Granted Patent B2

US 12,540,496 · App. 18/123,098 · Granted Feb 3, 2026

Inventors: Zsolt Wilke (Bad Mergentheim, DE); Andreas Rudolf (Eibelstadt, DE)

Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.

E05B81/90E05B81/04E05B85/103E05B85/12E05B85/16

Abstract

Claims (50)

1 . An actuating mechanism for actuating vehicle doors, wherein the actuating mechanism comprises the following:

a housing having a pivot axis; and

an actuating element, which is transferable from a home position into an actuating position in order to generate an electrical actuation signal and into an emergency release position for manual unlocking of the vehicle door,

wherein the actuating element comprises a grip region,

wherein the actuating element comprises a curved region, which is pivotally connected to the pivot axis, wherein the curved region is located along a length of the actuating element between the pivot axis and the grip region,

wherein the curved region is arranged in the home position of the actuating element in the housing and protrudes from the housing in the emergency release position of the actuating element, and

wherein the actuating element is pivotable in a first direction for the transfer from the home position into the actuating position and pivotable in an opposite second direction for the transfer from the home position into the emergency release position.

2 . The actuating mechanism according to claim 1 ,

wherein the curved region is pivotable into the housing for the transfer into the actuating position or wherein the curved region is pivotable out of the housing for the transfer into the emergency release position.

3 . The actuating mechanism according to claim 1 ,

wherein the actuating element comprises a substantially trumpet-like cross-section.

4 . The actuating mechanism according to claim 1 ,

wherein the actuating element is pivotable by 90° between the home position and the emergency release position.

5 . The actuating mechanism according to claim 1 ,

wherein the curved region comprises a first portion having a first radius and a second portion having a second, smaller radius.

6 . The actuating mechanism according to claim 1 ,

wherein the grip region is configured to cover the curved region in the home position or the actuating position.

7 . The actuating mechanism according to claim 6 ,

wherein the grip region comprises an outer side configured as a push-button for transferring the actuating element into the actuating position and a rear side configured as a pull-handle for transferring the actuating element into the emergency release position.

8 . The actuating mechanism according to claim 7 ,

wherein the actuating mechanism comprises a trough body extending around the grip region in such a way that the rear side of the grip region is graspable in the home position of the actuating element.

9 . A vehicle having the actuating mechanism according to claim 1 .

10 . The actuating mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the actuating element is pivotable by at least 80° between the home position and the emergency release position.

11 . An actuating mechanism for actuating vehicle doors, wherein the actuating mechanism comprises the following:

a housing having a pivot axis; and

an actuating element, which is transferable from a home position into an actuating position in order to generate an electrical actuation signal and into an emergency release position for manual unlocking of the vehicle door,

wherein the actuating element comprises a curved region pivotally connected to the pivot axis,

wherein the curved region is arranged in the home position of the actuating element in the housing and protrudes from the housing in the emergency release position of the actuating element,

wherein the actuating element is pivotable in a first direction for the transfer from the home position into the actuating position and pivotable in an opposite second direction for the transfer from the home position into the emergency release position, and

wherein the curved region comprises a first portion having a first radius and a second portion having a second, smaller radius.

12 . The actuating mechanism according to claim 11 ,

wherein the curved region is pivotable into the housing for the transfer into the actuating position or wherein the curved region is pivotable out of the housing for the transfer into the emergency release position.

13 . The actuating mechanism according to claim 11 ,

wherein the actuating element comprises a substantially trumpet-like cross-section.

14 . The actuating mechanism according to claim 11 ,

wherein the actuating element is pivotable by 80° to 100° between the home position and the emergency release position.

15 . An actuating mechanism for actuating vehicle doors, wherein the actuating mechanism comprises the following:

a housing having a pivot axis; and

an actuating element, which is transferable from a home position into an actuating position in order to generate an electrical actuation signal and into an emergency release position for manual unlocking of the vehicle door,

wherein the actuating element comprises a curved region, which is pivotally connected to the pivot axis,

wherein the curved region is arranged in the home position of the actuating element in the housing and protrudes from the housing in the emergency release position of the actuating element,

wherein the actuating element comprises a handle region, which is arranged at a first end of the curved region and is configured in order to cover the curved region in the home position or the actuating position,

wherein the handle region comprises an outer side configured as a push-button for transferring the actuating element into the actuating position and a rear side configured as a pull-handle for transferring the actuating element into the emergency release position, and

wherein the curved region comprises a first portion having a first radius and a second portion having a second, smaller radius.

16 . The actuating mechanism according to claim 15 ,

wherein the curved region is pivotable into the housing for the transfer into the actuating position or wherein the curved region is pivotable out of the housing for the transfer into the emergency release position.

17 . The actuating mechanism according to claim 15 ,

wherein the actuating element comprises a substantially trumpet-like cross-section.

18 . The actuating mechanism according to claim 15 ,

wherein the actuating mechanism comprises a trough body extending around the handle region in such a way that the rear side of the handle region is graspable in the home position of the actuating element.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (10)