Stowable entry handle

A stowable entry handle, comprising:

• a handle having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;
• a shaft mechanically coupled with the handle, wherein the shaft comprises a cylindrical member that extends perpendicularly from the first end;
• a mounting structure, wherein the mounting structure is configured for mechanically coupling to a side wall adjacent a doorway;
• a tube mechanically coupled to the mounting structure, wherein the tube is configured to receive the shaft, wherein the shaft is rotatable within the tube such that the handle rotates while being moved back and forth between a stowed position and a deployed position, and wherein the tube comprises a first slot at a first position within the tube, a second slot at a second position within the tube, and a pathway connecting the first slot with the second slot;
• and
• a protrusion extending from an end of the shaft opposite the handle, wherein the protrusion is configured to insert into 1) the first slot for stowing the handle inside the doorway and 2) the second slot for deploying the handle outside the doorway, and 3) the protrusion is configured to slide in a longitudinal direction along the pathway between the first slot and the second slot while moving the handle between the stowed position and the deployed position,
• wherein the protrusion extends from the shaft via a cap, the cap being retained in a proper location and orientation along the shaft to provide the stowed and deployed positions of the handle.

A method for deploying and stowing an entry handle, wherein the entry handle comprises a handle having a shaft and a tube configured to receive the shaft, wherein the tube comprises a first slot at a first position within the tube, and a second slot at a second position within the tube, and a longitudinal pathway connecting the first slot to the second slot, and the shaft comprises a protrusion extending from an end of the shaft opposite the handle, wherein the protrusion is configured to slide along the longitudinal pathway between the first slot for stowing the handle and the second slot for deploying the handle, the method comprising:

• deploying the entry handle from a stowed position inside a doorway, wherein deploying the entry handle comprises:
• rotating the handle upwardly to an intermediate position such that the protrusion rotates out of the first slot into the longitudinal pathway;
• sliding the handle towards the doorway such that the protrusion slides along the longitudinal pathway to the second position;
• and
• rotating the handle downwardly from the intermediate position to a deployed position such that the protrusion rotates into the second slot, wherein the handle extends outside the doorway in the deployed position;
• and
• stowing the entry handle from the deployed position, wherein stowing the entry handle comprises:
• counterrotating the handle upwardly from the deployed position to the intermediate position such that the protrusion rotates out of the second slot;
• sliding the handle away from the doorway such that the protrusion slides along the longitudinal pathway to the first position;
• and
• counterrotating the handle downwardly to the stowed position such that the protrusion rotates into the first slot.