Rear Towing Structure That Preserves Low-Speed Collision Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing towing devices for vehicles are heavy and large, making them difficult to mount by one person and lack protection during low-speed collisions, as they require removal of the original rear anti-collision beam and energy absorption boxes, which reduces safety performance.
Innovation Solution
A towing device design that includes a front end portion on the rear floor and rear floor cross member, with a rear end portion connected to the rear anti-collision beam and energy absorption boxes, utilizing a U-shaped beam and L-shaped supports to disperse forces and enhance torsion resistance, allowing for reduced weight and preserved collision energy absorption capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a cross member structure is used for the towing device, then the towing device has sufficient strength and stability, but the weight and size increase, making it difficult to mount by one person
Solution Approach 1:
The towing device is divided into separate components: a towing ring assembly and a mounting bracket assembly. The mounting brackets are separately attachable to longitudinal members or unibody structures, allowing the towing ring to be mounted without installing a heavy cross member structure. This segmentation reduces overall weight while maintaining strength through strategic placement of mounting points.
2Ease of manufacture
If the original rear anti-collision beam and energy absorption boxes are removed to install the towing device, then the mounting process is simplified, but the protection effect for low-speed collision is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The towing device is designed to be universally mountable on different vehicle structures (unibody or body-frame) using adaptable mounting brackets. These brackets can be installed on existing structural members without removing the rear anti-collision beam or energy absorption boxes, allowing the towing function to be added while preserving the original collision protection system.
3Strength
If a hard connection is used between the towing device and vehicle body, then the connection is strong and stable, but collision force is directly transmitted to the vehicle body without crumpling and energy absorption
Solution Approach 1:
Energy absorption boxes are positioned as intermediary elements between the towing device mounting brackets and the vehicle's longitudinal members. These boxes provide a controlled deformation zone that absorbs collision energy, preventing direct force transmission to the vehicle body while maintaining a strong mechanical connection for towing operations.
4Weight of stationary object
If the towing device structure is simplified to reduce weight, then ease of mounting is improved, but torsion resistance decreases when the vehicle turns on bumpy roads
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting brackets are designed with asymmetric reinforcement patterns and varying thickness profiles that provide enhanced torsional stiffness in critical areas without uniformly increasing weight. The bracket geometry is optimized to resist twisting forces during vehicle turns on bumpy roads while maintaining overall lightweight construction.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed are a towing device for a vehicle and a vehicle. The towing device includes a front end portion (6) and a rear end portion (7) connected to the front end portion (6), where the front end portion (6) is arranged on a rear floor (4) and a rear floor cross member (5), so as to disperse an external force borne by the front end portion to the rear floor cross member (5); and the rear end portion (7) includes a connecting seat (71) and a tow hook (72) connected to the connecting seat (71) and extending out towards an exterior of the vehicle, the connecting seat (71) being arranged on a rear anti-collision beam (3), so as to transmit an external force borne by the rear end portion (7) to longitudinal members (1) by means of the rear anti-collision beam (3) and energy absorption boxes (2). The towing device reserves the original rear anti-collision beam (3) and energy absorption boxes (2) of the vehicle, during low-speed collision, the rear anti-collision beam (3) and the energy absorption boxes (2) can still absorb collision energy by way of deformation, and an overall weight thereof is greatly reduced such that mounting operation by one person can be achieved.