Abstract:
A pop-up structure of a tail gate may include a tail gate disposed to open and close a passage of a vehicle body, a striker to be fixed to the vehicle body, a locking device mounted on the tail gate and locked to the striker to fix the tail gate to the vehicle body, and a pop-up device disposed at the tail gate and pushing against the striker by a predetermined distance to lift the tail gate by a corresponding predetermined height when the locking device is unlocked from the striker, in which the pop-up device may include a bracket mounted on the tail gate, a pop-up lever rotatably disposed about a pop-up lever pin on the bracket, a rotation lever rotatably disposed about a rotation lever pin, and a push home pushing the striker, and a pop-up lever spring elastically supporting the pop-up lever to rotate in one direction.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2016-0025321, filed Mar. 2, 2016, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a pop-up structure of a tail gate, which fixes a tail gate in a locking state and opens the tail gate to a preset level in a state where a locking state of the tail gate is released, thereby improving a user&#39;s convenience. 
         [0004]    Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Currently, a locking structure of a tail gate or a trunk in a general vehicle is implemented by an assembling structure between a striker installed on a vehicle body and a ratchet plate installed at the tail gate. As the ratchet plate is rotated, the striker and the ratchet plate are either locked to each other or separated from each other. A user presses a switch to open the tail gate, and the switch rotates the ratchet plate to release the locking state between the tail gate and the ratchet plate. Then, the tail gate is opened in the vehicle. Although the locking state between the ratchet plate and the striker is released through the rotation of the ratchet plate, the user must lift the tail gate from the vehicle body using a relatively large amount of effort, because the tail gate is pressed against the vehicle body through a weather strip. 
         [0006]    The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0007]    Various aspects of the present invention are directed to providing a pop-up structure of a tail gate, which has advantages of lifting a tail gate to a preset level through a pop-up lever installed in a locking device when a locking structure between a striker and a ratchet plate is released, thereby improving a user&#39;s convenience and reducing an amount of strength required for lifting the tail gate. 
         [0008]    According to various aspects of the present invention, a pop-up structure of a tail gate may include a tail gate disposed to open and close a passage of a vehicle body, a striker to be fixed to the vehicle body, a locking device mounted on the tail gate and locked to the striker to fix the tail gate to the vehicle body, and a pop-up device disposed at the tail gate and pushing against the striker by a predetermined distance to lift the tail gate by a corresponding predetermined height when the locking device is unlocked from the striker, in which the pop-up device may include a bracket mounted on the tail gate, a pop-up lever rotatably disposed about a pop-up lever pin on the bracket, a rotation lever rotatably disposed about a rotation lever pin which is disposed on an end portion extended to a first side from the pop-up lever, and a push home pushing the striker is formed on a front end portion and moving along a guide slit formed on the bracket through a guide pin on a rear end portion to rotate in one direction about the rotation lever pin, and a pop-up lever spring elastically supporting the pop-up lever to rotate in the one direction such that the striker disposed on the push home of the rotation lever is separated outward from the bracket. 
         [0009]    A locking bump may be formed at an end portion extended to a second side from the pop-up lever, and a pop-up pawl disposed to rotate about a pop-up pawl pin on the bracket and having a stopper supporting the locking bump at one side end portion so that the pop-up lever does not rotate in the one direction may be included. 
         [0010]    The pop-up structure of the tail gate may further include a lock lever rotatably disposed about a push lever pin disposed on the bracket and a front end portion disposed to support a support portion of the pop-up pawl, a push lever rotatably disposed about the push lever pin and a front end portion disposed to contact an outer surface of the push home at the rotate lever, and a push lever spring respectively connected to and pulling a rear end portion of the push lever and a rear end portion of the lock lever so that the lock lever interrupts rotation of the pop-up pawl in the one direction and the stopper of the pop-up pawl supports the locking bump of the pop-up lever by a pulling tension force. 
         [0011]    A push pin may be disposed on the front end portion of the push lever, and the push pin may be disposed to contact an upper side surface of the rotate lever. 
         [0012]    In a state in which the stopper of the pop-up pawl supports the locking bumper of the pop-up lever to restrict the pop-up lever from rotating in the one direction and the striker supports inside upper side surface of the push home upwardly so that the rotation lever is rotated to another direction about the rotation lever pin, the guide slit may include a first slit formed along a predetermined first radius about the rotation lever pin and having a width within which the guide pin is movable, and a second slit connected to the upper end portion of the first slit and formed along a predetermined second radius about the pop-up lever pin and having a width within which the guide pin is movable. 
