Abstract:
A vehicle tailgate is provided with a rack having a transverse cross-member extendable vertically between raised and lowered positions with telescoping supports. A powered cable-drive is connected to the supports move the cross-member between the raised and lowered positions. When the rack is in the lowered position, the cable-drive and supports are concealed within the tailgate and the cross-member forms at least a portion of a top surface of the tailgate.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a tailgate rack and system for pickup truck or utility vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Pickup trucks or utility vehicles having a cargo bed are useful for transporting cargo, especially cargo which is too large or undesirable to transport in the passenger cabin of the vehicle. However, cargo which exceeds the length of the truck bed can still difficult to transport and secure safely. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment, a vehicle tailgate is provided with a rack having a transverse cross-member extendable vertically between raised and lowered positions with telescoping supports. A powered cable-drive is connected to the supports to move the cross-member between the raised and lowered positions. When the rack is in the lowered position, the cable-drive and supports are concealed within the tailgate and the cross-member forms at least a portion of a top surface of the tailgate. 
     In another embodiment, the tailgate includes a guide bracket mounted to an interior surface of the tailgate and at least one pulley mounted to the guide bracket. The cable drive includes a cable engaged with the pulley and a carrier clamp mounted to the cable and the supports. The carrier clamp is translated along the guide bracket with the cable thereby translating the support and moving the cross-member between the raised and lowered positions. 
     In another embodiment, the transverse cross-member includes a concave profile. 
     In another embodiment, the telescoping supports include a biasing member. When the supports are moved upwards, the rack is biased toward the raised position. 
     In another embodiment, the rack includes a transverse cross-member extendable vertically by a pair of telescoping support arms. 
     In one other embodiment, a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes an exposed cargo bed having a rear tailgate. A rack is extendable vertically from the tailgate. A trough is formed in a roof of a passenger cabin. The trough and the rack are generally coplanar when the rack is in an extended position in order to secure cargo, that exceeds the length of the bed, between the trough and the rack. 
     In another embodiment, the trough extends the entire length of the passenger cabin. 
     In another embodiment, the trough includes an increased friction material. 
     In another embodiment, the rack includes a transverse cross-member and when the rack is in the lowered position, the cross-member forms at least a portion of a top surface of the tailgate. 
     In another embodiment, the rack is extendable vertically from the tailgate between raised and lowered positions with telescoping support arms. A powered lift actuator moves the rack between the raised and lowered positions. The actuator and support arms are concealed within the tailgate when the rack is in the lowered position. 
     In another embodiment, the vehicle also includes a guide bracket mounted to an interior surface of the tailgate and at least one pulley mounted to the guide bracket, wherein the powered lift actuator includes a cable drive and a cable engaged with the pulley and a carrier clamp mounted to the cable and the support, wherein the carrier clamp is translated along the guide bracket with the cable thereby translating the support and moving the rack between the raised and lowered positions. 
     In another embodiment, the rack extends vertically a distance of at least 100 cm. 
     In another embodiment, rack includes a transverse cross-member having a concave profile that generally corresponds to a profile of the trough. 
     In one other embodiment, a vehicle tailgate is provided with a rack extendable vertically from the tailgate between raised and lowered positions with telescoping at least one support arm. A powered lift actuator moves the rack between the raised and lowered positions. The actuator and support arm are concealed within the tailgate when the rack is in the lowered position. 
     In another embodiment, the rack includes a transverse cross-member extendable vertically by a pair of telescoping support arms. 
     In another embodiment, the powered lift actuator includes a powered cross-cable drive connected to at least one of the support arms. 
