Utilizing a liftgate assembly that hardware mounts to a vehicle body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12043158-B2
Application number	US-202016953616-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2020
Priority date	Nov 22, 2019
Publication date	Jul 23, 2024
Grant date	Jul 23, 2024

Abstract

Techniques are directed to utilizing a liftgate assembly having a platform, a lift subsystem constructed and arranged to selectively raise and lower the platform, and a set of steel beams coupled with the lift subsystem. The set of steel beams is constructed and arranged to hardware mount to a set of aluminum beams of a vehicle. Although the sets of beams are made of different materials, the liftgate assembly and the vehicle body may be securely fastened to each other making the vehicle well suited for a variety of conditions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle, comprising
a vehicle chassis; a vehicle body constructed and arranged to carry cargo, the vehicle body being supported by the vehicle chassis and including a set of aluminum beams; and a liftgate assembly which includes:
a platform,
a lift subsystem constructed and arranged to selectively raise and lower the platform to access the vehicle body, and
a set of steel beams coupled with the lift subsystem, the set of steel beams being hardware mounted to the set of aluminum beams of the vehicle body;

wherein the lift subsystem of the liftgate assembly includes steel-framed vertical lifts coupled to the platform, each steel-framed vertical lift being constructed and arranged to extend and retract along a vertical axis that is perpendicular to the platform to selectively raise and lower the platform;
wherein the set of steel beams of the liftgate assembly includes steel vertical brackets coupled with the steel-framed vertical lifts of the lift subsystem; and
wherein each steel vertical bracket defines an inner channel to receive a respective aluminum beam of the vehicle body;
wherein each steel vertical bracket has a U-shaped cross-section including a first side-section and a second side-section, the first side-section defining a first set of through holes, the second side-section defining a second set of through holes, the first set of through holes being concentric with both the second set of through holes and a third set of through holes defined by the respective aluminum beam of the vehicle body; and
wherein the liftgate assembly includes removable mounting hardware that couples each steel vertical bracket with the respective aluminum beam by extending through the first set of through holes, the second set of through holes, and the third set of through holes.

2. A vehicle as in claim 1 wherein each steel vertical bracket is welded to a respective steel-framed vertical lift of the lift subsystem.

3. A vehicle as in claim 1 wherein each steel vertical bracket defines a column of holes which aligns with a column of holes defined by a respective aluminum beam of the vehicle body to enable that steel vertical bracket to hardware mount to the respective aluminum beam of the vehicle body.

4. A vehicle as in claim 1 wherein each steel vertical bracket includes a mid-section, the first side-section extending from a first edge of the mid-section in a direction away from the lift subsystem, and the second side-section extending from a second edge of the mid-section in the direction away from lift subsystem to provide that steel vertical bracket with the U-shaped cross-section.

5. A vehicle as in claim 4 wherein the first side-section of each steel vertical bracket defines a first column of holes;
wherein the second side-section of each steel vertical bracket defines a second column of holes; and
wherein the first column of holes and a second column of holes are in alignment with each other.

6. A vehicle as in claim 1 wherein the lift subsystem further includes a cross member that couples with the steel-framed vertical lifts; and
wherein the liftgate assembly further comprises:
a vehicle bumper coupled with the cross member of the lift subsystem, the vehicle bumper being constructed and arranged to hardware mount to the vehicle chassis.

7. A vehicle as in claim 6 wherein the cross member includes a steel horizontal connecting beam; and
wherein the vehicle bumper includes steel bumper section that is welded to the steel horizontal connecting beam, the steel bumper section defining a set of holes enabling the vehicle bumper to bolt on to the vehicle chassis.

8. A vehicle as in claim 1 wherein the first side-section of each steel vertical bracket has a first inner face defining a first side of the inner channel, and the second side-section of each steel vertical bracket has a second inner face defining a second side of the inner channel;
wherein the respective aluminum beam of each steel vertical bracket has a first outer face and a second outer face parallel to the first outer face; and
wherein the first inner face of each steel vertical bracket aligns with the first outer face of the respective aluminum beam, and the second inner face of each steel vertical bracket aligns with the second outer face of the respective aluminum beam.

9. The vehicle as in claim 1 wherein the first side-section of each steel vertical bracket and the second side-section of each steel vertical bracket fit around the respective aluminum beam; and
wherein the removable mounting hardware includes nuts and bolts, heads of the nuts contacting a first face of the first side-section and not the respective aluminum beam, heads of the bolts contacting a second face of the second side-section and not the respective aluminum beam to provide structural strength and stability.

10. A liftgate assembly, comprising:
a platform; a lift subsystem constructed and arranged to selectively raise and lower the platform; and a set of steel beams coupled with the lift subsystem, the set of steel beams being constructed and arranged to hardware mount to a set of aluminum beams of a vehicle;
wherein the lift subsystem of the liftgate assembly includes steel-framed vertical lifts coupled to the platform, each steel-framed vertical lift being constructed and arranged to extend and retract along a vertical axis that is perpendicular to the platform to selectively raise and lower the platform;
wherein the set of steel beams of the liftgate assembly includes steel vertical brackets coupled with the steel-framed vertical lifts of the lift subsystem; and
wherein each steel vertical bracket defines an inner channel to receive a respective aluminum beam of the vehicle body;
wherein each steel vertical bracket has a U-shaped cross-section including a first side-section and a second side-section, the first side-section defining a first set of through holes, the second side-section defining a second set of through holes, the first set of through holes being constructed and arranged to be concentric with both the second set of through holes and a third set of through holes defined by the respective aluminum beam of the vehicle body; and
wherein the liftgate assembly includes removable mounting hardware constructed and arranged to couple each steel vertical bracket with the respective aluminum beam by extending through the first set of through holes, the second set of through holes, and the third set of through holes.

11. A liftgate assembly as in claim 10 wherein each steel vertical bracket is welded to a respective steel-framed vertical lift of the lift subsystem; and
wherein each steel vertical bracket defines a column of holes which aligns with a column of holes defined by a respective aluminum beam of the vehicle to enable that steel vertical bracket to hardware mount to the respective aluminum beam of the vehicle.

12. A liftgate assembly as in claim 10 wherein each steel vertical bracket includes a mid-section, the first side-section extending from a first edge of the mid-section in a direction away from the lift subsystem, and the second side-section extending from a second edge of the mid-section in the direction away from the lift subsystem to provide that steel vertical bracket with the U-shaped cross-section.

13. A liftgate assembly as in claim 12 wherein the first side-section of each steel vertical bracket defines a first column of holes;
wherein the second side-section of each steel vertical bracket defines a second column of holes; and
wherein the first column of holes and the second column of holes are in alignment with each other.

Assignees

• Textron Innovations Inc

Inventors

• Gill Robert
• Sequeira Giovanni

Classifications

• B62D29/00

  Superstructures, {understructures, or sub-units thereof,} characterised by the material thereof {(B62D33/044, B62D33/048 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R19/24

  Arrangements for mounting bumpers on vehicles · CPC title

• B62D33/04 Primary

  Enclosed load compartments {; Frameworks for movable panels, tarpaulins or side curtains (side curtains per se B60J5/065; tarpaulins per se B60J7/00, B60P7/04)} · CPC title

• B62D21/09

  Means for mounting load bearing surfaces · CPC title

• B62D21/02

  comprising longitudinally or transversely arranged frame members · CPC title