Structure for mounting hook bracket to bumper reinforce and bumper structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9643461-B2
Application number	US-201615052233-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2016
Priority date	Mar 26, 2015
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

The present invention relates to a structure for mounting a hook bracket formed of an aluminum alloy extrusion to a bumper reinforce having a hollow cross-section, and further reduces the weight of the hook bracket and the weight of the mount structure without deteriorating towing performance. The hook bracket has a cut that is formed in an extrusion cross-section (a cross-section perpendicular to the direction of extrusion) and extended from the rear end of a shaft portion into the hollow in the bumper reinforce. Further, an internally threaded hole is formed. The shaft portion of the hook bracket is penetrated through a hole formed in front and rear walls of the bumper reinforce and fillet-welded to the front and rear walls. The shaft portion is not fillet-welded to the rear wall at a position where the cut is formed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hook bracket to be mounted to a bumper reinforce having front and rear walls and a hollow cross-section, the hook bracket comprising:
an aluminum alloy extrusion including a shaft portion able to penetrate from the front wall of the bumper reinforce to the rear wall of the bumper reinforce so that a front portion of the extrusion can be welded to the front wall of the bumper reinforce and a rear portion of the extrusion can be welded to the rear wall of the bumper reinforce, and
a hole provided in the shaft portion and extending in a longitudinal direction of the shaft portion from the front portion of the extrusion toward the rear portion of the extrusion,
wherein the extrusion has a cut extending into a wall of the extrusion and extended from the rear portion of the extrusion toward the front portion of the extrusion, and wherein the cut does not extend to the front portion of the extrusion.

2. The hook bracket according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a rib protruding from the shaft portion;
wherein the rib engages a front surface of the front wall of the bumper reinforce.

3. The hook bracket according to claim 2 ,
further comprising a concaved fillet provided on the extrusion between a front side of the rib and the shaft portion.

4. The hook bracket according to claim 1 , wherein the cut extends, in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction, through the wall of the extrusion from the hole to a peripheral surface of the extrusion.

5. The hook bracket according to claim 1 , wherein the hole is threaded.

6. An assembly of a bumper reinforce and a hook bracket mounted to the bumper reinforce, comprising:
a bumper reinforce having front and rear walls and a hollow cross-section;
an aluminum alloy extrusion including a shaft portion penetrating from the front wall of the bumper reinforce to the rear wall of the bumper reinforce, wherein a front portion of the extrusion is welded to the front wall of the bumper reinforce and a rear portion of the extrusion is welded to the rear wall of the bumper reinforce, and
a hole provided in the shaft portion and extending in a longitudinal direction of the shaft portion from the front portion of the extrusion toward the rear portion of the extrusion,
wherein the extrusion has a cut extending into a wall of the extrusion and extended from the rear portion of the extrusion toward the front portion of the extrusion, and wherein the cut does not extend to the front portion of the extrusion.

7. The assembly according to claim 6 ,
further comprising a rib protruding from the shaft portion;
wherein the rib engages a front surface of the front wall of the bumper reinforce.

8. The assembly according to claim 7 ,
further comprising a concaved fillet provided on the extrusion between a front side of the rib and the shaft portion.

9. The hook bracket according to claim 6 , wherein the cut extends, in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction, through the wall of the extrusion from the hole to a peripheral surface of the extrusion.

10. The hook bracket according to claim 6 , wherein the hole is threaded.

Assignees

• Kobe Steel Ltd

Inventors

• Tsuyoshi Tsunetake
• Hashimoto Narikazu

Classifications

• B60D1/56 Primary

  securing to the vehicle bumper · CPC title

• B60D1/04 Primary

  Hook or hook-and-hasp couplings · CPC title

• B60R19/48 Primary

  combined with, or convertible into, other devices or objects, e.g. bumpers combined with road brushes, bumpers convertible into beds · CPC title