Tailgate sealing arrangement
AssigneeBestop, Inc.
InventorRichard C. Essig
Life of this patent
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AssigneeBestop, Inc.
InventorRichard C. Essig
Estimating the term…
A tailgate sealing arrangement for sport utility and other vehicles having a removable, flexible top. The sealing arrangement includes an elongated, rigid member attached to the lower section of the rear portion of the flexible top. The rigid member is removably mounted to extend across the tailgate opening and has a flexible seal depending downwardly from it. The tailgate in the preferred embodiment is mounted for pivotal movement about a vertical axis and has a horizontally extending, flat, upper surface. In operation and as the tailgate is closed, the depending seal contacts and wipes across the flat, upper surface of the tailgate to form an effective sealing arrangement. All of this is done without having to disturb or otherwise manipulate the top.
A vehicle having a tailgate and a flexible top with a downwardly extending rear portion, said vehicle including means for mounting said tailgate for movement independently of said flexible top between an open position providing access to the interior of the vehicle through a tailgate opening in the rear of the vehicle and a closed position preventing access to the interior through said tailgate opening, said rear portion of said flexible top having a lower section extending substantially horizontally and said tailgate having an upper, substantially flat surface with said flat surface extending substantially horizontally in said closed position and
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.