A locking assembly can achieve positive locking of a tailgate, by including a guideblock having a guide slot defined therein, a lockplate configured to be slidably received within the guide slot, and a clevis that is configured to operatively cooperate with the lockplate. A locking hook formed in the lockplate will capture a pin in the clevis to achieve the desired locking capabilities. A capture pin is removably coupled to the guideblock and positioned within a containment in the lockplate to control travel. An actuator is coupled at one end to a portion of the vehicle and at the other end to the lockplate in a manner to cause movement of the lockplate and subsequent movement of the tailgate in an opening direction. The actuator is further configured to cause the tailgate to move in a closing direction until reaching a closed position and then moving the lockplate from an unlocked position to a locked position, thus causing the locking hook to capture the pin in the clevis and further causing the tailgate to be positively locked.

Hinge members and foldable structures incorporating the same are described herein. A foldable structure includes a section, a brace, and a hinge member attaching to the section to enable the section to move between a folded position and an extended position. The hinge member includes a first bracket and a second bracket that are hingedly joined to each other. The first bracket includes a first flange that is integrally formed and extending from the first bracket. The first brace is attached, between the first flange of the first bracket and a surface of a different structure, to the first hinge member.

A domestic refrigeration appliance having a housing in which a cooling compartment is provided, and is closable by a first door which is movably arranged on the housing. The appliance further having a dispensing unit having an output unit and an ice maker. The dispensing unit is configured for the output of liquid and/or molded ice elements and is arranged on the first door. A rear side of the first door facing toward the cooling compartment has a receptacle protruding toward the cooling compartment, in which receptacle the dispensing unit is arranged. The first door is pivotably arranged with at least one multiple-joint hinge on the housing. The multiple-joint hinge has a mechanism with which, during the pivoting movement of the first door, the first door is also displaced in the width direction.

A window balance assembly may include a carrier, a spring element, and a mounting bracket. The spring element may include first and second portions. The first portion may be coupled to the carrier. The mounting bracket may engage the second portion of the spring element and may selectively engage the carrier.

This disclosure details vehicle closure member systems that include integrated features for increasing the functionality of a closure member (e.g., a swing gate) of the system. A bottle opener feature may be integrated as part of a hinge assembly that movably mounts the closure member relative to a vehicle body. A bottle cap catch feature may be integrated as part of a trim piece that at least partially conceals portions of the hinge assembly, and the bottle cap catch feature may function to collect bottle caps that are dislodged by the bottle opener feature. The integrated bottle opener and bottle cap catch features are conveniently packaged on the vehicle for use during outdoor social gatherings when the closure member is moved to an open position during stationary, non-moving conditions of the vehicle.

A method of and an apparatus for controlling a vehicle for convenient trunk use. The method, performed by a device of a vehicle, for controlling the vehicle, includes recognizing a request to use a trunk, obtaining parking status information of the vehicle, controlling the vehicle to secure a trunk working space for trunk use based on the parking status information of the vehicle, and opening a door of the trunk in response to securing the trunk working space.

A tailgate assembly including a first gate and a second gate. The first gate configured to rotate with respect to a vehicle body and the second gate configured to rotate with respect to the first gate. The second gate includes an outer panel, an injection molded carrier plate, and a drive mechanism. The injection molded carrier plate is configured to be fixed the outer panel to form a cavity. And the injection molded carrier plate is configured to carry a number of functional components. The drive mechanism is fixed to the carrier plate and operably connected to at least one functional component of the number of functional components. Drive mechanism is configured to actuate and move the at least one functional component with respect to the second gate between the number of positions.

A hinge coupling assembly includes a first coupling incorporated within a first hinge section coupled to a door, including a first end and an opposite second end connecting a first coupling passage formed within the first coupling, and a second coupling incorporated within a second hinge section separate from the first hinge section and coupled to a door frame, the second coupling including a first end and an opposite second end connecting a second coupling passage formed within the second coupling. Connection and disconnection of the first coupling to the second coupling to create a single sealed continuous passage formed by the first coupling passage and second coupling passage is simultaneous upon installation and removal of the door to the door frame. The sealed continuous passage is maintained upon radial and axial displacement of the first coupling with respect to the second coupling upon opening and closing of the door.

The invention is directed to a hatch arrangement for a motor vehicle, the hatch arrangement having a hatch leaf movable between an open hatch position and a closed hatch position, and a cinching catch for engaging a cinching striker of the motor vehicle, which cinching catch is movably coupled to the hatch leaf, and a hatch drive arrangement for moving the hatch leaf. The hatch drive arrangement is coupled with the cinching catch for moving the cinching catch. The invention is also directed to a hatch drive arrangement for such a hatch arrangement.

An egress entrance system (1) comprising a swing door member (10) having a door leaf (12), an initiate device (13) for initiating a panic opening, and an automatic door operator (30) is provided. The automatic door operator (30) has a motor (34) capable of causing movement of the door member (10), a controller (31) for controlling operation of the motor (34), and the automatic door operator (30) being operable in a testing mode (60) and an operational mode, wherein the controller (31) is configured, in the testing mode (60), to automatically determine at least one test parameter; and causing an action in response to the determined test parameter.