Tow hitch and vehicle

Abstract

A tow hitch and a vehicle. The tow hitch comprises a hitch body, a main shaft, a slider, at least one locking member, a driving shaft and a driving member, wherein the hitch body is provided with at least one locking slot; the main shaft is provided with at least one main shaft hole; the slider is provided with at least one accommodating recess; the at least one locking member is located in the at least one locking slot and the at least one main shaft hole; the driving shaft is mounted in a central hole and passes through the slider, and the driving member is connected to the driving shaft; and when the hitch body is in an unlocked state, the at least one locking member is located in the at least one main shaft hole and the at least one accommodating recess, and when the hitch body is in a locked state, the at least one locking member is located in the at least one locking slot and the at least one main shaft hole.

Description

Trailer hook and automobile

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410825207.6, filed on June 24, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of automobiles, and in particular, to a trailer hook and an automobile. BACKGROUND

[0003] The trailer hook of an automobile, commonly known as a tow hook or towing hook, is mainly used to safely connect a trailer to an automobile through towing force to facilitate the transportation of goods or other vehicles. SUMMARY

[0004] Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a trailer hook and an automobile, which can at least partially solve the above technical problems.

[0005] In a first aspect, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a trailer hook applied to an automobile, comprising: a hook body, a main shaft, a sliding block, at least one locking piece, a driving shaft, and a driving piece.

[0006] The hook body is provided with at least one locking groove.

[0007] The hook body is sleeved on the main shaft, and the main shaft is provided with at least one main shaft hole corresponding to at least part of the at least one locking groove.

[0008] The sliding block is movably installed in the center hole of the main shaft, and the sliding block is provided with at least one accommodating groove corresponding to the at least one main shaft hole.

[0009] The at least one locking groove and the at least one main shaft hole are located in the at least one locking groove and the at least one main shaft hole.

[0010] The driving shaft is installed in the center hole and passes through the sliding block.

[0011] The driving piece is connected to the driving shaft, and the driving piece is configured to drive the driving shaft to rotate, so that the driving shaft moves the sliding block in a first direction or a second direction during rotation, to drive the at least one locking piece to move between the at least one main shaft hole, the at least one accommodating groove, and the at least one locking groove, wherein the first direction and the second direction are two directions based on the length direction of the sliding block, the first direction is toward the driving piece, and the second direction is opposite to the first direction.

[0012] The hook body has an unlocked state and a locked state, when the hook body is in the unlocked state, the at least one locking piece is located in the at least one main shaft hole and the at least one accommodating groove.

[0013] When the hook body is in the locked state, the at least one locking piece is located in the at least one locking groove and the at least one main shaft hole.

[0014] In the second aspect, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a trailer hook.

[0015] Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a trailer hook and a vehicle. The trailer hook is applied to a vehicle, and the trailer hook comprises a hook body, a main shaft, a sliding block, at least one locking piece, a driving shaft and a driving piece. The hook body is provided with at least one locking groove. The hook body is sleeved on the main shaft. The main shaft is provided with at least one main shaft hole. The at least one main shaft hole is arranged corresponding to at least part of the at least one locking groove. The sliding block is movably installed in the center hole of the main shaft. The sliding block is provided with at least one accommodating groove. The at least one accommodating groove is arranged corresponding to the at least one main shaft hole. The at least one locking piece is located in the at least one locking groove and the at least one main shaft hole. The driving shaft is installed in the center hole and penetrates the sliding block. The driving piece is connected to the driving shaft. The driving piece is configured to drive the driving shaft to rotate, so that the driving shaft drives the sliding block to move in a first direction or a second direction during rotation, so as to drive the at least one locking piece to move between the at least one main shaft hole, the at least one accommodating groove and the at least one locking groove. The first direction and the second direction are two directions arranged based on the length direction of the sliding block. The first direction is towards the driving piece. The second direction is opposite to the first direction. The hook body has an unlocked state and a locked state. When the hook body is in the unlocked state, the at least one locking piece is located in the at least one main shaft hole and the at least one accommodating groove. When the hook body is in the locked state, the at least one locking piece is located in the at least one locking groove and the at least one main shaft hole. The vehicle comprises the above trailer hook.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the movement of the locking piece is realized by the driving shaft and the sliding block to unlock and lock the hook body. Locking the hook body can improve the stability when the hook body is used. When unlocking, the rotation of the hook body is controlled by a predetermined angle. The trailer hook can be suitable for different working conditions and meet different needs of passengers. The functionality and practicability of the trailer hook are improved. The trailer hook has a simple structure and is not easy to be damaged, which guarantees the travel needs of passengers. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to make the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure or the prior art clearer, the accompanying drawings needed in the embodiments or the related description will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the accompanying drawings in the following description only aim to some embodiments of the present disclosure, and for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an automobile according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0019] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a trailer hook according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0020] Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the trailer hook in Fig. 2.

