Abstract:
A tailgate assembly of a truck includes an anchor on the truck and a cable attachable between the tailgate and the anchor. A clip of the cable defines an opening for receiving the anchor. A finger secures the clip to the anchor and is deflectable to allow disconnection of the clip and the anchor. A lock is disposed on the clip and is slidable between a blocking position that prevents deflection of the finger and a releasable position that allows deflection of the finger.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to an anti-theft device for a tailgate cable of a pickup truck. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Vehicles, such as pickup trucks, include a box having a bed, opposing longitudinal sidewalls, a headboard, and a tailgate. The tailgate is pivotally attached to the sidewalls and movable between an open position and a closed position. Latches are disposed on an upper portion of the tailgate to hold the tailgate in the closed position, and tension members are connected between the sidewalls and the tailgate to support the tailgate when in the open position. Tailgates are typically removable from the box to increase utility of the pickup truck. This makes it possible for a thief to steal the tailgate by disconnecting the cables and removing the tailgate from the box. 
     An increased emphasis on fuel efficiency has led to a desire for lightweight vehicle components, such as aluminum-alloy components. Aluminum alloys are typically lighter than steel alloys. Consequently, aluminum alloy tailgates are lighter making them easier to steal. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one embodiment, a tailgate assembly of a truck includes an anchor on the truck and a cable attachable between the tailgate and the anchor. A clip of the cable defines an opening for receiving the anchor. A finger secures the clip to the anchor and is deflectable to allow disconnection of the clip and the anchor. A lock is disposed on the clip and is slidable between a blocking position that prevents deflection of the finger and a releasable position that allows deflection of the finger. 
     According to another embodiment, a tailgate assembly of a truck includes a tailgate attachable to the truck, an anchor on the truck, and a tension member attachable between the tailgate and the anchor. A clip is attached to an end of the tension member and defines an opening for receiving the anchor. A finger is attached to the clip and engages with the anchor. The finger is deflectable to allow disconnection of the clip and anchor. A lock assembly is movable on the clip between a blocking position and a releasable position. The lock assembly prevents deflection of the finger when in the blocking position and allows deflection of the finger when in the releasable position. The lock assembly is affixed to the clip in the blocking position by a locking element. 
     According to yet another embodiment, a tailgate cable for a truck includes a clip and an anti-theft device. The clip is connectable to a post on the truck and has a finger biased to engage the post to prevent disconnection of the clip and post. The finger is deflectable to disengage the post. The anti-theft device surrounds four sides of the clip to prevent displacement of the finger locking the clip to the post. A threaded fastener is receivable through the body and finger to locate the device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of a portion of a pickup truck. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a tailgate cable. 
         FIG. 3  is a zoomed-in perspective view of the tailgate cable connected to a cable post of the truck. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective of the tailgate cable of  FIG. 2  with an anti-theft device installed. 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of the tailgate cable with the anti-theft device in the blocking position. 
         FIG. 6  is a section view of  FIG. 5  along cut line  5 - 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of the tailgate cable with the anti-theft device in a releasable position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The illustrated embodiments are disclosed with reference to the drawings. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are intended to be merely examples that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. The specific structural and functional details disclosed are not to be interpreted as limiting, but as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to practice the disclosed concepts. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3  a pickup-truck  20  includes a box  22  having a pair of sidewalls  24  and a bed  26 . A tailgate  28  is pivotally attached to each of the sidewalls  24  at a rear end of the box  22 . The tailgate  28  includes an interior side  30 , an exterior side  32 , and a pair of sidewalls  34 . Each of the sidewalls  34  includes a pin that is received in a corresponding socket of one of the sidewalls  24 . The tailgate  28  pivots between an open position and a closed position along the pins and sleeves. Each tailgate sidewall  34  includes a latch  36  that cooperates with a corresponding locking post  38  connected to one of the sidewalls  24 . The latch  36  and the locking post  38  engage to secure the tailgate  28  in the closed position. The tailgate  28  also includes a handle cooperating with the latches  36  to disengage the latches  36  from the locking posts  38  allowing the tailgate  28  to be opened. 
