Tailgate assembly and method for accessing a cargo box of a pickup truck hitched to a trailer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9988103-B1
Application number	US-201715458657-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 14, 2017
Priority date	Mar 14, 2017
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

A method is provided for lowering a tailgate of a motor vehicle when that motor vehicle is hitched to a trailer having a component that interferes with the lowering of the tailgate. The method comprises the steps of displacing a section of the tailgate to form a clearance opening in the tailgate, folding the tailgate into a lowered position and accommodating the component of the trailer in the clearance opening when the tailgate is folded and lowered. Various tailgate assemblies for performing the method are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of lowering a tailgate when hitched to a trailer, comprising:
displacing a section of said tailgate to form a clearance opening in said tailgate by sliding said section of said tailgate laterally;
folding said tailgate into a lowered position; and
accommodating a component of said trailer in said clearance opening when said tailgate is folded and lowered.

2. The method of claim 1 , including sliding said section laterally into an internal compartment in an adjacent portion of said tailgate.

3. The method of claim 1 , including sliding said section laterally so as to overlie an adjacent portion of said tailgate.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Mouch Tim Alan
• Bohmer Jeffrey Ronald
• Van Dyk Sino Johan
• Draper Iii William Edward
• Griffith Jay Curtiss

Classifications

• B62D33/0273 Primary

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

• B62D33/033

  removable {(B62D33/0273 takes precedence)} · CPC title