Door handle including dual hinged sound dampening flap feature

A vehicle door handle assembly comprising:

• a support plate disposed in overlying relation to a biasing dome spring, the support plate comprising an exterior face projecting away from the biasing dome spring and a back face projecting towards the biasing dome spring, wherein a transverse passageway extends across a thickness dimension of the support plate between the exterior face and the back face, wherein the biasing spring is a dome spring;
• and
• a male member disposed in inserted relation within the transverse passageway, wherein the male member comprises a proximal base disposed between the biasing dome spring and the back face, the male member further comprising a distal end projecting outwardly from the exterior face;
• a spring housing supporting the biasing dome spring, wherein the spring housing includes a perimeter wall at least partially surrounding the biasing spring;
• and
• a dual hinged flap integral with the spring housing, the dual hinged flap having an upper surface facing towards the support plate and a lower surface facing away from the support plate, the dual hinge flap including a first living hinge at a position adjacent the perimeter wall and a second living hinge spaced apart from the first hinge, the dual hinged flap further including a distal tab portion spaced apart from the perimeter wall such that the first hinge and the second hinge are disposed between the distal tab portion and the perimeter wall and wherein the distal tab portion is disposed in sandwiched relation between the biasing spring and the proximal base of the male member.

A vehicle door handle assembly comprising:

• a support plate disposed in overlying relation to a biasing dome spring, the support plate comprising an exterior face projecting away from the biasing dome spring and a back face projecting towards the biasing dome spring, wherein a transverse passageway extends across a thickness dimension of the support plate between the exterior face and the back face, wherein the biasing spring is a dome spring;
• and
• a male member disposed in inserted relation within the transverse passageway, wherein the male member comprises a proximal base disposed between the biasing dome spring and the back face, the male member further comprising a distal end projecting outwardly from the exterior face;
• a spring housing supporting the biasing dome spring, wherein the spring housing includes a perimeter wall at least partially surrounding the biasing spring;
• and
• a dual hinged flap integral with the spring housing, the dual hinged flap having an upper surface facing towards the support plate and a lower surface facing away from the support plate, the dual hinge flap including a first living hinge comprising a scalloped depression on the upper surface at a position adjacent the perimeter wall and a second living hinge comprising a scalloped depression on the lower surface spaced apart from the first hinge, the dual hinged flap further including a distal tab portion spaced apart from the perimeter wall such that the first hinge and the second hinge are disposed between the distal tab portion and the perimeter wall and wherein the distal tab portion is disposed in sandwiched relation between the biasing spring and the proximal base of the male member, wherein the spring housing and the dual hinged flap are integrally molded from the same polymeric material.