Patent ID: 7762607

Claim:
A decklid assembly for use on an automotive vehicle, said decklid assembly comprising: a decklid; a frame supporting at least a portion of the decklid; an actuator for driving the decklid and frame together between a closed position concealing a storage space in the vehicle and a first open position allowing access to the storage space from a first end of the storage space; the decklid being independently movable relative to the frame between the closed position and a second open position allowing access to the storage space from a second end of the storage space opposite the first end; and a linkage mechanism having a first link pivotally coupled to the frame by a first pivot and a second link pivotally coupled to the vehicle by a second pivot, the first and second links being pivotally coupled to each other by a third pivot, the first and second pivots defining an overcenter line for the third pivot, one of the first and second links being coupled to the actuator for driving the linkage mechanism in a first direction during movement of the decklid and frame from the closed position to the first open position and in an opposite second direction during movement of the decklid and frame from the first open position to the closed position, the third pivot being movable from an overcenter position on one side of the overcenter line to an opposite side of the overcenter line as the linkage mechanism is moved in the first direction toward the first open position, the movement of the linkage mechanism being constrained in the second direction when the third pivot is in the overcenter position to help retain the decklid and frame in the closed position.