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US 12,662,209 B2Granted
Vehicle tailgate system
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsVincent A. Chimento, Shawn Michael Morgans, Jack Marchlewski, David Alan Hamilton, Michael M. Azzouz, Jay John Meyer, Scott Nydam
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method may secure a tailgate panel to a panel-carrying frame. A method may after securing the tailgate panel to the panel-carrying frame, secure a component-carrying frame to the panel-carrying frame. A method may after securing the component-carrying frame to the panel-carrying frame, secure one or more tailgate components to the component-carrying frame.
Claims20
A tailgate system assembling method, comprising:
- securing a first tailgate panel to a panel-carrying frame;
- after securing the first tailgate panel to the panel-carrying frame, securing a component-carrying frame to the panel-carrying frame;
- after securing the component-carrying frame to the panel-carrying frame, securing one or more tailgate components to the component-carrying frame;
- and
- after securing the one or more tailgate components to the component-carrying frame, securing a second tailgate panel to the component-carrying frame such that the tailgate components are held by the component-carrying frame between the first tailgate panel and the second tailgate panel.
2 more elements
A tailgate system, comprising:
- a first tailgate panel;
- a component-carrying frame;
- a panel-carrying frame having a first side and a second side that is opposite the first side, the first tailgate panel directly connected to the first side, the component-carrying frame directly connected to the second side;
- a plurality of tailgate components supported on the component-carrying frame;
- and
- a second tailgate panel directly connected to the component-carrying frame such that the tailgate components are held by the component-carrying frame between the first tailgate panel and the second tailgate panel.
3 more elements
A tailgate system, comprising:
- a tailgate panel;
- a component-carrying frame;
- and
- a panel-carrying frame having a first side and a second side that is opposite the first side, the tailgate panel directly connected to the first side, the component-carrying frame directly connected to the second side,
- wherein the component-carrying frame includes opposed sidewalls that extend between a top wall and a bottom wall, and a cross-member that extends laterally between the opposed sidewalls.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.