Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
[001] This disclosure relates generally to vehicle body, and more particularly to a tow mount in a vehicle body.
BACKGROUND
[002] A tow hook attached to a machinery enables towing or moving of the machinery by a towing vehicle. Accordingly, most vehicles are provided with tow hooks which are attached to vehicle body in order to help extricate stuck vehicles in an emergency such as when a vehicle is rendered inoperable or is stuck in mud or snow.
[003] FIG. 1A depicts a tow hook secured to a vehicle body in accordance with a prior art embodiment. FIG. 1B depicts a tow hook mount assembly, in accordance with a prior art embodiment. Conventional tow hook mount assembly utilize a mechanically welded sheet metals assembly welded to the vehicle body in order to hold the tow hook. This approach does not provide a robust and strong linkage between the hook mount, the vehicle frame and the tow hook. Due to wear and tear the welded joints come apart making the tow hook mount assembly ineffective. Further, the prior art techniques lead to higher costs for labor and maintenance, as it requires plurality of mounting plates and welding operations.
[004] Accordingly, there is a requirement of an optimum solution for mounting tow hook in vehicles which may be easily installable and may robustly hold the tow hook.
SUMMARY
[005] In one embodiment, a hook mount is provided. The hook mount may include a base which may be configured to mechanically couple to a crash member assembly of a vehicle using a first plurality of fasteners. The hook mount may further include a flange which may be configured to mechanically couple to a bumper beam of the vehicle using a second plurality of fasteners. The hook mount may further include a neck portion which may connect the base and flange. The hook mount may include a housing which may extend in an axial direction through the flange, the neck and the base. In an embodiment, the base, the flange and the neck may be monolithically casted to form the hook mount.
[006] In another embodiment, a tow assembly is disclosed. The tow assembly may include a monolithically casted hook mount which may be configured to receive a tow hook through a housing running axially along the hook mount. The hook mount may be mechanically coupled to an outer crash member and an inner crash member of a crash member assembly of the vehicle and a bumper beam of the vehicle using a plurality of fasteners.
[007] In yet another embodiment, a method of manufacturing a hook mounting structure may include monolithically casting a hook mount. In an embodiment, the hook mount may include a base, a flange and a neck portion. The monolithically casted hook mount may further include a housing extending in an axial direction through the flange, the neck portion and the base for receiving a tow hook.
[008] In yet another embodiment, a method of assembling a tow hook assembly may include a mechanically coupling of a base of a monolithically casted hook mount with a vehicle body via a first plurality of slots provided on a lateral surface of the base. The method further includes mechanically coupling a flange of the monolithically casted hook mount with a bumper beam of the vehicle body via a second plurality of slots provided on the flange. The method further includes fitting a tow hook into a housing extending in an axial direction through the monolithically casted hook mount.
[009] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[010] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed principles.
[011] FIG. 1A is a block diagram of a hook mount, in accordance with a prior art embodiment.
[012] FIG. 1B is a block diagram of a hook mount, in accordance with a prior art embodiment.
[013] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective front view of a hook mount, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[014] FIG. 3 illustrates a front perspective view of a hook mount assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[015] FIG. 4A illustrates a sectional side view of the tow hook assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[016] FIG. 4B illustrates a left perspective view of the hook mount being assembled in crash member assembly of the vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[017] FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart for manufacturing a hook mount, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[018] FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart for assembling a tow hook assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[019] The foregoing description has broadly outlined the features and technical advantages of the present disclosure in order that the detailed description of the disclosure that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the disclosure will be described hereinafter which forms the subject of the claims of the disclosure. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiments disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying other devices, systems, assemblies and mechanisms for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that, such equivalent constructions do not depart from the scope of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristics of the disclosure, to its device or system, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present disclosure.
