Trailer coupling

Abstract

In order to create a trailer coupling that makes it possible to incorporate the crash unit, which is provided anyway for the vehicle, into the vehicle attachment unit, according to the invention the vehicle attachment unit comprises a crash unit that can be mounted under a bumper unit on the vehicle rear, said crash unit having a impact body extending transverse to a central longitudinal plane of the trailer coupling that is coincident with the central longitudinal plane of the vehicle, and having deformation bodies that are arranged on both sides of the central longitudinal plane, support the impact body relative to the vehicle rear and maintain a distance thereto, and in addition to the crash unit on a side of the impact body facing the vehicle a transverse member, close to the vehicle, is provided that is connected to the deformation bodies and extends between them, and a mounting base for mounting the trailer element extends between the transverse member, close to the vehicle, and the impact body and is connected to the transverse member and to the impact body.

Description

[0001] TOW HOIST

[0002] The invention relates to a trailer coupling comprising a trailer element, in particular a ball neck, and a vehicle connection unit carrying the trailer element, which can be mounted on a rear end of a motor vehicle.

[0003] Such trailer couplings are known from the prior art, and are usually designed in such a way that a standard crash unit mounted under a bumper unit is removed and a special vehicle connection unit for the trailer element is mounted.

[0004] This means that the crash unit that was originally intended for vehicles without a trailer hitch can no longer be used.

[0005] The invention is therefore based on the object of creating a trailer coupling which opens up the possibility of incorporating the crash unit already provided for the vehicle into the vehicle connection unit.

[0006] This object is achieved according to the invention in a trailer coupling of the type described at the outset in that the vehicle connection unit comprises a crash unit which can be mounted under a bumper unit on the rear of a vehicle and which has an impact body which extends transversely to a longitudinal center plane of the trailer coupling which coincides with a vehicle longitudinal center plane and deformation bodies which are arranged on both sides of the longitudinal center plane and which support the impact body relative to the vehicle rear and keep it at a distance from it. In addition to the crash unit, a cross member close to the vehicle is provided on a side of the impact body facing the vehicle, which cross member is connected to the deformation bodies and extends between them. And a mounting base for the trailer element extends between the cross member close to the vehicle and the impact body and is connected to the cross member and the impact body.

[0007] The advantage of the solution according to the invention is therefore that it opens up the possibility of integrating a crash unit intended for the respective vehicle into the trailer coupling in such a way that the crash unit, in addition to its already existing properties of energy absorption in the event of a crash, in particular by deformation of the deformation body in the crash direction, can simultaneously also serve to absorb the forces of the trailer element and transmit them to the motor vehicle.

[0008] In principle, in the trailer coupling according to the invention, the crash unit could be a crash unit adapted to the vehicle connection unit, in particular one specifically designed for use with the trailer coupling.

[0009] However, it is particularly advantageous if the crash unit is designed for the respective motor vehicle and can be used on it even without a trailer coupling.

[0010] It is particularly advantageous if the crash unit is a standard crash unit for this vehicle, which can then also be used as part of the vehicle connection unit.

[0011] The towing element itself can be designed for attaching a trailer or for mounting a load carrier or can simply be a holder for a coupling element or a load carrier.

[0012] The mounting base can be designed for mounting a fixed tow bar, a removable tow bar, or a tow bar that can be pivoted relative to the vehicle connection unit. Preferably, the mounting base is arranged so that it extends at an angle to the cross member closest to the vehicle.

[0013] Furthermore, the mounting base is preferably also arranged such that it runs obliquely to the impact body.

[0014] This arrangement of the mounting base has the advantage that it also allows the absorption of crash energy in the area of ​​the mounting base due to deformation of the mounting base and / or in the area of ​​its connection to the cross member close to the vehicle and / or the impact body.

[0015] In the simplest case, the mounting base is designed as a flange unit.

[0016] In order to provide for simple assembly, it is preferably provided that the flange unit is detachably connected to the cross member near the vehicle and / or the impact body in order to facilitate assembly of the vehicle connection unit.

[0017] To improve the stability of the vehicle connection unit, the impact body is preferably connected to the cross member near the vehicle by means of stabilizing elements in addition to the mounting base.

[0018] There are a variety of options for mounting the cross member near the vehicle.

[0019] For example, it is conceivable to connect the cross member near the vehicle directly to the deformation bodies.

