Holding device for warning signs

Abstract

Holding device for warning signs comprising a threaded bolt and a base plate that can be attached to the threaded bolt.

Description

The present invention relates to a mounting device for warning signs. Warning signs, such as hazard warning labels or other identification plates, must be securely and permanently affixed to vehicles, particularly commercial vehicles like trucks, in accordance with certain legal requirements. It is often stipulated that these warning signs be attached to metallic parts of the vehicle to ensure sufficient resistance in the event of a fire. Furthermore, various regulations require that the warning signs be positioned in defined areas of the vehicle, such as the front. However, many modern vehicles no longer have suitable metallic structures in the areas intended for this purpose. For example, front grilles or radiator grilles are increasingly made entirely of plastic, so there are no suitable attachment points there. While it is known from the prior art to attach mounting devices directly to the vehicle's sheet metal by drilling holes to meet the aforementioned requirements, such attachment leads to damage to the vehicle, which is generally undesirable for the vehicle owner or operator. Furthermore, subsequent drilling can increase the risk of corrosion and lead to a limitation of the warranty or operating permit. The invention is therefore based on the objective of overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art. In particular, the invention aims to provide a mounting device for warning signs that enables secure, stable, and standards-compliant attachment to a vehicle without requiring damage to the vehicle, especially through drilling. Furthermore, the mounting device should allow for easy assembly and disassembly and be usable for different vehicle types. To solve the problem, a holding device for warning signs is provided, wherein the holding device comprises a threaded bolt and a base plate that can be attached to the threaded bolt. Within the scope of the present invention, a holding device for warning signs can be understood as a device element designed to attach warning signs, identification plates, or similar signs to a vehicle, either detachably or permanently. The holding device provides the necessary mechanical connection between the vehicle and the warning sign and ensures its secure positioning. A threaded bolt can be understood as a rod-shaped component that is provided with an external thread, at least in part. This external thread allows the threaded bolt to be screwed into a corresponding internal thread of a vehicle or other component. The threaded bolt is thus preferably designed to be screwed into a thread for a towing eye of a vehicle. The threaded bolt can serve as the central support element of the holding device, to which other components, in particular the base plate, can be attached. The threaded bolt can be designed entirely as a screw bolt or have additional functional areas, such as openings or stops. The base plate is a flat component used to mount and secure the warning sign or a support device for warning signs. It may have openings, elongated holes, or other fastening elements that allow the mounting of the warning sign or other components. The base plate can be designed to be attached to the threaded bolt at different angles or positions. The base plate can be temporarily or permanently attached to the threaded bolt using suitable fasteners – for example, screws, pins, or bolts. Attachment can be achieved via openings or recesses in the base plate that align with corresponding receiving openings or connection points on the threaded bolt. Since the mounting device can be attached via an existing threaded connection, such as the vehicle's towing eye thread, no drilling, additional screws, or other modifications to the vehicle body are required. This leaves the vehicle undamaged and avoids risks such as corrosion or depreciation. The threaded bolt provides a mechanically robust support element, ensuring secure attachment of the warning sign even under vibration, wind, or weather conditions. Furthermore, the threaded bolt can be installed quickly and without special tools, and removed just as easily without leaving any residue, making it particularly user-friendly. Since many vehicles have a standardized thread for the towing eye, the holding device is suitable for a wide variety of truck manufacturers and models, as well as for modern vehicles with plastic fronts where no metallic mounting points are available. Furthermore, the base plate does not need to be permanently attached to the threaded bolt, making it replaceable. This allows different base plates to be used depending on the application, or damaged base plates to be easily replaced. Preferably, the base plate and / or the threaded bolt are designed so that the base plate can be attached to the threaded bolt at various angles or positions. This allows the warning sign to be optimally aligned depending on the vehicle and positioned in accordance with legal requirements. The threaded bolt can have a threaded section for screwing into a corresponding internal thread of a vehicle and a section for attaching the base plate. These sections are preferably spaced apart from each other, preferably axially. Preferably, the threaded section and the attachment area can be located at opposite ends of the threaded bolt. This design allows the attachment area for the base plate – and thus also the warning sign to be attached to it – to be positioned at a sufficient distance from the front of the vehicle. The area for attaching the base plate can be located on the end face of the threaded bolt. Preferably, this attachment area is designed as an axially offset end section of the threaded bolt compared to the threaded section, on which fastening elements or corresponding receiving openings for a detachable connection with the base plate can be provided. The threaded bolt, preferably the area for attaching the base plate, can have at least one, preferably at least two, receiving openings. These receiving openings can be designed, in particular, as threaded bores. Preferably, several, in particular three, receiving openings are provided. The receiving openings can have different diameters. One of the receiving openings can be arranged centrally, preferably along the axis of rotation of the threaded bolt. Preferably, the receiving openings, or a portion of them, are arranged linearly relative to each other. The centrally arranged receiving opening preferably has a larger diameter than the other receiving openings. This design allows for particularly flexible and secure attachment of the base plate, as different fastening elements can be used and different mounting positions can be achieved depending on the requirements.In particular, multiple mounting holes allow the base plate to be fixed to the threaded bolt in various orientations and positions. The larger central mounting hole enables the use of a stronger or thicker fastener, which can bear the main load of the connection. The additional, laterally arranged mounting holes can be used for thinner