Abstract:
An endgate assembly connectable to a vehicle body for opening and closing a vehicle bed formed by the body includes an endgate supportable by the vehicle body at a pivot connection and openable and closable by pivoting about the pivot connection. A keyed support member is securable to the vehicle body. A damper and a cable are connected to the endgate. Both the damper and the cable have ends that are configured to be retained by the keyed support member when the endgate is pivoted between the open and closed position. The cable and damper ends can be removed from the keyed support member without tools when the cable end is rotated relative to the keyed support member. A method of modifying the vehicle bed by detaching or reattaching the endgate assembly is also provided.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a vehicle endgate with a damper and a method of removing the same from a vehicle. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Many pickups are equipped with pivotable endgates that close off the end of the pickup bed and are removable from the vehicle body simply by lifting one side of the endgate from a pivot connection and sliding the endgate transversely with respect to the vehicle to release the other side of the endgate from the pivot connection. 
         [0003]    Removal of the endgate may be desired in order to access the bed without leaning over the endgate, to attach loading ramps directly to the floor of the bed, or for other purposes for which flexibility of the bed and access to the bed is beneficial. Reattaching the endgate then requires only lowering the endgate to the pivot connection and sliding it transversely into place. 
         [0004]    On some pickups, cables are provided to support the endgate when it is in an open position. The cables may have spring clips on the end that clip to a hook on the vehicle sidewall. Thus, the cables are unclipped from the hooks to release the cables from the sidewall, prior to lifting the endgate to remove the endgate from the vehicle. When the endgate is reattached, the cables are clipped to the hooks again. 
         [0005]    Other pickups include both cables and dampers supporting the endgate and having ends adapted to fit over a sleeve on the sidewall and retained to the sleeve via a nut and bolt. Heretofore, such damped endgate assemblies have not provided the quick and easy detachment and reattachment that some pickup owners have come to expect. For example, known damped endgate assemblies cannot be removed from the vehicle without using tools to remove the nut and bolt so that the cable and damper ends can be released from the sleeve, and, similarly, cannot be reattached to the vehicle without tightening the nut and bolt with these same tools. The loose nut and bolt may be easily lost in the interim. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Modern pickups may be equipped with a damper on either side of the endgate to provide a damped lowering of the endgate upon opening. Accordingly, a low cost, easy to use removable and reattachable endgate with dampers is provided that integrates the connection and removal of the cables with the connection and removal of the dampers, requires no tools for removal and reattachment, and involves no loose components. Those skilled in the art may alternatively refer to a damper as a dampener; accordingly, as used herein, a damper may alternatively be referred to as a dampener. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, an endgate assembly connectable to a vehicle body for opening and closing a vehicle bed formed by the body includes an endgate supported by the vehicle body at a pivot connection and openable and closable by pivoting about the pivot connection. A keyed support member is securable to the vehicle body. A damper and a cable are connected to the endgate. The damper may be pneumatic, or may be any other type of suitable damping mechanism. Both the damper and the cable have ends that are configured to be retained by the keyed support member when the endgate is pivoted between the open and closed position. The cable and damper ends can be removed from the keyed support member without tools when the cable end is rotated relative to the keyed support member. The endgate must be held between the open and closed position while turning the cable end in order to allow sufficient slack in the cable. 
         [0008]    More specifically, in one embodiment, the keyed support member has a shank with a protruding key feature. The damper end has a keyhole feature and is configured to slide over the shank when the keyhole feature is aligned with the protruding key feature to secure the damper to the keyed support member. The cable end has a keyhole feature that is configured to slide over the shank when the keyhole feature is aligned with the key feature when the cable and damper are removed or secured to the keyed support member, and to move out of alignment with the keyhole feature when the cable is pulled taught, or when the cable end is manually rotated out of alignment, with the cable end between the damper end and the key feature, to thereby lock the cable and damper to the support member. Rotating the cable end to align the keyhole feature with the key feature allows the cable end to slide off of the shank, thereby allowing the damper end, which had been retained to the shank with the cable end preventing removal from the shank, to also be slid off the shank. 
         [0009]    A method of modifying a vehicle bed on a vehicle wherein the endgate is connected to the vehicle via a cable and a damper as described above includes holding the endgate between an open position and a closed position. While holding the endgate, the cable end is turned until the keyhole feature in the cable end aligns with the key feature in a support member supporting the cable. After turning the cable end and while still holding the endgate, the cable end is slid off of the support member to release the cable end from the sidewall. After sliding the cable end, the damper end is then slid off of the support member to release the damper from the support member. The same process is repeated on a like cable and damper on the other side of the endgate to complete removal of the endgate from the vehicle. 
