Vehicles incorporating tailgate energy management systems
First Claim
1. A method of managing remote actuation of a vehicle tailgate comprising:
- receiving a command to open the tailgate;
transmitting an unlatch signal to at least one tailgate latch actuator to unlatch a tailgate latch from a corresponding tailgate latch striker;
applying an unlatch force to the tailgate latch that is smaller than a predetermined maximum unlatch force; and
terminating the unlatch signal to the at least one tailgate latch actuator if an external load applied to the tailgate is greater than a predetermined maximum external load.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle includes sidewalls, a tailgate located proximate to rear ends of the sidewalls, and a tailgate energy management system. The tailgate energy management system includes a governor coupled to one of the sidewalls and to the tailgate. The governor selectively applies a governing force to the tailgate to reduce an opening speed of the tailgate. The tailgate energy management system also includes a speed sensor sensing an opening speed of the tailgate and an electronic control unit electronically coupled to the governor and the speed sensor. The electronic control unit includes a processor and memory storing an instruction set. The electronic control unit receives a speed signal indicative of the opening speed of the tailgate and the processor executes the instruction set to cause the electronic control unit to transmit a control signal to the governor to slow the opening speed of the tailgate based on the speed signal.
21 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of managing remote actuation of a vehicle tailgate comprising:
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receiving a command to open the tailgate; transmitting an unlatch signal to at least one tailgate latch actuator to unlatch a tailgate latch from a corresponding tailgate latch striker; applying an unlatch force to the tailgate latch that is smaller than a predetermined maximum unlatch force; and terminating the unlatch signal to the at least one tailgate latch actuator if an external load applied to the tailgate is greater than a predetermined maximum external load. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A vehicle comprising:
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a tailgate latch coupled to one of a vehicle tailgate or sidewalls of a vehicle; a tailgate latch striker coupled to one of the vehicle tailgate or sidewalls of the vehicle, the tailgate latch and the tailgate latch striker positioned to selectively latch with one another; a tailgate latch actuator coupled to the tailgate latch that selectively applies an unlatch force to the tailgate latch, the unlatch force being smaller than a predetermined maximum latch force that corresponds to a predetermined maximum external load applied to the tailgate, wherein if an external load applied to the tailgate is greater than the predetermined maximum external load, the tailgate latch remains latched to the tailgate latch striker; and a command device communicatively coupled to the tailgate latch actuator, the command device configured to provide an unlatch signal to the tailgate latch actuator. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of managing remote actuation of a vehicle tailgate comprising:
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receiving a command to open the tailgate; transmitting an unlatch signal to at least one tailgate latch actuator to unlatch a tailgate latch from a corresponding tailgate latch striker; and applying an unlatch force to the tailgate latch that is smaller than a predetermined maximum unlatch force that corresponds to a maximum external load applied to the tailgate, wherein when an external load applied to the tailgate exceeds the maximum external load the tailgate latch remains latched to the striker. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification