A vehicle including a vehicle cargo area includes a hinge pin in a wall of the vehicle cargo area, a cargo cover defining first and second slots, a single-piece clip which includes a first fixing feature positioned in the first slot, and a second fixing feature positioned in the second slot. The clip defines a channel receiving the hinge pin.

A vehicle tailgate assembly includes a vehicle body structure, a tailgate, a hinge assembly and a bumper. The vehicle body structure defines a tailgate opening and having a hinge support section. The tailgate is installed to the vehicle body structure for movement between an upright orientation and a horizontal orientation. The hinge assembly has a first portion installed to the hinge support section and a second portion installed to the tailgate. The bumper is installed to the vehicle body structure proximate the hinge support section such that with the tailgate in the upright orientation, the second portion of the hinge assembly contacts the bumper.

A vehicle closure assembly actuating method includes, among other things, detecting a user approaching the vehicle, and assessing an approach speed of the user. The approach speed is a speed at which the user is approaching the vehicle. The method further includes opening a closure assembly of the vehicle based, at least in part, on the approach speed from the assessing.

Embodiments of a system for controlling a vehicle power tailgate are described. The system includes a motor operably connectible to a tailgate and configured to open the tailgate at any of at least a first opening speed and a second opening speed lower than the first opening speed. The system is operable to, responsive to a determination that an external load is being applied to the tailgate when the tailgate is in a closed condition, control operation of the motor to open the tailgate at the second predetermined tailgate opening speed if an estimated magnitude of the load is below a predetermined threshold load.

Embodiments of an actuator assembly for a power tailgate system are disclosed. The actuator assembly includes an actuator having a housing, a guide with a first end extending from the housing and a second end opposite the first end, and a slide coupled to the guide so as to be movable with respect to the guide second end. The actuator assembly also includes a bellows having a first end attached to the guide first end, a second end opposite the first end and attached to an end of the slide, and a body extending between the first and second ends. At least one hole is formed in the bellows proximate the bellows second end and enables fluid communication between an interior of the bellows and an exterior of the bellows. The bellows may expel moisture collected therein during operation of the actuator.

A system and method of operating a power tailgate assembly for a vehicle. The system can detect that a tailgate, connected to the vehicle by a pivotal connection and having an open position and a closed position, is in the open position, detect that the vehicle is being driven, detect, by one or more sensors, a movement of the tailgate, and control a motor assembly to restrain movement of the tailgate and return the tailgate to the open position in response to detecting that the tailgate is in the open position, the vehicle is being driven, and the tailgate has moved more than a threshold amount.

A vehicle tailgate with an integrated collapsible door comprises a tailgate having an outer wall, an inner wall and a cavity there between, a door section of the tailgate having an inboard wall and an outboard wall and being moveable between a closed position and an open position substantially within the envelope of the tailgate, the inboard wall and the outboard wall being connected by a linkage to permit relative movement there between, a first track to guide the motion of the inboard wall and a second track to guide the motion of the outboard wall, and a power drive unit to power the motion of the door section, such that in the closed position of the door section the inboard wall is flush with the inner wall of the tailgate and the outboard wall is flush with the outer wall of the tailgate, and in the open position of the door section at least a portion of the inboard wall and at least a portion of the outboard wall lie within the cavity between the outer wall and the inner wall of the tailgate.

A drive system includes a first rotary component configured to be rotated by an actuator, a second rotary component selectively coupled to the first component, and a third rotary component selectively coupled to the first component. A coupling arrangement is configured to, in a first range of angular positions of the first component, couple the first and second components and decouple the first and third components and configured to, in a second range of angular positions of the first component that does not overlap with the first range, couple the first and third components and decouple the first and second components.

The present invention relates to a drive device, comprising a cable which is connected at one end to a cable pulley, an actuator for driving the cable pulley, and a torsion bar which generates a torsional moment, wherein the torsion bar is supported on a higher-level assembly in such a way that it can move between a first and a second state of the torsion bar, wherein the torsion bar applies a torque in a first direction over a first partial movement range, applies a torque in a second direction opposite to the first direction over a second partial movement range, and does not apply torque over a third partial movement range. The present invention also relates to a superordinate hatch arrangement.

Disclosed are vehicle storage containers, methods for making and methods for using vehicle storage containers, and motor vehicles with utility storage containers. Disclosed, for example, is a utility storage container for a motor vehicle. The utility storage container includes a container basin that attaches to the vehicle body and stows within the vehicle's cargo compartment. The container basin includes multiple sidewalls projecting from a base to cooperatively define a basin opening. An articulated door assembly includes a first door segment pivotably coupled to the container basin to transition the door assembly between a closed position, whereat the door segments cooperatively cover the basin opening, and a full-open position, whereat the door segments uncover the opening. A second door segment is pivotably coupled to the first door segment to transition the door assembly between the closed position and a half-open position, whereat the second door segment partially uncovers the basin opening.