Vehicle tailgate limiter system

• US 6,494,520 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2001
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Brzenchek, David John, Lipman, Neal David, Kuhn, Gregory Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, D. Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUTMAN, HILARY L
• Application Number:
  US09/681,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20020153739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 296/57.1, 296/50, 296/58, 296/59, 296/60, 493/83, 493/84, 16/86.A, 16/86.B, 16/86.C, 16D/IG.6
• US Class Current: 296/57.1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/023 Sideboard or tailgate structures vehicle side panels in general B62D25/02
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/03 by swinging down B62D33/0273 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 16/06 Anti-rattle

Abstract

A vehicle tailgate limiter system for a vehicle includes a cargo bed, a tailgate pivotally attached to the cargo bed operable between a closed vertical position and a deployed horizontal position, a fixed pin having a head portion and a base portion, and a slotted bracket having a middle portion and end portions adapted to receive the pin when the tailgate is in the deployed position.

Claims

1. A vehicle tailgate limiter system for a vehicle comprising:

a cargo bed;

a tailgate pivotally attached to the cargo bed operable between a closed vertical position and a deployed horizontal position;

a fixed pin, fixed to one of the tailgate and the cargo bed, having a longitudinal axis, a head portion, and a base portion;

a slotted bracket, fixed to the other of the tailgate and the cargo bed, having a middle portion and end portions adapted to receive the pin when the tailgate is in the deployed horizontal position; and

wherein the longitudinal axis of the fixed pin is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, thereby limiting lateral movement of the tailgate when in the deployed horizontal position.

2. The vehicle tailgate limiter system as defined in claim 1, wherein a removable bed extender engages the cargo bed.

3. The vehicle tailgate limiter system as defined in claim 1, wherein a removable bed extender engages the tailgate.

4. The vehicle tailgate limiter system as defined in claim 2 or 3, wherein the bed extender has a plurality of bars a predetermined distance apart.

5. The vehicle tailgate limiter system as defined in claim 2 or 3, wherein the bed extender has a plurality of vertical spacers a predetermined distance apart.

6. The vehicle tailgate limiter system as defined in claim 1, wherein pivoting the tailgate into the deployed horizontal position brings the fixed pin to rest in a notch in the slotted bracket'"'"'s middle portion, thereby limiting lateral movement of the tailgate when in the deployed horizontal position.

7. A vehicle tailgate limiter system for a vehicle comprising:

a cargo bed;

a tailgate pivotally attached to the cargo bed operable between a closed vertical position and a deployed horizontal position;

a fixed pin, fixed to one of the tailgate and the cargo bed, having a head portion and a base portion;

a slotted bracket, fixed to the other of the tailgate and the cargo bed, having a middle portion and end portions adapted to receive the pin when the tailgate is in the deployed horizontal position;

a removable bed extender engaging at least the cargo bed; and

wherein pivoting the tailgate into the deployed horizontal position brings the fixed pin to rest in a notch in the slotted bracket'"'"'s middle portion, thereby limiting lateral movement of the tailgate when in the deployed horizontal position.

8. The vehicle tailgate limiter system as defined in claim 7, wherein the removable bed extender engages the tailgate.

9. The vehicle tailgate limiter system as defined in claim 7, wherein the bed extender has a plurality of bars a predetermined distance apart.

10. The vehicle tailgate limiter system as defined in claim 7, wherein the bed extender has a plurality of vertical spacers a predetermined distance apart.

11. A vehicle tailgate limiter system for a vehicle comprising:

a cargo bed;

a tailgate pivotally attached to the cargo bed operable between a closed vertical position and a deployed horizontal position;

a fixed pin, fixed to one of the tailgate and the cargo bed, having a longitudinal axis, a head portion, and a base portion carried by the bed;

a slotted bracket, fixed to the other of the tailgate and the cargo bed, having a middle portion and end portions carried by the tailgate adapted to receive the pin when the tailgate is in the deployed horizontal position;

a removable bed extender engaging at least the cargo bed; and

wherein the longitudinal axis of the fixed pin is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and pivoting of the tailgate into the deployed horizontal position brings the fixed pin to rest in a notch in the slotted bracket'"'"'s middle portion, thereby limiting lateral movement of the tailgate when in the deployed horizontal position.

12. The vehicle tailgate limiter system as defined in claim 11, wherein the removable bed extender engages the tailgate.

13. The vehicle tailgate limiter system as defined in claim 11, wherein the bed extender has a plurality of bars a predetermined distance apart.

14. The vehicle tailgate limiter system as defined in claim 11, wherein the bed extender has a plurality of vertical spacers a predetermined distance