Overstroke latch assembly

A tailgate assembly adapted to be mounted along an open edge of a vehicle's load-carrying bed wherein said tailgate is able to alternatively pivot about (1) a first axis generally parallel with a bottom edge of said tailgate for movement between a closed position and a fold-open position and (2) a second axis generally parallel with a first lateral edge of said tailgate for movement between the closed position and a swing-open position, the tailgate assembly comprising:

• a tailgate selectively closing an open end of an associated vehicle load-carrying bed;
• a dual-mode hinge assembly mounted to said tailgate adjacent a first corner of said tailgate;
• a locking assembly mounted to said tailgate adjacent a second corner of said tailgate, said locking assembly selectively latched to an associated locking striker of said associated load-carrying bed;
• a first hinge/lock assembly mounted to said tailgate adjacent a third corner of said tailgate, said first hinge/lock assembly selectively latched to an associated first hinge/lock striker of said associated load-carrying bed and cooperating with said dual-mode hinge assembly to pivotally support said tailgate about a first pivot axis;
• a second hinge/lock assembly mounted to said tailgate adjacent a fourth corner of said tailgate, said second hinge/lock assembly selectively latched to an associated second hinge/lock striker of said associated load-carrying bed and cooperating with said dual-mode hinge assembly to pivotally support said tailgate about a second pivot axis, said tailgate openable to said fold-open position when said second hinge/lock assembly and said locking assembly are unlatched from respective associated strikers and openable to said swing-open position when said first hinge/lock assembly and said locking assembly are unlatched from respective associated strikers, and
• said locking assembly latching to said associated locking striker (1) after said second hinge/lock assembly latches to said associated second hinge/lock striker when said tailgate is moved from said fold-open position to said closed position and (2) after said first hinge/lock assembly latches to said associated first hinge/lock striker when said tailgate is moved from said swing-open position to said closed position.

A dual-mode tailgate assembly having a tailgate mounted to an associated vehicle, said tailgate moveable from a closed position to a first open position and alternatively a second open position, said dual-mode tailgate assembly comprising:

• a dual-mode hinge pivotally connected to said associated vehicle for movement about a first axis and alternative movement about a second axis;
• a first hinge/lock assembly releasably locked to said associated vehicle and spaced from said dual-mode hinge in a first direction;
• a second hinge/lock assembly releasably locked to said associated vehicle and spaced from said dual-mode hinge in a second direction, said tailgate openable in a first direction to said first open position when said first hinge/lock assembly is detached from said associated vehicle and said second hinge/lock and said dual-mode hinge pivotally connect to said associated vehicle, said tailgate openable in a second direction to said second position when said second hinge/lock is detached from said associated vehicle and said second hinge/lock and said dual-mode hinge pivotally connect to said associated vehicle;
• and
• a means for preventing (1) said first hinge/lock assembly from releasing from said associated vehicle when said second hinge/lock is released from said associated vehicle and (2) said second hinge/lock assembly from releasing from said associated vehicle when said first hinge/lock is released from said associated vehicle.

A dual-mode tailgate assembly having a tailgate mounted to an associated vehicle, the tailgate moveable from a closed position to a first open position and alternatively a second open position, said dual-mode tailgate assembly comprising:

• a first hinge/lock assembly releasably locked to the associated vehicle;
• a second hinge/lock assembly releasably locked to the associated vehicle, the tailgate openable in a first direction to the first open position when said first hinge/lock assembly is detached from the associated vehicle and said second hinge/lock and is pivotally connected to the associated vehicle, the tailgate openable in a second direction to the second position when said second hinge/lock is detached from the associated vehicle and said second hinge/lock is pivotally connected to the associated vehicle;
• and
• a latch assembly for use with a striker in latching tailgate and the associated vehicle together, the striker being mounted to one of the tailgate and the associated vehicle and the latch assembly to the other of the tailgate and the associated vehicle, said latch assembly comprising:
• a latch having a latch recess, said striker moveable into and from said latch recess when said latch is in an unlatched position, said latch moveable to a latched position wherein said latch locks onto said striker thereby latching the tailgate and the associated vehicle together;
• and
• a ratchet moveable between (1) an engaged position wherein said ratchet holds said latch in said latched position and (2) a disengaged position wherein said ratchet allows said latch to move between said unlatched position and said latched position, said ratchet only moveable from said disengaged position to said engaged position when said latch is overstroked.