[0020] A particularly advantageous solution provides for the near-vehicle cross member to be mounted using a mounting area between the respective deformation body and a connection area at the rear of the vehicle for this deformation body. This makes the near-vehicle cross member particularly easy to install because the respective mounting areas can be clamped between the respective deformation bodies and the connection area provided for them at the rear of the vehicle.

[0021] In particular, the mounting areas can be mounted in the same way as the mounting of the deformation bodies without a trailer coupling would be carried out on the connection areas of the vehicle rear.

[0022] No further details were given regarding the design of the cross member near the vehicle.

[0023] For example, the cross member near the vehicle is designed to be straight between the mounting areas for the sake of simplicity.

[0024] One advantageous solution is that the cross member near the vehicle is bent or curved between the mounting areas in the direction of the impact body in order to give it greater stability.

[0025] With regard to the design of the cross member close to the vehicle, a wide variety of options are also conceivable.

[0026] For example, the cross member near the vehicle is made of a tubular body or an extruded profile.

[0027] A particularly advantageous solution provides that the cross member close to the vehicle is made of a flat material with formed reinforcement areas.

[0028] In the simplest case, the formed reinforcement areas are formed by formed edge regions of the near-vehicle cross member made from the flat material. Furthermore, to further stabilize the near-vehicle cross member, it is provided that it has openings between the mounting areas, whereby these openings are preferably also provided with formed edge regions to stiffen the near-vehicle cross member.

[0029] In particular, the openings are arranged on both sides of a holding area provided in the cross member near the vehicle and connected to the mounting base, wherein the holding area in particular serves to connect the cross member near the vehicle to the mounting base.

[0030] With regard to the design of the deformation bodies, no further details have been given in connection with the previous description of the solution according to the invention.

[0031] An advantageous solution is that the deformation bodies are provided with foot bodies for mounting on the connection areas at the rear of the vehicle.

[0032] The foot bodies are preferably designed in such a way that the deformation bodies are supported by the foot bodies on the mounting areas of the cross member close to the vehicle.

[0033] Furthermore, the foot bodies are preferably designed in such a way that they would be supported on the connection areas provided at the rear of the vehicle in order to be connected to them without integrating the crash unit into the trailer coupling.

[0034] In particular, the connections between the foot bodies and the connection areas are designed to be the same, regardless of whether the foot bodies are directly connected to the connection areas when the crash unit is used without integration into the trailer coupling, or when the foot bodies are used when the crash unit is integrated into the trailer coupling. The foot bodies and the deformation bodies are, for example, formed as one piece, in particular as deep-drawn parts.

[0035] Alternatively, the foot bodies are firmly connected to the deformation bodies, for example by means of connections such as welds or rivets.

[0036] Such a connection, especially by means of welds, is not critical as long as the crash unit is not integrated into a trailer coupling.

[0037] However, if the crash unit is integrated into the trailer coupling, forces from the trailer coupling element are also transferred to the impact body and via the impact body to the deformation bodies and then to the foot bodies.

[0038] In this case, the fixed connections are exposed to increased alternating loads, particularly from forces transverse to the vehicle's longitudinal center plane.

[0039] In order to reduce the load in this case, it is preferably provided that the foot bodies have flexibility areas which absorb the alternating loads transmitted to them by the deformation bodies during trailer operation and thereby relieve the connections, in particular the weld seams, between the deformation bodies and the foot bodies.

[0040] Preferably, the flexibility areas are formed by forming areas in the foot bodies.

[0041] One possibility for forming such forming areas in the foot bodies is to form beads or steps in the foot bodies.

[0042] Another advantageous solution provides that the deformation bodies are provided with flexibility areas in order to relieve the weld seams between the deformation bodies and the foot bodies during alternating loads in trailer operation.

[0043] For example, it would also be conceivable for the deformation bodies to be provided with deformations, in particular beads and / or steps.

[0044] However, a particularly advantageous solution provides that the deformation bodies are provided with flexibilization areas through openings.

[0045] In particular, in the case that the deformation bodies are provided with a cross-section similar to a polygon, it is preferably provided that the openings are arranged in corner regions or edge regions of such a polygon-like cross-section.

[0046] In addition, the openings in the deformation bodies are preferably located close to the weld seam.

