Truck tailgate system
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsJack Marchlewski, Joshua Robert Hemphill, Jeffrey Gray, Robert Reiners, Jeffrey Alan Firzlaff, Casey Ray Tanner, Sara E. Veyo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle includes a truck bed, tailgate, and cover. The tailgate is rotatably secured to the bed. The tailgate has internal and external panels secured to each other via a sidewall extending therebetween. The external panel defines an outer periphery. The sidewall and internal panel collectively form a first radius extending adjacent and internal to a corner of the periphery. The cover is secured to the tailgate and over the first radius.
Claims20
A vehicle comprising:
- a truck bed;
- a tailgate, rotatably secured to the bed, having internal and external panels secured to each other via a sidewall extending therebetween, the external panel defining an outer periphery, and the sidewall and internal panel collectively forming a first radius extending adjacent and internal to a corner of the periphery;
- and
- a cover secured to the tailgate and over the first radius.
A tailgate rotatably secured to a truck bed by a hinge pin comprising:
- an internal panel having an outer periphery that defines a corner and having a protruding surface extending from a ledge that is adjacent to the periphery, the protruding surface affixed to the ledge via a sidewall extending therebetween, and the protruding surface and the sidewall collectively forming a first radius extending adjacent and internal to the corner;
- and
- a cover secured to the tailgate and over the radius.
A tailgate rotatably secured to a truck bed by a hinge pin comprising:
- internal and external panels secured to each other via a sidewall extending therebetween, the sidewall and internal panel collectively forming a first radius extending adjacent and internal to an outer periphery of the external panel;
- and
- a cover secured to the tailgate, having a faceplate and side plates that are disposed over portions of the internal panel and sidewall, respectively, that form the first radius.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.