Locking disc, trailer towing device and vehicle

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of vehicle parts, and provides a locking disc, a trailer traction device and a vehicle. The locking disc is used for cooperating with a locking piece to lock a drive shaft of a trailer hook, and comprises a ring-shaped and integrally-formed locking disc body and a protruding part arranged on one side end face of the locking disc body. An unlocking slope is arranged on the protruding part, a locking surface and an unlocking surface are arranged on the inner circumferential surface of the locking disc body, the unlocking slope is used for receiving an external thrust force to make the locking disc slide along the axial direction of the locking disc, the locking surface is used for locking the drive shaft through the locking piece when the locking disc is located at a locking position, and the unlocking surface is used for releasing the locking of the drive shaft by the locking piece when the locking disc is located at an unlocking position. The application is composed of only the integrally-formed locking disc body and the protruding part on the locking disc body, and the compact design of the trailer traction device can be realized through the innovation of the structure of the locking disc.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicle component technology, and in particular to a locking disc, a trailer traction device, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, some vehicles are equipped with trailer towing devices for towing RVs, bicycle racks, or small trucks.

[0003] Currently, taking the increasingly widely used fully automatic trailer towing device as an example, during operation, the locking disc or similar component is usually driven by a drive motor to slide, and the locking disc and components such as locking balls are used to lock and unlock the trailer hook when it is deployed or retracted.

[0004] However, since the locking discs used in fully automatic trailer towing devices are mostly bearing-like structures, this not only makes the structure of the locking disc more complex, but also makes the overall space occupied by the trailer towing device larger, which is not conducive to achieving a compact design of the trailer towing device structure, and will bring inconvenience to the layout of the trailer towing device on the vehicle. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, this application aims to provide a locking disc to facilitate a compact design of trailer towing devices.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of this application is implemented as follows:

[0007] A locking disc is used in a trailer towing device and is used in conjunction with a locking component to lock the drive shaft of the trailer hook. It includes a ring-shaped and integrally formed locking disc body and a protrusion provided on one end face of the locking disc body.

[0008] The protrusion is provided with an unlocking slope, and the inner circumferential surface of the locking disc body is provided with a locking surface and an unlocking surface.

[0009] The unlocking ramp is used to receive external pushing force so that the locking disc slides along its own axial direction. The locking surface is used to lock the drive shaft by the locking member when the locking disc is in the locked position. The unlocking surface is used to release the locking member from locking the drive shaft when the locking disc is in the unlocked position.

[0010] Furthermore, the protrusion is integrally formed on the locking disc body.

[0011] Furthermore, the locking disc body is provided with a plurality of protrusions, and each of the protrusions is provided with an unlocking slope;

[0012] In the radial direction of the locking disc body, some of the protrusions are arranged near the outer side of the locking disc body, and some of the protrusions are arranged near the inner side of the locking disc body.

[0013] Furthermore, viewed from the axial direction of the locking disc body, the plurality of protrusions are distributed at intervals in the circumferential direction of the locking disc body.

[0014] Furthermore, a boss structure is provided on one side end face of the locking disc body, and at least part of the unlocking surface is formed on the inner surface of the boss structure.

[0015] Furthermore, the locking surface has a self-locking portion, which is configured to tend to hold the locking member in a preset position in the locking surface when the locking member reciprocates relative to the locking disc in a preset direction.

[0016] The preset direction is the radial direction of the drive shaft.

[0017] Furthermore, from the radial cross-section of the locking disc body, the locking surface has an inclined section that is inclined relative to the axis of the locking disc, and a parallel section that is parallel to the axis of the locking disc, and the parallel section is close to the unlocking surface.

[0018] The inclined segment has a self-locking angle adapted to the locking member, and the inclined segment constitutes the self-locking part, and the parallel segment is located at the preset position.

[0019] Compared with related technologies, this application has the following advantages:

[0020] (1) The locking disc described in this application is mainly composed of a ring-shaped and integrally formed locking disc body and a protrusion on one side end face of the locking disc body. An unlocking slope is provided on the protrusion, and a locking surface and an unlocking surface are provided on the inner circumferential surface of the locking disc body. Compared with a locking disc with a bearing-like structure, it can simplify the structure of the locking disc and also help reduce the overall space occupied by the trailer towing device, thereby facilitating the compact design of the trailer towing device structure and making it easier to arrange the trailer towing device on the vehicle.

[0021] (2) The protrusion is integrally formed on the locking disc body, which can increase the stability of the protrusion on the locking disc body and help ensure the reliability of the locking disc structure.

[0022] By setting a boss structure on the locking disc body, and making at least part of the unlocking surface formed on the inner surface of the boss structure, the volume of the locking disc body can be reduced while realizing the setting of the unlocking surface, which is conducive to realizing the compact design of the trailer towing device.

[0023] (3) Setting multiple protrusions helps to increase the smoothness of driving the locking disc. Some protrusions are arranged close to the inner side of the locking disc body, while some protrusions are arranged close to the outer side of the locking disc body. The asymmetrical arrangement of the protrusions, especially the unlocking ramps on the protrusions, can ensure a sufficient driving rotation angle when the locking disc is pushed, which can further increase the reliability of driving the locking disc.

