ES2757973A1 - Detachable vertical hitch device for towing in vehicles (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Detachable vertical hitching device (1) for towing in vehicles, where the assembly and disassembly operations can be carried out manually and in complete safety. It has different types of length in the elbow of the traditional ball. The safety coefficient is higher for the best load transfer. For this, the device provides face-to-face tension transmission elements instead of points to reduce gaps, cylindrical bullets to transmit tension and double security elements. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Technique sector

Detachable vertical hitch device for towing in vehicles.

Object of the invention

The present invention relates to a detachable coupling device for towing in vehicles, which provides essential novelty characteristics and notable advantages with respect to the means known and used for the same purposes in the current state of the art.

More particularly, the invention proposes the development of a device of the type that is installed in the rear part of a motor vehicle for towing a trailer, of a detachable type, which allows the assembly and disassembly operations of the same to be carried out. carry out quickly and safely.

The field of application of the present invention falls within the industrial sector dedicated to the manufacture of trailer parts for automobiles in general.

Background of the Invention

It is generally known to all that many motor vehicles are equipped with a trailer towing device, located at the rear of the vehicle, and equipped with an angled arm for coupling the hitch means of which the trailer is provided. These devices have evolved over time so that from those initially manufactured that were normally fixedly mounted on the vehicle (that is, once assembled, the user left them practically permanently installed), and that they were inconvenient due to be protruding devices outside the limits of the rear of the vehicle, up to the current ones that are normally manufactured as removable devices, in such a way that the user can easily assemble and disassemble them.

Some examples of detachable vertical type devices are, among others, the Utility Model documents: DE 29609508 U, DE 29501733 U, DE 4312208 ...

Compared to what was the prior art to this document, the removable hitch was an extraordinary advance in terms of robustness, ease, speed of mounting and dismounting of the hitch.

Explanation of the invention

Notwithstanding the foregoing, continued research on this type of device has made it possible to make a coupling device that presents considerable improvements with respect to the devices of the current technique, especially based on the simplicity of design and ease of use, with full security guarantees. In the embodiment, the hooking device is called "vertical" because the coupling with the fixing sleeve is made by vertical movement.

It should be clarified at this point in the description that the term "vertical" must be understood taking into account the position of use of the device.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the proposed device comprises a female part for fixing to the structure coupled to the vehicle chassis and a male and ball set. The female is made up of a generally cylindrical piece, with the exception of some of its faces to allow it to be linked to the vehicle's fixing means, while the male includes a housing for the fixed attachment of a ball handle conventional and other housings for the components that make up the locking system (stem and bullets), firing and release actuation of the male assembly plus ball.

The main advantages of the invention are summarized as follows:

- The device allows the combination of different lengths and heights of balls with the same male because they are independent pieces joined together by a push pin. This is an advantage because it allows the device to be installed in any range of vehicles, varying only the ball element to adapt the device to the specific height of each vehicle, to the geometry of its body, rear bumpers and ground height.

- The device allows the mechanism to be operated from the bottom of the mechanism because both the ball and the male have an internal through hole in which a stem is housed. The operation by the lower part of the device allows the passage of the load to be carried out through the faces of the male that surround the ball, without this passage of loads being impeded by a mechanism, which provides robustness to the male and by both to the device.

- The device prevents rotation between male and female by using a complementary stepped geometry between them. This male and female coupling has the characteristic of face-to-face load transfer, avoiding punctual concentrations of efforts that may contribute to the failure of the parts due to the use or fatigue of the material.

- The device transfers the stresses generated on the ball, when the vehicle tows, from male to female in a very safe way, supporting the flat faces existing in male and female. The face-to-face load transfer configuration is the most robust possible since all forces are distributed on the contact surfaces and does not give rise to areas with a dangerous concentration of stresses or stresses at one point. This detail will be explained later in this document and will be illustrated in Figure 3.

- The device remains anchored through the use of one or more bullets of a generally cylindrical shape that interact between the male and the female, preventing relative displacement between them.

The bullets of a generally cylindrical shape that anchor the device lead to an improvement in its safety compared to other devices that use spheres due to the fact that the distribution of tension in the core is linear or superficial and this allows to drastically increase the safety coefficient of the piece because there are no specific areas of stress concentration. On the contrary, the distribution of tensions with spherical elements, present in other removable devices, is punctual, so that all the retention force is concentrated in a single point, which adds criticality to the working conditions of the spherical anchor elements. and its adjoining pieces.

In addition, the advantage of having superficially distributed loads is that it reduces the play between pieces and makes the device have a good fit.

- When the device is operated so that it is in operation, the stem is always compressing the bullet or bullets, so with this condition the possible play is reduced.

- -The handle that activates the device has a main and a secondary lock in the form of a push button and that allows the device to have double security against the possibility of improper use or spontaneous disengagement.

- The firing of the stem is carried out automatically when the male is inserted into the female, so the risk of misplacing it is diminished by the design itself.

- The device allows the female to be permanently installed in the vehicle anchorage structure.

