Patent Publication Number: US-2018029515-A1

Title: Tailgate with integrated ramps

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This document relates generally to the motor vehicle field and, more particularly, to a vehicle tailgate assembly configurable as a ramp. 
     BACKGROUND 
     For various reasons, it may be desirable to provide a ramp structure to improve ease of loading items into of a vehicle cargo area such as a truck bed, such as for loading a wheeled vehicle into a truck bed or for loading large items into the truck bed using a wheeled implement such as a dolly. Conventionally, such ramp structures are carried as separate items in the vehicle cargo area. This reduces the amount of available cargo-holding space in the cargo area. 
     Accordingly, a need is identified for a vehicle ramp structure that can be easily stowed when not in use so as not to occupy otherwise usable cargo area storage space, but which can be rapidly and easily deployed from the stowed configuration for use. To address this need, a vehicle tailgate structure is described including deployable ramp members. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with the purposes and benefits described herein, a tailgate assembly for a vehicle includes a pair of hingedly connected panels and at least one extendable ramp member held within a one of the pair of hingedly connected panels. The hingedly connected panels are configured to pivot between a substantially parallel stowed configuration defining a tailgate structure and an opened deployed orientation for use as a portion of a ramp. 
     The hingedly connected panels are connected by at least one locking hinge. In embodiments, the at least one locking hinge is a three-locking-position hinge including a first locking position at 180 degrees rotation from the substantially parallel tailgate configuration and a second locking position whereby a one of the hingedly connected panels is held on a plane defining an included angle to the other of the hingedly connected panels held on a substantially horizontal plane. 
     The at least one extendable ramp member is configured to slidably translate between a stowed position within the one of the pair of hingedly connected panels and a deployed position for use as a ramp. In embodiments, the at least one extendable ramp member is slidably held within a cooperating sleeve associated with the one of the pair of hingedly connected panels. In embodiments, the one of the hingedly connected panels includes a pair of extendable ramp members. 
     In the following description, there are shown and described several preferred embodiments of the vehicle tailgate assembly. As it should be realized, the arrangement is capable of other, different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the tailgate assembly as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the vehicle tailgate assembly and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof. In the drawing figures: 
         FIG. 1A  is a top view of a tailgate assembly for a vehicle according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 1B  is a side view of the tailgate assembly of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 2A  shows a top view of the tailgate assembly of  FIGS. 1A and 1B  in a first deployed orientation; 
         FIG. 2B  shows a side view of the tailgate assembly of  FIGS. 1A and 1B  in a first deployed orientation; 
         FIG. 2C  shows an embodiment of a locking hinge assembly for the tailgate assembly of  FIGS. 1A and 1B ; 
         FIG. 3  shows side view of the tailgate assembly of  FIGS. 1A and 1B  in a second, ground-engaging deployed orientation; 
         FIG. 4  shows a cutaway view of the tailgate assembly of  FIGS. 1A and 1B , including receivers for holding a pair of extendable ramp members and a retention mechanism for holding the extendable ramp members in place; 
         FIG. 5A  shows an embodiment of a retention mechanism for the extendable ramp members of  FIG. 4 , the extendable ramp members being in the retracted position; and 
         FIG. 5B  shows the extendable ramp members in the extended position. 
     
    
    
     Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the vehicle tailgate structure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference is now made to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , which illustrate a vehicle  100  including a cargo area  120  and a hingedly attached tailgate  140  configured for translating between the raised, generally vertical closed position of  FIG. 1A  and the lowered, generally horizontal open position of  FIG. 1B . While the illustrated vehicle  100  is a pickup truck having a cargo area  120  defined by the truck bed, it will be appreciated that other vehicle types include such a tailgate or liftgate, for example sport-utility vehicles, station wagons, and others, and so the vehicle type and closure panel will not be construed as limiting. The tailgate  140  and cargo area  120  may include a variety of hinged, support, and latching devices which are well known in the art and which do not require extensive discussion herein. 
