Patent Description:
Tow hitch assemblies are commonly used on motor vehicles to allow the vehicle to pull a load after the vehicle or carry a load on a hitch arm of the tow hitch assembly. <CIT> discloses such a tow hitch assembly. Some tow hitch assemblies are electrically controlled such that the hitch arm is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position by an actuator of the tow hitch assembly. A rotational movement of an electric actuator of the tow hitch assembly drives a rotatable member of a movement mechanism of the tow hitch assembly controlling movement of the hitch arm. When the actuator is operating it provides a high torque to control rotation of the rotatable member, but when the actuator is not operative, the torque of the actuator is much lower and vibrations may induce movements of various parts of the movement mechanism, which in turn risks displacing the hitch arm away from its stowed and/or deployed position. Inadvertent movement away from the stowed position would introduce a risk of the hitch arm hitting foreign objects when the vehicle is in motion. Likewise, inadvertent movement away from the deployed position would introduce a risk of damaging the vehicle or losing a trailer or object attached onto the hitch arm, such as a bicycle carrier. and/or damaging the vehicle or an object attached to the hitch arm, such as a bicycle carrier.

A problem with some prior art tow hitch assemblies is thus inadvertent movement of the hitch arm away from its stowed and/or deployed position.

Accordingly, an object of the present disclosure is to mitigate inadvertent movement of a hitch arm of a tow hitch assembly away from a stowed and/or a deployed position of the hitch arm.

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, this and other objects are achieved by a tow hitch assembly as defined in claim <NUM>, with alternative embodiments defined in its dependent claims. The tow hitch assembly is suitable for attachment to a vehicle. The tow hitch assembly comprises a hitch arm, a housing attachable to the vehicle, and an actuator assembly attached to the housing. The hitch arm is attached to a first shaft rotatably supported in a cylindrical cavity of a support means for rotation about a first rotational axis. The support means is attached to, or integrated with, the housing.

The tow hitch assembly further comprises a one-way wrap spring clutch. The one-way wrap spring clutch comprises a first member rotatable about the first rotational axis, and a second member rotatable about the first rotational axis. The first member is operatively connected to the actuator assembly such that the actuator assembly is able to control rotation of the first member.

The one-way wrap spring clutch is configured such that the first member is able to drive the second member in any rotational direction about the first rotational axis, and such that a wrap spring of the one-way wrap spring clutch prevents the second member from driving the first member upon rotation of the second member in any rotational direction about the first rotational axis.

The second member is operatively connected to the first shaft. Rotation of the second member causes rotation of the first member and vice versa. Accordingly, forced movement of the second member caused by forced movement of the first shaft is prevented by the wrap spring clutch. By arranging the second member and the first shaft such that they are both rotatable about the first rotational axis, a compact and robust device is achieved with little play.

The second member may be attached to a drive shaft, or may comprises the drive shaft, or may be connected to the drive shaft via mechanical attachment means adapted to prevent relative rotation between the second member and the drive shaft. The drive shaft is provided with an outer thread cooperating with the threads of the threaded central recess of the first shaft. Also, the first shaft is axially movable relatively the support means along the first rotational axis. One of said first shaft and the support means is provided with a helical guide groove extending around the first rotational axis. The other one of said first shaft and the support member is provided with a first protrusion slidably engaging the guide grove such that axial movement of the first shaft brings about a rotational movement of the first shaft. The rotational movement is controlled by the guide groove. The first shaft is provided with a threaded central recess aligned with the first rotational axis.

Rotation of the second member causes rotation of the drive shaft and vice versa. Rotation of the drive shaft controls axial displacement of the first shaft to which the hitch arm is attached. The engagement between the first protrusion and the helical groove controls rotation of the first shaft as a function of an axial position of the drive shaft. Such an operational connection between the second member and the first shaft enables control of both rotation and axial displacement of the towing hitch about the first rotational axis, whilst providing a robust mechanism for controlling movement of the hitch arm.