Brief description of the drawings

These and other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description, which follows a preferred embodiment thereof, given solely by way of illustrative example and without limitation in reference to the drawings. which are accompanied, in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic representation, in perspective, of the most important basic components of the device of the present invention: female, trigger, stem, bullets, bushing, male, handle, button and ball of the detachable coupling device.

Figure 2 is a sequence of operations during the mounting and coupling of the detachable latching device of figure 1.

Figure 3 are sections of the device to illustrate the interior of the device in the locked and unlocked position. The detail of the bullet housed in the female and the male in the locked position (figure on the left) and the detail of the bullet housed in the male in the unlocked position (figure on the right) are shown, allowing the male to move vertically with respect to the female and therefore can be removed.

Figure 4 shows the fundamental elements of the invention.

Figure 5 shows, in a section, the step between the male (3) and the female (2) that avoids the relative rotation between the elements and therefore of the device (5.1), (5.2), (5.3). Also shown is the diagram of the push button (12) that adds double security to the device, lock (13) and other elements that make up the system.

Figure 6 solves the problem of clearances that appear in other known couplings using uniform transmission on the faces between male and female to reduce the clearance between components and increase the safety of materials, indicated with the rectangular detail view in the area bottom of figure 6.

It also shows how the cylindrical bullet (8) improves the transmission of the forces involved in the device with respect to spherical solutions. This is due to the fact that the bullet or bullets (8) of a generally cylindrical shape that anchor the device lead to an improvement in its safety compared to other devices that use spheres because the distribution of tension in the male (3) is linear or superficial and this allows to increase the safety coefficient of the piece. On the contrary, the distribution of tensions with elements spherical, present in other devices, is punctual, so that all the retention force is concentrated in a single point, which adds criticality to the working conditions of the spherical anchoring elements and their adjoining parts.

For reference to spherical bullets see patents DE 29609508 U, DE 29501733 U.

Figure 7 illustrates the idea of a self-locking bullet and its mounting on the device.

Figure 8 illustrates the idea of combining different types of balls with the same male to adapt the device to the specific geometry of the vehicle.

Figure 9 illustrates claim 4, which refers to the use of the lateral faces of the male (3) to support loads, because the drive is located in the lower part of the device. The areas of passage of loads are indicated in the figure with two dotted boxes (9.1) located on the lateral faces of the male (3).

In addition, the drive from the bottom of the device (9.2) is shown in detail.

Figure 10 illustrates claims 1 and 12 on the bullets (8). The bullet (10.1) is the bullet with a retaining sleeve that has a rounded head at its ends (25) of the same diameter as the body, a conical area (23) with a radius at its end (24).

The bullet (10.2) is the self-retaining bullet with a rounded head (20) and with a diameter greater than the body (21), it also has a rounding at the end (22).

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

To complement the description, and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of practical embodiment thereof, a set of figures is included as an integral part of said description, where with illustrative and not limiting, the following has been represented:

Thus, as seen in Figure 4, a possible preferred embodiment of the vertical detachable hook device (1), manipulable from the bottom and whose female (2) at the top, is previously coupled to the means for fixing the vehicle, essentially comprises the following elements:

• A female (2), Fig. 4, generally cylindrical in shape, with at least two flat faces and at least two threaded holes to tie it to the vehicle's fixing means. In addition to an internal groove to accommodate the bullets (8) in the locked position and a staggered shape at the bottom of it to prevent relative rotation with the male (3). It also has two flat seat faces with the male (3) to safely transmit the stresses generated to the male (3) by the conventional fixed ball element (5) Fig9.

• A male (3) of generally cylindrical shape that includes a housing for the fixed mooring of the handle of a conventional ball and housings for the components that make up the locking system (stem and bullets), firing and release actuation of the male assembly plus ball. In addition to an external grooving to prevent the decoupling of the bullets when the device is released from the female and a staggered shape at the bottom of the device to prevent the relative rotation of the male (3) with the female (2) Fig5.

• A rod (4) of generally cylindrical shape with variable diameters along its length, with an intermediate face on which a spring will exert pressure, with a hole in its lower end, another hole in its middle part to accommodate a bullet internal blocking (7) and with a conical part at its upper end that will be the one that exerts pressure on the blocking bullets (8).

• A conventional fixed ball (5) whose round head is subject to European regulations and whose handle can adopt different lengths, angles and diameters.

• A trigger (6) of generally cylindrical shape and with a rounded tip to actuate the internal bullet blocking element (7) of the stem (4) at the optimum point of coupling between male and female.

• An internal blocking bullet (7), generally cylindrical in shape with one or more diameters and with a rounded end, housed inside the stem (4) and pushed by a spring that will allow the stem to be held in the unlocked position.

• One or more blocking bullets (8) of generally cylindrical shape with a slightly conical part and both ends rounded. In this way, the bullet (s) (8) can fulfill its mission of anchoring between the male (3) and the female (2) while it can be retained by the bush (9).

• A retainer bushing (9) with a longitudinal cut that facilitates its installation in its corresponding housing in the male (3).