     The tailgate  140  comprises a first panel  160  and a second panel  180 , hingedly connected to define a folding tailgate  140  by at least one hinge structure  200 . In the depicted embodiment, the second panel  180  is hingedly connected to a vehicle-rearmost portion of the vehicle cargo area  120  in a substantially conventional fashion. As will be described, the tailgate  140  is configured for translating between a folded, tailgate configuration (see  FIGS. 1A-1B ), a substantially horizontal orientation (see  FIGS. 2A-2B ), and an angled, ramp configuration (see  FIG. 3 ). As will be appreciated, a single hinge structure  200  spanning a width dimension of the adjoining edges of tailgate panels  160 ,  180  may be provided as shown in the drawing figures. Alternatively, two or more such hinge structures  200  (embodiment not shown) may be provided. 
     To accomplish the above functions, use of a hinge  200  that is a locking hinge is contemplated. In the depicted embodiment, hinge  200  is a three-position locking hinge. As is known, a three-position locking hinge  200  is configured to provide a stowed locking position with tailgate panels  160 ,  180  stowed in the folded configuration shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . With reference to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the three-position locking hinge  200  may also pivot along a 180 degree arc (see arrow) to a first deployed locking position providing the substantially horizontal orientation shown in the drawing figures. As will be appreciated, in this orientation, unfolded tailgate  140  provides a useful cargo area  120  extender structure. In turn, with reference to  FIG. 3  the three-position locking hinge  200  may pivot further to a second deployed locking position providing an angled, ramp orientation whereby first panel  160  is held along an angled plane defining an acute angle to the substantially horizontal plane of second panel  180 . 
     In more detail,  FIG. 2C  shows an embodiment of a locking hinge suitable for use in the presently disclosed device. As shown, a gear  202  is fixed to an end of the tailgate panel  180  near hinge  200 . In turn, a lock bar assembly  204  is provided, configured for slidable movement within tailgate panel  160  for engaging the gear  202  teeth to lock the hinge  200  in a desired configuration. As shown, lock bar assembly  204  includes a lock bar  206  and a spring  208  mounted to bias the lock bar into locking contact with the gear  202 . A squeeze handle  210  is provided for selectively causing the lock bar  206  to engage or release the gear  202  by way of a biasing force from spring  208 . A groove lock (not visible in this view) may be provided whereby the lock bar assembly  204  can be selectively locked in the gear  202 -released configuration and the gear-engaged configuration as desired. 
     As will be appreciated, by use of a gear  202 , the number of locking positions possible for the locking hinge  200  is determined by the number of teeth on gear  202 , and can vary as desired, for example, a three-position locking hinge as shown in the drawings and described herein or nearly infinite locking positions. The described mechanism is easily locked and unlocked, and being horizontally deployed provides a smooth hinge operation. The mechanism can be configured to automatically lock when the tailgate panels  160 ,  180  are in the folded configuration shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , and once unlocked are gravity-assisted for a near-effortless transition to the fully opened configuration shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , and therefrom to a ramp-down configuration described infra. 
     Tailgate panel  160  is provided with at least one ramp member  220  configured to be translated between a stowed position on or in the panel and a deployed position extending from the panel (see  FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3 ). In the depicted embodiment, each ramp member  220  is slidingly received within a receiver  240  held within an interior of the panel  160  (see  FIG. 4 ) and deploys via a slot  260 . A latching mechanism may be provided for holding each ramp member  220  in the desired stowed or deployed position, such as a pin  280  for inserting into cooperating apertures  290 . Alternatively, a single latching mechanism may be provided at a terminal end of each receiver  240  adjacent to slot  260 , for retaining each ramp member  220  in a fully or partially stowed or deployed configuration. 
     In one possible alternative embodiment of a latching mechanism as shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the tailgate panel  160  is provided with at least one spring roller  212  which imposes a biasing force upon a top surface of a ramp member  220 , and at least one lateral roller  214  disposed within a ramp edge groove  216 . Because of the groove  216 , upper and lower rails  218 ,  222  are defined. A detent  224  is provided in an end of the lower rail  222 . In turn, a cooperating lock key  226  is defined in a bottom edge of each slot  260 . Bottom rollers  228  ensure that each ramp member  220  will roll smoothly while deploying and retracting. Each ramp member  220  further includes a handle  230  in a distal edge thereof farthest from the location of the detent  224 . 
