Abstract:
A vehicle body includes a first compartment for carrying passengers or cargo and a second compartment for carrying cargo rearwardly adjacent the first compartment. The body includes a frame defining an opening between the first and second compartments. A window is fixed in an upper portion of the opening and a crossbar is fixed in the opening below the window. A midgate panel is pivotally connected in a lower portion of the opening for movement between a closed position covering the lower portion of the opening and an open position permitting access through the lower portion of the opening. A drive motor is operatively connected with the midgate panel for pivoting the midgate panel between the open and closed positions. A counterbalancing strut is operatively connected between the midgate panel and a body floor to bias the midgate panel toward the open and closed positions, alternatively, depending upon the pivoted position of the midgate panel.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a midgate assembly including a fixed window and crossbar which are installed in a body opening between a passenger compartment and a cargo compartment of the vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is known in the art to provide a pickup truck having a cab portion for carrying passengers with a rear seat section behind the driver and a cargo box behind the cab portion for carrying cargo. It is also known to provide aligned openings in the cab portion and the cargo box for carrying longer loads which extend into the passenger compartment when the rear seat is folded down. Currently, a multi-use vehicle is available which provides a pickup truck having a rear passenger compartment convertible to a cargo area and separated from a rear pickup box by a midgate having a flexible hinged panel and window system. This vehicle is adapted to accommodate a variety of optional configurations for alternatively carrying a maximum passenger load or an extended cargo load under both covered and uncovered conditions in which the cargo load is protected from or exposed to ambient external conditions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides a vehicle body having a first compartment for carrying passengers or cargo and a second compartment for carrying cargo rearwardly adjacent the first compartment. The body includes a frame defining an opening between the first and second compartments, a window fixed in an upper portion of the opening, and a crossbar fixed in the opening below the window. A midgate panel is pivotally connected in a lower portion of the opening for movement between a closed position covering the lower portion of the opening and an open position permitting access through the lower portion of the opening. A drive motor may be operatively connected with the midgate panel for pivoting the midgate panel between the open and closed positions. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the body includes the frame, fixed window, fixed crossbar, and midgate panel as these components are described above, and also a counterbalancing strut operatively connected between the midgate panel and a body floor to bias the midgate panel toward open and closed positions, alternatively, depending upon the pivoted position of the midgate panel. 
     The fixed window may include a sliding glass mini-window to facilitate access through the window. 
     A pass-through aperture may also be formed in the midgate panel, and a ramp member may be pivotable between a closed position covering the pass-through aperture and an open position contacting a body floor and forming a ramp to facilitate sliding long cargo through the pass-through aperture. The ramp member preferably has a hinge end pivotably connected to the midgate panel and an opposite end which contacts the floor in the open position. A second ramp member may be connected to an opposite side of the midgate for selectively covering an opposite end of the pass-through aperture. 
     Alternatively, a slideable pass-through closure may be slideably positioned over a pass-through opening formed in the midgate panel. 
     A control may be provided for allowing unlatching of a midgate panel latch only when a corresponding vehicle transmission is in a park or neutral condition so that the midgate panel can be pivoted only when the vehicle is not moving. 