[0024] (4) The protrusions are spaced apart, which makes it easier to set each protrusion on the locking plate.

[0025] (5) By providing a self-locking part on the locking surface, and when the locking member reciprocates radially along the drive shaft relative to the locking disc body, the self-locking part has a tendency to keep the locking member in a preset position in the locking surface, which can ensure the stability of the locking member's position and prevent the locking member from coming out between the locking disc and the drive shaft.

[0026] (6) The locking surface is composed of an inclined section and a parallel section, and the inclined section constitutes a self-locking part. The self-locking function can be realized by utilizing the inclined surface self-locking characteristics brought by the inclined section. Moreover, its structure is simple and easy to design and implement.

[0027] This application also proposes a trailer towing device, including a mounting bracket and a trailer hook rotatably mounted on the mounting bracket via a drive shaft, including a locking disc as described above slidably mounted on the mounting bracket, a locking member disposed between the locking disc and the drive shaft, and an elastic member disposed between the locking disc and the mounting bracket.

[0028] When the unlocking ramp receives external pushing force, it can cause the locking disc to slide to the unlocking position and compress the elastic element. Under the drive of the elastic element, the locking disc can return to the locking position.

[0029] Furthermore, it also includes the drive motor;

[0030] The drive motor is fixed on the mounting bracket, and a dial is connected to the drive motor. The dial is provided with a pin.

[0031] The pin is provided corresponding to the protrusion, and the pin is used to push against the unlocking slope.

[0032] Furthermore, the pin is arranged parallel to the axis of the dial, and one end of the pin abuts against the unlocking ramp; and / or,

[0033] The elastic element is a wave spring disposed between the locking disc and the mounting bracket.

[0034] The trailer towing device described in this application, by adopting the aforementioned locking disc, can reduce the overall space occupied by the trailer towing device due to the simplification of the locking disc structure, which is conducive to achieving a compact design of the trailer towing device structure and facilitates the arrangement of the trailer towing device on the vehicle.

[0035] Furthermore, by installing a drive motor, the trailer towing device can be made fully automatic, further improving the device's usability. The dial's sliding motion on the locking disc is achieved through the interaction between the pin on the dial and the unlocking ramp on the locking disc; the structure is simple and easy to design and implement.

[0036] Furthermore, having the pin parallel to the dial axis facilitates the pin's placement on the dial, reducing design and manufacturing costs. This allows for the use of wave springs as the elastic element, offering advantages such as small footprint and reliable elastic force, thus enabling a compact design. Attached Figure Description

[0037] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of this application. The illustrative embodiments and descriptions of this application are used to explain this application and do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0038] Figure 1 This is an exemplary structural diagram of the locking disc described in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the locking surface described in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 3 This is an exemplary structural diagram of the trailer towing device described in an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Exploded view of the structure shown;

[0042] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting bracket described in an embodiment of this application;

[0043] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the drive shaft and elastic element on the mounting bracket according to an embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 7 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure shown from another perspective;

[0045] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the drive shaft described in an embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 9This is a schematic diagram illustrating the fixed connection between the trailer hitch and the drive shaft as described in an embodiment of this application.

[0047] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of another exemplary dial described in an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the elastic element described in the embodiments of this application when a wave spring is used;

[0049] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0050] 1. Mounting bracket; 2. Trailer hook; 3. Drive motor; 4. Locking disc; 5. Elastic element; 6. Dial; 7. Drive shaft; 8. Locking element; 9. Nut;

[0051] 101. First mounting boss; 1011. Guide groove; 1012. Mounting hole; 102. Second mounting boss; 103. Motor mounting post;

[0052] 40. Guide pin; 401. Locking disc body; 402. Protrusion; 402a. Outer protrusion; 402b. Inner protrusion; 403. Locking surface; 403a. Inclined section; 403b. Parallel section; 404. Unlocking surface; 405. Guide pin hole; 406. Unlocking ramp; 407. Boss structure;

[0053] 601. Pull pin; 602. Drive pin; 603. Fixing hole;

[0054] 71. First shaft; 72. Second shaft; 73. Third shaft; 74. Fourth shaft; 701. Locking groove; 702. Guide groove; 703. Center hole; 704. Track groove. Detailed Implementation

[0055] To make the technical solution and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0056] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other.

[0057] Furthermore, it should be noted that in the description of this application, if terms such as "upper," "lower," "inner," or "outer" appear, indicating orientation or positional relationship, these are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this application. In addition, if terms such as "first" or "second" appear, they are also used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0058] Furthermore, in the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly defined, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "connector" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application in light of the specific circumstances.

[0059] In this application, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0060] The present application will now be described in detail through exemplary embodiments. However, it should be understood that, without further description, elements, structures, and features in one embodiment may be advantageously incorporated into other embodiments.

[0061] An embodiment of the first aspect of this application provides a locking disc 4, which is applied to a trailer towing device and is used to cooperate with a locking member 8 to lock the drive shaft 7 of the trailer hook 2. Furthermore, through the innovative design of the structure of the locking disc 4, this application facilitates the compact design of the trailer towing device structure, thereby making it easier to arrange the trailer towing device on the vehicle.

