Door handle assembly with detented closed position

[0002] This invention relates to handle assemblies and more particularly to handle assemblies for controlling the latch mechanisms on vehicular doors.

[0003] Vehicular doors typically include a latch mechanism for latching and unlatching the door to the vehicle body, a handle assembly positioned on the door and operative to control the latch mechanism, and a lock mechanism to selectively render the handle assembly effective or ineffective to operate the latch. It is imperative that side impact against the vehicle, resulting for example from a collision, not result in the inadvertent movement of the handle assembly to a latch release position with consequent movement of the latch to an unlatched position and consequent inadvertent opening of the door. This in general is not a problem when the door is locked since in this case the door handle is either precluded from movement by the lock mechanism or the door handle is allowed to freewheel to its unlatched position but this movement is ineffective to move the latch to its unlatched position. However, when the door is unlocked, as is most typically the case in an operating vehicle, side impact can easily result in inertial movement of the door handle to its unlatched position with consequent unlatching of the latch mechanism, consequent opening of the door, and consequent discharge of unbuckled vehicle passengers from the vehicle.

[0004] Various attempts have heretofore been made to address the side impact problem and specifically to avoid inadvertent opening of the vehicle door in a side impact situation. In the most commonly employed arrangement, a heavy duty spring is employed in association with the door handle. This spring may be sized, for example, to preclude movement of the door handle to its open position in crash situations involving up to 30 Gs of impact force. Whereas this arrangement satisfies the existing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards with respect to side impact, it also results in a door handle that is very difficult to open because of the heavy duty spring employed in association with the door handle. This arrangement has the further disadvantage that the magnitude of the side impact force that the door handle assembly can withstand without inadvertent opening of the door is limited by the strength of the spring associated with the door handle so that, for example, if the door handle spring is sized to resist a 30 G impact force, any side impact force in excess of 30 G will result in opening of the door.

[0005] Other attempts to address the side impact problem have involved door handle assembly designs that, while effective to satisfy the side impact standards, have been unduly complicated and/or expensive and/or maintenance prone.

[0006] This invention is directed to an improved door handle assembly for use with a vehicular door.

[0007] More specifically, this invention is directed to a vehicle door handle assembly that operates to preclude inadvertent opening of the door in the event of a side impact against the vehicle.

[0008] Yet more specifically, this invention is directed to a vehicle door handle assembly that is simple and inexpensive in design and operation and yet effectively operates to preclude inadvertent opening of the door in a side impact scenario.

[0009] The motor vehicle door handle assembly of the invention includes a housing adapted to be mounted on the vehicle door, a handle mounted on the housing for movement between an open position and a closed position, and a latch actuator mounted on the housing, operated by the handle, and operative to unlatch the vehicle door in response to opening movement of the handle.

[0010] According to the invention, the handle and housing define coacting detent means operative in response to closing movement of the handle to catch the handle on the housing in the closed position of the handle. This simple detent arrangement resists inadvertent opening movement of the handle in a side impact scenario while allowing forceful opening movement of the handle by an operator.

[0011] According to a further feature of the invention, the detent means comprises a resilient finger on the housing coacting with a detent structure on the handle. The use of a resilient finger on the housing further simplifies the construction and operation of the door handle assembly.

[0012] According to a further feature of the invention, the handle includes a main body handle portion mounted for pivotal movement on the housing about one end of the handle main body portion; the handle further includes an arm portion extending inwardly from another end of the handle main body portion for coaction with the actuator; and the detent structure is provided on the handle arm portion. Provision of the detent structure on the handle arm portion facilitates coacting engagement with the resilient finger on the housing.

[0013] According to a further feature of the invention, the actuator comprises a bell crank pivotally mounted on the housing; one arm of the bell crank is operatively associated with the handle arm portion; and the other arm of the bell crank is operatively associated with the door latch. This arrangement provides a simple and efficient means of converting handle opening movement to unlatching of the door while maintaining a detenting action in the closed position of the handle assembly.

[0014] According to a further feature of the invention, the resilient finger is cantilevered on the housing in a position where it is biased resiliently outwardly by the detent structure on the handle in response to closing movement of the handle and springs back to a detent position in which the free end of the finger engages a detent surface on the detent structure as the handle reaches its closed position. This simple cantilevered resilient finger arrangement further simplifies the detent construction and operation.

[0015] According to a further feature of the invention, with the handle in its closed detented position, the detent surface is oblique with respect to the primary axis of the finger so that the detent surface may cammingly and resiliently move the finger outwardly to allow forceful opening movement of the handle by an operator.

[0016] According to a further feature of the invention, the arm portion of the handle has a hook configuration proximate the free end of the arm portion hookingly engaging one arm of the bell crank lever. This construction further facilitates the smooth and effective operation of the door handle assembly.

[0017] According to a further feature of the invention, the hook configuration is provided proximate the free end of the arm portion on one side of the arm portion and the detent structure is provided proximate the free end of the arm portion on another side of the arm portion. This specific arm portion construction further facilitates the smooth and effective operation of the door handle assembly including the detenting action of the handle assembly as the handle assumes its closed position.

[0018] According to a further feature of the invention, the housing includes a forward end portion pivotally mounting the forward end of the handle main body portion and a rearward end portion; the rearward end portion of the housing is configured to define a tubular structure defining a passage sized to receive the handle arm portion; and one wall area of the tubular structure is configured to define the resilient finger. This specific housing construction facilitates the detenting interaction between the handle arm portion and the housing.

