Flush motor vehicle door handle

• US 6,598,913 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2001
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ADAC Plastics Incorporated (ADAC Automotive, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADAC Plastics Incorporated (ADAC Automotive, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meinke, Joseph S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kyle, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US09/797,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20020121786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 292/347, 292/336.3, 292/348, 292/DIG.31, 292/DIG.4, 292/DIG.22, 164/12, 164/36, 164/38
• US Class Current: 292/336.3
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/42 Means for damping the movement of lock parts, e.g. slowing down the return movement of a handle E05B77/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/107 Pop-out handles, e.g. sliding outwardly before rotation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/04 Automatic release latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/22 Inertia operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/31 Lever operator, flush
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/57 Operators with knobs or handles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/82 Knobs

Abstract

A motor vehicle door handle assembly, including a face plate positioned flush with the door outer surface. When operator pressure is applied to the face plate, the face plate pops out under spring pressure to a position where it may be gripped by the operator and pulled outwardly to unlatch the door and allow opening of the door. When the face plate is thereafter released, the face plate is returned to its flush position in the door by a damper mechanism which overcomes the face plate spring during the return movement of the door handle to return the face plate to its flush position.

Claims

1. A door handle assembly for use with a motor vehicle door having a panel, the door handle assembly being operative to latch and unlatch a door latch associated with the vehicle door and comprising:

means defining an opening in the door panel;

a face plate sized to fit in and fill the opening;

a handle base member mounted on the door structure and moveable between door latch and door unlatch positions, the face plate being mounted on the handle base member for movement between a flush position in which an outer surface of the face plate presents substantially flush with the door panel and substantially fills the opening, and a grip position in which the face plate is displaced outwardly from the door panel and defines a finger access space between the face plate and the opening;

spring operated detent means operative in response to inward pressure applied to the face plate with the face plate in the flush position to move the face plate outwardly from the flush position to the grip position, the face plate being arranged to move the handle base member from its latch position to its unlatched position in response to further outward displacement of the face plate from the door panel with the face plate in the grip position; and

means operative in response to release of the face plate following unlatching and opening of the door to return the face plate to its flush position.

2. A door handle assembly according to claim 1 wherein:

the mounting structure further mounts the face plate for inward movement relative to the door panel to a release position; and

the spring operated detent means is operative in response to inward movement of the face plate to the release position to move the face plate outwardly through the flush position to the grip position.

3. A door handle assembly according to claim 1 wherein:

the handle base member is adapted to be pivotally mounted on the door proximate the opening for movement between its latch and unlatch positions; and

the face plate is pivotally mounted on the handle base member for movement between its flush, grip, and release positions.

4. A door handle assembly according to claim 3 wherein:

the handle assembly further includes a casing adapted to be fitted into an aperture in the panel and including a rim portion defining the opening in the door panel; and

the handle base member is pivotally mounted on the casing.

5. A door handle assembly for use with a motor vehicle door having a panel defining an aperture, the door handle assembly being operative to latch and unlatch a door latch associated with the vehicle door and comprising;

a casing adapted to be fitted into the panel aperture and having a rim portion having an outer surface presenting substantially flush with the panel with the casing fitted into the aperture and defining a handle opening within the rim portion;

a face plate sized to fit in and fill the handle opening;

a handle base member mounted on door structure and moveable between door latch and door unlatch positions, the face plate being mounted on the handle base member for movement between a flush position in which an outer surface of the face plate presents substantially flush with the casing rim portion outer surface, and thereby substantially flush with the door panel, and a grip position in which the handle is displaced outwardly from the casing rim portion and defines a finger access space between the face plate and the casing rim portion;

spring operated detent means operative in response to inward pressure applied to the face plate with the face place in the flush position to move the face plate outwardly from the flush position to the grip position, the face plate being arranged to move the handle base member from its latch position to its unlatched position in response to further outward displacement of the face plate from the door panel with the face plate in the grip position; and

means operative in response to release of the face plate following unlatching and opening of the door to return the face plate to its flush position.

6. A door handle assembly according to claim 5 wherein:

the mounting structure further mounts the face plate for inward movement relative to the door panel to a release position; and

the spring operated detent means is operative in response to inward movement of the face plate to the release position to move the face plate outwardly through the flush position to the grip position.

7. A door handle assembly according to claim 5 wherein:

the handle base member is pivotally mounted on the casing for movement between its latch and unlatch position; and

the face plate is pivotally mounted on the handle base member for movement between its flush grip and release positions.