[0062] In related technologies, taking a fully automatic trailer towing device as an example, in a fully automatic trailer towing device, a drive motor 3 is usually used to drive the locking disc 4 or similar components to move, and the locking disc 4 is used in conjunction with components such as locking ball 8 to realize the locking and unlocking operations when the trailer hook 2 is unfolded or retracted.

[0063] Current fully automatic trailer towing devices, while capable of unlocking and rotating the trailer hook 2, often employ a complex structure for the locking disc 4, which consists of nested inner and outer discs resembling a bearing. This results in a large overall space requirement for the trailer towing device, hindering the achievement of a compact design and causing inconvenience in its placement on the vehicle.

[0064] In view of this, in order to overcome the shortcomings of the related technology, the locking disc 4 in this embodiment combines... Figure 1 As shown, the overall design includes a ring-shaped, integrally formed locking disc body 401, and a protrusion 402 disposed on one side end face of the locking disc body 401.

[0065] The protrusion 402 is provided with an unlocking ramp 406, and the inner circumferential surface of the locking disc body 401 is provided with a locking surface 403 and an unlocking surface 404. The unlocking ramp 406 is used to bear external pushing force so that the locking disc 4 slides along its own axial direction. The locking surface 403 is used to lock the drive shaft 7 by the locking member 8 when the locking disc 4 is in the locked position. The unlocking surface 404 is used to release the locking member 8 from locking the drive shaft 7 when the locking disc 4 is in the unlocked position.

[0066] Therefore, by making the locking disc 4 mainly composed of a ring-shaped and integrally formed locking disc body 401 and a protrusion 402 provided on one side end face of the locking disc body 401, and providing an unlocking inclined surface 406 on the protrusion 402, and providing a locking surface 403 and an unlocking surface 404 on the inner circumferential surface of the locking disc body 401, compared with the locking disc 4 of the bearing-like structure, this embodiment can utilize the locking disc 4 to be composed of only a single component, thereby simplifying the structure of the locking disc 4, which helps to reduce the overall space occupied by the trailer towing device, so as to achieve the effect of compact design of the trailer towing device.

[0067] Based on the above general introduction, specifically, the locking disc body 401 of this embodiment is generally a circular structure. In specific implementation, the locking disc body 401 can be formed by casting, and after casting, its surface can be treated by machining.

[0068] In addition, continue to combine Figure 1 As shown, in some exemplary embodiments, the protrusion 402 may be integrally formed on the locking disc body 401. In this way, by integrally forming the protrusion 402 on the locking disc body 401, the stability of the protrusion 402 on the locking disc body 401 can be increased, helping to ensure the reliability of the locking disc 4 structure.

[0069] However, it should be noted that, in addition to integrally molding the protrusion 402 onto the locking disc body 401, it is also possible to fix the protrusion 402 onto the locking disc body 401 in other ways during specific implementation. For example, the locking disc body 401 and the protrusion 402 can be prepared separately first, and then the protrusion 402 can be fixed onto the locking disc 401 by welding, screwing, or other methods.

[0070] Continue to combine Figure 1 As shown, in some exemplary embodiments, this embodiment may provide a plurality of protrusions 402 on the locking disc body 401, and each protrusion 402 is provided with an unlocking ramp 406. At the same time, in the radial direction of the locking disc body 401, some of the protrusions 402 are arranged close to the outer side of the locking disc body 401, while other protrusions 402 are arranged close to the inner side of the locking disc body 401.

[0071] At this time, by setting multiple protrusions 402, it helps to increase the smoothness of driving the locking disc 4. Furthermore, by arranging some protrusions 402 close to the inner side of the locking disc body 401 and others close to the outer side of the locking disc body 401, the asymmetrical arrangement of the protrusions 402, especially the unlocking ramps 406 located on the protrusions 402, can ensure a sufficient driving rotation angle when the locking disc 4 is pushed, which can further increase the reliability of driving the locking disc 4.

[0072] In detail, it is still as follows Figure 1 As shown, since the locking disc 4 generally needs to switch between forward and reverse rotation, the unlocking ramp 406 in this embodiment has two sets with different arrangement directions (that is, the orientation of the unlocking ramp 406 on the protrusion 402).

[0073] At this time, depending on the arrangement direction of the unlocking ramp 406, the configuration of the protrusion 402 used to form the unlocking ramp 406 will also be different. Furthermore, for the same group of unlocking ramps 406 with the same arrangement direction, and for the protrusion 402 used to form the unlocking ramp 406, as an example, it can be as follows: Figure 1 The configuration shown is two. For ease of description, the two protrusions 402 can be referred to as the outer protrusion 402a and the inner protrusion 402b, respectively. The inner protrusion 402b is arranged near the radial inner side of the locking disc body 401, while the outer protrusion 402a is arranged near the radial outer side of the locking disc body 401.

[0074] In this embodiment, as follows... Figure 1As shown, viewed from the axial direction of the locking disc body 401, the multiple protrusions 402 are also distributed at intervals in the circumferential direction of the locking disc body 401. By distributing the protrusions 402 at intervals, it is easier to install each protrusion 402 on the locking disc body 401.

