VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH AT LEAST ONE DETACHABLE TOW HOOK

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle equipped with at least one tow hook comprising a retaining rod that fits into a hollow support (12) fixed at least to a crossbeam (10) of a bumper of the vehicle and defining a housing for receiving the retaining rod, characterized in that the support (12) is fixed to an L-shaped plate (15) connected by a first wall (150) of the plate (15) to one end of the crossbeam (10) of the bumper and by a second wall (151) of the plate (15) to a support (19) of the crossbeam (10) of the vehicle's bumper. Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Fig. 2

Description

Title of the invention: VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH AT LEAST ONE DETACHABLE TOW HOOK

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle equipped with at least one removable tow hook.

[0002] Here, the term vehicle refers to a car, a van, a truck, a public transport vehicle, a piece of public works or agricultural machinery, the vehicle being powered by an electric motor and / or a thermal engine.

[0003] A vehicle is fitted with at least one tow hook at the front and / or rear, allowing the vehicle or another vehicle to be towed, depending on the hook's position. The hook is mounted on the front or rear bumper and secured to the chassis. It is advantageously attached in a removable manner to allow for replacement if necessary. Tow hooks come in various shapes, depending on the vehicle being fitted. In particular, for off-road vehicles, the hook is mounted in an area of ​​the chassis with a complex geometric configuration. Such mounting is described as "blind," meaning the operator cannot directly see the mounting area, which makes it difficult to insert and position a fastening tool such as a screwdriver.US-B-11 807 056 describes a U-shaped tow hook, the bars of the U forming mounting rods that fit into a plate-type bracket attached to a bumper beam. US-B-8 246 069 describes an open-ring, hook-shaped tow hook, part of which slides in a bracket attached to both the bumper beam bracket and the bumper beam itself.

[0004] The invention aims to provide a solution to facilitate and guarantee the passage of the screwdriver-type fastening tool while preserving the resistance characteristics of the hook during towing.

[0005] To this end, the invention relates to a vehicle equipped with at least one towing hook comprising a fixing rod that fits into a hollow support fixed at least on a crossbeam of a bumper of the vehicle and defining a housing for receiving the fixing rod, characterized in that the support is fixed on an L-shaped plate connected by a first wall constituting the plate to one end of the crossbeam of the bumper and by a second wall constituting the plate to a support of the crossbeam of the bumper of the vehicle.

[0006] Thanks to the invention, the mounting of a tow hook is easily achieved, the fixing at the end of the crossbeam facilitating assembly with the help of a tool The operation is performed using a screwdriver, ensuring it is not blind. The hook is removable, easily detached from the hollow support at the end of the crossbeam. Securing the hook to both the crossbeam support and the crossbeam itself guarantees optimal resistance to the stresses experienced during towing.

[0007] According to advantageous, but not mandatory, aspects of the invention, such a vehicle may include one or more of the following features:

[0008] The fixing rod is provided with at least one hole.

[0009] The hollow support is provided with at least one orifice.

[0010] At least one hole in the fixing rod and at least one hole in the hollow support are aligned and coaxial when the fixing rod is inserted into the hollow support.

[0011] At least one hole in the fixing rod and at least one hole in the hollow support are provided on faces of the fixing rod and the hollow support parallel to the end edge of the crossbeam when the rod is in place in the support.

[0012] At least one hole in the fixing rod and at least one hole in the hollow support are provided on faces of the fixing rod and the hollow support perpendicular to the end edge of the crossbeam when the rod is in place in the support.

[0013] A first wall of the plate on which the hollow support is fixed is fixed to the end edge of the bumper crossbeam, the longitudinal axis of the support being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the crossbeam.

[0014] A second wall of the plate, perpendicular to the first wall, is fixed on a straight part, of complementary shape and dimensions, of a bracket constituting the support of the crossbeam of the bumper.

