GB2308339A - Two-part motor vehicle tailgate - Google Patents

Two-part motor vehicle tailgate Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2308339A
GB2308339A GB9526070A GB9526070A GB2308339A GB 2308339 A GB2308339 A GB 2308339A GB 9526070 A GB9526070 A GB 9526070A GB 9526070 A GB9526070 A GB 9526070A GB 2308339 A GB2308339 A GB 2308339A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
tailgate
motor vehicle
upper portion
body structure
lower portion
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB9526070A
Other versions
GB2308339B (en
GB9526070D0 (en
Inventor
Neil Rivers
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
MG Rover Group Ltd
Original Assignee
MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by MG Rover Group Ltd filed Critical MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority to GB9526070A priority Critical patent/GB2308339B/en
Publication of GB9526070D0 publication Critical patent/GB9526070D0/en
Publication of GB2308339A publication Critical patent/GB2308339A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2308339B publication Critical patent/GB2308339B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
    • B60J5/00—Doors
    • B60J5/10—Doors arranged at the vehicle rear
    • B60J5/101—Doors arranged at the vehicle rear for non-load transporting vehicles, i.e. family cars including vans

Abstract

An opening rear tailgate 9 allows access to the rear end of a passenger compartment. The tailgate 9 is formed by an upper part 11 and a lower part 12 which is pivotally connected to the upper part 11. A linkage 17 is provided between the upper and lower portions 11 and 12 to fold the portions 11, 12 together upon opening of the tailgate. Less space is needed behind the vehicle before opening the tailgate and the open tailgate is easier to reach.

Description

A Motor Vehicle This invention relates to motor vehicles and in particular to a tailgate or hatchback for a motor vehicle.
It is known to provide a tailgate for a motor vehicle having an upper window portion and a lower trunk or boot lid portion. In such a prior art motor vehicle the tailgate is movable from a closed position to an open position to allow access to a luggage area located at the rear of the motor vehicle.
It is a problem with such a prior art tailgate that a large amount of space is required behind the vehicle to allow the tailgate to be opened which can be undesirable and the end of the tailgate is positioned high in the air which is difficult to reach for some people.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved tailgate.
According to the invention there is provided a motor vehicle having a body structure defining a passenger compartment and a tailgate to permit access via the rear of the vehicle to a luggage area at the rear of the passenger compartment, the tailgate having an upper portion and a lower portion and being pivotally connected at or near an upper edge of the upper portion to part of the body structure to permit rotation of the tailgate relative to the body structure about a substantially horizontal upper axis wherein the lower portion is pivotally connected to the upper portion to allow rotation relative to the upper portion about a substantially horizontal lower axis.
A latching means maybe provided to selectively secure the lower portion to part of the body structure.
A linkage means maybe provided to control rotation of the lower portion relative to the upper portion during opening or closing of the tailgate.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying Fig.1 which shows a schematic partial side view of a motor vehicle according to the invention.
With reference to Fig.l there is shown a motor vehicle 10 having a body structure defining a passenger compartment 8. A rear portion 5 of the passenger compartment 8 is separated from the rest of the passenger compartment 8 by a bulkhead formed by a backrest 7 of a rear seat and a parcel shelf 6. The rear portion 5 of the passenger compartment 8 forms a luggage area for the storage of articles and is often referred to as a trunk or boot.
A tailgate 9 is formed by an upper window portion 11 and a lower trunk or boot lid portion 12 which are connected together by hinge means (not shown) to allow rotation of the lower portion 12 relative to the upper portion 11 about a substantially horizontal lower pivot axis 14.
The tailgate 9 is connected at an upper edge of the upper portion 11 by hinge means (not shown) to allow rotation of the tailgate relative to the body structure of the vehicle 10 about a substantially horizontal upper pivot axis 16.
A latching means 13A is attached near a lower edge of the lower portion 12 to selectively secure the tailgate 9 in a closed position by engagement with an abutment 13B fixed to part of the body structure of the motor vehicle 10.
A linkage means 17 is operatively connected to the hinged connection between the lower and upper portions 12 and 11 of the tailgate 9. The linkage means 17 is operable to cause rotation of the lower portion 12 relative to the upper portion 11 as the tailgate 9 is opened such that the angle + between the inner surface of the upper portion 11 and the inner surface of the lower portion 12 of the tailgate 9 is reduced as the tailgate 8 is opened.
Upon opening of the tailgate 9 the latching means 13A is released and the entire tailgate 9 can then be rotated about the upper pivot axis 16 from its closed position to an open position as shown by the arrow "B". As the tailgate 9 is opened the linkage 17 is operated to rotate the lower portion 12 about the lower axis 14 towards the upper portion 11 which causes the lower edge of the lower portion 12 to remain closer to the ground than it would otherwise do. In addition the arc swept by the outer edge of the lower portion 11 is less than it would otherwise be as shown by arc "A" compared to arc "C".
Upon closing of the tailgate 9 the linkage 17 ensures that the lower portion 12 is opened out relative to the upper portion 11 as the tailgate 9 is closed ensuring that the latching means 13A is brought into contact with the abutment 13B.

