Vehicle with a tail gate

• US 20060244282A1
• Filed: 04/27/2006
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arvinmeritor Light Vehicle Systems FRA (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Original Assignee: Arvinmeritor Light Vehicle Systems FRA (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Inventors: Benoit, Dominique, Zanian, Dan, Dufour, Fabien
• Application Number:
  US11/412,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20060244282A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/50
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1091 with a gas spring E05F1/1292 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/63 operated by swinging arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailgates

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle including a body and a tail gate mobile in rotation relative to the body between a closed position and an open position. The vehicle also includes a gas spring for actuating the tail gate, where actuation of the tail gate by the gas spring is done by a first lever arm. The vehicle includes a transmission lever for actuating the tail gate and actuation of the tail gate by the transmission lever is done by a second lever arm greater than the first lever arm. The gas spring is adapted to activate the transmission lever. The tail gate can thus be opened more easily, while limiting the bulk of the drive mechanism of the tail gate.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a body;

a tail gate rotatable relative to the body between a closed position and an open position;

a gas spring for actuating the tail gate, wherein actuation of the tail gate by the gas spring is done with a first lever arm; and

a transmission lever for actuating the tail gate, wherein the transmission lever is adapted to actuate the tail gate between a first angular position and a second angular position, actuation of the tail gate by the transmission lever is done with a second lever arm greater than the first lever arm, the gas spring is adapted to activate the transmission lever, and the transmission lever includes;

a main lever for actuating the tail gate, and

a second lever for hinging to the body,

wherein the main lever and the second lever rotate together between the first angular position and the second angular position of the tail gate, and

wherein the main lever is adapted to be driven in rotation by the gas spring relative to the second lever beyond the second angular position of the tail gate.

2. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second lever arm is greater than the first lever arm when the tail gate is in the closed position.

3. The vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein only the gas spring is adapted to actuate the tail gate beyond the second angular position.

4. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first angular position of the tail gate is the closed position.

5. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second angular position of the tail gate is an intermediate position between the closed position and the open position.

6. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmission lever is in sliding contact with the tail gate.

7. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gas spring has a degree of liberty in translation relative to the body.

8. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further including an intermediate component hinging the gas spring to the body.

9. The vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the intermediate component is the transmission lever.

10. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main lever is elastically hinged to and the second lever.

11. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gas spring is hinged to the second lever.

12. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body includes a gutter, and the transmission lever and the gas spring are in the gutter when the tail gate is in the closed position.

13. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further including:

a motor for activating the gas spring, and

an electronic control unit associated with the motor, wherein the electronic control unit provides at least one of an anti-pinching function and an anti-collision function during movement of the tail gate.

14. A vehicle comprising:

a body;

a tail gate rotatable relative to the body between a closed position and an open position;

a gas spring for actuating the tail gate, wherein actuation of the tail gate by the gas spring is done with a first lever arm; and

a transmission lever for actuating the tail gate, wherein actuation of the tail gate by the transmission lever is done with a second lever arm greater than the first lever arm, and

wherein the gas spring has a degree of liberty in translation relative to the body, and the gas spring is adapted to activate the transmission lever.

15. The vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the second lever arm is greater than the first lever arm when the tail gate is in the closed position.

16. The vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein the transmission lever is adapted to actuate the tail gate between a first angular position and a second angular position, and only the gas spring is adapted to actuate the tail gate beyond the second angular position.

17. The vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein the transmission lever includes:

a main lever for actuating the tail gate, and

a second lever for hinging to the body,

wherein the main lever and the second lever rotate together between the first angular position and the second angular position of the tail gate, and

wherein the main lever is adapted to be driven in rotation by the gas spring relative to the second lever beyond the second angular position of the tail gate.

18. The vehicle as claimed in claim 17, wherein the main lever is elastically hinged to the second lever.

19. The vehicle as claimed in claim 18, further including:

a motor for activating the gas spring, and

an electronic control unit associated with the motor, wherein the electronic control unit provides at least one of an anti-pinching function and an anti-collision function during movement of the tail gate.

20. A method for driving a tail gate relative to a vehicle body of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising:

a body,

a tail gate rotatable relative to the body between a closed position and an open position,

a gas spring for actuating the tail gate, wherein actuation of the tail gate by the gas spring is done with a first lever arm,

a transmission lever for actuating the tail gate, wherein the transmission lever is adapted to actuate the tail gate between a first angular position and a second angular position, actuation of the tail gate by the transmission lever is done with a second lever arm greater than the first lever arm, and the transmission lever includes;

a main lever for actuating the tail gate, and

a second lever for hinging to the body,

wherein the main lever and the second lever rotate together between the first angular position and the second angular position of the tail gate, and

wherein the main lever is adapted to be driven in rotation by the gas spring relative to the second lever beyond the second angular position of the tail gate, the method comprising the steps of;

actuating the tail gate by the gas spring and by the transmission lever between two angular positions of the tail gate, and

actuating the tail gate by only the gas spring between two other angular positions of the tail gate.