DE102021120475A1 - Kit for installing a rear carrier, using a kit and bumper assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A kit (42) is provided with an adapter (40) that can be connected to a cross member (12) and a ball-head coupling (16), the adapter (40) having a first retaining disk (22) and a first retaining disk (22) spaced-apart second retaining disk for fastening the ball head coupling (16), wherein the first retaining disk (22) and the second retaining disk each have a substantially U-shaped receiving opening (24) for embracing a rear side (26 ), One of the back (26) in the X-direction protruding top (28) and one of the back (26) in the X-direction protruding underside (30) of the cross member (12), wherein the adapter (40) has an over on the rear side (26), the upper side (28) and the lower side (30) running releasable fastening means (34) with the first retaining disc (22) and/or with the second retaining disc fastening flange (32). As a result, a rear carrier for a motor vehicle can be retrofitted inexpensively and easily without weakening the cross member (12).

Description

The invention relates to a kit for installing a rear carrier, the use of such a kit and a bumper arrangement, with the aid of which a rear carrier can be subsequently attached to a motor vehicle.

Out of DE 20 2015 104 491 U1 it is known to screw two U-shaped mounting disks of an adapter via fasteners that are passed centrally through a cross member of a bumper and to fasten two retaining disks spaced apart from one another in the Y direction with the outer mounting disk using the same fasteners, between which one a ball head coupling having trailer hitch can be attached.

There is a constant need to be able to easily retrofit a motor vehicle with a rear carrier.

It is the object of the invention to show measures that allow easy retrofitting of a rear carrier on a motor vehicle.

The object is achieved according to the invention by a kit with the features of claim 1, a use with the features of claim 6 and a bumper assembly with the features of claim 7. Preferred embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims and the following description, each individually or in combination may represent an aspect of the invention.

One aspect of the invention relates to a kit for installing a rear carrier with a bumper of a motor vehicle, with an adapter that can be connected to a cross member of the bumper and a ball head coupling designed for fastening the rear carrier, the adapter having a first retaining disk and a spaced-apart positionable from the first retaining disk second retaining disk for fastening the ball head coupling between the first retaining disk and the second retaining disk, the first retaining disk and the second retaining disk each having a substantially U-shaped receiving opening for embracing a rear side pointing backwards in the X-direction, one from the rear side has a top side protruding in the X direction and a bottom side of the cross member protruding from the back side in the X direction, the adapter having a releasable fastening means running past the back side, the top side and the bottom side with the first holding disk and/or with the second has a mounting flange that can be fastened with the retaining disk.

The holding disks can be connected to the at least one mounting flange with the aid of the fastening means, so that the respective holding disk together with the mounting flange can grip the cross member like a clamp. In particular, a single common mounting flange is provided both for the first retaining disk and for the second retaining disk, so that the distance between the retaining disks in the Y-direction can be specified by the hole pattern of the mounting flange. The openings of the hole pattern can essentially correspond to the outer diameter of the fastening means inserted into the opening and form a loose fit. Alternatively, the openings can be designed as oblong holes in order to allow a variation in the positioning of the retaining disks in the Y-direction and/or in the Z-direction to a predetermined extent. Since the fastening means are not passed through the back, the top or the bottom of the cross member, corresponding through openings in the cross member are also saved. A weakening of the crossmember through openings is thereby avoided, so that the shock absorber can withstand correspondingly higher impact forces. At the same time, it is not necessary to equip a bumper, to which no rear carrier is to be connected, with through openings, so that high mechanical stability is provided with lower production costs. In addition, it is also not necessary to introduce through-openings in the cross member with a corresponding amount of work when retrofitting the motor vehicle with a rear carrier, as a result of which the retrofitting effort and the associated costs are kept low. Instead, the adapter can be clamped to the cross member and supported in a form-fitting manner, in particular in the case of a cross member with a cross-sectional profile that deviates from a circular shape. This utilizes the finding that if the ball head coupling is not used to tow a trailer but to attach a rear carrier, there are essentially hardly any forces in the X-direction, but essentially only weight forces pointing in the Z-direction occur on the ball head coupling, which lead to bending moments acting around a bending axis running in the Y direction. Such bending moments can be sufficiently well dissipated by supporting the holding disk on its narrow sides pointing towards the crossbeam and by the clamping effect applied by screwing it to the mounting flange, without it being necessary to guide the fastening means centrally through the material of the crossbeam. By means of the attachment means of the kit provided outside of the cross member, a rear carrier for a motor vehicle can be retrofitted inexpensively and easily without weakening the cross member.

