Patent ID: 8215691

Claim:
A passenger vehicle comprising: a vehicle body having a front end, a rear end, a top end, a bottom end, an interior, and a rear opening having a first region facing generally upward and a second region facing generally rearward, both regions for providing access to the interior; a rear closure assembly for selectively enclosing the rear opening and providing access to the interior, the rear closure assembly having a first hatch member pivotally connected to the vehicle body to enclose the first region of the rear opening, the rear closure assembly having a second hatch member pivotally connected to the first hatch member at an intersection of the first and second regions of the rear opening, the second hatch member being sized to enclose the second region of the rear opening; and a locking mechanism connected to the first and second hatch members of the rear closure assembly for locking the second hatch member in a closed position relative to the first hatch member; wherein the first hatch member comprises a window providing a rear field of view through the first hatch member; wherein the second hatch member does not obstruct the rear field of view when the first hatch member is in the closed position and the second hatch member is in the open position; and wherein the locking mechanism comprises a latch and a striker pin; wherein the first hatch member comprises a panel; wherein the second hatch member comprises a panel; and wherein the second hatch member panel aligns with the first hatch member panel when the first hatch member panel is in the closed position and the second hatch member panel is in the open position so that the second hatch member panel does not obstruct the rear field of view while providing open access through the rear opening second region.