US3713472A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle closure system
Assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
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Filing: 1971-11-17
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Granted: 1973-01-30
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Expires: 1991-11-17
Abstract
Abstract A station wagon tailgate type vehicle closure system operable in a randomly interchangeable manner in either one of a power mode and a manual mode, the system including a closure, an operator movable from a center position in opening and closing directions, a pin and slot connection between the closure and the operator effecting movement of the closure in the power mode during movement of the operator in either direction away from the center position while permitting lost motion between the closure and the operator during movement of the operator back to the center position, the lost motion also permitting movement of the closure in the manual mode when the operator is in the center position, a manual switch for energizing a motor adapted to drive the operator in either direction away from the center position, a reversing and stopping circuit responsive to deactuation of the manual switch for temporarily energizing the motor to return the operator to the center position, a striker mounted on the vehicle and movable between a center position and an extended position synchronously with movement of the operator, and a latch assembly on the closure engageable on the striker. When the operator is in the center position the striker is in its center position and the closure is movable in the normal manual mode. When the operator is actuated to move the closure toward a closed position the striker moves to the extended position for engagement with the latch assembly whereafter the striker during movement back to the center position pulls the closure to a fully closed position synchronously with movement of the operator back to its center position.
Inventors
- 👤 J Dozois
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 20:00
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60J; B60J5/00; B60J5/10; B60J5/12; E; E05; E05B; E05B81/00; E05B81/12; E05B81/20; E05B81/22; E05F; E05F15/00; E05F15/60; E05F15/603; E05F15/611; E05F15/63; E05Y; E05Y2201/00; E05Y2201/20; E05Y2201/214; E05Y2201/224; E05Y2201/23; E05Y2201/232; E05Y2201/24; E05Y2201/246; E05Y2201/40; E05Y2201/46; E05Y2201/462; E05Y2201/60; E05Y2201/622; E05Y2201/624; E05Y2201/644; E05Y2201/71; E05Y2201/716; E05Y2400/00; E05Y2400/10; E05Y2400/30; E05Y2400/3013; E05Y2800/00; E05Y2800/26; E05Y2800/292; E05Y2800/296; E05Y2800/74; E05Y2900/00; E05Y2900/50; E05Y2900/53; E05Y2900/546
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
565 words
In a vehicle body having an opening therein, a closure supported thereon for movement between an open position remote from said opening, a semi-closed position, and a closed position sealingly closing said opening, and counterbalance means between said body and said closure operable to bias said closure toward and to maintain the latter in the open position, the combination comprising, a closure operator on said body movable from a center position in oPposite opening and closing directions corresponding respectively to movement of said closure in a power mode toward said open position and toward said closed position, drive means associated with said operator for moving the latter in either one of the opening and the closing directions, manual control means associated with said drive means selectively actuable to effect movement of said operator away from the center position in either one of the opening and the closing directions, combination reversing and stop means associated with said drive means responsive to deactuation of said manual control means to temporarily reverse the direction of movement of said operator for returning the latter to and maintaining the latter in the center position, connecting means between said operator and said closure operative to drivingly connect said closure and said operator during movement of the latter away from the center position in either one of the opening and the closing directions thereby to move said closure in the power mode from the closed to the open position and from the open to the semi-closed position and to effect lost motion between said operator and said closure during movement of the former toward the center position in either one of the opening and the closing directions thereby to permit return of said operator to the center position independently of said closure, said connecting means in the center position of said operator permitting movement of said closure in a manual mode between the open and the closed positions, striker means on said body movable between a center position and an extended position, drive means associated with said striker for moving the latter between the center and the extended positions, synchronizing means between said operator and said striker for synchronizing movement of said striker from the center position to the extended position with movement of said operator away from the center position in the closing direction and from the extended position to the center position with movement of said operator in the opening direction toward the center position thereof, latch means on said closure retainingly engageable on said striker in the extended position of the latter and in the semi-closed position of said closure during movement of said closure in the power mode and engageable on said striker in the center position of the latter and in the closed position of said closure during movement of said closure in the manual mode and actuable to release said striker, movement of said striker from the extended to the center position thereof with said latch means engaged thereon effecting forced movement of said closure from the semi-closed to the closed position, and latch control means operable to effect releasing actuation of said latch means independently of said manual control means to permit movement of said closure in the manual mode and to effect releasing actuation generally simultaneously with actuation of said manual control means thereby to permit movement of said closure in the power mode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
565 words
In a vehicle body having an opening therein, a closure supported thereon for movement between an open position remote from said opening, a semi-closed position, and a closed position sealingly closing said opening, and counterbalance means between said body and said closure operable to bias said closure toward and to maintain the latter in the open position, the combination comprising, a closure operator on said body movable from a center position in oPposite opening and closing directions corresponding respectively to movement of said closure in a power mode toward said open position and toward said closed position, drive means associated with said operator for moving the latter in either one of the opening and the closing directions, manual control means associated with said drive means selectively actuable to effect movement of said operator away from the center position in either one of the opening and the closing directions, combination reversing and stop means associated with said drive means responsive to deactuation of said manual control means to temporarily reverse the direction of movement of said operator for returning the latter to and maintaining the latter in the center position, connecting means between said operator and said closure operative to drivingly connect said closure and said operator during movement of the latter away from the center position in either one of the opening and the closing directions thereby to move said closure in the power mode from the closed to the open position and from the open to the semi-closed position and to effect lost motion between said operator and said closure during movement of the former toward the center position in either one of the opening and the closing directions thereby to permit return of said operator to the center position independently of said closure, said connecting means in the center position of said operator permitting movement of said closure in a manual mode between the open and the closed positions, striker means on said body movable between a center position and an extended position, drive means associated with said striker for moving the latter between the center and the extended positions, synchronizing means between said operator and said striker for synchronizing movement of said striker from the center position to the extended position with movement of said operator away from the center position in the closing direction and from the extended position to the center position with movement of said operator in the opening direction toward the center position thereof, latch means on said closure retainingly engageable on said striker in the extended position of the latter and in the semi-closed position of said closure during movement of said closure in the power mode and engageable on said striker in the center position of the latter and in the closed position of said closure during movement of said closure in the manual mode and actuable to release said striker, movement of said striker from the extended to the center position thereof with said latch means engaged thereon effecting forced movement of said closure from the semi-closed to the closed position, and latch control means operable to effect releasing actuation of said latch means independently of said manual control means to permit movement of said closure in the manual mode and to effect releasing actuation generally simultaneously with actuation of said manual control means thereby to permit movement of said closure in the power mode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
