Automobile lift gate

Details Automobile lift gate Automobile lift gate

2000-11-09

2002-08-13

Patel, Ken (Department: 3612)

Land vehicles: bodies and tops

Bodies

Door or window with specified vehicle feature

C296S146100, C296S146200, C296S146700, C296S050000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06431638

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to motor vehicles and, more particularly, to a simplified lift gate.
2. Discussion
Many of today's motor vehicles are equipped with lift gates or hatches for providing access to the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Commonly, the lift gate includes a shell constructed from an outer panel and a support panel interconnected at their periphery. In addition, the lift gate includes either a fixed or pivotable glass panel for viewing objects located behind the vehicle. Recently, it has become desirable to locate electrical devices such as power locks, release mechanisms and wiper motors within the lift gate to assist the vehicle operator. Accordingly, provisions must be made to mount the electrical devices and subsequently conceal them from view. One or more interior trim panels are often used to cover the lift gate electrical devices and provide aesthetically pleasing surfaces which may be color coded to match other interior components.
Unfortunately, the use of the outer panel, support panel and interior trim panels creates a costly and undesirably complex lift gate. For example, after the support panel and outer panel are interconnected, a plurality of fasteners are inserted into the trim panels for coupling the interior trim panels to the support panel.
In addition, the use of electrical devices within the lift gate has created a need to route wiring from the electrical devices to the vehicle power source. As the number of electrical devices has increased, the task of aesthetically routing wiring harnesses has become increasingly difficult. Accordingly, a need exists for a simplified lift gate which reduces the cost and time associated with assembling a vehicle lift gate with electrical devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a closure assembly for a vehicle. The closure assembly includes an outer panel and an inner panel. The outer panel has an exterior surface and an opposed bonding surface. The inner panel has an interior surface and an opposed mounting surface The mounting surface of the inner panel and the bonding surface of the outer panel are coupled at their periphery to form a shell. The shell defines a pocket. An electrical device may be positioned within the pocket and coupled to one of the inner and outer panels In one embodiment, a majority of the interior surface of the inner panel is exposed to the passenger compartment. In another embodiment, the inner panel includes an integrally molded wire to conduct electricity to the electrical device.


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