[0047] The above description of solutions according to the invention thus includes, in particular, various combinations of features defined by the following numbered embodiments:

[0048] 1. Trailer coupling (30) comprising a trailer element (40), in particular a ball neck (42), and a vehicle connection unit (20) carrying the trailer element (40), which can be mounted on a vehicle rear (14), wherein the vehicle connection unit (20) comprises a crash unit (60) which can be mounted under a bumper unit (16) on the vehicle rear (14), which crash unit has an impact body (62) extending transversely to a longitudinal center plane (18) of the trailer coupling (30) coinciding with a vehicle longitudinal center plane, and deformation bodies (64) arranged on both sides of the longitudinal center plane (18) and supporting the impact body (62) relative to the vehicle rear (14) and keeping it at a distance from it, that in addition to the crash unit (60), on a side of the impact body (62) facing the vehicle, a cross member (70) close to the vehicle is provided, which cross member is connected to the deformation bodies (64) and extends between them,and that a mounting base (80) for mounting the trailer element (40) extends between the cross member (70) near the vehicle and the impact body (62) and is connected to the cross member (70) and the impact body (62).

[0049] 2. Trailer coupling according to embodiment 1, wherein the crash unit (60) is a crash unit adapted to the vehicle connection unit (20).

[0050] 3. Trailer coupling according to embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the crash unit (60) is a crash unit (60) designed for the vehicle and usable on the vehicle without a trailer coupling.

[0051] 4. Trailer coupling according to one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the mounting base (80) extends obliquely to the cross member (70) near the vehicle.

[0052] 5. Trailer coupling according to one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the mounting base (80) extends obliquely to the impact body (62) of the crash unit (60).

[0053] 6. Trailer coupling according to one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the mounting base (80) is designed as a flange unit.

[0054] 7. Trailer coupling according to one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the mounting base (80) is detachably connected to the cross member (70) near the vehicle and / or the impact body (62). 8. Trailer coupling according to one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the impact body (62) is connected to the cross member (70) near the vehicle by means of stabilizing elements (192) in addition to the mounting base (80).

[0055] 9. Trailer coupling according to one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the cross member (70) close to the vehicle can be mounted by means of a respective mounting area (72) between the respective deformation body (64) and a connection area (126) of the vehicle rear (14) for this deformation body (64).

[0056] 10. Trailer coupling according to one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the cross member (70) near the vehicle is curved between the mounting area (72) in the direction of the impact body (62) of the crash unit (60).

[0057] 11. Trailer coupling according to one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the cross member (70) close to the vehicle is formed from a flat material with formed stiffening regions (102, 104, 116, 118).

[0058] 12. Trailer coupling according to embodiment 11, wherein the stiffening regions are formed by deformed edge regions (102, 104, 116, 118).

[0059] 13. Trailer coupling according to one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the cross member (70) near the vehicle has openings (112, 114) between the mounting areas (72).

[0060] 14. Trailer coupling according to embodiment 13, wherein the openings (112, 114) are arranged on both sides of a holding area (106) provided in the cross member (70) near the vehicle and connected to the mounting base (80).

[0061] 15. A trailer coupling according to embodiment 14, wherein the openings (112, 114) are provided with deformed stiffening regions (116, 118). 16. A trailer coupling according to one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the deformation bodies (64) are provided with base bodies (122) for mounting on the connection regions (126) at the rear of the vehicle.

[0062] 17. Trailer coupling according to embodiment 16, wherein the foot bodies (122) are supported on the mounting areas (72) of the cross member near the vehicle.

[0063] 18. Trailer coupling according to embodiment 16 or 17, wherein the foot bodies (122) are held on the deformation bodies (64) by means of connections (132), in particular welds.

[0064] 19. Trailer coupling according to one of embodiments 16 to 18, wherein the base bodies (122) have flexibilization regions (136) supporting the connections (132), in particular the weld seams.

[0065] 20. Trailer coupling according to embodiment 19, wherein the flexibility regions (136) have at least one deformation (142, 144) formed on the foot bodies (122).

[0066] 21. Trailer coupling according to embodiment 20, wherein the flexibility areas (136) have multiple deformations (142,144) formed on the base plate (122).

[0067] 22. Trailer coupling according to one of embodiments 16 to 21, wherein the deformation bodies (64') are provided with flexibilization regions (136') carrying the weld seams (132).

