Tail Gate Liner

A liner constructed in accordance with the invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, isometric view of a pickup truck tail gate fitted with a liner formed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the liner shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of a modified embodiment of liner; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention is adapted for use in conjunction with a pickup truck 1 at the rear of which is a cargo bed 2 having side walls 3. The cargo bed has an open rear end that is adapted to be closed by a tail gate 4 having a body 5 pivoted to the rear end of the cargo bed for swinging movements between a lowered position, as shown in FIG. 1, and a raised position in which the tail gate closes the open end of the cargo bed. Supporting braces 6 may be provided to support the tail gate 4 in a substantially horizontal position. The tail gate has a substantially flat surface 7 which is uppermost when the tail gate is in its open, horizontal position and a free edge 8 which is uppermost when the tail gate is in its raised position. The material from which the tail gate 4 is formed conventionally is steel or other suitable metal, but it also may be formed from other materials such as suitably reinforced fiberglass.

Overlying the surface 7 of the tail gate is a protective liner 9 comprising a panel 10 of such area and configuration as to conform substantially to the area and configuration of the surface 7. The liner is molded in a conventional manner from suitable plastic material. Preferably, the liner 9 includes a laterally projecting flange or lip 11 which overlies the edge 8 of the tail gate. Suitable ribs 12 for reinforcing and decorative purposes may be provided in the panel 10, as is conventional.

The material from which the liner 9 is molded conventionally is polyethylene because of its ability to withstand abusive treatment and its resistance to deterioration from exposure to sunlight and many chemicals. Polyethylene, however, is a material to which adhesives will not bond. Consequently, it heretofore has not been possible to secure a polyethylene tail gate liner to the tail gate adhesively. Instead, it has been the practice to secure the liner to the tail gate by screws which pass through openings formed in the liner and into holes formed in the tail gate. The provision of holes in the tail gate for the accommodation of screws, or for any other reason, is undesirable because of the ability of moisture to enter the tail gate via such openings and result in rusting of the metal from which the tail gate is formed. In many instances the provision of such openings in a vehicle's tail gate will void the vehicle manufacturer's antirust warranty.

A tail gate liner 9 constructed in accordance with the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-3 is capable of being secured or bonded to the tail gate adhesively without regard to the material from which the liner is made and without necessitating the formation of openings of any kind in the tail gate. The liner 9 has a continuous recess or groove 13 molded therein along three of its contiguous sides, one of such sides being the side opposite that from which the flange 11 extends. Accommodated in the groove is an attaching member 14 formed of any suitable material to which an adhesive will bond. The member 14 could be formed of metal, wood, fiberglass, or the like, but is it preferred to use polycarbonate because such material has many desirable properties. At suitably spaced intervals the liner 9 is provided with openings 15 in communication with the groove 13 and the attaching member 14 is provided with correspondingly spaced, tapped openings 16. Screws 17 extend through the openings 15 and into the openings 16 to seat and retain the attaching member 14 securely in the groove 13.

The thickness of the attaching member 14 corresponds substantially to the depth of the groove 13 so as to provide an exposed surface 18 that is substantially flush with the adjacent surface of the panel 10. To the exposed surface 18 is applied a layer 19 of adhesive which will bond not only to the attaching member 14, but also to the surface 7 of the tail gate. Any one of a number of adhesives may be used; one suitable adhesive is an acrylic foam manufactured by 3 M Company.

The attaching member 14 normally is installed by the manufacturer of the liner 9 and, when installed, includes the adhesive layer 19. Prior to installation of the liner, the adhesive layer will be covered by a peelable barrier film (not shown) as is conventional.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 corresponds substantially to the earlier described embodiment, so corresponding reference characters are used for corresponding parts. The principal difference between the two embodiments is that, in the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, the groove 13 is replaced by a plurality of molded recesses or sockets 20 spaced at intervals around three sides of the panel 10. As shown, each socket 20 is substantially circular in cross section, but it could be noncircular, if desired.

Accommodated in each socket 20 is an attaching member 21 like the attaching member 14, with the exception that the member 21 has a configuration corresponding substantially to that of the socket 20. Each attaching member is retained in its socket 20 by a screw 22 corresponding in all respects to the screws 17, and each attaching member has an exposed surface 23 to which is applied a layer of adhesive 24 like the adhesive 19.

To apply either of the disclosed liners to the tail gate 4, the surface 7 is cleaned and any barrier film that may be applied to the adhesive layers 19 or 24 removed. The liner 10 then may be applied to the tail gate 4 in such manner that the liner surface in which the groove or sockets are formed confronts the surface 7 and so that the flange 11 confronts and bears against the tail gate edge 8. The liner then may be moved toward the tail gate surface 7 so that the adhesive engages the tail gate surface. Sufficient force may be applied on the liner to ensure that the adhesive has full area contact with the tail gate surface 7, thereby resulting in a complete bond between the tail gate and the attaching member or members of the liner.

One advantage of using screws of the kind shown at 17 and 22 is that, if desired, they may be withdrawn, thereby enabling the liner to be removed from the tail gate for any desired purpose. However, if removability of the liner is not required, the screws could be replaced by rivets or any other permanent fasteners.

If desired, the adhesive may be replaced by a separable hook and loop fastener of the kind manufactured and sold under the trademark VELCRO. In this case, of course, the hook or loop strip will be applied to the attaching member and the companion loop or hook strip will be applied to the surface 7 of the tail gate in known manner.

One of the advantages of the continuous attaching member 14 is that it forms a seal around three full sides of the tail gate, thereby inhibiting the entry of dirt and moisture between the liner and the tail gate.

A particularly advantageous characteristic of the invention is that no tools of any kind are required to apply the liner to the tail gate. Thus, application of the liner to the tail gate is quick, easy, and does not require the services of a skilled technician.

The disclosed embodiments are representative of presently preferred forms of the invention, but are intended to be illustrative rather than definitive thereof. The invention is defined in the claims.