The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 03, 2020
Filed:
Nov. 08, 2017
Applicant:
Ford Global Technologies, Llc, Dearborn, MI (US);
Inventors:
Eric Jay MacLean, Brighton, MI (US);
Scott Christopher Sterbenz, Brownstown, MI (US);
Assignee:
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B62D 33/027 (2006.01); E05F 15/60 (2015.01); B62D 33/03 (2006.01); E05F 1/10 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B62D 33/0273 (2013.01); E05F 15/60 (2015.01); B62D 33/03 (2013.01); E05F 1/1075 (2013.01); E05Y 2201/654 (2013.01); E05Y 2800/236 (2013.01); E05Y 2900/532 (2013.01); E05Y 2900/544 (2013.01); E05Y 2900/546 (2013.01);
Abstract
A motor vehicle according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a cargo box, a tailgate moveable relative to the cargo box between an open position and a closed position, and a cable affixed to the cargo box and the tailgate. At least a portion of the cable includes a shape-memory material. Additionally, the motor vehicle includes a controller configured to activate the shape-memory material when the tailgate moves between the open and closed positions. A method is also disclosed.