565 words
In a vehicle body having an opening therein, a closure supported thereon for movement between an open position remote from said opening, a semi-closed position, and a closed position sealingly closing said opening, and counterbalance means between said body and said closure operable to bias said closure toward and to maintain the latter in the open position, the combination comprising, a closure operator on said body movable from a center position in oPposite opening and closing directions corresponding respectively to movement of said closure in a power mode toward said open position and toward said closed position, drive means associated with said operator for moving the latter in either one of the opening and the closing directions, manual control means associated with said drive means selectively actuable to effect movement of said operator away from the center position in either one of the opening and the closing directions, combination reversing and stop means associated with said drive means responsive to deactuation of said manual control means to temporarily reverse the direction of movement of said operator for returning the latter to and maintaining the latter in the center position, connecting means between said operator and said closure operative to drivingly connect said closure and said operator during movement of the latter away from the center position in either one of the opening and the closing directions thereby to move said closure in the power mode from the closed to the open position and from the open to the semi-closed position and to effect lost motion between said operator and said closure during movement of the former toward the center position in either one of the opening and the closing directions thereby to permit return of said operator to the center position independently of said closure, said connecting means in the center position of said operator permitting movement of said closure in a manual mode between the open and the closed positions, striker means on said body movable between a center position and an extended position, drive means associated with said striker for moving the latter between the center and the extended positions, synchronizing means between said operator and said striker for synchronizing movement of said striker from the center position to the extended position with movement of said operator away from the center position in the closing direction and from the extended position to the center position with movement of said operator in the opening direction toward the center position thereof, latch means on said closure retainingly engageable on said striker in the extended position of the latter and in the semi-closed position of said closure during movement of said closure in the power mode and engageable on said striker in the center position of the latter and in the closed position of said closure during movement of said closure in the manual mode and actuable to release said striker, movement of said striker from the extended to the center position thereof with said latch means engaged thereon effecting forced movement of said closure from the semi-closed to the closed position, and latch control means operable to effect releasing actuation of said latch means independently of said manual control means to permit movement of said closure in the manual mode and to effect releasing actuation generally simultaneously with actuation of said manual control means thereby to permit movement of said closure in the power mode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
565 words
In a vehicle body having an opening therein, a closure supported thereon for movement between an open position remote from said opening, a semi-closed position, and a closed position sealingly closing said opening, and counterbalance means between said body and said closure operable to bias said closure toward and to maintain the latter in the open position, the combination comprising, a closure operator on said body movable from a center position in oPposite opening and closing directions corresponding respectively to movement of said closure in a power mode toward said open position and toward said closed position, drive means associated with said operator for moving the latter in either one of the opening and the closing directions, manual control means associated with said drive means selectively actuable to effect movement of said operator away from the center position in either one of the opening and the closing directions, combination reversing and stop means associated with said drive means responsive to deactuation of said manual control means to temporarily reverse the direction of movement of said operator for returning the latter to and maintaining the latter in the center position, connecting means between said operator and said closure operative to drivingly connect said closure and said operator during movement of the latter away from the center position in either one of the opening and the closing directions thereby to move said closure in the power mode from the closed to the open position and from the open to the semi-closed position and to effect lost motion between said operator and said closure during movement of the former toward the center position in either one of the opening and the closing directions thereby to permit return of said operator to the center position independently of said closure, said connecting means in the center position of said operator permitting movement of said closure in a manual mode between the open and the closed positions, striker means on said body movable between a center position and an extended position, drive means associated with said striker for moving the latter between the center and the extended positions, synchronizing means between said operator and said striker for synchronizing movement of said striker from the center position to the extended position with movement of said operator away from the center position in the closing direction and from the extended position to the center position with movement of said operator in the opening direction toward the center position thereof, latch means on said closure retainingly engageable on said striker in the extended position of the latter and in the semi-closed position of said closure during movement of said closure in the power mode and engageable on said striker in the center position of the latter and in the closed position of said closure during movement of said closure in the manual mode and actuable to release said striker, movement of said striker from the extended to the center position thereof with said latch means engaged thereon effecting forced movement of said closure from the semi-closed to the closed position, and latch control means operable to effect releasing actuation of said latch means independently of said manual control means to permit movement of said closure in the manual mode and to effect releasing actuation generally simultaneously with actuation of said manual control means thereby to permit movement of said closure in the power mode.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-01-30 | 1976-07-31 | 1977-01-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-01-30 | 1980-07-31 | 1981-01-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-01-30 | 1984-07-31 | 1985-01-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |