Patent ID: 6412877
Filing Date: 2002-07-02
Classification: B60P

Abstract:
In a vehicle body having a cargo carrying area tiltably connected to said vehicle and bounded by vertical side walls, a bottom wall, a vertical front end wall, and an opening at the rear end of said cargo carrying area;(a) a tailgate mounted in said opening; (b) a rotatable mount enabling said tailgate to rotate about a vertical axis proximate one end of said tailgate; (c) a pivotal mount enabling said tailgate to pivot on a horizontal axis proximate the top of said tailgate; (d) a set of latch mechanisms arranged such that selected of said latch mechanisms when open permit said tailgate to pivot about said horizontal axis and other selected of said latch mechanisms when open permit said tailgate to rotate about said vertical axis; (e) powered operating mechanisms operative to selectively open and close said latch mechanisms; (f) first control means enabling said operating mechanisms to be controlled from a position remote from the position of said tailgate; (g) a powered drive operative to power the rotation of said tailgate about said vertical axis; (h) second control means enabling said powered drive to be controlled from a position remote from said tailgate and powered to rotate said tailgate between a first position in which said tailgate closes said opening and a second position in which said tailgate is positioned against a said side wall in coordination with opening and closing of selected of said latch mechanisms by said operating mechanisms; (i) an additional latch mechanism for latching said tailgate when in said second position against said side wall; (j) an additional powered mechanism operative to open and close said additional latch mechanism; and (k) third control means enabling said additional powered mechanism to be controlled from a position remote from the position of said tailgate.