A vehicle tailgate includes a frame, pair of hinges, inner tailgate panel, and outer tailgate panel. The frame has a first outer side-member and a second outer side-member. Each of the outer side-members is secured to ends of a lower outer cross-member. The outer side-members each have an internal surface and an external surface. The internal surfaces define T-slots. One of the pair of hinges is secured to each external surface of the outer side-members. The inner and outer tailgate panels are secured to opposing outer sides of the frame such that the external surfaces of the outer side-members remain exposed.

A drive arrangement for adjusting a flap of a motor vehicle about a body including a motor, a drivetrain, and a freewheel mechanism. The drivetrain is disposed between the motor and the flap. The freewheel mechanism provided with a drive component including a transmitting element, and a driven component provided with a receiving element coupled to the transmitting element. During motoric movement of the flap between the closed and the open position over at least a portion of the pivot angle, the motor actuates the drive component and displaces the transmitting element, from a neutral position, conjointly with the receiving element along a displacement path.

A drive arrangement for adjusting a flap of a motor vehicle about a body including a motor, a drivetrain, and a freewheel mechanism. The drivetrain is disposed between the motor and the flap. The freewheel mechanism provided with a drive component including a transmitting element, and a driven component provided with a receiving element coupled to the transmitting element. During motoric movement of the flap between the closed and the open position over at least a portion of the pivot angle, the motor actuates the drive component and displaces the transmitting element, from a neutral position, conjointly with the receiving element along a displacement path.

A modular gate combined with multiple functions which can be easily employed with existing tailgates without any hardware or mounting modifications to existing truck beds. There is provided a modular tailgate system having a tailgate portion in combination with a plurality of functions. The modular tailgate system integrates any combinations of at least two of the plurality of features without affecting existing body sides and/or existing truck beds. Integrated features include a multi-functional gate (e.g., swing, drop, etc), storage (e.g., normal, sealed, refrigerated, heated, etc), step(s), lighting (e.g., ingress/egress, bed interior, removable, trailer hitch, parking, etc), bed extension(s), power (e.g., 12v and/or 110v), tie downs (e.g., ratchets, anchors, etc), sawhorse, magnet(s), table(s), bench(es), seat(s), net(s), any other predetermined desired function, etc., and combinations thereof.

A lock assembly for locking a tailgate relative to a body assembly of a vehicle includes a coupling member, a carriage, a trunnion, and a catch. The carriage is rotatably disposed within the coupling member and includes a first aperture and a first slot. The trunnion is removably received by the carriage and includes a second aperture aligned with the first aperture. The catch is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position. The catch is received by the first aperture and the second aperture in the locked position.

A system for truck bed extension that includes: a truck bed, where the truck bed includes a first tail gate; an extension portion of the truck bed, where the extension portion includes a first position and a second position, wherein the first position is retained in the truck bed behind the first tail gate and the second position extends beyond the first tail gate extending the length of the truck bed; and a second tail gate on the extension portion, where the second tailgate is available when the extension portion is in the second position. The system for truck bed extension may also include a locking mechanism for the extension portion to lock the extension portion in either the first position or second position. The extension portion may extend at more than one length and preferably extends up to 4 feet beyond the first tail gate.

A lock assembly for use in a vehicle lock, such as on a truck tailgate. The lock assembly includes a single key cylinder which can concurrently control the locked/unlocked state of one or more door handles, thus rendering multiple handles simultaneously locked or unlocked. Such a lock assembly may provide manual control of access to a pickup truck bed, independently of the vehicle battery, thereby permitting the driver access even if the vehicle battery is dead.

A tailgate opening/closing device has a simplified tailgate opening/closing structure, reduced manufacturing cost, reduced weight, and improved quality. The device includes a release gear configured to be rotated forwards and backwards by a rotational force from a motor, a cinching gear engaged with the release gear, a linkage mechanism configured to receive force from the cinching gear to rotate toward a claw, the claw being caught by the linkage mechanism to rotate together therewith so as to be engaged with a striker, and a pawl unit configured to be caught by the claw in the state in which the claw is engaged with the striker so as to restrict rotation of the claw and configured to allow rotation of the claw in a release operation direction only when the release gear rotates in the release operation direction.

A tailgate opening/closing device has a simplified tailgate opening/closing structure, reduced manufacturing cost, reduced weight, and improved quality. The device includes a release gear configured to be rotated forwards and backwards by a rotational force from a motor, a cinching gear engaged with the release gear, a linkage mechanism configured to receive force from the cinching gear to rotate toward a claw, the claw being caught by the linkage mechanism to rotate together therewith so as to be engaged with a striker, and a pawl unit configured to be caught by the claw in the state in which the claw is engaged with the striker so as to restrict rotation of the claw and configured to allow rotation of the claw in a release operation direction only when the release gear rotates in the release operation direction.

A pop-up structure of a tail gate may include a striker disposed at a side of an opening of a vehicle, a gate to selectively open and close the opening and including a bracket attached thereon, a latch plate rotatably disposed about a latch pin positioned on the bracket, the latch plate including a latch groove into which the striker is locked, and having a locking bump formed on an outer surface of the latch plate, a stopper lever rotatably disposed about a stopper pin positioned on the bracket, and including a stopper locked to the locking bump to stop rotation of the latch plate, a pop-up lever rotatably disposed about a lever pin positioned on the bracket, and including an outer end which is extended to a side and pushes the striker, and a pop-up spring elastically supporting the pop-up lever to rotate about the lever pin.