Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – End gates
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-11
2001-05-15
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
End gates
C296S050000, C296S181700
Reexamination Certificate
active
06231100
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to tailgates for pickup trucks.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many vehicles, particularly pickup trucks, are provided with cargo areas for storage of work equipment and other articles which are located rearward of a passenger compartment. Most of these vehicles that include cargo areas are provided with a tailgate in the form of a panel which is pivotally mounted to the rearmost portion of the cargo area. When the tailgate is pivoted in a downward or open position, the panel is in a horizontal position. When the tailgate is in-use or closed, the panel is vertically positioned to form one side of the perimeter of a cargo area. When the tailgate panel is in the in-use or vertical position, the tailgate panel results in a significant amount of turbulence and drag on the vehicle. The turbulence and drag on the vehicle results in lower fuel efficiency of the vehicle.
In addition, many owners of pickup truck vehicles install cabs over the cargo area in order to at least partially protect the contents from the outside elements. In particular, many of these owners may wish to transport pets or other small animals in the cargo area and thereby allow the animals to receive adequate ventilation as well as visibility outside of the cargo area.
Further, many owners of pickup trucks use their trucks as a portable office. The owners may use the tailgate when in the horizontal position as a table or temporary storage area for items such as toolboxes and the like.
Although various configurations have been proposed for the tailgates to minimize the resistance or drag on the vehicle, none of the prior art disclose a tailgate configuration that provides ventilation and visibility for animals held in the cargo area and provides an essentially flat surface when the tailgate is in the horizontal position as well as minimizes the drag on the vehicle.
It is therefore desirable to provide a tailgate modification that addresses the three aforementioned concerns.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The current invention provides a tailgate that can either be retrofitted to an existing tailgate or produced during the manufacture of the tailgate. The tailgate has a central open area having tubular rods or bars that span the center open area of the tailgate. The rods are orientated preferably in a vertical position when the tailgate is in the in-use or vertical position, but the rods may span diagonally or horizontally across the center open area of a tailgate. The rods are secured to the peripheral edges of the open area and are positioned in the center open area such that a portion of each rod is on the same plane as the inside surface of the tailgate.
Other objects, advantages and applications of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description of the best mode contemplated for practicing the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Fournier Enterprises, Inc.
Pape Joseph D.
Patel Kiran
Young & Basile P.C.
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