Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – End gates
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-06
2001-08-28
Gordon, Stephen T. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
End gates
C296S106000, C296S146800, C292S262000, C292S338000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279979
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to removable vehicle tailgate supplementary supports and the method of using the same and, more specifically, it relates to such supports which function to enhance the load-bearing capability of an open generally horizontally disposed vehicle tailgate above and beyond the load-bearing capability existing in the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been known with a wide variety of vehicles, such as pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles, station wagons to provide, generally at the rear of the vehicle, rotatable tailgate members which can assume a latched closed upper position in which the tailgate is generally vertically oriented and an open or lower position to which the tailgate may be rotated, which is generally horizontal. In the open position, access is obtained to a rear portion of the vehicle interior for loading or unloading items or permitting entry or exit by humans and animals.
Such tailgates generally are provided with a pair of cable members secured to opposite ends of the tailgate and to the vehicle to provide adequate support to the tailgate to resist it going below the horizontal level under many loading conditions. There are, however, many instances wherein such flexible cables do not have adequate strength, such as when heavy equipment or property plus individuals provide a static load on the tailgate greater than the load bearing capability of the cables.
There remains, therefore, a need for supplementary supports which can serve to enhance the load-bearing capability of the tailgate on an as needed basis through removable additional supports.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has met the above-described need by providing apparatus and an associated method which will simply, economically and effectively permit large loads to be supported by the open tailgate in a safe manner.
A vehicle of the present invention has a vehicle body which with a rotatable tailgate which is generally rotatable about a horizontal axis between a generally vertical latched closed position and a generally horizontal open position which permits access to the vehicle interior. A pair of relatively spaced first support members which may be permanently installed cable members provide the permanent support to the open tailgate.
A pair of latches each have one latch element secured to the vehicle body and a cooperating second element secured to the tailgate such that when the tailgate is in the closed position, the two latch elements are engaged to retain the same in that position.
A pair of removable elongated supplementary tailgate support members have a first end portion in engagement with the latch elements secured to the vehicle body and a second end portion in engagement with the cooperating latch elements which are secured to the ends of the tailgates. In this manner, the supplementary support members serve to provide additional load-bearing capacity to the open tailgate. It is preferred that the supplementary support members be substantially rigid and durable and that they preferably be made of a suitable metal, such as steel.
A method of the present invention involves positioning the tailgate in at least partially open position, engaging one pair of ends of the supplementary support members to first latching elements and engaging the other end portions of the supplementary support members with thither latching elements thereby establishing additional load-bearing capabilities for the open tailgate.
It is an object of the present invention to provide supplementary support members for use with a vehicle tailgate which support members can be easily secured to the vehicle and tailgate and removed therefrom.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such supplementary support members which substantially enhance the load-bearing capability of the open tailgate and may be readily used by untrained people.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such supplementary support members which are of relatively small size so as to facilitate convenient storage and use.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such supplementary support members which are adapted to have their respective end portions secured to the latch members of the vehicle and tailgate.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such support means which may be removably employed without requiring permanent installation in the vehicle or alteration of the vehicle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of establishing supplementary support for open tailgates of a vehicle.
These and other objects of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description of the invention on reference to the illustrations appended hereto.
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Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott , LLC
Gordon Stephen T.
Gutman Hilary
Silverman Arnold B.
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