         [0013]    The guide slit may include a first slit formed along a predetermined curvature from a lower side to an upper side, and a second slit formed to the lower side along a predetermined curvature at the upper end portion to the direction the striker is disposed. 
         [0014]    The push lever spring may pull the rear end portion of the push lever to apply elastic force such that the front end of the push lever pushes the rotation lever outward. 
         [0015]    The pop-up structure of the tail gate may further include a pop-up pawl spring disposed on the bracket and elastically supporting the pop-up pawl to rotate in the other direction to apply elastic force so that the stopper of the pop-up pawl is separated from the locking bump. 
         [0016]    The locking device may include a ratchet plate disposed to rotate through a ratchet pin at the bracket, and a latchet home in which the striker is inserted and locked is formed at one side, and a first locking bump is formed at an outside thereof, a locking lever disposed to rotate about the stopper pin at the bracket, and a locking stopper supporting the first locking bump at a front end portion and preventing the ratchet plate from rotating in the one direction is formed, and a hatch spring rotating the ratchet plate in the one direction to apply elastic force so that the striker is output from the ratchet home of the ratchet plate. 
         [0017]    The pop-up structure of the tail gate may further include a driver pulling or pushing one side of the locking lever so that the first stopper is separated from the first locking bump, and a switch generating signal operating the driver. 
         [0018]    According to various embodiments of the present invention, when the locking structure between the striker and the ratchet plate is released, the pop-up lever and the rotation lever installed in the locking device may push the striker and lift the tail gate to a predetermined level, thereby improving a user&#39;s convenience and reducing an amount of strength required for lifting the tail gate. 
         [0019]    It is understood that the term “vehicle” or “vehicular” or other similar terms as used herein is inclusive of motor vehicles in general such as passenger automobiles including sports utility vehicles (SUV), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles, watercraft including a variety of boats and ships, aircraft, and the like, and includes hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g., fuel derived from resources other than petroleum). As referred to herein, a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that has two or more sources of power, for example, both gasoline-powered and electric-powered vehicles. 
         [0020]    The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is an internal front view illustrating a locking structure of a tail gate according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is an internal front view illustrating the pop-up structure of the tail gate according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is an internal front view illustrating a pop up process in the pop-up structure of the tail gate according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is an internal front view illustrating a pop up state in the pop-up structure of the tail gate according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating the pop-up structure of the tail gate according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a detailed front view illustrating the pop-up structure of the tail gate according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is a detailed front view illustrating a guide slit in the pop-up structure of the tail gate according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0028]    It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0029]    Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
         [0030]      FIG. 1  is an internal front view illustrating a locking structure of a tail gate according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a pop-up structure of a tail gate includes a bracket  100 , a striker  110 , a stopper pin  125 , a locking lever  122 , a driver  140 , a switch  145 , a first stopper  120 , a first locking bump  137 , a ratchet home  132 , a ratchet pin  135 , a ratchet plate  130  and an entry home  150 . 
         [0032]    The bracket  100  is disposed on the tail gate, the entry home  150  is formed at the lower end portion toward the upper side, the striker  110  enters into the entry home  150 , and the striker  110  is inserted and engaged to the ratchet home  132  of the ratchet plate  130 . 
         [0033]    The ratchet plate  130  is rotatably disposed to the left side of the entry home  150  through the ratchet pin  135 , and the first locking bump  137  is formed at one side of the ratchet plate  130 . Further, the ratchet plate  130  has a structure rotating in the clockwise direction by a hatch spring. 
         [0034]    The locking lever  122  is rotatably disposed to the right side of the entry home  150  through the stopper pin  125 , and the first stopper  120  is formed at one side of the locking lever  122 . Here, the first stopper  120  supports the first locking bumper  137  of the ratchet plate  130  to prevent the ratchet plate  130  from rotating in the clockwise direction. 
         [0035]    In a state that the first stopper  120  supports the first locking bump  137 , the ratchet home  132  faces upward and prevents the striker  110  inserted in the ratchet home  132  from being separated in the downward direction to implement the locking structure. 
         [0036]    The driver  140  is disposed to pull or push the front end portion of the locking lever  122 , the first stopper  120  is separated from the first locking bump  137  when the driver  140  pulls the front end portion of the locking lever  122  by signal of the switch  145 , and the ratchet plate  130  rotates in the clockwise direction about the ratchet pin  135  by a hatch spring. 
         [0037]    Further, the ratchet home  132  of the ratchet plate  130  faces the downward direction when the ratchet plate  130  rotates in the clockwise direction, and the striker  110  moves to the downward direction along the entry home  150  so that the locking structure releases. 