[0019] Other objects, advantages and applications of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description of the best mode contemplated for practicing the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0020] The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

[0021] FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a motor vehicle including a door embodying the door handle assembly of the invention;

[0022] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the invention door handle assembly;

[0023] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the invention door handle assembly;

[0024] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a housing employed in the invention door handle assembly; and

[0025] FIGS. 5 and 6 are fragmentary somewhat schematic views illustrating the detenting operation of the invention door handle assembly.

[0026] The invention door handle assembly 10 is seen in FIG. 1 in association with a fragmentarily shown motor vehicle 12 including a windshield 14, a front quarter panel 16, a hood 18, an A-pillar 20, a sill 22, a B-pillar 24, and a door 26 positioned in the door opening defined by the A-pillar 20, front quarter panel 16, sill 22, and B-pillar 24.

[0027] Door handle assembly 10 (FIGS. 2 and 3) includes a housing or escutcheon 28, a handle 30, and an actuator 32.

[0028] Housing 28 (FIGS. 2, 3, and 4) may be formed, for example, of a suitable plastic material in a suitable molding operation and includes an elongated main body portion 28a, a front pivot end portion 28b, a rear lock cylinder end portion 28c, and a tubular structure 28dproximate rear end portion 28c.

[0029] Tubular structure 28dhas a rectangular cross-sectional configuration and includes a solid front wall 28e, a solid side wall 28f, a stepped side wall 28g, and a detent side wall 28h.

[0030] Detent side wall 28his configured to define a central resilient cantilevered detent finger 28idefined by spaced slots 28jin detent wall 28hand having a free end 28k. Spaced parallel ear portions 28lare further provided as lateral extensions of walls 28eand 28h. Walls 28e, f, g, and h coact to define a central rectangular passage 34 extending through the tubular structure 28dand opening at 34ain the outer face of the housing.

[0031] Handle 30 (FIGS. 2, 3, 5, and 6) may be formed, for example, of a suitable plastic material in a suitable molding operation and includes an elongated main body portion 30a, a pivot structure 30bproximate the front end 30cof the main body portion, and an arm portion 30dextending inwardly of the main body portion 30aproximate the front end 30eof the main body portion.

[0032] Arm portion 30dhas a cross-sectional configuration sized to be received in passage 34 and includes a detent structure 30eproximate the free inner end 30fof the arm portion and an actuator drive structure formed by a cut out 30gproximate the free inner end 30fof the arm portion defining a hook configuration 30h.

[0033] Detent structure 30ewill be seen to be provided on one side of arm portion 30dproximate the free end 30fof the arm portion and cut out 30g/hook configuration 30hwill be seen to be provided on an opposite side of arm 30dproximate the free end 30fof the arm portion. Detent structure 30eis defined by a leading cam surface 30i, a trailing cam surface 30j, and a dwell surface 30kinterconnecting cam surfaces 30iand 30j. Detent structure 30ehas a width that is less than the distance between the respective outboard edges 28mof spaced slots 28jso that the detent structure may interact freely with finger 28i.

[0034] Actuator 32 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is in the form of a bell crank lever and includes a central fulcrum portion 32a, an actuator arm portion 32b, and a latch arm portion 32c.

[0035] In the assembled relation of the handle assembly, handle pivot structure 30bis pivotally mounted in the front pivot end 28bof the housing by a pivot pin 36; handle arm portion 30dis received in passage 34 and extends generally parallel to finger 28i; bell crank actuator 32 is pivotally mounted between ears 28kby a pivot pin 38 with actuator arm 32bpositioned in cut out 30gfor coaction with hook configuration 30h, latch arm 32cpivotally receiving a link 40 connected in known manner to the latch mechanism of the vehicle door, and bell crank fulcrum portion 32areceived in a notch 28ndefined by stepped tubular structure wall 28g; and a coil spring 42 encircles the shaft of pivot pin 38 and acts in known manner to resiliently resist pivotal door unlatching movement of the bell crank 32 and thereby opening movement of handle 30.

[0036] The assembled door handle assembly is positioned (FIG. 5) in an aperture or opening 26bin the outer skin 26aof the door 26 utilizing suitable fastener means (not shown).

[0037] The operation of the door handle assembly is best seen in FIG. 5 wherein the closed position of the handle is seen in solid lines, the open position of the handle is seen in dash lines, and an intermediate closing position of the handle is seen in chain lines. As the handle moves from the open position to the closed position under the urging of spring 42, arm portion 30dmoves downwardly within passage 34 and leading cam edge 30iengages resilient finger 28iand, with continued downward movement of the arm portion, biases the resilient finger outwardly to the dash line position seen in FIG. 5 whereafter, with continued downward movement of the arm portion, the dwell portion 38eof the cam structure moves along the inner surface of the resilient finger whereafter, with further downward movement of the arm portion, the dwell surface 30emoves clear of resilient finger 28iand the finger springs back to a detent position in which the free end 28jof the finger is positioned in confronting engagement with the trailing cam surface 30jof the detent structure. In this position, the resilient finger acts to catch the handle to resist inadvertent opening movement of the handle in a side impact scenario while allowing forceful opening movement of the handle by an operator. Specifically, since surface 30jis oblique with respect to the central axis of finger 28i, forceful opening movement of the handle is allowed by the camming engagement of trailing cam surface 30jwith the free end 28jof the resilient finger with the cam surface 30jcamming the resilient finger outwardly to allow the handle to move upwardly to its open position. As the handle moves upwardly to its open position, the dwell surface 30erides along the inner face of the resilient finger whereafter, with continued upward movement of the handle, the spring finger is allowed to return to its solid line position awaiting the subsequent closing movement of the handle.

[0038] The invention will be seen to provide a vehicle door handle assembly that is simple and inexpensive in design and which yet effectively precludes inadvertent opening movement of the handle in a side impact scenario.

[0039] While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is permitted under the law.