Tow hook

Abstract

To provide a tow hook capable of suppressing deformation of a rear side member upward upon collision of a barrier.SOLUTION: (i) A rearmost end 32 of a hook located at a vehicle rearmost position of a lower end part 30a of a lower extended part 30 is at the same position of a fastening point 22 of a rear end side below the fastening point 22 of the rear end side in a vehicle longitudinal direction. Therefore, a barrier 200 is allowed to abut on both of the rearmost end 32 and the fastening point 22 of the rear end side simultaneously. This allows moment generated to bend a rear side member 100 upward to be suppressed. Also, (ii) the hook has a lower side edge part 13 in a view of vehicle width direction, which is provided with an offset part 13a offset upward further than a load line L connecting a hook attachment part 31 and a fastening point 21 of the front end side on the lower side edge part 13. This allows a hook 10 to be easily deformed or broken because the offset part 13a becomes a weak part upon collision of the barrier 200. According to (i), (ii), deformation of the rear side member 100 upward can be effectively suppressed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a towing hook. [Background technology]

[0002] As shown in FIG. 2, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2023-032465 discloses a towing hook 1 having a fastening point 2 fastened to a rear side member 100 and a downward extension portion 3 located below the rear side member 100, with a hook mounting portion 3a formed at the lower end of the downward extension portion 3.

[0003] Incidentally, in order to ensure interior space in the event of a rear-end collision of the vehicle, there is a need to bend the rear side member 100 downward near the suspension member mount 400 used to elastically support the rear suspension member 300 when the barrier (crash barrier) 200 collides during a vehicle rear-end collision test.

[0004] However, in the towing hook 1 disclosed in the above publication, the rearmost end 3b of the lower end of the downward extension 3, which is located at the rearmost position of the vehicle, is positioned (offset) further rearward than the fastening point 2 at which the barrier 200 is fastened to the rear side member 100. Therefore, when the barrier 200 hits the rearmost end 3b during a collision, a moment M that bends the rear side member 100 upward is generated, and the upward input from the towing hook 1 hinders the downward deformation of the rear side member 100.

[0005] Furthermore, the towing hook 1 disclosed in the publication does not have an offset portion that is offset above the load line L1 connecting the hook mounting portion 3a and the front-end fastening point 2a on the lower edge portion 4, which extends in the same direction as the direction from the hook mounting portion 3a to the front-end fastening point 2a, which is located furthest forward of the multiple fastening points 2, as viewed in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the towing hook 1 is stretched in the event of a collision with the barrier 200, making it difficult for the hook 1 to buckle or break. As a result, it is not possible to reduce the input force from the hook 1 to the rear side member 100, making it difficult to suppress the upward deformation of the rear side member 100. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-032465 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a towing hook that can suppress upward deformation of a rear side member in the event of a collision with a barrier. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention that achieves the above object is as follows. (1) A fastening point fastened to the rear side member; a downward extension portion located below the rear side member; A towing hook having a hook attachment portion formed at a lower end of the downward extension portion, A plurality of fastening points are provided at different positions in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, The rearmost end of the lower end of the downward extension portion, which is located furthest to the rear of the vehicle, is lower than the rear end fastening point, which is located furthest to the rear of the vehicle among the multiple fastening points, and is at the same position as the rear end fastening point in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, A towing hook having a lower edge portion that, when viewed in the vehicle width direction, extends in the same direction as the direction from the hook mounting portion toward the front end fastening point that is located furthest forward of the multiple fastening points, and an offset portion is provided on the lower edge portion that is offset above the load line connecting the hook mounting portion and the front end fastening point. (2) The towing hook according to (1), wherein the offset portion is provided at an upper end of the downward extension portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The towing hook described above in (1) provides the following effects. (i) The rearmost end of the lower end of the downward extension, located furthest rearward of the vehicle, is lower than the rearmost fastening point of the multiple fastening points and is located at the same position in the vehicle longitudinal direction as the rearmost fastening point. Therefore, when the barrier hits the towing hook during a barrier collision, the barrier can hit both the rearmost end and the rearmost fastening point simultaneously. This reduces the generation of a moment that bends the rear side member upward. Therefore, during a barrier collision, the rear side member is primarily subjected to a load toward the front of the vehicle via the towing hook, minimizing the upward load. This reduces upward deformation of the rear side member.