[020] The terms “including”, “comprises”, “comprising”, “comprising of” or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusions, such that a system or a device that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or device. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus proceeded by “comprises… a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or apparatus.
[021] Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, same numerals have been used to refer to the same or like parts. The following paragraphs describe the present disclosure with reference to FIGs. 1-6. It is to be noted that the system may be employed in any vehicle including but not limited to a passenger vehicle, a utility vehicle, commercial vehicles, and any other transportable machinery . For a sake of clarity, a vehicle is not shown.
[022] Referring now to FIG. 1A, a front perspective view 100A of a tow hook 102 being mounted on a vehicle body is illustrated, in accordance with a prior art embodiment. By way of example, a tow hook 102 may be mounted through a front bumper beam 104 and attached to vehicle body 106 of a vehicle (not shown).
[023] Referring now to FIG. 1B, a side sectional view 100B of a two hook assembly is illustrated in accordance with a prior art embodiment. The hook mount 108 may be formed using a plurality of sheet metal components 110, 112, 113, 114, 115 and 116 which may be welded to each other in order to receive a tow hook 102 as shown in FIG. 1B. The sheet metal components 110, 112, 113, 114, 115 and 116 may be cut, bent, shaped and welded to each other in order to form a stack-up assembly of hook mount 108. Due to various sheet metal components, the design and structure of the components may vary and may lead to inconsistencies in strength. The hook mount 108 may be welded to the vehicle body 118 which may lead to paint peel off. In an embodiment, due to wear and tear, the welded joints between the sheet metal components 110, 112, 113, 114, 115 and 116 may loosen and fall apart resulting in disassociation or loosening of hook mount assembly 108 from the vehicle body 106. Further, there may be inconsistency in strength of the sheet metal components 110, 112, 113, 114, 115 and 116 due to manufacturing variations. Additionally, the prior art techniques may result in increased labor and maintenance costs to form the hook mount assembly 108.
[024] Referring now to FIG. 2, a perspective front view of a hook mount 200 is illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In an exemplary embodiment, the hook mount 200 may be used in various industrial application such as, but not limited to, cars, trucks, tractors or transportable machineries.
[025] As is illustrated, the hook mount 200 may be a single piece structure which may be monolithically casted to include a base 202, a neck portion 204 and a flange 206. In an embodiment, the hook mount 200 may be made of a material, such as but not limited to, metal, alloy, polymer, etc. The base 202 may be shaped as, but not limited to, a cuboid having a front side 208 and rear side 210. The base 202 may further include a plurality of lateral surfaces 202a, 202b, 202c and 202d. Each of the lateral surfaces 202a, 202b, 202c and 202d may include a slot 212a, 212b, 212c and 212d respectively. The flange 206 may be, but not limited to, circular in shape and may have a predefined thickness. The flange 206 may have a front side 206a and a rear side 206b. The flange 206 may further include a second plurality of slots 214 arranged around a housing 216.
[026] The hook mount 200 may be monolithically casted such that the base 202 may extend into the neck 204 portion which may further extend to the flange 206. In an embodiment, the neck 204 may extend from the front side 208 of the base 202 and connect to the rear side 206b of the flange 206. The housing or a hole 216 may extend in an axial direction through the flange 206, the neck portion 204 and the base 202. The housing 216 may further include an inner threaded surface 218. In an embodiment, the housing 216 may have a circular cross-section. In an embodiment, the housing 216 may be shaped to complement the shape of a tow hook to be mounted into the hook mount 200. Further, the base 202, the neck 204 and the flange 206 may have rounded corners in order for an easy alignment of the hook mount 200 with vehicle body during assembly.
[027] Referring now to FIG. 3, a front perspective view of a hook mount assembly 300 is illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the hook mount 200 may be enclosed between a crash member assembly 302 of a vehicle body. In an embodiment, the crash member assembly 302 may be associated to either left or right side of the vehicle body. The crash member assembly 302 may include an outer crash member 304 and an inner crash member 306 which may enclose the base 202 of the hook mount 200 from the lateral surfaces 202a, 202b, 202c and 202d. In an embodiment, the inner crash member 306 may be, but not limited to, a c-bracket enclosing the base 202 from at least three lateral surfaces i.e. the 202b, 202c and 202d. In an embodiment, the outer crash member 304 may be coupled to one of the lateral surface 202a of the base 202. In an embodiment, the outer crash member 304 and the inner crash member 306 may be coupled to the lateral surfaces 202a-d of the base 202 by fastening a fastener (not shown) through each of the slots 212a-d. Further, the flange 206 may be fastened to a bumper beam 308 by fastening fasteners (not shown) through the bumper beam 308 into the second plurality of slots 214. In an embodiment, the bumper beam 308 may be on a front side and back side of the vehicle body.
