The invention concerns a vehicle having a closure with a handle surrounded by a handle bezel, and a method of assembling the handle bezel to the closure. The handle bezel, which may contain a key cylinder, mounts around the handle and includes a retainer bracket having a retaining clip. The retainin
The invention concerns a vehicle having a closure with a handle surrounded by a handle bezel, and a method of assembling the handle bezel to the closure. The handle bezel, which may contain a key cylinder, mounts around the handle and includes a retainer bracket having a retaining clip. The retaining clip includes fastener retention tabs that engage with a fastener extending from an inner surface of the closure. The fastener retention tabs allow the handle bezel to be installed from the outer surface of the closure without requiring extra fastener installation. But the handle bezel cannot be removed from the closure without access to the inner surface of the closure.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A handle bezel for use on a closure of a vehicle comprising: a bezel body having an opening adapted to receive a handle; a retainer bracket extending outward from the bezel body and including a support flange; and a retainer clip mounted to the retainer bracket and including
What is claimed is: 1. A handle bezel for use on a closure of a vehicle comprising: a bezel body having an opening adapted to receive a handle; a retainer bracket extending outward from the bezel body and including a support flange; and a retainer clip mounted to the retainer bracket and including a main surface having a fastener opening extending therethrough, and a plurality of fastener retention tabs extending generally radially inward into the fastener opening and extending out of plane to the main surface, with the plurality of fastener retention tabs adapted to slidably engage a fastener mounted to the closure when the handle bezel is biased toward the closure and securingly engage the fastener mounted to the closure when the handle bezel is biased away from the closure; and wherein the retainer bracket includes a plurality of mounting slots within which the retainer clip is mounted, and the retainer clip includes at least one bracket retention tab operatively engaging at least one of the mounting slots. 2. The handle bezel of claim 1 wherein the closure is a vehicle end gate. 3. The handle bezel of claim 1 including a key cylinder mounted to the bezel body, with the key cylinder adapted to operatively engage a latch assembly that operatively engages the handle. 4. The handle bezel of claim 1 including a plurality of integral tabs extending from the bezel body and adapted to operatively engage respective ones of a plurality of tab slots in the closure. 5. The handle bezel of claim 4 wherein each of the integral tabs includes a respective one of a plurality of retention springs mounted thereon, with the plurality of retention springs each adapted to retain the respective integral tab in the respective tab slot. 6. The handle bezel of claim 1 including a double sided tape adhered to the bezel body and adapted to operatively engage the closure when the handle bezel is mounted to the closure. 7. A closure of a vehicle comprising: an outer surface including a handle opening; an inner surface in opposed relation to the outer surface; a latch handle assembly located within the handle opening, having a handle portion, and secured to the inner surface; a fastener extending through the inner surface and extending toward the outer surface, wherein the fastener operatively engages the latch handle assembly to secure the latch handle assembly to the inner surface; and a handle bezel including a bezel body having an opening that receives the handle portion; a retainer bracket extending outward from the bezel body; and a retainer clip mounted to the retainer bracket and including a main surface having a fastener opening extending therethrough, and a plurality of fastener retention tabs extending generally radially inward into the fastener opening and extending out of plane to the main surface, with the fastener retention tabs slidably engaging the fastener when the handle bezel is biased toward the closure and securingly engaging the fastener when the handle bezel is biased away from the closure. 8. The closure of claim 7 wherein the closure is an end gate. 9. The closure of claim 8 wherein the inner surface of the end gate has a forward side and the fastener engages the inner surface such that the fastener is removable from the forward side of the inner surface, whereby as the fastener is removed from the inner surface, the fastener retention tabs are released from the fastener. 10. The closure of claim 8 including a key cylinder mounted to the handle bezel, with the key cylinder operatively engaging the latch handle assembly. 11. The closure of claim 7 including a key cylinder mounted to the handle bezel, with the key cylinder operatively engaging the latch handle assembly. 