阅读说明：本技术 用于机动车辆的外覆盖件的支架装置 (Support device for an outer covering of a motor vehicle ) 是由 R·克雷什平 D·佩勒 J·斯沃齐尔 M·斯瓦洛夫斯基 T·塔奇布雷特 于 2020-11-30 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及用于机动车辆的外覆盖件的支架装置,该支架装置包括：用于收容外覆盖件的支架,具有至少一个在垂直方向上延伸的带有内齿的收容槽；至少一个可插入收容槽中的支撑指状件,在其外表面上具有外齿并在下部纵向端上具有端面支承区域以将支撑指状件在垂直方向上支承在机动车辆的支承部件上；其中支撑指状件相对于收容槽绕其纵向轴线在释放位置和固定位置之间可旋转；其中在释放位置外齿和内齿不啮合,使得支撑指状件相对于收容槽在垂直方向上可运动；其中在固定位置外齿和内齿啮合,使得支撑指状件相对于收容槽在垂直方向上的运动被阻止。还涉及包括这样的支架装置的用于机动车辆的前端组件,借助于前端组件在保险杠的区域中可安装外覆盖件。(The present invention relates to a bracket device for an outer cover of a motor vehicle, comprising: a holder for receiving the outer cover, having at least one receiving groove with internal teeth extending in a vertical direction; at least one support finger which can be inserted into the receptacle and which has external toothing on its outer surface and an end-face bearing region on the lower longitudinal end in order to bear the support finger in the vertical direction on a bearing part of the motor vehicle; wherein the support finger is rotatable about its longitudinal axis relative to the receiving slot between a release position and a securing position; wherein in the release position the outer teeth and the inner teeth are not engaged such that the support finger is movable in a vertical direction relative to the receiving slot; wherein in a fixed position the external teeth and the internal teeth mesh such that movement of the support finger in a vertical direction relative to the receiving slot is prevented. It also relates to a front end assembly for a motor vehicle comprising such a bracket arrangement, by means of which an outer cover can be mounted in the region of a bumper.)

1. A bracket device (10) for an outer cover of a motor vehicle, comprising:

-a holder (12) for receiving an outer cover, the holder having at least one receiving groove (28) with internal teeth (30) extending in a vertical direction;

-at least one support finger (14) insertable into the housing groove (28), the support finger having an external toothing (20) on its lateral surface and an end-face bearing region on the lower longitudinal end (16) for bearing the support finger (14) in the vertical direction on a bearing part (18) of the motor vehicle;

-wherein the support finger (14) is rotatable about its longitudinal axis between a release position and a fixing position with respect to the housing groove (28);

-wherein in the release position the external teeth (20) and the internal teeth (30) are not engaged, so that the support finger (14) is movable in a vertical direction with respect to the housing groove (28);

-wherein in the fixed position the external teeth (20) and the internal teeth (30) are engaged such that movement of the support finger (14) in a vertical direction relative to the receiving slot (28) is prevented.

2. Stand arrangement (10) according to claim 1,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

-the outer teeth (20) of the support fingers (14) are configured on two opposite longitudinal sides and interrupted by the two opposite longitudinal sides without outer teeth (20);

-the inner teeth (30) in the receiving grooves (28) of the carrier (12) are configured on two opposite longitudinal sides and are interrupted by the two opposite longitudinal sides being free of the inner teeth (30).

3. Stand arrangement (10) according to claim 1 or 2,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the outer teeth (20) and the inner teeth (30) are each designed as helical teeth, such that the support fingers (14) move in the vertical direction when the outer teeth slide on one another on the inner teeth (30).

4. Stand arrangement (10) according to any one of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the support (12) has a rotational lock (38) designed to hold the support finger (14) in the fixed position.

5. Stand arrangement (10) according to claim 4,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

-the rotation lock (38) has a bendable lock arm (40) with a recess (42);

-said support finger (14) has at least one radial projection (24);

-by rotation of the support finger (14) from the release position to the securing position, the radial projection (24) first bends the locking arm (40) away and, upon reaching the securing position, reaches into the recess (42) with snapping back of the locking arm (40).

