Deformable outside handle rear hook or plunger
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorRajesh K. Patel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A handle for doors of motor vehicles includes an outer portion that can be grasped by a user, and an inwardly-extending plunger or hook that operably interconnects the handle to the door latch via a bell crank (that is part of the handle base or chassis depending on the type of handle architecture used). The plunger is made of a ductile material such as metal, and includes a crumple zone that causes the plunger to deform axially and/or bend sidewardly in the event an axial and/or a bending impact load.
Claims19
A vehicle door comprising:
- a door latch;
- a bell crank rotatably mounted to a door structure of the vehicle door;
- a main handle having forward and rearward portions and a central portion extending between the forward and rearward portions, wherein the forward portion of the main handle is pivotably connected to the door structure for outward pivoting movement of the main handle about a vertical axis between a rest position and an actuated position, and wherein at least the central portion is spaced apart from an outer surface of the vehicle door when the main handle is in the rest position to form a gap therebetween that opens upwardly and downwardly;
- a plunger fixed to the rearward portion of the main handle and extending transversely inwardly into the vehicle door relative to the central portion to define a plunger that moves outward with the outward pivoting movement of the main handle so as to move away from the outer surface of the vehicle door, wherein the plunger includes a distal end that engages and rotates the bell crank to release the door latch upon the outward pivoting movement of the main handle from the rest position to the actuated position;
- and wherein:
- the plunger includes at least one crumple zone disposed between the main handle and the distal end of the plunger, the at least one crumple zone having reduce bending strength whereby when the main handle is in the rest position, inward movement of the rearward portion of the main handle causes the plunger to move inwardly and contact an inner door structure such that the plunger deforms and absorbs energy at the at least one crumple zone.
A vehicle door comprising:
- a bell crank;
- a latch;
- a movable handle operably connected to the latch;
- and
- the handle having a body and a transverse plunger extending inwardly into the vehicle door and being rigidly cantilevered to the body so as to move with the handle, the plunger including an end portion that engages and rotates the bell crank when the plunger is moved with the handle, the plunger including ductile corrugations disposed between the end portion and the body whereby the plunger bends and absorbs energy during impact.
A vehicle door handle located on a vehicle door, the vehicle door handle, comprising:
- a main handle having a body with a forward end and a plunger rigidly fixed to a rearward end of the body so as to be cantilevered relative to the body and extending inwardly into the vehicle door from the rearward end, the plunger including a hook extending in the direction of the forward end and configured to engage a bell crank;
- and
- wherein the plunger includes a crumple zone with reduced bending strength.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.