Patent ID: 9650817
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: E05B,Y10T

Claim:
1. A handle assembly for a door of a motor vehicle, the handle assembly comprising: a bell crank configured to be rotatably mounted to a vehicle door; a main handle portion having a graspable portion including inward and outward sides and forward and rearward portions, and a central portion extending between the forward and rearward portions, wherein the main handle portion is configured to be movably mounted to the vehicle door for outward movement of the main handle portion between a rest position and an actuated position, and wherein at least the central portion is configured and shaped to be grasped by a user; an elongated portion fixed to the main handle portion and extending transversely inwardly relative to the graspable portion to define a plunger having an outer portion that is configured to move outward with the outward movement of the main handle portion so as to move away from an outer surface of the vehicle door, wherein the plunger engages and rotates the bell crank as the main handle portion is moved outwardly to thereby release a door latch upon movement of the handle from the rest position to the actuated position; and wherein: the plunger has a base portion adjacent the rearward portion of the main handle portion, and an end portion extending from the base portion and defining an end, the base portion including at least one crumple zone defining a first bending strength, the end portion defining a second bending strength that is significantly greater than the first bending strength, whereby when the main handle portion is in the rest position, a load acting on the end to bend the plunger causes the plunger to deform and absorb energy at the at least one crumple zone.