6. Stand arrangement (10) according to claim 5,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the support finger (14) has two of said radial projections (24) arranged on opposite sides of the support finger (14).

7. Stand arrangement (10) according to any one of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the support device (10) has a transport lock (32) which is designed to fix the support finger (14) inserted into the receiving groove (28) on the support (12).

8. Stand arrangement (10) according to claim 7,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the transport lock (32) has a snap-in connection which is designed to fix the support finger (14) inserted into the receiving groove (28) on the carrier (12).

9. Stand arrangement (10) according to any one of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

-the bracket (12) has a further receiving groove (28) with the internal toothing (30) extending in the vertical direction and a further support finger (14) which can be inserted into the receiving groove (28) and which has the external toothing (20) on its side surface and a front-end bearing region on the lower longitudinal end (16) for bearing the support finger (14) in the vertical direction on the bearing part (18) or a further bearing part of a motor vehicle;

-the further support finger is rotatable about its longitudinal axis between a release position and a fixing position with respect to the further housing groove (28);

-in the release position, the external teeth (20) and the internal teeth (30) are not engaged, so that the further support finger (14) can move in a vertical direction with respect to the further housing groove (28);

-in the fixing position, the external teeth (20) and the internal teeth (30) are engaged so that a movement of the further support finger (14) in a vertical direction with respect to the further housing groove (28) is prevented.

10. A front end assembly for a motor vehicle, comprising:

-an outer cover;

-a bumper on which a support member (18) is arranged;

-a holder device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, the holder of which is designed for receiving an outer cover and the support fingers (14) are designed for bearing with their end-face bearing areas in the vertical direction on the bearing means (18).

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a bracket device for an outer cover of a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a front end assembly for a motor vehicle, which front end assembly has such a mounting device.

Background

Various outer covers are commonly installed in motor vehicles. When using or installing such an outer cover, it is generally desirable that the outer cover be arranged and secured to surrounding components as precisely as possible to fit. EP2530336B1 shows a device for supporting a component. In particular, a support device for a radiator grille is described, which can be supported and positioned with respect to a bumper beam. An adjusting bolt (Verstellbolzen) can be inserted into the receiving element, wherein the adjusting bolt can be expanded and thereby fixed by screwing in a fixing screw. This makes it possible, on the one hand, to support the radiator grille relative to the bumper cross-member and, on the other hand, to prevent the radiator grille from settling or sinking relative to the radiator protection grille arranged above it.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a solution by means of which an outer cover can be positioned and fixed relative to at least one further vehicle component in a particularly simple and fit-precise manner.

This object is achieved by a bracket device for an outer cover of a motor vehicle having the features of claim 1. Further possible embodiments of the invention are given in particular in the dependent claims.

The bracket device for an outer cover of a motor vehicle according to the present invention includes a bracket for receiving the outer cover, the bracket having at least one receiving groove with internal teeth extending in a vertical direction. The outer cover may be, for example, a radiator grille, wherein in this case the holder is designed accordingly for receiving the radiator grille. However, the outer cover may also be any other outer cover for a motor vehicle, wherein the bracket is matched to the outer cover according to its geometry and other characteristics, so that the outer cover may be received by means of the bracket.

The support device comprises at least one support finger which can be inserted into the receiving groove and which has external teeth on its outer surface and an end-face bearing region on the lower longitudinal end in order to bear the support finger in the vertical direction on a bearing component of the motor vehicle. The support finger is rotatable about its longitudinal axis relative to the pocket between a release position and a securing position. In the release position, the outer teeth of the support finger do not mesh with the inner teeth of the receiving groove, so that the support finger can be moved in the vertical direction relative to the receiving groove in its release position. In contrast, in the secured position, the outer teeth of the support fingers engage the inner teeth of the receiving slots such that movement of the support fingers in the vertical direction relative to the receiving slots is resisted or prevented.

