Vehicle tailgate structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9789912-B1
Application number	US-201615227347-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 3, 2016
Priority date	Aug 3, 2016
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle tailgate includes an upper panel, lower panel, internal panel, external panel and brace. The upper and lower panels are spaced apart relative to each other. The internal and external panels are each secured to the upper and lower panels. A cavity is defined between the upper, lower, internal, and external panels. The brace is disposed within the cavity. The brace includes first and second flanges extending outward from a central plate. The first and second flanges are secured to the internal panel while the central plate is secured to the external panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle tailgate comprising:
upper and lower spaced apart panels extending in a transverse direction;
internal and external panels each secured to the upper and lower panels, and defining a cavity between the upper, lower, internal, and external panels, the external panel having a protrusion extending into the cavity;
a first gusset disposed within the cavity, the first gusset having first and second flanges that are perpendicular to each other and are respectively secured to the upper and external panels; and
a first V-shaped brace having a first central plate shaped to match a contour of the protrusion and having third and fourth flanges extending away from the first central plate in opposing directions, wherein the first V-shaped brace is disposed within the cavity, the third flange is secured to the internal panel proximate the upper panel, the first central plate is secured to the protrusion, and the fourth flange is secured to the internal panel between the upper and lower panels.

2. The vehicle tailgate of claim 1 , further comprising a support member extending in the transverse direction, disposed within the cavity between the upper and lower panels, and secured to both the internal and external panels.

3. The vehicle tailgate of claim 2 , wherein the support member includes a pair of flanges that are secured to the internal panel.

4. The vehicle tailgate of claim 3 , wherein the fourth flange is secured to the internal panel via one of the pair of flanges.

5. The vehicle tailgate of claim 1 , further comprising a second gusset disposed within the cavity and secured to both the upper and external panels.

6. The vehicle tailgate of claim 5 , wherein the first and second gussets are disposed within the cavity on opposing sides of a central location of the tailgate relative to the transverse direction.

7. The vehicle tailgate of claim 1 , further comprising a second V-shaped brace having a second central plate shaped to match the contour of the protrusion and fifth and sixth flanges extending away from the second central plate in opposing directions, wherein the second V-shaped brace is disposed within the cavity, the fifth flange is secured to the internal panel proximate the upper panel, the second central plate is secured to the protrusion, and the sixth flange is secured to the internal panel between the upper and lower panels.

8. The vehicle tailgate of claim 7 , wherein the first and second V-shaped braces are disposed within the cavity on opposing sides of a central location of the tailgate relative to the transverse direction.

9. The vehicle tailgate of claim 1 , wherein the first gusset includes a reinforcement plate, and the first and second flanges each extend from and are perpendicular to the reinforcement plate.

10. The vehicle tailgate of claim 1 , wherein first and second weld nuts are secured to the first and second flanges, respectively, the first flange is secured to the upper panel via a first fastener that extends through the upper panel and engages the first weld nut, and the second flange is secured to the external panel via a second fastener that extends through the external panel and engages the second weld nut.

11. A vehicle tailgate comprising:
internal and external panels each secured to upper and lower panels defining a cavity therebetween, the external panel having a protrusion extending into the cavity; and
a brace disposed within the cavity, having first and second flanges extending outward from a central plate shaped to match a contour of the protrusion, wherein the flanges are secured to the internal panel and the central plate is secured to the protrusion.

12. The vehicle tailgate of claim 11 , further comprising a gusset disposed within the cavity, the gusset having third and fourth flanges that are perpendicular to each other and are respectively secured to the upper and external panels.

13. The vehicle tailgate of claim 11 , further comprising a support member disposed within the cavity between the upper and lower panels, and secured to both the internal and external panels.

14. The vehicle tailgate of claim 12 , wherein the gusset includes a reinforcement plate, and the third and fourth flanges each extend from and are perpendicular to the reinforcement plate.

15. The vehicle tailgate of claim 12 , wherein first and second weld nuts are secured to the third and fourth flanges, respectively, the third flange is secured to the upper panel via a first fastener that extends through the upper panel and engages the first weld nut, and the fourth flange is secured to the external panel via a second fastener that extends through the external panel and engages the second weld nut.

16. A vehicle tailgate comprising:
internal and external panels each secured to the upper and lower panels defining a cavity therebetween, and
a first gusset disposed within the cavity, the first gusset including a reinforcement plate having first and second flanges extending therefrom, wherein the first and second flanges are each perpendicular to the reinforcement plate, perpendicular to each other, and are respectively and secured to the upper and external panels.

17. The vehicle tailgate of claim 16 , further comprising a second gusset disposed within the cavity and secured to both the upper and external panels.

18. The vehicle tailgate of claim 17 , wherein the first and second gussets are disposed within the cavity on opposing sides of a central location of the tailgate.

19. The vehicle tailgate of claim 16 , wherein the external panel has a protrusion extending into the cavity, and further comprising a brace disposed within the cavity, the brace having third and fourth flanges extending outward from a central plate shaped to match a contour of the protrusion, wherein the third and fourth flanges are secured to the internal panel and the central plate is secured to the protrusion.

20. The vehicle tailgate of claim 16 , wherein first and second weld nuts are secured to the first and second flanges, respectively, the first flange is secured to the upper panel via a first fastener that extends through the upper panel and engages the first weld nut, and the second flange is secured to the external panel via a second fastener that extends through the external panel and engages the second weld nut.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Marchlewski Jack
• Gray Jeffrey
• Danyo Michael William
• Hamilton David Alan
• Hemphill Joshua R
• Comiez John
• Hoffman Colleen Marie
• Huneau Scott
• Brandt Bradley

Classifications

• B62D33/0273 Primary

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

• B62D33/027

  movable · CPC title

• B62D33/03 Primary

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