fasteners, primarily to prevent rotation, while the central fastener provides the main fixation. This results in a particularly stable and rotation-resistant attachment of the base plate. The base plate can preferably be attached to the threaded bolt by means of at least one, preferably at least two, fastening elements. The fastening elements for attaching the base plate to the threaded bolt can be designed to be inserted into the receiving holes. Preferably, the fastening elements can be screwed into the receiving holes, especially if these are designed as threaded bores. This ensures secure fixing of the base plate and reliable protection against rotation. The fasteners can be designed as pins, screws, or bolts, preferably with an external thread corresponding to the receiving openings. Using externally threaded fasteners allows for a stable, detachable, and repeatable connection. Depending on the design of the receiving openings, different fasteners can be used, resulting in particularly flexible adaptation to various assembly requirements. The threaded bolt can have a recess, preferably a through-hole, that runs perpendicular to its axis of rotation. The through-hole can serve to accommodate a tool or a rod-shaped aid by means of which the threaded bolt can be rotated during installation or removal. This allows the threaded bolt to be turned easily with an increased lever arm and without the need for special tools. In particular, an elongated aid present in the vehicle, such as a cab tilt rod, can be inserted into the through-hole to allow the threaded bolt to be screwed in or out. The base plate can have one or more openings arranged so that at least one fastening element can be passed through these openings and inserted into the receiving holes formed on the threaded bolt, preferably by screwing it in. This design enables a simple, stable, and rotationally secure connection between the base plate and the threaded bolt. Depending on the number and position of the openings, the base plate can be attached to the threaded bolt in different orientations or positions, thus achieving particularly flexible adaptation to various vehicle types and mounting requirements. At least some of the openings can be arranged along a circular arc, preferably a semicircular arc. One of the openings can be located at the center of the circle whose circumference forms the aforementioned arc. The openings can have different diameters. Preferably, the opening located at the center of the circle has a larger diameter than the other openings arranged along the circular arc. This design allows for a functional division of the fastening, in which the central opening can accommodate a stronger or larger-dimensioned fastening element, while the other openings can serve, in particular, to prevent rotation and to fine-tune the base plate. Preferably, the one or more openings through which the base plate can be attached to the threaded bolt by means of fasteners are not arranged centrally, and in particular not on the vertical axis of symmetry of the base plate. This results in the base plate extending to different distances on either side of the threaded bolt when mounted. This asymmetrical arrangement increases the flexibility in positioning the base plate on the vehicle. In particular, the base plate can be aligned so that adjacent vehicle components, such as sensors, lighting devices, or camera systems, are not obscured or impaired in their function. Thus, the asymmetrical design allows for finer adjustments to different vehicle geometries and installation conditions. The base plate can have at least one, preferably at least two, additional openings for attaching a support device for warning signs. These additional openings can be designed, in particular, as elongated holes. The elongated holes allow for flexible alignment of the support device relative to the base plate, in particular for adjusting its rotational position. The holding device can therefore include a support device for warning signs, which is designed for attachment to the base plate, preferably by means of fastening elements that are passed through the openings for attaching the support device. The openings for attaching the base plate to the threaded bolt can be arranged between the openings for attaching the support device to the base plate. The openings for attaching the support device to the base plate can be arranged, at least partially, along an arc-shaped path. The elongated holes can have a curvature; preferably, they are arc-shaped. Preferably, two or more elongated holes have opposing curvatures. Preferably, the openings are arranged, at least partially, along a circular arc; in embodiments with elongated holes, the elongated holes themselves can run along a circular arc. The arc-shaped or circular segment-shaped design of the openings or elongated holes allows the support device to be aligned particularly flexibly relative to the base plate, so that different mounting positions can be achieved. The invention is further explained below by way of example with reference to the figures. Fig. 1A shows an exemplary embodiment of a threaded bolt 1 of a holding device according to the invention. The threaded bolt has a threaded section 2 and a region for attaching a base plate 3, which are spaced apart from each other. Fig. 1B shows a cross-section of the threaded bolt from Fig. 1A rotated 90° about its axis of rotation along section line AA. In this view, the through-hole 7 is visible, which serves to receive a tool or a rod-shaped aid by means of which the threaded bolt can be screwed into or out of a corresponding thread. The region for attaching the base plate has the receiving openings 4, 5, and 6, which are arranged in a row.The receiving opening 5 is located on the axis of rotation of the threaded bolt and has a larger diameter than the two other receiving openings 4 and 6. Fig. 1C shows the threaded bolt from Fig. 1A in a top view of the area for attaching the base plate 3, in which the receiving openings 4, 5, and 6 are visible. Fig. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a base plate 8 of a holding device according to the invention. The base plate 8 comprises a plurality of openings 9 by means of which the base plate can be attached to the threaded bolt. For this purpose, a first screw can be screwed through the large round opening of the base plate into the receiving opening 5 of the threaded bolt. To fix the rotational position and to prevent rotation, a further screw can be screwed through one of the smaller round openings, which are arranged on a circular arc around the large round opening, into one of the receiving openings 4 or 6. The base plate also has two further openings for attaching a mounting device for warning signs. These two additional openings are designed as elongated holes 10 and 11. Using suitable fasteners, a mounting device for warning signs can thus be flexibly positioned on the base plate. Reference symbol list 1 Threaded bolt 2 Threaded section 3 Area for mounting the base plate 4 Mounting opening 5 Mounting opening 6 Mounting opening 7 Through opening 8 Base plate 9 Openings 10 Slotted hole 11 Slotted hole

