Shingled Tailgate Door Assembly for Clean Cargo Bed Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle tailgates often fail to provide efficient access to cargo beds while maintaining aesthetic appeal and preventing debris from entering gaps between the tailgate components.
Innovation Solution
A tailgate assembly with a frame and door subassembly that pivots on horizontal and vertical axes, allowing the door to be shingled relative to the frame, with material shields covering split lines to prevent debris entry and enhancing aesthetics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the door subassembly is not shingled relative to the frame subassembly, then the structure is simpler, but gaps appear and aesthetic appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The door subassembly is made pivotable relative to the frame subassembly about a vertically extending axis, allowing it to dynamically adjust between a shingled closed position for aesthetics and an open position for cargo access, resolving the contradiction between appearance and functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The tailgate is divided into separate frame subassembly and door subassembly components, with the door subassembly further containing the access opening, allowing independent positioning and shingling of the door relative to the frame to achieve both aesthetic closure and functional access
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the door subassembly is shingled relative to the frame subassembly, then material entry into gaps is prevented, but the mechanism for achieving shingling becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The vertical pivot axis enables the door subassembly to dynamically shift position, allowing the outer surface to engage with the frame subassembly in a shingled configuration that blocks material entry, while the pivot mechanism remains relatively simple compared to multi-axis systems
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical pivot axis acts as an intermediary mechanism that enables the door subassembly to achieve the shingled position for preventing material entry, providing a straightforward rotational connection between the door and frame subassemblies
3Ease of operation
If the door subassembly is pivotable relative to the frame subassembly, then cargo bed access is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door subassembly is segmented from the frame subassembly with a pivot coupling, creating an independent movable component that provides easy cargo access while keeping each subassembly structurally simple and manageable
Solution Approach 2:
The pivot coupling enables the door subassembly to dynamically move between closed and open positions, improving cargo bed accessibility while maintaining a relatively simple rotational connection rather than a complex multi-degree-of-freedom mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle assembly includes a frame subassembly of a tailgate. The frame subassembly has a cargo bed access opening between a first outboard section and a second outboard section. The assembly further includes a door subassembly of the tailgate. The door subassembly is pivotably coupled to the frame subassembly. The door subassembly is pivotable relative to the frame subassembly back-and-forth between a door open position and a door closed position. When the door subassembly is in the door closed position, the door subassembly closes the cargo bed access opening and is shingled relative to the frame subassembly.