System to remotely unlatch a pickup box tailgate

• US 8,903,605 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2013
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Bambenek, Charles Gregory, Patel, Bhupendra A., Rogers, David Manuel, Herline, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US13/954,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20140136021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/306, 296/26.1, 296/26.04, 296/26.08, 296/26.07, 296/26.09, 296/26.11, 296/50, 296/56, 296/61, 296/62, 296/57.1, 296/98, 296/100.1, 296/100.04, 296/100.06, 296/100.07, 296/100.08, 296/100.17, 296/180.1, 163/08, 340/687
• US Class Current: 701/36
• 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: B62D 33/037 Latching means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/00 Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled logic circuits H03K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A pickup truck includes a tailgate that is movable between open and closed positions. A powered latch provides for remote release of the latches of the tailgate. The tailgate is biased from the closed position towards the open position such that release of the latch causes the tailgate to shift automatically from the closed position to the open position.

Claims

1. A tailgate for a pickup truck, comprising:

a tailgate structure configured to be movably mounted to a pickup truck;

first and second latches adapted to retain the tailgate structure in a closed position when the first and second latches are latched;

at least one powered actuator operably connected to the first and second latches to selectively unlatch the latches to permit opening of the tailgate.

2. The tailgate of claim 1, including:

at least one resilient member that is adapted to bias the tailgate towards the open position when the tailgate is in the closed position and the latches are latched, whereby the tailgate automatically shifts from its upright closed position to its open position upon actuation of the powered actuator.

3. The tailgate of claim 1, wherein:

the powered actuator is mounted to a central portion of the tailgate, and wherein the powered actuator is operably connected to the first and second latches by at least one elongated connecting member.

4. The tailgate of claim 3, wherein:

the one elongated connecting member comprises first and second elongated connecting members operably interconnecting the first and second latches, respectively, to the powered actuator; and

including;

a pivotable lever operably interconnecting the powered actuator to the first and second elongated connecting members.

5. The tailgate of claim 4, including:

a handle movably mounted to the tailgate, and wherein the handle is operably connected to the first and second latches whereby movement of the handle shifts the first and second elongated connecting members and releases the first and second latches.

6. The tailgate of claim 5, wherein:

the powered actuator is operably connected to the first and second latches whereby the powered actuator shifts the first and second elongated connecting members and releases the first and second latches without movement of the handle.

7. The tailgate of claim 6, including:

first and second strikers adapted to be rigidly mounted to a vehicle structure adjacent a rear box opening;

the first and second latches include first and second latch members, respectively, that are adapted to engage the strikers to retain the tailgate in its closed position; and

wherein;

the resilient member comprises first and second resilient members mounted to the tailgate adjacent the first and second latch members, respectively, and wherein the first and second resilient members are adapted to contact the first and second strikers, respectively, when the tailgate is closed.

8. The tailgate of claim 1, wherein:

the one powered actuator comprises a first powered actuator connected to the first latch and a second powered actuator connected to the second latch.

9. The tailgate of claim 1, including;

a damper mechanism adapted to generate a force tending to slow movement of the tailgate from its closed position to its open position.

10. A tailgate assembly, comprising:

horizontally spaced apart first and second strikers;

a tailgate having latches, the latches including movable latch members adapted to releasably engage the strikers;

a powered actuator operably interconnected with the latches;

a portable fob that generates a signal that remotely actuates the actuator;

resilient members that push the tailgate open automatically upon release of the latches by the powered actuator.

11. The tailgate assembly of claim 10, wherein:

the tailgate includes a tailgate structure defining a generally quadrilateral perimeter with opposite side edges defining openings therein, and upper and lower edges extending between the opposite side edges, and wherein the latch members are mounted to the tailgate structure in the openings at the opposite side edges, and wherein the resilient members are mounted within the openings adjacent the latch members whereby the latch members retain the strikers in tight engagement with the resilient members.

12. The tailgate assembly of claim 11, including:

a release lever pivotably mounted to the tailgate structure for rotation about an axis;

first and second elongated members operably interconnecting the release lever to the latches whereby movement of the handle or actuation of the powered actuator rotates the release lever and shifts the first and second elongated members to selectively unlatch the latches whereby the latch members can be shifted from engaged positions to disengaged positions as the tailgate opens.

13. The tailgate assembly of claim 10, including:

a receiver operably connected to the powered actuator, wherein the receiver is configured to generate a signal that actuates the powered actuator if the receiver receives a signal from a portable key fob.

14. The tailgate assembly of claim 10, including:

a latch control switch mounted to the tailgate whereby actuation of the latch control switch actuates the powered actuator and releases the latches.

15. The tailgate assembly of claim 14, including:

a controller configured to store a lock state of the tailgate, wherein the controller does not actuate the powered actuator when the latch control switch is actuated if the tailgate is in a locked state.

16. The tailgate assembly of claim 15, including:

a wireless remote signaling device having at least one user input feature that enables a user to change the lock state of the controller.

17. The tailgate assembly of claim 16, wherein:

the wireless remote signaling device includes at least one user input feature that enables a user to actuate the powered actuator with actuating the latch control switch.

18. The tailgate assembly of claim 10, including:

a manual release lever movably mounted to the tailgate, wherein the manual release member is mechanically connected to the latches such that movement of the manual release member unlatches the latches.

19. The tailgate assembly of claim 18, including:

a powered lock actuator that selectively disconnects the manual release lever from the latches such that movement of the manual release lever does not unlatch the latches when the manual release lever is disconnected from the latches.

20. The tailgate assembly of claim 19, including:

a wireless remote signaling device having user input features that enable a user to control the powered lock actuator to lock and unlock the tailgate by disconnecting and connecting, respectively, the manual release lever from the latches.