12. The closure of claim 7 wherein the outer surface includes a plurality of tab slots adjacent to the handle opening, and the handle bezel includes a plurality of integral tabs extending from the bezel body, with each of the integral tabs operatively engaging a respective one of the tab slots. 13. The closure of claim 12 wherein each of the integral tabs includes a respective one of a plurality of retention springs mounted thereon, with each of the retention springs engaging a respective one of the tab slots. 14. A method of assembling a handle bezel to a vehicle closure having an outer surface and an inner surface, the method comprising the steps of: (a) assembling a latch handle assembly to the vehicle closure with at least one fastener extending through the inner surface and extending toward the outer surface; (b) slidably inserting a handle bezel through a handle opening in the outer surface around a handle portion of the latch handle assembly; (c) slidably engaging a retainer clip mounted to the handle bezel around the fastener as the handle bezel is axially moved toward the outer surface; and (d) engaging fastener retention tabs on the fastener such that axially sliding disengagement of the retainer clip from the fastener is prevented. 15. The method of claim 14 including the step of assembling a key cylinder to the handle bezel prior to step (c). 16. The method of claim 14 wherein step (c) is further defined by engaging a plurality of integral tabs extending from the handle bezel with a corresponding plurality of tab slots in the outer surface as the handle bezel is axial moved toward the outer surface. 17. The method of claim 16 including the steps of mounting a respective one of a plurality of retention springs on each of the integral tabs, and biasingly engaging each of the retention springs in a respective one of the tab slots. 18. The method of claim 14 including the step of mounting a double sided tape to one of the outer surface and the handle bezel and engaging the double sided tape to the other of the outer surface and the handle bezel as the handle bezel is axially moved toward the outer surface. 19. A closure of a vehicle comprising: an outer surface including a handle opening; an inner surface in opposed relation to the outer surface; a latch handle assembly located within the handle opening, having a handle portion, and secured to the inner surface; a fastener extending through the inner surface and extending toward the outer surface; and a handle bezel including a bezel body having an opening that receives the handle portion; a retainer bracket extending outward from the bezel body; and a retainer clip mounted to the retainer bracket and including a main surface having a fastener opening extending therethrough, and a plurality of fastener retention tabs extending generally radially inward into the fastener opening and extending out of plane to the main surface, with the fastener retention tabs slidably engaging the fastener when the handle bezel is biased toward the closure and securingly engaging the fastener when the handle bezel is biased away from the closure; wherein the closure is an end gate, and wherein the inner surface of the end gate has a forward side and the fastener engages the inner surface such that the fastener is removable from the forward side of the inner surface, whereby as the fastener is removed from the inner surface, the fastener retention tabs are released from the fastener. 20. A closure of a vehicle comprising: an outer surface including a handle opening; an inner surface in opposed relation to the outer surface; a latch handle assembly located within the handle opening, having a handle portion, and secured to the inner surface; a fastener extending through the inner surface and extending toward the outer surface; and a handle bezel including a bezel body having an opening that receives the handle portion; a retainer bracket extending outward from the bezel body; and a retainer clip mounted to the retainer bracket and including a main surface having a fastener opening extending therethrough, and a plurality of fastener retention tabs extending generally radially inward into the fastener opening and extending out of plane to the main surface, with the fastener retention tabs slidably engaging the fastener when the handle bezel is biased toward the closure and securingly engaging the fastener when the handle bezel is biased away from the closure; wherein the closure is an end gate, and wherein the end gate includes a key cylinder mounted to the handle bezel, with the key cylinder operatively engaging the latch handle assembly.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (16)
Varajon Joseph (Romeo MI), Adjustable door handle assembly.
Emerling, David M.; Dimig, Steven J.; Morrison, Gerald O.; Cannon, Carter S.; Leshan, Kimberly C., Vehicle door assembly with a trim panel forming a structural door module component carrier.
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