[0068] 23. Trailer coupling according to embodiment 22, wherein the flexibility regions (136') are formed by openings (182) arranged in the respective deformation body (64). 24. Trailer coupling according to embodiment 23, wherein the openings (182) are arranged in corner regions or edge regions of deformation bodies (64') having a polygonal shape in cross section.

[0069] Further features and advantages of the inventive solution are the subject of the following description and the drawings of some exemplary embodiments. The drawings show:

[0070] Fig. 1 is a side view of a motor vehicle with a trailer coupling according to the invention, shown partially in section in the area of ​​a rear bumper unit and a vehicle connection unit according to the invention;

[0071] Fig. 2 is a view of the motor vehicle in the direction of arrow X in Fig. 1;

[0072] Fig. 3 is an exploded view of a first embodiment of the trailer coupling according to the invention with a separate representation of a crash unit on the one hand and a cross member close to the vehicle with a mounting base and mounted trailer element on the other hand;

[0073] Fig. 4 is a representation of the first embodiment of the trailer coupling according to the invention, in particular showing the mounting base for connecting a cross member close to the vehicle to an impact body of the crash unit;

[0074] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a vehicle connection unit according to the invention, viewed from above, opposite to the direction of travel, onto the cross member near the vehicle; Fig. 6 is a view of the first embodiment of the towing device according to the invention, viewed from below onto the cross member near the vehicle and the crash unit with impact bodies and deformation bodies;

[0075] Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a trailer coupling mounted on a partially shown rear of a vehicle;

[0076] Fig. 8 is a plan view of the cross member near the vehicle, viewed opposite to the direction of travel;

[0077] Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the trailer coupling according to the invention showing the deformation bodies;

[0078] Fig. 10 is a plan view of the first embodiment of the trailer coupling according to the invention from below, particularly in connection with the representation of a connection between base bodies of the deformation bodies, mounting areas of the cross member close to the vehicle and connection areas of the vehicle body;

[0079] Fig. 11 is an enlarged partial sectional view of a connection between wall areas of the deformation bodies and foot bodies with a flexibilization area in the area of ​​the foot bodies;

[0080] Fig. 12 is an enlarged view of a first embodiment of a deformation body;

[0081] Fig. 13 is an exploded view of the deformation body according to Fig. 12;

[0082] Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 9 of a second embodiment of the trailer coupling according to the invention with flexibility areas in the area of ​​the deformation bodies; Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 10 of the second embodiment, also showing the flexibility areas in the deformation bodies;

[0083] Fig. 16 is a representation of the deformation body of the second embodiment similar to Fig. 12;

[0084] Fig. 17 is an exploded view of the deformation body of the second embodiment similar to Fig. 13 and

[0085] Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig. 15 of a third embodiment.

[0086] The invention relates to a motor vehicle 10 having a vehicle body 12 which carries a bumper unit designated as a whole by 16 at a vehicle rear 14.

[0087] Concealed by the bumper unit 16, a vehicle connection unit 20, designated as a whole by 20, is arranged on the vehicle rear 14, which is part of a trailer coupling designated as a whole by 30, which in addition to the vehicle connection unit 20 carries a trailer element 40, for example designed as a ball neck 42, which extends from a first end 44, which is connected to the vehicle connection unit 20, to a second end 46, which carries a coupling element 48, for example a coupling ball.

[0088] Alternatively, the trailer element 40 is also designed to receive a load carrier, in particular a bicycle carrier, or is designed only as a receptacle for a coupling element 48 or for a load or bicycle carrier.

[0089] As shown in Fig. 2, in an advantageous embodiment it is provided that the trailer element 40 can be moved from a working position A, in which the coupling element 48 is arranged essentially symmetrically to a longitudinal center plane 18 of the trailer coupling 30 coinciding with a vehicle longitudinal center plane, under a lower edge 52 of the bumper unit 16 facing a roadway 54 into a rest position R, in which the trailer element 40 is concealed by the bumper unit 16 in a rest position R.

[0090] This is done, for example, by a pivoting movement about a pivot axis not shown in Fig. 1 and 2, but visible in Fig. 3.

[0091] Furthermore, it can be seen in Fig. 2 that the vehicle connection unit 20 extends on both sides of the longitudinal center plane 18 and is concealed by the bumper unit 16.

