Patent Publication Number: US-2023158846-A1

Title: Towing Pipe Connection Structure

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0159979 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Nov. 19, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a towing pipe connection structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to a towing pipe connection structure that may improve connectivity while reducing the number of entire parts. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A towing pipe for towing of the vehicle is mounted on the vehicle body. 
     For the enhancement of fuel efficiency of vehicles, relatively light materials, for example, aluminum materials, are increasingly applied to all or part of the vehicle body. 
     In general, when the rear member of the vehicle body is made of aluminum extrusion, a steel material is often applied to the connecting part connecting the towing pipe and the rear member of the vehicle body for the purpose of cost reduction. 
     However, in this case, the material of the rear member of the vehicle body and the connection part, or the towing pipe and the connection part are different, so a complex structure to combine them is involved, and in this process, a lot of cost and weight increase may occur. 
     The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention, and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments provide a towing pipe connection structure that may improve connectivity while reducing the entire number of parts. 
     A towing pipe connection structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a vehicle body rear member made of aluminum material, a towing pipe at least partially made of aluminum material, and a connection bracket including a bumper back beam plate, which is in contact with a back panel of a vehicle body and of which an insertion hole into which the towing pipe is inserted is formed thereto, an engage plate of which an engage hole to which the towing pipe is connected is formed thereto, and a connection plate connecting the bumper back beam plate and the engage plate, and the connection bracket connected to the vehicle body rear member, and the connection bracket is made of aluminum material. 
     The towing pipe may be entirely made of aluminum material. The towing pipe may be welded around the insertion hole and around the engage hole. 
     The back panel in contact with the bumper back beam plate may be made of aluminum material, and the bumper back beam plate and the back panel may be welded together. 
     The thickness of the bumper back beam plate is thicker than the thickness of the engage plate, and the thickness of the engage plate is thicker than the thickness of the connection plate. 
     The connection plate may include at least two side plates connected to the vehicle body rear member. 
     The bumper back beam plate and the vehicle body rear member may be welded together. 
     The towing pipe may include a steel portion that is made of a steel material and is inserted into the bumper back beam plate, and an aluminum portion made of aluminum material and inserted into the engage hole. 
     The steel portion and the aluminum portion may be screwed together. 
     The back panel in contact with the bumper back beam plate may be made of a steel material, and the steel portion and the back panel may be welded together. 
     The aluminum portion may be welded around the engage hole. 
     The aluminum portion may include a first body to be welded around the engage hole, and a second body connected to the first body and inserted into the engage hole with a cross-section smaller than the first body. 
     The connection plate may include at least two side plates connected with the vehicle body rear member. 
     The connection plate may further include at least one reinforcement plate connecting the bumper back beam plate and the engage plate between the side plates. 
     The connection plate may further include two reinforcement plates connecting the bumper back beam plate and the engage plate between the side plates, and the two reinforcement plates may support the towing pipe. 
     According to the towing pipe connection structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to improve the connectivity while reducing the entire number of parts. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment of the towing pipe connection structure according to the present invention, the cross-section of the vehicle body rear member may have a uniform shape, so that uniform transmission of the impact load is possible during vehicle collision. 
     In addition, for the effects that can be obtained or predicted due to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is to be disclosed directly or implicitly in the detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. That is, various effects predicted according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be disclosed within a detailed description to be described later. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Since these drawings are for reference in explaining an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the technical idea of the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG.  1    is a partial perspective view of a vehicle body to which a towing pipe connection structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be applied. 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view of a vehicle body rear member to which a towing pipe connection structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be applied. 
         FIG.  3    is a partial side view of a towing pipe connection structure according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  4    is a partial perspective view of a towing pipe connection structure according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view of a connecting bracket of a towing pipe connection structure according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  6    is a top plan view of a connecting bracket of a towing pipe connection structure according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  7    is a side view showing a connection of a towing pipe and a connecting bracket of a towing pipe connection structure according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  8    is a front view showing a connection of a towing pipe and a connecting bracket of a towing pipe connection structure according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  9    is a top plan view of a connecting bracket of a towing pipe connection structure according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  10    is a top plan view showing a connection of a towing pipe and a connecting bracket of a towing pipe connection structure according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. 
