Patent ID: 9656697
Date: 2017-05-23
CPC Classifications: B62D,E05C

Claim:
1. A vehicle assembly comprising: a vehicle cargo box having a U-shaped rear opening: a tailgate movably coupled to the vehicle cargo box for movement between open and closed positions relative to the rear opening; a latch system including first and second latches adapted to selectively retain the tailgate in a closed position; first and second bushings having openings, wherein the first and second bushings are mounted to the vehicle cargo box whereby the openings are located adjacent opposite edges of the tailgate when the tailgate is in its closed position; and wherein the first and second latches each include lock pins that are adapted to shift from retracted positions to extended positions in which the lock pins engage the openings in the bushings to retain the tailgate in a closed position, and wherein the lock pins are adapted to shift from the extended positions to the retracted positions to disengage the lock pins from the openings and permit the tailgate to be opened, and wherein the lock pins are biased towards the extended positions, and wherein the first and second latches each include retaining members that releasably retain the lock pins in their retracted positions when the tailgate is in its open position, and wherein the retaining members release the lock pins when the tailgate is closed whereby the lock pins shift to their extended positions and engage the openings in the bushings to retain the tailgate in its closed position, wherein the retaining members move between engaged positions in which the retaining members retain the lock pins in their retracted positions, and released positions in which the retaining members permit movement of the lock pins from their retracted positions to their extended positions, and wherein the retaining members are biased towards their engaged positions.