Movable or removable closures – With operator for movably mounted closure – Operating lever or link and closure swing about parallel axes
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-06
2001-11-20
Redman, Jerry (Department: 3634)
Movable or removable closures
With operator for movably mounted closure
Operating lever or link and closure swing about parallel axes
C296S056000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318025
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a power operating system for a vehicle liftgate that is pivotally attached to a vehicle roof for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis and more particularly to a power operating system for a vehicle liftgate that is equipped with a gas spring counterbalance system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Utility vehicles and vans with liftgates that are hinged at the top about a generally horizontal axis are used by large numbers of people today. Some of these liftgates are large and heavy. Their size and weight make some liftgates difficult to open and close. Some of the liftgates are also a great distance above the ground when they are fully opened. Their height above the ground makes them very difficult for some people to close. For these and other reasons many people would like to have a power operating system for opening and closing the liftgate.
Liftgates that have two or more gas springs for a counter balance system are common. See for instance U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,856 granted to Thomas S. Moore et al Sep. 12, 1995; U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,498 granted to David J. Kowall Jul. 2, 1996; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,258 granted to Kevin Wright et al Dec. 1, 1996. Gas springs in such counter balance systems generally occupy a position in which their axis is substantially parallel to the closed liftgate so that the gas springs are hidden when the liftgate is closed. In this closed position the moment arm of the gas springs is quite small. With such counterbalance systems the lift gate must be opened about one-third of the way with either manual or power assistance before the gas springs exert sufficient force to open the liftgate without the manual or power assistance.
There are even some counterbalance systems in which the gas springs pass over center and bias a liftgate toward a closed position when the liftgate is closed. With these self locking counterbalance systems, the liftgate may need to be opened more than one-third of the way before the gas springs will open the liftgate without manual or power assistance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to provide an improved vehicle liftgate power operating system for a vehicle liftgate that is equipped with a gas spring counterbalance system.
A feature of the invention is that the vehicle liftgate power operating system moves the liftgate from a closed position to a partially opened position as well as from a fully open position to a fully closed position.
Another feature of the invention is that the vehicle liftgate power operating system has a push arm that pushes the liftgate to a partially open position to assist the gas spring counterbalance system.
Still another feature of the invention is that the vehicle liftgate power operating system has a moveable push arm that can be shaped to hug the interior roof structure and consequently maximize the unobstructed load height at the liftgate opening.
Still yet another feature of the invention is that the vehicle liftgate power has a web and reel arrangement for moving the liftgate from the fully open position to the fully closed position.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5054192 (1991-10-01), Cray et al.
patent: 5448856 (1995-09-01), Moore et al.
patent: 5531498 (1996-07-01), Kowall
patent: 5588258 (1996-12-01), Wright et al.
patent: 5896703 (1999-04-01), Wright et al.
patent: 6018912 (2000-02-01), Baughman et al.
patent: 6092336 (2000-07-01), Wright et al.
patent: 6092337 (2000-07-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 6126222 (2000-10-01), Nguyen et al.
patent: 6142551 (2000-11-01), Ciavaglia et al.
patent: 6170196 (2001-01-01), Kato
patent: 6185868 (2001-02-01), Kato
Delphi Technologies Inc.
Griffin Patrick M.
Redman Jerry
LandOfFree
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