The ball head coupling can be configured in a manner comparable to a trailer hitch, but in comparison to a trailer coupling the ball head coupling does not have to be designed for towing a trailer. As a result, the ball head coupling can be designed for lower forces in the X-direction than a trailer coupling. In particular, if the kit is to be used for an electrically driven motor vehicle, in particular a purely electric vehicle, use as a trailer hitch is not intended anyway. A traction battery designed for the electrically drivable motor vehicle and an electric machine designed for the electrically drivable motor vehicle are usually not designed for operation as a tractor, for example to save the weight required for a power density corresponding thereto. The particularly simple fastening technology of the adapter is therefore sufficient. The ball head coupling can have a ball head which is provided in the Z-direction at the tip of a web running in the Z-direction, the web having an extension running in the X-direction which, in particular at its end pointing towards the crossbeam, is in the Z- Direction is bent upwards, is attached to the retaining washers. The rear carrier can be attached to the ball head of the ball head coupling using a fastening technique that is known from coupling a trailer with a trailer hitch.

The retaining disks and/or the mounting flange can in particular be made from a flat plate, in particular a rolled sheet steel. The retaining disks and/or the mounting flange can preferably be produced by stamping from sheet metal. In particular, the first holding disk and the second holding disk are designed as identical parts. The first retaining disk and the second retaining disk can be designed as separate components that are only connected to one another via the mounting flange and the ball head coupling. The production costs can be kept low as a result. Alternatively, the first retaining disk and the second retaining disk can be designed in one piece as part of a bent molded part, whereby the number of components can be kept low and a large-area contact of the adapter on the cross member can be achieved. The retaining disks are made in particular from an aluminum material. The mounting flange is preferably made of an aluminum material or steel. The cross member is made in particular from a steel. Particularly preferably, a plug attachment is attached to the mounting flange as a separate component or in one piece with the mounting flange, via which an electrical connection can be made to electrical consumers attached via the ball-head coupling. This makes it possible to charge electric vehicles carried on a rear carrier.

An X-direction is understood to mean a coordinate direction along a longitudinal axis of a motor vehicle when the kit is installed in the motor vehicle. The X-direction runs essentially horizontally when the motor vehicle is parked on a flat, horizontally running surface. A Y-direction is understood to mean a coordinate direction along a transverse axis of a motor vehicle when the kit is installed in the motor vehicle. The Y-direction runs essentially horizontally when the motor vehicle is parked on a flat, horizontally running surface. A Z-direction is understood to mean a coordinate direction along a vertical axis of a motor vehicle when the kit is installed in the motor vehicle. The Z-direction runs essentially vertically when the motor vehicle is parked on a flat, horizontally running surface. The X-direction, the Y-direction and the Z-direction are orthogonally aligned with each other.

In particular, the fastening means are arranged at a distance in the Z-direction from an edge of the first retaining disk and/or the second retaining disk that delimits the receiving opening. The first holding disk and/or the second holding disk can, for example, have at least one projection which is angled in the Z direction and/or in the Y direction and which forms a through-opening for the fastening means. An area of the retaining disks that is intended to rest against the cross member is not affected by the fastening means. Instead, the fastening means run at a distance from the cross member in the Z direction, so that the fastening means run above the top side of the cross member and/or below the bottom side of the cross member.

The fastening means preferably run in the X-direction. The fasteners can be installed easily. A fastener inserted in the upper area of the adapter can positively block the adapter from falling down during assembly.

The respective fastening means is particularly preferably designed as a screw connection, with the fastening means in particular having a screw and a nut which can be screwed to the screw and is preferably fixed to the mounting flange. A lock washer and/or a washer can be provided below a screw head and/or below the nut. The screw connection enables an easy-to-install and easy-to-disconnect connection that the rear carrier can be easily retrofitted and easily dismantled again. In addition, it is not necessary to provide an internal thread for the screw in the mounting flange.

In particular, the first retaining disk and the second retaining disk each have at least one retaining opening for, in particular releasable, mounting of the ball head coupling via an associated retaining means running in the Y direction, in particular a screw connection. The arm of the ball head coupling can be easily and securely connected to the retaining discs. Preferably, the ball head coupling, in particular the extension arm, can abut against the cross member at least after elastic bending under load, which improves the transfer of the weight forces introduced at the ball head of the ball head coupling.

