Tail gate assembly

Abstract

A tailgate assembly includes a first gate and a second gate. The first door is configured to rotate relative to a vehicle body, and the second door is configured to rotate relative to the first door. The second door comprises an outer panel, an injection-molded bearing plate and a driving mechanism. The injection molded carrier plate is configured to be secured to the outer panel to form a cavity. And the injection-molded bearing plate is configured to bear a plurality of functional components. The drive mechanism is secured to the carrier plate and operably connected to at least one of the plurality of functional components. A drive mechanism is configured to actuate and move the at least one functional component between a plurality of positions relative to the second door.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle closure, such as a tailgate for a truck. Background Art

[0002] Vehicles such as trucks may include a truck bed and a tailgate that may be rotated from a closed position to an open position to facilitate loading and unloading of items within the truck bed. Certain tailgates may be powered so that the tailgate may be actuated remotely or without assistance from a user. As another example, certain tailgates may include one or more deployable attachments, such as a secondary door that may be movable relative to the main portion of the tailgate. Summary of the invention

[0003] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a tailgate assembly is provided. The tailgate assembly may include a first door and a second door. The first door may be configured to rotate relative to the vehicle body, and the second door may be configured to rotate relative to the first door. The second door may include an outer panel, an injection molded carrier plate, and a drive mechanism. The injection molded carrier plate may be configured to be fixed to the outer panel to form a cavity. And the injection molded carrier plate may be configured to carry a plurality of functional components. The drive mechanism may be fixed to the carrier plate and operably connected to at least one of the plurality of functional components. The drive mechanism may be configured to actuate and move the at least one functional component relative to the second door between a plurality of positions.

[0004] According to another aspect, a component module configured for use in a tailgate assembly is provided. The tailgate assembly may include a main door and a secondary door. The main door may be configured to rotate relative to the vehicle body, and the secondary door may be configured to rotate relative to the main door. The component module may include a carrier plate, an expandable member, a linear actuator, a force transfer member, and a pivot bracket. The carrier plate may be configured to be fixed to an outer panel of the secondary door, and may include a body having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being opposite to the second surface. The carrier plate may also include a plurality of flanges extending from the first surface. The expandable member may be operably coupled to the plurality of flanges, and may be configured to rotate relative to the carrier plate around the plurality of flanges between an expanded position and a non-use position. The linear actuator may be fixed to the second surface of the carrier plate. The force transfer member may include a first end and a second end, the first end may be fixed to the expandable member. The pivot bracket may be pivotally coupled to the second surface of the carrier plate, and may include a first leg and a second leg, the first leg may be connected to the force transfer member, and the second leg may be fixed to the linear actuator.

[0005] According to yet another embodiment, a method for assembling a sub-door for use in a tailgate assembly is provided. The tailgate assembly may have a main door and a sub-door, wherein the main door may be configured to rotate relative to a vehicle body, and the sub-door may be configured to rotate relative to the main door. The method may include forming a carrier plate, which may be configured to be fixed to an outer panel of the sub-door. The carrier plate may include a body having a first side and a second side, the first side being opposite to the second side. The method may also include: attaching at least one sub-door hinge to the first side of the carrier plate, wherein the at least one sub-door hinge may be configured to be rotatably fixed to the main door; attaching at least one tailgate pedal assembly to the second side of the carrier plate, wherein the tailgate pedal assembly may include a tailgate pedal hinge and a platform configured to rotate relative to the tailgate pedal hinge; inserting at least one vehicle accessory into one of a plurality of vehicle accessory holes; attaching at least one drive mounting bracket to the first side of the carrier plate, such that at least a portion of the drive mounting bracket covers the at least one vehicle accessory; BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Figure 1 A rear view of an example truck with an example tailgate assembly having a primary door and a secondary door is shown.

[0007] Figure 2 A rear perspective view of an exemplary tailgate assembly is shown in an open position and a deployed position.

[0008] Figure 3 A rear perspective view of a portion of an exemplary tailgate assembly is shown.

[0009] Figure 4 Another rear perspective view of a portion of an exemplary tailgate assembly is shown.

[0010] Figure 5 A partial rear plan view of a portion of an exemplary tailgate assembly is shown.

[0011] Figure 5A Shown along Figure 5 Detailed view of a portion of a drive mechanism provided in an exemplary tailgate assembly, taken along line AA in FIG.

[0012] Figure 5B Shown along Figure 5 Detailed view of a portion of a drive mechanism provided in an exemplary tailgate assembly, taken along line BB in FIG.

