Abstract:
A tailgate for an associated automotive vehicle. The tailgate is coupled via a rod to a motor. The tailgate includes a frame having a point of attachment to the rod. The rod passes through an opening in the vehicle body. The rod has a longitudinal axis that travels in a substantially linear axial direction in the region passing through the opening when the tailgate moves from a closed to an open position and vice versa.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates generally to a tailgate assembly of an automotive vehicle. In particular, it relates to the tailgate rod component of the tailgate assembly. 
         [0002]    The advantages of providing a vehicle, such as a van or sport utility, with a tailgate for cargo access have been recognized for many years. Moreover, these vehicles provide rear storage compartments which can be accessed to receive large items via a lift-gate that opens substantially the entire rear of the vehicle. 
         [0003]    A lift-gate that swings upward about a horizontal axis to open can require significant lifting force to effect opening. For the convenience of the person using a vehicle having a lift type tailgate, it may be desired that a power lift system be provided to reduce the required lifting effort, particularly where the tailgate is a heavy singular gate or door that closes the entire rear access opening. Similarly, it may be desirable to provide a fully automated lift type tailgate assembly. 
         [0004]    Various forms of power lift-gate systems have been proposed. Typically, they include a motor configured to drive a rod which is connected to the tailgate. More particularly, the lift type tailgate is connected to a motor provided in a vehicle compartment with a connection rod, and opening/closing of the tailgate is assisted and/or automatically driven by the motor. The motor can be located on an interior surface of a rear pillar and covered by a pillar garnish adapted to cover the surface of the rear pillar. The connection rod projects from the motor rearwardly via an opening formed in the pillar garnish and attaches to the tailgate so as to move generally diagonally upwardly and downwardly. Typically, the connection is made between a socket portion of the connection rod and a post secured to the tailgate. In this manner, a rotatable connection is formed to allow a change in orientation throughout the opening-closing process. It may be advantageous to limit axial movement of the connection rod to allow the opening in the pillar garnish to be as small as possible. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0005]    Various details of the present disclosure are hereinafter summarized to provide a basic understanding. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure, and is intended neither to identify specific elements of the disclosure, nor to delineate the scope thereof. Rather, the primary purpose of this summary is to present some concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form prior to the more detailed description that is presented hereinafter. 
         [0006]    According to one embodiment, a tailgate for an automotive vehicle is provided. The tailgate is coupled via a rod to a motor to open and close the tailgate. The rod includes a tailgate attachment end and a motor attachment end. A first bend is provided adjacent the tailgate attachment end and a second bend is provided adjacent the motor attachment end. 
         [0007]    According to a further embodiment, a tailgate for an associated automotive vehicle is provided. The tailgate is coupled via a rod to a motor. The tailgate includes a frame having a point of attachment to the rod. The rod passes through an opening in the vehicle body. The rod has a longitudinal axis that travels in a substantially linear axial direction in the region passing through the opening when the tailgate moves from a closed to an open position. 
         [0008]    According to an additional embodiment, an actuating device to open and close a member of a vehicle is provided. The member is pivotally mounted to an edge of an opening of said vehicle with a hinge. The actuating device comprises a motor disposed on a body pillar located on a side edge of the opening. A connecting rod connects at a first end to the member and at a second end to the motor. The connecting rod is provided with a first bent portion adjacent the first end and a second bent portion adjacent the second end. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The following description and drawings set forth certain illustrative implementations of the disclosure in detail, which are indicative of several exemplary ways in which the various principles of the disclosure may be carried out. The illustrated examples, however, are not exhaustive of the many possible embodiments of the disclosure. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the disclosure will be set forth in the following detailed description of the disclosure when considered in conjunction with the drawings, in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a limited illustration of a motor vehicle (partially in phantom) including a power tailgate actuating assembly; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of a power tailgate actuating assembly of an automotive vehicle with a portion of a rear pillar garnish removed. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the motor assembly of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a rear view of a rear pillar including a power tailgate actuating assembly illustrating a bent versus straight tailgate connection rod; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the power tailgate rod assembly of  FIG. 4  demonstrating the vertical and horizontal travel of the tailgate connection rod; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a rear comparison view of the straight (left side) and bent (right side) tailgate connection rods of  FIG. 4  demonstrating the relative axial displacement of each. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    One or more embodiments or implementations are hereinafter described in conjunction with the drawings, where like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout, and where the various features are not necessarily drawn to scale. 
         [0017]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , a motor vehicle  100  includes a back opening  1  that can be sealed with a back door  2 . An upper portion of the back door  2  is pivotally connected to a corresponding upper portion of the vehicle body through respective aligned hinge units  3 . Thus, the back door  2  is able to pivot about a common axis of the hinge units  3  between a full-close position and the full-open position that is shown. 
         [0018]    Tailgate  2  is comprised of a metal body  4  surrounding a window  5 . A connection rod  6  is secured to an inner peripheral surface of the door frame  7 . More particularly, the connection rod  6  is secured to a post  8  mounted to the inner peripheral surface of the door frame  7  via a ball socket  9 . 
         [0019]    Garnish elements may be employed to cover the door frame  7 . However, the door garnish elements can include an opening suitable for accommodating passage of connection rod  6  in a location corresponding to the post or passage of the post itself. 
         [0020]    A motor  10  is secured to an interior surface of a rear pillar  11  and is concealed within a rear pillar garnish  12  (the pillar garnish adjacent the motor has been removed in  FIG. 2  for illustrative purposes). A projecting end  13  of rod connection  6  extends outside of rear pillar garnish  12 . 
