Combined cushion and seal for vehicular door handle assembly

An outside door handle assembly for a motor vehicle. The handle assembly includes a housing mounted in the door and a handle having a grip portion and an arm portion extending inwardly from one end of the handle for passage through an opening in the handle for coaction with a latch release mechanism positioned within the door. An annular resilient member is mounted on the arm portion proximate the juncture of the arm portion and the grip portion. The resilient member includes a plurality of cushion portions which project inwardly from the inner surface of the resilient member to cushion the impact of the handle with the housing as the handle moves to its closed position and the resilient member further includes an annular peripheral seal portion projecting inwardly from the inner surface of the resilient member in surrounding relation to the cushion portions and movable into sealing coaction with the housing to preclude the entry of moisture and contaminants into the interior of the door with the handle in its closed position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 This invention relates to door handle assemblies and, more particularly, to
 door handle assemblies especially suitable for use on motor vehicles.
 Motor vehicle door handle assemblies typically include a handle member
 which is movable between open and closed positions to provide latching and
 unlatching of the door. The door handle assembly typically includes a
 spring member which provides moderate resistance to opening movement of
 the handle and ensures that the handle will move firmly and positively to
 its closed position upon release of the handle. However, the firm positive
 movement of the door handle assembly to its closed position will, without
 some cushioning provision, generate an annoying slapping noise which
 detracts from the feeling of overall quality with respect to the door
 handle assembly and which may contribute to ultimate damage to the
 assembly. In an effort to avoid this objectionable closing noise and
 minimize long-term handle assembly damage, cushioning members have been
 provided in the door handle assembly which protectively intercept the
 closing movement of the door handle and cushion the closing movement.
 However, prior art cushioning member designs, while effective to minimize
 or reduce the objectionable slapping noise, also introduce the potential
 for leakage of air, water and other contaminants into the interior of the
 vehicle door through the door handle assembly with resultant potential for
 corrosion and material deterioration.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 This is invention is directed to the provision of an improved motor vehicle
 door handle assembly.
 More particularly, this invention is directed to the provision of a motor
 vehicle door handle assembly in which the movement of the door handle to
 its closed position is effectively cushioned and in which an effective
 water and contaminant seal is maintained at the door handle assembly.
 The door handle assembly of the invention is intended for use with a
 vehicle including a door and a latch assembly mounted on the door and
 controlled by the door handle assembly. The door handle assembly includes
 a housing adapted to be positioned in the door and a handle mounted on the
 housing for movement between open and closed positions.
 According to the invention, the housing defines an opening and an annular
 surface in surrounding relation to the opening; the handle includes a main
 body grip portion, an arm portion extending inwardly from the grip portion
 and passing through the opening in the housing for coaction with a latch
 release mechanism positioned in the door, and an annular handle surface on
 the grip portion in surrounding relation to the arm portion; and the door
 handle assembly includes an annular resilient member positioned in
 surrounding relation to the arm portion and including an annular main body
 portion defining a generally planar annular surface, a series of spaced
 cushion portions projecting from the annular resilient member surface and
 movable into cushioning coaction with one of the annular housing surface
 and the annular handle surface to cushion the movement of the handle to
 its closed position, and an annular peripheral seal portion projecting
 from the resilient member annular surface in surrounding relation to the
 cushion portions and movable into sealing coaction with the one annular
 surface to preclude the entry of moisture and contaminants into the
 interior of the door with the handle in its closed position. This
 arrangement allows a single, simple resilient member to serve both a
 cushioning and sealing function with respect to the door handle assembly.
 According to a further feature of the invention, the planar annular surface
 of the main body portion of the resilient member is an inner surface; the
 cushion portions and the seal portion of the resilient member project
 inwardly from the inner planar annular surface of the resilient member;
 the resilient member is mounted on the arm portion with an outer surface
 of the main body portion mounted against the annular handle surface; and
 the cushion portions and the seal portion of the resilient member coact
 with the annular housing surface. This specific arrangement, whereby the
 resilient member is mounted on and moves with the handle member, provides
 an efficient means of providing the desired cushioning and sealing
 functions.
 According to a further feature of the invention, the cushion portions
 project inwardly from the forward annular surface of the resilient member
 further than the peripheral seal portion projects so that the initial
 contact between the resilient member and the housing annular surface as
 the handle moves to its closed position is the cushioning impact of the
 cushion portions against the annular housing surface whereafter, with
 resilient distortion and flattening of the cushion portions, the
 peripheral seal portion may move into sealing engagement with the housing
 annular surface. This arrangement ensures that the initial contact will
 provide the desired cushioning action and the subsequent contact will
 provide the desired sealing action. According to a further feature of the
 invention, the handle assembly further includes a spring biasing the
 handle toward its closed position and the spring is operative with the
 handle its closed position to maintain the cushion portions in a
 distorted, flattened configuration so as to allow the peripheral seal
 portion to sealingly engage the housing annular surface. The spring member
 already present in the typical door handle assembly thereby provides
 initial cushioning movement of the resilient member against the annular
 housing surface and thereafter maintains the cushion portions of the
 resilient member in a distorted, flattened configuration to allow the
 peripheral seal portion to sealingly engage the housing annular surface.
