Motor vehicle door handle assembly

A door handle assembly for use with a motor vehicle including a door, a latch assembly mounted on the door, the door handle assembly adapted to control the latch assembly, and an impact sensor operative to generate an impact signal in response to a sensed vehicle impact, the door handle assembly comprising:

• a handle adapted to be mounted on the door for movement between latched and unlatched handle positions;
• an electromagnetic device adapted to be mounted on the door in proximity to the door handle and operative when actuated to preclude movement of the handle from the latched handle position to the unlatched handle position;
• and
• means, operative in response to receipt of an impact signal from the impact sensor, for actuating the electromagnetic device to preclude movement of the handle from the latched handle position to the unlatched handle position.

A door handle assembly for use with a motor vehicle including a door and a latch assembly mountable on the door and controlled by the door handle assembly, the door handle assembly comprising:

• a housing adapted to be mounted in the door;
• a handle mounted on the housing for movement between latched and unlatched handle positions;
• and
• an electromagnetic device adapted to be mounted on the door in proximity to the door handle and operative when actuated to preclude movement of the handle from the latched handle position to the unlatched handle position, the electromagnetic device including an electromagnet mounted on the housing and coacting with an armature carried by the handle.