• An axis (10) for transmitting the movement of the handle (11) to the stem (4) to allow actuation of the device.

• A handle (11) for manual operation of the device with a lock and push button (12) for double security.

• A button (12) housed in the handle (11) that when pressed releases an interlocking element with the male (3) and allows manual operation of the handle (11). The push button adds one more element of security to the accidental unlocking process.

• A lock (13) housed in the handle (11) that allows an interlock with the male (3) and ensures that the device cannot be stolen in addition to being a security element against possible accidental unlocking.

• An axis of rotation (14) of the handle (11), which allows the handle to rotate with respect to it.

• A main spring (15) that pushes and maintains tension to the stem (4) so that it in turn pushes one or more internal blocking bullets (8).

• A secondary spring (16) that pushes and maintains the internal blocking bullet (7) in tension.

Another possible preferred embodiment of the vertical detachable coupling device (1), would be that reflected in figure 7, which would be the same as figure 4 but with the variation of the following elements:

One or more bullets (8) of general cylindrical shape with a slightly conical part, several diameters and both ends rounded. In this way the bullet or bullets (8) can fulfill their mission of anchoring between the male (3) and the female (2) in addition to self-retaining because it has a larger diameter in the area that remains prisoner in the hole of the male ( 3). The bullet or bullets (8) would be installed through the central hole of the male, which will be obstructed by the stem (4) in a subsequent mounting step of the device.

Retaining bushing (9), element that is removed from the assembly because it is not necessary to retain the bullet (8) in its longitudinal direction, since the bullet (8) 5 is self-retaining due to its own geometry and the subsequent assembly of the stem (4).

Claims (11)

1. Detachable vertical hitching device (1) for towing in vehicles, in particular a ball-type hitching device with the elements female (2), male (3), stem (4), conventional fixed ball (5), trigger (6), button (12), lock (13), axis of rotation (14), main spring (15), secondary spring (16) characterized by: • one or more blocking bullets (8) of generally cylindrical shape with a slightly conical part and both ends rounded; in this way, the bullet or bullets (8) can fulfill their mission of anchoring between the male (3) and the female (2) while it can be retained by the bush (9), • a retaining bushing (9), • an axis (10) for transmitting the movement of the handle (11) to the stem (4) to allow actuation of the device through the lower part thereof. 2. Detachable vertical hooking device according to claim 1, characterized in that it allows the combination of different lengths and heights of fixed balls (5) with the same male (3) because they are independent pieces joined together by a push pin, which It allows total flexibility to adapt the device to all vehicle geometries. 3. Detachable vertical hooking device according to claim 1, in which the female (2) of generally cylindrical shape has two flat faces and at least two threaded holes to tie it to the vehicle fixing means, in addition to an internal groove for housing of the bullets (8) in the locked position and a staggered shape at the bottom of the same to prevent rotation with the male (3), it also has two flat seating faces with the male (3) to transmit secure the stresses generated to the male (3) by the conventional fixed ball element (5). 4. Vertical detachable coupling device according to claim 1a, which allows the mechanism to be operated from the bottom thereof, since both the ball (5) and the male (3) have an internal through hole where a stem (4) is housed, being able to use the lateral faces of the male (3) as zones for the passage of the loads generated on the ball when towing a trailer or other object. 5. Detachable vertical hooking device according to claim 1a that prevents rotation between male (3) and female (2) by using a complementary stepped geometry between them. 6. Detachable vertical coupling device according to claim 1, which transfers the stresses generated on the ball, when the vehicle is towing, from male (3) to female (2) in a very safe way supporting the existing flat faces in male (3) and female (2), following the condition of face-to-face load transfer with surface contact and uniform stress distribution. 7. Detachable vertical hook device according to claim 1a, which remains anchored by using one or more bullets (8) of generally cylindrical shape that interact between the male (3) and the female (2), preventing relative displacement between them. 8. Detachable vertical hooking device according to claim 1 and claim 6a, in which the bullet or bullets (8) of generally cylindrical shape that anchor the device, carry an improvement in the safety of the same and a reduction in gaps due to the fact that the distribution of tensions in the male (3) is linear or superficial, condition of face to face support, and this allows to increase the safety coefficient of the part. 9. Detachable vertical coupling device according to claim 1a 6a and 8a with one or more bullets (8) of generally cylindrical shape with a slightly conical part, several diameters and both ends rounded, to fulfill its mission of anchoring between the male ( 3) and the female (2) as well as self-retaining because it has a larger diameter in the area that remains prisoner in the hole of the male (3). 10. Detachable vertical hooking device in which a main spring (15) permanently pushes a stem (4) when the device is in the locked position and in turn the stem (4) constantly pushes exerting pressure on the outside of the device to one or various blocking bullet elements (8) to anchor the device avoiding gaps due to the constant pressure and tension of the stem (4). 11. Detachable vertical coupling device according to claim 1, which has an internal blocking bullet (7), generally cylindrical in shape with one or more diameters and with a rounded end, pushed by a spring that will allow the stem to be retained (4) in unlocked position.