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EP-4735277-A1 - COUPLING UNIT

EP4735277A1EP 4735277 A1EP4735277 A1EP 4735277A1EP-4735277-A1

Abstract

The invention refers to a coupling unit for vehicles, comprising a cross member to be mounted on a rear region of a vehicle body by body mounts, which are attachable to said rear region of said vehicle body and a connecting element fixed to said cross member and being adapted to carry a coupling element for coupling a trailer or a load carrier to said vehicle body for achieving improved stability, said cross member comprises two carrier elements extending between said body mounts and arranged subsequently with respect to each other in a X-direction of said coupling unit for supporting the connecting element by central sections thereof and that said carrier elements have a cross section with an extension in a Z-direction of said coupling unit which amounts to at least five times, preferably at least ten times, of the extension of said cross section of said carrier elements in X- direction.

Inventors

  • POLYÁK, Zoltán

Assignees

  • ACPS Automotive GmbH

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230627

Claims (20)

  1. 1. Coupling unit (20) for vehicles (10), comprising a cross member (22) to be mounted on a rear region (14) of a vehicle body (12) by body mounts (24), which are attachable to said rear region (14) of said vehicle body (12) and a connecting element (30) fixed to said cross member (22) and being adapted to carry a coupling element (40) for coupling a trailer or a load carrier to said vehicle body (12), characterized in that said cross member (22) comprises two carrier elements (52, 54) extending between said body mounts (24) and arranged subsequently with respect to each other in a X-direction of said coupling unit (20) for supporting the connecting element (30) by central sections (102, 104) thereof and that said carrier elements (52, 54) have a cross section with an extension in a Z-direction of said coupling unit (20) which amounts to at least five times, preferably at least ten times, of the extension of said cross section of said carrier elements (52, 54) in X-direction.
  2. 2. Coupling unit (20) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of said carrier elements (52, 54) is a flat bar and that said flat bar is provided with at least one flat surface (62, 66) extending essentially in Z-direction of said coupling unit (20).
  3. 3. Coupling unit (20) according to claim 1, characterized in that both carrier elements (52, 54) are made of flat bars and both carrier elements (52, 54) with their flat surfaces (62, 66) extend essentially in Z-direction of said coupling unit (20).
  4. 4. Coupling unit (20) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that both flat bars (52, 54) have flat surfaces (62, 64, 66 68) on opposite sides thereof.
  5. 5. Coupling unit (20) according to claim 4, characterized in that both flat bars (52, 54) with their flat surfaces (62, 64, 66, 68) extend essentially parallel to each other.
  6. 6. Coupling unit (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said two flat bars (52, 54) has a flat surface (62, 66) which extends at an angle of less than 20° relative to the flat surface (62, 66) of said other flat bar (52, 54).
  7. 7. Coupling unit (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said flat surfaces (62, 64, 66, 68) of said flat bars (52, 54) extend essentially parallel to the Z-direction of said coupling unit (20).
  8. 8. Coupling unit (20) according to one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that each flat bar (52, 54) is provided with at least one flat surface (62, 66) which extends transverse to its longitudinal direction over a distance which is greater than ten times, of the thickness of said flat bar (52, 54).
  9. 9. Coupling unit (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier elements (52, 54) are provided with mounting sections (82, 84, 86, 88) which are fixed to said body mounts (24).
  10. 10. Coupling unit (20) according to claim 9, characterized in that said mounting sections (82, 84, 86, 88) of said carrier elements (52, 54) are fixed to said body mounts (24) by screw connections (92).
  11. 11. Coupling unit (20) according to claim 10, characterized in that said body mounts (24) comprise a fixing portion (74) extending into Y-direction of said coupling unit (20).
  12. 12. Coupling unit (20) according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that said body mounts (24) with their mounting portions (72) extend essentially parallel to said X-direction of said coupling unit (20).
  13. 13. Coupling unit (20) according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that said flat bars (52, 54) are abutting with their flat surfaces (64, 66) on said fixing portions (74) of said body mounts (24).
  14. 14. Coupling unit (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said carrier elements (52, 54) are fixed to said connecting element (30).
  15. 15. Coupling unit (20) according to claim 14, characterized in that said carrier elements (52, 54) are fixed to said connecting element (30) by screw connections (156, 158).
  16. 16. Coupling unit (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said carrier elements (52, 54) are provided with central sections (102, 104) which extend at a distance from each other for receiving the connecting element (30) between them.
  17. 17. Coupling unit (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two carrier elements (52, 54) are extending between said body mounts (24) with the distance between said carrier elements (52, 54) increasing from each said body mounts (24) towards the central section (102, 104) of said carrier elements (52, 54).
  18. 18. Coupling unit (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said two carrier elements (52, 54) with their flat surfaces (62, 64) limit a free space (120) between said carrier elements (52, 54), wherein in particular said free space (120) extends between said central sections (102, 104) and beyond said central sections (102, 104) in direction towards said mounting sections (82, 84, 86, 88).
  19. 19. Coupling unit (20) according to claim 18, characterized in that said free space (120) is open in Z-direction of said coupling unit (20) at least towards the road surface.
  20. 20. Coupling unit (20) according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that said free space (120) between said carrier elements (52, 54) is designed such that said connecting element (30) can be inserted into said free space (120) from at least one of its open sides.

