Patent ID: 9624698
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: E05B,Y10S,Y10T

Claim:
1. A flush mounted, vehicle door handle for replacing an existing door handle of a vehicle, comprising: a handle having a first elongate portion configured for grasping and lifting, a second portion configured for depressing, a front side and a back side; a housing defining a recess having a contour similar to an outer contour of the handle, the handle being at least partially received within the recess of the housing when the handle is positioned in a first, resting position, the recess defining an opening through the housing proximate the back side of the second portion of the housing; a pivot assembly coupled to the housing proximately between the first portion and the second portion of the handle and coupled to a back side of the handle with the first elongate portion of the handle on one side of a fulcrum of the pivot assembly and the second portion of the handle on the other side of the fulcrum; a first wall portion coupled to the housing extending beneath at least a portion of the first portion of the handle with a top surface of the handle substantially flush with a top surface of the housing when the handle is in a first, resting position; a second wall portion laterally extending relative to a perimeter of the back side of the second portion of the handle, the second wall extending over at least a back portion of the recess proximate the second portion of the handle; and a latch release mechanism coupled to the second portion of the handle configured to engage and actuate a door latch mechanism of a vehicle door when the handle is pivoted about the pivoting assembly when the first portion is at least partially lifted out of the housing and the second portion at least partially retreats into the housing.