[0092] As shown in Fig. 3, if the motor vehicle 10 is not provided with a trailer coupling 30, a crash unit, designated as a whole by 60, is provided under the bumper unit 16, which has an impact body 62 extending transversely to the longitudinal center plane 18 over a substantial part of a width of the vehicle body 16, for example in the form of an impact cross member, as well as deformation bodies 64 arranged at a distance from the longitudinal center plane 18, supporting the impact body 62 relative to the vehicle rear 14, which hold the impact body 62 at a distance from the vehicle rear 14 and, in the event of an impact on the impact body 62, enable it to move in a crash direction 68 towards the vehicle rear 14 and, in the process, to shorten the deformation bodies 64 in their extension direction 66, which runs approximately parallel to the crash direction 68 of the motor vehicle 10.thereby deforming and absorbing a significant portion of the impact energy so that it is not introduced into the vehicle rear 14 by the deformation bodies 64.

[0093] In the trailer coupling according to the invention, as shown in Fig. 3, the crash unit 60 used as standard by the vehicle manufacturer in the vehicle 10 is integrated into the vehicle connection unit designated as a whole by 20, wherein for this purpose the crash unit 60 is supplemented by a cross member 70 close to the vehicle, which has mounting areas 72 that can be connected to the deformation bodies 64, and which has a support area 74 extending between the mounting areas 72, on which a mounting base 80 for fixing the trailer element 40 is arranged.

[0094] Preferably, the attachment element 40 is provided with a bearing unit 82, which is designed in particular as a pivot bearing unit, and allows the attachment element 40 to be pivoted about a pivot axis 84 from the working position A into the rest position R, wherein the pivot axis 84 preferably runs obliquely to the longitudinal center plane 18.

[0095] Preferably, the bearing unit 82, when designed as a pivot bearing unit, is additionally provided with a pivot drive unit 86, which, for example, enables an electrically driven and controlled pivoting of the trailer element 40 between the working position and the A and the rest position R.

[0096] The mounting base 80 is, as shown in Fig. 4, fixed on the one hand with a holding section 92 to the support area 74 of the cross member 70 near the vehicle and extends from the cross member 70 near the vehicle to the impact body 62 of the crash unit 60 and additionally has a holding section 94 which is firmly connected to the impact body 62.

[0097] Furthermore, the mounting base 80 preferably extends both obliquely to the cross member 70 near the vehicle and to the impact body 62, and preferably at a right angle to the pivot axis 84, so that the bearing unit 82 can be easily mounted on the mounting base 84 with a suitable oblique alignment of the pivot axis 84 to the longitudinal center plane 18, and thus the mounting base 80 inevitably also extends obliquely to the longitudinal center plane 18. As a result, the mounting base 80 also supports the impact body 62 on the cross member 70 near the vehicle, so that in the event of an impact on the impact body 62, the mounting base 80 can, on the one hand, absorb forces itself and, on the other hand, can also transmit forces to the cross member 70 near the vehicle.

[0098] As shown in Fig. 5 to 8, the cross member 70 near the vehicle is preferably designed such that it is bent between the mounting areas 72 opposite to the direction of travel in order to thereby improve its rigidity, so that the support area 74 extends at a distance from a plane 96 in which the mounting areas 72 are preferably located.

[0099] Furthermore, the cross member 70 near the vehicle, as shown in Fig. 5, has a stiffener 102 on a side facing away from the roadway 54 and a stiffener 104 on a side facing the roadway 54, wherein in particular when the cross member 70 near the vehicle is formed from a flat material and the stiffeners 102 and 104 are formed by bending the flat material preferably up to the extension in the stiffeners 102 and 104 transversely, in particular perpendicular to the support region 74.

[0100] Furthermore, as can be seen in Figs. 5, 7 and 8, the cross member 70 close to the vehicle is provided with openings 112 and 114 arranged in the support region 74 and located on both sides of a mounting region 106 for the mounting base 80, which in turn also have edge stiffeners 116 and 118, which in particular are also formed from bends of the flat material transversely to the extent of the support region 74 and thus also contribute to the further stiffness of the cross member 70 close to the vehicle.

[0101] Thus, overall, the cross member 70 near the vehicle is provided with a sufficiently high rigidity for the forces acting from the trailer element 40 via the mounting base 80 onto the support area 74 on the one hand by the stiffeners 102 and 104 and the deflection between the mounting areas 74 as well as the edge stiffeners 116 and 118 and transmits these forces to the mounting areas 72.

