Door handle assembly with detented closed position

This invention relates to handle assemblies and more particularly to handle assemblies for controlling the latch mechanisms on vehicular doors. A motor vehicle door handle assembly for actuating a door latch of the vehicle. The assembly includes a housing adapted to be mounted on the vehicle door, a handle mounted on the door on the housing for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position, and a latch actuator mounted on the housing, operated by the handle, and operative to unlatch the vehicle door in response to opening movement of the handle. The handle and housing define coacting detent structures operative in response to closing movement of the handle to catch the handle on the housing in the closed position of the handle and thereby resist inadvertent opening movement of the handle in a side impact scenario while allowing forceful opening movement of the handle by an operator. The detent structure on the housing comprises a cantilevered resilient finger and the detent structure on the handle comprises a leading cam surface operative to resiliently move the spring finger outwardly in response to closing movement of the handle, a dwell surface maintaining the finger in its outwardly biased position, and a trailing cam surface moving into a position in confronting relation to a free end of the finger as the handle reaches its fully closed position. The trailing cam surface coacts with the free end of the finger in the closed position of the door to resist inadvertent opening movement of the handle in a side impact scenario while allowing forceful opening movement of the handle by an operator.