Abstract:
A vehicle tailgate limiter system for a vehicle includes a cargo bed, a tailgate pivotally attached to the cargo bed operable between a closed vertical position and a deployed horizontal position, a pin having a head portion and a base portion, and a slotted bracket adapted to receive the pin when the tailgate is in a deployed horizontal position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to tailgate assemblies, and more specifically, to a vehicle tailgate limiter system.  
           [0002]    Certain pickup trucks provide the comfort of a sport utility vehicle while still maintaining the functionality of a pickup. To allow for the roominess and sport utility-like feel, the box or bed length is shortened and this length is then added to the cab portion of the truck. However, this shorter bed length is problematic when larger loads need to be transported. To solve this problem, a bed extender was designed to extend the length of the bed. When the bed extender is used, the tailgate is deployed thus providing extra bed length, and the bed extender retains the load.  
           [0003]    In utilizing such a bed extender, however, problems occur with the tailgate.  
           [0004]    Traditional vehicle tailgates are designed with a hinge mechanism used for opening and closing the tailgate when the vehicle is parked and when loading and unloading cargo is desired. Because vehicle tailgates are typically closed when the vehicle is in motion, only minimal lateral tailgate movement was anticipated. This lateral movement is compensated for and constrained by the pillars and catches at the topsides of the cargo bed. Therefore, typical hinge mechanisms support the tailgate in a vertical plane, as lateral movement doesn&#39;t occur when the vehicle is stationary. However, because the tailgate is deployed while the bed extender is used and the vehicle is in motion, extreme lateral movement of the tailgate occurs, thus resulting in the destruction and loss of function of the tailgate.  
           [0005]    It would therefore be beneficial to have a tailgate limiter system that constrains lateral movement of the tailgate when deployed and the vehicle is in motion, while still retaining the functionality of the tailgate itself.  
         SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle tailgate limiter system that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.  
           [0007]    It is a feature of the present invention that the vehicle tailgate limiter system includes a fixed pin and a slotted bracket thereby allowing full functionality of the tailgate while constraining lateral movement of the tailgate when deployed.  
           [0008]    The present invention advantageously provides a vehicle tailgate limiter system for a vehicle including a cargo bed, a tailgate pivotally attached to the cargo bed operable between a closed vertical position and a deployed horizontal position, a fixed pin having a head portion and a base portion, and a slotted bracket adapted to receive the pin when the tailgate is in a deployed position. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle bed with a deployed tailgate and bed extender according to the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a vehicle tailgate limiter system with a deployed tailgate according to the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a vehicle tailgate limiter system engaged according to the present invention; and  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a vehicle tailgate limiter system disengaged according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]    In FIG. 1, a pickup truck  10  having a bed  12  and a tailgate  14  is shown. The bed  12  has a floor  16  that is a substantially flat, planar surface. The tailgate  14  has an inner surface  18  that is substantially flat so as to be flush with the floor  16  of the bed  12  when the tailgate  14  is in a deployed horizontal position.  
         [0015]    A bed extender  20  is also shown. The bed extender  20  consists of a plurality of unshaped bars  22  that serve to retain a load in the bed  12 . The bars  22  are spaced a predetermined distance apart and are held in place by a plurality of vertical spacers  24  a predetermined distance apart. The two front-most vertical spacers  24  of the bed extender  20  are attached to inner sides  28  of the bed area  12 . The rearmost vertical spacers  24  preferably rest on top of, but also may be attached to, an inner surface  18  of the tailgate  14  at an edge  30  of the tailgate  14 .  
         [0016]    In using the bed extender  20 , the tailgate  14  is deployed to a horizontal position as shown, thereby providing extra length in the bed  12 . The bed extender  20  then serves to retain the load in the bed  12 , thereby performing the function normally performed by the closed tailgate  14 . When extra cargo space is not required, the bed extender  20  can be removed or folded over into the bed  12  and the tailgate  14  can be raised into a closed vertical position.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 shows a vehicle tailgate limiter system  32 . Here, the tailgate  14  is in the deployed horizontal position. In this position, the vehicle tailgate limiter system  32  is engaged, thereby allowing for tailgate  14  functionality, as well as constraining lateral movement of the tailgate  14  while the vehicle  10  is in motion.  
         [0018]    A closer look at the components of the vehicle tailgate limiter system  32  can be seen in FIG. 3. The first component is a fixed pin  34 . The pin  34  has a head portion  36  and a base portion  38 . The head portion  36  is cylindrical shaped and extends outward a predetermined distance from the base portion  38 . The base portion  38  is circular shaped and is fixed onto a rear sill  40  of the bed  12 .  
         [0019]    The second component of the vehicle tailgate limiter system  32  is a slotted bracket  42 . The slotted bracket  42  has two end portions  44  that are substantially flat and are flush with and connected to an inner edge  46  of the tailgate  14 . The end portions  44  are held to the inner edge  46  of the tailgate  14  by bolts  47 . The slotted bracket  42  has a middle portion  48  that extends outward from the end portions  44  a predetermined distance. The middle portion  48  of the slotted bracket  42  has a notch  50  in which the head portion  36  of the fixed pin  34  is received when the vehicle tailgate limiter system  32  is engaged. The pin  34  preferably does not contact the notch  50  during normal operating conditions thereby preventing unnecessary rattle. When the vehicle tailgate limiter system  32  is engaged as shown in FIG. 3, the tailgate  14  is in the deployed horizontal position. In this deployed position, the notch  50  of the slotted bracket  42  receives the fixed pin  34 . In this position, the fixed pin  34  and slotted bracket  42  combined constrains and prevents excessive lateral movement of the tailgate  14  when the vehicle  10  is in motion.  
         [0020]    While FIG. 3 shows the vehicle tailgate limiter system  32  in an engaged position thereby limiting excessive lateral movement of the tailgate  14 , the system  32  still allows for tailgate  14  functionality as shown in FIG. 4. Here, the tailgate  14  is in a near-vertical closed position, and the head portion  36  of the fixed pin  34  and the notch  50  in the middle portion  48  of the slotted bracket  42  become disengaged. Thus when the tailgate  14  is in the closed vertical position, the vehicle tailgate limiter system  32  is disengaged. Upon opening the tailgate  14 , the pin  34  and slotted bracket  42  become engaged, thus preventing excessive lateral movement of the tailgate  14 .  
         [0021]    While only one embodiment of the vehicle tailgate limiter system of the present invention has been described, others may be possible without departing from the scope of the following claims.