     These and other features and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description of specific embodiments of the invention taken together with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic partial side view of a vehicle having an opening for receiving a midgate in accordance with invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a midgate panel assembly in accordance with the invention, including a fixed window, a slideable mini-window and a pivoting midgate panel; 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of an alternative midgate assembly; 
         FIG. 3   a  shows a cross-sectional view taken at line  3   a — 3   a  of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of a midgate assembly in accordance with a second alternative embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  shows a rear view of the midgate assembly of  FIG. 4  installed in a vehicle; 
         FIG. 6  shows a cross sectional view of the assembly of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIGS. 7   a  and  b  show schematic vertical cross sectional views of a midgate assembly having a ramp member positioned in closed and open positions with respect to a pass-through aperture in a midgate panel; 
         FIGS. 8   a  and  b  show schematic vertical cross sectional views of a midgate assembly having first and second ramp members in closed and open positions, respectively, with respect to a pass-through aperture in a midgate panel; 
         FIG. 9  shows a rear perspective view of a vehicle body having a midgate panel with a pass-through aperture and a ramp member in an open position; 
         FIG. 10  shows a longitudinal cross sectional view of the body assembly of  FIG. 9  with the ramp members in the open position, with the closed position in phantom; 
         FIG. 11   a  shows a vertical cross sectional view of a midgate panel having a pass-through opening covered by first and second slideable closures; 
         FIG. 11   b  shows a vertical cross sectional view of the midgate panel of  FIG. 11   a  with the slideable closures slid to an open position, and therefore not shown in the cross section; 
         FIG. 12  shows a rear view of the midgate panel and slideable pass-through closure of  FIG. 11   a  with the slideable closure in the open position; 
         FIG. 13   a  shows a schematic perspective view of a midgate panel including a drive motor for pivoting the panel; 
         FIG. 13   b  shows an enlarged schematic view illustrating drive and driven gears and a motor of  FIG. 13   a;    
         FIGS. 14   a-d  show sequential side schematic illustrations of a midgate panel and counterbalance strut in various positions between upright ( 14   a ) and collapsed ( 14   d ) positions; and 
         FIG. 15  shows a schematic illustration of a block-out control for controlling movement of a midgate based upon the condition of a corresponding transmission. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , numeral  10  generally indicates a pickup truck of the extended cab type having a body  12  including an internal front compartment  14  connected with an internal rear compartment  16  which is to be separated from an external rear compartment or cargo box  20  by a midgate assembly to be described below. The midgate assembly is positioned within the opening  19  between the compartment  16  and cargo box  20 . As shown, seats  22 ,  24  are positioned in the front and rear compartments  14 ,  16 , respectively. The seat  24  is collapsible as shown. 
     Turning to  FIG. 2 , a midgate assembly  30  is shown for use in the opening  19  in the truck  10  of FIG.  1 .  FIG. 2  also illustrates the sidewalls  33 ,  35  of the cargo box  20 , and the floor  37  of the internal compartment  16 . The midgate panel  34  is pivotally connected in the lower portion  39  of the opening  19 . The midgate panel may be steel, aluminum, magnesium or composite. The panel could be a single component, bent together with endcaps to hold it in a desired shape, or it could have a structural inner member with composite inner and outer panels. The panels could include glass or talc filler for strength. The panel could have separate metal inner and outer components. A fixed crossbar  36  extends across the opening  19 , and the window  38  occupies the upper portion  41  of the opening  19 . 
     The window  38  includes a slideable mini-glass portion  43  which is slideable with respect to the window  38  for selectively opening and closing a pass through aperture  45 . 
     The midgate panel  34  also includes a latch which is engageable with a striker for selectively securing the midgate panel  34  in an upright, closed position. 
       FIGS. 3 and 3   a  illustrate an alternative midgate assembly  50  for use in the midgate opening  19  of the vehicle  10  of FIG.  1 . As shown, the midgate assembly  50  includes a midgate panel  52  which is pivotally connected within the opening  19  with respect to the sidewalls  51 ,  53 . A fixed crossbar  54  extends across the opening  19  and supports the fixed window  56 . The fixed window  56  includes a frame structure  58  and left and right window portions  60 ,  62 , in addition to the middle portion  64 . 
     The midgate panel  52  includes a slideable closure panel  66  which is slideably supported on upper and lower tracks  68 ,  70  for sliding movement between the closed position shown in  FIG. 3 , and the open position shown in phantom in  FIG. 3  to permit access through the pass through aperture  72 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 4 , a midgate assembly  130  is shown in accordance with a second alternative embodiment of the invention. The midgate assembly  130  includes a structural ring  132  which supports the pre-hung midgate panel  134 . The midgate panel  134  is pivotably connected to the ring  132  by the hinges  140 ,  142 , so that the midgate panel  134  is pivotable between a closed position as shown in  FIG. 4 , and an open position in which the midgate panel  134  is pivoted with respect to the ring  132  above the hinges  140 ,  142  to form a midgate opening. 
     Handles  144  are also provided, and internal striker/latches (not shown) selectively disconnect the midgate panel  134  from the ring  132  to allow pivoting movement of the midgate panel  134  with respect to the ring  132 . A pass-through closure panel  146  is also shown for selectively covering a pass-through opening in the midgate panel  134 . 
