JP2001063498A - Tow hook fitting structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: Provide a tow hook fitting structure having a satisfactory strength and capable of preventing an increase of weight by using a bumper beam made of an aluminum alloy. SOLUTION: A plate 12 for closing a work hole 1b drilled in a front bumper beam 1 is provided so as to screw join a front side frame 2 through a joint member 3. The plate 12 is fixed inside of the front bumper beam 1 by fitting bolts 15. A hook fitting nut 17 bonded to the plate 12 is positioned so that it is fully visible from outward of the work hole 1b. A tow hook 11 is screw fitted to the hook fitting nut 17. Accordingly, the front bumper beam 1 is not affected by the weld heat because the plate 12 with the bonded hook fitting nut 17 is screw fitted to the front bumper beam 1, thus resulting in a crush deformation property as specified, an improved weight reduction and reduced cost, and a raised rigidity around the work hole 1b due to closing by the plate 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure for mounting a towing hook on a front surface of a bumper beam.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a towing hook provided at the front and rear ends of a vehicle body for towing when a vehicle breaks down, for example, extends downward through a bracket at the front end of a front side frame. There is a type in which a plate is provided and a hook hole is provided in the plate to form a towing hook. In such a structure, there is a problem that the weight of the bracket and the plate increases due to an increase in size.

On the other hand, in order to improve the weight of the vehicle body,
There is one in which a frame is assembled from an aluminum alloy material. In such a vehicle body, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-8758, a bumper beam is also formed of an aluminum alloy extruded material.

[0004]

However, when the traction hook is attached to the aluminum alloy bumper beam, steel cannot be welded, and even with aluminum alloy, welding is difficult and costly. Problem.

When the towing hook is formed in an eyebolt shape, the towing hook can be screwed into the bumper beam and attached. However, as described above, since the strength of the screw hole is low in the case of the aluminum alloy, However, there is a problem that the tow hook cannot be directly screwed into the bumper beam and attached.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a mounting structure for a towing hook which has sufficient strength even when an aluminum alloy bumper beam is used and can suppress an increase in weight. According to the present invention, a tow hook mounting structure is provided in which a tow hook (11) is mounted on a front surface of a bumper beam (1), and a frame is provided on a back surface of the bumper beam (1). A work hole (1b) is provided on the front surface of the bumper beam (1) so as to enable working from the front side of the bumper beam (1) when the component member (3) is screw-connected. ) Mounting bracket (12)
However, the work hole (1b) is screwed to the bumper beam (1) so as to close the work hole (1b).

According to this, when the tow hook is attached to the front bumper beam made of an aluminum alloy extruded material to improve the weight of the vehicle body, the fitting for attaching the tow hook is replaced by a frame member provided on the front bumper beam. The screw connection work hole is provided so as to close it, and it is attached by screw connection, so that the front bumper beam is not affected by heat due to welding, and since the towing hook is directly attached to the bracket, the bracket etc. It is not necessary, and the weight and cost can be improved. Further, since the working hole can be closed by the metal fitting, the rigidity of the portion can be increased.

Further, a bolt portion (11a) is provided on the towing hook (11), and the metal fitting (12) is provided.
A hook mounting nut (17) for screwing the bolt (11a) is provided, and the hook mounting nut (17) is provided so as to face outward from the working hole (1b). According to this, when the front bumper beam is provided with a working hole for screw-connecting the front bumper beam and the frame constituent member, the working hole can be suitably used as a tow hook attachment portion.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to specific examples shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a front bumper beam 1 to which the present invention is applied and a part of a front side frame 2 as a stay thereof. As shown in the figure, the front side of the front bumper beam 1 on the vehicle (right side in the figure)
Is provided with a towing hook 11 according to the invention. In addition,
The towing hook 11 is detachable and is integrally attached to the front bumper beam 1 at the time of use.