8. A door handle assembly for use with a motor vehicle door having a panel, the handle assembly being operative to latch and unlatch a door latch associated with the vehicle door and comprising:

means defining an opening in the door panel;

a handle base member adapted to be mounted on the door for movement between a latch position and an unlatch position;

a face plate sized to fit in and fill the door panel opening and mounted for movement on the handle base member, with the handle base member in its latch position, between a flush position in which an outer surface of the face plate presents substantially flush with the door panel and substantially fills the door panel opening and a grip position in which the face plate is displaced outwardly from the door panel and defines a finger access space between the face plate and the door panel opening;

spring operated detent means operative in response to inward pressure applied to the face plate with the face plate in the flush position to cause the face plate to pop outwardly from the flush position to the grip position;

means operative to move the handle base member from the latch position to the unlatch position in response to further outward displacement of the face plate from the door panel with the face plate in the grip position;

primary spring means yieldly resisting movement of the handle base member from the latch position to the unlatch position and operative to urge the handle base member from the unlatch position to the latch position; and

restoring means operative in response to return movement of the handle base member from the unlatch position to the latch position to move the face plate on the handle base member from the grip position to the flush position.

9. A door handle assembly for use with a motor vehicle door having a panel defining an aperture, the handle assembly comprising:

a casing adapted to be fitted into the panel aperture and having a rim portion having an outer surface presenting substantially flush with the panel with the casing fitted into the aperture and defining a handle opening within the rim portion;

a handle base member pivotally mounted on the casing for movement between a latch position and an unlatch position;

a face plate sized to fit in and fill the door panel opening and pivotally mounted on the handle base member for movement, with the casing fitted into the panel aperture and the handle base member in its latch position, between a flush position in which an outer surface of the face plate presents substantially flush with the door panel and substantially fills the door panel opening and a grip position in which the face plate is displaced outwardly from the door panel and defines a finger access space between the face plate and the door panel opening;

pop out means operative in response to inward pressure applied to the face plate with the face plate in the flush position to move the face plate outwardly from the flush position to the grip position;

means operative to move the handle base member from the latch position to the unlatch position in response to further outward displacement of the face plate from the door panel with the face plate in the grip position;

primary spring means yieldly resisting movement of the handle base member from the latch position to the unlatch position and operative to urge the handle base member for return movement from the unlatch position to the latch position;

secondary spring means urging the face plate toward the grip position; and

a damper assembly operative during the return movement of the handle base member to apply a resistive force to the face plate greater than and opposing the urging force of the secondary spring means whereby to move the face plate from the grip position to the flush position during the return movement of the handle base member.

10. A door handle assembly according to claim 9 wherein the damper assembly includes a damper having a damped pinion and a rack connected to the face plate and meshingly engagable with the pinion.

11. A door handle assembly according to claim 10 wherein:

the face plate is mounted on the handle base member for inward movement relative to the door panel to a further, release position;

the popout means is operative in response to inward movement of the face plate to the release position to move the face plate outwardly through the flush position to the grip position;

the damper assembly is operative during the return movement of the handle base member to move the face plate from the grip position inwardly through the flush position to a further, stop position; and

the rack is arranged to disengage from the damper pinion following movement of the face plate to the release position and return movement of the handle base member to the latch position, whereby to allow the secondary spring means to move the face plate from the stop position to the flush position and thereby restore the face plate to its flush position within the door panel opening.

12. A door handle assembly according to claim 11 wherein:

the handle assembly further includes a detent means interconnecting the handle base member and the face plate; and

the detent means is operative to

normally maintain the face plate in its flush position against the urging of the secondary spring means;

allow movement of the face plate to the release position against the urging of the secondary spring means in response to inward pressure applied to the face plate with the face plate in the flush position;

allow the face plate to move forward from the release position to the grip position under the urging of the secondary spring means upon release of the inward pressure on the face plate;

allow movement of the handle base member from the latch position to the unlatch position against the urging of the primary spring means in response to outward movement of the face plate with the face late in the grip position;

allow movement of the face plate from the grip position to the stop position in response to the resistive force of the damper assembly upon return movement of the handle base member from the unlatch position to the latch position; and

allow movement of the face plate from the stop position to the flush position under the urging of the secondary spring means upon disengagement of the rack from the damper pinion.

13. A door handle assembly according to claim 12 wherein the detent means comprises:

a link pivotally mounted at one end thereof on of said handle base member and face plate and including a follower pin on another end thereof; and

a closed loop cam groove defined on the other of said handle base member and face plate receiving said follower pin and defining stations for said pin at circumferentially spaced points around the closed loop corresponding respectively to the release, flush, grip, and stop positions of the face plate on the handle base member.