[0013] Figure 5C Shown along Figure 5 Detailed view of the lost motion mechanism in a first position and disposed in an exemplary tailgate assembly, taken along line CC in FIG.

[0014] Figure 5D Shown along Figure 5 Detailed view of the lost motion mechanism in a first position and disposed in an exemplary tailgate assembly, taken along line DD in FIG.

[0015] Figure 6 A perspective view of a portion of a drive mechanism and a lost motion mechanism is shown according to another embodiment.

[0016] FIG. 7A to FIG. 7C A schematic diagram of a tailgate assembly in an open state, a semi-closed state, and a closed state according to another embodiment is shown.

[0017] Figure 8 A perspective view of an exemplary tailgate assembly according to another embodiment is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples, and other embodiments may take various forms and alternative forms. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show the details of specific components. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be interpreted as restrictive, but only as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to use the embodiments in various ways. As will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, the various features shown and described with reference to any one of the figures may be combined with the features shown in one or more other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly shown or described. The combination of the features shown provides a representative embodiment of a typical application. However, various combinations and modifications of features consistent with the teachings of the present disclosure may be desirable for specific applications or embodiments.

[0019] The present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments and methods described below, as specific components and / or conditions may of course vary. Furthermore, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments of the present invention only and is not intended to be limiting in any way.

[0020] As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, reference to a component in the singular is intended to include a plurality of components.

[0021] The terms "substantially" or "approximately" may be used herein to describe the disclosed or claimed embodiments. The terms "substantially" or "approximately" may modify a value or relative property disclosed or claimed in the present disclosure. In such cases, "substantially" or "approximately" may mean that the value or relative property it modifies is within ±0%, 0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, or 10% of the value or relative property.

[0022] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "engaged to," "connected to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly on, directly engaged to, connected to, or coupled to another element or layer, or there may be intermediate elements or layers. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly engaged to," "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intermediate elements or layers. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., "between" versus "directly between," "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent," etc.). The term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0023] Although the terms first, second, third, etc. can be used to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or segments, these elements, components, regions, layers and / or segments should not be limited by these terms. These terms can only be used to distinguish an element, component, region, layer or segment from another region, layer or segment. Terms, such as "first", "second" and other numerical terms do not imply order or sequence when used in this article unless the context clearly indicates. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments, the first element, component, region, layer or segment discussed below can be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer or segment.

[0024] For ease of description, spatially relative terms such as "inside", "outside", "below", "below", "lower", "above", "upper", etc. may be used to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature as shown in the figure. Spatially relative terms may be intended to cover different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawings. For example, if the device in the figure is turned over, the elements described as being "below" or "below" other elements or features will be oriented to be "above" other elements or features. Therefore, the example term "below" can cover both above and below orientations. The device may be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptive language used herein may be interpreted accordingly.

[0025] A truck or SUV tailgate may include various features and accessories to make the use of the truck more convenient and enjoyable. As an example, the tailgate may include a pedal that can be actuated between a non-use position and a use position to provide easier access to the truck cabin. A truck tailgate typically includes a structural tailgate body having an outer sheet metal panel and an inner sheet metal panel, and a plurality of hardware components and functional components mounted within an internal cavity formed between the outer sheet metal panel and the inner sheet metal panel. Typically, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is required to install each functional component and hardware component and the outer panel to the structural door panel as the assembly moves along the assembly line. This conventional process results in a higher cycle time for assembling the tailgate. Secondly, the operation of the functional components and hardware cannot be tested or verified until the installation and assembly process is completed.

[0026] Referring generally to the drawings, a tailgate assembly 102 is provided. The tailgate assembly 102 may be configured for use in a vehicle, such as a truck 100, and may include a primary door 104 and a secondary door 106. For purposes of this disclosure, the primary door 104 may be referred to as a first door, and the secondary door 106 may be referred to as a second door. The secondary door 106 may be configured to rotate relative to the primary door 104, and the primary door 104 may be configured to rotate relative to a vehicle body 108.

[0027] The secondary door 106 includes a carrier plate 110 that can be secured to an outer panel 112 of the secondary door 106. The carrier plate 110 can include a body 114 having a first side 114a and a second side 114b, the second side 114b can be opposite the first side 114a, and one or more flanges 122 can extend from the first side 114a of the carrier plate 110. The flanges 122 can be configured to receive one or more functional components.