[0021] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the trailer hook according to some embodiments of the present disclosure in another state.

[0022] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the hook body in Fig. 4 at B.

[0023] Fig. 6 is a partial structural view of the trailer hook in Fig. 2 in a locked state at A.

[0024] Fig. 7 is a sectional view along line CC in Fig. 6.

[0025] Fig. 8 is a sectional view along line DD in Fig. 6.

[0026] Fig. 9 is a partial structural view of the trailer hook in Fig. 2 in an unlocked state at A.

[0027] Fig. 10 is a sectional view along line EE in Fig. 9.

[0028] Fig. 11 is a sectional view along line FF in Fig. 9.

[0029] Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a driving plate and a hook body cover plate according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0030] Fig. 13 is a schematic view of a convex column in a cover plate groove according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0031] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an automobile 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The automobile 100 comprises a trailer hook 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present application, but not all the embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative labor fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0033] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", etc. indicate the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. The term "connection" in the present application mainly refers to physical structural connection, and when there is a description, it can also include direct connection or indirect connection. The terms "first", "second" in the specification and claims of the present application and the drawings are used to distinguish different objects, and are not used to describe a particular order. In addition, the term "comprising" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0034] With the development of science and technology, people's demand for cars and the application of cars has gradually increased, and the trailer hook of the car has also become a device that needs to be concerned and optimized. The trailer hook in the related art is prone to shaking when in use, and the position of the trailer hook is not stable when the trailer hook is used. It cannot be applied to different working conditions and meet the different needs of passengers, and the structure of the trailer hook that can be unlocked and locked is complex and easy to damage, which reduces the functionality and practicality of the trailer hook and cannot guarantee the travel needs of passengers.

[0035] Please refer to Fig. 1, which is a block diagram of an automobile 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The automobile 100 comprises a trailer hook 1.

[0036] The trailer hook 1 is configured to connect the automobile 100 with a trailer or other traction equipment, to provide inter-vehicle traction and connectivity, to realize the traction and transportation functions of the automobile 100.

[0037] In some embodiments, the automobile 100 further comprises an input module for outputting operation signals, and the controller of the trailer hook 1 receives the operation signals to control the movement of the driving member of the trailer hook 1.

[0038] Therefore, by controlling the movement of the driving member of the trailer hook 1 through the input module, the user can adjust the state of the trailer hook 1 as needed, and adapt to different working conditions of the automobile 100, thereby improving the applicability of the trailer hook 1.

[0039] In some embodiments, the input module is an operable device such as a button, a touch screen, a remote controller, a voice input device, etc.

[0040] In some other embodiments, the input module can display the state information of the trailer hook 1. For example, the state information includes the working state of the trailer hook 1 and the rotation angle of the internal elements of the trailer hook 1, etc., and the working state includes the unfolded state and the folded state, etc.

[0041] Please refer to FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the trailer hook in some embodiments of the present disclosure, FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the trailer hook in FIG. 2, FIG. 6 is a partial structure view of the trailer hook in FIG. 2 in the locked state at A, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view along the line CC in FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view along the line DD in FIG. 6.

[0042] The trailer hook 1 is applied to an automobile 100, and the trailer hook 1 comprises a hook body 11, a main shaft 12, a sliding block 13, at least one locking piece 14, a driving shaft 15 and a driving piece, the hook body 11 is provided with at least one locking groove 111, the hook body 11 is sleeved on the main shaft 12, the main shaft 12 is provided with at least one main shaft hole 121, the at least one main shaft hole 121 is arranged corresponding to at least part of the at least one locking groove 111, the sliding block 13 is movably installed in the center hole 122 of the main shaft 12, the sliding block 13 is provided with at least one containing groove 131, the at least one containing groove 131 is arranged corresponding to the at least one main shaft hole 121, the at least one locking piece 14 is located in the at least one locking groove 111 and the at least one main shaft hole 121, the driving shaft 15 is installed in the center hole 122 and penetrates the sliding block 13, and the driving piece is connected with the driving shaft 15, the driving piece is configured to drive the driving shaft 15 to rotate, so that the sliding block 13 moves in a first direction 152 or a second direction 153, so as to drive the at least one locking piece 14 to move between the at least one main shaft hole 121, the at least one containing groove 131 and the at least one locking groove 111.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 3, the first direction 152 and the second direction 153 are two directions arranged based on the length direction of the sliding block 13, the first direction 152 is towards the driving piece, and the second direction 153 is the opposite direction of the first direction 152. The hook body 11 has an unlocking state and a locking state, when the hook body 11 is in the unlocking state, the at least one locking piece 14 is located in the at least one main shaft hole 121 and the at least one containing groove 131, and when the hook body 11 is in the locking state, the at least one locking piece 14 is located in the at least one locking groove 111 and the at least one main shaft hole 121.

