Tailgate cable stay ramp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12576922-B2
Application number	US-202318139843-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2023
Priority date	Apr 26, 2023
Publication date	Mar 17, 2026
Grant date	Mar 17, 2026

Abstract

A vehicle includes a tailgate configured to enclose a truck bed, a power tailgate system configured to cause the tailgate to move between a closed position and an open position, at least one sensor disposed on the tailgate, a cable stay configured to couple to the tailgate and a body of the vehicle such that the cable stay is extended between the tailgate and the body of the vehicle when the tailgate is in the open position, and a cable stay ramp assembly disposed on the body of the vehicle and configured to guide the cable stay as the tailgate moves from the open position to the closed position. The sensor is configured to detect an object between the tailgate the body of the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle comprising:
a tailgate configured to enclose a vehicle bed; a power tailgate system configured to cause the tailgate to move between a closed position and an open position; a cable stay coupled to the tailgate and a body of the vehicle such that the cable stay is extended between the tailgate and the body of the vehicle when the tailgate is in the open position; and a cable stay ramp assembly including a ramp disposed on and protruding from a vehicle side panel of the body of the vehicle, the ramp having an angled surface configured to guide the cable stay such that the cable stay is properly aligned inward toward a tailgate side surface of the tailgate when the tailgate is transitioned from the open position to the closed position.

2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the power tailgate system comprises a motor assembly coupled to the tailgate and configured to cause the tailgate to move between the closed position and the open position.

3 . The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the motor assembly comprises a spindle drive coupled to a hinge arm, the hinge arm coupled to a hinge mechanism which permits rotary motion of the tailgate between the closed position and the open position.

4 . The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the spindle drive is constructed to functionally extend or contract to move the hinge arm which in turn causes the tailgate to pivot on the hinge mechanism between the open position and the closed position.

5 . The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor disposed on the tailgate, the sensor configured to detect an object between the tailgate and the body of the vehicle, wherein the at least one sensor is a tailgate touch sensor.

6 . The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the tailgate touch sensor comprises a sensing portion configured to be depressed by a reaction force from the object, thereby detecting the object.

7 . The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein, in response to detecting the object, the tailgate stops moving to the closed position.

8 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the cable stay comprises a cable, a first fastener, and a second fastener, the cable configured to extend between the first fastener and the second fastener.

9 . The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the first fastener is configured to couple the cable to the body of the vehicle body, and the second fastener is configured to couple the cable to the tailgate.

10 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the cable stay ramp assembly comprises a steel collar configured to secure the ramp in place against the vehicle side panel.

11 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the cable stay ramp assembly comprises at least one anti-rotation tab configured to be disposed between the ramp and a vehicle body surface.

12 . The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the at least one anti-rotation tab is configured to prevent the ramp from moving as a force from the cable stay is applied when the tailgate is moving to the closed position.

13 . A cable stay ramp assembly of a vehicle, the cable stay ramp assembly comprising:
a ramp disposed on and protruding from a vehicle side panel of a body of the vehicle and having an angled surface configured to guide a cable stay of a tailgate such that the cable stay is properly aligned inward toward a tailgate side surface of the tailgate when the tailgate is transitioned from an open position to a closed position.

14 . The cable stay ramp assembly of claim 13 , wherein the cable stay comprises a cable, a first fastener, and a second fastener, the cable configured to extend between the first fastener and the second fastener.

15 . The cable stay ramp assembly of claim 14 , wherein the first fastener is configured to couple the cable to the body of the vehicle body, and the second fastener is configured to couple the cable to the tailgate.

16 . The cable stay ramp assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a steel collar configured to secure the ramp in place against the vehicle side panel.

17 . The cable stay ramp assembly of claim 16 , further comprising at least one anti-rotation tab configured to be disposed between the ramp and a vehicle body surface, wherein the at least one anti-rotation tab is configured to prevent the ramp from moving as a force from the cable stay is applied when the tailgate is moving to the closed position.

18 . A method of using a cable stay ramp assembly, the method comprising:
transitioning a tailgate of a vehicle from an open position to a closed position; providing the cable stay ramp assembly including a ramp disposed on and protruding from a vehicle side panel of the vehicle and having an angled surface; and guiding a cable stay, via the ramp of the cable stay ramp assembly, such that the cable stay is properly aligned inward toward a tailgate side surface of the tailgate when the tailgate is transitioned from the open position to the closed position and avoids contact with at least one sensor disposed on the tailgate.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Soonthornwinate Tarakorn
• Ramaswamy Jayaprabhu Ka
• Cunningham James D
• Archambeau Eric
• Tsuchida Yasuhisa
• Hebert Stefan

Classifications

• B62D33/03 Primary

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

• B62D63/04

  Component parts or accessories · CPC title

• B62D33/0273 Primary

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