Lift-and-slide handle assembly

2:

• A lift-and-slide handle assembly according to claim 1, wherein the electronic drive assembly includes an electric motor for generating torque.

3:

• A lift-and-slide handle assembly according to claim 2, wherein the electronic drive assembly includes drive gearing operatively adapted to transmit torque from the electric motor to the drive shaft.

4:

• A lift-and-slide handle assembly according to claim 3, wherein the override coupling assembly incudes a clutch assembly operatively adapted to couple and decouple the drive gearing from the drive shaft.

5:

• A lift-and-slide handle assembly according to claim 4, wherein the clutch assembly includes a clutch cam operatively adapted for movement between (i) a clutch engaged position in which the clutch cam couples the drive gearing to the drive shaft, and (ii) a clutch released position in which the clutch cam decouples the drive gearing from the drive shaft.

6:

• A lift-and-slide handle assembly according to claim 5, wherein the clutch assembly includes at least one cam follower operatively associated with the drive gearing, the at least one cam follower movable between (i) a gear engaged position when the clutch cam is located in the clutch engaged position such that torque is transmitted via the cam follower from the drive gearing to the drive shaft, and (ii) a gear disengaged position when the clutch cam is located in the clutch released position such that the at least one cam follower is unable to transmit torque from the drive gearing to the drive shaft.

7:

• A lift-and-slide handle assembly according to claim 6, wherein the drive shaft includes a cam follower slot and the drive gearing includes a corresponding drive gearing slot wherein (i) in the gear engaged position the at least one cam follower is located inside both the cam follower slot and the drive gearing slot so as to be adapted to transmit torque from the drive gearing to the drive shaft, and (ii) in the gear disengaged position the at least one cam follower is retracted into the cam follower slot so as to be unable to transmit torque from the drive gearing to the drive shaft.

8:

• A lift-and-slide handle assembly according to claim 7, wherein the at least one cam follower is a first cam follower and the clutch assembly includes a plurality of cam followers and the drive shaft and the drive gearing include a plurality of corresponding cam follower slots and drive gearing slots.

9:

• A lift-and-slide handle assembly according to claim 8, wherein the clutch assembly includes a clutch actuator operatively adapted to move the clutch cam between the clutch engaged position and the clutch released position.

10:

• A lift-and-slide handle assembly according to claim 9, wherein the clutch actuator is a clutch leadscrew or a tapered pin.

11:

• A lift-and-slide handle assembly according to claim 10, wherein the clutch leadscrew is adapted to engage a complemental leadscrew thread of the clutch cam.

12:

• A lift-and-slide handle assembly according to claim 10, wherein the clutch actuator is adapted to undergo lateral movement between an inoperative position and an operative position.

13:

• A lift-and-slide handle assembly according to claim 12, wherein the clutch assembly includes biasing means operatively adapted to bias the clutch actuator to the inoperative position.

14:

• A lift-and-slide handle assembly according to claim 13, wherein the override coupling assembly includes an override actuator.

15-18. (canceled)

19:

• A lift-and-slide handle assembly according to claim 1, wherein the manual drive assembly includes a handle adapted for pivotal movement.

20:

• A lift-and-slide handle assembly according to claim 19, wherein the handle includes a handle hub.

21:

• A lift-and-slide handle assembly according to claim 20, wherein the handle hub includes a manual coupling formation operatively adapted to cooperate with a complemental drive shaft coupling formation to apply torque to the drive shaft.

22:

• A lift-and-slide handle assembly according to claim 21, wherein the manual coupling formation is a manual coupling keyway and the drive shaft coupling formation is a drive shaft keyway operatively adapted to be located in register with the manual coupling keyway.

23:

• A lift-and-slide handle assembly according to claim 22, wherein the manual coupling keyway is adapted to be located in register with the drive shaft keyway upon rotation of the handle.

24:

• A lift-and-slide handle assembly according to claim 23, wherein the manual drive assembly includes a manual key for operative location within the manual coupling keyway and the drive shaft keyway to secure the handle hub to the drive shaft.

25-40. (canceled)