[0075] In this embodiment, in some exemplary implementations, see still the following: Figure 1 A boss structure 407 is provided on one side end face of the locking disc body 401, specifically on the side end face with a protrusion 402, and at least part of the unlocking surface 404 is formed on the inner surface of the boss structure 407.

[0076] The aforementioned boss structure 407 is part of the locking disc body 401, extending outward along the axial direction of the locking disc body 401. In specific implementations, the aforementioned boss structure 407 is designed as multiple structures arranged corresponding to the number of unlocking surfaces 404. All of the unlocking surfaces 404 may be formed on the boss structure 407, or a portion of the unlocking surfaces 404 may be located on the boss structure 407, while another portion may be located on the inner circumferential surface of the locking disc body 401.

[0077] In addition, it should be noted that, depending on the location of the unlocking surface 404, some boss structures 408 can also be formed by the protrusion 402 at that location, so as to make full use of the protrusion 402, thereby simplifying the structure of the locking disc 4 and improving the integration of the locking disc 4 structure.

[0078] It is understandable that by providing a boss structure 407 on the locking disc body 401 and forming at least a portion of the unlocking surface 404 on the inner surface of the boss structure 407, the volume of the locking disc body 401 can be reduced while realizing the setting of the unlocking surface 404, which also helps to achieve a compact design of the trailer towing device.

[0079] In this embodiment, by Figure 1 and combined Figure 2 As shown, in some exemplary embodiments, the locking surface 403 may have a self-locking portion, which is also configured to tend to hold the locking member 8 in a preset position in the locking surface 403 when the locking member 8 reciprocates relative to the locking disc 4 in a preset direction.

[0080] Specifically, the aforementioned preset direction refers to the radial direction of the drive shaft 7, and generally refers to the up-and-down movement of the locking member 8 when the trailer hook assembly equipped with the trailer traction device of this embodiment vibrates with the vehicle. By providing the aforementioned self-locking part on the locking surface 403, and when the locking member 8 reciprocates radially relative to the locking disc 4 along the drive shaft 7, the self-locking part tends to hold the locking member 8 in a preset position in the locking surface 403. It can be understood that this ensures the stability of the locking member 8's position and prevents the locking member 8 from disengaging from between the locking disc 4 and the drive shaft 7.

[0081] In a specific implementation, as an exemplary embodiment, viewed from the radial cross-section of the locking disc 4, the locking surface 403 has an inclined segment 403a that is inclined relative to the axis of the locking disc 4, and a parallel segment 403b that is parallel to the axis of the locking disc 4, with the parallel segment 403b close to the unlocking surface 404. The inclined segment 403a has a self-locking angle adapted to the locking member 8, and this inclined segment 403a constitutes the self-locking part. The parallel segment 403b is located at the aforementioned preset position.

[0082] At this point, by making the locking surface 403 consist of an inclined section 403a and a parallel section 403b, it can utilize the inclined self-locking characteristic of the inclined section 403a to ensure the stability of the locking member 8's position when the locking mechanism tends to move up and down with vehicle vibration. This prevents the locking member 8 from disengaging from the locking disc 4 and the drive shaft 7, thus ensuring the normal operation of the trailer towing device. Simultaneously, making the locking surface 403 consist of an inclined section 403a and a parallel section 403b, and making the inclined section 403a a self-locking part, utilizes the inclined self-locking characteristic of the inclined section 403a to achieve the self-locking function. This obviously also has the advantages of simple structure and ease of design and implementation.

[0083] In specific implementation, it is worth noting that the above-mentioned self-locking angle, that is, the tilt angle of the inclined section 403a relative to the axis of the locking disc 4, can be determined by factors such as the self-locking principle of the inclined surface, the material of the locking member 8 and the locking disc 4, and the coefficient of friction between the locking member 8 and the locking surface 403. This will not be elaborated here.

[0084] The locking disc 4 in this embodiment adopts the above design. By making the locking disc 4 consist of a locking disc body 401 and a protrusion 402 provided on the locking disc body 401, compared with the locking disc 4 with a bearing-like structure, the locking disc 4 can be made up of only a single component, which simplifies the structure of the locking disc 4, helps to reduce the overall space occupied by the trailer towing device, and is conducive to the compact design of the trailer towing device, and facilitates the arrangement of the trailer towing device in the vehicle.

[0085] The specific application of the locking disc 4 in the trailer towing device of this embodiment will be described in the following second aspect of the embodiment.

[0086] An embodiment of the second aspect of this application provides a trailer towing device, combined with Figures 3 to 11 As shown, the trailer towing device includes a mounting bracket 1, a trailer hook 2 rotatably mounted on the mounting bracket 1 via a drive shaft, a locking disc 4 as described above slidably mounted on the mounting bracket 1, a locking member 8 disposed between the locking disc 4 and the drive shaft 7, and an elastic member 5 disposed between the locking disc 4 and the mounting bracket 1.

