Abstract:
A tailgate for a vehicle having an aperture formed therein. A panel member extends through the aperture and is pivotably coupled to the vehicle body. The panel member is arranged to simultaneously pivot relative to the vehicle body and slide relative to the tailgate as the tailgate is opened and closed. This allows the panel member to remain in a position covering at least a portion of a gap between the vehicle body and the tailgate, even when the tailgate is an open position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/257,140 filed on Dec. 20, 2000. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates generally to hinged closure panels, such as a tailgate, for motor vehicles, and more particularly, to an arrangement operable for substantially covering a gap between the closure panel and the vehicle body when the panel is placed in an opened or lowered position.  
           [0004]    2. Background Art  
           [0005]    It is well known in the art to provide a vehicle, such as a pick-up truck, with a pivotable closure panel/tailgate that can be operated to selectively enclose a bed or storage compartment on the vehicle. Tailgates are typically attached to the body of a vehicle for rotation about a horizontal pivot axis at an edge of the tailgate. Such arrangements also position the tailgate relative to the vehicle body so as to maintain a relatively small gap or clearance between the tailgate and vehicle to minimize potential interference with operation, i.e., raising and lowering, of the tailgate.  
           [0006]    However, the provision of such a clearance/gap can limit flexibility in configuration of the vehicle with respect to the tailgate and other components of the vehicle body such as a rear bumper. For example, if a relatively large (i.e., deep) bumper was desired, the bumper would typically be positioned below the location of the lowered tailgate so as to avoid the possibility of interference between the tailgate and the bumper. Designs of this type, however, allow the hinge line of the tailgate to be viewed as well as limit flexibility in the vertical positioning of the bumper.  
           [0007]    A gooseneck-type hinge can be employed to couple the tailgate to the vehicle body where the bumper is configured or positioned in a manner that interferes with operation of the tailgate. However, this approach, swings the tailgate away from the bed or floor of the vehicle as the tailgate is lowered and causes a large gap between the tailgate and the bed or floor of the vehicle. Large gaps between the tailgate and the bed or floor of the vehicle are typically undesired.  
           [0008]    One known approach is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,602 entitled “Sliding Tailgate Panel”, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. Although this approach is effective, a need exists for a less complex configuration.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a tailgate is provided for a vehicle body including a closure member having a generally hollow interior, an aperture formed in the closure member, and a support mounted in the hollow interior. A panel member is provided having a portion thereof extending through the aperture and pivotably coupled to the vehicle body. The panel member is slidably supported by the support so that the panel member pivots relative to the vehicle body causing the panel member to slide within the aperture when the tailgate is moved to an open or closed position. The panel member is attached to the vehicle body so as to cover at least a portion of a gap between the vehicle body and the closure member.  
           [0010]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle is provided with a closure panel arrangement for enclosing a portion or aperture of a vehicle body. The closure panel arrangement includes a closure member having a generally hollow interior and a panel aperture formed in a surface thereof. A hinge pivotably couples the closure member to the vehicle body so that the closure member is movable between a first position substantially enclosing the body aperture and a second position allowing the aperture to be open. The hinge arranged to position the closure member in spaced relationship with the vehicle body. A panel member extends through the panel aperture and is pivotably coupled to the vehicle body. The panel member simultaneously pivoting relative to the vehicle body and sliding relative to the closure member in response to movement of the closure member between the first and second positions, so that the panel member covers the space between the vehicle body and the closure member when the closure member is in the second position.  
           [0011]    These and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment(s) when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle having a tailgate assembly constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a top view of a portion of the vehicle of FIG. 1 illustrating the tailgate structure in a lowered position and the panel assembly exploded from the tailgate structure;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the vehicle of FIG. 1 illustrating the panel assembly when the tailgate assembly is in the raised position;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  4 - 4  of FIG. 1;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 4 but illustrating the panel assembly when the tailgate assembly is being lowered; and  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 3 but illustrating the panel assembly when the tailgate assembly is in the lowered position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0018]    With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a vehicle  10  is shown incorporating a closure panel arrangement in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. As will be discussed in greater detail below, vehicle  10  includes a vehicle body  12  and a closure panel/member  14 , such as a tailgate assembly  16 , that may be rotated between a raised/closed position as illustrated in FIG. 1 and a lowered/opened position as illustrated in FIG. 2. Although the particular vehicle illustrated is a pick-up truck, it will be understood that the teachings of the present invention have applicability to other types of vehicles, including but not limited to sport utility vehicles, minivans, station wagons and other vehicles having a pivoting tailgate arrangement.  
