Pickup truck tailgate latch
AssigneeBAE Industries, Inc.
InventorsDavid Grable, Joel Hudson, Tristan Putnam
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A latch assembly for pivotally securing a tailgate to a truck bed including a body adapted to being secured to a side of the tailgate and enclosing each of a pawl and sector. A pivot support is adapted to being secured to each of first and second opposing side locations of the tailgate in alignment with a main pivot extending through said sector. The pawl exhibits projecting portions which oppose circumferentially offset and radial projection portions of the sector. A torque is exerted by the pawl against the sector at selected downward and return upward pivoting directions, permitting rotation of the tailgate between each of upright, intermediate and down positions.
Claims18
A latch assembly for pivotally securing a tailgate to a truck bed, comprising:
- a package interior defining body adapted to being secured to a side of the tailgate and enclosing each of a sector, pawl and cam;
- a pivot support adapted to being secured to each of first and second opposing side locations of the truck bed, said pivot support including a fixed portion communicating with a rotatable portion slaved to said sector;
- said sector exhibiting a splined interior which seats a keyed bearing portion of said pivot support;
- and
- rotation of said cam in turn actuating said pawl to disengage from said sector, permitting in turn rotation of said tailgate.
A latch assembly for pivotally securing a tailgate to a truck bed, comprising:
- a body adapted to being secured to a side of the tailgate and enclosing each of a pawl and sector;
- a pivot support adapted to being secured to each of first and second opposing side locations of the tailgate in alignment with a main pivot extending through said sector, said main pivot further including an intermediate exteriorly toothed or splined portion;
- said pawl exhibiting projecting portions which oppose circumferentially offset and radial projection portions of said sector;
- and
- a torque exerted by said pawl against said sector at selected downward and return upward pivoting directions, permitting rotation of the tailgate between each of upright, intermediate and down positions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.