Vehicle with tail gate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9409467-B2
Application number	US-201314412330-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2013
Priority date	Jul 4, 2012
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A vehicle with a tail gate wherein the movement distance around the vehicle is reduced. In a vehicle with a tail gate, a tail gate is supported on a vehicle body such that a rear opening formed on the rear part of the vehicle body opens and closes. The tail gate has a sub opening formed on the tail gate, and a sub door for opening and closing the sub opening in the vehicle width direction. The width of the sub opening in the vehicle width direction is shorter than the width of the rear opening. One side border of the sub opening in the vehicle width direction is located in the vicinity of one edge of the tail gate in the vehicle width direction. The sub door is supported on the tail gate so as to begin to open from the side border of the opening.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle with a tail gate, the tail gate being supported on a vehicle body for opening and closing in a vertical direction of the vehicle, a rear opening formed in a rear part of the vehicle body, the vehicle comprising:
a sub opening formed in the tail gate; and
a single sub door for opening and closing the sub opening in a widthwise direction of the vehicle,
wherein the sub opening has a width in the widthwise direction of the vehicle set to be smaller than a width of the rear opening,
wherein the sub opening has a first lateral edge in the widthwise direction of the vehicle located at of one end of the tail gate in the widthwise direction of the vehicle,
wherein the sub door is supported on the tail gate so as to begin to open the sub opening at the first lateral edge thereof, and
wherein the sub opening is formed to open only in one of a generally left section or a generally right section of the width of the tail gate,
and wherein the sub door is supported on a second lateral edge of the sub opening, opposite to the first lateral edge of the sub opening located at an opening side of the sub opening,
wherein the tail gate has a tail gate window extending between opposite lateral ends of a portion of the tail gate in the widthwise direction of the vehicle, and the sub door has a window that extends between opposite lateral ends of the sub door in a widthwise direction,
wherein the tail gate window has the same vertical length as that of the sub door window and is located at the same level as the sub door window such that the tail gate window and the sub door window are aligned with each other in the widthwise direction of the vehicle,
and
wherein the tail gate has a pillar attached integrally thereto, the pillar extending along the second lateral edge of the sub opening over an entire range in a height direction of the sub opening, and
wherein the sub door is attached to the pillar with hinges which are provided at a lower position than the tail gate window.

2. The vehicle with a tail gate according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle body has a driver's seat disposed therein, the driver's seat being offset toward one lateral side of the vehicle relative to a widthwise center of the vehicle body,
wherein the first lateral edge of the sub opening is located oppositely from the driver's seat relative to the widthwise center of the vehicle body.

3. The vehicle with a tail gate according to claim 1 , wherein the sub door swings in the widthwise direction of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle with a tail gate according to claim 1 , wherein the tail gate window is provided with a tail gate window glass and the sub door window is provided with a sub door window glass, and
wherein the tail gate window glass has an edge and the sub door window glass has an edge, the edge of the tail gate window glass and the edge of the sub door window glass being opposed directly to each other.

5. The vehicle with a tail gate according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle body has a driver's seat disposed therein, the driver's seat being offset toward one lateral side of the vehicle relative to a widthwise center of the vehicle body, and
wherein the second lateral edge of the sub opening located closer to the widthwise center of the vehicle body than to the one end of the tail gate is located on a side of the driver's seat relative to the widthwise center of the vehicle body.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hakamada Hitoshi

Classifications

• B60J5/101

  for non-load transporting vehicles, i.e. family cars including vans · CPC title

• B60J5/107

  constructional details, e.g. about door frame, panels, materials used, reinforcements · CPC title

• B60J5/105 Primary

  comprising door or part of door being pivotable about vertical axis · CPC title