     Accordingly, the midgate panel  134  is “pre-hung” to the ring  132  prior to installation of the ring  132  in a vehicle body so that the midgate panel  134  may be accurately fit within the ring  132 , and opening/closing effort of the midgate panel  134  with respect to the ring  132  may be optimized. In this manner, build variations of the vehicle body do not affect the installation of the midgate panel  134  or the opening/closing efforts of the midgate panel  134 . In other words, the midgate panel is “perfectly adjusted” within the ring prior to installation in the vehicle to optimize fit, effort, function and sealing. 
     The midgate assembly  130  also includes a fixed cross-bar  136  which supports the fixed window  138 . 
       FIG. 5  shows the midgate assembly  130  of  FIG. 4  installed into the opening  119  in a vehicle body  112 . 
       FIG. 6  shows a vertical cross sectional view of the midgate assembly  130  in the vehicle body  112  of FIG.  5 . As shown, the window  138  is adhered along an upper edge by a fixed upper support channel  148  and is similarly supported along its lower edge as shown in  FIG. 6  by the support channel  149 . 
     The midgate assemblies  30 ,  50 ,  130  described above may include any of a variety of different midgate features, which will be described below with reference to  FIGS. 7   a - 15 . 
       FIGS. 7   a - 10  illustrate the use of ramp members implemented into a midgate panel. Midgate panels may be provided with pass-through openings to facilitate storage of long cargo items, such as long boards, or the like. Long cargo items are typically slid in from the rear of a pickup truck bed by a person standing near the rear of the pickup truck, and it may be difficult to insert the ends of these long cargo items through the pass-through opening in the midgate panel without crawling onto the pickup truck bed. Accordingly, ramp members are provided which double as closure panels and assist in directing the longer cargo items through the pass-through aperture when the longer cargo items are slid in from the rear end of a pickup truck bed.  FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b  show schematic vertical cross sectional views of a midgate assembly  210  including a window  212  and midgate panel  214 . The midgate panel  214  includes a pass-through aperture  216  which is selectively covered by the ramp member  218 . The ramp member  218  is pivotally connected to the midgate panel  214  at the hinge  220 , and includes a distal end  224  which contacts a body floor and a ramp surface  222  which guides cargo through the pass-through aperture  216 . 
       FIGS. 8   a  and  8   b  show schematic vertical cross sectional views of a midgate assembly  230  which includes a window  232 , midgate panel  234 , pass-through aperture  236 , and two ramp members  238 ,  240  which are pivotally connected to the midgate panel  234  at the hinges  242 ,  244 , respectively, to selectively cover the pass-through aperture  236 . The ramp members  238 ,  240  include ramp surfaces  246 ,  248  to guide longer cargo items through the pass-through aperture  236 . 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  show a particular embodiment of a midgate panel  260  on a vehicle body  262  which incorporates ramp members  264 ,  266  for selectively covering a pass-through aperture  268  in the midgate panel  260 . The ramp members  264 ,  266  are pivotable between the closed position shown in phantom in  FIG. 10  to cover the pass-through opening and the open position shown in solid lines in  FIG. 10  to expose the pass-through aperture  268  and allow use of the ramp members  264 ,  266  to guide cargo through the pass-through aperture  268  when the cargo is slid from the rear end  270  of the body  262  onto the ramp member  264 , or from the passenger compartment  272  across the ramp member  266  through the aperture  268 . The ramp members  264 ,  266  are preferably a composite or metal material.  FIGS. 9 and 10  also show the collapsed seat members  274 ,  276  which increase storage capacity in the passenger compartment  272  to allow the longer cargo items to extend from the rear cargo area  274  into the passenger compartment  272 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , the distal end  276  of the ramp member  264  contacts the body floor  278  when in the open position. The ramp members described above may be implemented into any of the midgate panels  34 ,  134  described previously. 
       FIGS. 11   a ,  11   b  and  12  show a midgate assembly  300  having a midgate panel  302  positioned below a window  304  and including a pass-through aperture  306  which is selectively exposed by slideable pass-through closures  308 ,  310  which are slideably connected to the midgate panel  302  for movement between the closed position shown in  FIG. 11   a  and the open position shown in  FIGS. 11   b  and  12 .  FIG. 12  also shows the body  312  which forms the opening within which the midgate assembly  300  is installed. 
