Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Multimatic Inc.

Other

Metronom U.s., Inc.

Stephen Lewis Bruford

Herbert Gruber

Kian-Huat Tan

Scott George Miller

Dragan B Stojkovic

Kelly Michael Kohlstrand

Jeffrey Alan Firzlaff

Duane A Koehler

Ed Rybarczyk

Glenn VanGelderen

David Brian Glickman

Tyler Jon Blake

James Wayne Lowe

Paul Elia

John T Reed

Laurence James Holt

Larry J Dupuis

Charles Gregory Bambenek

Jeff A Firzlaff

Muhammed Ayub

Donald G Mikolai

Robert Howell

Tad J Siedlecki

David Tuck

Matthew Carey

Ingobert Schmadel

Stanley Liu

J Fritz Cory

Jerome Farrell

David Lynch

Leslie Ann Hersh

Stefan Obenauer

Kalani Mitchell

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 vehicle hood closure control and release system including a hood release mounted to a vehicle frame. The hood release may include a pivotally mounted hood release handle pivotable for unlatching a vehicle hood having a grille mounted thereon. A bumper may be integrally mounted to the hood release for resiliently contacting the grille and preventing slamming of the grille when the vehicle hood is moved from an open to a closed position.

Grille overslam bumper integrated with secondary release handle

A storage compartment is formed on the lateral side of a pick-up truck to have a door that will open to a generally horizontal position to permit use thereof as a step to facilitate access to the interior of the cargo bed. The storage compartment door is pivotally supported by a pivot mechanism that is supported from the underside of the pick up box to provide sufficient support thereof to withstand the weight of a person utilizing the door as a step. The door is also provided with supplemental support members interconnecting the door and the underside of the pick up box. When closed, the door conceals the pivot mechanism to provide a smooth, clean line on the exterior surface of the truck. The opened door allows access to a storage compartment that preferably extends beneath a portion of the cargo bed to allow storage of small items in a contained compartment.

Storage compartment and step for pick-up trucks

A tailgate for a vehicle has a supplemental tailgate that retracts within the tailgate and is extendable therefrom in order to provide bed extender, box extender and step assist functions. The supplemental tailgate includes a pivotable molding, which mounts on a movable frame portion, and a latching assembly. When pivoted, the pivotable molding releases the latching assembly, allowing the supplemental tailgate to be moved to various extended positions. When the supplemental tailgate is in its stowed position, the pivotable molding may be aligned with the top surface of the tailgate in order to provide an esthetically pleasing appearance and provide paint scratch resistance. When the movable frame portion is in an essentially fully extended position, it may be rotated relative to the tailgate in order to provide the box extender and assist step functions.

Vehicle tailgate with supplemental tailgate pivot release

One embodiment of the present invention is an improved front-end to body-side joint () for an automotive vehicle. This joint () includes an integral front end structure () having a fender attachment portion () and one or more hinge-reinforcement portions (). The fender attachment portion () is coupled to a fender (). Moreover, the hinge-reinforcement portions () are attached to a pillar member () of a vehicle body () for supporting a door (). The integral front end structure () is a master-locating component for positioning the fender () and the door () in a predetermined configuration within the joint ().

Front-end to body-side joint for an automotive vehicle

A tailgate for a vehicle with side walls and a bed has a supplemental tailgate that retracts within a tailgate frame and is extendable therefrom. The supplemental tailgate may include a guide system secured generally between the rear panel and the front panel of the tailgate frame, a movable frame assembly having two telescoping supports extendable from, pivotable relative to and retained by the guide system. The supplemental tailgate may also include a cross member connected to the two telescoping supports and extending therebetween. A lock rod assembly telescopically extends from and is pivotable relative to the cross member, with the lock rod assembly including a lock rod bar having a lock rod latch affixed thereto that is adapted to releasably latch to one of the vehicle side walls to thereby support the movable frame portion relative to the guide system when the tailgate frame is in the generally horizontal open position and the movable frame assembly is pivoted upward relative to the tailgate frame.

