Lever return mechanism using magnets
AssigneeSchlage Lock Company LLC
InventorsSaagar Mohammed, Allen Mani, Aditya Hebilkar, Abdul Khadar Jailani Mannanayak, Vijayakumar Mani
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Abstract
A lever apparatus having a lever connected to a latch assembly operable to open the latch when rotated to a second position from a first position under an actuation torque. The apparatus further includes a magnet assembly with first and second magnets operably coupled to the lever apparatus. The magnet assembly is operable to generate a return torque in an opposite direction to that of the actuation torque such that the lever is returned to the first position after the actuation torque is removed from the lever.
Claims25
-26. (canceled)
A handle assembly, comprising:
- a rotatable handle;
- a first magnet coupled to a structure;
- a second magnet coupled to the rotatable handle;
- wherein the first magnet and the second magnet are rotatable relative to one another about an axis of rotation and generate magnetic forces that interact to generate a return torque in response to rotation of the rotatable handle from a first position;
- and
- wherein the first magnet and the second magnet are configured to increase the return torque over a first range of rotation of the rotatable handle.
A handle assembly, comprising:
- a rotatable handle;
- a first magnetic means coupled to a structure for providing a first magnetic field;
- a second magnetic means coupled to the rotatable handle for providing a second magnetic field;
- means for rotating the first magnetic means relative to the second magnetic means such that the first and second magnetic fields interact to generate a return torque in response to rotation of the rotatable handle from a first position;
- and
- wherein the first and second magnetic fields interact to increase the return torque over a first range of rotation of the rotatable handle.
A method, comprising:
- coupling a magnet assembly to a rotatable handle, the magnet assembly including at least two magnets;
- moving the rotatable handle from an initial position to a second position and correspondingly causing relative rotation between the at least two magnets about an axis of rotation;
- generating a magnetic force between the at least two magnets when the rotatable handle is displaced from the initial position toward the second position;
- varying the magnetic force as a function of a position of the rotatable handle, wherein the varying of the magnetic force includes an increasing force over a first range of handle rotation;
- and
- returning the rotatable handle to the initial position via the magnetic force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.