Description

COUPLING UNIT The invention refers to a coupling unit for vehicles, comprising a cross member to be mounted on a rear region of a vehicle body by body mounts, which are attachable to said rear region of said vehicle body and a connecting element fixed to said cross member and being adapted to carry a coupling element for coupling a trailer or a load carrier to said vehicle body. Such kind of coupling units are known in prior art. For such coupling units it is always the object to provide a coupling unit with a simple design concept for the body mounts and the cross member in combination with sufficient stiffness and stability for receiving the loads intended to act on the coupling element. According to the present invention this object is solved by a cross member which comprises two carrier elements extended between said body mounts and arranged subsequently with respect to each other in an X-direction of said coupling unit for supporting the connecting element by central sections thereof and that said carrier elements have a cross section with an extension in a Z- direction of said coupling unit which amounts to at least five times, preferably at least ten times, of the extension of said cross section of said carrier elements in X-direction. The advantage of the present invention has to be seen in the fact that the design of said carrier elements is on one hand simple and due to the extension in Z-direction stable enough for receiving the loads intended to act on the coupling element and on the other hand this design due to the limited extension in X-direction of said carrier elements is able to be adapted to small spaces available below a rear bumper unit of said vehicle. In order to reduce the space necessary for said cross member in X-direction of said coupling unit a preferred design provides that at least one of said carrier elements is a flat bar and that said flat bar is provided with at least one flat surface extending essentially in Z-direction of said coupling unit, so that the dimensions of the cross section said flat bar in X-direction are smaller than in case tubes or other elements would be used. It is even more advantageous, if both carrier elements are made of flat bars with both carrier elements with their flat surfaces extend essentially in Z- direction of said coupling unit. According to the previous definitions of the shape of said carrier elements it would be possible to have both carrier elements provided with a flat surface whereas the opposite surface of said flat elements could be different from a flat surface, such for example curved in cross section or provided with the beads or corrugations or crimps. In order to provide a very simple design it is of advantage if both flat bars have flat surfaces on opposite sides thereof. However, the flat surfaces on opposite sides could extend at an angle with respect to each other which deviates from a parallel extension. Therefore, the most simple design provides that both flat bars with their flat surfaces extend essentially parallel to each other. The foregoing definitions of said shape of said flat bars also include that one of the flat bars with its flat surface could extend at an angle greater than 0° to the flat surface of the other of said flat bars. However, the space necessary for said cross member can be reduced if each of said two flat bars has a flat surface which extends at an angle of less than 20° relative to the flat surface of the other flat bar. It is even more advantageous if said flat surfaces of said flat bars extend essentially parallel to the Z-direction of said coupling unit. The term "essentially" as used in the definitions given in this application is intended to comprise all deviations from a parallel orientation up to an angle of less than 15°, even better up to an angle of less than 10°. According to the present invention the design of said flat bars provides that each flat bar is provided with at least on flat surface which extends transvers to its longitudinal direction over a distance which is greater than 10 times of the thickness of said flat bar. In particular said flat bar is a massive part having a thickness of at least 3 mm. In order to provide a simple connection to said body mounts the carrier elements are provided with mounting sections which a fixed to said body mounts. In particular it is of advantage if said mounting sections of said carrier elements are fixed to said body mounts by screw connections. Such screw connections enable an easy mounting of said carrier elements to said body mounts and in particular enable an easy connection of said carrier elements to said body mounts in the course of mounting said coupling unit to the vehicle so that the coupling unit can be sold to a customer without the body mounts being connected to said carrier elements. In order to simplify mounting of said mounting sections of said carrier elements to said body mounts it is provided that said body mounts co