Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Multimatic Inc.

Jeff A Firzlaff

Scott George Miller

Kian-Huat Tan

Duane A Koehler

Charles Gregory Bambenek

Stephen Lewis Bruford

Laurence James Holt

Shannon Carloni

Robert Howell

Steve Bruford

James Posa

Larry Holt

Chris Thomas Bustamante

An automotive closure panel which is rotatable about a pivot axis has an axial locator insert situated within a pivot bearing insert bore to set a margin extending between the closure panel and a vehicle body. This system is particularly useful for closure panels such as tailgates having torsion bar or motorized lift assist, because such systems are not easily disassembled for the purpose of setting the closure panel margins.

Automotive closure panel with pivot-mounted alignment system

An anti-chucking device () for a tailgate assembly () for a vehicle (), includes a bracket member () and a striker member (). The striker member () engages the bracket member () and prevents the tailgate assembly () from moving in a lateral direction on the vehicle () when the tailgate assembly () is moved to an open position and a closed position. The bracket member () includes a first pair of tabs () and a second pair of tabs (). The first pair of tabs () extends from the second pair of tabs () by a predetermined angle. The first pair of tabs () defines a first slot (), and the second pair of tabs () defines a second slot (). The striker member () pivots between the first slot () and the second slot (), with the tailgate assembly () moving between open and closed positions.

Anti-chucking tailgate

A pivotable grab handle device is movable between a stowed position, which is positioned against the main tailgate structure, and a deployed position that projects upwardly above the top surface of a lowered main tailgate structure. The grab handle device is mounted on a retainer bracket that is affixed to the top surface of the lowered main tailgate structure. The grab handle incorporates a spring-loaded latch mechanism that is cooperable with the pivot bracket when in the stowed position and cooperable with a striker plate mounted below the top surface of the main tailgate structure to fix the grab handle in the deployed position. A release lever projecting outwardly of the grab handle permits a retraction of the latch member to release the grab handle from either the pivot bracket or the striker plate to allow pivotal movement of the grab handle into the desired position.

Grab handle with spring-loaded striker for pick-up trucks

A tailgate structural configuration accommodates the housing of a supplemental tailgate internally within the tailgate. The tailgate is formed with an outer panel and an inner panel to define an internal cavity. The upper portion of the tailgate includes a C-channel frame member connected to both the inner and outer panels to support guide tubes telescopically housing the supplemental tailgate. To enhance structural stability, the tailgate further includes one or two transversely oriented strainers having formed therein flanged depressions or openings for the passage of the guide tubes vertically therethrough. Each guide tube is affixed to a mounting bracket that is detachably connected to the C-channel to support the guide tube within the tailgate. Positioning pins mounted on the mounting bracket affixed to the guide tubes engage locator holes in the C-channel for positioning the supplemental tailgate.

Tailgate structure for receiving supplemental tailgate

A pivotable grab handle device is movable between a stowed position, which is positioned within a mating cavity formed in the main tailgate structure, and a deployed position that projects upwardly above the top surface of a lowered main tailgate structure. The grab handle device is mounted on a retainer bracket that is affixed to a pivot bracket mounted to the top surface of the lowered main tailgate structure. When pivotally raised into the deployed position, the grab handle allows a person using a supplemental tailgate assembly configured into a step function extending below the plane of the lowered main tailgate structure to be stabilized while climbing onto the cross member of the supplemental tailgate assembly and onto the top surface of the lowered main tailgate structure.

Grab handle for use with supplemental tailgate on pick-up trucks

Growing community of inventors

Royal Oak, MI, United States of America

Jeff A Firzlaff