14. A door handle assembly according to claim 13 wherein:

the link is pivotally mounted on the face plate; and

the closed loop cam groove is defined on the handle base member.

15. A door handle assembly according to claim 14 wherein:

the damper is mounted on the casing;

the face plate is pivotally mounted on the handle base member; and

the rack is pivotally connected at one end thereof to the face plate and defines rack teeth proximate another end thereof for meshing coaction with the damper pinion.

16. A door handle assembly for use with a motor vehicle door having a panel, the door handle assembly being operative to latch and unlatch a door latch associated with the vehicle door and comprising:

means defining an opening in the door panel;

a face plate sized to fit in and fill the opening;

a mounting structure mounting the face plate in the door panel for movement between a flush position in which an outer surface of the face plate presents substantially flush with the door panel and substantially fills the opening, and a grip position in which the face plate is displaced outwardly from the door panel and defines a finger access space between the face plate and the opening;

means operative in response to inward pressure applied to the face plate with the face plate in the flush position to move the face plate outwardly from the flush position to the grip position;

the mounting structure further mounting the face plate for inward movement relative to the door panel to a release position;

the operative means being operative in response to inward movement of the face plate to the release position to move the face plate outwardly through the flush position to the grip position;

the mounting structure comprising a handle base member adapted to be mounted for movement on the door between a door latch position and a door unlatch position;

the face plate being mounted on the handle base member for movement between its flush, grip, and release positions;

the face plate being arranged to move the handle base member from the door latch position to the door unlatch position in response to further outward displacement of the face plate from the door panel with the face plate in the grip position;

the operative means comprising spring means interconnecting the handle base member and the face plate and urging the face plate outwardly from the handle base member toward the grip position and detent means maintaining the face plate in its flush position and operative in response to inward pressure on the face plate to release the face plate for movement to the grip position under the urging of the spring means;

the door handle assembly further including means operative in response to release of the face plate following unlatching and opening of the vehicle door to return the face plate to its flush position.

17. A door handle assembly for use with a motor vehicle door having a panel defining an aperture, the door handle assembly being operative to latch and unlatch a door latch associated with the vehicle door and comprising;

a casing adapted to be fitted into the panel aperture and having a rim portion having an outer surface presenting substantially flush with the panel with the casing fitted into the aperture and defining a handle opening within the rim portion;

a face plate sized to fit in and fill the handle opening;

a mounting structure mounting the face plate in the door panel for movement between a flush position in which an outer surface of the face plate presents substantially flush with the casing rim portion outer surface, and thereby substantially flush with the door panel, and a grip position in which the handle is displaced outwardly from the casing rim portion and defines a finger access space between the face plate and the casing rim portion;

means operative in response to inward pressure applied to the face plate with the face place in the flush position to move the face plate outwardly from the flush position to the grip position;

the mounting structure further mounting the face plate for inward movement relative to the door panel to a release position;

the operative means being operative in response to inward movement of the face plate to the release position to move the face plate outwardly through the flush position to the grip position;

the mounting structure comprising a handle base member pivotally mounted on the casing for movement between a door latch position and a door unlatched position;

the face plate being pivotally mounted on the handle base member for movement between its flush, grip, and release position;

the face plate being arranged to move the handle base member from the door latch position to the door unlatch position in response to further outward displacement of the face plate from the door panel with the face plate in the grip position;

the operative means comprising spring means interconnecting the handle base member and the face plate and urging the face plate outwardly from the handle base member toward the grip position and detent means maintaining the face plate in its flush position and operative in response to inward pressure on the face plate to release the face plate for movement to the grip position under the urging of the spring means;

the door handle assembly further including means operative in response to release of the face plate following and unlatching an opening of the door to return the face plate to its flush position.

18. A door handle assembly for use with a motor vehicle door having a panel, the handle assembly comprising:

means defining an opening in the door panel;

a handle base member adapted to be mounted on the door for movement between a latch position and an unlatch position;

a face plate sized to fit in and fill the door panel opening and mounted for movement on the handle base member, with the handle base member in its latch position, between a flush position in which an outer surface of the face plate presents substantially flush with the door panel and substantially fills the door panel opening and a grip position in which the face plate is displaced outwardly from the door panel and defines a finger access space between the face plate and the door panel opening;

popout means operative in response to inward pressure applied to the face plate with the face plate in the flush position to move the face plate outwardly from the flush position to the grip position;

means operative to move the handle base member from the latch position to the unlatch position in response to further outward displacement of the face plate from the door panel with the face plate in the grip position;

primary spring means yieldly resisting movement of the handle base member from the latch position to the unlatch position and operative to urge the handle base member from the unlatch position to the latch position;

restoring means operative in response to return movement of the handle base member from the unlatch position to the latch position to move the face plate on the handle base member from the grip position to the flush position;

the handle assembly further including secondary spring means urging the face plate toward the grip position; and

the restoring means including a damper assembly operative during the return movement of the handle base member to apply a resistive force to the face plate greater than and opposing the urging force of the secondary spring means whereby to move the face plate from the grip position to the flush position during the return movement of the handle base member.

