Release handle for vehicle closure lid latch

• US 8,317,237 B1
• Filed: 08/26/2011
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Fannon, Joseph P., Quinlan, John K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beach, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cumar, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US13/219,043
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 248/27.1, 248/27.3, 292/336.3, 292/336.5, 292/DIG.30, 292/DIG.42, 292/DIG.27
• US Class Current: 292/336.3
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 79/20 using flexible connections, e.g. Bowden cables
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/16 Locks for luggage compartments, car boot lids or car bonnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/26 Emergency opening means for persons trapped in the luggage compartment
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/10 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/57 Operators with knobs or handles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/59 Rollback and spindle connection

Abstract

A handle assembly is mounted on a vehicle body and includes a handle pulled by a user to pull a cable and release a remotely located latch, such as a luggage compartment lid latch, engine compartment lid latch, or fuel filler door lid latch. The handle assembly includes a bezel having a guide channel structure for slidably mounting the handle and defining a path for straight-line pulling of the cable. The guide channel structure is formed in part by a flexible wall, such as a flexible finger on the bezel that yieldably bears upon the handle, so that if the user pulls the handle at an angle to the straight-line pull axis of the cable, the flexible finger flexes to permit the handle to pivotally shift within the bezel to the angle established by the user, and without kinking the cable.

Claims

1. A handle assembly for pulling a cable to unlatch a closure panel latch in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a handle for gripping by the user;

a cable connected to the handle and extending to the latch so that gripping and pulling the handle in a straight-line pulls the cable in said a straight-line to unlatch the latch;

a bezel for mounting on a mounting panel of the motor vehicle, said bezel having a guide channel structure formed therein for slidably mounting the handle for straight-line pulling within the channel structure and defining a path for straight-line pulling of the cable, said guide channel structure being formed in part by a flexible finger on the bezel yieldably bearing upon the handle so that if the user pulls the handle at an angle to the straight-line pull of the handle and of the cable, the flexible finger flexes to permit the handle to pivotally shift within the bezel to the angle established by the user, whereby the handle is both pullable in a straight-line and pivotable at an angle to the straight-line pull within the bezel.

2. The handle assembly of claim 1 further comprising the bezel having an integrally formed fastener thereon which seats within a mounting hole provided on the mounting panel to mount the bezel upon the mounting panel.

3. The handle assembly of claim 1 further comprising a sheath surrounding the cable and the sheath having an end mounted on the bezel with an end of the cable projecting into the guide channel structure of the bezel and connected to the handle.

4. The handle assembly of claim 3 further comprising the cable having a retainer formed on an end of the cable and the handle having a pair of retainer tabs capturing the retainer therebetween.

5. The handle assembly of claim 1 further comprising the bezel having a collar wall that extends through a slot in a trim panel that conceals the cable.

6. The handle assembly of claim 1 further comprising the handle being of a chosen color and having a window therein in the shape of an indicia that indicates the operation of the panel to the user, and an insert installed on the handle and visible through the window said insert being of a color that contrasts with the chosen color of the handle.

7. The handle assembly of claim 1 further comprising the bezel having guide tabs that bear upon abutments carried by the handle, the tabs engaging the abutments to establish a normal position of the handle until the pulling of the handle withdraws the abutments away from the guide tabs permitting the pivoting and sliding movement of the handle relative to the bezel.

8. The handle assembly of claim 1 further comprising the bezel having an integrally formed fastener thereon which seats within a mounting hole provided on the mounting panel to mount the bezel upon the mounting panel, and the bezel having a collar wall that extends through a slot in a trim panel that conceals the cable.

9. The handle assembly of claim 1 further comprising the cable having a retainer formed on an end of the cable and the handle having retainer tabs capturing the retainer, and the bezel having at least one guide tab that bears upon at least one abutment carried by the handle, the at least one guide tab engaging the at least one abutment to establish a normal position of the handle until the pulling of the handle withdraws the at least one abutment away from the at least one tab, permitting the pivoting movement of the handle relative the base.

10. The handle assembly of claim 9 further comprising the handle being of the chosen color and having a window therein in the shape of an indicia that indicates the operation of the handle to the user, and an insert installed on the handle and visible through the window, said insert being of a color that contrasts with the chosen color of the handle.

11. A handle assembly for pulling a cable to unlatch a closure panel latch in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a handle for gripping by the user;

a cable connected to the handle and extending to the latch so that gripping and pulling the handle in a straight-line pulls the cable in said straight-line to unlatch the latch;

a bezel, said bezel having an integral fastener for mounting the bezel on a mounting panel of a motor vehicle, said bezel having a collar that extends through a cutout in a trim panel, said bezel having a guide channel structure formed therein for slidably mounting the handle for straight-line pulling within the channel structure and defining a path for straight-line pulling of the cable, said guide channel structure including a flexible finger yieldably bearing upon the handle, said flexible finger flexing if the user pulls the handle at an angle to a straight-line pull of the handle, to permit the handle to pivotally shift within the bezel to the angle established by the user and maintain the straight-line pulling of the cable.

12. The handle assembly of claim 11 further comprising the handle having indicia thereon indicating to the user the type of latch which will be operated by pulling the handle.

13. The handle assembly of claim 11 further comprising the handle being of a chosen color and having a window therein in the shape of an indicia that indicates the operation of the panel to the user, and an insert installed on the handle and visible through the window said insert being of a color that contrasts with the chosen color of the handle.

14. The handle assembly of claim 13 further comprising the insert being an insert panel mounted on the handle by a snap finger formed on the handle and engaging the insert panel.

15. The handle assembly of claim 11 further comprising the bezel having guide tabs that bear upon abutments carried by the handle, the guide tabs engaging the abutments to establish a normal position of the handle until the pulling of the handle withdraws the abutments away from the tabs, permitting the pivoting movement of the handle relative to the base.

16. The handle assembly of claim 11 further comprising the integral fastener for mounting the bezel on a mounting panel of a motor vehicle including a stem that projects through a mounting hole provided in the mounting panel and a pair of retaining fingers that flex and engage with a back side of the mounting panel.

17. The handle assembly of claim 16 further comprising the integral fastener for mounting the bezel on the mounting panel including a pair of biasing fingers that flex and engage with a front side of the mounting panel to assist the retaining fingers in mounting the bezel on the mounting panel.

18. A handle assembly for pulling a cable to unlatch a closure panel latch in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a handle for gripping by the user;

a cable connected to the handle and extending to the latch so that gripping and pulling the handle pulls the cable to unlatch the latch;

a bezel, said bezel having an integral fastener for mounting the bezel on a mounting panel of a motor vehicle, said bezel having a collar that extends through a cutout in a trim panel, said bezel having a guide channel structure formed therein for slidably mounting the handle for straight-line pulling within the channel structure and defining a path for straight-line pulling of the cable, the bezel having guide tabs that bear upon abutments carried by the handle, the guide tabs engaging the abutments to establish a normal position of the handle until the pulling of the handle withdraws the abutments away from the tabs permitting the pivoting movement of the handle relative the bezel, and said guide channel structure including a flexible finger yieldably bearing upon the handle,

said flexible finger flexing if the user pulls the handle at an angle to a straight-line pull of the cable to permit the handle to pivotally shift within the bezel to the angle established by the user and maintain the pull of the cable at the straight-line path.

19. The handle assembly of claim 18 further comprising the handle being of a chosen color and having a window therein in the shape of an indicia that indicates the operation of the panel to the user, and an insert installed on the handle and visible through the window, said insert being of a color that contrasts with the chosen color of the handle.