         [0038]      FIG. 2  is an internal front view illustrating the pop-up structure of the tail gate according to various embodiments of the present invention, and  FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating the pop-up structure of the tail gate according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0039]    The structure of  FIG. 2  may have the same or similar parts as those of  FIG. 1 , or include different components from those of  FIG. 1 . Alternatively, the components of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  may be selected to embody the technical idea of various embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0040]    Referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5 , the pop-up structure of the tail gate includes a bracket  100 , a push lever pin  210 , a first rotation prevention protrusion  288 , a second rotation preventing protrusion  488 , a lock lever  205 , a push lever spring  280 , an entry home  150 , a striker  110 , a rotation lever  270 , a rotation lever pin  245 , a pop-up lever  265 , a pop-up lever pin  260 , a guide pin  255 , a guide slit  250 , a push pin  240 , a second locking bump  235 , a second stopper  230 , a pop-up pawl pin  222 , a spring pin  225 , a pop-up pawl  220 , a support portion  217 , a push lever  215 , a pop-up pawl spring  400  and a pop-up lever spring  405 . 
         [0041]    According to various embodiments of the present invention, the ratchet plate  130  and the locking lever  122  described in  FIG. 1  are disposed at the bracket  100 . In  FIG. 2 , the ratchet plate  130  and the locking lever  122  are omitted, and the specific description is referred to in  FIG. 1   
         [0042]    Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the entry home  150  is formed from a lower portion to an upper side portion, and the striker  110  disposed at the vehicle body is relatively inserted into the entry home  150  when the tail gate descends. 
         [0043]    The striker  110  enters into the ratchet home when the striker  110  rises. Further, the ratchet plate  130  rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the ratchet home  132  faces upper side, and the first locking bump  137  of the ratchet plate  130  is supported by the first stopper  120 . Accordingly, movement of the striker  110  is fixed by the ratchet home  132  of the ratchet plate  130  to be locked. 
         [0044]    Further, in the locking state of the ratchet plate  130  and the striker  110 , the pop-up structure according to various embodiments of the present invention operates when the first locking lever  122  is pulled by the driver  140  and the ratchet plate  130  rotates in the clockwise direction. 
         [0045]    Hereafter, the pop-up structure according to various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the  FIG. 2 . 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the pop-up lever  265  is rotatably disposed about the pop-up lever pin  260  at the left lower portion of the entry home  150  of the bracket  100 . 
         [0047]    The rotation lever pin  245  is disposed at the one side front end portion of the pop-up lever  265 , and the rotation lever  270  is rotatably disposed about the rotation lever pin  245  at the one side front end portion of the pop-up lever  265 . 
         [0048]    The second locking bump  235  is formed at the other side front end portion of the lever  265 , and the second stopper  230  formed at the front end portion of the pop-up pawl  220  supports the second locking bump  235  to prevent the pop-up lever  265  from rotating in the clockwise direction. 
         [0049]    The pop-up pawl  220  is rotatably disposed about the pop-up pawl pin  222  disposed on the left upper side of the entry home  150 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , the pop-up lever spring  405  elastically supports so that the pop-up lever  265  rotates in the clockwise direction about the pop-up lever pin  260 . 
         [0050]    Here, the pop-up pawl spring  400  is disposed at the spring pin  225  disposed at the bracket  100 , and the pop-up spring  405  is fixed at the bracket  100  by the popup pawl pin  222 . 
         [0051]    Referring to  FIG. 2  again, the push lever pin  210  is disposed at the right upper side of the entry home  150 , and the push lever  215  and the lock lever  205  are rotatably disposed at the bracket  100  about the push lever pin  210 . 
         [0052]    The push lever pin  210  is fixed at the bracket  100  penetrating the center portion in the length direction of the push lever  215  and the lock lever  205 , and the push pin  240  that is able to push the upper side of the rotation lever  270  to downward is disposed at the front end portion of the push lever  215 . 
         [0053]    Further, the front end portion of the lock lever  205  may contact the right lower face of the pop-up pawl  220 , and the rear end portions of the push lever  215  and the lock lever  205  is connected with each other by the push lever spring  280 . 
         [0054]    The push lever spring  280  pulls and elastically supports the rear end portions of the push lever  215  and the lock lever  205  to separate the front end portions of the push lever  215  and the lock lever  205 . 
         [0055]    That is, the push pin  240  disposed at the front end portion of the push lever  215  elastically supports the upper surface downward and the front end portion of the lock lever  205  elastically supports the lower end portion of the pop-up pawl  220  upward by elastic force of the push lever spring  280 . 