[0087] When the unlocking ramp 406 on the locking disc 4 receives the external pushing force, it can slide the locking disc 4 to the unlocking position and compress the elastic member 5 to release the locking member 8 from locking the drive shaft 7 of the trailer hook 2. Under the drive of the elastic member 5, the locking disc 4 can return to the locking position to press against the locking member 8, so that the pressed locking member 8 locks the drive shaft 7 and locks the trailer hook 2 in the retracted or extended position.

[0088] Specifically, the mounting bracket 1 in this embodiment serves as the foundation for the entire trailer towing device. In addition to providing a foundation for the installation of the components in the entire trailer towing device in this embodiment, the mounting bracket 1 is also used to connect with the vehicle body structure to realize the installation of the trailer towing device on the vehicle.

[0089] In specific implementation, the connection method between the aforementioned mounting bracket 1 and the vehicle body structure can refer to the existing conventional vehicle body connection methods. In order to ensure the reliability of the trailer towing device in the vehicle and to provide sufficient traction strength for the trailer hook 2, the mounting bracket 1 should generally also be connected to the main frame structure (such as the vehicle frame) in the vehicle body.

[0090] Continue to combine Figures 5 to 7 As shown, as a structural example of the mounting bracket 1 in this embodiment, it may be plate-shaped as a whole, and a first mounting boss 101 and a second mounting boss 102 are respectively provided on its two opposite sides.

[0091] The first mounting boss 101 and the second mounting boss 102 are arranged opposite to each other, and the mounting bracket 1 is also provided with a through hole that passes through the first mounting boss 101 and the second mounting boss 102. The drive shaft 7 is rotatably installed in the through hole, thereby realizing the rotatable installation of the drive shaft 7 on the mounting bracket 1.

[0092] It is worth noting that, in addition to forming a through hole for rotating the drive shaft 7, the first mounting boss 101 is also used to slide the locking disc 4, and the second mounting boss 102 is also used to rotate the trailer hook 2, so that while the trailer hook 2 is rotated on the mounting bracket 1, the transmission connection between the trailer hook 2 and the drive shaft 7 is also realized.

[0093] In this embodiment, to enable the locking disc 4 to slide on the first mounting boss 101 and prevent the locking disc 4 from rotating relative to the first mounting boss 101, a guide groove 1011 can be provided on the outer peripheral wall of the first mounting boss 101, and a guide pin 40 can be correspondingly provided on the locking disc 4. The guide pin 40 is press-fitted into the guide pin hole 405 on the locking disc body 401. When the locking disc 4 is set on the first mounting boss 101, the guide pin 40 slides in the guide groove 1011, thereby constraining the locking disc 4 to only be able to slide axially relative to the mounting bracket 1.

[0094] Continue to combine Figure 3 , Figure 6 and Figure 8 As shown, based on the same setting of the first mounting boss 101, in some exemplary embodiments of this embodiment, the locking member 8 is movably disposed in the mounting hole 1012 on the first mounting boss 101. At the same time, a locking groove 701 is provided on the drive shaft 7, and from the axial view of the drive shaft 7, the locking member 8 in the mounting hole 1012 corresponds to the locking surface 403 and the unlocking surface 404 on the locking disc 4.

[0095] Specifically, the aforementioned locking grooves 701 are arranged in multiple circumferentially along the drive shaft 7. The locking surface 403 and the unlocking surface 404 are arranged axially along the locking disc body 401. Thus, as the locking disc 4 slides to different positions on the first mounting boss 101 (i.e., the locking position and the unlocking position), when the locking member 8 is pressed between the locking surface 403 and the locking groove 701, it can lock the drive shaft 7, i.e., the trailer hook 2. When the locking member 8 is located between the unlocking surface 404 and the locking groove 701, it can release the locking of the drive shaft 7, i.e., the trailer hook 2.

[0096] Specifically, it is still by Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, from the radial cross-section of the locking disc body 401, the recess depth of the unlocking surface 404 towards the outer peripheral wall of the locking disc body 401 is much greater than that of the locking surface 403. Thus, compared to the locking surface 403, the unlocking surface 404 on the locking disc 4 can form a "accommodating space" that can accommodate the locking member 8. When the locking member 8 is located between the unlocking surface 404 and the locking groove 701, the "accommodating space" formed above can accommodate the locking member 8, allowing the locking member 8 to move radially away from the locking groove 701 on the drive shaft 7, thereby unlocking the drive shaft 701, i.e., the trailer hook 2.

[0097] Of course, as the locking disc 4 slides axially, when the locking member 8 enters between the locking surface 403 and the locking groove 701, the locking surface 403 will squeeze the locking member 8 due to the disappearance of the "accommodating space," and eventually press the locking member 8 against the locking surface 403 and the locking groove 701. At this time, by utilizing the insertion of the locking member 8 in the locking groove 701, the drive shaft 7, i.e., the trailer hook 2, can be locked.

[0098] It is understandable that by using the locking groove 701 on the drive shaft 7, and the locking surface 403 and unlocking surface 404 on the locking disc 4 to cooperate with the locking component 8, and based on the axial sliding of the locking disc 4, the drive shaft 7, i.e. the trailer hook 2, can be locked or unlocked. It has the advantages of simple structure and easy design and implementation. At the same time, since it is a purely mechanical structure, it also has the advantages of structural stability and good durability.