         [0019]    Vehicle body  12  includes a bed  24  formed by laterally spaced side walls  20  co connected by a generally horizontal floor  22 . The side walls and floor are arranged to define a box structure having an open end or bed aperture  26  formed at the rearward end of the bed  24 .  
         [0020]    As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, tailgate assembly  16  includes a tailgate structure  30 , a mounting hinge  32  and a panel assembly  34 . Tailgate structure  30  includes a pair of lateral members  40 , an inner panel member  42  and an outer panel member  44  that are coupled to one another to form a container-like structure having a generally hollow interior  46 . A panel aperture  48  that is sized to receive a portion of panel assembly  34  is formed through the inner panel member  42 .  
         [0021]    Tailgate structure  30  also includes a pair of panel supports  50 . Each of the panel supports  50  is coupled to the outer panel member  44  and includes a generally flat support surface  52  that is parallel to and spaced apart from the inner panel member  42 . The support surface  52  of the panel supports  50  lies inside the hollow interior  46  of the tailgate structure  30  proximate the panel aperture  48 .  
         [0022]    The mounting hinge  32  is conventional in that it includes a pair of hinge assemblies  60 , each assembly having a first hinge member  62 , a second hinge member  64  and a pivot pin  66 . The first hinge member  62  is coupled to the vehicle body  12 , the second hinge member  64  is coupled to the tailgate structure  30  and the pivot pin  66  pivotably couples the first and second hinge members  62  and  64 , permitting the tailgate structure  30  to be pivoted relative to the vehicle body  12  about a pivot axis  68  defined by the pivot pins  66 . In the particular embodiment illustrated, the pivot axis  68  is shown to be spaced apart from the lower edge  69  of the tailgate structure  30 .  
         [0023]    The panel assembly  34  includes a panel member  70  and a connecting hinge  72 . The panel member  70  is a generally planar member that is sized to slide through the panel aperture  48  and into the hollow interior  46  of the tailgate structure  30 . The rearward side  74  of the panel member  70  is supported on the support surfaces  52  of the panel supports  50  such that the forward side  76  of the panel member  70  is almost adjacent to the rearward side  42   a  of the inner panel member  42 .  
         [0024]    The connecting hinge  72  includes first and second hinge leaves  80  and  82 , respectively, that are pivotably connected via a hinge pin  84 . The first hinge leaf  80  is fixedly coupled to the vehicle body  12  proximate a lower edge  86  of the bed  24 . The second hinge leaf  82  is fixedly coupled to the lower edge  88  of the panel member  70 . Accordingly, the lower edge  88  of the panel member  70  can pivot relative to the bed  24  but cannot translate relative to the bed  24 .  
         [0025]    In FIGS. 4 through 6, the operation of the tailgate assembly  16  is illustrated. When the tailgate assembly  16  is placed in the raised position as shown in FIG. 4, the panel member  70  is rotated into an almost vertical position and extends upwardly from the bed  24  slightly skewed to the inner panel member  42 . In this retracted position, a substantial portion of the panel member  70  is stored within the hollow interior  46  of the tailgate structure  30 .  
         [0026]    When the tailgate assembly  16  is lowered, the configuration of the mounting hinge  32  causes the tailgate structure  30  to translate rearwardly of the bed  24  as the tailgate structure  30  pivots downward. The relatively large gap  100  (FIG. 2) between the tailgate structure  30  and the bed  24  is covered by the panel member  70 . As mentioned above, the lower edge  88  of the panel member  70  cannot translate relative to the bed  24 . Accordingly, when the tailgate structure  30  translates rearwardly as it is lowered, the panel member  70  slides outwardly from the tailgate structure  30  to cover the gap  100 . The lower edge  69  of the tailgate structure  30  and the panel supports  50  support the panel member  70  in both the retracted position (FIG. 4) and the extended position (FIG. 6).  
         [0027]    Those skilled in the art will understand that in pivoting the tailgate structure  30  from the lowered position to the raised position will cause the tailgate structure  30  to translate forwardly relative to the vehicle body  12  as it rotates. As such, the panel member  70  will slide from the extended position to the retracted position as pivots from a generally horizontal position to a generally vertical position.  
         [0028]    While one or more embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.