Electrically-controlled tailgate operator

Abstract

An electrically-controlled tailgate operator for moving a vehicle tailgate between a generally vertical raised position and a generally horizontal lowered position. The tailgate operator includes a ball nut linear actuator received in a housing mounted longitudinally along the side of a vehicle. The actuator includes a rotatable, horizontally-extending externally-threaded worm screw, an internally-threaded ball nut in threaded engagement with the worm screw for linear movement relative to the worm screw, and a sheave attached to the ball nut and around which a flexible cable is routed. A motor is coupled to the worm screw. The flexible cable is attached at one end to the vehicle tailgate, and at its other end to the housing. When the motor is activated to rotate the worm screw in a first direction around its axis, the ball nut moves linearly toward the tailgate and the cable extends outwardly toward the tailgate, thereby moving the tailgate to a generally horizontal lowered position. When the motor is reversibly operated to rotate the worm screw in a second direction around its axis opposite the first direction, the ball nut is pulled back toward the front of the vehicle, thereby pulling the cable back toward the vehicle and moving the tailgate to a generally vertical raised position.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.