Device for securing the means of towing motor vehicles

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for securing towing means for a motor vehicle, comprising a base for supporting a ring (40), mounted on a transverse beam (1) forming a bumper integral with a longitudinal arm (21) ensuring energy absorption and the connection between the dorsal face of the beam (1) and the vehicle body, characterized in that said base comprises a reinforcing plate (3) mounted intercalated between the dorsal face of the beam (1) and the arm (2) and through which two adjacent bores (30a, 30b) are provided, at least one of which is positioned opposite an opening (10a, 10b) provided through the beam (1) and intended to receive a socket (32a, 32b) for attaching the ring (40). Abstract figure: Fig. 2

Description

Title of the invention: Device for securing towing equipment for motor vehicles

[0001] The invention applies to the general field of motor vehicle breakdown assistance and relates, more particularly, to an improvement of the devices mounted on the bumpers to allow the securing of the towing means of these vehicles.

[0002] Various devices exist today for securing links (sling, rope, cable, etc.) to ensure the towing of a broken-down vehicle. It is known, in particular, to mount a plate or base on the front of the vehicle to support a possibly removable ring to which the towing links are attached.

[0003] A traditional solution consists of fixing this base on the bumper beam generally made up of a transverse profile whose cross section is substantially U-shaped and is formed of a front wall extending towards the rear by two substantially parallel walls, respectively upper and lower.

[0004] The front wall of the beam further includes an opening which is intended to be aligned with a bore provided in the support base and in which is fixed an arm or rod carrying the towing ring.

[0005] The beam is connected to the vehicle body via a shock absorption system consisting of crush boxes (called "crash boxes") which are housed in the U-shaped section between its upper wall and its lower wall.

[0006] To preserve the effectiveness of the shock absorption system and the safety of the vehicle, patent EP1681208B1 proposes to mount the support base of the towing ring away from the areas of the beam where the crush boxes are located.

[0007] However, this solution significantly restricts the freedom of positioning of the means of securing the towing device, while the different silhouettes of vehicles impose specific locations where traction forces must be exerted.

[0008] In order to avoid interference from the crushing housing located at the rear of the bumper, patent FR3057515B1 describes a support base mounted on the front of the bumper opposite an opening made through the beam. This base has a wall offset towards the front, parallel to the front wall of the beam, and to which the towing eye mounting interface is attached.

[0009] Although this alternative solution allows the same absorption system to be used for various vehicle shapes, it nevertheless requires specific locations for the towing device's securing means. In particular, The presence of the through-hole opposite the ring's support base in an area of ​​the beam where the crushing box of the absorption system is already located is problematic. Indeed, such an opening locally reduces the beam's rigidity, which is incompatible with current safety standards.

[0010] In this context, none of the existing solutions ultimately allows the means of securing the towing device to be installed at any location on the beam and, in particular, in the area where the crush box of the shock absorption system is fixed without compromising the mechanical resistance of the bumper and therefore the safety of the vehicle.

[0011] The invention aims to overcome the technical problems posed by prior technical solutions by reinforcing the towing ring fixing interface to compensate for the loss of rigidity created by the presence of the orifice through the beam in the crush box implantation area.

[0012] This goal is achieved, according to the invention, by means of a device for securing towing means of a motor vehicle, comprising a support base for a ring, mounted on a transverse beam forming a bumper attached to a longitudinal arm ensuring energy absorption and the connection between the back face of the beam and the body of the vehicle, characterized in that said base comprises a reinforcing plate mounted intercalated between the back face of the beam and the arm and through which two juxtaposed bores are provided, at least one of which is arranged opposite an opening provided through the beam and is intended to receive a socket for the attachment of the ring.

[0013] According to an advantageous feature of the device of the invention, the plate has an upper rim and a lower rim which at least partially follow the internal faces of the upper and lower walls of the beam respectively.

[0014] According to a specific embodiment of the device of the invention, the sleeve is tapped and intended to receive a threaded rod whose front end carries said ring.

[0015] According to another feature of the invention, the plate is housed inside the end portion of the arm.

[0016] According to yet another feature of the invention, the plate is housed inside the beam and fits its dorsal face.

[0017] Another object of the invention is a bumper beam for a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a device as defined above for securing means of towing the vehicle.

