INTRODUCTION

The present disclosure is directed to vehicles. More specifically, the present disclosure is directed to vehicle tailgate assemblies.

SUMMARY

Vehicles equipped with cargo beds are useful in situations requiring significant hauling capacity. Cargo beds are commonly designed as large, flat beds enclosed by side walls and a rear tailgate that may open to allow easier loading of contents, and close to help secure the contents within the bed during vehicle operation. Various tailgate designs exist. For example, some tailgates are designed to pivot about an axis at or proximate to the lower end of the tailgate panel, resulting in a small gap between the open tailgate and the bed. Conversely, some tailgates are designed with components such as wide-throw or swing-clear hinges that leave an offset or gap between the tailgate panel and the end of the cargo bed, effectively extending the useful length of the cargo bed when the tailgate is open. This often entails an additional tailgate component, such as a sill flap, that covers the gap when the tailgate is open. Such tailgate designs also present challenges, however. For example, space constraints under the vehicle bed, and the sizes and shapes of various vehicle components located there, may dictate unconventional bed shapes that may present difficulties in designing compatible sill flaps.

Accordingly, systems and methods are disclosed herein that provide a vehicle tailgate assembly that allows, for example, the spare tire bin to extend beyond the tailgate sill flap in the closed position, while still allowing the sill flap to open and close properly. In some embodiments, the tailgate assembly includes both a tailgate and a sill flap, where the sill flap has a cutout to accommodate a portion of the spare tire bin when the sill flap is folded down into its open configuration. The tailgate opens away from the truck bed to leave a gap or space between the edge of the bad and the tailgate when opened. The sill flap opens to fit within this space, so that the tailgate and sill flap, when in the open configuration, both lie flat to act as an extension of the vehicle bed.

As the assembly includes both a sill flap and tailgate, the sill flap has a number of rollers located at its upper edge and facing the tailgate, where the rollers contact the tailgate when the tailgate and sill flap are opened. Thus, when opened, the rollers of the sill flap roll along the inner surface of the tailgate as the sill flap and tailgate are pivoted from their upright closed configuration to their horizontal opened configuration. That is, the sill flap lies on the tailgate as the tailgate assembly is opened, with the sill flap rollers preventing sliding contact between the sill flap and tailgate. In particular, the rollers of the sill flap rotatably contact the tailgate to roll as the sill flap and tailgate move relative to each other, preventing scraping or other friction damage between the sill flap and tailgate when the tailgate assembly is opened or closed.

In some embodiments, raised or recessed channels are formed in the tailgate, to accommodate the rollers when they roll along the tailgate. Thus, the sill flap is arranged to place the rollers within or upon the channels, with the rollers rotatably contacting the channels as the tailgate assembly is opened/closed. In some embodiments, the rollers may not contact the channels when the tailgate assembly is fully opened. Instead, a lip of the sill flap may rest on, and be supported by, a portion of the tailgate.

As above, the sill flap may incorporate a cutout to accommodate any portion of the spare tire bin or other element of the vehicle bed. The cutout may be of any shape suitable for accommodating any portion of the vehicle bed. Accordingly, the sill flap may be narrower along its cutout, and wider elsewhere. Such configuration allows a portion of the vehicle bed to extend beyond the sill flap when the sill flap is closed.

The sill flap may be connected to the vehicle bed in any manner. For example, the sill flap may be connected to the vehicle bed via one or more hinges. Hinges may be configured in any manner, such as with a torsion spring whose opposing ends are connected to the sill flap and vehicle bed respectively.

In this manner, embodiments of the disclosure provide a sill flap and tailgate each pivotably connected to a vehicle bed, where the sill flap has one or more rollers facing the tailgate. The rollers thus rotate along the tailgate while the sill flap and the tailgate are pivoted between a closed vehicle bed orientation and an open vehicle bed orientation.