Claims

Holding device for warning signs comprising a threaded bolt and a base plate that can be attached to the threaded bolt. Holding device according to claim 1, wherein the threaded bolt is designed to be screwed into a thread for a towing eye of a vehicle. Holding device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the threaded bolt has a threaded section and / or an area for fastening the base plate, wherein the areas are preferably spaced apart from each other. Holding device according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the area for fastening the base plate is arranged on the end face of the threaded bolt. Holding device according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the threaded bolt, preferably the area for fastening the base plate, has at least one, preferably at least two, receiving openings, preferably in the form of threaded bores. Holding device according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the base plate can be attached to the threaded bolt by means of at least one, preferably at least two, fastening elements. Holding device according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the fastening elements for fastening the base plate to the threaded bolt are designed in such a way that they can be inserted, preferably screwed, into the receiving openings. Holding device according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the fastening elements are designed as pins, screws or bolts, preferably with an external thread corresponding to the receiving openings. Holding device according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the threaded bolt has a recess, preferably a through-hole, which preferably extends orthogonally to its axis of rotation. Holding device according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the base plate has one or more openings arranged such that at least one fastening element can be passed through the openings and inserted, preferably screwed in, into the receiving openings formed on the threaded bolt. Holding device according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein at least part of the openings of the base plate are arranged along a circular arc, preferably a semicircular arc, preferably wherein one of the openings is arranged at the center of the circle whose circumference forms the circular arc. Holding device according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the base plate has at least one, preferably at least two further openings for attaching a support device for warning signs to the base plate, preferably in the form of elongated holes. Holding device according to claim 12, wherein the openings for fastening the base plate to the threaded bolt are arranged between the openings for fastening a support device to the base plate. Holding device according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the openings for fastening a support device to the base plate are arranged at least sectionally along an arcuate path and / or wherein the elongated holes each have a curvature, wherein the curvatures are preferably opposite. Holding device according to one of claims 1 to 14, comprising a support device for warning signs, which is designed to be attached to the base plate, preferably by means of fastening elements which are guided through the openings for attaching a support device.

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