[028] In an embodiment, the fasteners may include, such as, but not limited to, screws, rivets, or other fastening method as may be known to a person skilled in the art. The hook mount assembly 300 thus, does not require welding in order to create a hook mount or welding of the hook mount to the vehicle body. Thus, the hook mount assembly 300 provides a high strength and reliability and is easily installable. Referring now to FIG. 4A, a sectional side view 400A of the tow hook assembly is illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The tow hook assembly 400 shows a first plurality of fasteners 402 and 404 being fastened through the inner crash member 306 and through the slots 209b and 209d from the lateral surface 202b and 202d of the base 202. It may be noted that additional two fasteners 401 (not shown) and 403 (not shown) may be used to fasten the hook mount 200 to the crash member assembly from lateral surfaces 209a (not shown) and 209c (not shown) respectively. Further, a second plurality of fasteners 406 and 408 are fastened through the bumper beam 308 into the slots 214 of the flange 206. It may be noted that additional two fasteners 405 (not shown) and 407 (not shown) may be used to fasten the flange 206 of the hook mount 200 to the bumper beam 308. Thus, the tow hook 102 may be secured to the crash member assembly 302 of the vehicle body and bumper beam 308 using plurality of fasteners 401-404 and 405-408. Further, a threaded portion 410 of a tow hook 310 may be fastened into the housing 218 by screwing the threaded portion 410 of the tow hook 310 into the complementary threaded housing 218. The threaded portion 410 of the tow hook 310 may be inserted screwed into the housing 218 through a hole 414 in the bumper beam 308 in order to mount the hook mount 200.
[029] Referring now to FIG. 4B, a left perspective view 400B of the hook mount 200 being assembled in crash member assembly 302 of the vehicle is illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. A tow hook 310 may be inserted through the hole 414 provided on the bumper beam 308. The threaded portion 410 of the tow hook 310 may be screwed into the complementary threaded housing 218 through the hole 414. In turn, the bumper beam 308 may be fastened to the flange 306 using a plurality of fasteners 406 and 408 fastened into the slots 214 through the bumper beam 308.
[030] FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart 500 for manufacturing a hook mount, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. At step 502, a hook mount 200 may be monolithically casted. The hook mount 200 may include a base 202, a neck 204 and a flange 206. At step 504, a housing 218 may be provided which may extend in an axial direction through the flange 206, the neck 204, and the base 202 for receiving a tow hook 310.
[031] FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart 600 for assembling a tow hook assembly (300), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. At step 602, a base 202 of a monolithically casted hook mount 200 may be mechanically coupled with a vehicle body via a first plurality of slots 401, 402, 403, 404 provided on a lateral surface 202a-d of the base 202. At step 604, a flange 206 of the monolithically casted hook mount 200 may be mechanically coupled with a bumper beam 308 of the vehicle body via a second plurality of slots 214 provided on the flange 206. At step 606, a tow hook 310 may be fitted into a housing 218 extending in an axial direction through the monolithically casted hook mount 200.
[032] In an embodiment, the hook mount of the present invention provides an integrated or a single piece monolithically casted structure that may be made from a metal or a metal alloy such as, but not limited to aluminum alloy or cast iron. In an embodiment, the casting methods used may include, but not limited to, mold casting, slush casting, centrifugal casting, pressure casting, die casting, etc. In an embodiment, the hook mount may be 3D printed. Accordingly, the monolithically casted hook mount of the present disclosure may have structural strength to meet safety regulation parameters. In an embodiment, the hook mount due to its simplified structure may be easily manufactured and modified in order to be used in various vehicle types.
[033] With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The various singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.
[034] It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”
[035] In addition, where features or aspects of the disclosure are described in terms of Markush groups, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group.
[036] While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.
, C , Claims:CLAIMS
I/We Claim:
1. A hook mount (200) comprising:
a base (202) configured to mechanically couple to a crash member assembly (302) of a vehicle using a first plurality of fasteners (401, 402, 403, 404);
a flange (206) configured to mechanically couple to a bumper beam (308) of the vehicle using a second plurality of fasteners (405, 406, 407, 408);
a neck (204) connecting the base (202) and the flange (206); and
a housing (218) extending in an axial direction through the flange (206), the neck (204), and the base (202), wherein the housing (218) is configured to receive a tow hook (310), and
wherein the base (202), the neck (204) and the flange (206) are monolithically casted to form the hook mount (200).