[0015] The towing hook is U-shaped, the ends of the legs being connected by a plate, the fixing rod being fixed in the extension of one leg, from the face of the plate opposite to that fixed on the ends of the legs.

[0016] The tow hook is configured as a closed ring provided with a fixing rod.

[0017] The invention will be better understood and other advantages thereof will become more apparent upon reading the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0018] [Fig-1] is a perspective view of the tow hook alone according to a first embodiment of the invention,

[0019] [Fig.2] is a simplified perspective view at a different scale and from a edge of a part of a vehicle chassis, of the hook of the [Fig. 1] fixed on a part of the vehicle chassis, partially shown, according to a first embodiment of the invention,

[0020] [Fig.3] is a side view along arrow III in [Fig.2] and at the same scale,

[0021] [Fig.4] is a top view along arrow IV in [Fig.3] and at the same scale,

[0022] [Fig.5] is a perspective view similar to [Fig.2], at a different scale and according to another angle, of the hook of the [Fig. 1] fixed on a part of the vehicle chassis, according to another embodiment of the invention and

[0023] [Fig.6] is a top view along arrow VI in [Fig.5] and at another scale.

[0024] Figure 1 illustrates a towing hook 1 conforming to a first mode of Implementation of the invention. The hook 1 is metallic, made of a metal alloy, or alternatively, of composite materials. It complies with the SAE J2807 towing standard. Unlike many prior art hooks, it is closed. In this case, the hook 1 is generally U-shaped, the ends 2 and 3 of the arms 4 and 5 being connected by a plate 6. Here, the plate 6 is flat and rectangular. Alternatively, it may be of another geometric shape, for example, square. The principal plane P6 of the plate 6 coincides with a geometric plane passing through the edges of the ends 2 and 3. A mounting rod 7 extends from at least one of the arms 4 or 5, here arm 4. The longitudinal axis A7 of the rod 7 is perpendicular to the plane P6. In other words, the rod 7 extends, from one face of the plate 6, the arm 4 of the hook 1. The rod 7 is tubular, hollow, with a rectangular cross-section.Alternatively, it has a square or oval cross-section and / or is of the honeycomb type if it is hollow. One face 8 of the rod 7 includes at least one, advantageously two, holes 9. Alternatively, the number of holes is greater than two. These holes 9 are smooth and do not go through the thickness of the rod 7. Alternatively, they are tapped and / or go through, thus opening onto a face opposite, not visible, to the face 8 of the rod 7.

[0025] Figure 2 illustrates the attachment area of ​​the hook 1 on a part of a vehicle, not shown. Hereafter, reference will be made to a part of a front or rear bumper of a vehicle. It is understood that the invention applies to both bumpers, front or rear, and that it may concern one or both sides of one or both bumpers. For ease of reading, only a portion of the crossmember 10 of a front or rear bumper and a portion of a right or left side member 11 of the vehicle chassis are illustrated. As a reminder, a side member is a chassis reinforcement component of a vehicle, and a bumper crossmember reinforces the bumper and is connected to the vehicle chassis. Hereafter, these parts will be referred to as the crossbeam 10 and the stringer 11. A support 12, with a shape and dimensions complementary to those of the rod 7 of the hook 1, is illustrated in the [Fig. 2]. The support 12 is, in this case, tubular with a rectangular cross-section. Alternatively, its cross-section may be square, circular, or other. In all cases, the support 12 is hollow to provide a removable housing for the rod 7. One face 13 of the support 12 has at least one, here two, holes 14. The holes 14 are complementary in shape and dimensions to those of the bores 9. The holes 14 are smooth or threaded and / or may or may not extend through the entire thickness of the support 12, depending on the embodiment. In all cases, the orifices 14 are aligned and coaxial with the holes 9 when the rod 7 is fully inserted into the support 12. As can be seen from [Fig.2], when the hook 1 is in place, its rod 7 is fully housed in the support 12, with only the closed ring part being visible and accessible by the user of the tow hook 1.