     In another embodiment, the tailgate further includes a pair of guide brackets mounted to an interior surface of the tailgate and a plurality of pulleys mounted to the pair of guide brackets. The cross-cable drive includes a cable engaged with the pulleys and a carrier clamp mounted to the cable and at least one of the support arms. The carrier clamp is translated along at least one of the guide brackets with the cable thereby translating at least one of the support arms and moving the rack between the raised and lowered positions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the vehicle having a power tailgate rack according to the one embodiment of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the vehicle and the power tailgate rack of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a cut-away view of the tailgate of  FIG. 1  showing the power tailgate rack in a raised position; 
         FIG. 4  is a cut-away view of the tailgate of  FIG. 1  showing the power tailgate rack in a lowered position; 
         FIG. 5  is a view of a portion of the power tailgate rack; and 
         FIG. 6  is a detailed view of a portion of the power tailgate rack. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of the vehicle  10  including a power tailgate rack  12 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , a tailgate  14  forms the rear end of the vehicle  10 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the vehicle  10  is a pickup truck and the tailgate  14  forms a rear door to enclose the pickup bed  16 . The tailgate  14  can pivot on a horizontal access to open and close. In an open position, the tailgate  14  may be generally parallel to the ground and may also be generally parallel to a floor of the pickup bed  16 . In the closed position, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the tailgate  14  is generally vertical. 
     The pickup bed  16  is defined between two rear body panels  18  and the tailgate  14  and a front wall  20  of the pickup truck bed. The wall  20  may also define the front wall of the truck passenger cabin  22 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the truck cabin  22  may have four doors  24 , however other truck cabin configurations are contemplated. Pickup trucks, like the vehicle  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , are useful in transporting a variety of cargo without having to get the passenger cabin dirty or reconfigure seating. Pickup truck beds  16  come in a variety of lengths depending on the vehicle. However, even with the longest pickup truck bed, is still difficult to fit some large cargo in the pickup truck bed  16  securely. The tailgate rack  12  allows for some cargo to the more securely carried in the pickup truck bed  16 . The tailgate rack may also be used with a trough  26  formed in the vehicle roof  28 . 
       FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  illustrate a power tailgate rack assembly  30  in a raised and a lowered position, respectively. The power tailgate rack assembly  30  includes the tailgate rack  12  and a power lift assembly  34  for raising and lowering the tailgate rack  12 . The power tailgate rack assembly  30  is embedded in the tailgate  14 . In the lowered position, the power tailgate rack assembly is enclosed by an inner door panel  36  facing the truck bed  16  and an outer door panel  38  facing the rear of the vehicle  10 . 
     The tailgate rack  12  includes a transverse cross member  40 . In the lowered position, the transverse cross member  40  is flush with a top surface  44  of the tailgate  14  to form a continuous top surface. The transverse cross member  40  may have a concave profile  46 . The transverse cross member&#39;s  40  concave profile  46  may formed by a generally planar center portion  48  and a pair of angled walls  50  extending from the distal ends  51  of the center portion  48 . In the lowered position, the center portion  48  maybe offset from the planar top surface  44  of the tailgate  14 . The concave profile  46  may enable cargo supported by the tailgate rack  12  along the center portion  48  to be held more securely in place between the angled walls  50 . The concave profile  46  may help secure cargo which extends beyond the pickup bed  16  whether the tailgate rack  12  is in the raised or lowered position. 
     Turning back to  FIG. 1 , the roof trough  26  may also have a concave profile  52 . The trough profile  52  may correspond and be generally parallel and coplanar to the concave profile  46  of the tailgate rack  12  when the tailgate rack  12  is in the fully raised position. The roof trough  26  may have a rubber surface, for example, in order to provide greater friction and prevent sliding of cargo that is positioned between the roof trough  26  and the tailgate rack  12 . Alternatively, the roof trough  26  maybe coded any suitable increased friction surface material. Likewise the top surface of the transverse cross member  40  may be coded in a rubber or increased friction surface material. 
     The roof trough  26  may extend along the length of the roof  28 . For example, the roof trough  26  may extend from a windshield  53  to the rear wall  20  of the passenger cabin  22 . Cargo that is extra-long, such as lumber or kayaks for example, can then be secured in the trough  26  and the tailgate rack  12  and extend over the windshield  53  and even the front of the vehicle  10 . 
     The transverse cross member  40  extends between support members  54  and  56 . While the embodiments illustrated show to support members, any number of support members is contemplated. As illustrated, the support members  54  and  56  are connected to the transverse cross member  40  along the planar center portion  48  adjacent the distal ends  52 . 
