Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Door or window with specified vehicle feature
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-07
2001-08-07
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Door or window with specified vehicle feature
C296S146800, C049S140000, C074S625000, C074S089180
Reexamination Certificate
active
06270147
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to motor vehicles. More particular, the present invention relates to a drive arrangement for articulating a closure panel of a motor vehicle under a source of power. More specifically, but without restriction to the particular embodiment and/or use which is shown and described for purposes of illustration, the present invention relates to a motor vehicle having a drive arrangement for articulating a liftgate between a closed position and an open position under a source of power which has a clutching mechanism.
2. Discussion
In sport utility vehicles, station wagons, minivans and other similar vehicles having a substantially vertical rear access opening, there is often provided a sideways-type swinging tailgate that swings about a generally vertical axis. Minimal effort is required to open and close such a tailgate. It is also typical in such vehicles to provide a liftgate which upwardly swings about a horizontal axis to open or a tailgate which swings downwardly about a horizontal axis to open. Downwardly swinging tailgates are also common on pick-up trucks for providing access to the bed area. Where the tailgate or liftgate pivots about a horizontal axis significant manual effort is required for opening and closing.
For the convenience of the people using a vehicle having a tailgate or liftgate which pivots about a horizontal axis, it is desired to provide a power lift system to relieve a person of the required effort for opening and closing. However, there is limited space in the vehicle body for a power lift system to handle the lift effort required. Various arrangements for articulating a vehicle closure panel about a horizontal axis under a source of power have been heretofore proposed. For example, commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,498 is directed to such an arrangement and is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. Other known arrangements are shown in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,563,483; and 5,448,856, which are also incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
While known arrangements for articulating a closure panel of a motor vehicle about a horizontally extending pivot axis have relieved persons using the vehicle of the effort otherwise required to articulate the closure panel, they are all associated with disadvantages. For example, known arrangements include constantly meshed gear sets which significantly add to the effort necessary to articulate the closure panel when manual operation is desired or required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved drive arrangement for articulating a motor vehicle liftgate between an open position and a closed position under a source of power.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a drive arrangement for articulating a closure panel between an open position and a closed position which does not adversely effect the effort required to manually articulate the closure panel.
It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a drive arrangement for articulating a closure panel between an open position and a closed position including a clutching mechanism.
In one form, the present invention provides a drive arrangement for articulating a liftgate of a motor vehicle between an open position and a closed position. The liftgate is mounted to a body of the motor vehicle for articulation about a pivot axis. The drive arrangement includes a mounting member for attachment to the body of the motor vehicle. A drive motor is attached to the mounting member. A drive gear is driven by the motor. A crank arm is pivotally interconnected to the mounting member. The crank arm includes a driven gear. A linkage includes a first end attached to the crank arm and a second end for attachment to the liftgate. A clutching mechanism is operative for selectively coupling and decoupling the driven gear to the drive gear.
In another form, the present invention provides a motor vehicle including a body, a liftgate and a drive arrangement. The body defines a rear opening. The liftgate is mounted to the body for articulation about a horizontally extending pivot axis between an open position and a closed position for selectively providing access to the rear opening. The drive arrangement is operative for articulating the liftgate between the open position and the closed position under a source of power. The drive arrangement includes a mounting member for attachment to the body of the motor vehicle. The drive arrangement additionally includes a drive motor attached to the mounting member. A drive gear is driven by the motor. A crank arm is pivotally interconnected to the mounting member. The crank arm includes a sector gear. A linkage includes a first end attached to the crank arm and a second end for attachment to the liftgate. A gear set is driven by the electric motor. A clutching mechanism is operative for selectively coupling and decoupling the drive gear to the sector gear.
Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates from a reading of the subsequent description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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patent: 197 58 130 (1998-09-01), None
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Butler Frederick C
Oxley Peter L
Calcaterra Mark P.
DaimlerChrysler Corporation
Dayoan D. Glenn
Engle Patricia
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