Electrically-controlled tailgate operator
First Claim
1. An electrically-controlled tailgate operator for moving a tailgate of a vehicle between a generally vertical raised position and a generally horizontal lowered position, comprising:
- a housing;
a linear actuator enclosed within the housing, the actuator including a rotatable, horizontally-extending externally-threaded worm screw having first and second ends, and an internally-threaded ball nut in threaded engagement with the wormscrew, the ball nut having a sheave attached thereto;
a flexible cable having a first end for attachment to the tailgate and a second end attached to the housing, the cable being routed around the sheave; and
an electrical motor coupled to the second end of the worm screw for rotating the worm screw either in a first direction around its axis to move the ball nut linearly toward the first end of the worm screw, or in a second direction around its axis to move the ball nut linearly toward the second end of the worm screw.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrically-controlled tailgate operator for moving a vehicle tailgate between a generally vertical raised position and a generally horizontal lowered position. The tailgate operator includes a ball nut linear actuator received in a housing mounted longitudinally along the side of a vehicle. The actuator includes a rotatable, horizontally-extending externally-threaded worm screw, an internally-threaded ball nut in threaded engagement with the worm screw for linear movement relative to the worm screw, and a sheave attached to the ball nut and around which a flexible cable is routed. A motor is coupled to the worm screw. The flexible cable is attached at one end to the vehicle tailgate, and at its other end to the housing. When the motor is activated to rotate the worm screw in a first direction around its axis, the ball nut moves linearly toward the tailgate and the cable extends outwardly toward the tailgate, thereby moving the tailgate to a generally horizontal lowered position. When the motor is reversibly operated to rotate the worm screw in a second direction around its axis opposite the first direction, the ball nut is pulled back toward the front of the vehicle, thereby pulling the cable back toward the vehicle and moving the tailgate to a generally vertical raised position.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An electrically-controlled tailgate operator for moving a tailgate of a vehicle between a generally vertical raised position and a generally horizontal lowered position, comprising:
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a housing; a linear actuator enclosed within the housing, the actuator including a rotatable, horizontally-extending externally-threaded worm screw having first and second ends, and an internally-threaded ball nut in threaded engagement with the wormscrew, the ball nut having a sheave attached thereto; a flexible cable having a first end for attachment to the tailgate and a second end attached to the housing, the cable being routed around the sheave; and an electrical motor coupled to the second end of the worm screw for rotating the worm screw either in a first direction around its axis to move the ball nut linearly toward the first end of the worm screw, or in a second direction around its axis to move the ball nut linearly toward the second end of the worm screw. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A vehicle comprising:
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a tailgate movable between a generally vertical raised position and a generally horizontal lowered position; and an operator for moving the tailgate between the raised and lowered positions, the operator including; a housing attached to the vehicle proximate the tailgate; an actuator enclosed within the housing, the actuator including a rotatable, horizontally-extending externally-threaded worm screw having a first end and a second end, and an internally-threaded ball nut in threaded engagement with the worm screw, the ball nut having a sheave attached thereto; a flexible cable having a first end attached to the tailgate and a second end attached to the housing, the cable being routed around tile sheave; and an electrical motor coupled to one of the first and second ends of the worm screw for rotating the worm screw either in a first direction around its axis to move the ball nut linearly toward the first end of the worm screw, thereby moving the tailgate to a lowered position, or in a second direction around its axis opposite the first direction to move the ball nut linearly toward the second of the worm screw, thereby moving the tailgate to a raised position. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification