Acps Automotive Gmbh

Scambia Holdings Cyprus Limited

Bosal Acps Holding 2 B.v.

Aleksej Kadnikov

Bernhard Rimmelspacher

Wolfgang Gentner

Stefan Naegele

Michael Fischer

Francois Capron

Pascal Wisirenko

Alexander Hipp

Tobias Edelmann

Ivan Dubovik

Michael Schymkowski

Stefan Nägele

Vincent Carrey

Trailer hitch

In order to improve a mounting system for a load carrier or a trailer coupling, comprising at least one mounting receptacle, which can be mounted on a rear section of a motor vehicle body, in such a way that a high weight saving is made possible, in particular in the case when a load carrier or a trailer coupling is not being used, it is proposed that the mounting system has a set of two mounting receptacles, which is configured such that each of the mounting receptacles in the mounted state is connected to the motor vehicle body by means of a mounting region for a rear-side impact or crash element provided on the motor vehicle body.

Mounting system

To improve a trailer device for motor vehicles, comprising a holding unit for a crossmember mountable on a vehicle body on the rear-end side thereof and a ball neck receiving body having a ball neck receptacle, in which an insertion portion of a ball neck supporting a coupling ball is insertable and fixable therein, wherein the ball neck receiving body is arranged mounted on the holding unit so as to be pivotable at least between a working position, in which a ball neck is insertable by means of its insertion portion into the ball neck receptacle, and a rest position, it is proposed that the trailer device comprises a locking device which fixes the ball neck receiving body in the rest position in a locking state relative to the holding unit and has an unlocking state, in which the locking device allows the ball neck receiving body to pivot from the rest position in the direction towards the working position, and that an actuator is provided, by means of which the locking device is movable from the locking state into the unlocking state.

Trailer device

In order to connect a trailer hitch, comprising a ball neck, which is movable between an operative position and a rest position and has a pivot bearing body arranged at a first end and a coupling ball arranged at a second end, a pivot bearing unit, which is arranged fixed to the vehicle by means of a carrier that is configured to be secured to a vehicle body, wherein by means of the pivot bearing unit, which has a pivot bearing housing, the pivot bearing body is mounted such that it is pivotal about a pivot axis between the operative position and the rest position, and a rotation-blocking device that, in at least one rotation-blocking position, blocks a pivotal movement of the pivot bearing body about the pivot axis in relation to the pivot bearing unit and, in a release position, releases such pivotal movement, to the carrier in a manner that is stable and simple to assemble, it is proposed that the pivot bearing housing should pass through a receptacle in a bearing part of the carrier and in so doing be held by positively engaging elements such that it cannot rotate in relation thereto, and that on either side of the receptacle the pivot bearing housing should be fixed by support bodies that abut against the bearing part and are supported against both the pivot bearing housing and the bearing part.

The invention relates to a trailer hitch, comprising a ball neck, which is movable between an operative position and a rest position and has a trailer ball, a pivot bearing unit, which is arranged fixed to the vehicle, and a rotation-blocking device having at least two rotation-blocking bodies that are guided such that they are movable by means of a guide body in a guide direction having at least one component in the radial direction in relation to the pivot axis, and having an actuation body, which is arranged such that it is rotatable about the pivot axis and has a respective wedge face extending transversely to the guide direction for each of the rotation-blocking bodies and of which the rotary movement in an actuation direction causes the at least two rotation-blocking bodies to be movable and urgeable in the guide direction, wherein there is provided a release position latching device that, in a release position of the actuation body, is movable between a latch release position, which releases movement of the actuation body in relation to the guide body, and a latching position, which fixes the actuation body in relation to the guide body, and, at least in the release position of the actuation body, is urged in the direction of the latching position by a spring element.

In order to provide a trailer coupling device for motor vehicles, comprising a rear-side cross member which is mountable on a vehicle body, a supporting unit provided on the cross member which holds a ball neck receiving sleeve having a ball neck receptacle in which a ball neck incorporating a coupling ball is insertable and fixable therein, in which the ball neck receiving sleeve is minimally visible and disturbing when the ball neck is not inserted, it is proposed that the supporting unit comprises a pivot bearing unit by means of which the ball neck receiving sleeve is pivotable from a working position in which the ball neck is insertable therein in order to use a trailer, into a rest position in which an insertion opening of the ball neck receiving sleeve is arranged outside a visible region.

Trailer coupling device for motor vehicles

In order to improve a holding device which is mountable on a tail region of the bodywork of a motor vehicle, comprising a swivel bearing unit which is mountable fixed to the vehicle on the tail region of a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger motor vehicle, by means of a support unit, on which swivel bearing a swivel element supporting an attachment element is mounted pivotable about a swivel axis extending transversely, in particular inclined, relative to a longitudinal central plane and is thereby pivotable from an operating position into a rest position and vice versa, such that a holding device is provided to which widely differing attachment elements are fixable, it is proposed that the swivel element is provided with an attachment element carrier having a plug-in receptacle, into which attachment element carrier an attachment element is pluggable with an end region and is fixable with positive engagement, and in that in the operating position, the plug-in receptacle extends with its central axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal central plane and, in the rest position, extends with its central axis transversely to the longitudinal central plane.

