A rear vehicle assembly includes a body structure, a moveable tailgate, and an opening and closing device. The opening and closing device includes connecting rods fixing the tailgate to the body structure. The connecting rods are hinged at a first end to the body structure and at a second end to a lateral edge of the tailgate. One of the connecting rods includes first and second rectilinear sections and a curved section. The first and second rectilinear sections are located on respective concave and convex sides of the curved section.

A device for a power opening tailgate of a vehicle includes an attachment means mountable to a vehicle wall at a first side of the vehicle wall for supporting a working cylinder for opening the tailgate, and a component for reinforcement of the vehicle wall. The reinforcement component is mountable to the vehicle wall at a second side of the vehicle wall, which second side is opposite to the first side of the vehicle wall, and the attachment means and the reinforcement component are mechanically connectable to each other via a through hole of the vehicle wall.

An opening-and-closing body driving device includes an extendable unit including a spindle, a nut, a rod, a bearing, and a guide tube; and a driving unit. The guide tube includes an insertion portion, and an inner tube configured to allow movement of the nut in the axial direction and restrict rotation of the nut. A surface of the bearing facing a direction opposite to an insertion direction, in which the insertion portion is inserted, is defined as a first reference surface, and a surface of the housing facing a direction opposite to the insertion direction is defined as a second reference surface. A distance from the first reference surface of the bearing to a distal end of the inner peripheral wall is longer than a distance from the second reference surface of the housing to a distal end of the outer peripheral wall in the axial direction.

A rear door assembly includes a vehicle body structure, a rear door and a four-bar linkage assembly. The vehicle body structure has a roof structure and a side wall defining a rear door opening. The four-bar linkage assembly supports the rear door for movement between open and closed orientations. The four-bar linkage includes a rearward member, a support bracket and a forward member. A first end of the rearward member is pivotally attached to an upright portion of the side wall and a second end attached to the rear door. A rearward end of the support bracket is fixed to the roof structure and is cantilevered therefrom. The forward member has a first end attached to the rearward end of the support bracket and a second end attached to the rear door inboard of the rearward member. The first end of the rearward member is outboard of the support bracket.

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.

A supporting member includes: a rotatable spindle supported in a first housing; a cylindrical first guide fixed in a second housing, and guiding a relative movement of the spindle in an axial direction; a second guide fixed in the first housing, having an inner diameter larger than a first guide's outer diameter, and relatively movable in the direction to the first guide; and a nut being a stepped shaft-like member including an insertion portion inserted into the first guide, a protruding portion protruded from the first guide, and a narrow portion provided therebetween. The first guide includes a caulking portion to the nut at an opening end. The caulking portion includes a portion extending to intersect in the direction along a step between the insertion portion and the narrow portion, and another portion parallel to the direction along an outer circumferential surface of the narrow portion.

An adjustable-length handle assembly for a vehicle includes a retractor and a flexible web disposed to deploy from and retract into the retractor. A gripping portion is disposed at a distal end of the flexible web. The assembly may further include a flexible web guide roller having a brake mechanism, to allow adjusting the handle assembly to a desired position.

A rear door assembly includes a vehicle body structure, a rear door and a four-bar linkage assembly. The vehicle body structure has a roof structure and a side wall defining a rear door opening. The four-bar linkage assembly supports the rear door for movement between open and closed orientations. The four-bar linkage includes a rearward member, a support bracket and a forward member. A first end of the rearward member is pivotally attached to an upright portion of the side wall and a second end attached to the rear door. A rearward end of the support bracket is fixed to the roof structure and is cantilevered therefrom. The forward member has a first end attached to the rearward end of the support bracket and a second end attached to the rear door inboard of the rearward member. The first end of the rearward member is outboard of the support bracket.

A vehicle door control system includes a door assembly, which includes a side door and a liftgate. The door assembly includes an actuation assembly that adjusts each of the side door and the liftgate between opened and closed positions. A sensor assembly defines a rear sensor field, a first side sensor field, and a second side sensor field. A controller determines whether a person in at least one of the rear sensor field, the first side sensor field, and the second side sensor field is a recognized passenger, determines a speed of the recognized passenger, determines whether the recognized passenger is carrying an object, and activates the actuation assembly to open at least one of the liftgate and the side door based on whether the recognized passenger is carrying an object, where timing of activation of the actuation assembly is based on the speed of the recognized passenger.

A means for opening tailgates of vehicles having a split tailgate with a lower door section and an upper door section. The upper door section would essential comprise the rear glass and mounting means of the upper door section to the vehicle. Further, it includes a pair of side guide tracks in the outer frame about the rear glass or panel. The lower door section includes at least four rollers for moving in the guide tracks. A locking and lifting handle in the lower door section releases the lower door to move vertically into the guide tracts. An upper detent or similar device would hold the lower door section on the outside of the upper door section when pushed to the upper extent. When the handle is release, the lower section would be locked to the upper door section.