[0018] Yet another object of the invention is a bumper intended to be fitted to the front of a motor vehicle body, said bumper comprising a transverse beam of U-shaped section delimited by a front wall extending rearward by two substantially parallel walls, respectively upper and lower, delimiting between them a housing for the end portions of at least two orthogonal arms ensuring an energy-absorbing connection of the beam with the vehicle body, characterized in that said beam further comprises a support base for a towing ring formed of a reinforcing plate mounted in an intercalated manner between the back face of the beam and the end portion of one of the arms and through which are provided two juxtaposed bores, at least one of which is arranged opposite an opening provided through the beam and intended to receive a socket for the attachment of said ring.

[0019] According to an advantageous feature of this bumper, the position of the bores on the plate corresponds to the locations of holes provided in the beam for towing two distinct silhouettes of vehicles.

[0020] A final object of the invention is a motor vehicle comprising a device having the characteristics defined above for the securing of towing means.

[0021] Thanks to the invention, it becomes possible to equip the bumpers of vehicles of different silhouettes with the same towing means attachment device by making a simple adaptation of this device and diversifying the position of the holes on the beam, which considerably reduces costs.

[0022] The invention also makes it possible to equip vehicles with different silhouettes with the same absorption system without it being necessary to modify the structure and location of the tie-down and towing device.

[0023] The lashing device of the invention with its support base and the socket into which the towing ring is screwed, has a high robustness which makes it possible to make the beam with an open U-shaped section offering a significant mass saving compared to the closed beams of traditional bumpers.

[0024] In addition, the device of the invention preserves the rigidity of the beam and the crush box integrated into the shock absorption system, which allows the collision test to be carried out only once.

[0025] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, with reference to the attached and detailed drawings below.

[0026] [Fig.1] is a front view of a motor vehicle bumper equipped with a preferred embodiment of the device of the invention for securing towing means.

[0027] [Fig.2] is a partial perspective view of the front of the bumper of [Fig.1].

[0028] [Fig.3] is a partial perspective view of the rear of the bumper of the [Fig.1] in a configuration corresponding to an initial vehicle silhouette.

[0029] [Fig.4] is a partial perspective view of the rear of the bumper of the [Fig.1] in a configuration corresponding to a second vehicle silhouette.

[0030] [Fig.5] is a detailed perspective view of the front of the lashing device the invention equipping the bumper of [Fig.4].

[0031] [Fig.6] is a detailed perspective view of the rear of the lashing device the invention equipping the bumper of [Fig.4].

[0032] For clarity, identical or similar elements are identified by identical reference signs in the description and in the figures.

[0033] Naturally, the embodiments of the device of the invention illustrated by the figures shown above and described below are given only by way of non-limiting examples. It is explicitly intended that different embodiments may be proposed and combined to create others.

[0034] The invention relates to the field of towing motor vehicles. More specifically, the invention concerns an improvement of the device for securing the towing links to the vehicle body.

[0035] Traditionally, and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, such a tie-down device is mounted on the vehicle's bumper, which generally includes a beam 1 mounted transversely at the front of the vehicle. The tie-down device comprises a base providing support and attachment for a ring 40, optionally removable, to which the links are attached, allowing towing by traction using another vehicle or a winch.

[0036] In the embodiment shown in the figures, this beam 1 has a U-shaped section delimited by a front wall la extending towards the rear by two substantially parallel walls, respectively upper 1b and lower le.

[0037] The walls 1a, 1b, and 1e of beam 1 define, towards the rear, a housing for the end portions of at least two longitudinal arms 21 attached to the beam and extending orthogonally with respect to beam 1 to ensure the connection of this beam with the vehicle body (not shown). These arms 21 incorporate so-called crush boxes to form, together with these, a system for absorbing the kinetic energy resulting from an impact at the front of the vehicle.

[0038] The invention aims to simplify the assembly of the tie-down device and make it compatible with different vehicle body shapes. Indeed, the respective bodies of different vehicle models each require specific locations, both for the installation of the absorption system 2 and for the points on the bumper where the towing traction force must be applied, taking into account primarily the physical and mechanical characteristics specific to each of these body shapes.

