US-12618270-B2 - Door handle apparatus

Abstract

A door handle apparatus includes a frame member, a handle body, and a retainer. The frame member is configured to be assembled on a door outer panel that forms an outer surface of a vehicle door. The handle body is configured to be mounted on the frame member via a first arm portion and a second arm portion. The handle body is configured to be rotatable relative to the frame member at the first arm portion. The retainer is mounted on the frame member and moveable between an assembly ready position and an assembly completion position. When the retainer is in the assembly ready position, the handle body is moveable within the frame member. When the retainer is in the assembly completion position, the retainer maintains the second arm portion of the handle body in cooperation with a door opening member mounted on the frame member.

Inventors

• ANDREA VIETTI
• Anthony Guerin

Assignees

• U-SHIN ITALIA S.P.A.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20210716

Priority Date

20200716

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A door handle apparatus, comprising: a frame member configured to be assembled on a door outer panel that forms an outer surface of a door; a handle body configured to be mounted on the frame member via a first arm portion and a second arm portion, the handle body being configured to be rotatable relative to the frame member at the first arm portion; and a retainer mounted on the frame member and moveable between an assembly ready position and an assembly completion position, wherein, when the retainer is in the assembly ready position, the handle body is moveable within the frame member in a first direction, and wherein, when the retainer is in the assembly completion position, the retainer maintains the second arm portion of the handle body in cooperation with a door opening member mounted on the frame member; a displacement member configured to displace the retainer from the assembly ready position to the assembly completion position in the first direction such that the retainer, in the assembly completion position, causes the second arm portion of the handle body to engage the door opening member to allow the door to be opened by an operation of the handle body, the displacement member being mounted on the frame member and configured to be actuated between a first position and a second position, wherein, in the second position, the displacement member maintains the retainer against the second arm portion of the handle body, wherein the retainer is moveable in translation between the assembly ready position and the assembly completion position in the first direction parallel to a gripping portion of the handle body when the door handle apparatus is mounted to the door outer panel, and wherein the retainer is disposed inside the door outer panel and between the displacement member and the second arm portion when the door handle apparatus is mounted to the door outer panel.
2. 2 . The door handle apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the displacement member comprises a threaded portion configured to cooperate with the frame member.
3. 3 . The door handle apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the displacement member is actuated between the first and the second positions, the retainer is displaced from the assembly ready position to the assembly completion position respectively.
4. 4 . The door handle apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the displacement member comprises a threaded portion configured to cooperate with the frame member.
5. 5 . The door handle apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein when the retainer is in the assembly ready position, the displacement member is in the first position and is in contact with the retainer.
6. 6 . The door handle apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the retainer is in the assembly ready position, the displacement member is in the first position and is in contact with the retainer.
7. 7 . The door handle apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein in the second position, the displacement member maintains the retainer against the second arm portion of the handle body.
8. 8 . The door handle apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the displacement member comprises a threaded portion configured to cooperate with the frame member.
9. 9 . The door handle apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in the second position, the displacement member maintains the retainer against the second arm portion of the handle body.
10. 10 . The door handle apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the displacement member comprises a threaded portion configured to cooperate with the frame member.
11. 11 . The door handle apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a lockset mounted on the frame member, the lockset being configured to be covered by the handle body.
12. 12 . The door handle apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the handle body is elongated and extends in the first direction.
13. 13 . The door handle apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the retainer is in the assembly completion position, the handle body is moveable only between a cooperation position in which the second arm portion engages the door opening member and an opening position in which the door is opened.
14. 14 . The door handle apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the handle body is rotatable between the cooperation position and the opening position.
15. 15 . The door handle apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the displacement member, the retainer, and the second arm portion are aligned in a direction parallel to a gripping portion of the handle body when the door handle apparatus is mounted to the door outer panel.
16. 16 . The door handle apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a lockset and a dummylock mounted on the frame member, wherein, in the second position, the displacement member secures the lockset or the dummylock relatively to the frame member and maintains the retainer in the assembly completion position.
17. 17 . The door handle apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the displacement member has a shape of a fork.
18. 18 . The door handle apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the displacement member is accessible when the handle body is in the pre-assembly position or the cooperation position.
19. 19 . The door handle apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the displacement member is accessible from a side of the frame member to be actuated between the first position and the second position.
20. 20 . The door handle apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the frame member includes a hole configured to allow access to the displacement member via a tool.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and the benefit of EP 20186194.5, filed on Jul. 16, 2020. The disclosures of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD The present disclosure relates to a door handle apparatus. BACKGROUND The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. The door handle apparatuses commonly include a handle body and a frame member. The handle body usually includes two parts: one moveable part relative to the frame member, to latch or unlatch the door and a fixed part relative to the frame member, which may cover a lockset. For mounting of two-part handle body, the user first assembles the moveable part on the frame member with a rotation movement and then a translation movement. Then, the lockset is mounted and fixed on the frame member. Then, the fixed part is mounted and fixed on the frame member to cover the lockset. However, in some applications, a one part handle body of door handle apparatuses may be desired. The lockset must therefore be mounted on the frame member before the one-part handle body. The mounting of a one-part handle body is thus more difficult to achieve. The present disclosure provides a one-part handle body mounted on a frame member of a door handle apparatus. SUMMARY This section provides a general summary of the disclosure and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features. In one form, the present disclosure provides for a door handle apparatus that includes a frame member, a handle body, and a retainer. The frame member is configured to be assembled on a door outer panel that forms an outer surface of a vehicle door. The handle body is configured to be mounted on the frame member via a first arm portion and a second arm portion. The handle body is configured to be rotatable relative to the frame member at the first arm portion. The retainer is mounted on the frame member and moveable between an assembly ready position and an assembly completion position. When the retainer is in the assembly ready position, the handle body is moveable within the frame member. When the retainer is in the assembly completion position, the retainer maintains the second arm portion of the handle body in cooperation with a door opening member, mounted on the frame member. Thanks to the retainer, the handle body is maintained in cooperation with the door opening member when mounted on the frame member and therefore, the engagement between the handle body and the door opening member is improved. In the meantime, when the retainer is in the assembly ready position, the mounting of the door handle is allowed and facilitated. The retainer may be added to pre-existing frame members. Therefore, the costs to retrofit the handle apparatuses to one-part handle bodies is reduced. In addition, the frame members that may be used for a vehicle that is equipped with both one-piece handle bodies and two-piece handle bodies may be the same. In case a two-piece handle body is to be mounted on the frame member according to the present disclosure, only the retainer is to be removed. Therefore, the door handle apparatus according to the present disclosure is easily adaptable and includes cost savings. According to one form, the handle body may be in a disassembled position, wherein the handle body is not mounted on the frame. When the handle body is in the disassembled position, the retainer is in the assembly ready position. According to another form, the handle body may be in a pre-assembly position, wherein the first arm and second arm are positioned within the frame. In this position, the handle body is moveable within the frame and the retainer is in the assembly ready position. According to yet another form, the handle body may be in a cooperation position, wherein the second arm portion of the handle body is in cooperation with the door opening member. According to one form, the handle body may be in an opening position, wherein the handle body is rotated at the first arm portion about a rotation axis. In this position, the door opening member is activated and the door may open. According to another form, when the retainer is in the assembly ready position, the handle body is moveable within the frame member, between the pre-assembly position and the cooperation position, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the handle body. According to yet another form, when the retainer is in the assembly completion position, the handle body is maintained in cooperation with the door opening member, and is moveable between the cooperation position and the opening position. According to one form, the handle body may be rotatable between the cooperation position and the opening position. According to another form, the handle body may rotate about the rotation axis between the cooperation position and th