Patent ID: 8042845
Filing Date: 2011-10-25
Classification: E05B,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A vehicle door handle attached to an outer panel of a vehicle door and operated to open and close the vehicle door comprising: a handle main body possessing opposite ends spaced apart in a lengthwise direction; a handle cover assembled to the handle main body by a first assembly portion and a second assembly portion, the handle cover possessing opposite ends spaced apart in the lengthwise direction; the first assembly portion used for tightening the handle cover to the handle main body; the second assembly portion used for engaging the handle cover with the handle main body, both assembly portions mounted above the outer surface of the outer panel; the second assembly portion including: a first engagement portion provided at one of the handle main body and the handle cover and having: a recessed portion opening in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle door handle; and a protruding portion protruding in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle door handle and positioned adjacent the recessed portion in the lengthwise direction; and a second engagement portion provided at the other of the handle main body and the handle cover and having a hook portion hooking over the first engagement portion, wherein, the handle cover is assembled to the handle main body by rotating at least either one of the handle cover and the handle main body about an axis perpendicular to the lengthwise direction, while the second engagement portion hooks over the first engagement portion, in a manner where a top end of the hook portion of the second engagement portion is positioned within the recessed portion of the first engagement portion; the handle main body comprising a bottom plate extending between opposite end portions of the handle main body, a main body first side wall upstanding from the bottom plate and extending between the opposite end portions of the handle main body, and a main body second side wall upstanding from the bottom plate and extending between the opposite end portions of the handle main body, the main body first and second side walls each possessing an outer surface; the cover comprising a top plate, a cover first side wall extending from the top plate and possessing an inner surface, and a cover second side wall extending from the top plate and possessing an inner surface; and the cover being assembled to the handle main body so that the top plate faces the bottom plate and is positioned in covering relation to the bottom plate, the inner surface of the cover first side wall faces the outer surface of the main body first side wall so that the cover first side wall covers the main body first side wall, and the inner surface of the cover second side wall faces the outer surface of the main body second side wall so that the cover second side wall covers the main body second side wall; wherein the first engagement portion includes: a first contact surface formed on the protruding portion; a second contact surface formed so as to be orthogonal to the first contact surface; and a third contact surface formed so as to be orthogonal to the first contact surface and provided at an opposite side of the second contact surface relative to the recessed portion, and the second engagement portion includes a first opposite surface, a second opposite surface; and a third opposite surface, and while the second engagement portion is engaged with the first engagement portion, the first contact surface contacts the first opposite surface, the second contact surface contacts the second opposite surface, and the third contact surface contacts the third opposite surface, so that, while the handle cover is assembled to the handle main body, a position of the handle cover relative to the handle main body is regulated.