Patent ID: 6935671

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 defining a generally hollow cavity therein and adapted to pivotally mount generally between the side walls and being operable between a generally horizontal open position and a generally vertical closed position; and a supplemental tailgate including a guide system secured generally within the hollow cavity, a movable frame assembly having two telescoping supports extendable from and retained by the guide system, a cross member connected to the two telescoping supports and extending therebetween, a pivotable latch release lever mounted on and pivotable relative to the cross member, a latch release assembly operatively connected to the pivotable latch release lever and operable to selectively release the two telescoping supports from the guide system, and a gravity latch assembly operatively engaging the pivotable latch release lever to prevent the pivotable latch release lever from being actuated when the tailgate frame is in the generally vertical closed position.