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:
Oct. 29, 2024
Filed:
May. 12, 2022
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US);
Tarakorn Soonthornwinate, Plymouth, MI (US);
Kevin J. James, Saline, MI (US);
James D. Cunningham, Clarkston, MI (US);
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US);
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Aichi-Ken, JP;
Abstract
A tailgate support cable assembly includes a cable and a retainer portion attached to an end of the cable. The retainer portion rotatably attaches the end of the cable assembly to a vehicle tailgate. The retainer portion includes a tailgate retention portion, an object contact portion extending from the tailgate retention portion, and a sensor engagement portion extending from the object contact portion. The retainer portion is structured to rotate with respect to the tailgate responsive to contact between the object contact portion and a foreign object positioned in a seam between the tailgate and another portion of the vehicle, during a closing movement of the tailgate. Rotation of the retainer portion brings the sensor engagement portion into contact with (and activates) a touch sensor mounted on the tailgate. Activation of the touch sensor causes a stoppage and/or reversal of tailgate movement, thereby preventing 'pinching' of the foreign object.