As shown in FIG. 2, the front bumper beam 1 is made of an aluminum alloy extruded material having a substantially Japanese character cross-sectional shape, and the front side frame 2 is made of an aluminum alloy extruded material having a hexagonal cross-sectional shape divided into six equal parts. Become. As shown in FIG. 1, both sides of the front bumper beam 1 (rear side of the vehicle) and one axial end of the front side frame 2 are brought into contact with positions near the left and right sides of the vehicle. Is provided. Each of the members (1 and 2) is screw-connected to a joint member 3 as a frame constituent member provided therebetween, so that the front bumper beam 1 and the front side frame 2 are integrally connected to each other.
Note that the joint member 3 may be formed by press-forming an iron plate, and a sufficient strength can be obtained with a thin plate material.

[0012] As shown in FIG.
Are a pair of end plate portions 3a each having a substantially hexagonal shape conforming to the hexagonal cross-sectional shape of the front side frame 2, and two pairs of the end plate portions 3a bent and extended at right angles at two sides symmetrical to each other. And the connecting pieces 3b and 3c. Note that no coupling pieces are provided on the remaining two sides of the end plate portion 3a.

The joint member 3 is attached with the end plate portion 3a abutting on the side surface of the front bumper beam 1 with two connecting sides not provided with the coupling pieces facing the height direction of the front bumper beam 1. . The end plate 3
Nuts 4 are respectively fixed to upper and lower predetermined positions on the rear surface of a by welding, for example, and bolt insertion holes 1a for inserting coupling bolts 5 are provided at corresponding positions on the vehicle rear side surface of the front bumper beam 1. The front side of the front bumper beam 1 has a tool insertion hole 1
b are provided at corresponding positions.

Therefore, the work of screwing the connecting bolt 5 by inserting a tool (not shown) into the tool insertion working hole 1b can be performed, and the connecting bolt 5 is screwed into the nut 4 as shown in FIG. The end plate portion 3a of the joint member 3 is connected to the beam 1.

In the connection between the joint member 3 and the front side frame 2, the connecting piece 3b, which forms one pair of the connecting pieces 3b and 3c, is connected to the front side frame 2.
Of the hexagonal outer wall. Connection piece 3
b, a bolt insertion hole 7a for inserting the coupling bolt 6
Are provided, and a bolt insertion hole 2 a is also provided on a corresponding outer wall of the front side frame 2. A U-shaped clip 8 with a nut (only one is shown) is attached to the outer wall corresponding to the bolt insertion hole 2a by resilient engagement. Then, the connection bolt 6 inserted into each of the bolt insertion holes 7a and 2a is screwed into the nut 8a of the clip 8, and the connection piece 3b of the front side frame 2 and the joint member 3 is screwed.
And are combined.

When the front side frame 2 is displaced toward the end plate portion 3a, the connecting piece 3c, which is the other pair of the connecting pieces 3b and 3c, forms a hexagonal outer wall of the front side frame 2. 2 are formed so as to overlap the inner surface. The coupling piece 3c is provided with a bolt insertion hole 7b for inserting the coupling bolt 9, and the corresponding outer wall of the front side frame 2 is also provided with a bolt insertion hole 2b. Then, a clip 8 (only one is shown), which may have the same shape as the clip 8, is attached to the coupling piece 3c by resilient engagement. Even in the connecting piece 3c and the front side frame 2, each bolt insertion hole 2
The front side frame 2 and the coupling piece 3c of the joint member 3 are coupled to each other by screwing the coupling bolt 9 inserted through the b.7b into the nut 8a of the clip 8.

