GB2436818A

GB2436818A - Vehicle tailgate hinged below bumper level

Info

Publication number: GB2436818A
Application number: GB0704938A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bhavesh Champaneri; Tom Rendell; Iain Urquhart; Steve Kearey; Matthew Kitchen; Steven Martin
Original assignee: Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK Ltd
Current assignee: Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK Ltd
Priority date: 2006-04-07
Filing date: 2007-03-15
Publication date: 2007-10-10
Also published as: GB0704938D0

Abstract

An arrangement is provided for pivotably attaching a tailgate to the rear of a pick-up truck luggage compartment where the pick-up truck has a rear bumper with an uppermost surface above the lowermost edge of the tailgate when the tailgate is in the closed position. The means for pivotably attaching a tailgate to the rear of a pick-up truck is provided by at least one hinge 1 configured to lift the tailgate when the tailgate is pivoted from the closed to the open position, about a substantially horizontal pivoting axis so as to prevent contact between the tailgate and the upper face of the bumper prior to the tailgate opening to define a substantially horizontal loading platform level with the base of the luggage compartment.

Description

2436818

VEHICLES

The present invention relates to vehicles, and in particular to vehicles having an open compartment at the rear for transportation of goods, such as pick-up trucks.

5

In such vehicles access to the open luggage compartment is normally provided by means of a door, referred to as a "tailgate", which is hinged at its base so as to allow the tailgate to pivot about a horizontal axis between a near-horizontal configuration, in which the tailgate defines a loading platform onto which goods may be loaded prior to their being moved into position within 10 the open compartment, and a near-vertical configuration, in which the tailgate provides a rear closure to the compartment.

In such an arrangement, the loading surface of the tailgate in its open configuration is conventionally arranged to be at the same height as the base of the open compartment in order 15 that goods can be conveniently moved between the loading surface of the tailgate, when open, and the base of the open compartment.

However, bumpers are provided on vehicles at a standard level, and it is often desired that the base of the luggage compartment is at a height which would cause the pivoting of the tailgate to 20 foul the rear bumper of the vehicle.

As a result, when it is desired to provide a luggage compartment at such a height, it has not been possible for the vehicle to be provided with a bumper.

25 It would therefore be desirable to provide arrangements in which the above problem is overcome or at least mitigated.

According to the present invention there is provided an arrangement for pivotably attaching a tailgate to the rear of a pick-up truck luggage compartment wherein the pick-up truck has a rear 30 bumper with an uppermost surface above the lowermost edge of the tailgate when the tailgate is in the closed position and the means for pivotably attaching a tailgate to the rear of a pick-up truck is provided by at least one hinge configured to lift the tailgate when the tailgate is pivoted from the closed to the open position, about a substantially horizontal pivoting axis so as to prevent contact between the tailgate and the upper face of the bumper prior to the tailgate 35 opening to define a substantially horizontal loading platform level with the base of the luggage compartment.

2

With such a pivoting arrangement, it becomes possible to attach a bumper to a vehicle provided with an open luggage compartment.

5 The pivot axis is preferably at a distance from the surface of the rearward-facing surface of the tailgate, such that the base of the tailgate is caused to lift when the tailgate is pivoted from its closed to its open configuration. This enables the tailgate to provide an effective closure for the vehicle at a desired height, while still maintaining the necessary clearance for the rear bumper.

10 The tailgate is preferably arranged to pivot with respect to the compartment by means of at least one hinge mechanism which extends in a rearward direction from the tailgate. A hinge mechanism provides a convenient means by which the desired pivoting arrangement can be achieved.

15 The hinge mechanism may comprise a base, by which it is fixed to the vehicle in use and which is stationary relative to the main body of the vehicle, and an arm arranged to pivot with respect to the base, the arm comprising a first portion which extends from the pivot axis to an elbow and a second portion attached to the elbow and to which the tailgate is fixed in use. In this case, the second portion of the arm is preferably generally planar. This enables the tailgate to be

20 effectively attached to the second portion.

The invention extends to such a hinge mechanism.

The compartment may be provided with a base, and the loading surface is preferably at

25 substantially the same height at the base. The loading surface is advantageously substantially horizontal.

The invention further extends to a vehicle provided with an arrangement of the above type.

30 Preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 to 6 are different views of the hinge mechanism for use in preferred embodiments of the present invention;

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate the hinge mechanism when attached to a tailgate frame;

35 Figures 9 to 11 illustrate the hinge mechanism when attached to both a tailgate frame and a vehicle body when the tailgate is in the closed configuration;

3

Figures 12 to 14 illustrate the hinge mechanism when attached to both a tailgate and a vehicle body when the tailgate is in the open configuration; and

Figures 15 to 18 illustrate the hinge mechanism when attached to both a tailgate and a vehicle body when the tailgate is in the closed configuration.