[0028] The secondary door 106 may include one or more functional components that may be integrated with or assembled to the carrier plate 110. In one or more embodiments, the carrier plate 110 may include a drive mechanism 124 that may be configured to move or provide access to the one or more functional components. As an example, the functional component may include an expandable member, a latch mechanism configured to latch or lock the expandable member to the secondary door 106, such as a vehicle accessory such as an audio speaker, a sensor, a camera, a light, etc. As an example, the expandable member may be a platform 120, which may be part of a tailgate pedal assembly 116, which includes a plurality of (e.g., two) tailgate pedal hinges 118 and a platform 120.

[0029] As will be described in more detail below, the drive mechanism 124 can be operably connected to the deployable member (e.g., the platform 120) such that actuation of the drive mechanism 124 moves the deployable member 120 between a plurality of positions (such as a non-use position and a deployed position) relative to the secondary door 106. As an example, the drive mechanism 124 can include a linear actuator, such as a spindle drive 126, which can be fixed to the carrier plate 110 and can include a body 128 and one or more (e.g., two) translation portions, such as a first translation portion 130 and a second translation portion 132. The first translation portion 130 can be connected to a pivot bracket 134, which can be operably connected to the platform 120. As an example, the pivot bracket 134 can include a first arm 136, a second arm 138, and a pivot point 140 can be disposed between the first arm 136 and the second arm 138.

[0030] The force transmitting member, such as the lever arm portion 144, includes a first end portion 144a that can be fixed to the platform 120 and a second end portion 144b that can be fixed to the articulated arm portion 142. Each end portion of the articulated arm portion 142, such as the bottom end portion 142a connected to the second end portion 144b of the lever arm portion 144 and the top end portion 142b connected to the pivot bracket 134, can be respectively configured to pivot or rotate so that the articulated arm portion articulates as the first translation portion 130 extends and retracts relative to the main body 128 of the spindle drive 126 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 1 ). FIG. 5A to FIG. 5B ). In one or more embodiments, the drive mechanism 124 can be operably coupled to another functional component, such as a latch assembly 146, which can be configured to latch or lock the platform 120 to one or more portions of the secondary door 106 and release or unlock the platform 120 from one or more portions of the secondary door 106 (such as the carrier plate 110). The latch assembly 146 can include a striker 148 and a catch 150, which can be configured to release or unlock the platform 120 when the latch assembly 146 is in a latched or locked state ( Figure 4 ) when receiving the striker pin 148. A cable 154 can be connected to each striker pin, and when the cable or cables 154 are pulled, the striker pin 148 can be retracted to unlock the latch assembly 146.

[0031] As an improvement to the known split tailgate, the present disclosure provides a lost motion mechanism 152 that can be connected to the latch assembly 146 by one or more links or cables 154 as shown. The lost motion mechanism 152 can be operably connected to a portion of the drive mechanism 124, such as the second translation portion 132. Conventionally, the known split door provided with a pedal is released or unlocked from the secondary door by manual movement of a cable or other link. In contrast, the lost motion mechanism 152 can be configured to change the state of the latch assembly 146, such as before or substantially simultaneously with the drive mechanism 134 moving one or more functional components (e.g., the platform 120) from the non-use position to the deployed or use position, changing the state from a latched or locked state to a disengaged or unlocked state. In order to release the platform 120, the translation member 158 of the lost motion mechanism 152 can be connected to the cable 154 and actuated to move (e.g., translate) along the fixed member 156, thereby pulling the cable 154 to retract the striker 148 so that the striker 148 disengages from the lock 150.

[0032] Generally, as another improvement to the known split tailgate or power tailgate, the present disclosure provides an assembly module 160 configured to be attached to the secondary door 106. The assembly module 160 may include a carrier plate 110, which may carry a platform 120, a drive mechanism 124, a latch assembly 146, and other functional components. As an example, the drive mechanism 124 may be fixed to the carrier plate 110 by a drive mounting bracket 162. The drive mounting bracket 162 may be composed of a main portion 164 and a first end portion 166 and a second end portion 168, which may extend from opposite sides of the main portion 164, respectively. As a non-limiting example, the first end portion 166 may be disposed in a central region 170 on a second side 114b of the carrier plate 110 body 114, and the second end portion 168 may be disposed in a second end region 174 on a second side 114b of the carrier plate 110 body 114. The body 128 of the spindle drive 126 may be pivotally coupled or connected to one or more portions, such as the second end portion 168 of the drive mounting bracket. The pivot bracket 134 may be pivotally connected to the first end portion 166 of the drive mounting bracket 162, and the fixed member 156 of the lost motion mechanism 152 may be fixed to the second end portion 168 of the drive mounting bracket 162.

