Tailgate hinge clip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11077889-B2
Application number	US-201916569977-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2019
Priority date	Sep 13, 2019
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

A disclosed tailgate hinge clip is mountable within a gap between a tailgate and a cargo bed and provides a surface for engaging a seal. The disclosed tailgate hinge clip includes a main body portion including a seal surface and a clip portion extending from the main body portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tailgate hinge clip comprising:
a main body portion including a seal surface; and
a clip portion extending from the main body portion, wherein the clip portion includes a lip that is configured to engage a hinge member supporting rotation of a tailgate.

2. The tailgate hinge clip as recited in claim 1 , including a mating surface on a back side of the main body portion, the mating surface configured for attachment to a surface of a tailgate.

3. The tailgate hinge clip as recited in claim 1 , including a support portion extending from the back side of the main body portion for contacting a contoured surface of a tailgate.

4. The tailgate hinge clip as recited in claim 3 , wherein the support portion comprises a plurality of ribs extending from the back side.

5. The tailgate hinge clip as recited in claim 4 , wherein the plurality of ribs define a portion of a contoured contact surface.

6. The tailgate hinge clip as recited in claim 1 , wherein the clip portion includes a riser portion that spaces the lip apart from the back side of the main body portion.

7. The tailgate hinge clip as recited in claim 4 , wherein the seal surface comprises a generally triangular shape.

8. The tailgate hinge clip as recited in claim 1 , wherein the main body portion and the clip portion are parts of a single unitary molded structure.

9. A tailgate seal assembly comprising:
a seal mountable to a surface of a cargo bed proximate a tailgate;
a hinge clip attachable to the tailgate to provide a seal surface engaged by the seal, the hinge clip is a single unitary integral structure that includes a main body portion including the seal surface that engages the seal when the tailgate is in a closed position and a clip portion extending from the main body portion that engages a portion of the tailgate to hold the clip to the tailgate; and
a bracket secured to the tailgate and the clip portion includes a lip that engages the bracket.

10. The tailgate seal assembly as recited in claim 9 , wherein the seal surface comprises a substantially triangular shape.

11. The tailgate seal assembly as recited in claim 9 , wherein the hinge clip includes a mating surface on a back side of the main body portion, the mating surface configured for attachment to a surface of a tailgate.

12. The tailgate seal assembly as recited in claim 9 , including a support portion extending from the back side of the main body portion for contacting a contoured surface of a tailgate.

13. The tailgate seal assembly as recited in claim 12 , wherein the tailgate includes a contoured corner and the support portion is received within a space between the contoured corner and the bracket.

14. The tailgate seal assembly as recited in claim 13 , wherein the clip portion includes a riser portion that spaces the lip apart from the back side of the main body portion.

15. A tailgate hinge clip comprising:
a main body portion including a seal surface; and
a clip portion extending from the main body portion, wherein the clip portion includes a riser portion that spaces a lip apart from the back side of the main body portion.

16. The tailgate hinge clip as recited in claim 15 , including a contoured surface on a back side of the main body portion for contacting a contoured surface of a tailgate.

17. The tailgate hinge clip as recited in claim 16 , including a plurality of ribs extending transversely from a back side of the main body.

18. The tailgate hinge clip as recited in claim 17 , including at least one alignment rib configured to hold the tailgate hinge clip in a defined orientation relative to the tailgate.

19. The tailgate hinge clip as recited in claim 15 , wherein the seal surface comprises a generally triangular shape.

20. The tailgate hinge clip as recited in claim 15 , wherein the main body portion and the clip portion are parts of a single unitary molded structure.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Heckman William George
• Chimento Vince Anthony
• Poston Derek Matthew

Classifications

• B60J10/86

  arranged on the opening panel · CPC title

• B62D33/0207

  Connections of movable or detachable racks or stanchions to platforms · CPC title

• E05D11/0054 Primary

  Covers, e.g. for protection · CPC title

• E05Y2800/12

  Sealing · CPC title

• E05D2011/0072

  for the gap between hinge parts · CPC title