 According to a further feature of the invention, the handle is pivotally
 mounted to the housing proximate one end of the grip portion and the arm
 portion extends forwardly from another end of the grip portion for passage
 through the opening in the housing. This construction allows the
 cushioning and sealing member of the invention to be readily employed with
 a typical grip-type door handle assembly.
 According to a further feature of the invention, the housing defines an
 outwardly opening cavity proximate the housing opening; the housing
 opening and the housing annular surface are defined at the bottom of the
 cavity; and the other end of the handle grip portion is configured to be
 received in the cavity with the handle in its closed position so that an
 outer face of the handle grip portion may be substantially flush with an
 outer face of the housing with the handle in its closed position. This
 arrangement allows the handle to assume a flush configuration with respect
 to the housing with the handle in its closed position.
 According to a further feature of the invention, each cushion portion has a
 domed configuration in cross section and the seal portion has a knife edge
 configuration in cross section. This specific cross-sectional
 configuration of the cushion and the seal portion allows the cushion
 portions to provide an effective cushioning action while allowing the seal
 portion to provide an effective sealing action.
 According to a further feature of the invention, the door handle assembly
 is an outside door handle assembly. Whereas the invention has
 applicability to both inside and outside motor vehicle door handle
 assemblies, the invention is particularly effective with respect to an
 outside door handle assembly where the cushioning and sealing problems are
 more acute.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 The invention door handle assembly 10 is seen in FIG. 1 in association with
 a fragmentarily shown motor vehicle 12 including a windshield 14, a front
 quarter panel 16, a hood 18, an A pillar 20, a sill 22, a B pillar 24, and
 a door 26 positioned in the door opening defined by A pillar 20, front
 quarter panel 16, sill 22, and B pillar 24.
 Door handle assembly 10 (FIGS. 3, 4, and 11) includes escutcheon or housing
 30, a handle 32, a bell crank assembly 34, a spring 36, and a resilient
 member 38.
 Housing 30 may be formed of a suitable plastic or metallic material and has
 a generally oval configuration sized to fit into a suitable opening in the
 outer skin 26a of door 26 utilizing fastener means, not shown. Housing 30
 includes a peripheral flange portion 30a positioned against the periphery
 of the opening in the outer door skin 26a, a central bowl portion 30b, a
 pivot housing portion 30c proximate the rear end 30d of the housing, a
 rectangular tubular guide portion 30e projecting inwardly from an inner
 face 30f of the housing proximate the front end 30g of the housing, and
 pillars 30h and 30i projecting inwardly in spaced relation from the inner
 face 30f of the housing proximate guide portion 30e. The outer face of the
 housing (FIGS. 9 and 10) is configured proximate housing front end 30g to
 define an outwardly opening cavity 30j having a bottom face 30k. A
 rectangular opening 30l is defined in bottom face 30k and an annular
 housing surface 30m is defined in bottom face 30k in surrounding relation
 to opening 30l. Rectangular opening 30l is aligned with and is coextensive
 with the rectangular central passage 30n of rectangular guide portion 30e.
 Handle 32 (FIGS. 3, 4, and 12) may be formed of a suitable plastic or
 metallic material. Handle 32 includes a main body elongated grip portion
 32a, an arm or finger portion 32b projecting inwardly from grip portion
 32a proximate the forward end 32c of the grip portion, and a pivot portion
 32d projecting inwardly from grip portion 32a proximate the rearward end
 32e of the grip portion. Arm portion 32b has a rectangular configuration
 in cross section sized to pass slidably through rectangular housing
 opening 30l and rectangular housing passage 30n; defines a rectangular
 opening 32f proximate the inner end 32g of the arm portion; and coacts at
 a juncture with the inner face of the forward end 32c of the grip portion
 to define an annular housing surface 32h in surrounding relation to the
 arm portion.
