Vehicular slider door handle with internal detent mechanism

A vehicular slider door handle assembly includes a base portion configured for mounting at a vehicular slider door, a handle pivotally mounted at the base portion and pivotable between a neutral position and a door opening position, and a detent mechanism. The detent mechanism releasably retains the handle relative to the base portion at the neutral position. With the base portion mounted at the vehicular slider door, the handle is pivotable about a pivot axis of the detent mechanism, and as the handle pivots about the pivot axis via actuation by a person at the vehicular slider door, the detent mechanism allows the handle to pivot from the neutral position toward the door opening position without axially moving the handle away from the base portion.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to door handles for vehicles and, more particularly, to a door handle for a slider door of a vehicle, such as a van or a mini-van or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to provide a slider door at the side of a vehicle. Typically, a handle is disposed inside the vehicle that a user can grasp and pull to release a door latch and open the slider door or to actuate a powered slider mechanism that opens the door.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A vehicular slider door handle assembly comprises a base portion configured for mounting at an interior side of a vehicular slider door, an interior handle pivotally mounted at the base portion, and a detent mechanism. The detent mechanism releasably retains the interior handle at a neutral position. With the base portion mounted at the interior side of the vehicular slider door, the interior handle is pivotable about a pivot axis of the detent mechanism. As the interior handle pivots about the pivot axis, the detent mechanism allows the interior handle to pivot without axially moving the interior handle away from the base portion. The detent mechanism also functions to urge the handle back to the neutral position when released by the user.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a vehicle10includes a side slider door12that is openable and closable at the side of the vehicle (FIG.1). A slider door handle assembly14is disposed at an interior side or in-cabin side of the door12and operates to open and close the vehicle door. As shown inFIGS.2-4, the slider door handle assembly14includes a base portion16that mounts at the vehicle door12and a handle portion or interior handle18that is pivotally mounted at the base portion16and pivots to actuate a door mechanism24. The door mechanism24may comprise a cable or rod or linkage or micro switch that is moved via pivotal movement of the interior handle18, such as to release a latch mechanism of the door (to allow a user to open the door) or to actuate a powered door mechanism to open the door (FIGS.5and6).

The slider door handle assembly14includes a detent mechanism20that allows for pivotal movement of the interior handle18relative to the base portion16while maintaining the handle against the base portion16, or optionally door trim disposed between the base portion16and interior handle18. In other words, the detent mechanism20enables rotation or pivoting of the interior handle18relative to the base portion16, and the spatial relationship between the interior handle18and base portion16(i.e., the engagement or space between the handle and base portion) does not substantially change as the interior handle18rotates or pivots relative to the base portion16. The detent mechanism20, when the interior handle18is rotated or pivoted relative to a neutral position, urges or biases the interior handle18toward the neutral position. As shown inFIG.4, the detent mechanism20includes a pivot tube20athat is attached at an inner part or element or plate16a(that is disposed at least in part in the vehicle door when the slider door handle assembly is installed at the vehicle door) of the base portion16, a detent plate or element20bthat is disposed at the pivot tube20a(such as non-rotatably and axially movably disposed at the pivot tube), and a spring or biasing element20cthat is disposed at the pivot tube20aand that biases or urges the detent element20btoward the outer end of the pivot tube20aand so that the detent element20bprotrudes partially through an aperture of an outer part or element or plate16bof the base portion16. As shown inFIG.4, the detent mechanism20may also include a washer20ddisposed between a base portion of the pivot tube20aand the end of the spring20c.

The interior handle18is pivotally mounted at the detent mechanism20and includes an engaging portion that engages the outer end of the detent element20b. The interior handle18includes a pin or actuating element18athat is received through the base portion16and that engages or connects to the door actuating element24(such as a cable or rod or linkage or micro switch) of the vehicle door (seeFIG.6). The pivotal motion of the handle18relative to the base portion16translates movement to the rod/cable/micro switch to activate the door latch or mechanism. The interior handle18may include a cover or panel22at its lower side to allow access to the internal cavity of the handle, such as for aligning and connecting the interior handle at the base portion when the base portion is attached at the vehicle door.

