BACKGROUND

The present disclosure is directed to a tailgate locking system, such as for use on a pickup truck bed. It is desirable to be able to lock the pickup truck bed, so that it may be used securely as a storage space, and to prevent theft of the tailgate itself. Tailgates also often have multiple door handles, optionally with different modes of operation. Thus it may be desirable to be able to lock multiple door handles; in addition, it may be preferable to the customer to not have to carry around several keys for a single vehicle, so it is desirable to coordinate the locks on multiple handles for use with a single key. In addition, although power locks may provide ease of use via automated operation, power systems rely on battery power, and may be inoperable if the vehicle battery is dead. Thus, manual locks may be preferable for more reliable operation.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary of one or more aspects of the present disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding of such aspects. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated aspects and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all aspects nor delineate the scope of any or all aspects. Its purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure is directed to a lock assembly, comprising: a key cylinder having a locked and an unlocked configuration; a lock arm having a first end and a second end; a connecting arm coupling the key cylinder to the first end of the lock arm; a slider coupled to the second end of the lock arm; a mounting bracket coupled to the lock arm, the mounting bracket defining a slot having a length and configured to accommodate the slider such that the slider is movable along the length of the slot between a first position and a second position wherein, when the key cylinder is in the locked position, the lock arm moves the slider into the first position in the slot, and when the key cylinder is in the unlocked position, the lock arm moves the slider into the second position in the slot.

In some aspects, the lock assembly further comprises a door handle, and, when the key cylinder is in the locked position and the lock arm is in the first position in the slot, the slider interferes with operation of the door handle, and when the key cylinder is in the unlocked position and the lock arm is in the second position in the slot, the slider does not interfere with operation of the door handle.

In some aspects, the bracket further comprises a first mechanical stop tab attached thereto, wherein, the first mechanical stop tab is attached to the bracket at a location such that, when the key cylinder is in the locked position, the lock arm contacts the first mechanical stop tab, and the contacting of the lock arm with the first mechanical stop tab stops the slider from moving past the first position in the slot.

In some aspects, the bracket further comprises a second mechanical stop tab attached thereto, wherein, the second mechanical stop tab is attached to the bracket at a location such that, when the key cylinder is in the unlocked position, the lock arm contacts the second mechanical stop tab, and the contacting of the lock atm with the second mechanical stop tab stops the slider from moving past the second position in the slot.

In some aspects, the door handle is a first door handle, and the lock assembly further comprises a second door handle, wherein, when the key cylinder is in the locked position, the lock arm moves the slider into the first position in the slot where the slider interferes with the operation of the second door handle, and when the key cylinder is in the unlocked position, the lock arm moves the slider into the second position in the slot where the slider does not interfere with the operation of the second door handle.

In some aspects, the lock assembly further comprises a lock lever connected to the first door handle and the second door handle, wherein the lock lever moves between a first lock lever position and a second lock lever position when the first door handle or the second door handle is actuated, and wherein, when the key cylinder is in the locked position, the slider interferes with movement of the lock lever between the first lock lever position and the second lock lever position.

In some aspects, said movement of the lock lever is rotation of the lock lever.

In some aspects, when the key cylinder is in the unlocked position, operation of the first door handle enables opening of a door rotatably about a first axis, and operation of the second door handle enables opening of the door rotatably about a second axis different from the first axis.

In some aspects, the lock assembly further comprises a lock lever connected to the door handle, wherein the lock lever moves between a first lock lever position and a second lock lever position when the door handle is actuated, and wherein, when the key cylinder is in the locked position, the slider interferes with movement of the lock lever between the first lock lever position and the second lock lever position.

In some aspects, said movement of the lock lever is rotation of the lock lever.