Vehicle tailgate with supplemental tailgate having lock rod supports

A tailgate for a vehicle has a supplemental tailgate that retracts within the tailgate and is extendable therefrom in order to provide different assist functions. The supplemental tailgate may include a pivotable molding, which mounts on a movable frame portion, a latching assembly, and a gravity latch assembly. When pivoted, the pivotable molding releases the latching assembly, allowing the supplemental tailgate to be moved to various extended positions. The gravity latch assembly engages the pivotable molding to prevent the pivotable molding from being pivoted when the tailgate is in the generally vertical closed position, and disengages the pivotable molding to allow for pivoting when the tailgate is in the generally horizontal open position.

Vehicle tailgate with supplemental tailgate having vertical extension mode

A tailgate for a vehicle has a supplemental tailgate that retracts within the tailgate and is extendable therefrom in order to provide multiple assist functions. The supplemental tailgate includes a pivotable molding, which mounts on a movable frame portion, and a latching assembly. When pivoted, the pivotable molding releases the latching assembly, allowing the supplemental tailgate to be moved to various extended positions. When the movable frame portion is in an essentially fully extended position, it can be rotated downward relative to the tailgate and a flip step pivoted to a use position in order to provide an assist step function.

Vehicle tailgate with supplemental tailgate having a flip out step

A vehicleis provided having a vehicle bodywith an openinghaving first and second ends. The vehicle bodyhas a first door. A second doorhas a latched connectionwith the vehicle body between the openingfirst and second ends. The second doorhas a window regulatorto move a window panein and out of a window opening

Vehicle door arrangement

An automotive vehicle, such as a pickup truck, has a tailgate including a door adapted to pivot about a generally horizontal pivot axis, with the door including a shell defining a space surrounded by the shell. The door is pivoted upon bearings mounted upon bearing retainers located at each end of the door. A full floating torsion bar is provided and includes a first end rotationally grounded within the interior space of the door shell and a second end engaged with and rotationally locked with one of the bearing inserts so that the torsion bar will be subjected to torsional loading as the door is pivoted. Because of the full floating feature, the hinge function of the tailgate will not be impaired in the event that the torsion bar becomes fractured.

Pickup truck with lift assisted tailgate system

An automotive tailgate includes a door adapted to pivot about a generally horizontal pivot axis, with the door including a shell defining an interior space. The door is pivoted upon bearings mounted upon bearing retainers located at each end of the door. A full floating torsion bar is provided and includes a first end rotationally grounded within the interior of the door shell and a second end engaged with and rotationally locked with one of the bearing inserts so that the torsion bar will be subjected to torsional loading as the door is pivoted. Because the torsion bar is full floating, the operation of the tailgate hinges will not be impaired even if the torsion bar were to become fractured.

Automotive tailgate with lift assist system-I

A cap ( ) is provided for the load box ( ) of a vehicle, like a pickup truck ( ), including a box-like structure sized and adapted to fit on the load box to form an enclosed area for the storage of personal items, camping equipment, tools, parts or the like. On the forwardmost corner of the cap there is included a door ( ) in the form of three-sided box ( ), i.e., a door that wraps both around the forward corner of the cap and into the roof. Hinges ( ) are provided at the cutline with the roof so that the door opens upwardly. In the preferred embodiment, closable and latchable steps ( ) are structurally integrated into the a side of a load box at its forwardmost end and the door of the cap is aligned with the steps forming a doorway for improved ingress and egress to the enclosed area under the cap.

Cap for a vehicle load box

A method and an assembly for determining the presence of gaps located between a first portion of a partially assembled apparatus and a second portion . The existence and size of the gap may be discerned by use of a wireless gap sensor which is engaged by the portion as it abuts or comes into close proximity with the portion . Other methods and may be respectively used to respectively discern the existence and the size of a gap within an assembled vehicle and to measure the deflection of a portion of an apparatus, such as a vehicle.

Growing community of inventors

West Bloomfield, MI, United States of America

Stephen Lewis Bruford