Patent ID: 7547056

Claim:
A swing and fold down tailgate actioning mechanism, comprising: a tailgate having an inner panel; a first handle supported by said inner panel, operably associated with a first latch and a second latch; a second handle supported by said inner panel, operably associated with said first handle, and a third latch; a hinge member operably associated with said first handle and said second handle for providing hinged support of said tailgate such that said tailgate pivots in a drop down direction and alternatively in a swing open direction; and wherein when said first handle is actuated, said first latch and said second latch will release, and said second handle will be deactivated, allowing said tailgate to pivot using said third latch and said hinge member, and when said second handle is actuated, said second latch and said third latch will release and said first handle will be deactivated, allowing said tailgate to pivot about said first latch and said hinge member; said first handle having a lever pivotable about a first axis, a handle lever, and a first handle lock slidably received in a slot in said handle lever, said handle lever and said first handle lock pivotable about a second axis; said second handle having a lever pivotable about a third axis, a handle lever, and a second handle lock slidably received in a slot in said handle lever, said handle lever and said first handle pivotable about a fourth axis; said lever of said first handle further comprising a shoulder selectively in contact with a raised portion of said first handle lock; said lever of said second handle further comprising a shoulder selectively in contact with a raised portion of said second handle lock; a first idle feedback rod connected to said first handle lock and said handle lever of said second handle; a second idle feedback rod connected to said second handle lock and said handle lever of said first handle; wherein when said lever of said first handle is rotated about said first axis, said shoulder of said lever of said first handle will apply force to said raised portion of said first handle lock, causing said first handle lock and said handle lever of said first handle to rotate about said second axis and said second idle feedback rod to slide said second handle lock in said slot of said handle lever of said second handle, and when said lever of said second handle is rotated about said third axis, said shoulder of said lever of said second handle will apply force to said raised portion of said second handle lock, causing said second handle lock and said handle lever of said second handle to rotate about said fourth axis and said first idle feed back rod to slide said first handle lock in said slot of said handle lever of said first handle.