Abstract:
A pick-up truck tailgate comprises a rigid body housing a foldable seat. The seat is exposed by first lowering the tailgate and then opening the tailgate body. By integrating the seat directly into the tailgate body, it is possible to maintain full pickup box cargo volume.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to tailgates and, more particularly, to a new tailgate adapted to be converted into a seat.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Over the years, various seat structures have been developed for mounting on tailgates of vehicles, such as pick-up trucks and sport utility vehicles. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,464 issued on Oct. 26, 1999 to Davis et al. teaches to add a pivotable protective pick-up truck tailgate liner assembly to an existing tailgate. The tailgate liner assembly is pivotally mounted to a cab facing surface of the existing tailgate so as to form a tailgate seat-back rest when pivoted away from the tailgate to an open position thereof. When closed, it serves as a protective tailgate liner.  
           [0005]    Although the tailgate liner assembly described in the above-mentioned patent is effective, it has been found that there is a need for a new tailgate seat arrangement wherein the seat is normally not exposed to the elements and wherein the payload volume of the cargo box of the vehicle is not reduced as a result of the presence of the tailgate seat.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a new tailgate having a seat incorporated therein.  
           [0007]    It is also an aim of the present invention to provide a tailgate seat without interfering with the load capacity of the cargo box to which is mounted the tailgate.  
           [0008]    It is a further aim of the present invention, to provide a new seat tailgate construction which is relatively simple and economical to manufacture.  
           [0009]    Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a tailgate adapted to be mounted at a rear end of a cargo box of a vehicle for movement between a raised position for closing the rear end of the cargo box and a lowered position for loading and unloading of the cargo box. The tailgate comprises a tailgate body having predetermined dimensions and a foldable seat integrated within the tailgate body and movable between a seat hidden position and a seat displayed position, whereby when said seat is in a seat hidden position it is within said predetermined dimensions of the tailgate. The foldable seat has a seat portion and a backrest portion upon which at least one person can rest when the tailgate has been displaced to the lowered position thereof and the foldable seat has been displayed.  
           [0010]    In accordance with a further general aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tailgate for a cargo box of a vehicle, comprising a tailgate body displaceable between raised and lowered positions to facilitate loading and unloading of the cargo box, and a foldable seat concealed within said tailgate body. The tailgate body has a weatherproof cover displaceable from a closed position to an open position for allowing the foldable seat to be exposed. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tailgate having a seat integrated therein in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is side elevational view of the tailgate of FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a tailgate  10  pivotally mounted at a lower end thereof to the side walls  12  and  14  of a cargo box  16  of a vehicle, such as a pick-up truck. The tailgate  10  is pivotable between a raised position for closing the rear end of the cargo box  16  and a lowered position for loading and unloading of the cargo box  16 .  
         [0015]    As seen in FIG. 2, once the tailgate  10  has been displaced to its lowered horizontal position, the tailgate itself can be opened to expose a seat  18  otherwise concealed within the tailgate body.  
         [0016]    The tailgate body includes first and second stamped metal panels  20  and  22 . A slotted hinge  24  is provided along the lower ends of the first and second panels  20  and  22  for pivotally connecting the panels together. The first and second panels  20  and  22  are pivotable relative to one another between a closed position wherein the panels  20  and  22  are folded one against the other (see FIG. 2) and an open position wherein the panels  20  and  22  extend at an obtuse angle with respect to each other. A weatherproof cover in the form of a closure flap  26  (FIG. 2) is provided for releasably holding the first and second panels  20  and  22  in their closed position and protect the seat  18  from the elements when the panels  20  and  22  are retained in the closed position thereof to be used as a tailgate. The closure flap  26  is secured along one end thereof to an upper end of the second panel  22  and is adapted to be folded over against an outer surface of the first panel  20 . The closure flap  26  is provided on an undersurface thereof with a snap fit connector  28  for engagement with a corresponding snap fit connector  30  provided on an outer surface of the first panel  20 . By engaging the snap fit connectors  28  and  30  together, the first and second panels  20  and  22  are releasably retained together for joint movement as a unit relative to the cargo box  16 . It is understood that other types of quick connectors, such as Velcro™ bands, could be used to releasably retained the first and second panels  20  and  22  in parallel relationship. The tailgate body further includes an elongated flexible weatherproof membrane  32  for preventing foreign matters from entering between the panels  20  and  22  adjacent the pivot point thereof. Anchors  31  are provided at regular intervals along the lower ends of the first and second panels  20  and  22  for securing the flexible weatherproof membrane  32  to the outer surfaces thereof, as seen in FIG. 2.  
         [0017]    As can be appreciated, the closure flap  26  and the flexible weatherproof membrane  32  cooperate with the first and second panels  20  and  22  to conceal the seat  18  and protect it from the elements when the same is not being used. It is pointed out that the panels  20  and  22  could be provided with side walls to completely enclose the seat  10  within the tailgate  10  when the panels  20  and  22  are retained in the closed position thereof by the closure flap  28 .  
         [0018]    Pivot pins  33  extend laterally outwardly from either side of the lower end of the first panel  20  for allowing the above described tailgate body or assembly to be pivotally mounted to the cargo box  16 , as well known in the art.  
         [0019]    Striker pins  35  are provided on opposed sides of the first panel  20  for locking into corresponding latch brackets (not shown) when the first and second panels are secured together and pivoted to the raised position for closing the cargo box  16 . A handle (not shown) operates the striker pins  35  to retract the same from the latch brackets when it is desired to pivot the tailgate  10  from its raised position to its lowered position.  
         [0020]    A pair of foldable arms  37  extend between the side walls  12  and  14  of the cargo box  16  and the first panel  20  to limit the downward pivotal movement of the first panel  20  and support the tailgate  10  in its lowered position.  
         [0021]    The seat  18  comprises a seat portion  34  and a backrest portion  36 . The seat portion  34  and the backrest portion  36  are respectively provided by the inner facing surfaces of the first and second panels  20  and  22 . The first and second panels  20  and  22  act as structural back panels for the seat portion  34  and the backrest portion  36 , respectively, the outer surface of the panels  20  and  22  being the steel backing of the seat portion  34  and the backrest portion  36 . The inner facing surface of the first panel  20  is covered with a foam padding  38  so as to provide any level of comfort and luxury desired. It is understood that the inner facing surface of the second panel  22  could also be provided with similar padding. However, such internal foam padding must not prevent the first and second panels  20  and  22  from being closed in a parallel relationship.  
         [0022]    Foldable struts  40  extend between the first and second panels  20  and  22  to limit relative pivotal movement therebetween. Other means could be used as well to support the second panel in its open position, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. For instance, the second panel  22  could be provided on either side thereof with striker pins for engagement with latch brackets mounted to the side walls  12  and  14  of the cargo box  16 .  
         [0023]    One advantage of incorporating the tailgate seat in the tailgate itself, as described hereinbefore, is that the external appearance of the tailgate is not altered. Furthermore, the payload volume of the cargo box is preserved. A further advantage is that the tailgate seat is protect from the elements when not used.  
         [0024]    To expose and unfold the seat  18  one simply pivots the tailgate  10  to its lowered position, releases the closure flap  26  from the first panel  20  and then rotates the second panel  22  upwardly to its open position, as illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 2.  
         [0025]    While the invention has been described with reference to one preferred embodiment, it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto.