Vehicle with a panel that is moveable to provide increased head room above a rear row of seats
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsJason Michael Babbage, Henry W. Hausler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A panel that may be raised and lowered in the rear area of a vehicle to provide added headroom. The panel may be secured to an opening defined by a roof of the vehicle. The panel may be secured to an opening defined in a tailgate of the vehicle. Side walls and a real wall may be provided that extend between the opening and the panel.
Claims6
A lift gate assembly for a vehicle having a roof that is disposed above a location where a head of a passenger is in a rear seat and a rear wall that is disposed behind the passenger which together define a lift gate opening that may be selectively opened and closed by the lift gate, wherein the lift gate assembly comprises:
- a lift gate body that has a top portion that closes a part of the lift gate opening in the roof and a rear portion that closes a part of the lift gate opening in the rear wall when the lift gate body closes the lift gate opening;
- a hinge connecting a front edge of the lift gate body to the roof;
- a panel attached to the top portion of the lift gate body that is movable between a flush position and a raised position, wherein the panel covers an opening in the tailgate body in the flush position, and wherein the panel has a front edge;
- a pivot connector connecting the front edge of the panel to the lift gate body to pivot about a transverse axis;
- a right side wall extending between a right side edge of the panel and the opening in the tailgate body;
- a left side wall extending between a left side edge of the panel the opening in the tailgate body;
- and
- a rear wall extending between a back edge of the panel and the opening in the tailgate body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.