[0044] Therefore, the driving shaft 15 and the sliding block 13 enable the at least one locking piece 14 to realize the unlocking and locking of the hook body 11, and locking the hook body 11 can improve the stability of using the hook body 11, controlling the hook body 11 to rotate a preset angle in the unlocking state can make the trailer hook 1 suitable for different working conditions and meet different needs of passengers, improve the functionality and practicability of the trailer hook 1, and the trailer hook 1 has a simple structure and is not easy to be damaged, which guarantees the travel needs of passengers.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 6-8, when the at least one main shaft hole 121 is in communication with the at least one locking groove 111, respectively, a cavity for accommodating the locking member 14 can be formed between each main shaft hole 121 and the corresponding communicated locking groove 111. Since a part of the locking member 14 is located in the locking groove 111, another part of the locking member 14 is located in the main shaft hole 121, and the slider 13 also applies a pressing force to the locking member 14 to limit the movement of the locking member 14, the locking member 14 can limit the relative movement between the main shaft hole 121 and the locking groove 111, so that the hook body 11 is in a locked state.

[0046] Referring to FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the trailer hook in another state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, when the preset angle is 180°, the working state of the hook body 11 is divided into an unfolded state and a folded state, the hook body 11 is rotated by 180° on the main shaft 12 to enter the folded state from the unfolded state or enter the unfolded state from the folded state, and is locked after being rotated by 180° to make the hook body 11 unable to rotate on the main shaft 12, thereby improving the stability of the trailer hook 1. FIG. 2 is the unfolded state of the trailer hook 1, and the unfolded state is that the hook body 11 is exposed from the chassis of the automobile 100 to perform the connection function of the trailer hook 1. FIG. 4 is the folded state of the trailer hook 1, and the folded state is that the hook body 11 is hidden in the chassis of the automobile 100 to avoid affecting the normal driving of the automobile 100, so that the automobile 100 is neat and beautiful. The hook body 11 is provided with a plurality of locking grooves 111, the main shaft 12 is provided with a plurality of main shaft holes 121, the plurality of main shaft holes 121 are provided corresponding to at least part of the plurality of locking grooves 111, the slider 13 is provided with a plurality of accommodating grooves 131, the plurality of accommodating grooves 131 are provided corresponding to the plurality of main shaft holes 121, and the at least one locking member 14 is located in at least one locking groove 111 of the plurality of locking grooves 111 and the corresponding at least one main shaft hole 121 of the plurality of main shaft holes 121.

[0047] In other embodiments, the preset angle of rotation of the hook body 11 is 120°.

[0048] In other embodiments, the preset angle of rotation of the hook body 11 is 60°.

[0049] In other embodiments, the preset angle of rotation of the hook body 11 is 360°, one locking member 14, one locking groove 111, one main shaft hole 121, and one accommodating groove 131 can be provided, or a plurality of locking members 14, a plurality of locking grooves 111, a plurality of main shaft holes 121, and a plurality of accommodating grooves 131 can be provided, respectively, which are not limited herein.

[0050] It can be understood that the preset angle of the hook body 11 rotating is not limited to the preset angle in the above-mentioned embodiments, and the trailer hook 1 can be designed according to actual needs, which is not limited here.

[0051] In some embodiments, the hook body 11 is provided with six locking grooves 111, the main shaft 12 is provided with three main shaft holes 121, and the slider 13 is provided with three accommodating grooves 131.

[0052] It can be understood that the number of the locking members 14 can be set as needed, and the number of the locking grooves 111, the main shaft holes 121 and the accommodating grooves 131 is set according to the preset angle and the number of the locking members 14, which is not limited here.

[0053] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3, the hook body 11 includes a hook body hole 112, and the main shaft 12 passes through the hook body hole 112 to fit the hook body 11 on the main shaft 12.

[0054] Referring to FIGS. 9-11, FIG. 9 is a partial structure diagram of the trailer hook in FIG. 2 in an unlocked state at A, FIG. 10 is a sectional view along the EE line in FIG. 9, and FIG. 11 is a sectional view along the FF line in FIG. 9. The design scheme that the driving shaft 15 is driven to rotate by the driving member, the slider 13 is moved in the first direction 152 or the second direction 153, and the at least one locking member 14 is moved between the at least one main shaft hole 121, the at least one accommodating groove 131 and the at least one locking groove 111 can simplify the structure of the trailer hook 1, facilitate unlocking and locking the hook body 11, and improve the functionality and practicability of the trailer hook 1.

[0055] As described above, the driving shaft 15 drives the at least one locking member 14 to move from the at least part of the locking grooves 111 and the at least one main shaft hole 121 to the at least one main shaft hole 121 and the at least one accommodating groove 131, at this time, the hook body 11 is in an unlocked state, and after the hook body 11 rotates a preset angle on the main shaft 12, the at least one locking member 14 moves from the at least one main shaft hole 121 and the at least one accommodating groove 131 to the at least part of the locking grooves 111 and the at least one main shaft hole 121, so that the hook body 11 is in a locked state.

[0056] In some embodiments, the driving member is a motor, and the motor is connected to the driving shaft 15.

[0057] As described above, when the driving shaft 15 moves the slider 13 along the first direction 152, the slider 13 moves to the position corresponding to the position of the at least one main shaft hole 121 of the at least one accommodating groove 131, at this time, the locking piece 14 is out of the locking groove 111, so that part of the locking piece 14 enters the accommodating groove 131, and the locking piece 14 does not limit the activity of the hook body 11, and the hook body 11 is in an unlocked state and can rotate on the main shaft 12. When the driving shaft 15 moves the slider 13 along the second direction 153, the slider 13 moves to the position where the at least one accommodating groove 131 is respectively misaligned with the at least one main shaft hole 121, at this time, part of the locking piece 14 is pressed by the slider 13 from the accommodating groove 131 to the locking groove 111, at this time, the locking piece 14 limits the activity of the hook body 11, so that the hook body 11 is in a locked state and cannot rotate on the main shaft 12. The slider 13 does not rotate with the rotation of the driving shaft 15, but only moves along the first direction 152 or the second direction 153.

[0058] In other embodiments, when the driving shaft 15 moves the slider 13 along the first direction 152, the slider 13 moves to the position of the at least one accommodating groove 131 corresponding to the position of the at least one main shaft hole 121, at this time, part of the locking piece 14 does not enter the accommodating groove 131, but is still located in the locking groove 111 and the main shaft hole 121, but because the locking piece 14 is movable in the height direction 23 of the slider 13, when the hook body 11 rotates, the locking piece 14 does not limit the activity of the hook body 11, so that the hook body 11 is in an unlocked state and can rotate on the main shaft 12.

[0059] In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 3, 7 and 10, the main shaft 12 includes a first end 123 and a second end 124, and the trailer hook 1 further includes a resilient piece 16 located in the main shaft 12 and between the slider 13 and the second end 124 of the main shaft 12. When the resilient piece 16 is compressed by the slider 13 and is in a compressed state, the at least one accommodating groove 131 is respectively communicated with the at least one main shaft hole 121, and the resilient piece 16 is further used to push the slider 13 to move along the second direction 153 by elastic restoring force in the process of recovering from the compressed state to the natural state, so that the at least one accommodating groove 131 is respectively misaligned with the at least one main shaft hole 121, and the at least one locking piece 14 is pressed from the at least one main shaft hole 121 and the at least one accommodating groove 131 to the at least one locking groove 111 and the at least one main shaft hole 121.

[0060] Here, the natural state generally refers to the original shape and size of the elastic member 16 under no external force.

[0061] Thus, by the elastic restoring force of the elastic member 16, the slider 13 is pushed to move along the second direction 153 to reset, the at least one accommodating groove 131 is respectively misaligned with the at least one main shaft hole 121, and the slider 13 exerts a pressing force on the locking member 14, so that the reset design can simplify the structure of the trailer hook 1, facilitate production, reduce production cost, and be easy to replace internal parts.

[0062] As described above, as shown in FIGS. 9-11, when the driving shaft 15 moves the slider 13 along the first direction 152, the slider 13 moves to a position where the at least one accommodating groove 131 is respectively communicated with the at least one main shaft hole 121 according to the pushing force exerted by the driving shaft 15, at this time, the elastic member 16 changes from the natural state to the compressed state due to the pushing force of the slider 13, and the hook body 11 is in the unlocked state and can rotate on the main shaft 12, as shown in FIGS. 6-8, when the driving shaft 15 no longer exerts the pushing force on the slider 13, at this time, the elastic member 16 needs to return from the compressed state to the natural state, therefore, the elastic member 16 generates the elastic restoring force to push the slider 13 to move along the second direction 153, the slider 13 gradually moves to the initial position along the second direction 153 under the action of the elastic restoring force of the elastic member 16, and the at least one accommodating groove 131 is respectively misaligned with the at least one main shaft hole 121, at this time, part of the locking member 14 is pressed from the accommodating groove 131 to the locking groove 111 by the slider 13, so that the hook body 11 is in the locked state and cannot rotate on the main shaft 12.

[0063] In other embodiments, the distance of the slider 13 moving along the first direction 152 is limited by the limit compression amount of the elastic member 16 itself, the limit compression amount of the elastic member 16 itself is just enough to make the slider 13 move to the position where the at least one accommodating groove 131 is respectively communicated with the at least one main shaft hole 121, at this time, even if the driving shaft 15 still generates the pushing force on the slider 13, the slider 13 cannot continue to move under the limitation of the limit compression amount of the elastic member 16.

[0064] It can be understood that the elastic member 16 can be but is not limited to a spring, as long as it has a limit compression amount and can generate an elastic restoring force.

[0065] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 10, the driving shaft 15 is provided with a protrusion 151 at a position along the circumference of the driving shaft 15 near one end of the driving member, and the sliding block 13 is provided with a sliding groove 132 at a position near one end of the driving member, the bottom wall 133 of the sliding groove 132 is provided with an abutting slope 134 at a position along the circumference of the bottom wall 133, during the rotation of the driving shaft 15, the protrusion 151 contacts the abutting slope 134 to push the sliding block 13 to move in the first direction 152, when the protrusion 151 approaches the bottom wall 133 of the sliding groove 132 except the abutting slope 134, the sliding block 13 remains stationary or the elastic restoring force of the elastic member 16 pushes the sliding block 13 to move in the second direction 153.

[0066] Therefore, the movement of the sliding block 13 is controlled by the cooperation of the protrusion 151 and the sliding groove 132, and the design of resetting the sliding block 13 by the elastic member 16 makes the structure of the trailer hook 1 simpler, facilitates the unlocking and locking of the hook body 11, and improves the functionality and practicality of the trailer hook 1.

[0067] In some embodiments, the abutting slope 134 comprises a first slope and a second slope, the first slope is connected to the second slope, the slope of the first slope gradually increases from zero to an optimal slope at the first division line, and remains the optimal slope from the first division line to the connection between the second slope and the first slope, the slope of the second slope remains the optimal slope from the connection to the second division line, and gradually decreases from the second division line to zero. The optimal slope is the optimal pushing force applied by the driving shaft 15 to the sliding block 13, and the optimal pushing force moves the sliding block 13 to the position where the at least one accommodating groove 131 is in communication with the at least one main shaft hole 121, respectively.

[0068] As described above, when the protrusion 151 starts to contact the first slope, the sliding block 13 is in a state ready to move, as the driving shaft 15 rotates and the slope of the first slope increases, the protrusion 151 pushes the sliding block 13 to move in the first direction 152, until the protrusion 151 rotates to the first division line, the at least one accommodating groove 131 is in communication with the at least one main shaft hole 121, respectively, at this time, the hook body 11 is in an unlocked state, the driving shaft 15 continues to rotate, the hook body 11 is always in an unlocked state and rotates on the main shaft 12 along with the driving shaft 15.

[0069] When the protrusion 151 exceeds the second division line, the pushing force of the protrusion 151 to the sliding block 13 gradually decreases due to the gradually decreasing slope of the second slope and the gradually close distance between the protrusion 151 and the bottom wall 133 of the sliding groove 132 except the abutting slope 134, but the hook body 11 rotates between 120° and 180°. Therefore, the at least one main shaft hole 121 is not communicated with the at least partial locking groove 111 respectively, the hook body 11 exerts pressure on the locking member 14 in the height direction 23 to limit the movement of the locking member 14, thus the locking member 14 is still located in the at least one main shaft hole 121 and the at least one accommodating groove 131, and the hook body 11 is still in the unlocking state, until the hook body 11 rotates to 180°, the at least one main shaft hole 121 is communicated with the at least partial locking groove 111 respectively, the elastic member 16 pushes the sliding block 13 to move to the initial position by the elastic restoring force, the at least one locking member 14 is pressed into the corresponding main shaft hole 121 and locking groove 111 respectively, and the hook body 11 enters the locking state.