2. The hook mount (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base (202) is enclosed between an outer crash member (304) and an inner crash member (306) of the crash member assembly (302) of the vehicle, and wherein at least a first portion of a lateral surface (202a-d) of the base (202) interfaces with the outer crash member (304) and at least a second portion of a lateral surface (202a-d) of the base (202) interfaces with the inner crash member (306).

3. The hook mount (200) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lateral surface (202a-d) comprises a first plurality of slots (209a-d), wherein the first plurality of slots (209a-d) are configured to couple the base (202) with the outer crash member (304) and the inner crash member (306), via a first plurality of fasteners (401, 402, 403, 404).

4. The hook mount (200) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the base (202) is cuboidal in shape,
wherein each lateral side (202a-d) of the base (202) comprises a slot from the first plurality of slots (209a-d), and
wherein three lateral surface (202b-d) of the base (202) couple to the inner crash member (306) via associated slots (209b-d) and fasteners (402, 403, 404), and one lateral side (202a) couples to the outer crash member (304) via the associated slot (209a) and fastener (401).

5. The hook mount (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flange (206) comprises a second plurality of slots (214) configured to couple the flange (206) to the bumper beam (308) via a second plurality of fasteners (405, 406, 407, 408).

6. The hook mount (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing (218) is shaped to receive the tow hook (310) in a complementary manner.

7. The hook mount (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing (218) comprises a threaded inner surface configured to receive and cooperate with complementary threads formed on at least a portion (410) of the tow hook (310).

8. A tow assembly (300), comprising:
a monolithically casted hook mount (200) configured to receive a tow hook (310) through a housing (218) running axially along the hook mount (200),
wherein the hook mount (200) is mechanically coupled to an outer crash member (304) of a vehicle and an inner crash member (306) of the crash member assembly (302) of the vehicle, and a bumper beam (308) of the vehicle using a plurality of fasteners (401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408).

9. The tow assembly (300) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the hook mount (200) comprises:
a base (202) configured to mechanically couple to the crash member assembly (302) of the vehicle using a first plurality of fasteners (401, 402, 403, 404);
a flange (206) configured to mechanically couple to the bumper beam (308) of the vehicle using a second plurality of fasteners (405, 406, 407, 408);
a neck (204) connecting the base (202) and the flange (206).

10. The tow assembly (300) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the housing (218) extends axially through the flange (206), the neck (204), and the base (202).

11. A method (500) of manufacturing a hook mount (200), the method comprising:
monolithically casting (502) the hook mount (200),
wherein the hook mount (200) comprises:
a base (202);
a neck (204); and
a flange (206); and
providing (504) a housing (218) extending in an axial direction through the flange (206), the neck (204), and the base (202) for receiving a tow hook (310).

12. The method of manufacturing (500) the hook mount (200) as claim in claim 11, comprising:
creating a first plurality slots (209a-d) on lateral surfaces (202a-d) of the base (202) to mechanically couple the base (202) to a crash member assembly (302) of a vehicle using a first plurality of fasteners (401, 402, 403, 404);
creating a second plurality of slots (214) on the flange (206) to mechanically couple the flange (206) to a bumper beam (308) of the vehicle using a second plurality of fasteners (405, 406, 407, 408); and
creating threads in the housing (218) to receive and cooperate with complementary threaded portion (410) of the tow hook (310).

13. A method of assembling (600) a tow hook assembly (300), the method comprising:
mechanically coupling (602) a base (202) of a monolithically casted hook mount (200) with a vehicle body via a first plurality of slots (401, 402, 403, 404) provided on a lateral surface (202a-d) of the base (202);
mechanically coupling (604) a flange (206) of the monolithically casted hook mount (200) with a bumper beam (308) of the vehicle body via a second plurality of slots (214) provided on the flange (206); and
fitting a tow hook (310) into a housing (218) extending in an axial direction through the monolithically casted hook mount (200).

14. The method (600) of assembling the tow hook assembly (300) as claimed in claim 13, wherein mechanically coupling (602) the base (202) to the vehicle body comprises:
mechanically coupling the base (602) to a crash member assembly (302) of the vehicle body by fastening a first plurality of fasteners (401, 402, 403, 404) through the first plurality of slots (209a-d).

15. The method (600) of assembling the tow hook assembly (300) as claimed in claim 13, wherein mechanically coupling the flange (206) comprises:
mechanically coupling the flange (206) to the bumper beam (308) by fastening a second plurality of fasteners (405, 406, 407, 408) through the second plurality of slots (214).