Patent ID: 8556322

Claim:
A lift gate assembly for a vehicle having a roof that is disposed above a location where a head of a passenger is in a rear seat and a rear wall that is disposed behind the passenger which together define a lift gate opening that may be selectively opened and closed by the lift gate, wherein the lift gate assembly comprises: a lift gate body that has a top portion that closes a part of the lift gate opening in the roof and a rear portion that closes a part of the lift gate opening in the rear wall when the lift gate body closes the lift gate opening; a hinge connecting a front edge of the lift gate body to the roof; a panel attached to the top portion of the lift gate body that is movable between a flush position and a raised position, wherein the panel covers an opening in the tailgate body in the flush position, and wherein the panel has a front edge; a pivot connector connecting the front edge of the panel to the lift gate body to pivot about a transverse axis; a right side wall extending between a right side edge of the panel and the opening in the tailgate body; a left side wall extending between a left side edge of the panel the opening in the tailgate body; and a rear wall extending between a back edge of the panel and the opening in the tailgate body.