Open loop fixed outside pull handle integrated with door belt seal
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsChester Stanislaus Walawender, Francis Raymond Gillis, Rajesh K. Patel, Thomas Michael Herline
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle door includes a belt structure and a rigid handle having a rigid base and a rigid outer grip portion. The rigid outer grip portion includes a portion that is spaced apart from the base to form a gap. The base of the handle is rigidly connected to the belt structure whereby the outer grip portion of the handle does not move relative to the belt structure. The vehicle door may include a powered door opening mechanism that moves a portion of the door away from a vehicle body when actuated.
Claims20
A method of securing a rigid door handle to a vehicle door, the vehicle door having window glass and a beltline at a bottom edge of the window glass, the method comprising:
- providing a door structure having an internal door structure and an outer panel secured to the internal door structure, the outer panel having a lower edge extending along a lower edge of the vehicle door structure and an upper edge extending along the window glass, the door structure further including an elongated horizontal belt reinforcement structure extending along the upper edge of the outer panel;
- providing a rigid handle structure having an elongated rigid base and an elongated rigid outer grip portion having a forward end, the rigid handle structure including a transverse structure that extends between the forward end of the outer grip portion and the elongated rigid base and rigidly interconnects the outer grip portion to the elongated rigid base, wherein the transverse structure is transverse to the elongated rigid outer grip portion and the elongated rigid base, the elongated rigid outer grip portion including a central portion extending rearwardly from the forward end to a rearward end, wherein the rearward end is spaced apart from the elongated rigid base to form a gap therebetween, whereby the elongated rigid outer grip portion is supported only at the forward end thereof and wherein at least a portion of the elongated rigid base extends rearwardly from the transverse structure;
- rigidly fixing the elongated rigid base of the rigid handle structure to the horizontal belt reinforcement structure whereby the elongated rigid base and the elongated rigid outer grip portion cannot move relative to the door structure.
A method of securing a rigid door handle to a vehicle door, the vehicle door having window glass and a beltline at a bottom edge of the window glass, the method comprising:
- providing a door structure having an internal door structure and an outer panel secured to the internal door structure, the outer panel having a lower edge extending along a lower edge of the vehicle door structure and an upper edge extending along the window glass, the door structure further including an elongated horizontal belt reinforcement structure extending along the upper edge of the outer panel;
- providing a rigid handle structure having an elongated rigid base and an elongated rigid outer grip portion having a forward end, the rigid handle structure including a transverse structure that extends between the forward end of the outer grip portion and the elongated rigid base and rigidly interconnects the outer grip portion to the elongated rigid base, wherein the transverse structure is transverse to the elongated rigid outer grip portion and the elongated rigid base, the elongated rigid outer grip portion including a central portion extending rearwardly from the forward end to a rearward end, wherein the rearward end is spaced apart from the elongated rigid base to form a gap therebetween, and wherein at least a portion of the elongated rigid base extends rearwardly from the transverse structure;
- rigidly fixing the elongated rigid base of the rigid handle structure to the horizontal belt reinforcement structure whereby the elongated rigid base and the elongated rigid outer grip portion cannot move relative to the door structure;
- utilizing a first connector to connect the elongated rigid base of the rigid handle to the belt reinforcement adjacent the transverse structure;
- wherein the vehicle door includes a rearwardly-facing upright shut face panel on a rear edge of the vehicle door;
- and including:
- utilizing a second connector to connect the elongated rigid base of the rigid handle structure to the shut-face panel whereby at least a portion of the second connector contacts the shut-face panel.
A method of securing a rigid door handle to a vehicle door, the method comprising:
- providing a door structure having inner and outer sides and a horizontal belt structure;
- providing a rigid handle having an elongated rigid base and an elongated rigid outer grip portion having a forward end that is rigidly fixed to the elongated rigid base, and a rearward end that is spaced apart from the elongated rigid base to form a gap whereby the elongated rigid outer grip portion is supported only at the forward end thereof;
- rigidly fixing the rigid handle to the horizontal belt structure whereby the elongated rigid base and the elongated rigid outer grip portion cannot move relative to the door structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.