[0010] Furthermore, (ii) the towing hook has a lower edge portion that extends in the same direction as the direction from the hook attachment portion to the front-end attachment point, which is located furthest forward of the multiple attachment points, when viewed in the vehicle width direction, and the lower edge portion is provided with an offset portion that is offset above the load line connecting the hook attachment portion and the front-end attachment point. This makes it possible to prevent the offset portion from becoming a weak point in the event of a barrier collision, thereby making it easier for the hook to deform or break. This reduces the input force from the hook to the rear side member, and prevents the rear side member from deforming upward.

[0011] Due to the above (i) and (ii), upward deformation of the rear side member can be effectively suppressed.

[0012] The towing hook described above in (2) can provide the following effects. Because the offset portion is provided at the upper end of the downward extension, the distance from the load input point (rearmost end) to the lower end of the downward extension from the barrier can be made greater than when the offset portion is provided somewhere other than the upper end, such as in the vertical middle of the downward extension, and the moment acting on the offset portion can be made greater, which is advantageous in that it makes it easier for the hook to deform or break when the barrier collides. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1]1 is a side view of a towing hook according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a side view of a conventional towing hook. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] A towing hook 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle, and Rr indicates the rear side of the vehicle.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, the towing hook 10 is made of, for example, sheet metal, and is produced by stamping out the sheet metal.

[0016] The towing hook 10 has an upper edge portion 11 that extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle when viewed in the vehicle width direction, a rear edge portion 12 that extends downward in a vertical direction (including a substantially vertical direction) from the rear end of the upper edge portion 11, and a lower edge portion 13 that extends from the lower end of the rear edge portion 12 toward the front end of the upper edge portion 11 and connects the lower end of the rear edge portion 12 with the front end of the upper edge portion 11.

[0017] The towing hook 10 has an upper edge portion 11, a rear edge portion 12, and a lower edge portion 13, and therefore has a right-angled triangular shape (including a nearly right-angled triangular shape) in which the angle between the upper edge portion 11 and the rear edge portion 12 is a right angle (including a nearly right angle) and the vertical length decreases toward the front of the vehicle when viewed in the vehicle width direction. In order to reduce the weight of the towing hook 10, the towing hook 10 may have a through hole 14 formed in its middle when viewed in the vehicle width direction.

[0018] The towing hook 10 has a fastening point 20 that is fastened to the rear side member 100 and a downward extension 30 that is located below the rear side member 100.

[0019] The rear side members 100 are framework members of the vehicle body, and are provided in pairs on both sides in the width direction of the vehicle, each extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0020] The towing hook 10 is fastened to the vehicle width direction outer surface 101 of the rear side member 100 using bolts 40 at fastening points 20. The fastening points 20 are located at or near the upper end of the towing hook 10, and multiple fastening points 20 are located at different positions in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. All of the multiple fastening points 20 are located at the same vertical position and include at least a front-end fastening point 21 located at the frontmost position of the vehicle and a rear-end fastening point 22 located at the rearmost position of the vehicle. Although not shown, there may be additional fastening points between the front-end fastening point 21 and the rear-end fastening point 22 that are different from the front-end fastening point 21 and the rear-end fastening point 22.

[0021] A hook mounting portion 31 is formed at the lower end 30a of the downward extension portion 30. The lower end 30a of the downward extension portion 30 is the lower end of the towing hook 10 and includes the upper end of the hook mounting portion 31 and is located below this upper end. The hook mounting portion 31 is, for example, an oval or elliptical hole with its longitudinal direction extending forward and upward toward the vehicle. By engaging an engaging member such as a hook (not shown) with this hook mounting portion 31, it is possible to tow another vehicle with the vehicle or to secure the vehicle to a ship or the like when loading and transporting it.

[0022] The rearmost end 32 of the lower end 30a of the downward extension 30, which is located furthest to the rear of the vehicle, is lower than the rearmost fastening point 22 of the multiple fastening points 20 and is at the same (including approximately the same) position in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle as the rearmost fastening point 22, as shown by the vertical line HL in the figure. The rearmost end 32 and the rearmost fastening point 22 are located further forward of the vehicle than the rearmost end 102 of the rear side member 100.