[0026] The support 12 is fixed to a plate 15. The plate 15 is L-shaped. Here, the arms of the L are of unequal lengths. Alternatively, they are of equal length. A first wall 150 of the plate is fixed to an end edge of the crossbeam 10. The fixing, whether permanent or temporary, is achieved by welding, screwing, or other known technique. The support 12 is fixed to the wall 150 of the plate 15 such that its longitudinal axis A12 is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis A10 of the crossbeam 10. In this way, when the rod 7 of the hook 1 is placed in its support 12, the axis A7 of the rod is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the hook 1 being perpendicular to the vehicle's bumper. A wedge 16, for example made of elastomer, is inserted between the support 12 and the wall 150, in order to cushion the shocks.

[0027] A second wall 151, forming part of the plate 15 and substantially orthogonal to the wall 150, is oriented so that its principal plane P151 is parallel to the axis A10 of the beam, the wall 151 thus being an extension of the crossbeam 10. One end 17 of the support 12 rests on the wall 151, with a wedge 18 inserted to absorb shocks. This second wall 151 is not fixed to the crossbeam 10 but to a support 19 of the crossbeam 10. Hereafter, for ease of reading, this part of the vehicle chassis will be referred to as the beam support 19.

[0028] The beam support 19 is formed by a set of parts fixed to the chassis, more precisely to the side member 11, and to which the crossbeam 10 is fixed. A beam support 19 is fitted on both sides, right and left, of the chassis, at the front and rear of the vehicle. In this way, the vehicle's crossbeams 10 are held in position, and any shock or tensile force exerted on the crossbeam 10 is absorbed by the chassis.

[0029] As can be particularly seen in [Fig. 4], the beam support 19 includes a hook-shaped metal piece 20. The curved part 21 of the hook 20 is fixed to the opposite face of the wall 151 from the face receiving the end of the support 12. The part 21 is generally L-shaped. This part 21 has a tab 22. The tab 22 is curved and extends outwards from the free edge of a flat arm 23 forming part 21. The flat arm 23 has a shape and dimensions complementary to those of the wall 151. The attachment between the wall 151 and the arm 23 is made by screwing so that it is removable, the arm 23 and the wall 151 being mutually supported by the entire surface of their largest faces.

[0030] The leg 22 rests on a plate 24, here generally rectangular in shape. This plate 24 is fixed, on one side, to one end of the longitudinal member 11, and therefore to the chassis. The straight portion 25 of the bracket 20 extends the small arm of the portion 21, passing through a cutout in the plate 25. The straight portion 25 rests on and is fixed to the longitudinal member 11, also in a removable manner, by screwing. Thus, the various component parts of the beam support 19 are easy to disassemble and replace if necessary.

[0031] As can be particularly seen in Figures 2 and 3, when the rod 7 of the tow hook 1 is inserted into its support 12, it is held in position by screws 26 inserted into the coaxially aligned holes 9 and orifices 14 of the rod 7 and the support 12, respectively, when the rod 7 is fully inserted into the support 12. The longitudinal axes of the screws 26 are parallel with the axis A10 of the crossbeam 10. Screwing and unscrewing are carried out, using a tool or manually, from the ends of the crossbeam 10. These ends are easily accessible from outside the bumper, thus improving ergonomics and reducing the time required to assemble or disassemble the tow hook 1, as the assembly and disassembly area is visible to the operator, thus avoiding blind assembly.A fixing from vertical walls, namely the faces 8 and 13 of respectively the rod 7 and the support 12, limits the entry of water into the bores 9 and the orifices 14 and therefore limits the corrosion of the rod 7, the support 12 and the screws 26. .

[0032] In an embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, the support 12 is permanently fixed to the wedge 16 by means of fastening known per se, for example, by welding, or by rivets inserted from the face of the wall 150 opposite to the face on which the wedge 16 is located, as shown in [Fig. 4]. Alternatively, the support 12 is removably mounted on the wedge 16. It is understood that, in this alternative embodiment, the geometric configuration and / or the dimensions of the bracket 20 and / or the plate 24 are different.

