Handle (grip)

Handle (grip)

A handle is a part of, or attachment to, an object that can be moved or used by hand. The design of each type of handle involves substantial ergonomic issues, even where these are dealt with intuitively or by following tradition.

General design criteria

The three nearly universal requirements of are:
# Sufficient strength to support the object, or to otherwise transmit the force involved in the task the handle serves.
# Sufficient length to permit the hand or hands gripping it to reliably exert that force.
# Sufficiently small circumference to permit the hand or hands to surround it far enough to grip it as solidly as needed to exert that force.

Other requirements may apply to specific handles:
* A sheath or coating on the handle that provides friction against the hand, reducing the gripping force needed to achieve a reliable grip.
* Designs such as recessed car-door handles, reducing the chance of accidental operation, or simply the inconvenience of "snagging" the handle.
* Sufficient circumference to distribute the force comfortably and safely over the hand. An example where this requirement is almost the sole purpose for a handle's existence is the handle that consists of two pieces: a hollow wooden cylinder about the diameter of a finger and a bit longer than one hand-width, and a stiff wire that passes through the center of the cylinder, has two right angles, and is shaped into a hook at each end. This handle permits comfortable carrying, with otherwise bare hands, of a heavy package, suspended on a tight string that passes around the top and bottom of it: the string is strong enough to support it, but the pressure the string would exert on fingers that grasped it directly would often be unacceptable.
* Design to thwart unwanted access, for example, by children or thieves. In these cases many of the other requirements may have reduced importance. For example, a child-proof doorknob can be difficult for even an adult to use.

Pull handles

One major category of handles are "pull" handles, where one or more hands grip the handle or handles, and exert force to shorten the distance between the hands and their corresponding shoulders. The three criteria stated above are universal for pull handles.

Many pull handles are for lifting, mostly on objects to be carried.

Horizontal pull handles are widespread, including drawer pulls, handles on latchless doors and the outside of car doors. The inside controls for opening car doors from inside are usually pull handles, although their function of permitting the door to be "pushed" open is accomplished by an internal unlatching linkage.

Two kinds of pull handles may involve motion in addition to the hand-focused motions described:
* Pulling the starting cord on a small internal-combustion engine may, besides moving the hand toward the shoulder, also exploit simultaneously pushing a wheeled vehicle away with the other hand, stepping away from the engine, and/or standing from a squat.
* Some throwing motions, as in a track-and-field hammer throw, involve pulling on a handle against centrifugal force (without bringing it closer), in the course of accelerating the thrown object by forcing it into circular motion.

Twist handles

Another category of hand-operated device requires grasping (but not pulling) and rotating the hand and either the lower arm or the whole arm, about their axis. When the grip required is a fist grip, as with a door handle that has an arm rather than a knob to twist, the term "handle" unambiguously applies. Another clear case is a rarer device seen on mechanically complicated doors like those of airliners, where (instead of the whole hand moving down as it also rotates, on the door handles just described) the axis of rotation is between the thumb and the outermost fingers, so the thumb moves up if the outer fingers move down.

Handles for wide-range motion

The handles of club-style weapons, shovels and spades, axes, hammers, mallets and hatchets, baseball bats, rackets, golf clubs, and croquet mallets involve a much greater range of ergonomic issues.

Car assist grips

Generally, cars includes 1 front / 4 rear.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Grip — may refer to: Cinema * Grip (job), job in the film industry * Key grip, the chief grip on a film set Sport * Pistol grip, the handle of a pistol * Grip (sport fencing), hilt of a sword * Grip (tennis), how a tennis racquet is held * Grip (cricket …   Wikipedia

  • Handle — may be:* Handle (grip), a grip attached to an object for using or moving the object * Handle (mathematics), a topological ball * Handle (computing), a particular kind of smart pointer Handle may also be:* Handle System, a system for uniquely… …   Wikipedia

  • Grip strength — is the force applied by the hand to pull on or suspend from objects and is a specific part of hand strength. Optimum sized objects permit the hand to wrap around a cylindrical shape with a diameter from one to three inches. Stair rails are an… …   Wikipedia

  • grip — grip1 [grip] n. [ME gripe < OE gripa, a clutch, handful < base of grīpan: see GRIPE] 1. the act of taking firmly and holding fast with the hand, teeth, an instrument, etc.; secure grasp; firm hold 2. the manner in which this is done 3. any… …   English World dictionary

  • Grip — Grip, n. [AS. gripe. Cf. {Grip}, v. t., {Gripe}, v. t.] 1. An energetic or tenacious grasp; a holding fast; strength in grasping. [1913 Webster] 2. A peculiar mode of clasping the hand, by which members of a secret association recognize or greet …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • handle — [n1] something to grip arm, bail, crank, ear, grasp, haft, handgrip, helve, hilt, hold, holder, knob, shaft, stem, stock, tiller; concepts 445,502,831 handle [n2] nickname appellation, byname, byword, cognomen, denomination, designation, moniker …   New thesaurus

  • Grip (tennis) — In tennis, a grip is a way of holding the racquet in order to hit shots during a match. There are three primary grips, the Western, the Eastern, and the Continental. Some people recognize a fourth grip, the Semi Western, which is midway between… …   Wikipedia

  • grip — 1. verb /ɡrɪp/ a) To take hold, particularly with the hand. That suitcase is heavy, so grip the handle firmly. b) To help or assist, particularly in an emotional sense. The glue will begin to grip within five minutes. 2. noun /ɡrɪp/ a) A h …   Wiktionary

  • handle — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) n. shaft, hilt, grip, knob; slang, name (see nomenclature). v. manipulate, use, wield; direct, control, manage; feel, paw, touch; operate, direct, conduct; deal in, trade. See direction, sale, conduct.… …   English dictionary for students

  • Grip (job) — In the U.S. and Canada, grips are lighting and rigging technicians in the filmmaking and video production industries. They constitute their own department on a film set and are directed by a key grip. Grips have two main functions. The first is… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”