Patent ID: 7070222

Claim:
A tailgate assembly for use with a motor vehicle having a pair of spaced, generally vertical side walls and a generally horizontal bed extending therebetween, the tailgate assembly comprising: a tailgate frame including a rear panel and a front panel adapted to pivotally mount generally between the side walls for movement between a generally vertical closed position and a generally horizontal open position, said tailgate frame having a peripheral edge defining a top portion of said tailgate frame when in said closed position; and a frame assembly supported within said tailgate frame to define a supplemental tailgate and being selectively movable relative to said tailgate frame between a retracted position and an extended position, said frame assembly including a latch mechanism operable to restrain movement of said frame assembly relative to said tailgate frame; a molding member supported on said frame assembly at said peripheral edge of said tailgate frame and being pivotable relative to said frame assembly; and a latch release operatively connected to the molding member and being operatively associated with said latch mechanism to affect a disengagement of said latch mechanism in response to a pivotal movement of said molding member.