Thus, in order to mount the outer cover on the rest of the motor vehicle, it is only necessary to first place the outer cover on the stand. The support fingers may be inserted or introduced into the receiving grooves in a vertical direction. The support finger and the receiving groove can be positioned relative to each other by rotation of the support finger relative to the receiving groove about its longitudinal axis into the release position such that the outer teeth of the support finger do not mesh with the inner teeth of the receiving groove. In this release position, the supporting finger can then be moved very easily and in particular particularly quickly in the vertical direction relative to the receiving groove. The support finger can be lowered in the vertical direction in the receiving groove until it reaches its end face bearing region at its lower longitudinal end into contact with a bearing part of the motor vehicle. After this, the support finger need only be simply rotated from its release position into the fixing position, with the result that the outer teeth of the support finger come into engagement with the inner teeth of the receiving groove. In this fixed position, there is no longer any vertical relative movement between the support finger and the receiving groove and therefore no relative movement with respect to the holder. Since the outer cover can be fastened to the bracket, once the fixed position of the support fingers is occupied, it is no longer possible to adjust or translate the outer cover in the vertical direction with respect to the surrounding parts of the motor vehicle.

The bracket is supported on the mentioned support part of the motor vehicle by means of support fingers arranged in a fixed position. Even in the case of the most varied loads occurring when driving a motor vehicle, it can be ensured in a simple manner by means of the bracket arrangement according to the invention that the bracket and thus the outer cover received by means of the bracket cannot be moved in the vertical direction towards surrounding parts of the motor vehicle, such as for example other outer covers, bumpers and the like. At the same time, by means of the holder device according to the invention, it is possible to move the supporting fingers particularly easily and quickly in the vertical direction relative to the receiving pockets, as long as the supporting fingers are arranged in their release position. This results in a particularly simple and quick installation possibility of the entire bracket device together with the outer cover at the respective position of the motor vehicle. Once the end-face bearing region on the lower longitudinal end of the support finger has come into contact with the bearing part of the motor vehicle, the support finger need only be simply rotated about its longitudinal axis and to such an extent that the support finger has taken up its fixed position. As soon as this occurs, the bracket device together with the outer cover fixed thereto is locked reliably and permanently against movement or relative movement with respect to the surrounding parts of the motor vehicle.

A possible embodiment of the invention provides that the external toothing of the support fingers is formed on two opposite longitudinal sides and is interrupted by two opposite longitudinal sides without external toothing, wherein the internal toothing in the receiving groove of the carrier is formed on two opposite longitudinal sides and is interrupted by two opposite longitudinal sides without internal toothing. The support fingers are in their release position if the respective longitudinal sides without external or internal toothing are arranged opposite each other. In this release position, the support finger can be moved very easily in the vertical direction relative to the receiving groove. If the fixing position of the support finger is to be occupied, the corresponding teeth of the support finger and of the receiving groove, which are configured on opposite longitudinal sides, simply have to be brought into engagement with one another. By means of such a design or arrangement of the respective teeth, the support finger can be rotated between its release position and fixing position in a particularly simple manner.

Another possible embodiment of the invention provides that the outer teeth and the inner teeth are each designed as helical teeth, so that the support fingers move in the vertical direction when the outer teeth slide on one another on the inner teeth. In other words, the external toothing and the internal toothing form a circumferential external thread or internal thread, respectively, which is interrupted in the circumferential direction. By means of the mentioned helical teeth of the outer and inner toothing, it is possible in a simple manner to move the support finger in the vertical direction relative to the receiving groove by simply meshing the two teeth and rotating the support finger about its longitudinal axis. In particular, it is thereby also possible to easily tension the support finger, which is supported on the support part of the motor vehicle, relative to the bracket. Thus, the outer cover mounted on the bracket can be arranged and fixed, particularly without play, at a desired distance from the surrounding parts of the motor vehicle.