The wrap spring may be, at least partly, provided within a cylindrical cavity of the housing. A first end portion of said wrap spring is provided with a second protrusion, and a second end portion of said wrap spring is provided with a third protrusion. The first member is adapted to engage the second and third protrusions of the wrap spring with a rotational play, said engagement being such that the first member is able to rotate the wrap spring within the housing without locking the wrap spring to the housing. The second member is adapted to engage the second and third protrusions of the wrap spring with a rotational play, said engagement between the second member and the second and third protrusions being such that the second member expands the wrap spring upon forced rotation of the second member caused by rotation of the drive shaft, thereby locking the wrap spring to the housing.

When the first member drives one of the second or third protrusions of the wrap spring, the wrap spring is brought to rotate without being forced to radially expand, possibly with a slight radial contraction of the wrap spring. However, when the second member drives one of the second or third protrusions of the wrap spring, the wrap spring is being forced to radially expand and therefore frictionally engages the cylindrical cavity of the housing such that the wrap spring is prevented from rotating. The frictional engagement between the wrap spring and the cylindrical cavity of the housing enables a compact and robust one-way clutch functionality.

The second and third protrusions of the wrap spring extend radially inwards with respect to the first rotational axis.

By extending the second and third protrusions radially inwards, the first and second members of the clutch are able to engage the wrap spring through the wrap spring, thereby enabling a smaller footprint of the one-way wrap spring clutch.

As mentioned above, an object of the present disclosure is to mitigate inadvertent movement of a hitch arm <NUM> of a tow hitch assembly <NUM> away from a stowed position and/or away from a deployed position.

According to an aspect, this object is achieved by a tow hitch assembly <NUM>. A first embodiment of the tow hitch assembly <NUM> is shown in <FIG>. The tow hitch assembly <NUM> is suitable for attachment to a vehicle, such as a truck or a car. The tow hitch assembly <NUM> comprises a hitch arm <NUM>, a housing <NUM> attachable to the vehicle, and an actuator assembly <NUM> attached to the housing <NUM>. The hitch arm <NUM> is attached to a first shaft <NUM> rotatably supported in a cylindrical cavity of a support means <NUM> for rotation about a first rotational axis A. The support means <NUM> is attached to, or integrated with, the housing <NUM>. The first shaft <NUM> is axially movable relatively the support means <NUM> along the first rotational axis A. One of said first shaft <NUM> and the support means <NUM> is provided with a helical guide groove <NUM> extending around the first rotational axis A, and the other one of said first shaft <NUM> and the support member <NUM> is provided with a first protrusion <NUM> slidably engaging the guide grove <NUM>. The sliding engagement is such that axial movement of the first shaft <NUM> brings about a rotational movement of the first shaft <NUM>, said rotational movement being controlled by the guide groove <NUM>. The first shaft <NUM> is provided with a threaded central recess <NUM> aligned with the first rotational axis A. As will be described below, the thread of the central recess enables movement of the first shaft <NUM> along the first rotational axis A.

The tow hitch assembly <NUM> comprises a one-way wrap spring clutch <NUM>. The one-way wrap spring clutch <NUM> comprises a first member <NUM> rotatable about the first rotational axis A, and a second member <NUM> rotatable about the first rotational axis A. The first member <NUM> is operatively connected to the actuator assembly <NUM> such that the actuator assembly <NUM> is able to control rotation of the first member <NUM>. The rotation could be provided by operation of an actuator which may be an electric motor comprised in the actuator assembly <NUM>. Any suitable operative connection between the actuator assembly <NUM> and the first member <NUM> is feasible, such as a fixed connection between an output shaft of the actuator assembly <NUM> and the first member <NUM>, or a gear connection between the output shaft and the first member <NUM>.

The one-way wrap spring clutch <NUM> is configured such that the first member <NUM> is able to drive the second member <NUM>, directly or indirectly, in any rotational direction about the first rotational axis A. The one-way wrap spring clutch <NUM> is further configured such that a wrap spring <NUM> of the one-way wrap spring clutch <NUM> prevents the second member <NUM> from driving the first member <NUM> upon rotation of the second member <NUM> in any rotational direction about the first rotational axis A.