[0070] The circumferential angle between the first division line and the second division line is 140°, which also represents that the angle of rotation of the hook body 11 in this process is less than or equal to 140°, and the circumferential angle between the position where the slope of the second slope at the second division line is zero and the position where the slope of the second slope is zero needs to be less than or equal to 40°, so as to ensure that after the hook body 11 rotates to 180°, the elastic member 16 pushes the sliding block 13 to move to the initial position by the elastic restoring force.

[0071] It can be understood that the protrusion 151 can be but is not limited to a cube or a circular arc, the sliding groove 132 can be but is not limited to a slope, and the circumferential angle of the abutting slope 134 can be set according to a predetermined angle, which is not limited here.

[0072] Referring to FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the driving plate and the hook body cover plate according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, and FIG. 13 is a schematic view of the protruding column in the cover plate groove according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the trailer hook 1 further comprises a driving plate 17 and a hook body cover plate 18, the hook body cover plate 18 is installed on the second end 124 of the main shaft 12, and the outer side of the hook body cover plate 18 is connected to the hook body 11, the driving plate 17 is installed between the hook body cover plate 18 and the second end 124 and connected to the hook body cover plate 18, the second end 124 is provided with an opening 125, one end of the driving shaft 15 close to the second end 124 passes through the opening 125 and penetrates the driving plate 17, the driving shaft 15 drives the driving plate 17 to rotate, so that the driving plate 17 drives the hook body cover plate 18 and the hook body 11 to rotate a predetermined angle on the main shaft 12.

[0073] Therefore, the driving plate 17 is driven to rotate by the driving member, the hook body cover plate 18 is driven to rotate a predetermined angle by the driving plate 17 when the hook body 11 is in the unlocked state, thereby driving the hook body 11 to rotate a predetermined angle. Through this design, it is easier to adjust the working state of the trailer hook 1 as needed, thereby improving the functionality and practicality of the trailer hook 1.

[0074] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, the driving plate 17 is provided with at least one protruding column 171, the hook body cover plate 18 is provided with at least one cover plate groove 181, and the at least one protruding column 171 respectively corresponds to the at least one cover plate groove 181. When the driving plate 17 rotates and drives the at least one protruding column 171 to slide in the at least one cover plate groove 181 respectively, the driving plate 17 cannot drive the hook body cover plate 18 and the hook body 11 to rotate on the axis of the main shaft 12. When the driving plate 17 rotates and drives the at least one protruding column 171 to move from the first end of the at least one cover plate groove 181 to the second end of the at least one cover plate groove 181 in the at least one cover plate groove 181 respectively, the at least one protruding column 171 respectively abuts against the side wall surface of the at least one cover plate groove 181. The continuous rotation of the driving plate 17 drives the hook body cover plate 18 and the hook body 11 to rotate a predetermined angle on the main shaft 12.

[0075] Therefore, by rotating the driving plate 17 and driving the at least one protruding column 171 to slide in the at least one cover plate groove 181 respectively, it is realized that the hook body 11 cannot be driven to rotate when the hook body 11 is not unlocked, and it is realized that the hook body 11 is driven to rotate after the hook body 11 is unlocked. Through this design, it is easier to adjust the working state of the trailer hook 1 as needed, thereby improving the functionality and practicality of the trailer hook 1.

[0076] As described above, the at least one convex column 171 is taken as a whole, and the at least one convex column 171 represents the total number of all the convex columns 171 arranged is at least one, and does not mean that at least one convex column 171 is in all the convex columns 171. The at least one cover plate groove 181 has the same meaning as above.

[0077] It can be understood that the shape of the at least one cover plate groove 181 can be, but is not limited to, an arc shape, and can be designed according to actual needs, which is not limited here.

[0078] Referring to FIG. 5, which is a perspective view of the hook body in FIG. 4 at position B. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 12, the hook body 11 is provided with a first connecting hole 113, the side edge of the hook body cover plate 18 is provided with a second connecting hole 182 corresponding to the first connecting hole 113, and the fastener 20 passes through the first connecting hole 113 and the second connecting hole 182 to fasten and connect the hook body 11 and the hook body cover plate 18.

[0079] In other embodiments, the hook body 11 and the hook body cover plate 18 are integrally formed, and the drive shaft 15 and the drive plate 17 are integrally formed.

[0080] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3, the trailer hook 1 further comprises a mounting seat 19, which is mounted between the vehicle body of the automobile 100 and the main shaft 12 to connect the vehicle body of the automobile 100 and the trailer hook 1.