 Handle 32 is positioned in overlying relation to housing bowl portion 30b
 with handle pivot portion 32d received in housing pivot portion 30c, the
 forward end 32c of the grip portion of the handle received in cavity 30j
 of the housing, and arm portion 32b projecting inwardly from the grip
 portion and passing through housing opening 30l and through passage 30n of
 guide portion 30e to position the inner end 32g of the arm portion
 inwardly of the inner end of the guide portion 30e and within the interior
 of the door 26. A pivot pin 40 mounts the forward end 32e of the grip
 portion 32a of the handle for pivotal movement relative to the housing
 about the axis of pivot pin 40 so that the handle may be moved pivotally
 between the solid line, closed position seen in FIG. 4 to the dash line
 open position seen in FIG. 4. As the handle moves from its solid line
 closed position to its dash line open position, arm portion 32b moves
 outwardly within and is guided by housing guide portion 30e. The front end
 32c of the handle has a cross-sectional configuration sized to fit within
 outwardly opening handle cavity 30j so that, as the handle moves to its
 closed position, handle end 32c may seat within cavity 30j so than an
 outer face of the handle grip portion may be substantially flush with the
 adjacent outer face of the housing.
 Bell crank assembly 34 (FIGS. 4 and 11) includes a bell crank 42, a guide
 pin 44, and a pivot pin 46. Guide pin 44 is mounted on an end 42a of bell
 crank 44 and is received in opening 32f in the arm portion 32b of the
 handle. Pivot pin 46 is mounted at its opposite ends in housing pillars
 30h and 30i and is fixedly secured to a central portion of bell crank 42.
 The free end 42b of bell crank 42 is adapted to be secured to a suitable
 link or cable 48 which is connected in known manner to a latch assembly 50
 positioned on the shut face 26b of the door for coaction in known manner
 with a bolt or striker 52 provided on the B pillar 24 of the vehicle. It
 will be understood that movement of the handle 32 between its closed and
 open positions pivots bell crank lever 42 in a manner such that cable or
 link 48 is operative to move latch 50 between latched and unlatched
 positions in known manner.
 Spring 36 comprises a coil spring and is positioned concentrically around
 pivot shaft 46 between bell crank 42 and pillar 30i. Spring 36 is anchored
 at its opposite ends to the housing and to the bell crank whereby to act
 in known manner to resiliently resist opening movement of the handle and
 move the handle in a firm positive manner to its closed position upon
 release of the handle.
 Resilient member 38 (FIGS. 5, 6, 7, and 8) has a generally rectangular
 configuration and is formed of a suitable elastomeric material. Resilient
 member 38 includes a generally planar annular main body portion 38a, a
 series of cushion portions 38b, and a peripheral seal portion 38c. Main
 body portion 38a defines a central rectangular aperture 38d, a generally
 planar annular inner face 38e, and a generally planar annular outer face
 38f. Cushion portions 38b have a domed cross-sectional configuration and
 project inwardly from the inner annular surface 38e of the resilient
 member, and peripheral seal portion 38c has a knife edge crosssectional
 configuration and projects inwardly from annular surface 38e in
 surrounding relation to the cushion portions. In the relaxed configuration
 of resilient member 38, cushion portions 38b project inwardly from surface
 38e by a distance slightly in excess of the distance by which the
 peripheral seal 38c projects inwardly from portion 38e.
 Resilient member 38 is positioned on handle arm portion 38b at the juncture
 between arm portion 38b and the forward end 32c of the handle with the
 rear annular face 38f of the resilient member mounted against the annular
 handle surface 32h and is suitably fixedly secured to surface 32h. In
 operation, as the grip portion 32a of the handle is released to allow the
 handle to move to its closed position, resilient member 38 acts to both
 cushion the movement of the handle to its closed position to minimize
 objectionable noise and further acts to provide a seal between the handle
 member and the housing to preclude the entry of air, water or other
 contaminants into the interior of the door. Specifically, as the handle
 moves to its closed position, the tips of the cushion portions 38b engage
 housing annular surface 30m to cushion the impact of the handle against
 the housing and minimize objectionable noise whereafter, following
 distortion or flattening of the domed cushion members, the knife edge of
 the peripheral seal portion 38c moves into sealing engagement with housing
 annular surface 30m in surrounding relation to the cushion members to
 preclude the entry of contaminants into the interior of the door handle in
 its closed position. Spring 36 acts to move the handle firmly and
 positively to its closed position and further acts to maintain the domed
 cushion portions in a slightly compressed configuration whereby to allow
 the knife edges of the peripheral seal to maintain sealing engagement with
 the annular housing portion surface 30m.
 The door handle assembly of the invention will be seen to provide an
 improved construction wherein the noise associated with the movement of
 the handle to its closed position is effectively muzzled and wherein
 effective sealing is provided between the door handle and the housing to
 minimize the entry of contaminants into the interior of the door with the
 handle in its closed position.
 Whereas a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and
 described in detail, it will be apparent that various changes may be made
 into this disclosed embodiment without departing from the scope or spirit
 of the invention.