US-20260125117-A1 - TAILGATE ASSEMBLY

US20260125117A1US 20260125117 A1US20260125117 A1US 20260125117A1US-20260125117-A1

Abstract

The tailgate assembly includes an interior side, an exterior side and a vehicle retention structure. The interior side is configured to face a vehicle truck bed. The exterior side is an opposite facing side with respect to the interior side. The vehicle retention structure has a tether compartment provided on the interior side. The tether compartment includes an opening in the interior side and a tether fastener retained to a wall of the opening.

Inventors

Patrick Dean Grattan

Assignees

NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241101

Claims (17)

1 . A tailgate assembly comprising: an interior side configured to face a vehicle truck bed; an exterior side that is an opposite facing side with respect to the interior side; and a vehicle retention structure having a tether compartment provided on the interior side, the tether compartment including an opening in the interior side and a tether fastener retained to a wall of the opening.
2 . The tailgate assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the wall of the tether compartment is made from injection molded plastic.
3 . The tailgate assembly according to claim 2 , further comprising a top surface extending between the interior and exterior sides, the vehicle retention structure further having a receptacle provided on the top surface at a location that is directly above the tether compartment when the tailgate assembly is in an upright position to correspond to the tether compartment.
4 . The tailgate assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the receptacle includes an inclined surface that depresses towards the interior side.
5 . The tailgate assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the inclined surface is provided on the top surface and on the interior side.
6 . The tailgate assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the vehicle retention structure further includes a mounting groove provided on the exterior side at a location that is directly below the receptacle when the tailgate assembly is in the upright position to correspond to the receptacle and the tether compartment.
7 . The tailgate assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the vehicle retention structure includes a plurality of tether compartments, a plurality of receptacles and a plurality of mounting grooves.
8 . The tailgate assembly according to claim 7 , wherein a first tether compartment of the plurality of tether compartments corresponds to a first receptacle of the plurality of receptacles such that the first tether compartment is positioned directly below the first receptacle on the interior side when the tailgate assembly is in the upright position.
9 . The tailgate assembly according to claim 8 , wherein a first mounting groove of the plurality of mounting grooves corresponds to the first receptacle and the first tether compartment such that the first mounting groove is positioned directly below the first receptacle on the exterior side when the tailgate assembly is in the upright position.
10 . The tailgate assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the interior side includes a first metal panel having a panel cutout for containing the tether compartment.
11 . The tailgate assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the interior side includes a first trim panel layered over the first metal panel, the first trim panel includes a panel cutout for containing the tether compartment.
12 . The tailgate assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the exterior side includes a second trim panel, the mounting groove being disposed on the second trim panel.
13 . The tailgate assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the interior side includes a first metal panel having a panel cutout for containing the tether compartment.
14 . The tailgate assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the interior side includes a first trim panel layered over the first metal panel, the first trim panel includes a panel cutout for containing the tether compartment.
15 . The tailgate assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the vehicle retention structure includes a plurality of tether compartments, a plurality of receptacles and a plurality of mounting grooves.
16 . The tailgate assembly according to claim 15 , wherein a first tether compartment of the plurality of tether compartments corresponds to a first receptacle of the plurality of receptacles such that the first tether compartment is positioned directly below the first receptacle on the interior side when the tailgate assembly is in the upright position.
17 . The tailgate assembly according to claim 16 , wherein a first mounting groove of the plurality of mounting grooves corresponds to the first receptacle and the first tether compartment such that the first mounting groove is positioned directly below the first receptacle on the exterior side when the tailgate assembly is in the upright position.

Description

BACKGROUND Technical Field The present disclosure generally relates to a tailgate assembly. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a tailgate assembly having a vehicle retention structure. Background Information Vehicles such as pick-up trucks can be equipped with racks to stow or carry human-powered vehicles such as bicycles. It has been known that conventional bicycle racks are costly, heavy and time consuming to install onto a vehicle. Additionally, trucks such as pick-up trucks cannot use a hitch-mounted bicycle rack when also towing a camper or a boat. SUMMARY In view of the state of the known technology, one aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a tailgate assembly comprising an interior side, an exterior side and a vehicle retention structure. The interior side is configured to face a vehicle truck bed. The exterior side is an opposite facing side with respect to the interior side. The vehicle retention structure has a tether compartment provided on the interior side. The tether compartment includes an opening in the interior side and a tether fastener retained to a wall of the opening. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring now to the attached drawings which form a part of this original disclosure: FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a vehicle equipped with a tailgate assembly in accordance with an illustrated embodiment; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a truck bed of the vehicle equipped with the tailgate assembly of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but without the bicycles stowed on the tailgate assembly; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a tether compartment of the tailgate assembly taken along lines 3 – 3 in FIG. 2; FIG. 5 is a simplified cross-sectional view of the tether compartment taken along lines 3 – 3 in FIG. 2; FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the tether compartment taken along lines 7 – 7 of FIG. 2; FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the tailgate assembly taken along lines 8 – 8 of FIG. 3; and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the tailgate assembly taken along lines 9 – 9 of FIG. 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Selected embodiments will now be explained with reference to the drawings. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that the following descriptions of the embodiments are provided for illustration only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Referring initially to FIG. 1, a portion of a vehicle 10 is illustrated in accordance with an illustrated embodiment. The vehicle 10 is a pick-up truck which is a light-duty truck having an enclosed cab 12 and a truck bed assembly 14 that is configured for cargo storage. The truck bed assembly 14 includes a truck bed 16 or cargo box that defines a cargo storage space S. The truck bed assembly 14 is further equipped with the tailgate assembly 18 as will be described below. The cargo box 16 comprises a first sidewall 20, a second sidewall 22 and a truck floor 24 connecting the first and second sidewalls 20 and 22 as seen in FIG. 2. The truck bed 16 further includes a front wall 26 and the tailgate assembly 18. In particular, the tailgate assembly 18 defines a tailgate for the truck bed 16 that encloses a rear end of the truck bed 16. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the tailgate assembly 18 comprises an interior side 28 configured to face the truck bed 16 when the tailgate assembly 18 is in an upright position that encloses the truck bed 16. The tailgate assembly 18 further comprises an exterior side 30 that is an opposite facing side with respect to the interior side 28. The tailgate assembly 18 further comprises a top surface 32 extending between the interior and exterior sides 28 and 30 as best seen in FIG. 2. The tailgate assembly 18 further comprises a vehicle retention structure 34. The vehicle retention structure 34 is provided on the interior and exterior sides 28 and 30 as well as on the top surface 32. In the illustrated embodiment, the vehicle retention structure 34 is provided to retain a human-powered vehicle, such as a bicycle B, to the tailgate assembly 18. It has been known that conventional bicycle racks are costly, heavy and time consuming to install onto a vehicle. Additionally, trucks such as pick-up trucks cannot use a hitch-mounted bicycle rack when also towing a camper or a boat. Therefore, the tailgate assembly 18 of the illustrated embodiment is provided to enable bicycles B and other human-powered vehicles to be attached to the tailgate assembly 18. As shown, the tailgate assembly 18 is provided such that the bicycles B are stowed over the tops of the tailgate assembly 18 preferably with the rear wheels W1 stowed within the truck bed 16 and the front wheels W2 positioned exterior of the truck bed 16. The tailgate assembly 18 of the illustrated embodiment is provided to retain portions of a bicycl