A rear door assembly having a bracket, a rear door, a first movement mechanism and a second movement mechanism. The rear door has lateral side with a slot formed therein. The first movement mechanism is attached to a rearward area of a vehicle and is configured to move bracket and the rear door from a closed orientation covering a rear opening in the vehicle body structure to at least an intermediate orientation partially uncovering a rear opening of a vehicle. The bracket has a pair of support pins extending in that extend into the slot with the support pins being supported on rollers within the slot. The second movement mechanism is disposed within the rear door to move the rear door relative to the support pins of the bracket along the slot.

A vehicle door attached to a vehicle body includes a bracket structure disposed between an interior-side panel and an exterior-side panel to support a door lock portion. The bracket structure has an interior-side extension portion disposed on an interior-side and joined to the interior-side panel, and an exterior-side extension portion disposed on an exterior-side and joined to the exterior-side panel. Extension portions extend in an upper-lower direction. As an alternative, a vehicle door includes a middle panel disposed between an inner panel and an outer panel, and a bracket structure disposed between the inner panel and the middle panel to support the door lock portion. The bracket structure has a front extension portion disposed frontward and joined to the inner panel, and a rear extension portion disposed rearward and joined to the middle panel. Extension portions are disposed in a front-rear direction of a vehicle and extend upward.

A composite liftgate system with an inner panel construction having a strengthening channel structure. Structural composite reinforcements are bonded to the inner panel where additional strength is needed to meet predetermined performance requirements. Where the extra structure is needed, no steel or a minimum amounts of steel is used and the structural reinforcements are bonded in place using adhesive prior to application of additional fasteners.

An emergency egress system for a multi-passenger vehicle such as a school bus (10) includes a housing (30) that operatively supports a ramp (34) in movable connection therewith. Opening an emergency exit door (18) of the bus causes a housing door (24) to open and the ramp to move outwardly from a retracted position toward an extended position. Opening the emergency exit door also causes the suspension of the bus to be automatically lowered to place the emergency exit opening (16) closer to the ground (166).

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 tailgate deactivation system. A switch includes two terminals configured to be electrically coupled to a tailgate power circuit that supplies power to at least a portion of a tailgate of a vehicle, and an actuator configured to electrically couple the two terminals in an on state to allow power to flow in the tailgate power circuit, and to electrically decouple the two terminals in an off state to inhibit power from flowing in the tailgate power circuit.

An embodiment is tailgate hinge mounting structure including a roof rail disposed in the width direction of the vehicle body, the roof rail comprising a rail reinforcement configured to protrude to the inside thereof, a rear end module connected with the roof rail, the rear end module including a rear end protrude portion configured to be inserted into the rail reinforcement, a tailgate hinge connected with the roof rail and the rear end module, and a rail bolt connecting the rail reinforcement and the rear end protrude portion.

Anchor brackets/tethers may be used to reinforce a vehicle's resin rear door without substantially increasing the mass of the resin rear door. Such anchor brackets hold an interior trim panel(s) in place, and keep the interior trim panel(s) connected to the door structure or portion(s) thereof. The interior trim panel(s) can act as a protective interior shield that eliminates any exposure of the interior cabin/passenger compartment from any outer (and/or interior) door panel cracks/gaps that may be created during an adverse event. Moreover, conventional interior trim panels may, during a collision, break apart, the broken pieces becoming potentially dangerous projectiles. By being attached to the door structure and/or door componentry, the chance that the interior trim panel (or portions thereof) becoming a projectile is negated or at least lessened.

A composite liftgate structure that is strengthened using a metal hybrid reinforcement. The metal hybrid reinforcement is connected to the perimeter surface area of an inner panel. Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a swing door having an internal tubular frame for providing attachment of hinges and latches to the door and at least one inner or outer panel for attaching to the frame.

A composite liftgate structure that is strengthened using a metal hybrid reinforcement. The metal hybrid reinforcement is connected to the perimeter surface area of an inner panel. Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a swing door having an internal tubular frame for providing attachment of hinges and latches to the door and at least one inner or outer panel for attaching to the frame.