     As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. 
     In order to clearly describe the present invention, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted, and the same reference numerals are assigned to the same or similar elements throughout the specification. 
     Since the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawing are arbitrarily indicated for convenience of explanation, the present invention is not necessarily limited to that shown in the drawing, and the thickness is enlarged to clearly express various parts and areas. 
     In addition, in the detailed description below, the reason that the names of the components are divided into first, second, etc. is to classify the components in the same relationship, and the order is not necessarily limited in the following description. 
     Throughout the specification, when a part includes a certain component, it means that other components may be further included, rather than excluding other components, unless otherwise stated. 
     In addition, terms such as . . . part, . . . means described in the specification mean a unit of a comprehensive configuration that performs at least one function or operation. 
     When a part, such as a layer, film, region, plate, etc., is “on” another part, it includes not only the case where it is directly above the other part, but also the case where there is another part in between. 
     In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on” another element, there are no intervening elements present. 
     An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG.  1    is a partial perspective view of a vehicle body to which a towing pipe connection structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be applied, and  FIG.  2    is a perspective view of a vehicle body rear member to which a towing pipe connection structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be applied. 
     A towing pipe connection structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a vehicle body rear member  30  mounted on a rear of the vehicle body  10 , a towing pipe  20  and a connection bracket  40  connecting the vehicle body rear member  30  and the towing pipe  20 . 
     For the enhancement of fuel efficiency of a vehicle, a relatively light material, for example, aluminum material, is increasingly applied to all or part of the vehicle body, and similarly, the vehicle body rear member  30  may be formed of aluminum material. 
     Further, the vehicle body rear member  30  may be an extruded member. Also, as shown in  FIG.  2   , the vehicle body rear member  30  may have a polygonal cross-section, for example, a rectangular cross-section shape, and may have a simple shape with no change in thickness or shape in the length direction. 
       FIG.  3    is a partial side view of a towing pipe connection structure according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG.  4    is a partial perspective view of a towing pipe connection structure according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG.  5    is a perspective view of a connecting bracket of a towing pipe connection structure according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG.  6    is a top plan view of a connecting bracket of a towing pipe connection structure according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG.  7    is a side view showing a connection of a towing pipe and a connecting bracket of a towing pipe connection structure according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG.  8    is a front view showing a connection of a towing pipe and a connecting bracket of a towing pipe connection structure according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     Hereinafter, referring to  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  8   , the towing pipe connection structure according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described. 
     The towing pipe  20  may be at least partially made of aluminum material. 
     The connection bracket  40  may include a bumper back beam plate  42 , which is in contact with a back panel  70  of the vehicle body  10  and of which an insertion hole  44  into which the towing pipe  20  is inserted is formed thereto, an engage plate  46  of which an engage hole  48  to which the towing pipe  20  is connected is formed thereto, and a connection plate  50  connecting the bumper back beam plate  42  and the engage plate  46 . 
     The connection bracket  40  may be made of aluminum material. 
     The towing pipe  20  may be made entirely of aluminum material. 
     For example, the towing pipe  20  may be made of a single pipe, and may be made of aluminum material to reduce vehicle weight. 
     Referring to  FIG.  3   , the towing pipe  20  may be welded around the insertion hole  44  and around the engage hole  48 . 
     That is, the towing pipe  20  is inserted through the insertion hole  44  and in the state inserted into the engage hole  48 , the periphery of the insertion hole  44  is welded Wi to combine the towing pipe  20  and the bumper back beam plate  42 , and the periphery of the fastening hole  48  is welded W 2  to combine the towing pipe  20  and the fastening plate  46 . 
     If the towing pipe  20  and the connection bracket  40  are made of the same or similar aluminum-based material, the towing pipe  20  and the connection bracket  40  may be connected by welding. 
