Vehicle tailgate system
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsDragan B. Stojkovic, Jack Marchlewski, Joshua Robert Hemphill, Stephen William Gallagher, Colleen Marie Hoffman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle tailgate includes an internal panel, an upper panel, a lower panel, a pair of side panels, and a tie-down bracket. The internal panel extends from the upper panel to the lower panel and between the pair of side panels. The pair of side panels are rotatably secured to a cargo bed. The tie-down bracket is secured to an exterior of one of the side panels. The tie-down bracket defines a C-channel that extends along the exterior of one of the side panels from the upper panel toward the lower panel.
Claims19
A vehicle tailgate comprising:
- an internal panel extending from an upper panel to a lower panel and between a pair of side panels that are rotatably secured to a cargo bed proximate the lower panel;
- a pair of tie-down brackets, each secured to an exterior of one of the side panels and defining a C-channel that extends along the exterior of one of the side panels from the upper panel toward the lower panel;
- and
- an accessory bracket secured to a first of the tie-down brackets by a fastener that is threaded into a T-nut that engages the C-channel of the first of the tie-down brackets.
A vehicle tailgate comprising:
- an internal panel extending from an upper panel to a lower panel and between a pair of side panels that are rotatably secured to a cargo bed;
- a tie-down bracket secured to an exterior of one of the side panels and defining a C-channel that extends along the exterior of one of the side panels from the upper panel toward the lower panel;
- and
- an accessory bracket secured to the tie-down bracket by a fastener that is threaded into a T-nut that engages the C-channel of the tie-down bracket.
A vehicle tailgate comprising:
- a side panel rotatably secured to a cargo bed and extending between an upper panel and a lower panel;
- a tie-down bracket secured to an exterior of the side panel and defining a C-channel that extends along the exterior from the upper panel toward the lower panel, the C-channel having, an open end that faces away from the exterior of the side panel;
- and
- an accessory bracket secured to the tie-down bracket by a fastener that is threaded into a T-nut that engages the C-channel of the tie-down bracket.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.