5

Referring to Figures 1 to 6, a hinge mechanism 1 comprises a base 2 for attachment to the rear surface of a pick-up truck which is attached to an arm 3 so as to permit a relative pivoting movement about an axis 4 between a closed configuration (as shown in Figures 1 to 3 and in solid lines in Figure 4) and an open configuration (shown in phantom in Figure 4). The arm 3

10 comprises first and second generally planar portions 5, 6 which meet at an elbow 7. The second portion 6 is arranged for attachment to the frame of a tailgate of the pick-up truck. The first portion 5 serves to connect the second portion 6 to the base 2 in such a way that the pivoting axis 4 is at a distance from the plane of the second portion 6.

15 Figure 4 shows the hinge mechanism 1 in both its open 8 and closed 9 configurations, and it is apparent that the lowermost part of the second portion 6 is raised considerably when moved from the closed 9 to the open 8 configurations. The action of raising the second portion 6 during the operation of the hinge mechanism 1 has the advantage of lifting the lower edge of the tailgate 11 over adjacent obstacles such as raised profiles of the rear bumper 13. The illustrated

20 configuration of the hinge mechanism 1 permits the vehicle designer far more flexibility in styling around the tailgate area and minimises the intrusion of the hinges on the tailgate styling. The lower edge of the tailgate 11 can be positioned as close as possible to the underlying structure of the vehicle body 12 on which the tailgate hinges are mounted, which greatly enhances tailgate rigidity.

25

The pick-up truck is provided with a compartment for containing goods, and the frame 10 of a tailgate 11, when in its open configuration, defines a substantially horizontal loading surface which permits goods to be moved into and out of the compartment by moving them along the loading surface.

30

As shown in Figure 4, the level of the loading surface is at substantially the same level L as that of the base of the compartment. The length of the first portion 5 of the hinge mechanism 1 is selected so as to ensure that this is the case.

35 Figures 5 and 6 are engineering drawings of the hinge mechanism 1.

4

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate how the second portion 6 of the arm 3 of two respective hinge mechanisms 1 is attached to the frame 10 of a tailgate. Figure 7 illustrates the open configuration and Figure 8 the closed configuration.

5 Figures 9 to 11 illustrate how two hinge mechanisms 1 are attached to both the frame 10 of a tailgate 11 and also the vehicle body 12, when the tailgate 11 is in its closed configuration. The bumper 13 of the vehicle can be seen below the tailgate frame 10.

Figures 12 to 14 illustrate how two hinge mechanisms 1 are attached to both the frame 10 of a 10 tailgate 11 and a vehicle body 12 when the tailgate is in the open configuration. It can be seen that the tailgate frame 10 provides the means by which the complete tailgate 11 is attached to the hinge mechanism 1. Figures 13 and 14 clearly show how the hinge arrangements 1 cause the tailgate 11, when in its open configuration, to be positioned at a height sufficient to allow a bumper 13 to be provided on the rear of the vehicle.

15

Figures 15 to 18 illustrate how the hinge mechanism 1 is attached to both a tailgate 11 and a vehicle body 12 when the tailgate 11 is in the closed configuration.

5

Claims

1. An arrangement for pivotably attaching a tailgate to the rear of a pick-up truck luggage compartment wherein the pick-up truck has a rear bumper with an uppermost surface

5 above the lowermost edge of the tailgate when the tailgate is in the closed position and the means for pivotably attaching a tailgate to the rear of a pick-up truck is provided by at least one hinge configured to lift the tailgate when the tailgate is pivoted from the closed to the open position, about a substantially horizontal pivoting axis so as to prevent contact between the tailgate and the upper face of the bumper prior to the

10 tailgate opening to define a substantially horizontal loading platform level with the base of the luggage compartment.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tailgate is so arranged to pivot with respect to the compartment by means of at least one hinge mechanism which extends in

15 a rearward direction from the tailgate.

3. A vehicle provided with an arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, and to which is attached a said bumper.

20 4. An arrangement as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the hinge mechanism comprises a base, by which it is fixed to the vehicle in use and which is stationary relative to the main body of the vehicle, and an arm arranged to pivot with respect to the base, the arm comprising a first portion which extends from the pivot axis to an elbow and a second portion attached to the elbow and to which the tailgate is fixed

25 in use.

5. An arrangement for pivotally attaching a tailgate at the rear of a vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

30 6. A vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.