US 11,686,331 B2 · Load carrier coupling

Abstract

The invention relates to a load carrier coupling (10) for the releasable securing of a rear load carrier (9), which has a supporting base (80) for placing a load thereon, on a coupling body (93), configured in particular as a coupling ball, of a motor vehicle trailer coupling (90), wherein the load carrier coupling (10) has a base (11) which forms the supporting base (80) or is provided for holding the supporting base (80), wherein a clamping device (30) comprising two clamping parts (31, 32) is arranged on the base (11) and is adjustable by an actuating device (40) between an open position (O) provided for inserting the coupling body (93) into an intermediate space between the clamping parts (31, 32) and for removing the coupling body (93) from the intermediate space and a clamping position (K) provided for clamping the coupling body (93), wherein the clamping parts (31, 32) are at a greater distance from each other in the open position (O) for the insertion and removal of the coupling body (93) than in the clamping position (K). At least one of the clamping parts (32) is mounted movably with respect to a stop surface (65) using a bearing arrangement (70) having at least two degrees of freedom of movement (S2, S3, S4) which differ from one another, and therefore said clamping part is adjustable by the coupling body (93), which is supported on the other clamping part (31), for alignment with the coupling body (93) during a final portion of movement of the clamping device (30) in order to take up the clamping position (K) with respect to the stop surface (65).

Drawings

Claims28

Dependent claims

A load carrier coupling for the releasable securing of a rear load carrier, which has a supporting base for placing a load thereon, on a coupling body, configured in particular as a coupling ball, of a motor vehicle trailer coupling, the load carrier coupling comprising:

a base which forms the supporting base or is provided for holding the supporting base, wherein a clamping device comprising two clamping parts is arranged on the base and is adjustable by an actuating device between an open position provided for inserting the coupling body into an intermediate space between the clamping parts and for removing the coupling body from the intermediate space and a clamping position provided for clamping the coupling body, wherein the clamping parts are at a greater distance from each other in the open position for the insertion and removal of the coupling body than in the clamping position, wherein at least one of the clamping parts is mounted movably with respect to a stop surface using a bearing arrangement having at least two degrees of freedom of movement which differ from one another, and therefore said clamping part is adjustable by the coupling body, which is supported on the other clamping part, for alignment with the coupling body during a final portion of movement of the clamping device in order to take up the clamping position with respect to the stop surface, wherein the at least one stop surface and the bearing arrangement are arranged on a force transmission element of the actuating device.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description7,814 words

Summary3,372 words

#This application is a 35 U.S.C. § 371 national stage application of PCT Application No. PCT/EP2017/052032 filed on Jan. 31, 2017, entitled “LOAD CARRIER COUPLING,” which claims priority to German Patent Application No. 102016102812.6, filed on Feb. 17, 2016, and German Patent Application No. 102016103596.3, filed on Feb. 29, 2016, each of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.

#The invention relates to a load carrier coupling for the releasable securing of a rear load carrier, which has a supporting base for placing a load thereon, on a coupling body configured in particular as a coupling ball, of a motor vehicle trailer coupling, wherein the load carrier coupling has a base, which forms the supporting base or is provided for holding the supporting base, wherein a clamping device comprising two clamping parts is arranged on the base and is adjustable by an actuating device between an open position provided for inserting the coupling body in an intermediate space between the clamping parts and for removing the coupling body from the intermediate space and a clamping position provided for the clamping the coupling body, wherein the clamping parts are at a greater distance from each other in the open position for the insertion and removal of the coupling body than in the clamping position.

#Such a load carrier coupling is, by way of example, described in DE 10 2010 045 357 A1. Here, one clamping part is formed by the base of the load carrier coupling, whereas the other clamping part is adjustable using the actuating device, which comprises an actuating lever, relative to the clamping part that is stationary on the base. By means of an adjusting device, in particular a screw, the movable clamping part can be adjusted in relation to the other clamping part, so that in the clamping position of the coupling body, in particular a coupling ball, secure clamping can be achieved. In practice, however, the problem arises that the clamping parts, even when the adjusting device has been adjusted, do not always have an optimum fit on the coupling ball.