     For example, the towing pipe  20  and the connection bracket  40  may be welded with MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding, but is not limited thereto. 
     The bumper back beam plate  42  and the vehicle body rear member  30  may be welded W 3  together. 
     When the bumper back beam plate  42  and the vehicle body rear member  30  are made of the same or similar aluminum-based material, the bumper back beam plate  42  and the vehicle body rear member  30  may be connected by welding W 3  together. 
     For example, the bumper back beam plate  42  and the vehicle body rear member  30  may be welded with MIG welding, but is not limited thereto. 
     Referring to  FIG.  4   , a tow thread  21  may be formed inside the towing pipe  20 . 
     That is, if towing of the vehicle is required, a towing rod (not shown) may be coupled to the towing pipe  20  by connecting it to the tow thread  21 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  6   , the back panel  70  in contact with the bumper back beam plate  42  can be made of aluminum or steel material, and when the back panel  70  is made of aluminum material, the bumper back beam plate  42  and the back panel  70  may be welded W 4  together. 
     That is, when the bumper back beam plate  42  and the back panel  70  are made of the same or similar aluminum-based material, the bumper back beam plate  42  and the back panel  70  can be joined by welding W 4  together. 
     For example, with MIG welding, the bumper back beam plate  42  and the back panel  70  may be welded W 4 , but is not limited thereto. 
     The connection plate  50  may include at least two side plates  52  connected with the vehicle body rear member  30 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  3   ,  FIG.  4    and  FIG.  8   , the side plate  52  is inserted inside the vehicle body rear member  30 , and the side plate  52  and the vehicle body rear member  30  may be connected with a fastener  60 . 
     For example, various types of physical coupling members such as FDS (Flow Drill Screw) and riveted may be applied to the fastener  60 , and connection strength between the vehicle body rear member  30  and the connection bracket  40  may be secured. 
     The connection plate  50  may further include at least one reinforcement plate  54  connecting the bumper back beam plate  42  and the engage plate  46  between the side plates  52 . 
     The reinforcement plate  54  may secure the strength of the connection bracket  40  by connecting the bumper back beam plate  42  and the engage plate  46  together with the side plates  52 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  6   , the thickness t 1  of the bumper back beam plate  42  may be formed thicker than the thickness t 2  of the engage plate  46 . 
     That is, the bumper back beam plate  42  receives the greatest load in the towing situation, so the thickness t 1  of the bumper back beam plate  42  may be made thicker than the thickness t 2  of the engage plate  46  to prevent damage. 
     The thickness t 2  of the engage plate  46  may be thicker than the thickness of the connection plate  50 , that is, thickness t 3  of the side plate  52  or thickness t 4  of the reinforcement plate  54 . 
     Since the engage plate  46  connected to the towing pipe  20  is subjected to a large load in the towing situation, it is possible to prevent breakage by making the thickness t 2  of the engage plate  46  thicker than the thicknesses t 4  and t 4  of the connection plate  50 . 
     The thickness t 3  of the side plate  52  may be equal to or thicker than the thickness t 4  of the reinforcement plate  54 . 
     Since the side plate  52  is physically connected to the vehicle body rear member  30  through the fastener  60 , the thickness t 3  of the side plate  52  may be equal to or thicker than the thickness t 4  of the reinforcement plate  54 . 
     In  FIG.  8   , drawing reference numerals  32  and  34  are flanges formed on the vehicle body rear member  30 , and may be connected to the vehicle body  10 . 
     According to the towing pipe connection structure according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the configuration of the connection bracket  40  is simple, and the coupling of the connection bracket  40  and the towing pipe  20  and the vehicle body rear member  30  is simple, so that the connectivity may be improved while reducing the entire number of parts. 
     According to the towing pipe connection structure according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the cross-section of the vehicle body rear member  30  may have a uniform shape, so that uniform transmission of the impact load is possible during vehicle collision. 
