Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Trunk lids
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-12
2001-06-26
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Trunk lids
C296S146120, C296S107080, C049S248000, C049S246000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250707
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the tailgate of a motor vehicle which can be swung both as a trunk lid and as the lid of a receiver for a folding roof.
2. Description of Related Art
German Patent DE 44 45 944 C1 shows a motor vehicle with a roof structure in which a roof part and a rear window part can be folded together via a forced control which is mounted on the body so that they can be stowed in the top area of a rear trunk space. To do this, under the trunk lid there is a U-shaped auxiliary frame, the transversely running leg of the U-shaped auxiliary frame being located in the rearmost and lowermost end area of the trunk. The side legs of the U-shaped auxiliary frame are each connected via a seven-joint scissors lifting arrangement to the front end of the trunk lid. To load the trunk, the trunk lid is opened and closed via the two-sided scissors lifting arrangements. To stow the folded-together roof arrangement, the trunk lid together with the auxiliary frame is pivoted upward and to the rear around the transversely running leg of the U-shaped auxiliary frame via gas compression springs and hydraulic cylinders. A transition area between the tailgate and the rear seat is often covered by a multi-part cover with its own complex actuation mechanism, as is known, for example, from published German Patent Application DE 197 14 105 A1.
This arrangement is disadvantageous since it requires a large number of moving parts. Furthermore, the configuration of the seal of the lower rear transverse edge of the trunk lid relative to the body is problematic, since the rotary motion of the trunk lid, when the roof arrangement is stowed in the trunk, takes; place around the axis of rotation which is located in the rear area which is the lower one in the vertical extension of the trunk lid. This pivoting motion collides with this lower trunk seal which runs transversely. Furthermore, the stability of shape of the seven-jointed scissors lifting arrangement under laterally acting forces on the trunk lid is not optimum. Therefore, to counter this system-induced defect, the scissors lifting arrangement must be very durable and thus very heavy. On the other hand, to achieve high operating precision and accuracy of fit, high production cost must be borne in this construction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, a primary object of this invention is to devise a tailgate of the initially mentioned type which has a simple and still reliable pivoting mechanism.
This object is achieved by the tailgate of a motor vehicle which can be selectively pivoted as the trunk lid around a front pivot axis by means of a front four-bar mechanism which has two levers or can be pivoted as the lid of a roof receiver for the folding roof around a rear pivot axis by means of a rear four-bar mechanism which has two levers, a common lever being part of both the front four-bar mechanism and the rear four-bar mechanism.
Since the second lever of the front four-bar mechanism which is hinged between the body and the tailgate is, at the same time, a lever of the rear four-bar mechanism, only three levers are necessary to form two four-bar mechanisms, the front four-bar mechanism being formed by the first and second lever and the rear four-bar mechanism being formed by the second and third lever. Another advantage is that, by driving the second lever, pivoting around the front four-bar mechanism and also pivoting around the rear four-bar mechanism can take place.
This arrangement makes possible a simple mechanical structure in which, even at low production cost, high precision and good functionality are obtained. Furthermore, it is possible to effect lifting of the tailgate vertically relative to the sealing lip by respective use of a four-bar mechanism for the two pivoting motions so that collision with the seal which seals the opening of the trunk is prevented. Thus sealing of the trunk can be made simpler.
Since the support of the tailgate by means of the front and rear four-bar mechanism represents mechanical redundancy, in the selective pivoting of the front or the rear four-bar mechanism, it is always the inactive four-bar mechanism which is decoupled or deactivated. Therefore, the aforementioned embodiment is especially advantageous since, in this arrangement, either for pivoting around the front four-bar mechanism only the third lever of the rear four-bar mechanism, or for pivoting around the rear four-bar mechanism only the first lever of the front four-bar mechanism, must be released on one of its two joints.
In another embodiment, there is a connecting rod, especially in the form of a support lever, between the first lever and the third lever, and it easily keeps in position the respectively released or inactive first or third lever during respective pivoting either around the front or the rear four-bar mechanism.
Furthermore, it is advantageous in this arrangement that, with simultaneous locking of both the first lever and the third lever via a front lock mechanism and a rear lock mechanism, respectively, the tailgate can be kept in the closed state based on mechanical redundancy.
Preferably, the stowage space cover is connected to the connecting rod (support lever), being either securely joined thereto or being attached to the connecting rod with a capacity to turn or pivot.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1744199 (1930-08-01), Good
patent: 1748736 (1930-02-01), Selje
patent: 1933623 (1933-11-01), Gordon
patent: 2024049 (1935-12-01), Mahon
patent: 2552898 (1951-05-01), Lenci et al.
patent: 2594643 (1952-04-01), Gustisha
patent: 4818009 (1989-04-01), Muscat
patent: 4966403 (1990-10-01), Nordstrom
patent: 5551743 (1996-09-01), Klein et al.
patent: 5823606 (1998-10-01), Schenk et al.
patent: 6010178 (2000-01-01), Hahn et al.
patent: 6062628 (2000-05-01), Guillez
patent: 6092335 (2000-07-01), Queveau et al.
patent: 6145915 (2000-11-01), Queveau et al.
patent: 92 14 231 (1994-04-01), None
patent: 43 22 285 (1994-06-01), None
patent: 44 45 944 (1996-04-01), None
patent: 197 14 105 (1998-10-01), None
patent: 197 56 981 (1999-07-01), None
patent: 298 04 387 (1999-07-01), None
patent: 0 654 573 (1995-05-01), None
Dintner Thomas
Miklosi Stefan
Schott Thomas
Dayoan D. Glenn
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Patel Kiran B.
Safran David S.
Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
LandOfFree
Tailgate of a motor vehicle does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Tailgate of a motor vehicle, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Tailgate of a motor vehicle will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2509663