Patent ID: 6052948
Filing Date: 2000-04-25
Classification: E05B

Abstract:
A method of mounting a motor vehicle door handle assembly on a skin of a door assembly of a motor vehicle, the skin having a thickness, the handle assembly including a handle member and a base plate defining a planar surface, the method comprising the steps of:providing a plurality of individual, spaced apertures in the skin including a first lug aperture, a separate second lug aperture, and a third separate clip aperture;providing first and second lugs on the base plate each sized to pass through a respective first and second lug aperture and each defining a web portion extending outwardly from the planar surface and a flange portion rigid with the web portion and spaced outwardly from the planar surface by at least the thickness of the skin;providing a spring clip device on the base plate biased outwardly from the planar surface and including a latching free edge for latching coaction with a latching edge of the third clip aperture, the spacing and orientation of the lug and clip apertures relative to the spacing and orientation of the lugs and the spring clip being such that with each lug positioned in alignment with a respective lug aperture the spring clip is offset with respect to the clip aperture;placing the door handle assembly on the skin with the planar surface of the base plate juxtaposed to an outer surface of the skin, the lugs passing through respective lug apertures, and the spring clip biased against a portion of the skin outer surface adjacent the third clip aperture; andmoving the door handle assembly relative to the skin in a direction to move the web portion of each lug into engagement with an edge portion of a respective lug aperture, move the flange portion of each web beneath an inner surface of the skin proximate the respective lug aperture, and snap the free edge of the spring clip into latching engagement with the latching edge of the clip aperture.