[0033] Figure 1 A rear view of an exemplary vehicle, such as a truck 100 , is shown with the tailgate assembly 102 in a closed and non-use position. Figure 2A rear perspective view of a tailgate assembly 102 is shown in a fully open and deployed position. The tailgate assembly 102 includes a primary door 104 configured to rotate about a vehicle body (e.g., a truck bed) 108 and a secondary door 106 configured to rotate about the primary door 104. As shown, in the deployed position, one or more functional components include a step formed by a platform 120, which can be deployed to allow a user to board into the truck bed and to allow multiple vehicle accessories (such as audio speakers 176, lights 178, or other accessories) including but not limited to power or USB connectors (not shown).

[0034] Figure 3 A rear perspective view of the secondary door 106 with the assembly module 160 is shown. Figure 5 A rear plan view of the component module 160 is shown. As a non-limiting example, the carrier plate 110 can be formed by injection molding of one or more plastic materials including an organic sheet. The organic sheet can be formed, for example, by a continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic, wherein continuous fibers in the form of a mesh scrim, woven fabric or knitted fabric composed of glass fibers, Kevlar (R) fibers, carbon fibers or synthetic fibers are embedded in a thermoplastic matrix. Suitable thermoplastics for the matrix are, for example, polyamide or polypropylene. The term "continuous fiber reinforced" should be understood to mean that the length of the fibers used for reinforcement is substantially limited by the size of the plate-like organic sheet. The organic sheet can be arranged in the carrier plate 110 at a location where additional rigidity or increased strength is required, including (but not limited to) the first end region 172 and the second end region 174 of the body 114 and the upper edge region 188 of the peripheral panel 184 extending from the body 114 of the carrier plate.

[0035] The secondary door 106 can be pivotally or rotatably connected to the main door 104 by one or more secondary door hinges 180, which can extend through the hole 182 and into the cavity 190. The hole 182 can be formed by a peripheral panel 184 extending from the main body 114 of the carrier plate 110. As shown, the attachment portion 186 of the secondary door hinge 180 can be fixed to the second side of the carrier plate 110, for example, in the first end region 170 and the second end region 172. The secondary door hinge 106 can be attached or fixed to the carrier plate before reaching the OEM, thereby reducing the OEM cycle time of the secondary door 106 or the cycle time of integrating the secondary door 106 into the main door 106. In one or more embodiments, the tailgate pedal hinge 118 of the tailgate pedal assembly 116 can be respectively disposed on the first side 114a of the carrier plate 110 and located in the first end region 172 and the second end region 174 of the carrier plate 110, so that the tailgate pedal hinge 118 is supported by the above-mentioned reinforced plastic material. As another example, the tailgate step hinge 118 may be integrally molded with the carrier plate 110 , further increasing efficiency by eliminating separate components and associated assembly time.

[0036] Figure 4 A rear perspective view of the assembly module 160 attached to the secondary door outer panel 112 is shown. As shown, the platform 120 is in a closed or non-use position and the latch assembly 146 is in a locked state. The striker 148 of the latch assembly 146 can be biased by one or more springs (not shown) so that when the platform 120 is in the non-use position, the striker 148 is received by the lock catch 150. The carrier plate 110 can form a semi-enclosed space defined by the body 114, the peripheral panel 184 and the bottom peripheral panel 192. Alternatively or in addition, the carrier plate 110, the outer panel 112 or both can include one or more seals or gaskets (not shown) to provide a waterproof or water-blocking seal between the carrier plate 110 and the outer panel 112. Alternatively or in addition, the bottom peripheral panel 192 can define one or more holes 194, which are configured to drain liquid (e.g., water) from the cavity 190 and the outside of the secondary door 106.

[0037] As mentioned above, Figure 5 A rear plan view of a portion of assembly module 160 is shown. Figure 5A and Figure 5BA portion of the drive mechanism 124, such as the pivot bracket 134, the articulated arm 142, and the force transfer member 144, is shown in a first position, wherein the tailgate step or platform 120 is in a non-use position, and in a second position, wherein the tailgate or step 120 is in a use or deployed position. When the platform is in the non-use position, the first translating portion 130 can extend a first distance or length L1 from the main body 128 of the spindle drive, and when the spindle drive 126 is actuated, the first translating portion 130 can extend toward the force transfer member 144 such that the first translating portion 130 is spaced apart from the main body 128 by a second distance L2. In response to the movement (e.g., extension) of the first translating portion 130, the pivot bracket 134 rotates (e.g., when viewed from above). FIG. 5A to FIG. 5B The rotation of the pivot bracket 134 may pull or move the articulated arm 142 upward and toward the pivot bracket 134, and the second end 144b of the force transfer member or lever arm 144 moves upward to move the first end 144a of the lever arm 144 downward to lower or deploy the platform 120.

