Grab handle assembly for use in a vehicle

• US 10,071,665 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2016
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ibrahim, Christina M., Nguyen, Johnny T., Velasco, Rafael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Verley, Nicole T
• Application Number:
  US15/336,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20180118072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/02 of hand grips or straps
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/026 characterised by the fixing means B60N3/023 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/215 characterised by the covers for the inflatable member B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles

Abstract

A grab handle assembly for use in a vehicle includes a bracket for mounting on a vehicle frame, a speaker assembly mounted on the bracket and a grab handle mounted on the bracket. The speaker assembly is located between the bracket and the grab handle.

Claims

1. A grab handle assembly for use in a vehicle comprising:

a bracket for mounting on a vehicle frame, a speaker assembly mounted on the bracket, and a grab handle mounted on the bracket, wherein the speaker assembly is located between the bracket and the grab handle, wherein the bracket includes a first engaging portion that engages with a part of the grab handle to be fixed on the bracket, the bracket further comprising a mating portion surrounding the first engaging portion, and wherein an outer perimeter of the mating portion engages with an inner perimeter of a fourth engaging portion on the speaker assembly.

2. A grab handle assembly according to claim 1 wherein the bracket includes a second engaging portion, wherein the second engaging portion engages with a third engaging portion on the speaker assembly to be fixed on the bracket.

3. A grab handle assembly according to claim 2 wherein the second engaging portion is offset from the first engaging portion towards the vehicle frame.

4. A grab handle assembly according to claim 2 further comprising an airbag device extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle under the bracket, wherein the second engaging portion is located on the opposite side of the airbag.

5. A grab handle assembly according to claim 1 further comprising an airbag extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle under the bracket, a protective cover that covers at least a part of the air bag, wherein the protective cover is located between the bracket and the airbag.

6. A grab handle assembly according to claim 1 wherein the grab handle is integrated with a speaker grille.

7. A grab handle assembly according to claim 6 wherein the grab handle includes a base portion to support a handle portion which a user grabs and the speaker grille is connected with the base portion.

8. A grab handle assembly according to claim 7 wherein the handle portion includes an overlapping portion which overlaps with a part of the speaker grille and the handle portion includes a plurality of holes at the overlapping portion.

9. A grab handle assembly according to claim 1 further comprising:

an air bag extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, wherein the airbag is formed of a cylinder including a centerline extending in a longitudinal direction of the air bag, wherein a lower end of the speaker assembly and/or a lower end of the grab handle is/are located above the centerline of the airbag.

10. A grab handle assembly according to claim 1 wherein the grab handle is deployed when it is used by a passenger or a driver and the grab handle is folded when it is not used by a passenger or a driver.

11. A grab handle assembly device comprising:

a first bracket, a second bracket, a grab handle mounted on the first bracket and the second bracket and a speaker assembly mounted on the first bracket and the second bracket wherein the speaker assembly includes a speaker portion and the speaker portion is disposed between the first bracket and the second bracket.

12. A grab handle assembly according to claim 11 further comprising an airbag installed under the first bracket and the second bracket, wherein the airbag extends along the first bracket and the second bracket in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

13. A grab handle assembly according to claim 12 further comprising a protective cover partially covering the air bag, wherein the protective cover is located between the airbag and the first bracket and the second bracket and the protective cover extends along the first bracket and the second bracket in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

14. A grab handle assembly according to claim 11 wherein the speaker assembly further includes two fourth engaging portions engaged with the first bracket and the second bracket respectively.

15. A grab handle assembly according to claim 14 wherein the speaker portion is located between the two fourth engaging portions.

16. A grab handle assembly according to claim 11 wherein the speaker portion is disposed between the first bracket and the second bracket in a longitudinal direction of the grab handle.

17. A grab handle assembly according to claim 11 wherein the first bracket and the second bracket are mounted on a vehicle frame and are disposed in a longitudinal direction of the grab handle.

18. A grab handle assembly according to claim 11 wherein the first bracket is spaced apart from the second bracket, and wherein the grab handle comprises a first handle base portion on one end of the grab handle mounted on the first bracket, and a second handle base portion on an opposite end of the grab handle mounted on the second bracket, and a handle portion extends between the first handle base portion and the second handle base portion, and wherein the speaker portion is disposed between the first handle base portion and the second handle base portion.

19. A grab handle assembly for use in a vehicle comprising:

a bracket for mounting on a vehicle frame, a speaker assembly mounted on the bracket, and a grab handle mounted on the bracket, wherein the speaker assembly is located between the bracket and the grab handle, wherein the bracket includes a second engaging portion, wherein the second engaging portion engages with a third engaging portion on the speaker assembly to be fixed on the bracket, and further comprising an airbag device extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle under the bracket, wherein the second engaging portion is located on a side of the bracket opposite the airbag.