Any suitable one-way wrap spring clutch design could be used as long it provides this functionality. One-way wrap spring clutches are as such known in the art. Typically, a wrap spring clutch comprises a helical coil extending along a rotational axis. When the helical coil is exerted to a torque about the rotational axis, the helical coil either expands or contracts, depending on the direction of the applied torque. The expansion or contraction may be utilized to enable the helical coil to frictionally engage a shaft inside the helical coil upon contraction, or to frictionally engage a cylindrical surface around the helical coil, upon expansion of the helical coil.

In the embodiment shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the helical coil/wrap spring <NUM> is able to frictionally engage the surrounding cylindrical cavity <NUM> of the housing <NUM>, thereby preventing further rotation of the wrap spring <NUM>.

The second member <NUM> of the clutch <NUM> is attached to, or comprises, a drive shaft <NUM>, or is connected to the drive shaft <NUM> via mechanical attachment means <NUM> adapted to prevent relative rotation between the second member <NUM> and the drive shaft <NUM>. For example, the mechanical attachment means <NUM> could comprise cooperating splines provided on the second member <NUM> and on the drive shaft <NUM>, respectively.

The drive shaft <NUM> is provided with an outer thread <NUM> cooperating with the threads of the threaded central recess <NUM> of the first shaft <NUM>.

Rotation of the second member <NUM> causes rotation of the drive shaft <NUM> and vice versa. Rotation of the drive shaft <NUM> controls axial displacement along the first rotational axis A of the first shaft <NUM> to which the hitch arm <NUM> is attached. The engagement between the first protrusion <NUM> and the helical guide groove <NUM> prevents the first shaft <NUM> from co-rotating with the drive shaft <NUM> and controls rotation of the first shaft <NUM> as a function of an axial position of the drive shaft <NUM> relatively the support means <NUM>. By providing the second member <NUM> of the one-way wrap spring clutch <NUM> axially aligned with the drive shaft <NUM> and connected to the drive shaft <NUM> such that the second member <NUM> rotates together with the drive shaft <NUM>, a robust mechanism for controlling movement of the hitch arm <NUM> is achieved without gears, thus providing a locking mechanism with little to no play and low risk of failure.

The wrap spring <NUM> is, at least partly, provided within a cylindrical cavity <NUM> of the housing <NUM>. A first end portion of said wrap spring <NUM> is provided with a second protrusion <NUM>, and a second end portion of said wrap spring <NUM> is provided with a third protrusion <NUM>.

The first member <NUM> is adapted to engage the second <NUM> and third <NUM> protrusions of the wrap spring <NUM> with a rotational play.

In this embodiment, the first member <NUM> is provided with a first pin <NUM> for engaging the second protrusion <NUM>, and with a second pin <NUM> extending through the wrap spring <NUM> for engaging the third protrusion <NUM>, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>. The engagement is such that the first member <NUM> is able to rotate the wrap spring <NUM> within the housing <NUM> without locking the wrap spring <NUM> to the housing <NUM>.

The second member <NUM> is adapted to engage the second <NUM> and third <NUM> protrusions of the wrap spring <NUM> with a rotational play, said engagement between the second member <NUM> and the second <NUM> and third <NUM> protrusions being such that the second member <NUM> expands the wrap spring <NUM> upon forced rotation of the second member <NUM> caused by rotation of the drive shaft <NUM>, thereby locking the wrap spring <NUM> to the housing <NUM>. Upon forced rotation of the second member <NUM> caused by rotation of the drive shaft <NUM>, the second member <NUM> will first move relatively the wrap spring <NUM> to consume any rotational play between the second member <NUM> and the wrap spring <NUM>, and then the second member <NUM> will gradually expand the wrap spring <NUM> by additional rotation of the second member <NUM> until the wrap spring <NUM> is prevented from further expansion by the surrounding wall of the housing <NUM>. During expansion of the wrap spring <NUM>, friction between the wrap spring <NUM> and the cylindrical cavity <NUM> prevents rotation of the wrap spring <NUM>. Depending on, for example, the dimension of the wrap spring and the fit between wrap spring <NUM> and housing, the amount of the additional rotation required by the second member <NUM> varies within a predetermined angular range. An appropriate amount of rotational play is provided between the first member <NUM> and the wrap spring <NUM>, thereby allowing the first member <NUM> to rotate together with the second member <NUM> without the first member <NUM> forcing the other end of the wrap spring <NUM> (i.e., the end not engaged by the second member <NUM>) to also rotate.

