Patent ID: 6123386
Filing Date: 2000-09-26
Classification: B60J,E05B,Y10T

Abstract:
A rear gate assembly of a motor vehicle having a rear gate opening, comprising:a rear gate being rotatably coupled to the rear gate opening, the rear gate having a latched and unlatched position;a back glass being rotatably coupled to a top edge of the rear gate opening, the back glass having a latched and unlatched position;a rear gate handle coupled to the outer surface of the rear gate and being actuatable from a first position to a second position, wherein the rear gate handle includes:a base portion;a handle portion rotably coupled to the base portion; anda U-shaped actuation portion extending from one end of the handle portion through an aperture in the base portion; andmeans for sequentially releasing the back glass and rear gate from the respective latched positions in response to actuation of the rear gate handle, wherein the rear gate handle includes a first and second position and is operable between the first and second position and the means for sequentially releasing the back glass and rear gate includes:rear gate latch means coupled to the rear gate for controllably latching and releasing the rear gate from the latched position;rear gate actuating means coupled to the rear gate handle and to the rear gate latch means, the rear gate actuating means being responsive to the rear gate handle being moved from the, first position to the second position and controllably actuating the rear gate latch means to release the rear gate from the latched position;back glass latch means coupled to the back glass for controllably latching and releasing the back glass from the latched position; and,back glass actuating means coupled to the rear gate handle and to the back glass latch means, the back glass actuating means being responsive to the rear gate handle being moved from the first position to the second position and controllably actuating the back glass latch means to release the back glass from the latched position.