[0081] Therefore, the mounting seat 19 fixes the trailer hook 1 to the cross beam of the chassis of the automobile 100, facilitating the use of the trailer hook 1.

[0082] In some embodiments, the mounting seat 19 comprises a first mounting part 191 and a second mounting part 192, the first mounting part 191 is mounted on the cross beam of the automobile 100, and the second mounting part 192 is used to mount the main shaft 12.

[0083] Therefore, the first mounting part 191 and the second mounting part 192 are provided to better connect the vehicle body of the automobile 100 and the trailer hook 1, facilitating the use of the trailer hook 1.

[0084] In some embodiments, the first mounting part 191 is welded to the cross beam.

[0085] In some embodiments, the first mounting part 191 is provided in a circular arc shape to adapt to the cross beam.

[0086] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3, the trailer hook 1 further comprises a fastener 20, the second mounting portion 192 is provided with a mounting hole 21, the first end 123 of the main shaft 12 is inserted into the mounting hole 21, and the first end 123 and the second mounting portion 192 are fixedly connected by the fastener 20.

[0087] Therefore, the first end 123 and the second mounting portion 192 are fixedly connected by the fastener 20, and then the main shaft 12 and the mounting seat 19 are fixedly connected, thereby improving the stability of the connection of the trailer hook 1.

[0088] In some embodiments, the first end 123 of the main shaft 12 and the side of the mounting hole 21 are correspondingly provided with an insertion hole 22, the fastener 20 is inserted into the insertion hole 22 to fixedly connect the first end 123 and the second mounting portion 192. The fastener 20 is a screw, and the insertion hole 22 is a screw hole.

[0089] In some embodiments, the trailer hook 1 further comprises a controller, which is used to control the movement of the driving member to control the movement of the sliding block 13 in the first direction 152 or the second direction 153.

[0090] Therefore, the controller controls the movement of the driving member, and then controls the movement of the sliding block 13 when needed, so that the trailer hook 1 enters the unlocked or locked state, facilitates the rotation of the hook body 11 in the unlocked state to meet the needs of users and different working conditions, and improves the stability of the trailer hook 1 in the locked state to avoid the hook body 11 from shaking and causing accidents.

[0091] The specific operation process is as follows:

[0092] If the preset angle is 180°, and the initial state of the trailer hook 1 is the unfolded state, and the hook body 11 is in the locked state, the driving member drives the driving shaft 15 to rotate, and in the rotating process, the protruding part 151 contacts the sliding groove 132 to push the sliding block 13 to move along the first direction 152, the sliding block 13 pushes the elastic member 16 to the compressed state, and the sliding block 13 moves from the initial position to the position where the at least one accommodating groove 131 is respectively communicated with the at least one main shaft hole 121, at this time, the hook body 11 is in the unlocked state, and the driving plate 17 is driven by the driving shaft 15, the at least one convex column 171 is respectively moved in the at least one cover plate groove 181 from one end of the at least one cover plate groove 181 to the other end of the at least one cover plate groove 181, and respectively abuts against the side wall surface of the at least one cover plate groove 181, the driving shaft 15 continues to rotate in the same rotating direction, the driving plate 17 drives the hook body cover plate 18 and the hook body 11 to rotate on the main shaft 12, when the hook body 11 rotates 180° on the main shaft 12, the trailer hook 1 is in the folded state, and the protruding part 151 does not contact the sliding groove 132, so that the protruding part 151 cannot apply a pushing force to the sliding groove 132, and the elastic member 16 needs to return to the natural state.

[0093] Therefore, the elastic restoring force generated by the elastic member 16 pushes the sliding block 13 to move along the second direction 153 to the initial position, at this time, the at least part of the locking grooves 111 are respectively communicated with the at least one main shaft hole 121, the at least one accommodating groove 131 is respectively misaligned with the at least one main shaft hole 121, and part of the locking member 14 is pressed from the accommodating groove 131 to the locking groove 111 by the sliding block 13, so that the hook body 11 is in the locked state and cannot rotate on the main shaft 12.

[0094] If the trailer hook 1 needs to be changed from the above folded state to the unfolded state, the driving member drives the driving shaft 15 to reverse, that is, the rotating direction of the driving shaft 15 is opposite to the above rotating direction.

[0095] If the hook body 11 rotates other different preset angles, the specific operation process is also realized according to the above operation process.