       FIGS. 13   a  and  13   b  schematically illustrate the use of drive motors  350 ,  352  which are operative to pivot the midgate panel  354  between open and closed positions. As shown, the motor  352  rotates a drive gear  356  through a shaft  358 , and the rotation of the drive gear  356  actuates pivotal movement of the midgate panel  354  by engagement of the teeth of the drive gear  356  with the teeth of the driven gear  360 . A trim piece  362  is provided to cover the driven gear  360 . Of course, this configuration may be replaced with a curved rack and pinion, a cable/pulley drive system, a drive motor in the middle of the midgate panel, etc. The system may be equipped with a clutch. Further, a single motor may be used as a regulator, latching motor, and midgate drive motor, etc. Remote keyless entry may be implemented to signal pivotal movement of the midgate panel. These drive motors may be implemented with any of the previously described midgate panels. A counter balance gas strut  382 ′, the operation of which is the same as counter balance strut  382  described below with respect to  FIGS. 14   a-d , may be used in combination with the drive motor  352  (with or without drive motor  350 ) as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. A support bracket  384 ′, a floor bracket  386 ′ and a body floor  388 ′ are configured the sane as the correspondingly numbered components in  FIGS. 14   a-d.    
       FIGS. 14   a-d  show sequential positions of a midgate panel  380  pivoting between an upright position shown in  FIG. 14   a  and a collapsed position in  FIG. 14   d . As illustrated, the counterbalance gas strut  382  is operatively connected between a support bracket  384  on the midgate panel  380  and a floor bracket  386  extending from the body floor  388 . As shown, the midgate panel  380  is pivotally connected to the body floor  388  at a pivot joint  390 . 
     In the upright position shown in  FIG. 14   a , the gas strut  382  is exerting a force on the midgate panel  380  and the bracket  386 . The gas strut  382  is always attempting to expand, and therefore holds the midgate panel  380  in the upright position. In  FIG. 14   b , a user is exerting a force against the midgate panel  380  to pivot the midgate in a closing direction about the pivot joint  390 . The gas strut  382  is still exerting a force on the midgate panel and floor bracket  386 . The force the user is exerting on the midgate panel is overcoming the gas strut, causing it to compress. The gas strut is moving closer to the floor as the midgate panel  380  is closing. At the point shown in  FIG. 14   c , the gas strut  382  is parallel to the floor  388  and begins to go over center. The gas strut  382  does not compress any more than this position. When the midgate panel is pushed down even further, the gas strut  382  begins to expand and causes the midgate panel to be pulled downward toward the floor  388 . In the  FIG. 14   d , the gas strut  382  has pulled the midgate panel  380  into the folded down position. The user force was not needed to pull the midgate panel down to its final position. The gas strut  382  serves as a damping device to prevent the midgate panel  380  from popping up when the vehicle goes over bumps and swells. As shown, the recess  392  in the body floor  388  allows the gas strut  382  and bracket  384  to extend below the plane of the body floor  388  for compact storage. The gas strut  382  may be replaced by a compression spring or the like. The gas strut includes a pressurized cylinder which acts to extend a piston. The performance criteria of the gas strut would depend upon the mass of the midgate panel, and must proved a sufficient assist force for closing and a sufficient holding force to prevent bouncing of the midgate in the open position. The gas strut  382  may be used with any of the previously described midgate panels. 
       FIG. 15  schematically illustrates a block out control  490  which prevents opening of the midgate unless a corresponding vehicle transmission is in neutral or park. At the decision block  492 , a decision is made whether the transmission is in neutral or park. If the transmission is in neutral or park, the window or midgate may be adjusted electrically or mechanically (block  494 ). If the transmission is not in neutral or park, then the window and/or midgate panel would be disabled until the transmission gearing is changed to neutral or park (block  496 ). An electrical circuit would provide an appropriate input to a body control module to enable unlatching only when the vehicle is in park or neutral. 
     Supporting disclosure relating to the blockout or interlock controls and other features may also be found in commonly owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,934,727; 6,260,916; 6,416,104; 6,478,355 and 6,513,863, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     Any or all of the features of the invention described above with reference to  FIGS. 7   a - 15  may be combined with the midgate assemblies  30 ,  50 ,  130  of  FIGS. 2-6 . While the best modes for carrying out the invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention within the scope of the appended claims.