Collapsible door trim pull handle

Abstract

A collapsible vehicle door pull handle comprising two separate pieces joined together by a break away feature. This arrangement allows the pull handle to be strong when the occupant pulls the vehicle door closed, but allows deflection because of the break away feature during a side impact event. The collapsible vehicle door pull handle comprises a handle, a base, an attachment member fitted to one of the handle and the base, and an elastic deformable portion having a keyway for receiving and holding the attachment member with the attachment portion being on the other of the base and the handle. According to this arrangement the handle and the base may be moved toward one another on deformation of the deformable portion during a side impact event. The attachment member includes a post having a pair of opposed flat surfaces and a pair of opposed curved surfaces. The keyway includes a channel which terminates into a post retaining area that is wider than said channel. The channel is defined by a pair of opposed walls. The post retaining area is defined by a curved wall.

1 . A collapsible door handle assembly for a vehicle comprising:
 a handle;   a base;   an attachment member fitted to one of said handle and said base;   a deformable portion having a keyway for receiving and holding said attachment member, said portion being on the other of said base and said handle,   whereby said handle and said base may be moved toward one another on deformation of said deformable portion.   
     
     
         2 . The collapsible door handle assembly of  claim 1  wherein said attachment member includes a post, said post having a pair of opposed flat surfaces. 
     
     
         3 . The collapsible door handle assembly of  claim 2  wherein said post has a pair of opposed curved surfaces. 
     
     
         4 . The collapsible door handle assembly of  claim 2  wherein said keyway includes a channel which terminates into a post retaining area that is wider than said channel. 
     
     
         5 . The collapsible door handle assembly of  claim 4  wherein said channel is defined by a pair of opposed walls. 
     
     
         6 . The collapsible door handle assembly of  claim 5  wherein said post retaining area is defined by a curved wall. 
     
     
         7 . A door assembly for use in a vehicle comprising:
 a collapsible door handle assembly comprising a handle having a bracket and a base having a bracket, one of said brackets having an attachment member and the other one of said brackets including a deformable portion having a keyway for receiving and holding said member, and   a sheet metal panel to which said base is attached.   
     
     
         8 . The door assembly of  claim 7  wherein said attachment member includes a post. 
     
     
         9 . The door assembly of  claim 8  wherein said post has a pair of opposed flat surfaces. 
     
     
         10 . The door assembly of  claim 9  wherein said post has a pair of opposed curved surfaces. 
     
     
         11 . The door assembly of  claim 7  wherein said keyway includes a channel which terminates into a post retaining area that is wider than said channel. 
     
     
         12 . The door assembly of  claim 11  wherein said channel is defined by a pair of opposed walls. 
     
     
         13 . The door assembly of  claim 12  wherein said post retaining area is defined by a curved wall. 
     
     
         14 . The door assembly of  claim 7  wherein said keyway is partially defined by a deformable cantilevered element. 
     
     
         15 . A door assembly for use in a vehicle comprising:
 a collapsible door handle assembly comprising a handle and a base, said handle and said base being attached by an attachment member and a keyway defined by at least one elastically deformable wall, said at least one elastically deformable wall deforming in the event that said handle and said base are moved toward one another; and   a sheet metal panel to which said base is attached.   
     
     
         16 . The door assembly for use in a vehicle of  claim 15  wherein said attachment member is a post slidably insertable into said keyway. 
     
     
         17 . The door assembly for use in a vehicle of  claim 15  wherein said elastically deformable wall is cantilevered. 
     
     
         18 . The door assembly for use in a vehicle of  claim 16  wherein said keyway includes a channel and an area for retaining said post that is wider than said channel. 
     
     
         19 . The door assembly for use in a vehicle of  claim 18  wherein said post includes a pair of opposed walls that are narrow enough to pass through said channel. 
     
     
         20 . The door assembly for use in a vehicle of  claim 18  wherein said post includes a pair of opposed walls that are too wide to pass through said channel.