Holding device mountable on a tail region of a motor vehicle

In order for a trailer hitch, comprising a bearing unit mountable on a rear end portion of a vehicle body, in fixed relation to the vehicle, said bearing unit having a bearing base and a ball neck carrier supported for movement on the bearing base, and further comprising a ball neck which at a first end is fixedly connected to the ball neck carrier and at a second end carries a hitch ball and which is movable, by the movement of the ball neck carrier relative to the bearing base, between two final positions, one of which is an operating position and the other one of which is a rest position, to be improved such that the position of the ball neck can be detected as simply and unambiguously as possible, it is proposed that a sensor system be provided for detecting the position of the ball neck relative to the bearing base, which sensor system detects the positions of the ball neck relative to the bearing base mounted in fixed relation to the vehicle and generates position information representative of the respective position of the ball neck.

In order to improve a trailer device for motor vehicles, comprising a crossmember, which is mountable on a vehicle body at the rear-end side thereof, a holding unit, which is provided on the crossmember and which carries a ball neck receiving body comprising a ball neck receptacle, into which receiving body an insertion portion of a ball neck supporting a coupling ball is insertable and fixable therein, in such a way that the ball neck receiving body is both visible and intrusive to the least possible extent when the ball neck is not inserted, it is proposed that the holding unit comprises a pivot bearing unit, by means of which the ball neck receiving body is movable from a working position, in which the ball neck is insertable into said receiving body for trailer operation, into a rest position, and that at least one stop element fixedly connected to the holding unit is provided, which stop element has a first support surface, which, in the working position, abuts against the insertion portion with the insertion portion inserted into the ball neck receptacle and thus blocks a pivoting of the ball neck receiving body in at least one pivot direction.

The invention provides a trailer coupling including a ball neck movable between an operative position and a rest position. A coupling ball and a pivot bearing unit are fixed to the vehicle. A rotation blocking arrangement has at least two rotation blocking bodies. An actuating body has a respective cam face that runs transversely to the guide direction for each of the rotation blocking bodies arranged to be rotatable about the pivot axis. As a result of the rotary movement in a direction of actuation the at least two rotation blocking bodies are movable in the guide direction. A release position latching arrangement is movable between a latch release position and a latching position that fixes the actuating body in relation to the guide body.

Trailer coupling

In order to improve a trailer coupling for motor vehicles comprising a ball neck, which is mountable at a first end on a rear part of a motor vehicle to be fixed to the vehicle by means of a ball neck holder and which carries a coupling ball at a second end, in such a manner that load carriers can be mounted and securely held in a simple manner, it is proposed that at least one positioning body is arranged on the ball neck at a defined spacing from the coupling ball to position a load carrier holding arrangement attachable to the coupling ball and the ball neck.

Trailer coupling and load carrier arrangement for a trailer coupling

In order to improve a trailer coupling for motor vehicles, including a ball neck which is mountable on a rear part of a motor vehicle so as to be fixed to the vehicle by means of a ball neck carrier by way of a first end and on a second end carries a coupling ball, in such a manner that load carriers can be mounted and held securely in a simple manner, it is proposed that, for positioning a load carrier holding device, which is loadable onto the coupling ball and the ball neck, at least one first positioning body is arranged on the ball neck at a defined spacing from the coupling ball, that the at least one first positioning body is arranged on a ball neck portion of the ball neck which adjoins a ball attachment of the ball neck which carries the coupling ball and in particular, proceeding from the ball attachment, extends along the ball neck over a distance which corresponds to a maximum of one and a half times the diameter of the coupling ball, and that the at least one first positioning body extends transversely with respect to a development of the ball neck portion which carries said positioning body and away from said ball neck portion.

In the case of a trailer coupling for motor vehicles, including a cross member, which is connectable to a motor vehicle body, and a bearing unit, which carries a ball neck that at a first end is connected to the bearing unit and at a second end carries a coupling ball, and a holding base, which carries the bearing unit and is connected to the cross member, it is proposed according to the invention that the holding base should have a flange unit, for receiving the bearing unit, and two holding elements that project from the flange unit and in so doing run at a spacing from one another and act on the cross member.

The invention relates to a trailer coupling for motor vehicles, comprising a coupling ball carrier which can be mounted on a vehicle body and a coupling ball with a ball body which has a ball surface extending between a ball attachment and an upper end surface of the ball body, with which the ball surface comprises a sensor zone for recognizing a body located close to or on the coupling ball, several detection locations different from one another are located in the sensor zone, a sensor unit arranged stationarily in the ball body beneath the ball surface is associated with each detection location and each sensor unit is designed such that it detects a body present in a close-proximity area above the ball surface at the respective detection location.

Growing community of inventors

Leonberg, Germany

Aleksej Kadnikov