[0038] The first end portion 166 of the drive mounting bracket 162 can have a substantially planar shape, and one or more intermediate components (e.g., washers, spacers) can be disposed between the pivot bracket 134 and the first end portion 166 of the bracket 162. Alternatively and as shown, the first end portion 166 can include a raised portion 196 that can be spaced from the second surface of the carrier plate 110 to accommodate the attachment of the spindle drive 126 to the platform 120. The first end portion 166 can be fixed to a central reinforcement bracket 200 that can provide additional rigidity in the central region 170 of the carrier plate 110. As described above, the central region 170 can have a greater wall thickness than other portions of the carrier plate 110. Alternatively or additionally, the central reinforcement bracket 200 can be overmolded or replaced with continuous fiber reinforcement. In one or more embodiments, the pivot bracket 134 can include one or more notches 198 such that the first translating portion 130 can extend and pivot the pivot bracket 134 without interference or collision between the first translating portion 130 and the pivot bracket 134 .

[0039] Figure 5C and Figure 5DThe lost motion mechanism 152 is shown in a first position and a second position, respectively. When in the first position, wherein the latch assembly 146 is in an unlatched state, in the second position, the latch assembly 146 is in an unlocked or disengaged state. In one or more embodiments, the translating member 158 can be fixed to a cable or wire 154 (shown in phantom) routed below the translating member or fixed member 156 and connected to the one or more strikers 148. The second translating portion 132 can be retracted toward the body 128 to move the translating member 158, thereby pulling the wire 154 and releasing the latch assembly 146.

[0040] Figure 6 A portion of a drive mounting bracket 202 is shown according to at least one other embodiment. The drive mounting bracket 202 includes a main portion 212 and a second end portion configured for attachment to the outer panel 112 and for supporting the lost motion mechanism 152. As an example, the second end portion 204 of the drive mounting bracket 202 may include an angled portion 210 extending from the main portion 212 such that the second end portion 204 is spaced apart from a portion of the outer panel 112. The second end portion 204 may include an angled flange 206 and a mounting flange 208 that may extend from the angled flange 206. The mounting flange 208 may be secured to the outer panel 112 by one or more fasteners or another attachment feature, as desired.

[0041] FIG. 7A to FIG. 7C Each shows a schematic diagram of a portion of a tailgate assembly 214 according to one or more embodiments. Specifically, Fig. 7A 2 shows a schematic diagram of a tailgate assembly having a secondary door 216 and a deployable member such as a step 220 in an open position and a cable 228 connected thereto, Figure 7B The pedal 220 and cable 228 are shown in a first closed position, and Figure 7C Pedal 220 and cable 228 are shown in a second, closed position.

[0042] The secondary door 216 includes a pedal 220 pivotally coupled to the secondary door 216 such that the pedal 220 can be rotated about a rotation axis 226 in an open position ( Fig. 7A ) and closed position ( FIG. 7B to FIG. 7C ). The tailgate assembly 214 includes a sub-door 216 forming a cavity 218 and an actuation mechanism including a cable 228 extending between a pedal 220 and a cable drum 246. The cable drum 246 may include a motor 248 ( Figure 8), the motor 248 is configured to rotate the cable drum 246 to increase or decrease the amount of cable 216 extending between the pedal 220 and the cable drum 246 (eg, to increase or decrease slack) to move the pedal 220 between the open position and the closed position.

[0043] The cable 216 may be routed through one or more cable support rollers 232, such as a first cable support roller 232a and a second cable support roller 232b, the first cable support roller 232a being mounted to one or more panels of the secondary door 216. The second cable support roller 232b may be secured to a cable tensioner 234 configured to pivot about a pivot point 236 to adjust the tension in the cable 228. It should be appreciated that the cable tensioner 234 may be formed from one or more rollers or another tensioning device, if desired.

[0044] One or more springs 224 may be operably connected to the pedal 220 and the secondary door 216. When the pedal 220 is in the closed position and is released, for example by unlocking a latch (not shown), the spring 224 biases the pedal 220 and rotates the pedal 220 toward the open position about the rotation axis 226. As the pedal 220 is lowered or rotated, the cable support rollers 232a, 232b and the cable tensioner 234 collectively apply tension to the cable 228, causing the cable 228 to be fed outwardly from the secondary door cavity 218 at a substantially consistent rate.

