date	May 13, 2019
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

A handle assembly for exerting forces on a vehicle is disclosed. The handle assembly includes a handle, a handle housing, an optional vehicle mounting plate, and a single latching mechanism. The handle has a first support post and a second support post. The first support post has a first end, the second support post has a second end, and the first end is operably coupled with the second end. The handle housing has a first sleeve and a second sleeve. The first sleeve receives the first support post and the second sleeve receives the second support post. The vehicle mounting plate can be attached to the first sleeve and the second sleeve, and mounts the handle onto the vehicle. The single latching mechanism is operably coupled with the handle housing and is capable of releasably engaging at least the first sleeve and the second sleeve.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A handle assembly for exerting forces on a vehicle, the handle assembly comprising:
a handle having:
a first support post having a first end and a second support post having a second end, the first end being operably coupled with the second end;

a handle housing having a first sleeve receiving the first support post and a second sleeve receiving the second support post; and
a single latching mechanism, the single latching mechanism operably coupling with the handle housing, the single latching mechanism releasably engaging at least the first sleeve and the second sleeve, the single latching mechanism including:
a control toggle operably coupled with a control plate, the control toggle having a plurality of positions, the control toggle including a control pin, the control pin restricting of the control toggle by a position of the control pin in a control pin slot; and
at least one first pin operably coupling with the control toggle, the control toggle in a first of the plurality of positions causing the at least one first pin to releasably engage with the first sleeve.

2. The handle assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
at least one second pin operably coupling with the control toggle, the control toggle in a first of the plurality of positions causing the at least one second pin to releasably engage with the second sleeve.

3. The handle assembly of claim 2 further comprising:
a vehicle mounting plate attached to the first sleeve and the second sleeve, the vehicle mounting plate mounting the handle onto the vehicle.

4. The handle assembly of claim 3 wherein:
the first support post includes at least one first cavity, the at least one first cavity receiving the at least one first pin;
the second support post includes at least one second cavity, the at least one second cavity receiving the at least one second pin; and
the control toggle in the first of the plurality of positions causing the at least one first pin to releasably engage with the first support post and the at least one second pin to releasably engage with the second support post.

5. The handle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the single latching mechanism comprises releasable engagement of at least the first support post and the second support post.

6. The handle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the single latching mechanism further comprises:
a plurality of pin assemblies operably coupled with the control toggle, each of the plurality of pin assemblies having:
a pin;
a pin spring;
a pin nut; and
a latch cable,

the pin, the pin spring, the pin nut, and the latch cable being operably coupled, the operable coupling being positioned at least partially within a pin enclosure,
wherein the pin releasably engages at least the first sleeve.

7. The handle assembly of claim 6 , wherein the control toggle comprises a pivot point, the control toggle being pivotable around the pivot point, the control toggle being pivotable with respect to the handle assembly, the pin being operably coupled with the control toggle adjacent the pivot point.

8. The handle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of positions comprises:
a latched position and an unlatched position.

9. The handle assembly of claim 1 wherein the vehicle comprises a wheelchair.

10. A method of adjusting a handle operably coupled with a vehicle, the method comprising:
providing a handle assembly including the handle and a single latching mechanism, the handle having a first position, a second position, a first latch location, a second latch location, a first support post, and a second support post distal to the first support post, the handle being in the first position, the single latching mechanism having:
a control toggle proximal to the first support post and the second support post, the control toggle having a plurality of positions, the control toggle including a control pin, the control pin restricting of the control toggle by a position of the control pin in a control pin slot; and
at least one first pin and at least one second pin, the at least one first pin and the at least one second pin being operably coupled with the control toggle, the control toggle in a first of the plurality of positions causing the at least one first pin to releasably engage with the handle at the first latch location and the at least one second pin to releasably engage with the handle at the second latch location;

disengaging the single latching mechanism to unlatch the handle;
adjusting the handle to the second position; and
engaging the single latching mechanism to latch the handle in the second position.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein disengaging the single latching mechanism comprises pivoting the single latching mechanism to a first pivot position, and engaging the single latching mechanism further comprises pivoting the single latching mechanism to a second pivot position.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein disengaging the single latching mechanism comprises pressing the single latching mechanism, and engaging the single latching mechanism comprises releasing the single latching mechanism.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the vehicle comprises a wheelchair.

14. A method of building a handle assembly for a vehicle, the handle assembly including a handle housing, a handle, and a latch mechanism, the method comprising:
receiving the handle with the handle housing, the handle including a first support post and a second support post, the handle housing having a first sleeve to receive the first support post and a second sleeve to receive the second support post, the latch mechanism including:
a control toggle operably coupled with a control plate, the control toggle having a plurality of positions, the control toggle including a control pin, the control pin restricting of the control toggle by a position of the control pin in a control pin slot; and
at least one first pin and at least one second pin, the at least one first pin and the at least one second pin operably coupling with the control toggle, the control toggle in a first of the plurality of positions causing the at least one first pin to releasably engage with the first sleeve and the at least one second pin to releasably engage with the second sleeve;
operably coupling the latch mechanism to the handle housing;
releasably engaging the latch mechanism to the handle at the first support post and the second support post, the latch mechanism including a latch means at the engagement between the latch mechanism and the handle at the first support post and at the second support post.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
operably coupling a first end of the first support post with a second end of the second support post.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the handle assembly further includes a vehicle mounting plate, the method further comprising:
operably coupling the handle housing to the vehicle mounting plate; and
mounting the vehicle mounting plate to the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the latch means comprises at least one pin operably coupled to the control toggle.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the vehicle comprises a wheelchair.

19. A method of adjusting a handle operably coupled with a vehicle, the method comprising:
providing a handle assembly including the handle and a single latching mechanism, the handle having a first position, a second position, a first latch location, and a second latch location, the handle being in the first position, the single latc

Assignees

• Deka Products Lp

Inventors

• Bradley Margaret B
• Clapp Otis L

Classifications

• A45C2013/267

  the handle being slidable, extractable and lockable in one or more positions · CPC title

• A45C13/262 Primary

  for wheeled luggage · CPC title

• A45C2013/226

  Handles foldable into the luggage · CPC title

• A45C13/22

  Detachable handles; Handles foldable into the luggage (separate handles for carrying means A45F5/10) · CPC title

• B62B5/065

  by means of telescopic elements · CPC title