Patent ID: 6598913
Filing Date: 2003-07-29
Classification: E05B,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A door handle assembly for use with a motor vehicle door having a panel, the door handle assembly being operative to latch and unlatch a door latch associated with the vehicle door and comprising:means defining an opening in the door panel; a face plate sized to fit in and fill the opening; a handle base member mounted on the door structure and moveable between door latch and door unlatch positions, the face plate being mounted on the handle base member for movement between a flush position in which an outer surface of the face plate presents substantially flush with the door panel and substantially fills the opening, and a grip position in which the face plate is displaced outwardly from the door panel and defines a finger access space between the face plate and the opening; spring operated detent means operative in response to inward pressure applied to the face plate with the face plate in the flush position to move the face plate outwardly from the flush position to the grip position, the face plate being arranged to move the handle base member from its latch position to its unlatched position in response to further outward displacement of the face plate from the door panel with the face plate in the grip position; and means operative in response to release of the face plate following unlatching and opening of the door to return the face plate to its flush position.