Outside vehicle door handle

A handle assembly includes a pull handle that defines a pivot socket. A pivot bracket is rigidly mountable to a vehicle door outer panel and includes a pivot at least partially positioned within the pivot socket such that the pull handle is pivotable between a first position and a second position. The pivot is outside a vehicle door cavity, thereby eliminating the chassis preassembled inside the door cavity and eliminating gooseneck pivot attachments found in prior art pull-bar type handle assemblies.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a pull-bar type outside vehicle door handle defining a pivot socket in the external portion of the handle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Prior art vehicle door handles include pull-bar type handle assemblies that include a chassis preassembled inside a door cavity. The chassis adds weight to a vehicle and its preassembly inside the door cavity may be cumbersome and time consuming. The prior art also includes pull-bar type outside handle assemblies that do not include a chassis preassembled inside the door cavity. However, these prior art handle assemblies include a gooseneck hinge connecting the pull handle to a pivot inside the door cavity. The gooseneck hinge prevents the outside handle latch rod from being subassembled to the handle prior to attachment to the door, and may cause packaging, loading, and assembly complications with key cylinders.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An outside handle assembly for a vehicle door is provided. The handle assembly includes a pull handle defining a pivot socket, and a pivot bracket rigidly mountable with respect to the door outer panel. A pivot portion of the pivot bracket is located within the pivot socket and thereby functions as a pivot about which the pull handle is pivotable between a first position and a second position.

The door handle assembly improves upon the prior art by moving the pivot from inside the door cavity to outside the door cavity and inside the handle, thereby eliminating the chassis preassembled inside the door cavity and gooseneck hinges. The handle assembly eliminates structural deformation of the outer panel that may occur with gooseneck hinges and allows the latch rod to be subassembled to the handle assembly prior to installation in the door. The pivot bracket is designed to snap into and be retained inside the handle cavity during shipping.

The above features and advantages, and other features and advantages, of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIG. 1, an outside handle assembly10for a vehicle door includes a first member, or bezel14, and a pull handle18. The bezel14is rigidly mountable to a door outer panel (not shown) by driving a threaded fastener (not shown) into threaded hole20. Those skilled in the art will recognize that it may be preferable to employ more threaded holes if more than one threaded fastener is necessary to satisfactorily mount the bezel to an outer panel. The bezel14defines aperture21for retaining a key cylinder (not shown).

The pull handle18is operatively connectable to a door latch (not shown) through a series of linkages and a rod to selectively disengage the latch from a striker, thereby enabling a door to open. A projection22on the pull handle18extends through an opening24in the bezel14. The projection22is characterized by a hook portion28. The hook portion28is in contact with a first arm32of a bell crank36. The bell crank36is pivotally mounted to the bezel14on a bracket38integrally formed in the bezel. A second arm40of the bell crank is engageable with a latch rod (not shown). The latch rod is operatively connected to the latch such that downward movement of the latch rod causes the latch to disengage the striker. When a user pulls on the pull handle18, the hook portion28exerts a force on the first arm32causing the bell crank36to pivot and exert a downward force on the latch rod via the second arm40. A coil spring44biases the bell crank such that the latch rod remains in a first position, in which the latch remains engaged, until sufficient force is applied to the pull handle18to overcome the force exerted by the spring44. A low-friction material46is employed on the projection22to facilitate relative movement between the projection22and the bezel14.

The pull handle18defines a cavity48spaced a distance apart from the projection22. The cavity48includes a first chamber52and a second chamber56. The second chamber is sometimes referred to hereinafter as a “pivot socket.”

Referring toFIG. 2, the handle assembly also includes a second member sometimes referred to hereinafter as a “pivot bracket”60. Pivot bracket60is rigidly mountable to a vehicle door outer panel by a threaded fastener (not shown) engaging threaded hole64. Pivot bracket60also includes a snap fit feature68for temporarily retaining pivot bracket60with respect to an outer panel while a threaded fastener is driven into threaded hole64. Pivot bracket60also includes a locator pin72for positively locating pivot bracket60during assembly to an outer panel. Pivot bracket60is slightly smaller in size than the cavity48in the pull handle18ofFIG. 1, and is adapted to be installed therein. A pivot portion76of pivot bracket60is configured to function as a pivot inside the pivot socket56.

Referring toFIG. 3, wherein like reference numbers refer to like components fromFIGS. 1 and 2, the handle assembly10is operatively connected to a vehicle door outer panel80. The outer panel80includes an inner surface84that, in cooperation with an inner panel (not shown), partially defines a door cavity88. The outer panel is characterized by outer surface92which partially defines the exterior surface of a door. The outer panel80defines a concavity93open in the direction of the pull handle18to accommodate a user's fingers when grasping the pull handle. The bezel14is rigidly mounted to the outer panel80with a threaded fastener94. A portion of the bezel14is positioned outboard of the outer surface92, and a portion of the bezel14is positioned inside the door cavity88. More specifically, the bell crank36, the spring44and the bracket38on which they are supported extend into the door cavity through a hole (not shown) in the outer panel. Projection22extends from the pull handle18into the door cavity88.

The pivot bracket60is also rigidly mounted to the outer panel80with a threaded fastener94. A portion of the snap fit feature68extends through an opening96in the outer panel80and into the door cavity88for retaining the pivot bracket while the threaded fastener94is driven from the door cavity into the threaded bole in the pivot bracket. The locator pin72extends through an aperture97in the outer panel80to locate and properly orient the pivot bracket60. The remainder of the pivot bracket60is positioned outside the door cavity outboard of the outer panel, and is nested within the pull handle cavity48so as to be concealed from view from the exterior of the vehicle door. A portion95of the pivot bracket60projects outwardly from the outer surface92, and is nested within the first chamber52. The pivot portion76is located within the pivot socket56.

The handle assembly10is shown in a closed position. The spring44biases the pull handle18in the closed position via the bell crank36contacting the hook: portion28of the projection22.

Referring toFIG. 4, wherein like reference numbers refer to like components fromFIGS. 1-3, the handle assembly10is shown in its open position. An outward force F exerted on the pull handle18is transmitted via the projection22and the hook portion28to the bell crank36. The force is sufficient to overcome the force exerted by the spring44and causes rotation of the bell crank36. The second arm40of the bell crank36is correspondingly moved which results in downward movement of the latch rod (not shown) to a second position and, correspondingly, the door latch disengaging the striker. During movement between the closed position and the open position, the pull handle18pivots about the pivot portion76of the pivot bracket60. The cavity48is located outward of the outer surface92, and therefore the pivot point is outside the door cavity88. The first chamber52is open in the direction of the outer panel80to provide clearance for relative movement between the portion95of the pivot bracket in the first chamber52and the pull handle18. The pivot socket56is closed in the direction of the outer panel80to provide a surface against which the pivot portion exerts a reaction force to retain the handle18, thus resulting in the pivoting motion of the pull handle18.

Referring toFIGS. 5 and 6, an alternative embodiment of the handle assembly10′ is schematically depicted with the latch rod102operatively engaged with the second arm40of the bell crank36. The bezel of handle assembly10′ includes two threaded holes20.

The outside handle assemblies ofFIGS. 1-6simplify the door handle fabrication process compared to the prior art, and eliminate the pivot pins found in the prior art. The handle assemblies ofFIGS. 1-6enable the use of simplified injection molding tools for use in the fabrication of the handle assemblies.