     The power tailgate rack assembly  30  also includes the power lift assembly  34  provided between the inner door panel  36  and the outer door panel  38 . The power lift assembly  34  is actuated by a power cross cable drive  60 . The cross cable drive  60  is disposed between a pair of parallel guide brackets  62  and  64  for holding and transferring power to the tailgate rack  12 . 
     The guide brackets  62  and  64  extend in a generally vertical direction may be secured to the inner door panel  36  or the outer door panel  38  or any support structure in the tailgate  14 . The power cable drive  60  is provided with at least one carrier clamp  68  which is adapted to slide or translate along one of the guide brackets  62  or  64 . In another embodiment, the powert cable drive  60  is provided with two carrier clamps  68  provided on the both sides to slide along both of the guide brackets  62  and  64 . As illustrated in more detail in  FIG. 6 , the carrier clamp  66  is slidably engaged by and guided by the guide bracket  62  and moveable along the guide bracket  62  in a generally vertical direction. The carrier clamp  68  includes an attachment flange  70  to attach to the support member  54 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the power lift assembly  34  with the cables  74  shown. Each guide bracket  62  and  64  includes an upper guide pulley or upper cable guide  76  is provided adjacent to an upper end  78  of the guide brackets  62  and  64 . Each guide bracket  62  and  64  also includes a lower guide pulley or lower cable guide  80  is provided adjacent to a lower end  82  of the guide brackets  62  and  64 . The cable guides  76  and  80  may be rotatable on a fastener such as a pin fixed to the guide brackets  62  and  64 . The cable guides  76  and  80  may be positioned inboard along the pair of guide brackets  62  and  64 . 
     The power cable drive  60  is located between the pair of guide bracket  62  and  64 . The power cable drive maybe a cross cable drive  60  including a reversible motor  84  and provided with the drive cables  74  for raising and lowering the tailgate rack  12 . 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 3-6  the drive cable  74  extends from the cable drive  60  and is connected to the carrier clamp  68  adjacent the lower cable pulley  80 .  FIG. 6  illustrates one carrier clamp  68  is shown connected to guide bracket  62  and the support arm  54 , a second carrier clamp may be provided and connected to the guide bracket  64  and support arm  56 . The drive cable  74  extends to the upper pulley  76  along guide bracket  62  and then the drive cable is routed to the lower pulley  80  lower end  82  of the guide bracket  64 . The drive cable  74  extends from the lower pulley  80  to the upper pulley  76  on guide bracket  64 . The drive cable  74  intersects itself between the pair of guide brackets  62  and  64  as the cable  74  is routed back to the motor  84 . It is also contemplated that the drive cable  74  may include two cables and/or two carrier clamps  68 , for example. Alternatively, any suitable cross-cable drive may be employed. The power lift assembly  34  including the power cable drive  60  enables the tailgate rack to be extended a long distance, such as 100 cm or more, if required. 
     As the drive cable  74  is actuated the carrier clamp  68  moves along the guide rail  62  to move the support member  54  to the raised position. In the fully raised position, the carrier clamp  68  is located adjacent the upper pulley  76 . The support members  54  and  56  telescopically along guide bars  86  and  88  respectively. The tailgate rack  12  and the support arms  54  and  56  are guided by bars  86  and  88  that pass through the support arms  54  and  56 . At least one of the support members  54  and  56  includes a biasing member  90 , such as a spring. When the support members  54  and  56  are in the lowered position, the guide bars  86  and  88  may engage the biasing member  90 . When the support members  54  and  56  are moved upwards, the tailgate rack  12  is biased toward the raised position. 
     Locking device for keeping the rack in the raised position when carrying loads? The drive motor  84  uses a worm gear to rotate the cable drive  60  that powers cables. Because of the mechanical advantage of the worm gear, the cable drive  60  cannot back feed the motor  84 . When the motor  84  stops the tailgate rack  12  is locked in position. The motor  84  and worm gear prevent the tailgate from lowering unintentionally, even when under load. 
     While various embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments 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. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.