As can be seen with reference toFIG.4, the pivot tube20amay be mounted at the inner portion or element16aof the base16, and the pivot tube20aand detent element20bmay protrude partially through an aperture of the outer portion or element16bof the base16so as to be partially received at the interior handle18. The interior handle18pivotally mounts at the pivot tube20a, with the detent element20b(that is non-rotatable and axially movable relative to the pivot tube) allowing for pivotal movement of the handle18about the pivot tube20a(and about a longitudinal axis of the pivot tube) and biasing the handle18towards its neutral position, without axial movement of the interior handle during the pivotal movement.

For example, and as described further below, the detent element20bmay include an engagement surface that engages a portion of the interior handle18. When the interior handle18is rotated or pivoted about the pivot tube20a, the engagement of the engagement surface with the interior handle18causes the detent element20bto press or bias against the biasing element20cand move longitudinally along the pivot tube20a. The biasing element20cbiases the detent element20bback toward the handle18and the engagement of the engagement surface of the detent element20bguides the handle18toward its neutral position. Although shown and described as having the detent mechanism20mounted at the base portion16, it is envisioned that the interior handle may house the detent mechanism (with the pivot tube attached at and within the interior handle), with the end of the detent element engaging a detent-engaging surface of the base portion, and with the detent element being urged axially toward and into the interior handle when the handle is rotated, so that the handle can rotate or pivot without axially moving relative to the base portion and door trim.

The interior handle18is pivotable in either direction (e.g., rearward to open the door and forward to close the door), and during rotation or pivoting of the handle18, the detent element20bis urged against the spring20cso that the detent element20bmoves further into the door to allow the handle18to pivot to the next detent position, such that the handle does not move away from the base portion and door trim as it pivots. The detent mechanism is partially disposed inside the base portion of the assembly and inside the vehicle door, so the handle does not move away from the door trim piece during movement. The handle18pivots or rotates about its center axis to arcuately move the actuating element18athrough and along a slot of the base portion to actuate or trigger the cable or rod or linkage or micro switch of the vehicle door.

The detents of the detent element and of the door handle are designed with ramps and flats that allow the door handle to pivot in either direction (causing the detent element to move axially inward in the base portion) and to return to its initial position when released. For example, the detent element may have a pair of flat portions with oppositely sloped ramps at either side of each flat portion, while the engaging portion of the handle has a pair of flattened protrusions with oppositely sloped ramps at either side of each flat protrusion. When the handle is in its non-actuated or neutral position, the flattened protrusions are nested in the detent element, with the sloped ramps of the handle engaging the sloped ramps of the detent element. As the handle is pivoted in either direction, the detent element is urged inward by the sloped ramps to allow the handle to pivot without having to move axially outward from the base portion and door trim. When the handle is released, the sloped ramps and the spring force cooperate to urge the handle back to its initial or neutral position.

Thus, the base portion of the slider door handle assembly is mounted at the vehicle door and the handle is mounted at the base portion so that a door-facing surface of the handle engages the interior trim of the door. The door-facing surface and door trim cooperate with one another to provide a relatively tight (gapless or with a small gap) interface that is maintained (via the movement of the detent element inside the base portion) throughout the range of pivotal movement of the handle relative to the base portion.

Optionally, a slider door handle assembly114may include an interior handle118that is pivotally mounted at a base portion116and that engages a detent mechanism120via an engaging portion or element126of the handle118. The engaging element126is fixedly attached or received (or optionally integrally formed) at the handle118and protrudes through the aperture in the base portion116so that rotational or pivotal movement of the handle118relative to the base portion results in corresponding movement of the engaging element126. The engaging element126includes detent engaging elements or portions126athat engage the detent element120to provide the detent function of the door handle assembly114, and includes pivot engaging elements or portions126bthat engage a pivoting member128within or behind the base portion116. Pivot engaging elements126bof the engaging element126are keyed to protrusions128aof the pivoting member128so that the pivoting member pivots according to movement of the handle118. A base portion128bof the pivoting member128may include a tab or connecting element128cthat connects to a door actuating element (such as a cable or rod or linkage or micro switch) of the vehicle door so that movement of the handle118translates to pivoting of the connecting element128cto operate the door actuating element. The engaging element126may be axially fixed to the pivoting member128, such as via a threaded fastener or screw.