[0045] To move the pedal 220 from the open position to the closed position, the cable drum 246 rotates in a first rotational direction R1 and winds a portion of the cable 216. In one or more embodiments, the cable drum 246 can be self-locking and cannot be driven in reverse. When the pedal 220 is in the closed position, the cable drum 246 can be rotated in a second rotational direction R2 so that the cable 216 is unwound from the cable drum 246 and manual movement of the pedal 220 is achieved. The tensioner 234 can be rotated to apply tension to the cable 216 so that the cable 216 holds the pedal 220 in the closed position. The cable tensioner 234 can be biased by a spring 242 and a distal end connection point 240, which is connected to the cable tensioner 234 at an attachment portion 244, and the distal end connection point 240 can be fixed within the cavity 218.

[0046] Figure 8 A secondary tailgate assembly 250 is shown having an actuation mechanism including a cable drum 246, a motor 248, a cable 228, a cable tensioner 234, and a cable support roller 232. For clarity, the tailgate pedal and associated hinges are not shown. The operation of the actuation mechanism may be substantially similar to that of the reference FIG. 7A to FIG. 7C Describes the operation.

[0047] Although exemplary embodiments are described above, these embodiments are not intended to describe all possible forms covered by the claims. The words used in the specification are descriptive rather than limiting words, and it should be understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. As mentioned above, the features of various embodiments can be combined to form other embodiments of the present invention that may not be explicitly described or shown. Although various embodiments may have been described as providing advantages or being superior to other embodiments or prior art implementations in terms of one or more desired characteristics, it is recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art that one or more features or characteristics can give way to achieve the desired overall system properties, depending on the specific application and implementation. These properties may include, but are not limited to, cost, strength, durability, life cycle cost, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, serviceability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. In this way, if any embodiment is described as not being expected in terms of one or more desired characteristics compared to other embodiments or prior art implementations, these embodiments do not exceed the scope of the present disclosure and may be expected for specific applications.

[0048] The following is a list of reference numerals shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that the use of these terms is for illustrative purposes only with respect to one embodiment. Also, the use of reference numerals associated with specific terms shown in the drawings and present in the claims is not intended to limit the claims to cover only the illustrated embodiments.