Another aspect of the invention relates to the use of a kit, which can be designed and developed as described above, for the subsequent attachment of a rear carrier to a bumper of a motor vehicle, in particular an electrically driven motor vehicle, in particular a purely electric vehicle, with the kit in particular being used exclusively for attachment of the rear carrier is used. The ball hitch does not have to be designed for towing a trailer. As a result, the ball head coupling can be designed for lower forces in the X-direction than a trailer coupling. In particular, if the kit is to be used for an electrically driven motor vehicle, in particular a purely electric vehicle, use as a trailer hitch is not intended anyway. A traction battery designed for the electrically drivable motor vehicle and an electric machine designed for the electrically drivable motor vehicle are usually not designed for operation as a tractor, for example to save the weight required for a power density corresponding thereto. The particularly simple fastening technology of the adapter is therefore sufficient. By means of the attachment means of the kit provided outside of the cross member, a rear carrier for a motor vehicle can be retrofitted inexpensively and easily without weakening the cross member.

The rear carrier is designed in particular as a rear bicycle carrier, with the help of which bicycles, in particular electric bicycles (“e-bikes”), can be carried along. The weight of the rear carrier and the bicycles carried with the rear carrier can be supported on the cross member via the ball head coupling.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a bumper arrangement for a motor vehicle, in particular one that can be driven electrically, in particular a purely electric vehicle, with a cross member that can be connected to a supporting structure of the motor vehicle and a kit that is detachably connected to the cross member and which can be designed and developed as described above, the first retaining disk and the second retaining disk being supported on the cross member in order to dissipate the weight forces of a loaded rear carrier introduced on the ball head coupling. The bumper arrangement can be designed and developed in particular as explained above with reference to the kit and/or the use. By means of the attachment means of the kit provided outside of the cross member, a rear carrier for a motor vehicle can be retrofitted inexpensively and easily without weakening the cross member.

The cross member can in particular have a crash box, preferably at least two crash boxes, via which the cross member can be connected to the supporting structure. The crash box can dissipate impact energy introduced via the cross member into deformation work by means of plastic deformation.

Preferably, a support weight of maximum 90 kg, in particular maximum 80 kg, preferably maximum 70 kg and particularly preferably maximum 50 kg, introduced on the ball head coupling, can be supported on the cross member. Since the ball head coupling is designed only for fastening the rear carrier, it is not necessary to support loads that occur when a trailer is towed and braked, so that such a low vertical load is sufficient for the ball head coupling. The production costs can be reduced as a result.

Particularly preferably, the cross member has a lower edge that protrudes downwards from the underside at a distance from the rear and/or an upper edge that protrudes upwards from the top at a distance from the rear, with the lower edge and/or the upper edge having the fastening means in Recess defining the Y-direction, in particular a depression in the Z-direction and/or a through-opening. The lower edge and the upper edge essentially do not contribute to the stability and rigidity of the cross member, so that the recess can be provided in the area of the edge without significantly impairing the ability of the cross member to transfer loads. The recess can form stops acting in the Y-direction, between which the fastening means is positioned. As a result, the position of the adapter in the Y direction and/or also in the Z direction can be specified the. This ensures that the rear carrier is correctly positioned.

In particular, the cross member is designed as a closed hollow profile or as a U-profile open in the X-direction. In the case of a cross member designed as a U-profile, the lower edge and the upper edge can be designed as an angled strip, in particular a single-layer strip. In the case of a cross member designed as a hollow profile, the lower edge and the upper edge can be designed as a double-walled attachment. The cross member designed as a U-profile can easily be produced inexpensively from sheet metal by spammy forming. The cross member designed as a hollow profile can transfer particularly high forces.

• 1: eine schematische perspektivische Ansicht eines Stoßfängers,
• 2: eine schematische perspektivische Ansicht eins mit dem Stoßfänger aus
• 1 zu verbindenden Kugelkopf-Kupplung und
• 3: eine schematische Schnittansicht eines Bausatzes für die Befestigung mit dem Stoßfänger aus 1.

In the following, the invention is explained by way of example with reference to the attached drawings using preferred exemplary embodiments, it being possible for the features presented below to represent an aspect of the invention both individually and in combination. Show it:

• 1 : a schematic perspective view of a bumper,
• 2 : a schematic perspective view showing the bumper
• 1 to be connected ball head coupling and
• 3 : a schematic sectional view of a kit for attachment to the bumper 1 .

the inside 1 The bumper 10 shown can be attached to a rear end of a motor vehicle with a suitable support structure in order to be able to absorb impact forces in the event of an accident. The bumper has a cross member 12 made from sheet steel, for example by forming, which can be connected to the supporting structure via two plastically deformable crash boxes 14 .

With the bumper 10, an in 2 exemplarily shown ball head coupling 16 are attached, the general structure of which corresponds to a trailer hitch. In the present case, however, the ball head coupling 16 is only intended for fastening a rear carrier carrying electric bicycles and not for towing a trailer, so that the ball head coupling 16 only absorbs the weight forces introduced via the rear carrier on a ball head 18, but essentially none in X - Direction directed traction and braking forces must be removed. A boom 20 connected to the ball head 18 can thus be dimensioned more cost-effectively than would be required for a trailer hitch.