In this manner, the end of the front side frame 2 is joined to the side surface of the front bumper beam 1 via the joint member 3, and the joining is performed by screw connection as a fastening means. Even if it becomes necessary to separate the members, the members can be easily removed without any inconvenience. Therefore, the front bumper beam 1 and the front side frame 2 can be formed by an extruded material made of an aluminum alloy, and the frame of the vehicle can be made of an extruded material made of an aluminum alloy as much as possible.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the procedure for mounting the towing hook 11 according to the present invention will be described below. The towing hook 11 has an eyebolt shape as well shown in FIG. 3, and is used by being attached to the front bumper beam 1 at the time of use as shown by the imaginary line in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, a hook support plate as a metal fitting is provided on the back side (inside the front bumper beam 1) of a wall provided with a work hole 1b below the front bumper beam 1 as shown in FIG. 12
Is provided. The hook support plate 12 is inserted through an opening 13 at the axial end of the front bumper beam 1 and is attached to each of the screw insertion holes 14 provided on the left and right sides of the lower working hole 1b of the front bumper beam 1. 15 secures inside the front bumper beam 1.

On the back surface of the plate 12 (inside the front bumper beam 1), a nut member 16 into which each of the mounting bolts 15 can be screwed is provided, for example, by welding at a corresponding position. On the surface of the plate 12, a hook mounting nut 17 that faces outward from the working hole 1b when the plate 13 is mounted and that projects to the front of the vehicle is fixed by, for example, welding. The bolt portion 11 a of the traction hook 11 is screwed into the hook mounting nut 17.

The plate 12 may be formed by pressing a steel plate into a flat U-shape. By using an iron material for the plate 12, a nut member 16 and a hook mounting nut 17 weldable to the iron material can be used. Can be used, and they can be easily and inexpensively obtained.

When the traction hook 11 is not used, only the plate 12 is screwed to the front bumper beam 1 as shown in FIG. As described above, the hook mounting nut 17 faces the outside of the working hole 1 b, but the working hole 1 b is closed by the plate 12. Therefore, the front bumper beam 1 is reinforced by the plate 12, and the rigidity of the front bumper beam 1 can be suitably increased.

As described above, the traction hook mounting plate 12 is attached to the front bumper beam 1 made of an extruded material made of an aluminum alloy by screw connection in order to improve the weight of the vehicle body. Since it is not received, it is possible to obtain the deformation characteristics at the time of collision as designed, and since the plate 12 is directly fixed to the front bumper beam 1, no bracket or the like is required, so that the weight and cost can be reduced. Can improve. Further, since the working hole 1b for screwing the front bumper beam 1 to the front side frame 2 can be closed by the plate 12, the rigidity of that portion can be increased.

In the illustrated example, the front bumper beam 1 is shown, but the present invention is also applicable to a rear bumper beam.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the tow hook is attached to the front bumper beam made of an extruded aluminum alloy material to improve the weight of the vehicle body, the fitting for attaching the tow hook is attached to the front bumper beam. Since the provided work hole is closed and screwed, the front bumper beam is not affected by the heat due to welding. Since the towing hook is attached to the vehicle, no extra bracket or the like is required, and the weight and cost can be improved.
Further, since the working hole can be closed by the metal fitting, the rigidity of the portion can be increased. Also, when the front bumper beam is provided with a working hole for screwing the front bumper beam and the frame component, the hook mounting nut provided on the metal fitting can face the working hole, and the working hole can be connected to the tow hook mounting portion. It can be suitably used as

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a part of a front bumper beam and a front side frame to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of a front bumper beam and a front side frame.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a towing hook and a plate.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part showing how to attach a towing hook and a plate.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Front bumper beam (bumper beam) 1b Working hole 3 Joint member (frame component member) 11 Towing hook 11a Bolt part 12 Metal fitting (plate) 17 Hook mounting nut

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A towing hook mounting structure in which a towing hook is mounted on the front surface of a bumper beam, wherein work can be performed from the front side of the bumper beam when a frame component is screwed to the back surface of the bumper beam. A work hole is provided on the front surface of the bumper beam, and a fitting for attaching the tow hook is screwed to the bumper beam so as to close the work hole. Construction. 2. A bolt portion is provided on the traction hook, and a hook mounting nut for screwing the bolt portion is provided on the metal fitting, and the hook mounting nut faces outward from the work hole. The traction hook mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the traction hook is provided as follows.