Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Brian Kenneth Sullivan

Joshua Robert Hemphill

Craig Angelo Moccio

Jack Marchlewski

Jeffrey Gray

Manuel Santana

Dragan B Stojkovic

Robert Reiners

Adrian Nania

William Julian Kistler

Robert Edward Kosior

Jessica Lee Dzurnak

John Galligan

Matthew Paul Lamberson

Jeffrey Hartley

Grace Ann Chamberlain

A tailgate assembly for a vehicle includes, among other things, a tailgate configured to pivot relative to a vehicle body between a closed position, a fully open position, and a secondary position that is between the closed position and the fully open position. The assembly further includes a cable device having a tailgate connector and a vehicle connector. The tailgate connector is coupled to the tailgate. The vehicle connector couples to a sidewall of the vehicle in first position to support the tailgate in the fully open position. The vehicle connector couples to the sidewall of the vehicle in a second position to support the tailgate in a secondary position. The first position is vertically below the second position. The assembly still further includes a bracket that blocks removal of the tailgate from the vehicle body when the tailgate is in the fully open position and when the tailgate is in the secondary position.

Multi-position tailgate and support system

A vehicle tailgate with a power up-down system may employ a method of operating a vehicle tailgate that may include detecting a step is deployed from the tailgate, detecting the tailgate is less than fully open, and automatically actuating a power up-down system to drive the tailgate to fully open.

Tailgate step stowage assistance

A vehicle including a bed, and a tailgate, pivotally attached to the vehicle to close off a rear end of the bed, the tailgate having a front surface and a side with a pull tab recess. A check strap has a forward end attached to the bed and a rearward end; and an extension bracket has an extension plate pivotally connecting at a forward end to the rearward end of the check strap, a rear fastener pivotally securing the extension plate to the side of the tailgate, a pull tab extending through the extension plate and laterally slidable out of the pull tab recess, the extension plate extending essentially parallel to the front surface when the pull tab is received in the pull tab recess.

Truck tailgate with check strap

A tailgate accessory mounting system includes a first track, a first anchoring bolt slidably received within a slot of the first track, and a mounting plate secured to the first track by the first anchoring bolt. The tailgate accessory mounting system may be secured to a tailgate of a vehicle, such as a pickup truck, for example.

Tailgate accessory mounting systems

An exemplary removal assembly includes, among other things, a lock that rotates together with a powered tailgate when the powered tailgate is coupled to a vehicle in a coupled position and moved back-and-forth between an open and a closed position. The lock is rotatable between a locked position that blocks movement of the powered tailgate from the coupled position, and an unlocked position that permits removal of the powered tailgate. An exemplary removal method includes, among other things, moving a powered tailgate that is coupled to a vehicle in a coupled position. The moving transitions a lock from a locked position to an unlocked position. The lock in the locked position blocks movement of the powered tailgate from the coupled position. The lock in the unlocked position permitting removal of the powered tailgate.

Powered tailgate removal assembly and method

A tailgate includes an opening through a rear end of the tailgate when in a tailgate open position. The tailgate also includes a tailgate extender having support tubes extending through the opening and telescopically slidable outward from the tailgate, a laterally extending support beam supported by the support tubes, and a cargo-assist step pivotally mounted to the support beam, the cargo-assist step configured to pivot downwardly when the support tubes are pivoted downwardly to define a step and to pivot upwardly into a vertical position when the support tubes extend horizontally to define a cargo stop.

Combination cargo stop and step

A vehicle truck box assembly including a tailgate, a hinge-on-box bracket, a puck component, a hinge post, and a plastic shim is provided. The tailgate is pivotally mounted to a truck bed. The hinge-on-box bracket includes a cup extension. The puck component is secured to the cup extension. The hinge post is for securing to the puck component and to a hinge-on-gate bracket and the hinge post defines a cavity. The plastic shim is received in the cavity for contacting the cup extension. The plastic shim may include an upper angle portion extending from a base portion. The upper angle portion may extend between the cup extension and the puck component that are arranged to snugly receive the hinge post. The upper angle portion may extend from the base portion at an angle value between five and fifteen degrees.

Tailgate anti-chuck assembly

An in-line testing method for non-intrusively testing the force required to complete the closure of a power assisted sliding door assembly onto a door opening having resistance seals, comprising: (a) providing a door switch and a timing device within the power assist sliding door assembly to at least measure the time lapse from a door ajar position to a door locked position; and (b) if the time lapse is slower than a pattern time lapse for a model assembly of the same door known to be properly fitted, adjusting the door ajar gap in the test assembly to reduce the force required to achieve a door locked position.

Growing community of inventors

Plymouth, MI, United States of America

Brian Kenneth Sullivan