Patent ID: 6637796
Filing Date: 2003-10-28
Classification: B62D,E05D,E05F,E05Y

Abstract:
A vehicle tailgate hinge and counterbalance assembly for pivotally mounting a lateral end of a vehicle tailgate at a lower extremity thereof for movement of the tailgate on an associated vehicle between an upper closed position and a lower open position and for also providing counterbalancing of the tailgate, the hinge and counterbalance assembly comprising:a hinge including a first hinge member for mounting on the tailgate, a second hinge member for mounting on the vehicle, and a pivotal connection that pivotally connects the hinge members to support the tailgate for the movement about a pivotal axis between the closed and open positions; a torsion rod having an intermediate portion that extends within the tailgate laterally inwardly from the hinge, the torsion rod having an inner end that extends transversely from the intermediate portion thereof within the tailgate and has a distal end portion, and the torsion rod also having an outer end located outwardly of the tailgate adjacent the hinge and extending transversely from the intermediate portion and having a distal end portion; a tailgate brace located within the tailgate and engaging the distal end portion of the inner end of the torsion rod to limit rotation of the torsion rod during opening and closing movement of the tailgate; the first hinge member having a positioner that positions the intermediate portion of the torsion rod spaced from the pivotal axis of the pivotal connection of the hinge, and the outer end of the torsion rod extending from the positioner of the first hinge member around the pivotal connection of the hinge to its distal end portion; and the second hinge member having an engagement portion that is spaced from the distal end portion of the outer end of the torsion rod when the tailgate is in its closed position and that is engaged by the distal end portion of the outer end of the torsion rod after the tailgate has moved toward its open position to provide counterbalancing of the tailgate.