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Deployable door handle for vehicles

  • US 8,701,353 B2
  • Filed: 09/14/2012
  • Issued: 04/22/2014
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A vehicle door including a deployable handle system, the door comprising:

  • a door adapted to be movably mounted to a vehicle for movement between open and closed positions, wherein the door includes a handle support structure and an exterior side surface, the door having an opening and an edge extending around the opening;

    a latch mechanism selectively retaining the door in a closed position;

    a handle member movably connected to the handle support structure for movement in a first direction from a retracted position wherein an outer surface of the handle member is substantially flush with the exterior side surface of the door to a deployed position, and for movement in a second direction from the deployed position to the retracted position, and wherein the handle member has an outer edge that fits closely adjacent the edge of the opening when the handle member is in the retracted position, and wherein at least a portion of the handle member is spaced-apart from the edge of the opening to define an access space when the handle member is in the deployed position such that a users'"'"' fingers can be inserted in the access space whereby a user is able to pull on the handle member to release the latch mechanism to open the door; and

    an electrically powered actuator operably connected to the handle and providing powered movement of the handle in at least one of the first and second directions to form or close off the access space.

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