[0033] Figures 5 and 6 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the invention in which the same elements as those illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 have the same reference numerals, the different elements having different reference numerals. Here, a bracket 27 is consisting of a ring fixed directly onto the end of a rod 28, similar to the rod 7. This rod 28 is inserted into a support 29 similar to the support 12. Holes 30 are provided in the support 29. These holes 30 are through holes and are provided on two parallel faces 31, 32 of the support 29. The faces 31, 32 are perpendicular to the plane of the end edge of the crossbeam 10, and therefore parallel to the axis A10. The rod 28 is provided with through holes of a shape, dimensions, and position complementary to those of the holes 30, so that when the rod 28 is fully inserted into the support 29, the holes 30 and the holes in the rod 28 are aligned and coaxial.

[0034] Screws 33 are inserted into the holes 30 and thus pass through the support 29 and the rod 28. Here, the fastening is made from the face 31, or alternatively from the face 32, of the support 29, therefore from above or below, the longitudinal axes of the screws 33 being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A10 of the beam 10. As can be seen in Figures 5 and 6, the other elements, namely the plate 15, the beam support 19 with the bracket 20, are identical to those described in the first embodiment. Such a solution offers equivalent resistance to stress to the performance of the first embodiment. On the other hand, access for installing and removing the screws 33 is relatively difficult since it is done from above or possibly from below the bumper, resulting in a blind mounting with unsuitable ergonomics.Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the position of the orifices 30 forms a point of entry of water into the support 29, which increases the risks of corrosion of the various elements.

Claims

Demands

1. Vehicle equipped with at least one towing hook (1, 27) comprising a fixing rod (7, 28) fitting into a hollow support (12, 29) fixed at least on a crossbeam (10) of a bumper of the vehicle and defining a housing for receiving the fixing rod (7, 28), characterized in that the support (12, 29) is fixed on a plate (15) configured in L connected by a first wall (150) constituting the plate (15) to one end of the crossbeam (10) of the bumper and by a second wall (151) constituting the plate (15) to a support (19) of the crossbeam (10) of the bumper of the vehicle.

2. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the fixing rod (7, 28) is provided with at least one hole (9).

3. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the hollow support (12, 29) is provided with at least one orifice (14, 30).

4. Vehicle according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that at least one bore (9) of the fixing rod (7, 28) and at least one orifice (14, 30) of the hollow support (12, 29) are aligned and coaxial when the fixing rod (7, 28) is inserted into the hollow support (12, 29).

5. Vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one hole (9) in the fixing rod (7) and at least one hole (14) in the hollow support (12) are provided on faces (8, 13) of the fixing rod (7) and the hollow support (12) parallel to the end edge of the crossbeam (10) when the rod (7) is in place in the support (12).

6. Vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one hole in the fixing rod (28) and at least one hole (30) in the hollow support (29) are provided on faces (31, 32) of the fixing rod (28) and the hollow support (29) perpendicular to the end edge of the crossbeam (10) when the rod (28) is in place in the support (29).

7. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that a first wall (150) of the plate (15) on which the hollow support (12, 29) is fixed is fixed to the end edge of the cross member (10) of the bumper, the longitudinal axis (A12) of the support (12, 29) being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A10) of the crossbeam (10).

8. Vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that a second wall (151) of the plate (15), perpendicular to the first wall (150), is fixed on a straight part (23), of complementary shape and dimensions, of a hook (20) constituting the support (19) of the crossbeam (10) of the bumper.

9. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the tow hook (1) is U-shaped, the ends (2, 3) of the legs (4, 5) being connected by a plate (6), the fixing rod being fixed in the extension of a leg (4), from the face of the plate (6) opposite to that fixed on the ends (2, 3) of the legs (4, 5).

10. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the towing hook (27) is configured as a closed ring provided with a fixing rod (28).

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