Method and apparatus are disclosed for vehicle liftgate control for cargo management. An example vehicle includes a liftgate with a sensor on an inner surface and a processor. The liftgate provides access to a cargo area. The processor, when an object is in the cargo area, detect when the object is banked against the liftgate using measurements from the sensor, and when the object is banked and a command to open the liftgate is received, autonomously opens the liftgate to an intermediate position between fully open and fully closed.

An opening/closing body drive mechanism 1 comprises an opening/closing body 2 to move between an open position and a closed position; a drive unit 3 to drive the opening/closing body 2; a detecting unit 4 to detect the movement state of the opening/closing body 2; and a control unit 5 to control driving for the opening/closing body 2 based on an output of the detecting unit 4, wherein the control unit 5 carries out a feedback control to control the driving such that a physical value being detected with the detecting unit 4 is brought to be a target value; and in a case that the information from the detecting unit 4 differs from predetermined information according to the feedback control and a control value given to the drive unit 3 exceeds a predetermined threshold value, determines that information from the detecting unit 4 is abnormal.

A rear vehicle assembly includes a body structure defining an opening having a first side edge and a second side edge and including a tailgate that is movable relative to the structure between at least one open position, in which the opening of the structure is accessible, and a closed position, in which the tailgate closes the opening of the structure, wherein the tailgate comprises at least a first side edge and a second side edge. The assembly includes an opening and closing device fixing the tailgate to the structure. The opening and closing device includes at least a first jack and a second jack, wherein the first and second jacks are each fixed between the structure and the first side edge.

This disclosure details mounting strategies for locating and securing roof hinge covers to vehicle roofs. An exemplary roof hinge cover may be mounted relative to a roof component (e.g., roof panel, body side panel, bracket, etc.). A locator may be received through the roof hinge cover and into a locating hole of the roof component. One or more clips that are connected to the roof hinge cover may be received within locating openings of a bracket. The bracket supports at least a portion of the roof hinge cover.

A driving device is a driving device driving a door that includes an upper door and a lower door rotatably connected to the upper door, and includes: a driving portion that is provided at a position spaced apart from a connecting portion rotatably connecting the upper door and the lower door and generates a driving force for driving the upper door or the lower door; and an adjusting portion that changes a degree of folding of the lower door with respect to the upper door based on the driving force. Such a driving device can enhance the degree of freedom in designing a door.

A spindle drive assembly for opening and/or closing a vehicle hatch is described. This comprises a spindle extending along a spindle drive axis and a spindle drive motor coupled to the spindle in terms of drive, the motor shaft of which is arranged substantially coaxially with respect to the spindle drive axis. The spindle drive motor is coupled to the spindle via a two-stage epicyclic gearing. Furthermore, a vehicle hatch with such a spindle drive assembly is presented. A method for installing an epicyclic gearing of such a spindle drive assembly is additionally specified.

A device and method for automatically closing a tailgate of a motor vehicle having a body and a tailgate closing device, is described. The tailgate closing device comprises first and second closing elements. A suspension strut is situated on a first side of the tailgate and a power strut is situated on a second side of the tailgate opposite the first side. The suspension strut and the power strut are both connected to the tailgate and to the body. The first closing element is situated on the tailgate and the second closing element is situated on the body. The first and second closing elements are designed to engage into each other during the closing of the tailgate to effectuate the closure of the tailgate. The torque acting via the power strut onto the tailgate is reduced during the closing of the tailgate when the distance between the first and second closing elements is less than a threshold value.

A door opening and closing device for vehicles of the present invention includes: a motor drive mechanism; a first housing that accommodates the motor drive mechanism; a spindle drive mechanism connected to the motor drive mechanism; and a second housing that is arranged coaxially with the first housing and relatively moves with respect to the first housing by the spindle drive mechanism. The spindle drive mechanism includes: a spindle connected to the motor drive mechanism; a spindle nut screwed with the spindle; a push rod fixed so as not to rotate relative to the spindle nut and provided with a protrusion on its outer periphery; and a guide tube in which a guide groove guiding the protrusion of the push rod in an axial direction is formed.

When it is determined that there is an individual abnormality, in which an individual drive section is in an abnormal state, while the opening/closing body is being moved by the drive sections or the opening/closing body is stopped in an open state, the opening/closing body operation device performs a restriction control on the drive section with the individual abnormality, the restriction control restricting the movement of the opening/closing body in the closing direction. The opening/closing body operation device makes a comparison of the driving state between the drive section subjected to restriction control and another drive section, and when it is determined that the drive sections are normal with respect to each other, the opening/closing body operation device deems the opening/closing body to be in a normal state and disengages the restriction control.

A friction based counterbalance mechanism for coupling with a closure panel of a vehicle, the counterbalance mechanism including: a housing having a first pivot mount for connecting to one of a body of the vehicle and the closure panel; an extension member coupled to the housing and being extendable and retractable with respect to the housing, the extension member for connecting by a second pivot mount to the other of the body and the closure panel; a variable friction mechanism mounted in the housing having: a shaft having an axis; a washer positioned on the axis; a pinion with a friction body positioned on the shaft and adjacent to the washer, the pinion rotatable about the axis relative to the washer during rotation of the shaft to generate friction between the washer and the friction body; and a slider body positioned on the axis.