IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0760786
(2004-01-20)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Macri, Gregory G.
- Lark, II, James D.
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Van Dyke, Gardner, Linn &
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
11 인용 특허 :
26 |
초록
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A handle assembly that pivotally mounts a handle adjacent to an opening of a vehicle includes a bracket and an end portion or cap portion of a handle. The end portion and bracket engage one another to substantially secure the handle in either an in use position or a storage position. The end portion
A handle assembly that pivotally mounts a handle adjacent to an opening of a vehicle includes a bracket and an end portion or cap portion of a handle. The end portion and bracket engage one another to substantially secure the handle in either an in use position or a storage position. The end portion and bracket include projections and correspondingly formed recesses that engage one another to limit or substantially preclude pivotal movement of the handle without first raising the handle to disengage the handle and cap portion from the bracket. The handle assembly may include an illumination source to provide illumination of the handle in low lighting conditions.
대표청구항
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1. A handle assembly for mounting to a surface of a vehicle comprising:a handrail, formed of a tubular member having a curved cross section, said handrail having an end cap at opposite ends of said handrail, said end caps being joined with said tubular member; anda pair of brackets, each of said end
1. A handle assembly for mounting to a surface of a vehicle comprising:a handrail, formed of a tubular member having a curved cross section, said handrail having an end cap at opposite ends of said handrail, said end caps being joined with said tubular member; anda pair of brackets, each of said end caps being selectively engagable with a respective one of said brackets in first and second positions relative to said brackets, said handrail being selectively movable to disengage said end caps from said brackets, said handrail being pivotable when said end caps are disengaged from said brackets to move said end caps between said first position, where said handrail is positioned along the surface of the vehicle, and said second position, where said handrail extends outward from the surface of the vehicle, one of (a) said end caps and (b) said brackets comprising at least one projection and the other of said end caps and said brackets comprising at least one recess for receiving said at least one projection when said end caps are engaged with said brackets in one of said first and second positions, said end caps being substantially positively retained relative to said brackets when said end caps are engaged with said brackets in said first or second position.2. The handle assembly of claim 1, wherein, said handrail comprises a generally cylindrical handrail and said end cap comprises a plastic end cap secured at an end of said handrail.3. The handle assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one projection comprises at least one wall and said at least one recess comprises at least one wall, said walls being configured to engage one another to positively retain said end caps in said first or second position relative to said brackets.4. The handle assembly of claim 3, wherein said handrail is movable along a pivot axis to disengage said walls.5. The handle assembly of claim 3, wherein said walls are oriented substantially parallel to a pivot axis of said handle assembly.6. The handle assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one projection and said at least one recess are correspondingly formed to limit movement of said end caps relative to said brackets when said end caps are in one of said first and second positions.7. The handle assembly of claim 6, wherein said handrail is movable along a pivot axis to disengage said at least one projection from said at least one recess, said handrail being pivotable about said pivot axis between said first and second positions when said at least one projection is disengaged from said at least one recess.8. The handle assembly of claim 7 including a pivot pin extending at least partially through a respective one of said brackets and a respective one of said end caps and defining said pivot axis.9. The handle assembly of claim 8 including a biasing member along said pivot pin that biases said respective end cap toward engagement with said respective bracket.10. The handle assembly of claim 1, wherein said one of said end caps and said brackets comprises a plurality of projections and the other of said end caps and said brackets comprises a plurality of recesses for receiving respective ones of said projections when said end caps are in one of said first and second positions.11. The handle assembly of claim 1 including at least one illumination source that is operable to illuminate at least a portion of said handle assembly.12. The handle assembly of claim 11, wherein said at least one illumination source is positioned at at least one of said brackets and is operable to direct illumination through an at least partially transparent panel of said at least one of said brackets.13. A handle assembly for mounting to a surface of a vehicle comprising:a handrail, formed of a tubular member having a curved cross