Patent ID: 6948903
Filing Date: 2005-09-27
Classification: B60P

Abstract:
1. A liftgate, comprising: (a) a unitary frame having an opposing pair of side plates, a trunnion tube extending and an extension plate extending between the side plates, wherein the side plates are adapted to secure the unitary frame to an underside of a vehicle body; (b) a lift frame having: (c) a liftgate platform rotatably attached to the distal pivot members and supported at one end only; (d) a stop mounted on each parallelogram linkage adjacent the distal pivot member and configured to prevent rotation of the liftgate platform away from the upper and lower arms past a generally horizontal orientation parallel with a bed of the vehicle body and configured to allow rotation of the liftgate platform toward the upper and lower arms to a generally vertical position perpendicular with the bed of the vehicle body when in a lowered position; and (e) an extendable actuator pivotally secured at one end to the trunnion tube and at another end to the lift frame tube; wherein: before being secured to the underside of the vehicle body, the unitary frame, the lift frame the liftgate platform, and the extendable actuator forms a freestanding assembly with the liftgate platform in a stowed position; and when the liftgate platform is rotated to a horizontal orientation, extension of the actuator raises the liftgate platform from a lowered position to a raised position while maintaining the horizontal orientation, and when the liftgate platform is rotated to a vertical orientation, extension of the actuator raises and inverts the liftgate platform into the stowed position.