19. A door handle assembly for use with a motor vehicle door having a panel, the handle assembly comprising:

means defining an opening in the door panel;

a handle base member adapted to be mounted on the door for movement between a latch position and an unlatch position;

a face plate sized to fit in and fill the door panel opening and mounted for movement on the handle base member, with the handle base member in its latch position, between a flush position in which an outer surface of the face plate presents substantially flush with the door panel and substantially fills the door panel opening and a grip position in which the face plate is displaced outwardly from the door panel and defines a finger access space between the face plate and the door panel opening;

popout means operative in response to inward pressure applied to the face plate with the face plate in the flush position to move the face plate outwardly from the flush position to the grip position;

means operative to move the handle base member from the latch position to the unlatch position in response to further outward displacement of the face plate from the door panel with the face plate in the grip position;

primary spring means yieldly resisting movement of the handle base member from the latch position to the unlatch position and operative to urge the handle base member from the unlatch position to the latch position;

restoring means operative in response to return movement of the handle base member from the unlatch position to the latch position to move the face plate on the handle base member from the grip position to the flush position;

the handle assembly further including secondary spring means urging the face plate toward the grip position; and

the restoring means including a damper assembly operative during the return movement of the handle base member to apply a resistive force to the face plate greater than and opposing the urging force of the secondary spring means whereby to move the face plate from the grip position to the flush position during the return movement of the handle base member;

the damper assembly including a damper having a damper pinion and a rack connected to the face plate and meshing the engageable with the pinion.

20. A door handle assembly according to claim 19 wherein:

the face plate is mounted on the handle base member for inward movement relative to the door panel to a further, release position;

the popout means is operative in response to inward movement of the face plate to the release position to move the face plate outwardly through the flush position to the grip position;

the damper assembly is operative during the return movement of the handle base member to move the face plate from the grip position and inwardly through the flush position to a further, stop position; and

the rack is arranged to disengage from the damper pinion following movement of the face plate to the stop position and return movement of the handle base member to the latch position, whereby to allow the secondary spring means to move the face plate from the stop position to the flush position and thereby restore the face plate to its flush position within the door panel opening.

21. A door handle assembly according to claim 20 wherein:

the handle assembly further includes detent means interconnecting the handle base member and the face plate; and

the detent means is operative to

normally maintain the face plate in its flush position against the urging of the secondary spring means;

allow movement of the face plate to the release position against the urging of the secondary spring means in response to inward pressure applied to the face plate with the face plate in the flush position;

allow the face plate to move from the release position to the grip position under the urging of the secondary spring means upon release of the inward pressure on the face plate;

allow movement of the handle base member from the latch position to the unlatch position against the urging of the primary spring means in response to outward movement of the face plate with the face plate in the grip position;

allow movement of the face plate from the grip position to the stop position in response to the resistive force of the damper assembly upon return movement of the handle base member from the unlatch position to the latch position; and

allow movement of the face plate from the stop position to the flush position under the urging of the secondary spring means upon disengagement of the rack from the damper pinion.

22. A door handle assembly according to claim 21 wherein the detent means comprises:

a link pivotally mounted at one end thereof on one of said handle base member and face plate and including a follower pin on another end thereof; and

a closed loop cam groove defined on the other of said handle base member and face plate receiving said follower pin and defining stations for said pin at circumferentially spaced points around the detent loop corresponding respectively to the release, flush and grip positions of the face plate on the handle base member.

23. A door handle assembly according to claim 22 wherein:

the link is pivotally mounted on the face plate; and

the closed loop cam groove is defined on the handle base member.

24. A door handle assembly according to claim 19 wherein:

the handle assembly further includes a casing adapted to be fitted into an aperture in the door panel and including a rim portion defining the opening in the door panel; and

the handle base member is pivotally mounted on the casing.

25. A door handle assembly according to claim 24 wherein:

the damper is mounted on the casing;

the face plate is pivotally mounted on the handle base member; and

the rack is pivotally connected at one end thereof to the face plate and defines rack teeth proximate another end thereof for meshing coaction with the damper pinion.