[0099] It is worth noting that specific examples of the driving method for the axial sliding of the locking disc 4 can be found in the description of the relevant embodiments below.

[0100] Furthermore, since the locking grooves 701 are multiple and spaced apart on the drive shaft 7, in a preferred design and specific implementation, the mounting holes 1012 can also be multiple and spaced apart along the circumference of the first mounting boss 101, with a locking member 8 provided in each mounting hole 1012. In the extended position of the trailer hook 2, each locking member 8 is embedded in its corresponding locking groove 701. Similarly, in the retracted position of the trailer hook 2, each locking member 8 is also embedded in its corresponding locking groove 701, thus achieving locking of the trailer hook 2 after it is extended or retracted.

[0101] In this embodiment, in some exemplary implementations, the locking member 8 may be a locking ball disposed in the mounting hole 1012, thus ensuring the smooth movement of the locking member 8. However, in addition to the preferred use of a locking ball, in specific implementations, the locking member 8 may also adopt a structure such as a pin, as long as the design requirements of the locking member 8 are met.

[0102] In this embodiment, we continue to combine Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, in some exemplary embodiments, the trailer towing device of this embodiment further includes a drive motor 3.

[0103] The drive motor 3 is fixed to the mounting bracket 1 by the motor mounting post 103, and then combined with Figure 10 As shown, a dial 6 is connected to the drive motor 3, and a pin 601 is provided on the dial 6. The pin 601 is provided to correspond to the protrusion 402 on the locking disc 4, so as to push against the unlocking slope 406, thereby realizing the sliding drive of the locking disc 4.

[0104] It is understood that by setting the drive motor 3 as described above and providing the external force via the drive motor 3, this embodiment can make the trailer towing device fully automatic, thereby further improving the quality of use of the device.

[0105] In this embodiment, for the aforementioned drive shaft 7, it is further combined with Figure 8 As shown, structurally, it may include a first shaft 71, a second shaft 72, a third shaft 73, and a fourth shaft 74 connected in sequence. Along the axial direction of the drive shaft 7, the diameter of the first shaft 71 to the fourth shaft 74 decreases sequentially, thus enabling the drive shaft 7 to be mounted as a whole on the mounting bracket 1.

[0106] The aforementioned locking groove 701 is located on the first shaft 71, and in order to facilitate the sliding of the locking member 8 between each locking groove 701, a guide groove 702 connecting each locking groove 701 can also be provided on the outer peripheral wall of the first shaft 71.

[0107] Additionally, a central hole 703 and two track grooves 704 are provided at the end of the first shaft 71. The central hole 703 allows a pin structure located at the radial center of the dial 6 to be inserted to center the dial 6. The two track grooves 704 are arc-shaped grooves arranged around the central hole 703, and the drive pins 602 on the dial 6 are respectively inserted into the two track grooves 704. Thus, the dial 6 drives the drive shaft 7 to rotate under the drive of the drive motor 3 through the contact between the drive pin 602 and the groove wall of the track groove 704.

[0108] The second shaft 72 is mainly used to rotatably mount the drive shaft 7 onto the mounting bracket 1. The radial cross-section of the third shaft 73 is polygonal. This polygonal design allows the trailer hook 2 to form a transmission engagement with the drive shaft 7 when it is fitted onto the drive shaft 7, enabling the drive shaft 7 to rotate the trailer hook 2. The outer peripheral wall of the fourth shaft 74 is generally provided with external threads. After the trailer hook 2 is rotatably mounted onto the second mounting boss 102 in the mounting bracket 1 and is connected to the third shaft 73 in the rotating shaft 7, it is combined with… Figure 9 As shown, the nut 9 can be screwed onto the fourth shaft 74 to achieve a secure connection between the trailer hook 2 and the drive shaft 7.

[0109] Of course, in actual implementation, after the nut 9 is connected, a protective cover or decorative cover can usually be further installed on the outside of the nut 9 to protect the connecting threads on the fourth shaft 74 and prevent the nut 9 from rusting or other problems.

[0110] In this embodiment, it is worth noting that, corresponding to the number of protrusions 402 on the locking disc 4, multiple pins 601 can be provided on the dial 6. As a preferred embodiment, corresponding to the asymmetrical arrangement of the unlocking ramps 406 on the locking disc 4, i.e., the protrusions 402, in the radial direction of the dial 6, some pins 604 can be arranged closer to the outer side of the dial 6, while other pins 604 can be arranged closer to the inner side of the dial 6. This ensures that each unlocking ramp 406 is matched with a pin 604 in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0111] At this point, by arranging multiple corresponding pins 601 and unlocking ramps 406, the smoothness of driving the locking disc 4 can be increased, as mentioned earlier. Simultaneously, corresponding to the arrangement of the protrusion 402 and its unlocking ramp 406, by arranging some pins 601 closer to the inner side of the dial 6 and others closer to the outer side of the dial 6, the asymmetrical arrangement of the pins 601 and their corresponding unlocking ramps 406, as mentioned earlier, ensures that the pins 6 have a sufficient unlocking rotation angle, further increasing the reliability of driving the locking disc 4.