section, said handrail having an end cap joined with said tubular member; anda bracket, said end cap being selectively engagable with said bracket in first and second positions relative to said bracket, said handrail being selectively movable to disengage said end cap from said bracket, said handrail being pivotable when said end cap is disengaged from said bracket to move said end cap between said first position, where said handrail is positioned along the surface of the vehicle, and said second position, where said handrail extends outward from the surface of the vehicle, said end cap being substantially positively retained relative to said bracket when said end cap is engaged with said bracket in said first or second position, wherein said bracket includes a housing and a cover panel, said cover panel being pivotable about a hinge portion of said housing, said panel being operable to access at least one mounting fastener of said handle assembly.14. A handle assembly for mounting to a surface of vehicle comprising:a handrail having an end portion, said end portion having a first engaging face; anda bracket mountable to the surface of the vehicle, said handrail being pivotable relative to said bracket about a pivot axis, said bracket having a second engaging face, said second engaging face being substantially fixed relative to the vehicle when said bracket is mounted to the surface of the vehicle said first and second engaging faces being selectively engagable in first or second positions, said handrail being selectively movable to disengage said first engaging face from said second engaging face and being pivotable about said pivot axis when said first and second engaging faces are disengaged to move said end portion between said first position, where said handrail is positioned along the surface of the vehicle, and said second position, where said handrail extends outward from the surface of the vehicle, said first and second engaging faces being substantially parallel to said pivot axis to limit pivotal movement of said handrail relative to said bracket when said engaging faces are engaged in one of said first and second positions, wherein one of said end portion and said bracket comprises a plurality of projections and the other of said end portion and said bracket comprises a plurality of recesses for receiving respective ones of said projections when said end portion is in one of said first and second positions, said projections and said recesses comprising said engaging faces.15. The handle assembly of claim 14, wherein one of said end portion and said bracket comprises at least one projection and the other of said end portion and said bracket comprises at least one recess for receiving said at least one projection, said at least one projection and said at least one recess comprising said engaging faces.16. The handle assembly of claim 15, wherein said handrail is movable along said pivot axis to disengage said at least one projection from said at least one recess.17. The handle assembly of claim 16 including a biasing member that biases said end portion toward engagement with said bracket.18. The handle assembly of claim 14 including at least one illumination source that is operable to illuminate at least a portion of said handle assembly.19. The handle assembly of claim 18, wherein said at least one illumination source is positioned at said bracket and is operable to direct illumination, through an at least partially transparent panel of said bracket.20. A handle assembly for mounting to a surface of a vehicle comprising:a handrail, said handrail comprising a generally cylindrical handrail and an end portion;a cap portion positioned at said end portion of said handrail, said cap portion having at least one first engaging face; anda bracket, said handrail being pivotable relative to said bracket about a pivot axis, said bracket having at least one second engaging face, said first and second engaging faces being selectively engagable when said handrail is in first or second positions, said handrail being selectively movable relative to said bracket to disengage said first engaging face from said second engaging face and being pivotable about said pivot axis when said first and second engaging faces are disengaged to move said handrail between said first position, where said handrail is positioned along the surface of the vehicle, and said second position, where said handrail extends outward from the surface of the vehicle, said first and second engaging faces being generally parallel to said pivot axis to substantially limit movement of said handrail relative to said bracket when said engaging faces are engaged, said handrail being movable along said pivot axis to disengage said engaging faces, wherein one of said cap portion and said bracket comprises a plurality of projections and the other of said cap portion and said bracket comprises a plurality of recesses for receiving respective ones of said projections when said handrail is in one of said first and second positions, said projections and said recesses comprising said engaging faces.21. The handle assembly of claim 20, wherein one of said cap portion and said bracket comprises at least one projection and the other of said cap portion and said bracket comprises at least one recess for receiving said at least one projection when said engaging faces are engaged, said projection and said recess defining said engaging faces.22. The handle assembly of claim 21 including