Systems for accessing cargo spaces on vehicles equipped with a tailgate assembly
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsStuart C. Salter, David Brian Glickman, Dawn Piechocki, Dennis Yee, Darshan Arun Nayak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various vehicle systems are proposed for accessing and utilizing vehicle cargo spaces on vehicles equipped with a tailgate assembly. The vehicle systems may include deployable and/or rotatable stairgate systems, deployable step systems, etc. designed for the accessing the vehicle cargo spaces. The proposed systems may include various deployment mechanisms that enable the stairgate/step systems to slide, pivot, rotate, swing, and/or otherwise adjust for providing ease of access and increased flexibility when stepping up to access the vehicle cargo space.
Claims18
A vehicle system, comprising:
- a hitch tube;
- and
- a deployable step system mounted to the hitch tube and pivotable between a stowed position and at least one deployed position,
- wherein the deployable step system includes a tube assembly and a step pad mounted to an end portion of an inner tube of the tube assembly.
A vehicle system, comprising:
- a hitch tube;
- a deployable step system mounted to the hitch tube and movable between a stowed position and at least one deployed position,
- wherein the deployable step system includes a tube assembly and a step pad mounted to the tube assembly;
- and
- a strain gauge and a control module operably connected to the strain gauge, wherein the control module is programmed to command an alert in response to a signal from the strain gauge indicating that an amount of stress on the deployable step system exceeds a predefined threshold.
A vehicle system, comprising:
- a hitch tube;
- and
- a deployable step system mounted to the hitch tube and including a tube assembly that is pivotable between a stowed position and a first deployed position,
- wherein the tube assembly is parallel to a longitudinal axis of a bumper in the stowed position and is transverse to the longitudinal axis in the first deployed position,
- wherein the tube assembly is movable from the first deployed position to a second deployed position,
- wherein an inner tube is moved to an extended position relative to an outer tube of the tube assembly to position the tube assembly in the second deployed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.