# US 12,759,647 B2 · Vehicle tailgate material shield assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,759,647 B2 - Document ID: US12759647B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/357,631 - Filed: 2023-07-24 - Published: 2025-01-30 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2023-07-24 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Joseph Prior; Marc Beeman; Joshua Robert Hemphill; Raul Ezequiel Alvarez Ruiz; Francis Raymond Gillis; Michael Shawn Watterworth - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759647B2 ## CPC - B62D 33/037: Latching means therefor - B62D 33/0276: {by vertical translation (B62D33/0273 takes precedence)} - B62D 33/03: by swinging down {(B62D33/0273 takes precedence)} - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A vehicle assembly includes a striker of a tailgate assembly, and a door subassembly of the tailgate assembly. The door subassembly has a latch configured to engage the striker to hold the door subassembly in a door closed position. The door subassembly has a notched area that receives the striker when the door subassembly is pivoted from a door open position to a door closed position. A material shield extends into the notched area when the door subassembly is in the door closed position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle assembly, comprising: a striker of a tailgate assembly, the striker mounted to a frame subassembly of the tailgate assembly; a door subassembly of the tailgate assembly, the door subassembly having a latch configured to engage the striker to hold the door subassembly in a door closed position, the door subassembly having a notched area that receives the striker when the door subassembly is pivoted from a door open position to a door closed position, wherein the door subassembly is hinged to the frame subassembly and configured to pivot relative to the frame subassembly about a vertically extending axis, wherein the door subassembly is incorporated into the tailgate assembly along two split lines; a material shield extending into the notched area when the door subassembly is in the door closed position, wherein the material shield extends horizontally from the frame subassembly into the notched area when the door subassembly is in the door closed position; and seal flaps attached to the tailgate assembly at the split lines to block material from entering the split lines, wherein the seal flaps do not extend to overlap the notched area. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the striker is aft the material shield. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle assembly of claim 2, wherein the material shield is overmolded to a flange. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The vehicle assembly of claim 2, wherein the striker is part of a striker bracket, wherein the material shield is mounted to a flange of the striker bracket. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vehicle assembly of claim 4, wherein the striker is a first striker and the material shield is a first material shield that is associated with the first striker, wherein the striker bracket includes the first striker and a second striker, wherein a second material shield is mounted to the striker bracket, the second material shield associated with the second striker. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the door subassembly is hinged to the frame subassembly and configured to pivot relative to the frame subassembly about a vertically extending axis, the material shield extending upward from the frame subassembly into the notched area when the door subassembly is in the door closed position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle assembly of claim 1, wherein the material shield is configured to contact the door subassembly to provide a bumper surface when the door subassembly is pivoted to the door closed position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The vehicle assembly of claim 7, wherein the material shield provides a relatively soft interface between the door subassembly and the frame subassembly when the door subassembly is in the door closed position.