Brief description of the drawings11 figures

#In the following, exemplary embodiments of the invention are described using the drawing. This shows as follows:

#FIG. 1 a perspective oblique view from above of a rear load carrier with a load carrier coupling;

#FIG. 2 the rear load carrier according to FIG. 1 obliquely from below;

Detailed description4,202 words

#A rear load carrier 9 is provided for arrangement on a back 101 of a schematically represented motor vehicle 100. To this end, the rear load carrier 9 has a load carrier coupling 10, that can be secured to a trailer coupling 90 of the motor vehicle 100. The trailer coupling 90 has, by way of example, a coupling arm 91, that protrudes rearwards from the back 101 of the motor vehicle 100, by way of example from a bumper of the motor vehicle 100.

#A supporting base 80 of the rear load carrier 9 serves to carry a load, by way of example luggage or in the specific exemplary embodiment bicycles. The supporting base 80 comprises, by way of example, a carrying structure 81, secured to the load carrier coupling 10. The carrying structure 81 has side members 82, running in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in the mounted state of the rear load carrier 9 on the motor vehicle 100. The side members 82 are joined together by a cross member 83, which for its part is in turn secured to the load carrier coupling 10.

#On the side members 82 supporting elements 84, by way of example gutters, are arranged, into which a load, in particular bicycles, can be placed. By way of example, the supporting elements 84 can be adjusted between a use position shown in the drawing, in which they protrude laterally from the side members 82, and a non-use position using swivel bearings 85, in which the supporting elements 84 are arranged in an intermediate space between the side members 82. The rear load carrier 9 then takes up less space. On the supporting elements 84 fixings 86, by way of example flexible fixings, in particular belts, for securing a bicycle, in particular its wheels, are provided. Furthermore, the load, in particular a respective bicycle, can be secured using a support 87. The support 87 comprises, by way of example, a stirrup, which in the use position protrudes at an angle from the carrying structure 81 (shown in this way in the drawing), and which advantageously, when not in use, can still be adjusted in the direction of the carrying structure 81, in particular the side members 82. On the support 87, adjustable carrier arms (not shown in more detail) are provided for retaining a load, in particular a bicycle.

Facts

Application

16/069,638Filed 31 Jan 2017

Priority

DE 102016102812.617 Feb 2016

Published

US 2019/0017525 A117 Jan 2019

Granted

27 Jun 2023

Term ends

16 Nov 2040

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 1,385 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification5 codes

F16B 2/185
Using cams, levers, eccentrics, or toggles: using levers
B60R 9/06
Supplementary fittings on vehicle exterior for carrying loads, e.g. luggage, sports gear or the like: at vehicle front or rear
B60R 9/10
Specially adapted for sports gear: for cycles
F16B
Devices for fastening or securing constructional elements or machine parts together

Timeline

17 Feb 2016Priority claimedDE 102016102812.6
31 Jan 2017Application filedUS 16/069,638
12 Jul 2018Assigned to Westfalia-Automotive GmbHassignment of assignor's interest
17 Jan 2019PublishedUS 2019/0017525 A1
20 Mar 2019Assigned to Cortland Capital Market Services LLC, AS Collateral Agentsecurity interest
12 Jun 2019Assigned to Bank of America, N.A., A National Banking Association, AS Agentsecurity interest
20 Jun 2019Assigned to Jpmorgan Chase Bank, N.A., AS Collateral Agentsecurity interest
25 Mar 2020Assigned to Westfalia-Automotive GmbHrelease of security interest
22 Apr 2020Assigned to Cortland Capital Market Services LLCassignment of security interest in patents
11 Aug 2020Assigned to Horizon Global Corporation, Horizon Global Americas Inc.release of security interest
9 Feb 2021Assigned to Horizon Global Corporation, Westfalia-Automotive GmbH, Horizon Global Americas Inc., Cequent Consumer Products, Inc.release of security interest
9 Feb 2021Assigned to Atlantic Park Strategic Capital Fund, L.P., AS Collateral Agentsecurity interest
27 Jun 2023GrantedUS 11,686,331 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
16 Nov 2040Term endsEstimated, includes 1,385 days of adjustment

Load carrier coupling

Life of this patent

Load carrier coupling

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims28

Description7,814 words

Drawings

Classification5 codes

Life of this patent

Description7,814 words