a biasing member that biases said at least one projection toward engagement with said at least one recess.23. The handle assembly of claim 20, wherein said cap portion comprises a plastic cap portion.24. The handle assembly of claim 20 including at least one illumination source that is operable to illuminate at least a portion of said handle assembly.25. The handle assembly of claim 24, wherein said at least one illumination source is positioned at said bracket and is operable to direct illumination through an at least partially transparent panel of said bracket.26. A handle assembly for mounting to a surface of a vehicle comprising:a handrail, said handrail comprising a generally cylindrical handrail and an end portion;a cap portion positioned at said end portion of said handrail, said cap portion having at least one first engaging face; anda bracket, said handrail being pivotable relative to said bracket about a pivot axis, said bracket having at least one second engaging face, said first and second engaging faces being selectively engagable when said handrail is in first or second positions, said handrail being selectively movable relative to said bracket to disengage said first engaging face from said second engaging face and being pivotable about said pivot axis when said first and second engaging faces are disengaged to move said handrail between said first position, where said handrail is positioned along the surface of the vehicle, and said second position, where said handrail extends outward from the surface of the vehicle, said first and second engaging faces being generally parallel to said pivot axis to substantially limit movement (if said handrail relative to said bracket when said engaging faces are engaged, said handrail being movable along said pivot axis to disengage said engaging faces; andat least one illumination source that is operable to illuminate at least a portion of said handle assembly, said at least one illumination source being positioned at said bracket and operable to direct illumination through an at least partially transparent panel of said bracket, wherein said at least partially transparent panel is back lit by said illumination source to illuminate an image on said at least partially transparent panel.27. A handle assembly for mounting to a surface of a vehicle comprising:a handrail, said handrail comprising a generally cylindrical handrail and an end portion;a cap portion positioned at said end portion of said handrail, said cap portion having at least one first engaging face; anda bracket, said handrail being pivotable relative to said bracket about a pivot axis, said bracket having at least one second engaging face, said first and second engaging faces being selectively engagable when said handrail is in first or second positions, said handrail being selectively movable relative to said bracket to disengage said first engaging face from said second engaging face and being pivotable about said pivot axis when said first and second engaging faces are disengaged to move said handrail between said first position, where said handrail is positioned along the surface of the vehicle, and said second position, where said handrail extends outward from the surface of the vehicle, said first and second engaging faces being generally parallel to said pivot axis to substantially limit movement of said handrail relative to said bracket when said engaging faces are engaged, said handrail being movable along said pivot axis to disengage said engaging faces, wherein said bracket includes a housing and a cover panel, said cover panel being pivotable about a hinge portion relative to said bracket housing, said cover panel being openable to access at least one mounting fastener of said handle assembly.28. A handle assembly for mounting to a surface of a vehicle comprising:a handrail having a cap portion at opposite ends thereof, each of said cap portions having at least one first engaging face; anda pair of brackets, said handrail being pivotable relative to said brackets about a pivot axis, each of said brackets having at least one second engaging face, said first and second engaging faces being generally parallel to said pivot axis to substantially limit movement of said handrail relative to said brackets when said engaging faces are engaged, said first and second engaging faces being engaged when said handrail is in first or second positions, said handrail being selectively movable relative to said brackets and generally along said pivot axis to disengage said first engaging faces from said second engaging faces and being pivotable about said pivot axis when said first and second engaging faces are disengaged to move said handrail between said first position, where said handrail is positioned along the surface of the vehicle, and said second position, where said handrail extends outward from the surface of the vehicle, wherein each of said brackets comprises at least one projection and each of said cap portions comprises at least one recess for receiving said at least one projection when said engaging faces are engaged, said at least one projection and said at least one recess defining respective engaging faces.29. The handle assembly of claim 28 including a biasing member that biases said at least one projection toward engagement with said at least one recess.30. The handle assembly of claim 28, wherein said cap portion comprises a plastic cap portion.
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