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:
Feb. 11, 2003
Filed:
Jan. 19, 2001
Bruce Stone, Waterford, MI (US);
Michael Turk, Waterford, MI (US);
Jeffrey Kolar, Livonia, MI (US);
Jose Garcia, Troy, MI (US);
Dennis Reid, Rochester, MI (US);
Hi-Lex Corporation, Battle Creek, MI (US);
Abstract
A power actuator for lifting a pivotal lift gate closing an access opening in a motor vehicle body. The actuator includes a lower tubular housing; a lead screw having a lower head portion journaled in a lower portion of the tubular housing and a threaded shaft portion extending upwardly from the head portion within the tubular housing; a tubular extender rod positioned slidably and telescopically within the tubular housing in concentric surrounding relation to the shaft portion of the lead screw and including a nut structure proximate a lower end thereof threadably engaging the shaft portion of the lead screw; a pivotal mounting structure on the lower end of the tubular housing to pivotally mount the lower end of the tubular housing to a side edge of the access opening; a pivotal mounting structure on the upper end of the tubular extender rod for pivotally mounting the extender rod to the lift gate; an electric motor positioned on the motor vehicle body proximate the access opening; and a flexible cable extending from the output of the motor and passing through an aperture in the lower end of the tubular housing for driving engagement with the head portion of the lead screw. The cable is mounted for rotation about a lengthwise axis of the cable whereby actuation of the motor moves the tubular extender rod axially relative to the tubular housing and provides opening or closing movement of the gate.