Anti-chucking tailgate

• US 7,644,973 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2007
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Miller, Scott, Carloni, Shannon, Bustamante, Chris, Firzlaff, Jeff, Posa, James
• Primary Examiner(s): PAPE, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US11/677,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20080206033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 296/57.1, 296/50, 296/52, 296/53, 296/56, 296/61, 296/62
• US Class Current: 296/57.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/26 Means for controlling movement of tailboards or sideboards open loading compartments with movable sideboards or tailgates B62D33/027
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0273 Movable tailboards for vehicles comprising non-movable sideboards, e.g. pick-up trucks B62D33/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 7/00 Accessories for wings not provided for in other groups of this subclass specially adapted for furniture A47B95/00; door-lifters B66F, E04F21/00; knobs or handles E05B
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 7/04 Arrangements affording protection against rattling with buffering action E05F5/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/516 for trucks or trailers
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/544 Tailboards, tailgates or sideboards opening downwards

Abstract

An anti-chucking device (14) for a tailgate assembly (12) for a vehicle (10), includes a bracket member (36) and a striker member (38). The striker member (38) engages the bracket member (36) and prevents the tailgate assembly (12) from moving in a lateral direction on the vehicle (10) when the tailgate assembly (12) is moved to an open position and a closed position. The bracket member (36) includes a first pair of tabs (50) and a second pair of tabs (52). The first pair of tabs (50) extends from the second pair of tabs (52) by a predetermined angle. The first pair of tabs (50) defines a first slot (60), and the second pair of tabs (52) defines a second slot (62). The striker member (38) pivots between the first slot (60) and the second slot (62), with the tailgate assembly (12) moving between open and closed positions.

Claims

1. An anti-chucking device for a tailgate assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a bracket member; and

a striker member engaging said bracket member and preventing said tailgate assembly from moving in a lateral direction on said vehicle when said tailgate assembly is in an open position and a closed position;

said bracket member having a first pair of tabs and a second pair of tabs;

said first pair of tabs extending from said second pair of tabs by a predetermined angle;

said first pair of tabs defining a first slot;

said second pair of tabs defining a second slot; and

said striker member pivoting between said first slot and said second slot with said tailgate assembly moving between said open position and said closed position.

2. The anti-chucking device recited in claim 1 wherein said bracket member is a one-piece construction.

3. The anti-chucking device recited in claim 2 wherein said one-piece construction includes a mounting plate portion extending between said first pair of tabs and said second pair of tabs, with said mounting plate portion attached to said vehicle.

4. A tailgate assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a cargo box;

a tailgate pivoting on said cargo box;

said tailgate pivoting between an open position and a closed position; and

said anti-chucking device recited in claim 1;

said anti-chucking device preventing said tailgate from moving in a lateral direction on said cargo box when said tailgate is in said open position and said closed position;

said bracket member attached to said cargo box;

said striker member attached to said tailgate.

5. The tailgate assembly recited in claim 4 wherein said tailgate includes a tailgate outer panel and a tailgate inner panel with said striker member attached to said tailgate inner panel.

6. A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle frame having a pair of rails with a front end portion and a rear end portion;

a pair of D-pillars extending from said rear end portion of said rails;

said tailgate assembly recited in claim 4;

said cargo box attached to said vehicle frame;

said tailgate pivotally attached to said D-pillars;

said anti-chucking device preventing said tailgate from moving in a lateral direction between said D-pillars.

7. The vehicle recited in claim 6 wherein said tailgate is pivotally attached to said D-pillars by a pair of hinge members.

8. The vehicle recited in claim 6 wherein one of said first pair of tabs and said second pair of tabs extends substantially perpendicularly from said cargo box.

9. An anti-chucking device for a tailgate assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a bracket member having a pair of canted arms directing water away from said vehicle; and

a striker member engaging said bracket member and preventing said tailgate assembly from moving in a lateral direction on said vehicle when said tailgate assembly is in an open position and a closed position;

said bracket member having a first pair of tabs and a second pair of tabs;

said first pair of tabs extending from said second pair of tabs by a predetermined angle;

said first pair of tabs formed from said canted arms and defining a first slot;

said second pair of tabs defining a second slot; and

said striker member pivoting between said first slot and said second slot with said tailgate assembly moving between said open position and said closed position;

said pair of canted arms defining said first slot.

10. The anti-chucking device recited in claim 9 wherein said canted arms extend from a lateral reference plane by a predetermined angle.

11. The anti-chucking device recited in claim 10 wherein said bracket member is a one-piece construction.

12. The anti-chucking device recited in claim 11 wherein said one-piece construction includes a mounting plate portion extending between said first pair of tabs and said second pair of tabs, with said mounting plate portion attached to said vehicle.

13. A tailgate assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a cargo box;

a tailgate pivoting on said cargo box;

said tailgate pivoting between an open position and a closed position; and

said anti-chucking device recited in claim 9;

said anti-chucking device preventing said tailgate from moving in a lateral direction on said cargo box when said tailgate is in said open position and said closed position;

said bracket member attached to said cargo box;

said striker member attached to said tailgate.

14. The tailgate assembly recited in claim 13 wherein said tailgate includes a tailgate outer panel and a tailgate inner panel with said striker member attached to said tailgate inner panel.

15. A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle frame having a pair of rails with a front end portion and a rear end portion;

a pair of D-pillars extending from said rear end portion of said rails;

said tailgate assembly recited in claim 13;

said cargo box attached to said vehicle frame;

said tailgate pivotally attached to said D-pillars;

said anti-chucking device preventing said tailgate from moving in a lateral direction between said D-pillars.

16. The vehicle recited in claim 15 wherein said tailgate is pivotally attached to said D-pillars by a pair of hinge members.

17. The vehicle recited in claim 15 wherein one of said first pair of tabs and said second pair of tabs is offset from a horizontal reference plane by a predetermined angle for clearing debris thereon.

18. An anti-chucking device for a tailgate assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a bracket member; and

a striker member engaging said bracket member and preventing said tailgate assembly from moving in a lateral direction on said vehicle when said tailgate assembly is in an open position and a closed position;

said bracket member having a first pair of tabs and a second pair of tabs;

said first pair of tabs extending from said second pair of tabs by a predetermined angle;

said first pair of tabs defining a first slot;

said second pair of tabs defining a second slot; and

a striker member pivoting between said first slot and said second slot with said tailgate assembly moving between said open position and said closed position;

said first slot having a first enlarged portion adjacent to said second pair of tabs for receiving said striker member;

said second slot having a second enlarged portion adjacent to said first pair of tabs for receiving said striker member;

said striker member having a rounded perimeter for facilitating entry into said first slot and said second slot.

19. A tailgate assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a cargo box;

a tailgate pivoting on said cargo box;

said tailgate pivoting between an open position and a closed position; and

said anti-chucking device recited in claim 18;

said anti-chucking device preventing said tailgate from moving in a lateral direction on said cargo box when said tailgate is in said open position and said closed position;

said bracket member attached to said cargo box;

said striker member attached to said tailgate.

20. A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle frame having a pair of rails with a front end portion and a rear end portion;

a pair of D-pillars extending from said rear end portion of said rails;

said tailgate assembly recited in claim 19 with said tailgate pivotally attached to said D-pillars by a pair of hinge members;

said cargo box attached to said vehicle frame;

said tailgate pivotally attached to said D-pillars;

said anti-chucking device preventing said tailgate from moving in a lateral direction between said D-pillars when said tailgate is in said open position and said closed position;

said tailgate movable to an intermediate position and movable in said lateral direction;

said tailgate in said intermediate position between said open position and said closed position with said striker member offset from said first slot and said second slot.