US 7,607,711 B2Granted

Power operated retractable tailgate assembly

AssigneeBob Marshall Enterprises, Inc.

InventorRobert L. Marshall

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Abstract

A power operated retractable tailgate assembly for a vehicle that includes a tailgate with opposite end edges thereof connected via sliding pivots to a respective one of a pair of elongate slide rails. The slide rails mount in lateral spaced apart relation on the underside of the floor of the cargo carrying box on the vehicle. A first extendible and retractable assembly, having relatively movable respective first and second portions, has the first portion anchored to the vehicle and a second portion that is hingedly connected to the tailgate proximate a lower marginal edge thereof. A power means is operatively connected to the extendible and retractable assembly and is operable from within the cab of the vehicle selectively to extend and retract the tailgate by moving the tailgate along the slide members. A second power operated extendible and retractable assembly is connected to the tailgate to move the same from its open position wherein it is horizontally disposed and projects rearwardly from the vehicle to a raised closed position wherein it is disposed vertically. Each of the extendable and retractable assemblies include a hydraulic cylinder unit operatively associated with a motor driven pump.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A pickup truck and tailgate assembly including a box portion comprising a front end wall and a pair of laterally spaced apart side walls that extend vertically upwardly from a floor and a tailgate moveable form one to another of a first “closed position abutting said side walls” and a second “open” position, said tailgate assembly being pivotally and retractably mounted on said box portion for selectively closing and opening the same, said tailgate assembly comprising:

a tailgate,
a pair of elongate slide members mountable in lateral spaced apart relation on said pickup truck,
sliding pivot means interconnecting opposite ends of the tailgate with a respective one of said pair of elongate members,
said pivot means being disposed proximate a lower marginal edge of the tailgate and slidable longitudinally along said elongate slide members,
a first extendible and retractable assembly having relatively movable respective first and second portions, with the first portion anchorable to said pickup truck and said second portion being connected to the tailgate to pivot same on said sliding pivots moving the tailgate from a horizontal position where it projects rearwardly from said pickup truck to a vertical closed position,
a second extendible and retractable assembly having relatively movable respective first and second portions with the first portion anchorable to said pickup truck and said second portion being hingedly connected to the tailgate proximate a lower marginal edge thereof, and
power means connected to said first and second assemblies and operable selectively to extend and retract the same and thereby respectively pivot the tailgate from a horizontal position to a vertical position and move said tailgate back and forth longitudinally along said slide members.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.