         [0010]    The endgate with cable and damper can then be reattached by reversing the above steps. That is, the endgate is reattached to the vehicle by placing the endgate at the pivot connection, sliding the damper end onto the support member past the key feature, pivoting the endgate to a position between the open and the closed positions, turning the cable end on the support member to align the cable keyhole feature with the key feature, and sliding the cable end onto the support member past the key feature, thereby securing the cable and the damper to the vehicle. 
         [0011]    The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective fragmentary illustration of an endgate assembly secured to a vehicle body with a damper end and a cable end retained to a sidewall by a keyed support member; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective fragmentary illustration of the endgate assembly of  FIG. 1 , showing a weld nut used with a bolt to secure the support member; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective illustration of the endgate assembly of  FIGS. 1 and 2  with the endgate slightly lifted and the cable end turned to align a keyhole feature in the cable end with a key feature of the support member; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a schematic perspective fragmentary illustration of the cable end locked to the keyed support member; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a schematic perspective fragmentary illustration of the cable end turned to allow release from the support member; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a schematic perspective fragmentary illustration of the support member; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a schematic cross-sectional illustration of the support member with cable end and damper end secured thereon, taken at the lines  7 - 7  in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a schematic side view of the support member with cable end and damper end of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the support member with cable end and damper end ready for release therefrom, taken at the lines  9 - 9  in  FIG. 5 ; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a schematic side view of the support member with cable end and damper end of  FIG. 9 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like components,  FIG. 1  shows a vehicle  10  represented by a vehicle body that includes a vehicle sidewall  12 . An endgate assembly  14  is secured to the sidewall  12 . The endgate assembly  14  includes an endgate  16 , a cable  18 , a damper  20 , a support member  22  (best shown in  FIG. 6  and also referred to as a keyed stud), a bolt  24  and a nut  26 . The endgate  16 , sidewall  12  (and opposing sidewall, not shown), along with vehicle floor  27  define in part a vehicle bed  29 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0023]    As also shown in  FIG. 2 , the endgate  16  is supported at a pivot connection  28  at which a sleeve  30  on the endgate  16  fits over a pivot pin  32  extending from the sidewall  12 , as is known. The other side of the endgate  16  is similarly supported, but can be lifted vertically off of the sleeve to allow the endgate  16  to move transversely and slide the sleeve  30  off of the pin  32 , as is typical. It should be appreciated that, although such a pivot connection is most advantageous, pivot connections that require different steps and or tools to release the endgate from the pivot connection may also be used within the scope of the claimed invention. The endgate  16  pivots at the pivot connection  28  between the open position, shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and a closed position indicated in phantom as  16 A in  FIG. 2 . The other side of the endgate  16  is not shown but has a substantially identical cable and damper, with a substantially identical support member secured to the opposing sidewall using a substantially identical bolt and nut. Accordingly, for purposes of illustration, only cable  18 , damper  20  and support member  22  are shown, with like components arranged in a mirror image on the other side of the endgate  16  and opposite sidewall. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a first end  34  of the cable  18  is secured to the endgate  16 . Similarly, a first end  36  of the damper  20  is secured to the endgate  16 . The first ends  34 ,  36  remain secured to the endgate  16  when the endgate  16  is removed from the vehicle body  12 . 
         [0025]    Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the cable  18  has a second end  38  and the damper  20  has a second end  40 , both of which are secured to and retained by the support member  22  when the endgate  16  is secured to the vehicle body  12 . Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the support member  22  has a generally cylindrical shank  42  with a protruding key feature  44  extending radially therefrom. A passage  46  extends through the support member  22 , as indicated in  FIGS. 7-10 . The bolt  24  extends through the passage  46  and through an opening  47  (indicated in  FIG. 2 ) in the sidewall  12  to secure the support member  22  to the sidewall  12  with a nut  26  (indicated in  FIG. 2  as a weld nut) retaining the bolt  24  at the opposing side of the side wall  12 . Other options for the nut  26  within the scope of the claimed invention include a loose nut, a clinch nut, an extruded/threaded hole, or any other appropriate interface for the bolt. A taillight fixture installed adjacent the bolt  24  is removed for clarity in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIGS. 7-10 , the support member  22  includes a flange  48  extending from the shank  42 . The flange  48  abuts the sidewall  12  when the support member  22  is secured with the bolt  24  and nut  26  to help stabilize the support member  22 . When the support member  22  is initially installed on the vehicle  10 , the endgate  16  is first connected at the pivot connection  28 , and the damper  20  is extended upward, as in  FIG. 1 . The support member  22  is then adjusted rotationally (i.e., by turning clockwise or counterclockwise) to ensure that the key feature  44  aligns with a keyhole feature  50  in the second damper end  40  before tightening the bolt  24  to set the position of the key feature  44 . The second damper end  40  is then slid onto the shank  42  past the key feature  44 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 7-10 , with an annular opening  49  of the second damper end  40  sized to slide onto the shank  42 . A spacer wrench can be temporarily held on the shank  42  between the flange  48  and the second damper end  40  to help maintain the rotational position of the shank  42  and the second damper end  40  while tightening the bolt  24 . It should be appreciated that, although the shank  42  is generally cylindrical, and the openings  49 ,  51  are generally annular, different complementary geometries may be used. Additionally, different matable shapes for the key feature  44  and the keyhole  50 ,  52  may be used. 
