Patent ID: 6425205
Filing Date: 2002-07-30
Classification: E05F,E05Y

Abstract:
A power operating system for opening and closing a hinged vehicle liftgate that is pivotally attached to an aft end of a vehicle roof for pivotal movement between a fully open position and a fully closed position about a hinged axis, the power operating system having at least one drive unit comprising:a housing adapted to be attached to the vehicle and having a curved track nested between two sidewalls of said housing, a curved drive rack that is partially disposed in the housing and bodily movable in the housing adjacent to the curved track, said curved drive rack having one end protruding exteriorly of said housing via an end opening of said housing, said one end being adapted to be directly pivotally coupled to the vehicle liftgate, with said one end always being disposed exteriorly of said housing, and with the curved rack being operably guided by the curved track throughout its travel motion, a pinion gear that is rotatably coupled to the housing and drivingly engaging the curved rack, and drive means operable to rotate said pinion gear such that the curved rack is thereby gear driven to travel in a curved working stroke along the curved track and relative to the housing and thereby serve as the drive link that directly moves said liftgate from and/or between said fully open and fully closed positions.