     When the ramp member  220  is in the retracted position, the at least one spring roller  212  imposes a biasing force on a top surface of the ramp member upper rail  218 , and the lock key  226  engages a front edge of the ramp member to hold the ramp in an interior of the tailgate panel  160 . To deploy the ramp member  220 , a user need only grasp handle  230 , lift upwardly (see arrow A) whereby the tailgate panel  160  clears the lock key  226  as shown in  FIG. 5A , and pull the ramp  220  vehicle rearwardly (see arrow B). The at least one spring roller  212  will compress and the at least one lateral roller  214  will then contact a top surface of the lower rail  222 , ensuring a smooth transition. When the ramp member  220  reaches the fully deployed position shown in  FIG. 5B , the biasing force imposed by the spring roller  212  will cause the detent  224  to engage the lock key  226 , thus locking the ramp member in the deployed configuration. To reverse the process, the user need only again lift the ramp member by way of handle  230  sufficiently for the detent  224  to clear the lock key  226 , and push the ramp member vehicle-forwardly until the ramp member is fully within the tailgate panel  160  interior and the spring roller  212  biases the ramp member downwardly whereby the lock key  226  will retain the ramp member in the retracted position. 
     Of course, alternative embodiments for ramp members  220  associated with a tailgate panel  160  are contemplated. For example, the ramp members  220  may be held within receivers (embodiment not shown) molded or otherwise formed in a surface of the tailgate panel  160 , and configured to be raised to a generally vertical orientation and then to be lowered to the generally horizontal orientation shown in  FIGS. 2A, 2B . An exemplary configuration of posts configured to be so stowed/deployed is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,090,276, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and this structure is contemplated for adaptation to ramp members  220  herein. The raising/lowering of the ramp members  220  may be accomplished by use of brackets including pivots. An example of such brackets is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,302,719. Any number of retainer mechanisms may be used to secure the ramp members  220  in a desired orientation, including without intending any limitation pins, clips, dogs, and other retainers. 
     The ramp members  220  may be held in the suitably configured and dimensioned receivers by a number of mechanisms. The receivers may be dimensioned to hold the ramp members  220  by a friction or interference fit. Alternatively or in addition, various clips (not shown) may be provided to hold or assist in holding the various components in the receivers. Still further, the ramp members  220  may be configured for removal from the tailgate panel  160  and insertion into dedicated brackets or sleeves  240  as described above, with pins, clips, etc. provided to secure the posts in the brackets or sleeves. All such mechanisms are contemplated for use herein. 
     In use, the tailgate  140  is pivoted to the substantially horizontal, open configuration shown in  FIG. 1B  and the panels  160 ,  180  are unfolded to the substantially horizontal configuration shown in  FIG. 2B . Ramp members  220  are extended (see  FIGS. 2A, 2B ). Next, tailgate panel  160  is pivoted to the angled orientation shown in  FIG. 3 , whereby ramp members  220  engage a ground surface G on which the vehicle  100  is resting. At that point, vehicles or other items may be loaded into the cargo area  120  of the vehicle  100 . 
     Additional features may be included, such as deployable guard rails (not shown) extending from one or both of panels  160 ,  180 , configured for extending from an interior of each panel and for pivoting upwardly for locking in a substantially upright orientation to serve as guard rails. Likewise, tailgate panel  160  may also include a retractable tailgate-mounted step assembly. A number of suitable step assemblies which deploy from tailgate structures are known in the art, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,918,624, 7,090,276, and 7,234,749, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, rather than a pair of ramp members  220  as shown in the drawing figures, a single ramp panel extending across a significant portion of the tailgate panel  160  could be provided. As will be appreciated, such a wide ramp structure would provide convenience and utility in loading items into the cargo area  120  using wheeled implements such as dollies, in loading vehicles having fewer than four wheels such as motorcycles/bicycles, and the like. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.