[0023] When viewed in the vehicle width direction, the lower edge portion 13 extends in the same direction (including approximately the same direction) as the direction from the hook mounting portion 31 toward the front end fastening point 21, which is located furthest forward of the vehicle among the multiple fastening points 20. The lower edge portion 13 is provided with an offset portion 13a that is offset upward from the load line L connecting the hook mounting portion 31 (the lower end portion) and the front end fastening point 21.

[0024] Because the offset portion 13a is provided, the towing hook 10 has a portion that is not on the load line L. The offset portion 13a may be provided at a location other than the upper end, such as the vertical middle portion of the downward extending portion 30, but it is preferable that the offset portion 13a be provided at the upper end of the downward extending portion 30. This is because it is possible to increase the distance from the load input point (rearmost end 32) from the barrier 200 to the lower end 30a of the downward extending portion 30, and therefore the moment acting on the offset portion 13a can be increased.

[0025] Next, the operation and effects of the embodiment of the present invention will be explained. (A)(i) The rearmost end 32 of the lower end 30a of the downward extension 30, which is located at the rearmost position of the vehicle, is lower than the rearmost fastening point 22 of the multiple fastening points 20 and is located at the same position in the vehicle longitudinal direction as the rearmost fastening point 22. Therefore, when the barrier 200 hits the towing hook 10 during a collision, the barrier 200 can hit both the rearmost end 32 and the rearmost fastening point 22 simultaneously (including almost simultaneously). This prevents the generation of a moment that bends the rear side member 100 upward (moment M in FIG. 2). Therefore, during a collision of the barrier 200, the rear side member 100 is mainly subjected to a load F1 toward the front of the vehicle via the towing hook 10, and the upward load F2 can be reduced. This prevents the rear side member 100 from deforming upward.

[0026] Furthermore, (ii) as viewed in the vehicle width direction, the towing hook 10 has a lower edge portion 13 that extends in the same direction as the direction from the hook mounting portion 31 toward the front-end fastening point 21, which is located furthest forward of the multiple fastening points 20, and the lower edge portion 13 is provided with an offset portion 13a that is offset upward from the load line L connecting the hook mounting portion 31 and the front-end fastening point 21. Therefore, in the event of a collision with the barrier 200, the offset portion 13a becomes a weak portion, which prevents the towing hook 10 from being stretched, making it easier for the hook 10 to deform (buckle) or break. Therefore, the input from the hook 10 to the rear side member 100 can be reduced, and upward deformation of the rear side member 100 can be suppressed.

[0027] Due to the above (i) and (ii), upward deformation of the rear side member 100 can be effectively suppressed.

[0028] (B) Because the offset portion 13a is provided at the upper end of the downward extension portion 30, the distance from the load input point (rearmost end 32) to the lower end 30a of the downward extension portion 30 from the barrier 200 can be made greater than when the offset portion 13a is provided at a location other than the upper end, such as the vertical middle of the downward extension portion 30, and the moment acting on the offset portion 13a can be made greater. This is therefore advantageous in that it makes it easier for the hook 10 to deform or break when the barrier 200 collides. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] 10 Tow Hook 11 Upper edge 12 Rear edge 13 Lower edge 13a Offset section 14 Through holes 20 Fastening Points 21 Front end fastening point 22 Rear end fastening point 30 Downward extension 30a Lower end of downward extension 31 Hook mounting part 32 End 40 volts 100 Rear side member 101 Outer surface of rear side member in the vehicle width direction 102 Rear end of rear side member HL Vertical Line L load line

Claims

[Claim 1] A fastening point fastened to a rear side member; a downward extension portion located below the rear side member; A towing hook having a hook attachment portion formed at a lower end portion of the downward extension portion, The fastening points are provided in a plurality of different positions in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, The rearmost end of the lower end of the downward extension portion, which is located at the rearmost position of the vehicle, is lower than the rear end side fastening point, which is located at the rearmost position of the multiple fastening points, and is at the same position as the rear end side fastening point in the vehicle front-rear direction, A towing hook having a lower edge portion that, when viewed in the vehicle width direction, extends in the same direction as the direction of extension from the hook mounting portion toward a front-end fastening point that is located furthest forward of the multiple fastening points, and an offset portion is provided on the lower edge portion that is offset upwardly above the load line connecting the hook mounting portion and the front-end fastening point.

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