Vehicle door handle

• US 20060038418A1
• Filed: 08/18/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Behm, Richard C. Jr., Hornshaw, Timothy A., Huizenga, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,407,203 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 292/336.300
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/06 by means of inertial forces
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 79/20 using flexible connections, e.g. Bowden cables
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/14 Handles pivoted about an axis parallel to the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/16 a longitudinal grip part being pivoted at one end about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the grip part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/22 Inertia operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/57 Operators with knobs or handles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/82 Knobs

Abstract

A door handle assembly for opening a door of a vehicle includes a handle portion and a lever or actuating member for actuating or releasing a latch mechanism of a vehicle door. The door handle assembly includes fewer components than known door handles and is reversible or suitable for use at either side of the vehicle. The door handle assembly may include a counterweight and lever mechanism at the base of the door handle assembly, such that the components do not extend substantially into the door cavity. The counterweight may be positioned rearwardly and outwardly of a pivot axis of the lever mechanism when the handle is at an initial or non-opening position, thereby providing enhanced retention of the door handle assembly during vehicle collisions.

Claims

1. A door handle assembly for a door of a vehicle, said door handle assembly comprising:

a handle portion mountable to the vehicle door, said handle portion having first and second receiving portions;

a lever movably mounted to said handle portion; and

an actuating member movably received in one of said first and second receiving portions of said handle portion, said actuating member being connected to a latch mechanism of the door, said actuating member moving in response to movement of said lever to release the latch mechanism to open the door of the vehicle, said door handle assembly being configured to mount to a door at either side of the vehicle, said actuating member being received in said first receiving portion for a mounting arrangement at a first side of the vehicle and said actuating member being received in said second receiving portion for a mounting arrangement at a second side of the vehicle.

2. The door handle assembly of claim 1, wherein said lever is pivotally mounted to said handle portion.

3. The door handle assembly of claim 2, wherein said actuating member is pivotally received in one of said first and second receiving portions.

4. The door handle assembly of claim 3, wherein a first end portion of said lever is moved by a user to pivot said lever and a second end portion of said lever engages said actuating member.

5. The door handle assembly of claim 1 including a biasing element that biases said actuating member toward an initial position, wherein movement of said lever moves said actuating member away from said initial position.

6. The door handle assembly of claim 1, wherein said handle portion is fixedly attachable to the door.

7. The door handle assembly of claim 6, wherein said lever comprises a reduced size so that a counterweight is not needed to limit opening of the door during a collision of the vehicle.

8. The door handle assembly of claim 1, wherein said receiving portions are positioned within said handle portion and at least substantially exteriorly of the vehicle door when said handle portion is attached to the vehicle door.

9. A door handle assembly for a door of a vehicle, said door handle assembly comprising:

a handle portion mountable to the vehicle door, said handle portion having first and second receiving portions;

a lever pivotally mounted to said handle portion and movable by a user of said door handle assembly; and

an actuating member pivotally received in one of said first and second receiving portions of said handle portion, said actuating member being connected to a latch mechanism of a door when said door handle assembly is mounted to the door, said actuating member engaging said lever and pivoting in response to pivotal movement of said lever to release the latch mechanism to open the door of the vehicle, said door handle assembly being configured to mount to a door at either side of the vehicle, said actuating member being received in said first receiving portion for a mounting arrangement at a first side of the vehicle and said actuating member being received in said second receiving portion for a mounting arrangement at a second side of the vehicle.

10. The door handle assembly of claim 9, wherein a first end portion of said lever is moved by a user to pivot said lever and a second end portion of said lever engages said actuating member.

11. The door handle assembly of claim 9 including a biasing element that biases said actuating member toward an initial position, wherein movement of said lever moves said actuating member away from said initial position.

12. The door handle assembly of claim 9, wherein said handle portion is fixedly attachable to the door.

13. The door handle assembly of claim 12, wherein said lever comprises a reduced size so that a counterweight is not needed to limit opening of the door during a collision of the vehicle.

14. The door handle assembly of claim 9, wherein said receiving portions are positioned within said handle portion and at least substantially exteriorly of the vehicle door when said handle portion is attached to the vehicle door.

15. A door handle assembly for a door of a vehicle, said door handle assembly comprising:

a base portion mountable to the vehicle door;

a handle portion configured to pivotally attach to the vehicle door and pivotable between an initial position, where said handle portion is positioned generally along the vehicle door, and an actuating position, where said handle portion is pivoted away from the vehicle door; and

a lever portion pivotally mounted to said base portion, said lever portion including a counterweight and a connector arm, said connector arm connecting to a release mechanism of the vehicle door, said counterweight being substantially within said base portion when said handle portion is in said initial position, said lever portion pivoting in response to pivotal movement of said handle portion, whereby pivotal movement of said handle portion toward said actuating position pivots said lever portion and actuates the release mechanism to open the vehicle door.

16. The door handle assembly of claim 15, wherein said counterweight is positioned rearwardly and laterally outwardly from a pivot axis of said lever portion when said handle portion is mounted to the vehicle door and in said initial position.

17. The door handle assembly of claim 15, wherein a portion of said door handle assembly extends a distance into the vehicle door when said handle portion is in said initial position, said portion of said door handle assembly extending approximately the same distance into the vehicle door when said handle portion is moved to said actuating position.

18. The door handle assembly of claim 15, wherein said handle portion includes an engaging portion that engages an engaging arm of said lever portion.

19. The door handle assembly of claim 18, wherein said engaging arm extends from a pivot axis of said lever portion, said connector arm extending from said pivot axis.

20. The door handle assembly of claim 19, wherein said counterweight extends from said connector arm.

21. The door handle assembly of claim 20, wherein said connector arm extends at least partially into the door and said counterweight extends at least partially into said base portion when said handle portion is in said initial position.