[0039] To achieve this objective, the invention consists of making the support base of the towing ring in the form of a reinforcing plate 3 mounted in an intercalated manner between the dorsal face of the beam 1 and one of the arms 21.

[0040] To offer two different anchoring positions depending on the silhouette of the vehicle concerned, the invention provides for making two juxtaposed bores 30a, 30b through the plate 3, at least one of which is positioned opposite an orifice 10a, 10b made through the beam 1. However, the invention is not limited to the presence of two bores and it is therefore possible to provide, without departing from the scope of the invention, that this plate has more than two bores in order to have greater freedom of assembly on different vehicle silhouettes.

[0041] At least one of the bores 10a, 10b (in the embodiment of [Fig. 2], both bores) is intended to receive a bushing 32a, 32b for attaching the ring 40. The bushings 32a, 32b are, for example, welded into the bores 10a, 10b of the plate 3 and tapped to receive a threaded rod 4, the front end of which carries the ring 40. In [Fig. 2], the rod 4 is screwed into the bushing 32a, which is itself housed in the bore 10a of the plate 3.

[0042] The plate 3 has an upper rim 31a and a lower rim 31b which at least partially follow the internal faces of the walls respectively upper 1b and lower 1 of the U-shaped beam 1, as illustrated in the assembly position of the device by figures 3 and 4 and, in detail in the free state, by figures 5 and 6.

[0043] Due to the weakening of the rigidity of the open U-section beam (compared to a closed beam), the front wall la alone does not allow for a firm and stable hold of the sleeve 32a (or 32b) when a tensile force is exerted on the ring 40. Under these conditions, the plate 3 provides reinforcement of the front wall la by being mounted inside the beam 1, in an intercalated manner between the end portion of the arm 21 and the dorsal face of the front wall la and between the upper wall 1b and the lower wall le, conforming to the internal profile of the U-section.

Claims

Demands

1. A device for securing towing means for a motor vehicle, comprising a support base for a ring (40), mounted on a transverse beam (1) forming a bumper integral with a longitudinal arm (21) ensuring energy absorption and connection between the dorsal face of the beam (1) and the vehicle body, characterized in that said base comprises a reinforcing plate (3) mounted intercalated between the dorsal face of the beam (1) and the arm (2) and through which two adjacent bores (30a, 30b) are provided, at least one of which is positioned opposite an opening (10a, 10b) provided through the beam (1), and in that said device comprises a socket (32a, 32b) held in at least one of the bores and intended for securing the ring (40), said plate (3) being housed at the inside of the beam (1) by following its dorsal face.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said plate (3) has an upper rim (31a) and a lower rim (31b) conforming at least partially to the inner faces of the upper (1b) and lower (1e) walls respectively of the beam (1).

3. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sleeve (32a, 32b) is tapped and intended to receive a threaded rod (4) whose front end carries said ring (40).

4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said plate (3) is housed inside the end portion of the arm (21).

5. Bumper beam (1) for motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a device according to one of the preceding claims for the securing of towing means for said vehicle.

6. A bumper intended to be fitted to the front of a motor vehicle body, said bumper comprising a transverse beam (1) of U-shaped cross-section delimited by a front wall (la) extending rearward by two substantially parallel walls, respectively upper (1b) and lower (le), defining between them a housing for the end portions of at least two orthogonal arms (21) providing an energy-absorbing connection of the beam (1) with the vehicle body, said beam (1) being provided through holes (10a, 10b), characterized in that said beam (1) further comprises a support base for a towing ring formed of a reinforcing plate (3) mounted in an intercalated manner between the dorsal face of the beam (1) and the end portion of one of the arms (21) and through which are provided two juxtaposed bores (30a, 30b) of which at least one is arranged opposite one of the holes (10a, 10b) and in that said bumper comprises a socket (32) held in one of the bores for the attachment of said ring (40), said plate (3) is housed inside the beam (1) by conforming to its dorsal face.

7. Bumper according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the position of the bores (30a, 30b) on the plate (3) corresponds to the locations of two orifices (10a, 10b) provided in the beam (1) and intended, respectively, for towing two distinct silhouettes of vehicles.

8. Motor vehicle comprising a device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 for securing towing means.

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