Abstract:
In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a tailgate down indicator is provided. The indicator displays the position of the tailgate of a truck to the driver based upon a signal received from a sensor device. The sensor device determines whether the tailgate is in the up or down position.

Description:
CLAIM TO PREVIOUSLY FILED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION UNDER 35 USC 119 
     This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 61/591,924, filed Jan. 29, 2012. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to automobiles having tool carrying capacity, and specifically to an indicator located on the dashboard of a truck that signals the driver that the tailgate of the truck is down or not fully engaged. 
     Many people, particularly those who work in the construction industry, use trucks in their daily jobs. The bed of the truck is often used to hold or carry tools or other types of equipment needed for the individual&#39;s job. To access the tools or equipment, typically the tailgate of the truck is lowered to make it easier to access or remove the tools/equipment. However, sometimes the individual forgets to raise or close the tailgate prior to leaving a jobsite. Consequently, the tailgate remains down while the truck is in motion which can lead to tools/equipment failing out of the bed of the truck. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, an indicator in is placed on the dashboard of the truck. The indicator signals to the driver of the truck whether the tailgate is down or not fully engaged. This helps to prevent as driver from driving away from a jobsite with the tailgate down which can result in tools/equipment falling out of the truck bed unbeknownst to the driver. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages, nature and various additional features of the invention will appear more fully upon consideration of the illustrative embodiment of the invention which is schematically set forth in the figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a truck with its tailgate in the down position. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary dashboard of a truck of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a tailgate engages with a sensor of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a sensor of the present invention not engaged with a tailgate. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will be explained in further detail by making reference to the accompanying drawings, which do not limit the scope of the invention in any way. 
       FIG. 1  shows a truck  1  having a tailgate  2  and a restraint  3 . The tailgate  2  is in a down position. In a typical truck  1 , the tailgate  2  is disengaged by manually moving a lever mechanism such that the tailgate  2  can pivot freely down to the position shown in  FIG. 1 . As used herein, the down position means any position in which the tailgate  2  is not in a locked and fixed position relative to the truck  1  so as to prevent the tailgate&#39;s  2  movement relative to the truck  1  such that the contents of the truck bed are able to fall out of the back of the truck  1 . As should be apparent, the size, shape and movement of the truck  1  and/or tailgate  2  may vary and do not limit the scope of the invention in any way. 
       FIG. 2  shows a dashboard  5  of the truck  1 . The dashboard  5  has an indicator  4  that alerts the driver that the tailgate  2  is in the down position. The indicator  4  of the present invention can alert the driver in a variety of ways. In the preferred embodiment, the indicator  4  can be a light that flashes when the tailgate  2  is in the down position thus indicating to the driver that the tailgate  2  is down. The indicator should be in easy view (if visual) of the driver. 
     The indicator  4  of the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and shown in  FIG. 2 . In fact, the indicator  4  can take many different forms. For example, the indicator  4  can be a non-flashing light, a sound, an illuminating button, and/or a vibrating component. Also, the indicator  4  can be a combination of any of the above. For example, the indicator  4  can be an illuminating button that makes sounds when the tailgate  2  is in the down position. 
     Additionally, the indicator  4  does not have to be located on the dashboard  5 . The indicator  4  may be located in any location that can be used to inform the driver or passenger that the tailgate  2  is down. For example, the indicator  4  can be located on the steering wheel, review or side mirrors, gear shift, seat, console and/or projected on the windshield. Again, the purpose of the indicator  4  is to communicate to the driver and/or passenger that the tailgate  2  is in the down position so the location and form of the indicator  4  may vary and still be within the scope of this invention. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  show the sensing device  8  of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 3 , the tailgate  2  is in the up position. As a result, the latch  6  engages the truck  1  and the urging member  7 . The urging member  7  is a movable part of the sensor  8 . When the tailgate  2  is up, the latch  6  of the tailgate  2  presses against the urging member  7  causing it to move further into the sensor  8 . The urging member  7  can be a simple electrical contact that opens a switch in an electrical circuit when engaged by latch  6 . The opening of the switch indicates to sensor  8  that the tailgate  2  is up and communicates such to the indicator  4 . In a preferred embodiment, the sensor  8  is hard wired (not shown) to indicator  4 . When the tailgate  2  is in the up position, the latch  6  pushes on urging member  7  thereby opening the circuit thereby preventing the indicator  4  from lighting up. 
     Conversely, as shown in  FIG. 4 , when the tailgate  2  is in the down position, the latch  6  cannot depress urging member  7 . As a result, the switch in sensor  8  closes the circuit thereby allowing the indicator  4  to light up. 
     The sensor  8  may take many forms so long as it fulfills the purpose of sensing when the tailgate  2  is in the down position. For example, the sensor  8  can be a laser or light beam that extends across the back of the truck bed such that the tailgate  2  interrupts the beam when in the up position. Additionally, the sensor  8  can be a magnetic sensor coupled to a magnet on the tailgate  8 . The sensor  8  may also have a telescoping piece that extends with the tailgate  8  to signal when the tailgate  2  is in the down position. The sensor  8  may communicate with the indicator  4  via hardwiring, telephonic signals, Bluetooth, electromagnetic waves, fiber optics, or any other convenient form. 
     Additionally, the embodiment shown is hardwired into the truck  1  but a similar system may be used and retrofitted onto existing trucks. 
     While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims. For example, the indicator  4  may be a button or override device that must be pressed before the truck  1  is permitted to be shifted into “drive” or “reverse” gear. This would force a driver to acknowledge that the tailgate  2  is down prior to driving of otherwise the truck  1  would not be permitted to move.