In some aspects, the bracket further defines an opening coupled to the slot, and wherein the slider is removable through the opening.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure is directed to a tailgate assembly, comprising: a tailgate door, the tailgate door comprising a first door handle positioned on a surface of the tailgate door; a key cylinder having a locked and an unlocked configuration; a lock arm having a first end and a second end; a connecting atm coupling the key cylinder to the first end of the lock arm; a slider coupled to the second end of the lock arm; a lock lever connected to the first door handle, wherein the lock lever rotates between a first lock lever position and a second lock lever position when the first door handle is actuated; a mounting bracket coupled to the lock arm, the mounting bracket defining a slot having a length and configured to accommodate the slider such that the slider is movable along the length of the slot between a first position and a second position wherein, when the key cylinder is in the locked position, the lock arm moves the slider into the first position in the slot where the slider interferes with rotation of the lock lever between the first lock lever position and the second lock lever position, and interferes with the operation of the first door handle, and when the key cylinder is in the unlocked position, the lock arm moves the slider into the second position in the slot where the slider does not interfere with operation of the first door handle, and actuation of the first door handle enables opening of the tailgate door rotatably about a first axis, and wherein the bracket further comprises a first mechanical stop tab attached thereto, wherein, the first mechanical stop tab is attached to the bracket at a location such that, when the key cylinder is in the locked position, and the lock arm moves the slider into the first position in the slot, the lock arm contacts the first mechanical stop tab, and the contacting of the lock arm with the first mechanical stop tab stops the slider from moving past the first position in the slot. All aspects described with reference to the lock assembly apply to the tailgate assembly with equal force.

In some aspects, the bracket further comprises a second mechanical stop tab attached thereto, wherein, the second mechanical stop tab is attached to the bracket at a location such that, when the key cylinder is in the unlocked position, and the lock arm moves the slider into the second position in the slot, the lock arm contacts the second mechanical stop tab, and the contacting of the lock arm with the second mechanical stop tab stops the slider from moving past the second position in the slot.

In some aspects, the tailgate door further comprises a second door handle spaced apart from the first door handle on the surface of the tailgate door, and wherein, when the key cylinder is in the locked position, the lock arm moves the slider into the first position in the slot where the slider interferes with the operation of the first and second door handles, when the key cylinder is in the unlocked position, the lock arm moves the slider into the second position in the slot where the slider does not interfere with operation of the first and second door handles, and when the key cylinder is in the unlocked position, operation of the first door handle enables opening of the tailgate door rotatably about the first axis, and operation of the second door handle enables opening of the tailgate door rotatably about a second axis different from the first axis.

In some aspects, the lock lever rotates between the first lock lever position and the second lock lever position when the second door handle is actuated.

In some aspects, the bracket further defines an opening connected to the second position in the slot, and wherein the slider is removable through the opening.

In some aspects, the bracket further comprises a second mechanical stop tab attached thereto, wherein, the second mechanical stop tab is attached to the bracket at a location such that, when the key cylinder is in the unlocked position, and the lock arm moves the slider into the second position in the slot, the lock arm contacts the second mechanical stop tab, and the contacting of the lock arm with the second mechanical stop tab stops the slider from moving past the second position in the slot.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure is directed to a lock assembly for a vehicle tailgate, comprising: a first door handle for opening a tailgate door; a second door handle for opening the tailgate door; a synchronizer connected to a lock lever operable by the first door handle and the second door handle for opening the tailgate door; and a slider movable between a first position in which the slider interferes with movement of the lock lever to prevent opening the tailgate door, and a second position in which movement of the lock lever is operable to open the tailgate door.

In some aspects, the lock assembly further comprises a mounting bracket for attaching to the tailgate door, the mounting bracket defining a slot having a length and configured to accommodate the slider such that the slider is movable along the length of the slot between the first position and the second position.

In some aspects, the lock assembly further comprises a lock arm joined to the slider and the mounting bracket; and a key cylinder operably connected to the lock arm such that movement of the key cylinder moves the lock arm to move the slider between the first position and the second position.

In some aspects, the bracket further defines an opening connected to the second position in the slot, and wherein the slider is removable through the opening.

These and other aspects of the invention will become more fully understood upon a review of the detailed description, which follows.