     The tailgate  28  includes a pair of tension members  40  that support the tailgate  28  when in the open position. Each tension members  40  may be a cable, a chain, a rope, or links that either telescope or fold relative to each other. Each tension member  40  includes a fixed end  42  attached to one of the sidewalls  34  of the tailgate  28 , and a free end  44  that has a clip  46 . The clip  46  is attachable to a cable post or anchor  48  that is disposed on one of the sidewalls  24 . The clip  46  defines a slot  50  that may have a larger portion  52  and a smaller portion  54 . The cable post  48  includes a shank  58  and a head  60  that has a diameter larger than the shank. The larger portion  52  is sized to be larger than the head  60  allowing the clip  46  to be received on and off of the post  48 . The smaller portion  54  is sized to substantially match the size of the shank  58 . The head  60  is larger than the smaller portion  54  preventing detachment of the clip  46  and the post  48  when the post is located within the smaller portion  54 . The clip  46  also includes a finger  56  extending over a portion of the larger portion  52 . The finger  56  may be a flexible metal strip, such as a flat spring. A tip  57  of the finger  56  engages with the post  48  to hold the post in the smaller portion preventing disconnection of the clip  46  from the post  48 . 
     Tailgate  28  is removable from the box  22 . The first step in removing the tailgate  28  is to disconnect the cables  40  from the cable post  48 . To disconnect, the finger  56  is bent away from the clip  46 , the post  48  is slid into the larger portion  52 , and the post  48  is removed from the slot  50 . Next, the pins are removed from the sockets. In some vehicles, one of the sockets includes a half-moon cutout allowing one pin to be lifted from the socket. After one pin is free, the other pin is pulled out of its respective socket to remove the tailgate  28 . 
     The tailgate removal process is fairly straightforward and can be accomplished in a short amount of time. This makes the tailgate an easy target for theft. Traditionally, a main deterrent to tailgate theft was the bulk and weight of the tailgate. Modern pickup trucks often employ lighter-weight materials such as aluminum alloys and thinner-gauge steel. Tailgates made from these materials are significantly lighter than their traditional counterparts and are easier to steal. 
     Tailgate theft can be deterred by increasing the time and difficulty of removing the cable clips  46  from the cable posts  48 . Referring to  FIGS. 4 ,  5 ,  6 , and  7 , an anti-theft device or locking assembly  66  may be installed onto one or more of the clips  46  to prevent the finger  56  from deflecting, which prevents removal of the clip  46  from the post  48 . The anti-theft device  66  includes a sleeve  67  having a top  68 , a bottom  70 , and a pair of sidewalls  72 . The top, bottom, and sidewalls cooperate to define an interior  74 . The anti-theft device  66  can be installed by disconnecting the clip  46  from the post  48  and sliding the device  66  over the end of the clip  46  placing a portion of the clip is within the interior  74 . The top  68  or bottom  70  is adjacent to the finger  56  and can prevent deflection of the finger  56  depending upon the location of the device  66  relative to the clip  46 . For example, the finger  56  cannot be deflected when the anti-theft device  66  is located in a blocking position  78 , and can be deflected when the device  66  is slid to a releasable position  79 . The releasable position  79  may be any position outside of the blocking position—such as at or near the base  76  of the clip  46 . The blocking position  78  may be a range of positions located at the outer half of the finger  56 . A removable fastener  80 , such as a screw or bolt, is used to secure the anti-theft device  66  in the blocking position  78 . The screw  80  may be received within a threaded hole  82  defined in the top  68  or bottom  70  of the anti-theft device  66  and within a hole  84  defined in the finger  56 . 
     The tailgate anti-theft device  66  is designed to be removable without destroying any part of the device. Many pickup-truck users periodically remove the tailgate  28  to increase utility and functionality of the box  22 . Thus, a balance must be struck between theft deterrence and removability. If the anti-theft device  66  is too difficult to remove it may annoy authorized users when they wish to remove the tailgate  28 . This may cause the users to cease using the anti-theft device  66  rendering the tailgate more prone to theft. If the anti-theft device is not designed to be removed, the utility of the pickup truck is diminished. 
     The anti-theft device  66  is designed to increase tailgate removal time while still being removable using simple tools—such as a screwdriver, a hex wrench, a socket, etc. Even a slight increase in removal time may deter theft. As such, a permanent locking device may not be need or desirable. 
     A tailgate cable equipped with the anti-theft device  66  is removed by first removing the removable fastener  80  from the finger  56 . Next, the device  66  is slid towards the clip base  76 . The finger  56  is now deflected away from the clip  46 . With the finger deflected, the cable post  48  is slid from the smaller portion  54  to the larger portion  52 , and the post  48  is removed from the slot  50  of the clip  46 . 
     The embodiments described above are specific examples that do not describe all possible forms of the disclosure. The features of the illustrated embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the disclosed concepts. The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation. The scope of the following claims is broader than the specifically disclosed embodiments and also includes modifications of the illustrated embodiments.