Typically, the rotational play between the second member <NUM> and the wrap spring <NUM> is chosen large enough to ensure that the wrap spring <NUM> does not lock when being driven by the first member <NUM>.

Hence, when the first member <NUM> drives one of the second <NUM> or third <NUM> protrusions of the wrap spring <NUM>, the wrap spring <NUM> is brought to rotate without being forced to radially expand, thus without frictionally locking the wrap spring to the housing <NUM>. In fact, the wrap spring <NUM> may contract slightly when being driven by the first member <NUM>. However, when the second member <NUM> drives one of the second <NUM> or third <NUM> protrusions of the wrap spring <NUM>, the wrap spring <NUM> is being forced to radially expand and therefore frictionally engages the cylindrical cavity <NUM> of the housing such that the wrap spring is prevented from rotating.

The wrap spring clutch <NUM> provides a compact and robust one-way clutch functionality.

The second <NUM> and third <NUM> protrusions of the wrap spring <NUM> extend radially inwards with respect to the first rotational axis A.

By extending the second <NUM> and third <NUM> protrusions radially inwards, with respect to the first rotational axis A, the first <NUM> and second <NUM> members of the clutch <NUM> are able to engage the wrap spring <NUM> through the wrap spring <NUM>, thereby enabling a smaller footprint of the one-way wrap spring clutch <NUM>.

In other embodiments, the second and third protrusions may alternatively extend in any other suitable way, rather than radially inwards; For example, parallel to the first rotational axis A, or radially outwards with respect to the first rotational axis A.

In other embodiments, any other suitable one-way wrap spring clutch design could alternatively be used instead.

The actuator assembly comprises an actuator comprising an electric motor. In other embodiments, the actuator may comprise any other suitable motor, such as a hydraulically powered motor.

The wrap spring comprises a coil spring or wound coil extending along the first rotational axis A, as indicated in <FIG> and <FIG>.

Claim 1:
A tow hitch assembly (<NUM>) for attachment to a vehicle, said tow hitch assembly (<NUM>) comprising a hitch arm (<NUM>), a housing (<NUM>) attachable to the vehicle, and an actuator assembly (<NUM>) attached to the housing (<NUM>),
said hitch arm (<NUM>) being attached to a first shaft (<NUM>) rotatably supported in a cylindrical cavity of a support means (<NUM>) attached to, or integrated with, the housing (<NUM>) for rotation about a first rotational axis (A),
characterized in that
said tow hitch assembly (<NUM>) further comprising a one-way wrap spring clutch (<NUM>) said one-way wrap spring clutch (<NUM>) comprising a first member (<NUM>) rotatable about the first rotational axis (A), and a second member (<NUM>) rotatable about the first rotational axis (A),
said first member (<NUM>) being operatively connected to the actuator assembly (<NUM>) such that the actuator assembly (<NUM>) is able to control rotation of the first member (<NUM>),
said one-way wrap spring clutch (<NUM>) being configured such that the first member (<NUM>) is able to drive the second member (<NUM>) in any rotational direction about the first rotational axis (A), and such that a wrap spring (<NUM>) of the one-way wrap spring clutch (<NUM>) prevents the second member (<NUM>) from driving the first member (<NUM>) upon rotation of the second member (<NUM>) in any rotational direction about the first rotational axis (A),
wherein the second member (<NUM>) is operatively connected to the first shaft.