         [0056]      FIG. 3  is an internal front view illustrating a pop up process in the pop-up structure of the tail gate according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0057]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the ratchet plate  130  rotates in the clockwise direction when the front end portion of the locking lever  122  is pulled by the driver  140 , and the striker  110  may be separated from the ratchet home  132  of the ratchet plate  130 . 
         [0058]    That is, the push lever  215  pushes the striker  110  to the downward direction through the rotation lever  270  and the pop-up lever  265  pushes the striker  110  to the downward direction through the rotation lever  270  to implement the pop-up structure of the tail gate. 
         [0059]    More specifically, the first locking bump  137  and the first stopper  120  are separated from each other, the ratchet plate  130  rotates, the ratchet home  132  faces downward direction, the push lever  215  rotates in the counterclockwise by elastic force of the push lever spring  280 , and the push pin  240  presses the rotation lever  270  to downward direction. 
         [0060]    Next, the rotation lever  270  rotates in the clockwise direction about the rotation lever pin  245  by force applied from the push pin  240  and pushes the striker  110  downward, and the guide pin  255  disposed at the rear end portion of the rotation lever  270  moves from downward of the slit  250  to the upper side. 
         [0061]      FIG. 4  is an internal front view illustrating a pop up state in the pop-up structure of the tail gate according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0062]    Referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the push lever  215  rotates in the counterclockwise direction about the push lever pin  210 . Accordingly, the lock lever  205  rotates in the counterclockwise direction at the push lever pin  210 . 
         [0063]    That is, the front end portion of the lock lever  205  supporting the support portion  217  of the pop-up pawl  220  rotates in the counterclockwise direction about the push lever pin  210 , and support force that the front end portion of the lock lever  205  supports the support portion  217 . 
         [0064]    Accordingly, the pop-up pawl  220  rotates in the clockwise direction about the pop-up pawl pin  222 . Here, the pop-up pawl spring  400  elastically supports the pop-up pawl  220  in the clockwise direction, and in the state that the support force of the lock lever  205  about the support portion  217  of the pop-up pawl  220  is eliminated, the pop-up pawl  220  rotates in the clockwise direction. 
         [0065]    Next, when the pop-up pawl  220  rotates in the clockwise direction, the second stopper  230  is separated from the second locking bump  235  of the pop-up lever  265 , and the pop-up lever  265  rotates in the clockwise direction about the pop-up lever pin  260  by the pop-up lever spring  405 . 
         [0066]    At this time, the rotation lever  270  moves to the downward direction through the rotation lever pin  245  connected to the pop-up lever  265 , and the front end portion of the rotation lever  270  pushes the striker  110  to the downward direction. Here, the rear end portion of the rotation lever  270  moves to the downward direction along the guide silt  250  by the guide pin  255 . 
         [0067]    Further, the second rotation preventing protrusion  488  limiting clockwise direction rotational region of the pop-up pawl  220  is formed at the bracket  100 , and the first rotation preventing protrusion  288  limiting clockwise direction rotational region of the push lever  215  is formed at the lock lever  205 . 
         [0068]      FIG. 6  is a detailed front view illustrating the pop-up structure of the tail gate according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0069]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , concave push home  600  is formed at the front end surface of the rotation lever  270 , and the striker  110  is easily disposed inside of the push home  600 . 
         [0070]    The rotation lever pin  245  is disposed at the center portion of the rotation lever  270 , and the rotation lever  270  is rotatably disposed at one end portion of the pop-up lever  265  through the rotation lever pin  245 . 
         [0071]    Further, the guide pin  255  moving along the guide silt  250  is disposed at the rear end portion of the rotation lever  270 . 
         [0072]      FIG. 7  is a detailed front view illustrating a guide slit in the pop-up structure of the tail gate according to various embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0073]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , the guide slit  250  includes a first  251  and a second slit  252 . The first slit  251  is formed having a radius predetermined from a lower side to an upper side, the second slit  252  is formed having a radius predetermined from the upper side to the entry home  150  side, and the first slit  251  and the second slit  252  are connected with each other. 
         [0074]    Accordingly, the guide pin  255  disposed at the rear end portion of the rotation lever  270  may move along the first slit  251  and the second slit  252 . 
         [0075]    In the state that the second locking bump  235  of the pop-up lever  265  is prevented from rotating by the second stopper  230  of the pop-up pawl  220 , the first slit  251  is formed along a first radius R 1  predetermined about the rotation lever pin  245 . 
         [0076]    Further, the second slit  252  is formed along a second radius R 2  predetermined about the pop-up lever pin  260 , and the upper sides of the first slit  251  and the second slit  252  are connected with each other. 
         [0077]    For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms “upper” or “lower”, “inner” or “outer” and etc. are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures. 
         [0078]    The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.