[0049] Parts List

[0050] 100 Trucks

[0051] 102 tailgate assembly

[0052] 104 Main Gate

[0053] 106 secondary doors

[0054] 108 body

[0055] 110 load plate

[0056] 112 outer panel

[0057] 114 Main Body

[0058] 114a First side

[0059] 114b Second side

[0060] 116 tailgate pedal assembly

[0061] 118 tailgate pedal hinge

[0062] 120 Platform

[0063] 122 flange

[0064] 124 Driving mechanism

[0065] 126 spindle drive

[0066] 128 Main Body

[0067] 130 First translation part

[0068] 132 Second translation part

[0069] 134 pivot bracket

[0070] 136 First Arm

[0071] 138 Second arm

[0072] 140 Pivot Points

[0073] 142 articulated arm

[0074] 144 force transmission member, lever arm

[0075] 144a First end portion, lever arm portion

[0076] 144b Second end, lever arm portion

[0077] 146 Latch assembly

[0078] 148 striker pin

[0079] 150 lock

[0080] 152 Lost Motion Mechanism

[0081] 154 Cable or wire

[0082] 156Fixed components

[0083] 158 Translational Component

[0084] 160 component modules

[0085] 162 drive mounting bracket

[0086] 164 Main Part

[0087] 166 first end portion

[0088] 168 second end portion

[0089] 170 Center area of ​​the load-bearing plate

[0090] 172 first end region of the carrier plate

[0091] 174 Second end region of the carrier plate

[0092] 176 audio speakers

[0093] 178 lights

[0094] 180 door hinges

[0095] 182 Holes for secondary door hinges

[0096] 184 peripheral panels

[0097] 186 Attaching the secondary door hinge

[0098] 188 Upper edge area of ​​the peripheral panel

[0099] 190 Cavity

[0100] 192 Bottom peripheral panel

[0101] 194 Holes in bottom peripheral panel

[0102] 196 The raised portion of the first end portion of the drive bracket

[0103] 198 Notch in pivot bracket

[0104] 200 center reinforcement bracket

[0105] 202 drive mounting bracket

[0106] 204 Second end portion drive mounting bracket

[0107] 206 angled flange

[0108] 208 Mounting flange

[0109] 210 angled portion

[0110] 212 Main Part

[0111] 214 tailgate assembly

[0112] 216 auxiliary door

[0113] 218 cavity auxiliary door

[0114] 220 pedals

[0115] 222 Cable Attachment Pedal

[0116] 224 Spring for pedal

[0117] 226 Rotation axis

[0118] 228 Cable

[0119] 230 pipeline

[0120] 232 Cable support roller

[0121] 234 Cable Tensioner

[0122] 236 Pivot point of cable tensioner

[0123] 238 Cable tensioning roller

[0124] 240 Spring Mounting Parts

[0125] 242 tensioner spring

[0126] 244 Tensioner spring distal end

[0127] 246 Cable Reel

[0128] 248 Motor

[0129] 250 door assembly

Claims

1. A tailgate assembly, comprising: a first door configured to rotate relative to the vehicle body; as well as A second door, the second door is used to rotate relative to the first door, and the second door comprises: Outer panels, an injection molded carrier plate, the injection molded carrier plate being configured to be fixed to the outer panel to form a cavity, the injection molded carrier plate being configured to carry a plurality of functional components; and A drive mechanism is fixed to the carrier plate and operably connected to at least one of the plurality of functional components, the drive mechanism being configured to actuate and move the at least one functional component between a plurality of positions relative to the second door.

2. The tailgate assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of functional components includes a deployable member coupled to the second door and configured to move relative to the second door between a non-use position and a deployed position among the plurality of positions.

3. The tailgate assembly according to claim 2, wherein: The deployable member includes a platform configured to form a step for supporting a user.

4. The tailgate assembly according to claim 3, wherein: The injection-molded carrier plate includes a main body, which includes a first end area, a second end area and a central area, and the central area is arranged between the first end area and the second end area, wherein at least one area of ​​the first end area, the second end area and the central area has a first wall thickness, and other areas of the main body have a second wall thickness, and the second wall thickness is different from the first wall thickness.

5. The tailgate assembly according to claim 4, wherein: The second wall thickness is smaller than the first wall thickness.

6. The tailgate assembly according to claim 5, further comprising: A plurality of hinges are fixed to a first side of the injection molded carrier plate, a first hinge of the plurality of hinges is disposed within the first end region of the main body, a second hinge of the plurality of hinges is disposed within the first end region of the main body, and the plurality of hinges are configured to be connected to the first door or the deployable member.

7. The tailgate assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: a drive mounting bracket configured to carry the drive mechanism and comprising a main portion, a first end portion, and a second end portion, the first end portion and the second end portion each extending from the main portion, the injection molded carrier plate comprising a body, the body comprising a first end region, a second end region, and a central region, the central region being disposed between the first end region and the second end region, wherein at least one of the first end region, the second end region and the central region has a first wall thickness, and other regions of the body have a second wall thickness, the second wall thickness being different from the first wall thickness, and Therein, the first end portion is fixed to the central region of the injection molded carrier plate.

8. The tailgate assembly according to claim 7, wherein: The injection molded carrier plate includes a plurality of accessory apertures, each accessory aperture configured to receive a vehicle accessory, and the drive mounting bracket extends over and covers at least some of the plurality of accessory apertures.

9. The tailgate assembly according to claim 8, wherein: The plurality of functional components include a latch assembly and a platform coupled to the second door and configured to move relative to the second door between a non-use position and a deployed position among the plurality of positions, the latch assembly having: a latch including at least one striker and at least one catch, the at least one striker being secured to one of the injection molded carrier plate and the platform and the catch being secured to the other of the carrier plate and the platform, the latch being operable between a locked state in which the striker engages the catch and an unlocked state in which the striker disengages from the catch, and a lost motion mechanism operably connected to the latch and the drive mechanism such that when the drive mechanism is actuated in a first direction, the lost motion mechanism is actuated to change the state of the latch from the locked state to the unlocked state before moving the platform from the non-use position toward the deployed position.

10. The tailgate assembly according to claim 9, wherein: The lost motion mechanism includes a fixed member and a translating member, the fixed member and the second end region of the injection molded carrier plate sandwiching at least a portion of the second end portion of the drive mounting bracket.