Similar to the detent function discussed above, the detent engaging portions126aof the engaging element126engage the detent element120b. The detent assembly120includes a spring or biasing element120cdisposed between the detent element120band the pivoting member128to urge or bias the detent element into engagement with the engaging element126. A washer120dmay be disposed between the spring120cand the pivoting member128. The detent mechanism120is housed behind or within the inner base element116a, which includes a protrusion or housing portion116cto accommodate the detent mechanism120. The outer base element116bmay provide an outer surface or cover for the door handle assembly114, and the engaging element126protrudes through the aperture in the outer base element116band the aperture at the housing portion116cto engage the detent mechanism120and pivoting member128behind or within the inner base portion116a. Optionally, the housing portion116cmay protrude through the aperture in the outer base portion116bto be received within the handle118.

As briefly discussed above, the engaging element126of the handle118may be fixedly attached to or integrally formed with the handle118in any suitable manner so that pivotal motion of the handle118(such as by a user to open or close the door) may translate to pivotal motion of the engaging element126. In the illustrated example, the engaging element126is received or attached (such as snap-attached or press fit) at an inner or core portion118aof the handle118and an outer or shell portion118battaches at and/or encases the core portion118aand at least a portion of the engaging element126. The shell portion118bcomprises two halves or parts that snap attach to each other around the core portion118a. One or more fasteners130may engage the engaging element126, the core portion118aand both halves of the shell portion118bto secure the handle118to the engaging element126.

Optionally, and such as shown inFIGS.12-15, a slider door handle assembly214may include an interior handle218where the shell portion218bis separately secured to the core portion218avia one or more first fasteners230aand the engaging element226is secured to the core portion218avia one or more second fasteners230b. For example, a first half of the shell portion218bmay be secured to the core portion218avia the first fasteners230band the second half of the shell portion218bmay snap attach to the first half. A cover portion218cmay attach at the shell portion218bof the handle218to hide or cover the fasteners at the assembled handle assembly214.

The door handle assembly114and/or the door handle assembly214may control operation of the slider door of the vehicle and include further components similar to the door handle assembly14, such that a detailed discussion of the door handle assemblies need not be repeated herein.

Optionally, the protrusions of the pivoting member are pivotable relative to the base so that, when the handle and engaging element are pivoted relative to the base portion, the protrusions pivot according to the pivoting of the handle and engaging element while the base remains fixed. In such implementations, the door actuating element may be connected to the engaging element, detent assembly, pivoting member or any other component of the handle assembly in any suitable manner so that pivotal movement of the handle results in operation of the slider door of the vehicle.

The detent mechanism may utilize aspects of an exterior rearview mirror assembly pivot and detent feature. For example, the detent mechanism may utilize aspects of the mirror detents and actuators described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,887,202 and/or 9,487,142, and/or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2020-0353867 and/or US-2020-0223364, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US21/70765, filed Jun. 24, 2021, and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/202,633, filed Jun. 18, 2021, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, aspects of the present disclosure may be compatible with a slider door handle assembly disposed at an exterior side of a vehicular door. For example, the base portion may mount at the vehicle door and the exterior handle portion may be pivotally mounted at the base portion and exposed exterior the vehicle so that a user may grasp and pivot the handle portion relative to the door and base portion such as to actuate a latch mechanism and open or close the door from exterior the vehicle. The detent mechanism may maintain the handle against the base portion or a portion of the door between the handle and the base portion (such as a door panel or door pocket or the like), such as to preclude moisture from entering the door handle assembly. Optionally, a seal or gasket may be disposed at the interface between the handle and the base portion (or portion of the door).