Retractable assist handle for a vehicle

A retractable grip assist handle for a vehicle that moves between an extended portion and a retracted position, said grip assist handle comprising:

• a handle;
• a body portion having a first end connected to said handle arid said handle and said body portion are extendable relative to the vehicle, wherein said body portion includes a stop projecting from a surface of said body portion for holding said body portion in an extended position;
• a spring connected between a second end of said body portion and the vehicle;
• and
• a handle return, wherein the handle return includes a door member projecting from a door of the vehicle, so that as the door is closing, contact between the door member and said handle rotates said handle to disengage said body portion stop from a leg member in the vehicle structure, and the grip assist handle returns to the retracted position.

A retractable grip assist handle assembly for a vehicle, said grip assist handle assembly comprising:

• a door mounted to a vehicle, said door having a door member projecting from said door;
• a handle movably mounted to a vehicle structure adjacent said door, said handle movable in a direction parallel with a longitudinal axis of the vehicle between an extended position and a retracted position within said vehicle structure, said handle rotatable about a central axis which is coplanar with said longitudinal axis;
• and
• a spring extending between said handle and said vehicle;
• wherein contact between said door member and said handle rotates said handle 90° about said central axis of said handle thereby moving said handle to the second retracted position.