Claims (5)

1. A motor vehicle having a body structure defining a passenger compartment and a tailgate to permit access via the rear of the vehicle to a luggage area at the rear of the passenger compartment, the tailgate having an upper portion and a lower portion and being pivotally connected at or near an upper edge of the upper portion to part of the body structure to permit rotation of the tailgate relative to the body structure about a substantially horizontal upper axis wherein the lower portion is pivotally connected to the upper portion to allow rotation relative to the upper portion about a substantially horizontal lower axis.
2. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 1 in which latching means are provided to selectively secure the lower portion to part of the body structure.
3. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 1 or in Claim 2 in which a linkage means is provided to control rotation of the lower portion relative to the upper portion during opening or closing of the tailgate.
4. A motor vehicle substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.
5. A tailgate for a motor vehicle substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.
GB9526070A 1995-12-20 1995-12-20 A motor vehicle Expired - Fee Related GB2308339B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9526070A GB2308339B (en) 1995-12-20 1995-12-20 A motor vehicle

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9526070A GB2308339B (en) 1995-12-20 1995-12-20 A motor vehicle

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9526070D0 GB9526070D0 (en) 1996-02-21
GB2308339A true GB2308339A (en) 1997-06-25
GB2308339B GB2308339B (en) 1999-08-11

Family

ID=10785762

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9526070A Expired - Fee Related GB2308339B (en) 1995-12-20 1995-12-20 A motor vehicle

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2308339B (en)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2775636A1 (en) * 1998-03-03 1999-09-10 Peugeot Door or back hatch for hatchback vehicle
AU753762B2 (en) * 2000-12-07 2002-10-31 Hyundai Motor Company Automotive double folding tailgate
GB2358379B (en) * 1998-11-25 2002-12-04 Cartwright Freight Sys Ltd Load-carrying vehicles
DE102005037957A1 (en) * 2005-08-11 2007-02-22 Daimlerchrysler Ag Upwardly pivotable rear flap for motor vehicle, has locking unit between flap units to move flap units either against each other in stretched manner or pivoting against each other based on adjustable function condition of locking unit
GB2452752A (en) * 2007-09-14 2009-03-18 Nissan Motor Mfg Folding tailgate
DE10041361B4 (en) * 1999-08-24 2010-12-30 Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik Ag & Co Kg Tailgate for a motor vehicle

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102012018500A1 (en) * 2012-09-18 2014-03-20 Innovative Dragon Ltd. Vehicle in particular taxi

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4413854A (en) * 1981-10-19 1983-11-08 Nissan Design International, Inc. Dual deck construction for a hatchback type automobile
US4688844A (en) * 1984-04-18 1987-08-25 Mazda Motor Corporation Back door structures for motor vehicles

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4413854A (en) * 1981-10-19 1983-11-08 Nissan Design International, Inc. Dual deck construction for a hatchback type automobile
US4688844A (en) * 1984-04-18 1987-08-25 Mazda Motor Corporation Back door structures for motor vehicles

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2775636A1 (en) * 1998-03-03 1999-09-10 Peugeot Door or back hatch for hatchback vehicle
GB2358379B (en) * 1998-11-25 2002-12-04 Cartwright Freight Sys Ltd Load-carrying vehicles
DE10041361B4 (en) * 1999-08-24 2010-12-30 Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik Ag & Co Kg Tailgate for a motor vehicle
AU753762B2 (en) * 2000-12-07 2002-10-31 Hyundai Motor Company Automotive double folding tailgate
DE102005037957A1 (en) * 2005-08-11 2007-02-22 Daimlerchrysler Ag Upwardly pivotable rear flap for motor vehicle, has locking unit between flap units to move flap units either against each other in stretched manner or pivoting against each other based on adjustable function condition of locking unit
DE102005037957B4 (en) * 2005-08-11 2011-01-27 Daimler Ag Swing up motor vehicle flap
GB2452752A (en) * 2007-09-14 2009-03-18 Nissan Motor Mfg Folding tailgate
GB2452752B (en) * 2007-09-14 2012-03-14 Nissan Motor Mfg Uk Ltd Improvements in or relating to vehicle closures

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2308339B (en) 1999-08-11
GB9526070D0 (en) 1996-02-21

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
732E Amendments to the register in respect of changes of name or changes affecting rights (sect. 32/1977)
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20011220