As in 3 is shown, the arm 20 of the ball head coupling 16 can be connected to the retaining disks 22 between a first retaining disk 22 and a second retaining disk lying behind it in the Y-direction. The retaining disks 22 each have a receiving opening 24 which is open towards the cross member 12 and which in particular can lie flat or in the form of a line on a rear side 26 , an upper side 28 and an underside 30 of the cross member 12 . Above the upper side 28 and below the lower side 30, the retaining disks 22 are releasably screwed to an, in particular plate-shaped, mounting flange 32 via fastening means 34 designed as a screw connection. The cross member 20 has an upper edge 36 protruding upwards from the upper side 28 and a lower edge 38 protruding downwards from the underside 30 , which are respectively clamped between the mounting flange 32 and retaining disks 22 .

The mounting flange 32 and the retaining disks 22 connected to the mounting flange 32 form an adapter 40 with which the ball head coupling 16 can be connected. The adapter 40 and the ball head coupling 16 can be part of a kit 42, with the help of which a rear carrier can be retrofitted without having to impair or change the cross member 12 for this purpose.

in 3 In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the upper edge 36 has a through-opening for the fastening means 34, so that the relative position of the adapter 40 in the Y-direction and/or in the Z-direction can be specified. At the in 4 In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the upper edge 36 has a depression which is open at the top and which can specify the relative position of the adapter 40 at least in the Y-direction. However, it is also possible for the fastening means 34 to run above the upper edge 36 and, if need be, to touch down on the upper edge 36 in the Z-direction.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• DE 202015104491 U1 [0002]

Claims (10)

Kit for mounting a rear carrier with a bumper (10) of a motor vehicle an adapter (40) that can be connected to a cross member (12) of the bumper and a ball head coupling (16) designed to attach the rear carrier, wherein the adapter (40) has a first retaining disk (22) and a second retaining disk that can be positioned at a distance from the first retaining disk (22) for fastening the ball head coupling (16) between the first retaining disk (22) and the second retaining disk, the first retaining disk (22) and the second retaining disk each having a substantially U-shaped receiving opening (24) for embracing a rear side (26) pointing backwards in the X direction, an upper side protruding from the rear side (26) in the X direction (28) and an underside (30) of the cross member (12) protruding from the rear (26) in the X direction, wherein the adapter (40) has a mounting flange ( 32). kit after claim 1 characterized in that the fastening means (34) are arranged at a distance in the Z-direction from an edge of the first holding disk (22) and/or the second holding disk which delimits the receiving opening (24). kit after claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the fastening means (34) run in the X-direction. Kit according to one of the Claims 1 until 3 characterized in that the respective fastening means (34) is designed as a screw connection, the fastening means (34) in particular having a screw and a nut which can be screwed to the screw and is preferably fixed to the mounting flange (32). Kit according to one of the Claims 1 until 4 characterized in that the first retaining disk (22) and the second retaining disk each have at least one retaining opening for, in particular releasable, mounting of the ball head coupling (16) via an associated retaining means running in the Y direction, in particular a screw connection. Use of a kit (42) according to one of Claims 1 until 5 for subsequent attachment of a rear carrier to a bumper (10) of a motor vehicle, in particular a purely electric vehicle, with the kit (42) in particular being used exclusively for fastening the rear carrier. Bumper arrangement for a motor vehicle, in particular a purely electric vehicle, with a cross member (12) that can be connected to a supporting structure of the motor vehicle and a kit (42) that is detachably connected to the cross member (12) according to one of the Claims 1 until 5 , wherein the first retaining disc (22) and the second retaining disc are supported on the cross member (12) in order to dissipate the weight forces of a loaded rear carrier introduced on the ball head coupling (16). bumper arrangement claim 7 characterized in that a supporting weight of a maximum of 90 kg, in particular a maximum of 80 kg, preferably a maximum of 70 kg and particularly preferably a maximum of 50 kg, introduced on the ball head coupling (16), can be supported on the cross member (12). bumper arrangement claim 7 or 8th characterized in that the cross member (12) has a lower edge (38) protruding downwards from the underside (30) at a distance from the rear (26) and/or a lower edge (38) protruding downwards from the top (28) at a distance from the rear (26). has a protruding upper edge (36), wherein the lower edge (38) and/or the upper edge (36) has a recess that fixes the fastening means (34) in the Y direction, in particular a depression in the Z direction and/or a through opening, having. Bumper assembly according to one of Claims 7 until 9 characterized in that the crossbeam (12) is designed as a closed hollow profile or as a U-profile open in the X-direction.

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