Grab handle and bezel assembly

• US 7,191,493 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grupo Antolin-Irausa, S.A.
• Original Assignee: Intier Automotive, Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brow, Steve Walter, Davis, Erik Richard, Vanderpool, Vaughn Darius
• Primary Examiner(s): Sandy; Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JACKSON, ANDRE L
• Application Number:
  US10/954,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20060026799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 164/12, 164/15, 164/13, 164/25, D83/13, 292/336.3, 292/347, 292/348, 292/DIG.31, 292/DIG.63, 292/DIG.53, 296/146.7, 296/1.02, 312/348.6, 312/244
• US Class Current: 16/412
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/026 characterised by the fixing means B60N3/023 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0243 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0281 made of a plurality of visible parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0293 Connection or positioning of adjacent panels

Abstract

A grab handle and bezel assembly includes a bezel and a grab handle capable of being received within the bezel. The grab handle is generally non-circular in cross section for properly locating the grab handle within the bezel and for preventing rotation of the grab handle. For example, the grab handle can be D-shaped in cross section having an arcuate surface portion defining a Class “A” surface that is visible to an occupant, and a flat surface portion defining a Class “B” surface that is not visible to the occupant. In this manner, an amount of Class “A” surface treatment of the grab handle can be minimized, thereby reducing the cost of the grab handle and bezel assembly. The grab handle and bezel assembly can securely mounted to a trim component, such as a door bolster, by disposing opposite ends of the grab handle between opposing walls of the bezel and passing a fastener through the door bolster, the bezel and the grab handle.

Claims

1. A grab handle assembly, comprising:

a bezel having first and second opposing side walls, each of said first and second opposing side walls defining an aperture;

a grab handle having first and second ends and a longitudinal shaft extending therebetween, said grab handle defining a fastener receiving cavity located at each of said opposite ends of said grab handle, said first and second ends of said grab handle positioned adjacent to said first and second opposing side walls of said bezel, said fastener receiving cavity located at each of said first and second ends of said grab handle positioned adjacent to said apertures of said first and second opposing side walls; and

fastening means extending through each of the apertures of said first and second opposing side walls of said bezel and said fastener receiving cavity located at each of said first and second ends of said grab handle, said fastening means fixedly mounting said first side wall of said bezel to said first end of said grab handle and said second side wall of said bezel to said second end of said bezel,

wherein said first side wall includes a first recessed area defining said aperture therewithin, and wherein said second side wall includes a second recessed area defining said aperture therewithin and wherein at least a portion of said first end of said grab handle is positioned within said first recessed area such that said aperture of said first recessed area is positioned adjacent said fastener receiving cavity located at said first end of said grab handle, and at least a portion of said second end of said grab handle is positioned within said second recessed area such that said aperture of said second recessed area is positioned adjacent said fastener receiving, cavity located at said second end of said grab handle.

2. A grab handle assembly according to claim 1, wherein said fastener receiving cavity is a single cavity extending across the longitudinal shaft and between said first and second ends of said grab handle.

3. A grab handle assembly according to claim 1, wherein said fastener receiving cavity is threaded.

4. A grab handle assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means includes a first fastener and a second fastener, said first fastener extending through said aperture of said first side wall and said fastening receiving cavity located at said first end of said grab handle fixedly mounting said first side wall of said bezel to said first end of said grab handle, said second fastener extending through said aperture of said second side wall and said fastening receiving cavity within said second end of said grab handle fixedly mounting said second side wall of said bezel to said second end of said grab handle.

5. A grab handle assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of said apertures have a central axis, and wherein each of said fastener receiving cavity located at each of said ends of said grab handle have a central axis that lies in the sane axis as said central axis of said apertures.

6. A grab handle assembly according to claim 1, wherein said grab handle includes spokes extending from an interior surface of said grab handle toward a hub that defines said fastener receiving cavity located at each of said opposite ends of said grab handle.

7. A grab handle assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first and second ends of said grab handle have keyed cross-sectional shapes, and further wherein said first and second recessed areas of said first and second side walls have cross-sectional shapes that correspond to said keyed cross-sectional shapes of said grab handle whereby the keyed interrelationship between the first and second ends of the grab handle and the first and second recesses generally prevent rotation of the grab handle.

8. A grab handle assembly according to claim 7, wherein the grab handle includes a first surface portion and a second surface portion, wherein the first surface portion generally faces toward the bezel and the second surface portion of the grab handle generally faces away from the bezel.

9. A grab handle assembly according to claim 7, wherein said cross-section shapes have a semi-circular portion end a flat portion, and further wherein said semi-circular portion has a finished surface and wherein said flat portion has a surface selected from the group consisting of an unfinished surface, or a semi-finished surface.