Stow-away tailgate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10189412-B2
Application number	US-201715484604-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2017
Priority date	Apr 11, 2017
Publication date	Jan 29, 2019
Grant date	Jan 29, 2019

Abstract

A closure assembly for a vehicle includes a closure hingedly connected to a vehicle-rearmost portion of a cargo area and adapted to pivot into a receiver provided in a portion of the cargo area. The receiver may be provided in a portion of a cargo area load floor or in a portion of a cargo area sidewall. The closure may include a bottom hinge and/or a side hinge, adapted to pivot the closure both vehicle-rearwardly and vehicle-forwardly. A cover may be provided to hide the closure in the stowed configuration.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A closure assembly for a vehicle, comprising a closure hingedly connected to a vehicle-rearmost portion of a cargo area and adapted to pivot vehicle-forwardly into a receiver provided in a sidewall of the cargo area.

2. The cargo area and closure assembly of claim 1 , including a hinge arrangement adapted to pivot the closure both vehicle-rearwardly and vehicle-forwardly.

3. The cargo area and closure assembly of claim 2 , wherein the hinge arrangement is at least one bottom hinge attaching a closure bottom edge to a portion of the cargo area load floor.

4. The cargo area and closure assembly of claim 2 , wherein the hinge arrangement is at least one side hinge attaching a closure side edge to a portion of the cargo area sidewall.

5. The cargo area and closure assembly of claim 1 , wherein the closure is a tailgate.

6. A vehicle including the cargo area and closure assembly of claim 1 .

7. A cargo area assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
at least a load floor and a pair of opposed sidewalls;
a receiver provided in at least one of the load floor and one of the pair of opposed sidewalls;
a closure hingedly connected to a vehicle-rearmost portion of the cargo area and adapted to pivot to a stowed position within the receiver; and
a compartment cover adapted to overlie the closure when in the stowed position.

8. The cargo area assembly of claim 7 , wherein the closure is a tailgate.

9. The cargo area assembly of claim 8 , wherein the receiver is a compartment provided in a portion of the load floor.

10. The cargo area assembly of claim 8 , wherein the receiver is a compartment provided in a portion of the one of the pair of opposed sidewalls.

11. The cargo area assembly of claim 9 , wherein the tailgate includes a bottom hinge adapted to pivot the tailgate both vehicle-rearwardly and vehicle-forwardly.

12. The cargo area assembly of claim 11 , wherein the bottom hinge attaches a tailgate bottom edge to a portion of the load floor.

13. The cargo area assembly of claim 10 , wherein the tailgate includes a side hinge adapted to pivot the tailgate both vehicle-rearwardly and vehicle-forwardly.

14. The cargo area assembly of claim 13 , wherein the side hinge attaches a tailgate side edge to a portion of the one of the pair of opposed sidewalls.

15. A vehicle including the cargo area assembly of claim 7 .

16. A vehicle, comprising:
a body including a cargo area comprising at least a load floor, a pair of opposed sidewalls, and a cargo area closure;
a cargo area closure receiver provided in at least one of the load floor or one of the pair of opposed sidewalls, the cargo area closure being adapted to pivot vehicle-forwardly into the cargo area closure receiver; and
a compartment cover adapted to overlie the cargo area closure when in the stowed position.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the cargo area closure receiver is a compartment provided in the load floor.

18. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the cargo area closure receiver is compartment provided in the one of the pair of opposed sidewalls.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc
• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Khalid Umer
• Stark Brian Christopher
• Mattar Mohamed
• Hakeem Mohannad

Classifications

• B62D33/0273 Primary

  Movable tailboards for vehicles comprising non-movable sideboards, e.g. pick-up trucks (B62D33/037 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E06B3/36

  with a single vertical axis of rotation at one side of the opening, or swinging through the opening (wings requiring lifting before opening E06B3/52) · CPC title

• E06B3/38

  with a horizontal axis of rotation at the top or bottom of the opening {(E06B3/5036 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R5/04 Primary

  arranged at rear of vehicle {(B60R5/003, B60R5/006 take precedence; external trunks arranged at rear of vehicle B60R9/065)} · CPC title

• B62D33/03

  by swinging down {(B62D33/0273 takes precedence)} · CPC title