[0112] In this embodiment, continue as follows Figure 10 As shown, corresponding to the circumferentially spaced distribution of the protrusions 402 and unlocking ramps 406 on the locking disc 4, the multiple pins 604 are also spaced circumferentially from the axial direction of the dial 6. The spaced distribution of the pins 601 also facilitates the setting of each pin 601 on the dial 6.

[0113] In this embodiment, based on the setting of the protrusion 402 on the locking disc 4, in some exemplary embodiments, preferably, the pins 601 on the dial 6 can be designed to be parallel to the axis of the dial 6, so that one end of each pin 601 presses against the corresponding unlocking slope 406.

[0114] At this point, by making the pins 601 parallel to the axis of the dial 6, it is understood that this facilitates the asymmetrical arrangement of the pins 601, thereby reducing the design and manufacturing costs of the dial 6.

[0115] Furthermore, in specific implementations, the dial 6 of this embodiment can generally be directly fixed to the power output end of the drive motor 3 so that it can be driven to rotate by the drive motor 3. As an example, the dial 6 can be fixed to the power output end of the drive motor 3 via bolts located in the fixing hole 603.

[0116] In this embodiment, in some exemplary implementations, the elastic element 5 is preferably, for example, a wave spring disposed between the locking disc 4 and the mounting bracket 1.

[0117] The structure of a wave spring can be as follows: Figure 11 As shown, it is specifically mounted on the first mounting boss 101 in the mounting bracket 1. It can be understood that by using a wave spring for the elastic element 5, it has the advantages of small space occupation and reliable elastic force, which can facilitate the realization of the locking mechanism and the compact design of the trailer traction device using the locking mechanism.

[0118] Furthermore, it is worth noting that, driven by the drive motor 3, when in the unlocking stroke of the trailer hook 2, the pin 601 on the dial 6 presses against the unlocking ramp 406, thereby pushing the locking disc 4 to slide axially. After the drive shaft 7 is unlocked, when entering the drive stroke that drives the rotating shaft 7 to rotate, the pin 601 can pass over the protrusion 402, allowing the dial 6 to rotate relative to the locking disc 4.

[0119] Therefore, in this embodiment, the trailer towing device still has two unlocking ramps 406 arranged in the same direction during operation. Specifically, taking the forward rotation of the drive motor 3 to drive the trailer hook 2 to unfold as an example, the drive motor 3 drives the dial 6 to rotate forward, so that the pin 601 on the dial 6 engages with one of the unlocking ramps 406 on the locking disc 4. Since the limiting disc 4 is restricted to sliding only axially, the pin 601 on the dial 6 slides along the unlocking ramp 406 on the locking disc 4, which causes the locking disc 4 to be pushed and slid along the axial direction of the drive shaft 7 by the dial 6.

[0120] The locking disc 4 is pushed by the dial 6 to slide towards the mounting bracket 1, and at the same time, the elastic element 5 is compressed, causing the locking element 8 to retract into the "accommodating space" formed by the unlocking surface 404, thereby unlocking the drive shaft 7, i.e., the trailer hook 2. Moreover, during the unlocking process, the drive pin 602 on the dial 6 travels a free stroke in the track groove 704 at the end of the drive shaft 7. After unlocking, the drive pin 602 engages with the groove wall of the track groove 704, so that when the dial 6 continues to rotate, it can drive the drive shaft 7 to rotate, so that under the further drive of the drive motor 3, the trailer hook 2 is driven to rotate and unfold via the transmission of the dial 6 and the drive shaft 7.

[0121] In this system, the drive motor 3 rotates the dial 6, causing the locking disc 4 to enter the unlocked position. The locking disc 4 is typically locked in place by a locking mechanism mounted on the mounting bracket 1, keeping the elastic element 5 in a compressed state. This locking mechanism can be, for example, an electric locking mechanism with a retractable locking pin mounted on the mounting bracket 1, with a corresponding locking hole on the locking disc 4. When the locking disc 4 is driven to slide to the unlocked position, the locking pin extends into the locking hole.

[0122] Furthermore, after the locking disc 4 enters the unlocked position, the pin 601 on the dial 6 can pass over the protrusion 402 that is currently sliding against it, so that the dial 6 can continue to drive the rotating shaft 7 to rotate the trailer hook 2.

[0123] During the rotation of the trailer hook 2, the pin 601 on the dial 6 will continue to pass over another protrusion 402 with a different orientation. When the trailer hook 2 is rotated to the correct position, the pin 601 has entered one side of the protrusion 402 with a different orientation, so that when the drive motor 3 reverses, the pin 601 can also abut against the unlocking ramp 406 to push the locking disc 4 to slide axially.

[0124] Of course, it should be noted that before the drive motor 3 reverses, the locking mechanism can be controlled to release the locking disc 4, so that the locking disc 4 can slide back into position under the force of the elastic element 5.

[0125] Thus, as the locking disc 4 slides back to its original position, the locking surface 403 on the locking disc 4 also pushes the locking member 8 into the locking groove 701, thereby relocking the drive shaft 7, i.e., the trailer hook 2. Finally, the drive motor 3 can be reversed appropriately, causing the drive pin 602 on the dial 6 to rotate back to the middle position within the track groove 704, and the dial pin 601 on the dial 6 no longer abuts against the unlocking ramp 406 on the locking disc 4.