         [0021]    The connection rod  6  is further secured to a turn arm  14  which is driven by motor  10  to provide selective upward and downward travel of connection rod  6  and an associated generally forward and backward travel of connection rod  6  (based on the vehicle orientation). Moreover, the connection rod  6  is oriented such that when the motor  10  is driven, the turn arm  14  drives the connection rod  16  either rearward and diagonally upwards (opening the tailgate  2 ) or forward and diagonally downwards (closing the tailgate  2 ). 
         [0022]    Rear pillar garnish  12  overlies the rear pillar  11 . The rear pillar garnish  12  attaches to the rear pillar  11  to provide a protective cover for the power tailgate motor  10  and a portion of connection rod  6 . The rear pillar garnish  12  includes an opening  15  which receives a cover  16 . Cover  16  allows connection rod  6  (including the projecting end  13  terminating in ball socket  9 ) to pass through the rear pillar garnish  12  via passage  17 . Connection rod  6  travels vertically and horizontally during the opening-closing of tailgate  2 . Accordingly, in a tailgate closed condition, connection rod  6  can have its largest extent contained within garnish  12  and will be disposed at a first end  17 ′ of passage  17 . During the transition to a tailgate fully open condition, connection rod  6  can travel to a second end  17 ″ of passage  17  as turn arm  14  reaches its furthermost rearward position. 
         [0023]    As best shown in  FIG. 3 , the motor  10  includes a drive gear  18  rotated by the electric motor  10  (not seen in  FIG. 3 ). Drive gear  18  in turn drives speed reduction gear  19  which drives sector gear  20 . Connection rod  6  is secured to a post (not shown) on turn arm  14  via a ball socket  21 . Sector gear  20  rotates the turn arm  14  through a selected quadrant. A cover  22  overlays motor  10 , receives the speed reduction gear  19 , sector gear  20  and turn arm  14  and further secures the motor assembly to the rear pillar  11 . Accordingly, when the electric motor  10  is energized, the turn arm  14  is rotated in the direction of the arrow (to open the tailgate) and the connection rod  6  moved generally upward. Closing of the tailgate would be accomplished by the reverse rotation of the motor assembly components. 
         [0024]    With reference to  FIG. 4 , a bent connection rod  6  in accord with an exemplary embodiment is depicted side by side to a prior art straight rod PA. More particularly, connection rod  6  includes a first bend  23  adjacent to ball socket  9  and a second bend  24  adjacent to ball socket  21 . Connection rod  6  includes a straight section  26  extending between first bend  23  and second bend  24 . Straight section  26  may generally comprise the greatest length of the connection rod. Straight section  26  can be the segment of connection rod  6  which travels through the passage  17 . Moreover, bend  23  can be flush with or be extended outwardly from the passage  17  in a tailgate door  2  closed condition. 
         [0025]    As illustrated, bend  24  is generally in a direction toward the exterior of the vehicle relative to the longitudinal axis of the straight section  26 , while bend  23  is generally in the direction of the interior of the vehicle relative to the longitudinal axis of straight section  26 . Bend  23  and bend  24  can be of substantially the same degree. It is envisioned that a bend angle of between about 5 and 30° may be suitable for most vehicle designs. However, numerous bend configurations are believed to be suitable depending on the orientation between the drive arm and the juncture with the tailgate 
         [0026]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , the vertical and horizontal travel of connection rod  6  is depicted. Moreover, at closed position C, turn arm  14  and accordingly connection rod  6  position the tailgate along imaginary line  25  (closed). Rotation of turn arm  14  through the various illustrated positions results in a location of connection rod  6  in a fully opened condition O wherein connection rod  6  has traveled both horizontally and vertically to a position where an imaginary line  26  represents the position of the tailgate (fully open). 
         [0027]    Turning next to  FIG. 6 , the advantageous limiting of axial motion of connection rod  6  resulting from its unique configuration is depicted. More particularly, the positions illustrated in  FIG. 5  are reflected in the corresponding axial travel of the straight connection rod PA and connection rod  6 . As shown, connection rod  6  demonstrates limited axial movement throughout the rotation of turn arm  14 . In contrast, the straight rod PA demonstrates significantly greater axial displacement throughout the translation between opened and closed or closed and open. For example, by establishing a center line “CL” of axial travel for straight connection rod PA and connection rod  6 , wherein the CL bisects the positions of the rod in the region in which it passes through the vehicle body, it can be seen that connection rod  6  deviates from the linear CL insubstantially (for example, less than 5° or even 2°). In contrast, the straight connection rod PA demonstrates a total deviation from the CL by in excess of 20°. By adjusting the geometry of the rod, the skilled artisan can adjust and control the path of the rod. In the specific embodiment depicted above, the path can be modified from a V-shape path to a linear path that follows the tailgate weather strip flange and improves the packaging and tailgate opening size. 
         [0028]    Advantageously, reduction in axial travel of connection rod  6  allows passage  15  in garnish  12  to be reduced in size and similarly allows passage  17  and cover  16  to be reduced in size and/or shape complexity. Each of these advantageous reductions in size provide aesthetic and functional benefits while maintaining a full range of motion for the rod during tailgate stroke. 
         [0029]    In accordance with the present embodiment, an improved appearance to the passage for the tailgate rod in the tailgate garnish can be achieved. The design also minimizes the accessibility (visually and physically) to the internal mechanisms. 
         [0030]    The above examples are merely illustrative of several possible embodiments of various aspects of the present disclosure, wherein equivalent alterations and/or modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon reading and understanding this specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described components (assemblies, devices, systems, and the like), the terms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe such components are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any component which performs the specified function of the described component (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the illustrated implementations of the disclosure. In addition, although a particular feature of the disclosure may have been illustrated and/or described with respect to only one of several implementations, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other implementations as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application. Also, to the extent that the terms “including”, “includes”, “having”, “has”, “with”, or variants thereof are used in the detailed description and/or in the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising”.