[0096] The above description is only a specific embodiment of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited to this, any person skilled in the art can easily think of changes or replacements within the technical range disclosed in the present application, which should be covered in the protection scope of the present application; in the case of no conflict, the embodiments of the present application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A trailer hitch, applied to a vehicle, comprising: The hook body is provided with at least one locking groove; The main shaft, the hook body is fitted onto the main shaft, the main shaft is provided with at least one main shaft hole, the at least one main shaft hole is provided corresponding to at least a portion of the locking groove in the at least one locking groove; A slider is movably mounted in the center hole of the spindle, and the slider is provided with at least one receiving groove, the at least one receiving groove being provided corresponding to the at least one spindle hole; At least one locking element is located within the at least one locking groove and the at least one spindle hole; A drive shaft, which is mounted in the central hole and passes through the slider; and A driving member connected to the driving shaft is configured to drive the driving shaft to rotate, causing the slider to move along a first direction or a second direction during rotation, thereby driving at least one locking member to move between at least one spindle hole, at least one receiving groove, and at least one locking groove, wherein the first direction and the second direction are two directions based on the length direction of the slider, the first direction is towards the driving member, and the second direction is the opposite direction of the first direction; The hook body has an unlocked state and a locked state. When the hook body is in the unlocked state, the at least one locking member is located in the at least one spindle hole and the at least one receiving groove. When the hook body is in the locked state, the at least one locking member is located in the at least one locking groove and the at least one spindle hole.

2. The trailer hitch according to claim 1, wherein, The main shaft includes a first end and a second end. The trailer hook also includes an elastic element located within the main shaft and between the slider and the second end of the main shaft. When the elastic element is compressed by the slider and is in a compressed state, the at least one receiving groove communicates with the at least one main shaft hole. The elastic element is also configured to push the slider along the second direction by an elastic restoring force during the process of returning from the compressed state to the natural state, so that the at least one receiving groove is misaligned with the at least one main shaft hole, thereby pressing the at least one locking member from the at least one main shaft hole and the at least one receiving groove into the at least one locking groove and the at least one main shaft hole.

3. The trailer hitch according to claim 2, wherein, The drive shaft has a protrusion at one end near the drive member along a portion of its circumference. The slider has a groove at one end near the drive member. The bottom wall of the groove has a retaining slope at a portion of its circumference. During the rotation of the drive shaft, the protrusion contacts the retaining slope to push the slider to move in the first direction. When the drive shaft continues to rotate and the protrusion approaches the bottom wall of the groove other than the retaining slope, the slider remains stationary or the elastic restoring force of the elastic member pushes the slider to move in the second direction.

4. The trailer hitch according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, The trailer hook also includes a drive plate and a hook body cover plate. The hook body cover plate is installed at the second end of the main shaft, and the hook body is connected to the outside of the hook body cover plate. The drive plate is installed between the hook body cover plate and the second end and is connected to the hook body cover plate. The second end is provided with an opening. The end of the drive shaft near the second end passes through the opening and through the drive plate. The drive shaft drives the drive plate to rotate, so that the drive plate drives the hook body cover plate and the hook body to rotate at a preset angle on the main shaft.

5. The trailer hitch according to claim 4, wherein, The drive plate is provided with at least one protrusion, and the hook cover plate is provided with at least one cover plate groove. The at least one protrusion enters the at least one cover plate groove respectively. When the drive plate rotates and drives the at least one protrusion to slide in the at least one cover plate groove respectively, the drive plate cannot drive the hook cover plate and the hook to rotate on the axis of the main shaft. When the drive plate rotates and drives the at least one protrusion to move from the first end of the at least one cover plate groove to the second end of the at least one cover plate groove respectively, the at least one protrusion abuts against the side wall of the at least one cover plate groove respectively. The continued rotation of the drive plate drives the hook cover plate and the hook to rotate on the main shaft by a preset angle.

6. The trailer hitch according to any one of claims 2 to 5, further comprising a mounting base, the mounting base being installed between the vehicle body and the main shaft to connect the vehicle body and the trailer hitch.

7. The trailer hitch according to claim 6, wherein, The mounting base includes a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion, the first mounting portion being mounted on the crossbeam of the vehicle, and the second mounting portion being configured to mount the main shaft.

8. The trailer hitch according to claim 7 further includes a fastener, the second mounting portion is provided with a mounting hole, the first end of the main shaft is located in the mounting hole, and the first end of the main shaft and the second mounting portion are connected by the fastener.

9. The trailer hitch according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a controller configured to control the movement of the drive member to control the slider to move along the first direction or the second direction.

10. A car, comprising: The trailer hitch according to any one of claims 1-9.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, further comprising an input module configured to output an operation signal, wherein the controller of the trailer hitch receives the operation signal to control the movement of the drive member of the trailer hitch.

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