11. A component module, the component module being configured to be used in a tailgate assembly, the tailgate assembly being provided with a main door and a secondary door, the main door being configured to rotate relative to a vehicle body, and the secondary door being configured to rotate relative to the main door, the component module comprising: a carrier plate configured to be fixed to the outer panel of the sub-door, the carrier plate comprising a body having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being opposite to the second surface; an expandable member pivotably coupled to the first surface of the carrier plate, the expandable member being configured to rotate relative to the carrier plate between a deployed position and a non-use position; a linear actuator secured to the second surface of the carrier plate; a force transfer member including a first end and a second end, the first end being secured to the deployable member; as well as A pivot bracket is pivotally coupled to the second surface of the carrier plate and includes a first leg and a second leg, the first leg being connected to the force transfer member and the second leg being connected to the linear actuator.

12. The assembly module according to claim 11, further comprising: A plurality of secondary door hinges are fixed to the bearing plate, each of the plurality of secondary door hinges includes an attachment portion and a hinge portion, the attachment portion is fixed to the second surface of the bearing plate, and the hinge portion is configured to be connected to the main door, and the force transfer member is substantially equidistantly spaced from a first secondary door hinge among the plurality of secondary door hinges and a second secondary door hinge among the plurality of secondary door hinges.

13. The assembly module according to claim 11, further comprising: A latch comprising a striker and a catch, wherein the striker is fixed to one of the carrier plate and the deployable member, and the catch is fixed to the other of the carrier plate and the deployable member, the latch being operable between a locked state and an unlocked state, wherein the striker engages the catch and wherein the striker disengages from the catch, wherein the latch is operably connected to the linear actuator so that the latch changes from the locked state to the unlocked state in response to actuation of the linear actuator.

14. The assembly module according to claim 13, further comprising: A lost motion mechanism is disposed in a cavity formed by the carrier plate and the outer panel of the secondary door, the lost motion mechanism being operably connected to the latch and the linear actuator so that when the linear actuator is actuated in a first direction, the linear actuator actuates the lost motion mechanism to change the state of the latch from the locked state to the unlocked state substantially before moving the deployable member from the non-use position toward the deployed position.

15. The assembly module according to claim 14, wherein: The lost motion mechanism includes a fixed member fixed to the second surface of the carrier plate and a translating member coupled to the linear actuator and configured to move along the fixed member in response to actuation of the linear actuator.

16. The assembly module according to claim 15, wherein: The deployable member is configured to rotate about a rotation axis, and the translating member of the lost motion mechanism is configured to move in a direction substantially parallel to the rotation axis.

17. The assembly module according to claim 11, further comprising: An actuator mounting bracket comprises a main body, a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first end portion and the second end portion extend from the first end region and the second end region of the main body respectively, and a section of the first end portion is clamped between the second surface of the supporting plate and at least a portion of the pivot bracket.

18. The assembly module according to claim 17, wherein: The carrier plate includes a first peripheral panel extending from the body of the carrier plate in a direction substantially transverse to the body, and the second end portion includes a flange secured to the first peripheral panel.

19. A method of assembling a sub-door for use in a tailgate assembly, the tailgate assembly having a main door and a sub-door, the main door being configured to rotate relative to a vehicle body, and the sub-door being configured to rotate relative to the main door, the method comprising: forming a carrier plate configured to be secured to an outer panel of the secondary door, the carrier plate comprising a body having a first side and a second side, the first side being opposite the second side; attaching at least one secondary door hinge to the first side of the carrier plate, the at least one secondary door hinge being configured to be rotatably connected to the primary door; attaching at least one tailgate step assembly to the second side of the carrier plate, the tailgate step assembly comprising a tailgate step hinge and a platform, the platform being configured to rotate relative to the tailgate step hinge; inserting at least one vehicle accessory into one of the plurality of vehicle accessory apertures; attaching at least one drive mounting bracket to the first side of the carrier plate such that at least a portion of the drive mounting bracket covers the at least one vehicle accessory; attaching a pivot bracket to the at least one drive mounting bracket, the pivot bracket being configured to pivot relative to the at least one drive mounting bracket; attaching a spindle drive assembly to the drive mounting bracket and the pivot bracket; as well as The pivot bracket is operably coupled to the tailgate step assembly such that the platform of the tailgate step assembly rotates about the tailgate step hinge in response to actuation of the spindle drive assembly.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising: The at least one auxiliary door hinge is placed in the end area of ​​the carrier plate, wherein the forming step includes injection molding the carrier plate, the carrier plate includes an end area, the end area has a first wall thickness, and other areas of the carrier plate have a second wall thickness, the second wall thickness is less than the first wall thickness.

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