Tailgate arrangement of the body of a motor vehicle and rear lamp unit

• US 6,007,133 A
• Filed: 02/11/1999
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wagon Automotive GmbH (Wagon PLC)
• Original Assignee: Wagon Automotive GmbH (Wagon PLC)
• Inventors: Heim, Gunther, Janz, Joachim, Klein, Armin
• Primary Examiner(s): HOGE, GARY CHAPMAN
• Application Number:
  US09/247,805
• Time in Patent Office: 320 Days
• Field of Search: 296/56, 296/146.9, 362/496, 362/549
• US Class Current: 296/56
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/80 specially adapted for opening panels, e.g. doors for non-fixed roofs B60J10/90
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/101 for non-load transporting vehicles, i.e. family cars including vans
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/107 constructional details, e.g. about door frame, panels, materials used, reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/304 Adaptations of signalling devices having a part on the vehicle body and another on the boot door

Abstract

Tailgate arrangement of a body of a motor vehicle, with a body opening (3), a tailgate (4) which is assigned to the body opening (3) and which closes it, at least one, preferably two rear lamp units (7) assigned to the body opening (3), a peripheral attachment flange (8) being provided bordering the body opening (3) and the attachment flange having a peripheral sealing profile (9), which is optionally composed of several sections, mounted on it for sealing against a sealing flange on the tailgate (4). This tailgate arrangement is simplified in terms of production engineering and installation technique by the edge of the body opening (3) in the area of the rear lamp units (7) being formed by the rear lamp units (7) themselves, specifically the corresponding sections of the attachment flange (8) for the sealing profile (9) being formed on the rear lamp units (7).

Claims

1. Tailgate arrangement of a body of a motor vehicle, comprising a part defining a body opening, a tailgate for closing the body opening, at least one lamp unit proximate the body opening, a peripheral attachment flange bordering one of the body opening and tailgate, a peripheral sealing profile being mounted on the attachment flange, and a peripheral sealing flange bordering the other of the tailgate and body opening for sealing against the sealing profile in a position of the tailgate closing the body opening;

wherein the least one lamp unit forms part of the edge of the body opening, a corresponding section of one of the attachment flange and sealing flange being provided on the lamp unit.

2. Tailgate arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attachment flange has a shell-shaped section.

3. Tailgate arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attachment flange has an adhesive surface.

4. Tailgate arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein a portion of the at least one lamp unit forms one of the attachment flange and the sealing flange;

and wherein at least the portion of the lamp unit which forms said one of the attachment flange and the sealing flange is made of a high strength plastic.

5. Tailgate arrangement as claimed in claim 4 wherein the high strength plastic is formed of at least one of a fiber-reinforced and a fiber-filled plastic.

6. Tailgate arrangement as claimed in claim 4 wherein the high strength plastic is a polyamide.

7. Tailgate arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein a metal reinforcing stunt is integrated into said at least one lamp unit.

8. Tailgate arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein the metal reinforcing strut is proximate one of the attachment flange and the scaling flange.

9. Tailgate arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the at least one lamp unit is made of plastic and the metal reinforcing strut is at least partially embedded in the plastic.

10. Tailgate arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the part which forms the body opening has a metal reinforcing strut;

and wherein the at least one lamp unit is fitted over the metal reinforcing strut and itself forms one of the attachment flange and the sealing flange.

11. Tailgate arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein a gutter is formed on the portion of the at least one lamp unit which forms part of the edge of the body opening.

12. Tailgate arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one lamp unit a lower edge underneath a reflector section;

and wherein the lower edge has a body connection section which extends as far as a lower transverse flange of the body opening.

13. Tailgate arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein a second sealing profile is provided in an area of the rear lamp unit which is not sealed by the peripheral sealing profile, the second sealing profile being between the at least one lamp unit and an adjacent part of the body of the vehicle.

14. Tailgate arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second sealing profile is part of the peripheral sealing profile.

15. Tailgate arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein form-fitting cavities which conform to one another are provided on a lower transverse flange bordering the body opening and on the at least one lamp unit, the at least one lamp unit being inserted on the tower transverse flange with said form-fitting cavities interengaged with each other and with a side flange bordering the body opening being fixed to the at least one lamp unit.

16. Tailgate arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attachment flange is proximate the body opening and the sealing flange is on the tailgate, sections of the attachment flange being on the at least one lamp unit.

17. Tailgate arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tailgate arrangement is a tailgate module which has its own peripheral retaining frame which is attachable to a same of the body of the vehicle.

18. Tailgate arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one lamp unit comprise a pair of lamp units, each of which is at a respective side of the body opening.

19. Tailgate arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing flange is proximate the body opening and the attachment flange is on the tailgate, sections of the sealing flange being on the at least one lamp unit.

20. Tailgate arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tailgate is one of a rear door and a trunk lid of a vehicle.

21. Lamp unit for a tailgate arrangement of a body of a motor vehicle having a part defining a body opening, a tailgate for closing the body opening, at least one lamp unit proximate the body opening, a peripheral attachment flange bordering one of the body opening and tailgate, a peripheral sealing profile being mounted on the attachment flange, and a peripheral sealing flange bordering the other of the tailgate and body opening for sealing against the sealing profile in a position of the tailgate closing the body opening;

wherein said lamp unit has a section of on of the attachment flange and the sealing flange formed thereon in an area which borders the body opening when the lamp is attached to the tailgate arrangement, in use.