# US 8,783,742 B2 · Dual-member inertia-activated locking mechanism for vehicle door handle assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,742 B2 - Document ID: US8783742B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/397,531 - Filed: 2009-03-04 - Published: 2009-09-10 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-03-04 - Assignees: Kiekert AG - Applicants: Livianu Dorin Puscas; Karl Lambertz; Vlad Negrut - Inventors: Livianu Dorin Puscas; Karl Lambertz; Vlad Negrut - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783742B2 ## CPC - E05B 77/06: by means of inertial forces - E05B 85/16: a longitudinal grip part being pivoted at one end about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the grip part - Y10T 70/5889: For automotive vehicles - Y10T 292/57: Operators with knobs or handles - E05B: LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A dual-member locking mechanism for a vehicle door handle assembly activated by an inertial force acting on the locking mechanism, comprising a first lever having a first axis of rotation; and a second lever having a second axis of rotation; wherein the first lever is engageable with the door handle assembly; the second lever comprises a weight member and a finger member; the finger member is engageable with the first lever; and the second lever is rotatable around the second axis of rotation in response to the inertial force. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mechanism for a vehicle door handle assembly activated by an inertial force acting on the mechanism to prevent a vehicle door from opening during a vehicle collision, the mechanism comprising: a first lever having an axis of rotation; and a second lever; wherein said first lever is engageable with the door handle assembly; said second lever comprises a weight member and a finger member; said finger member is engageable with said first lever; said second lever is rotatable around said axis of rotation in response to the inertial force; and said first lever engages with the door handle assembly and blocks the door handle assembly from being rotated only when the inertial force is applied thereby to prevent the vehicle door from opening during the vehicle collision, and does not engage with the door handle assembly when the inertial force is not applied; the mechanism further comprising means for providing resistance to rotation of said first lever and said second lever, wherein when the inertial force is applied to the mechanism in a first direction, said first lever and said second lever rotate in concert whereby said first lever engages with the door handle assembly, and when the inertial force is applied to the mechanism in a second direction, said second lever rotates back to its original position and said first member continues to be engaged with the door handle assembly. ### Claim 2 A mechanism for a vehicle door handle assembly activated by an inertial force acting on the mechanism to prevent a vehicle door from opening during a vehicle collision, the mechanism comprising: a first lever having an axis of rotation; and a second lever; wherein said first lever is engageable with the door handle assembly; said second lever comprises a weight member and a finger member; said finger member is engageable with said first lever; said second lever is rotatable around said axis of rotation in response to the inertial force; and when an inertial force is applied to the mechanism in a first direction, said finger member pushes said first lever to rotate and to enter into an opening in the vehicle door handle assembly whereby blocking the vehicle door handle assembly from being opened, and when an inertial force is subsequently applied to the mechanism in a second direction, said finger member rotates back to its original position and said first member continues to block the vehicle door handle assembly from being opened thereby to prevent the vehicle door from opening during the vehicle collision until the inertial force subsides. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said first lever and said second lever are spring-loaded. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The mechanism of claim 1, wherein when the inertial force is greater than a force exerted by said means for providing resistance to rotation, said first lever engages with the door handle assembly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said first lever further comprises a protrusion, said finger member being engageable with said protrusion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said means for providing resistance to rotation is one or more helical springs. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said first lever and said second lever are rotatably fixed around said axis of rotation each by a separate pivot bearing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said mechanism is attached to said vehicle door handle assembly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the mass of said weight member is greater than the mass of said finger member, and the mass of said weight member is greater than the mass of said first lever. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The mechanism of claim 2, wherein said first lever and said second lever are spring-loaded. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The mechanism of claim 2, further comprising means for providing resistance to rotation of said first lever and said second lever. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The mechanism of claim 11, wherein when the inertial force is greater than a force exerted by said means for providing resistance to rotation, said first lever engages with the door handle assembly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The mechanism of claim 2, wherein said first lever further comprises a protrusion, said finger member being engageable with said protrusion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The mechanism of claim 11, wherein said means for providing resistance to rotation is one or more helical springs. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) The mechanism of claim 2, wherein said first lever and said second lever are rotatably fixed around said axis of rotation each by a separate pivot bearing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) The mechanism of claim 2, wherein said mechanism is attached to said vehicle door handle assembly. ### Claim 17 (depends on 2) The mechanism of claim 2, wherein the mass of said weight member is greater than the mass of said finger member, and the mass of said weight member is greater than the mass of said first lever.