[0102] Furthermore, due to the connection between the mounting base 80 and the impact body 62 by means of the holding section 94, the forces acting on the mounting base 80 from the holding element 40 also act on the impact body 62, so that in this case the impact body 62 provided by the crash unit 60 is also used to absorb the forces transmitted from the attachment element 40 to the mounting base 80.

[0103] These forces acting on the impact body 62 are then transferred by the deformation bodies 64 to the rear of the vehicle 14.

[0104] For this purpose, the deformation bodies 64 are preferably provided with foot bodies 122 which, when the crash unit 60 is simply used, are supported directly on the vehicle rear 14 of the vehicle body 12 and are screwed to the vehicle rear 14 of the body, for example via screw connections 124.

[0105] As shown in Fig. 9 and 10, when the crash unit 60 is integrated into the trailer coupling 30, the cross member 70 close to the vehicle is designed such that its mounting areas 72 rest directly on the vehicle rear 14 and the connection areas 126 provided for this purpose, while the foot bodies 122 rest on the connection areas 126 on opposite sides of the mounting areas 72 of the cross member 70 close to the vehicle and thus clamp the mounting areas 72 between themselves and the connection areas 126.

[0106] If the screw connection 124 now passes through both the base body 122 and the mounting areas 72, it is possible to use the fixing already provided for the crash unit 70 to the connection areas 126 of the vehicle body 12 to also firmly connect the cross member 70 near the vehicle to the connection areas 126 of the vehicle body by means of the mounting areas 72.

[0107] The fact that when the crash unit 60 is used in conjunction with the trailer coupling, forces are also transmitted from the mounting base 80 to the impact body 62 during trailer operation has the consequence that when the trailer is operated, forces from the deformation bodies 64, in particular forces acting transversely to the vehicle longitudinal center plane 18, are also transmitted to the deformation bodies 64 and from the deformation bodies 64 to the base body 122.

[0108] As a result, particularly when providing a weld seam 132 for connecting wall areas 134 to the base body 122, there is a risk that the dynamic loads occurring will cause a fracture in the area between the connection of the wall areas 134 to the base body 122.

[0109] For this reason, the foot body 132 is provided with a flexibility region 136, which is formed, for example, by molded-in steps 142 and 144 in the foot body 122, which are arranged between a support region 146 of the foot body 122, with which the latter is supported on the mounting regions 72 or, without use of the crash unit in the trailer coupling 30, on the connection regions 126, and a support region 148, in which the connection between the foot body 122 and the wall regions 134 of the deformation bodies 64 takes place.

[0110] With these steps 142 and 144 forming the flexibility region 136, sufficient flexibility is created in the base body 122 between the support region 146 and the support region 148, which also makes it possible to absorb the varying transverse forces acting on the deformation bodies 64 due to the integration of the crash unit 60 into a trailer coupling 30. Preferably, in the first exemplary embodiment, the deformation bodies 64 are formed from two shells 152 and 154, which interlock with their mutually facing edge regions 156 and 158, so that, for example, the edge regions 156 lie between the edge regions 158, as shown in Fig. 12, wherein the edge regions 156 and 158 are then connected to one another by means of a weld seam 162 (Figs. 12 and 13).

[0111] In addition, the deformation bodies 64 thus formed are also provided with indentations 164 in order to define a deformation area 166 with regard to its extension and energy absorption.

[0112] Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 13, it is provided that the support region 148 has a cutout 172 approximately adapted to the cross-sectional shape of the deformation bodies 64 in order to maintain a certain flexibility in the support region 148 at the transition to the weld seam 132.

[0113] In a second embodiment of the trailer coupling according to the invention, shown in Fig. 14 to 17, the base bodies 122' are designed exclusively as plates with cutouts 172', while the deformation bodies 64' are provided with flexibility regions 136', which are formed, for example, in that the deformation bodies 64' have openings 182 near the weld seam 132' connecting them to the base bodies 122', which openings 182 are arranged, for example, in edge regions of the deformation bodies 64' when the cross-section is rectangular, and thus also impart greater flexibility to the deformation bodies 64' in order to prevent breakage in the region of the weld seam 132' connecting the deformation bodies 64' to the base bodies 122'.

[0114] Otherwise, the second embodiment is designed in the same way as the first embodiment, so that with regard to the description of the remaining features of the second embodiment, in particular also the deformation body 64', reference can be made in full to the first embodiment.