         [0027]    Next, the second cable end  38  is slid onto the shank  42 , with an annular opening  51  of the second cable end  38  sized to slide onto the shank  42 , and with a keyhole feature  52  in the second cable end  38  aligned with the key feature  44 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 5 ,  9  and  10 . This requires slightly lifting the endgate  16  to an intermediate position in which the endgate is indicated as  16 B shown in  FIG. 3 , and temporarily holding the endgate in position  16 B in order to allow enough slack in the cable  18  to allow second cable end  38  to be turned slightly clockwise as in  FIG. 3  to align the keyhole feature  52  with the key feature  44 . 
         [0028]    When the endgate  16  is in the open position of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , with the cable  18  taut, the second cable end  38  is pulled by the weight of the endgate  16  to rotate slightly counterclockwise, moving the keyhole feature  52  of the second cable end  38  out of alignment with the key feature  44 , as best shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  4 ,  7  and  8 . Alternatively, the second cable end  38  can be manually turned out of alignment with the key feature  44 . This serves to secure the second cable end  38  to the support member  22 . The second damper end  40  is also secured to the support member  22 , as the second cable end  38  prevents damper end  40  from passing over the key feature  44 . In the positions shown in  FIG. 4 , the cable  18  and damper  20  are locked to the support member  22  by interference of the second cable end  38  with the key feature  44 . The second cable end  38  remains in the locked position shown in  FIG. 4  during regular use of the endgate  16  (i.e., pivoting between the open position of  FIG. 1  and the closed position  16 A), until intentionally manually rotated back to the position of  FIG. 5  to allow removal of the endgate  16 , as described below. That is, the second cable end  38  does not rotate with respect to the shank  42  during normal opening and closing of the tailgate  16 . 
         [0029]    Temporary removal of the endgate assembly  14  is accomplished quickly and easily, without tools. Removal of the endgate assembly  14  “modifies” the vehicle bed  29  by permitting easier access to the bed  29 . First, the endgate is held in the intermediate position  16 B of  FIG. 3 . This produces the slack in cable  18  required for the next step, turning the second cable end  38  to align the keyhole feature  52  with key feature  44 . With the second cable end  38  thus “unlocked”, the second cable end  38  and the second damper end  40  are slid off of the support member  22  (i.e., manually pulled inward toward the bed  29 ), to release the damper  20  and cable from the support member  22 . The like damper and cable on the other side of the endgate are released from the like support member on the opposite sidewall in the same manner. The endgate  16  may then be removed from the pivot connection  28  by lifting the opposite side of the endgate  16  slightly upward and sliding the endgate transversely away from sidewall  12  to allow the sleeve  30  to slide off of the pivot pin  32 . The endgate assembly  14  is thus completely detached from the vehicle  10  without tools. The detachment process may be accomplished by just one person, without tools, and the endgate can be held in the intermediate position  16 B with one hand or leaned against the body, leaving the other hand or hands free to detach the cable end  38  and the damped end  40 . 
         [0030]    Reattachment of the endgate assembly  14  simply requires reversing the steps for detachment. That is, the endgate  16  is placed at the pivot connection  28  and the sleeve  30  is slid over the pivot pin  32 . The endgate  16  is then placed in the open position of  FIG. 1 , and the second damper end  40  of the damper  20  slides onto the shank  42 , with the keyhole feature  50  being aligned with the key feature  44  due to the careful initial installation and tightening of the bolt  24  to ensure such alignment. The endgate  16  is then pivoted to the intermediate position  16 B, creating slack in the cable  18  to allow the keyhole feature  52  of the second damper end  38  to be aligned with key feature  44 , and slid onto the shank  42  of the support member  22  past the key feature  44 . The endgate  16  is then lowered to the open position, with the taut cable  18  automatically turning or rotating the second cable end  38  with respect to the shank  42  so that the keyhole feature  52  is out of alignment with the key feature  44 . Alternatively, the second cable end  38  can be manually turned with respect to the shank  42  to place the keyhole feature  52  out of alignment with the key feature  44 , thereby locking both the second damper end  40  and the second cable end  38  to the support member  22 . The damper and cable on the opposite side of the endgate are similarly secured to the support member on the opposing sidewall. Accordingly, no tools are required for reattachment, and the reattachment process may be accomplished by just one person. 
         [0031]    While the best modes for carrying out the invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention within the scope of the appended claims.