       FIG.  9    is a top plan view of a connecting bracket of a towing pipe connection structure according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG.  10    is a top plan view showing a connection of a towing pipe and a connecting bracket of a towing pipe connection structure according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     In describing the towing pipe connection structure according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a repeated description of the same configuration as the towing pipe connection structure according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention described above will be omitted. 
     The towing pipe that may be applied to the towing pipe connection structure according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be made of a heterogeneous material. 
     That is, the towing pipe  120  that may be applied to the towing pipe connection structure according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a steel portion  122  that is made of a steel material and is inserted into a bumper back beam plate  142 , and an aluminum portion  132  that is made of aluminum material and inserted into an engage hole  148 . 
     A connection bracket  140  that may be applied to the towing pipe connection structure according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a bumper back beam plate  142  in contact with a back panel  170  of the vehicle body  10  and a insertion hole  144  into which the towing pipe  120  is inserted is formed thereto, an engage plate  146  of which an engage hole  148  to which the towing pipe  120  is connected is formed thereto, and a connection plate  150  connecting the bumper back beam plate  142  and the engage plate  146 . 
     The steel portion  122  and the aluminum portion  132  may be screwed together. 
     That is, a steel portion thread  124  is formed in the steel portion  122 , and an aluminum portion thread  134  is formed in the aluminum portion  132 , so that the steel portion thread  124  and the aluminum portion thread  134  may be screwed together. 
     The connection bracket  140  that may be applied to the towing pipe connection structure according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be made of an aluminum material, so it is possible to reduce the weight of parts. 
     Also, the connection bracket  140  may be manufactured by extrusion. 
     The back panel  170  in contact with the bumper back beam plate  142  is made of a steel material, and the steel portion  122  and the back panel  170  may be welded W 5  together. 
     That is, the bumper back beam plate  142  and the back panel  170  have different materials, so welding work is difficult, but the steel portion  122  and the back panel  170  are made of the same or similar steel material, so that the steel portion  122  and the back panel  170  can be connected by welding W 5  together. 
     And, according to the welding W 5  of the steel portion  122  and the back panel  170 , the connection work of the bumper back beam plate  142  and the back panel  170  is not required, so the work process can be simplified. 
     The aluminum portion  132  can be welded W 6  around the engage hole  148 . 
     That is, the aluminum portion  132  is the same or similar aluminum material to the engage plate  146  in which the engage hole  148  is formed, so that it can be welded W 6  together. 
     For example, the aluminum portion  132  and the engage plate  146  may be welded with MIG welding, but is not limited thereto. 
     The aluminum portion  132  may include a first body  136  to be welded around the engage hole  148 , and a second body  138  connected to the first body  136  and inserted into the engage hole  148  with a cross-section smaller than the first body  136 . 
     Another exemplary embodiment of the towing pipe connection structure according to the present invention may include a connection plate  150  for connecting the bumper back beam plate  142  and the engage plate  146 . 
     The connection plate  150  may include at least two side plates  152  connected with the vehicle body rear member  30  (referring to  FIG.  3    and  FIG.  4   ). 
     The connection plate  150  may further include at least one reinforcement plate  154  connecting the bumper back beam plate  142  and the engage plate  146  between the side plates  152 . 
     The reinforcement plate  154  may be provided in two so that the two reinforcement plates  154  may support the towing pipe  120 , so the connection of the towing pipe  120  and the connection bracket  140  may be more robust. 
     A tow thread  121  may be formed inside the towing pipe  120 , that is, inside the steel portion  122 . 
     According to another exemplary embodiment of the towing pipe connection structure according to the present invention, the configuration of the connection bracket  140  is simple, and the combination of the connection bracket  140  and the towing pipe  120  and the vehicle body rear member  30  is simple. So that connectivity may be improved while reducing the entire number of parts. 
     In addition, according to the towing pipe connection structure according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, even if the back panel  170  is made of other materials such as steel, it is possible to firmly combine the vehicle body rear member  30  and the towing pipe  120  of aluminum material. 
     While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.