[0115] In a third embodiment, shown in Fig. 18, the cross member 70 near the vehicle and the impact body 62 are connected in addition to the mounting base 80 by means of stabilizing elements 192, which preferably run obliquely to the cross member 70 near the vehicle and to the impact body 62 in order to be able to absorb crash energy in the same area as well.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS Trailer coupling (30) comprising a trailer element (40), in particular a ball neck (42), and a vehicle connection unit (20) carrying the trailer element (40), which can be mounted on a vehicle rear (14), characterized in that the vehicle connection unit (20) comprises a crash unit (60) which can be mounted under a bumper unit (16) on the vehicle rear (14), which crash unit has an impact body (62) extending transversely to a longitudinal center plane (18) of the trailer coupling (30) coinciding with a vehicle longitudinal center plane and deformation bodies (64) arranged on both sides of the longitudinal center plane (18) and supporting the impact body (62) relative to the vehicle rear (14) and keeping it at a distance from it, that in addition to the crash unit (60) on a side of the impact body (62) facing the vehicle, a vehicle-near cross member (70) is provided,which is connected to the deformation bodies (64) and extends between them, and in that a mounting base (80) for mounting the trailer element (40) extends between the cross member (70) near the vehicle and the impact body (62) and is connected to the cross member (70) and the impact body (62). Trailer coupling according to claim 1, characterized in that the crash unit (60) is a crash unit adapted to the vehicle connection unit (20). Trailer coupling according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the crash unit (60) is a crash unit (60) designed for the vehicle and usable on the vehicle without a trailer coupling. Trailer coupling according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mounting base (80) extends obliquely to the cross member (70) near the vehicle. Trailer coupling according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mounting base (80) extends obliquely to the impact body (62) of the crash unit (60). Trailer coupling according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mounting base (80) is designed as a flange unit. Trailer coupling according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mounting base (80) is detachably connected to the cross member (70) near the vehicle and / or to the impact body (62). Trailer coupling according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the impact body (62) is connected to the cross member (70) near the vehicle by means of stabilizing elements (192) in addition to the mounting base (80).Trailer coupling according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cross member (70) near the vehicle can be mounted by means of a respective mounting area (72) between the respective deformation body (64) and a connection area (126) of the vehicle rear (14) for this deformation body (64). Trailer coupling according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cross member (70) near the vehicle is curved between the mounting area (72) in the direction of the impact body (62) of the crash unit (60). Trailer coupling according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cross member (70) near the vehicle is formed from a flat material with deformed stiffening regions (102, 104, 116, 118). Trailer coupling according to claim 11, characterized in that the stiffening regions are formed by deformed edge regions (102, 104, 116, 118). Trailer coupling according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cross member (70) near the vehicle has openings (112, 114) between the mounting regions (72). Trailer coupling according to claim 13, characterized in that the openings (112, 114) are arranged on both sides of a holding region (106) provided in the cross member (70) near the vehicle and connected to the mounting base (80). Trailer coupling according to claim 14, characterized in that the openings (112, 114) are provided with formed stiffening areas (116, 118).Trailer coupling according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the deformation bodies (64) are provided with foot bodies (122) for mounting on the connection areas (126) at the rear of the vehicle. Trailer coupling according to claim 16, characterized in that the foot bodies (122) are supported on the mounting areas (72) of the cross member near the vehicle. Trailer coupling according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the foot bodies (122) are held to the deformation bodies (64) by means of connections (132), in particular weld seams. Trailer coupling according to one of claims 16 to 18, characterized in that the foot bodies (122) have flexible regions (136) supporting the connections (132), in particular the weld seams. Trailer coupling according to claim 19, characterized in that the flexible regions (136) have at least one deformation (142, 144) integrally formed on the foot bodies (122). Trailer coupling according to claim 20, characterized in that the flexible regions (136) have multiple deformations (142, 144) integrally formed on the base plate (122). Trailer coupling according to one of claims 16 to 21, characterized in that the deformation bodies (64') are provided with flexibilization areas (136') carrying the weld seams (132).Trailer coupling according to claim 22, characterized in that the flexibility regions (136') are formed by openings (182) arranged in the respective deformation body (64). Trailer coupling according to claim 23, characterized in that the openings (182) are arranged in corner regions or edge regions of deformation bodies (64') having a polygonal shape in cross-section.

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