[0126] The trailer towing device of this embodiment uses the locking disc 4 described above. By making the locking disc 4 consist of only the locking disc 4, and providing a protrusion 402 on the locking disc 4, and making the unlocking ramp 406 located on the protrusion 402, the structure of the locking disc 4 can be greatly simplified, and the arrangement of the dial 6, the locking disc 4, and the drive shaft 7 can be facilitated, making the overall structure of the trailer towing device more compact.

[0127] A third aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle in which a trailer towing device as described in the above embodiments is provided.

[0128] In the vehicle of this embodiment, the trailer towing device is generally located at the rear of the vehicle and is fixed to the main frame structure of the vehicle body by mounting bracket 1. Meanwhile, the drive motor 3 in the trailer towing device can be controlled via the vehicle's central control screen, or corresponding operation buttons can be provided on the vehicle's dashboard or other suitable locations to control the drive motor 3.

[0129] The vehicle in this embodiment, by being equipped with the aforementioned trailer towing device, facilitates the placement of the trailer towing device within the vehicle, which is beneficial to improving the overall competitiveness of the vehicle and thus has excellent practicality.

[0130] The above descriptions are merely some embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. The technical features or structures in the foregoing different embodiments can be arbitrarily combined to form other specific technical solutions as needed. For those skilled in the art, this application can have various modifications and variations. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A locking disc, applied to a trailer traction device and used in conjunction with a locking member (8) to lock the drive shaft (7) of the trailer hook (2), characterized in that: It includes a ring-shaped, integrally formed locking disc body (401), and a protrusion (402) provided on one side end face of the locking disc body (401); The protrusion (402) is provided with an unlocking slope (406), and the inner circumferential surface of the locking disc body (401) is provided with a locking surface (403) and an unlocking surface (404). The unlocking ramp (406) is used to receive external pushing force so that the locking disc (4) slides along its own axis. The locking surface (403) is used to lock the drive shaft (7) by the locking member (8) when the locking disc (4) is in the locked position. The unlocking surface (404) is used to release the locking member (8) from locking the drive shaft (7) when the locking disc (4) is in the unlocked position.

2. The locking disc according to claim 1, characterized in that: The protrusion (402) is integrally formed on the locking disc body (401); and / or, The locking disc body (401) has a boss structure (407) on one side end face, and at least part of the unlocking surface (404) is formed on the inner surface of the boss structure (407).

3. The locking disc according to claim 1, characterized in that: The locking disc body (401) is provided with a plurality of protrusions (402), and each protrusion (402) is provided with an unlocking slope (406); In the radial direction of the locking disc body (401), some of the protrusions (402) are arranged near the outer side of the locking disc body (401), and some of the protrusions (402) are arranged near the inner side of the locking disc body (401).

4. The locking disc according to claim 3, characterized in that: Viewed from the axial direction of the locking disc body (401), a plurality of protrusions (402) are distributed at intervals in the circumferential direction of the locking disc body (401).

5. The locking disc according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The locking surface (403) has a self-locking portion, which is configured to tend to hold the locking member (8) in a predetermined position in the locking surface (403) when the locking member (8) reciprocates relative to the locking disc (4) in a predetermined direction. The preset direction is the radial direction of the drive shaft (7).

6. The locking disc according to claim 5, characterized in that: From the radial section of the locking disc body (401), the locking surface (403) has an inclined section (403a) that is inclined relative to the axis of the locking disc (4), and a parallel section (403b) that is parallel to the axis of the locking disc (4), and the parallel section (403b) is close to the unlocking surface (404). The inclined section (403a) has a self-locking angle adapted to the locking member (8), and the inclined section (403a) constitutes the self-locking part, and the parallel section (403b) is located at the preset position.

7. A trailer towing device, comprising a mounting bracket (1) and a trailer hook (2) rotatably mounted on the mounting bracket (1) via a drive shaft, characterized in that: It also includes a locking disc (4) slidably disposed on the mounting bracket (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, a locking member (8) disposed between the locking disc (4) and the drive shaft (7), and an elastic member (5) disposed between the locking disc (4) and the mounting bracket (1); When the unlocking ramp (406) receives external pushing force, it can make the locking disc (4) slide to the unlocking position and compress the elastic member (5), and the locking disc (4) can return to the locking position under the drive of the elastic member (5).

8. The trailer towing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: It also includes a drive motor (3); The drive motor (3) is fixed on the mounting bracket (1), and a dial (6) is connected to the drive motor (3), and a pin (601) is provided on the dial (6); The pin (601) is correspondingly provided with the protrusion (402), and the pin (601) is used to push against the unlocking ramp (406).

9. The trailer towing device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The pin (601) is arranged parallel to the axis of the dial (6), and one end of the pin (601) abuts against the unlocking ramp (406); and / or, The elastic element (5) is a wave spring located between the locking disc (4) and the mounting bracket (1).

10. A vehicle, characterized in that: The vehicle is equipped with a trailer towing device as described in any one of claims 7 to 9.

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