Powered tailgate assembly and corresponding method
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsStuart C. Salter, Aaron Halonen, David Brian Glickman, Paul Kenneth Dellock, Pietro Buttolo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This disclosure relates to a motor vehicle, such as a pickup truck, including a including a powered tailgate assembly and a corresponding method of using the same. An exemplary motor vehicle includes a powered tailgate assembly having a tailgate moveable between a fully closed position and a fully open position. The tailgate is also moveable to a neutral loading position near the fully open position. Further, the motor vehicle includes a controller configured to identify the onset of an active loading condition when the tailgate moves from the neutral loading position toward the fully open position.
Claims20
A motor vehicle, comprising:
- a powered tailgate assembly including a tailgate moveable between a fully closed position and a fully open position, wherein the tailgate is moveable to a neutral loading position near the fully open position;
- and
- a controller configured to identify the onset of an active loading condition when the tailgate moves from the neutral loading position toward the fully open position.
A method, comprising:
- detecting an onset of an active loading condition when a tailgate of a powered tailgate assembly manually moves from a neutral loading position toward a fully open position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.