According to a further possible embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the support has a rotational lock configured for holding the support finger in a fixed position. That is, if the relevant outer cover is arranged, mounted and fixed in its desired or prescribed arrangement with respect to the rest of the motor vehicle by means of the bracket device, the support finger can be held or fixed in its fixed position in a simple manner by means of the rotation lock. After the arrangement and mounting of the outer cover has taken place, it can thus be ensured in a simple manner that the outer cover can no longer be adjusted relative to other components of the motor vehicle, in particular in the height direction of the motor vehicle. In this way, for example, a predetermined gap size between the outer cover and other skin parts or other parts of the motor vehicle can be permanently and reliably maintained.

A further possible embodiment of the invention provides that the rotation blocking element has a bendable blocking arm with a recess, wherein the support finger has at least one radial projection. By rotating the support finger from the release position to the fastening position, the radial projection on the support finger first bends the latching arm away, wherein upon reaching the fastening position the radial projection of the support finger reaches the recess with the latching arm snapped back. The support finger can thus be first rotated into a fixed position and then held in this position in a simple manner by the elastic bending away and the elastic snap-back of the flexible latching arm. When the support finger is rotated from its release position to its securing position, the radial projection contacts and pushes the flexible latch arms apart. With further rotation of the supporting finger, the radial projection then reaches the mentioned recess of the bendable latching arm, with the result that the bendable latching arm snaps back again in the opposite direction to the previously performed or forced bending direction. The recess on the latching arm can be specially configured to match the shape and size of the radial projection, so that after the bendable latching arm has been snapped back, there is a form-fitting connection between the recess and the radial projection. The support fingers can thereby be held or fixed in their fixed position particularly reliably.

According to a further possible embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the support finger has two radial projections arranged on opposite sides of the support finger. This results in a particularly simple installation of the support finger, since the support finger can be inserted into the receiving groove in different positions or rotational positions due to the two radial projections. The support finger does not have to be rotated too far from its release position to occupy its securing position in which the rotation lock prevents the support finger from rotating out of the securing position.

A further possible embodiment of the invention provides that the holder arrangement has a transport lock which is designed to fix the support finger inserted into the receiving groove on the holder. The entire rack device can therefore be transported without problems as an assembled module, since the transport lock reliably ensures that the support fingers inserted into the receiving grooves remain fixed on the rack, and in particular in the receiving grooves.

According to a further possible embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the transport lock has a snap-in connection which is designed to secure the support finger inserted into the receiving groove on the carrier. The latching connection is designed in particular for the purpose of detachably fixing the support finger inserted into the receiving groove to the holder again. By means of the snap connection, a particularly simple and reliable solution for fixing the supporting fingers inserted into the receiving grooves on the carrier is provided, so that a reliable anti-loss protection for the supporting fingers inserted into the receiving grooves is provided by the transport lock. For example, the support finger can have a radial recess or cavity in which a projection projecting in the radial direction into the receiving groove engages in a form-fitting connection when the recess or cavity has been positioned at the height of the projection. The protrusion itself may for example be arranged on a bendable element, which may be part of the bracket. If the supporting finger is thus moved far enough into the receiving groove, the radial projection snaps into this recess or cavity, as a result of which, for example, a form-fitting connection between the recess and the projection can be achieved. The support finger inserted into the receiving groove can thus be held securely in a very simple and loss-proof manner on the carrier in the receiving groove. Instead of a snap connection, other possibilities for realizing the transport lock can also be provided. It is possible, for example, that by rotating the support finger relative to the receiving groove, the opening in the support finger can be positioned in alignment with the button hole of the support, wherein the transport lock can have a locking element, for example in the form of a bolt or the like, which can be moved into the opening and into the button hole. In this way, the support finger can also be secured in the receptacle and thus on the holder in a loss-proof manner.

A further possible embodiment of the invention provides that the carrier has a further receptacle with an internal toothing extending in the vertical direction and a further support finger which can be inserted into the receptacle and which has an external toothing on its side surface and an end-face bearing region at the lower longitudinal end for bearing the support finger in the vertical direction on a bearing part or a further bearing part of the motor vehicle. The further support finger is rotatable about its longitudinal axis relative to the further receiving pocket between a release position and a securing position. In the release position, the outer and inner teeth of the relevant element are again disengaged, so that the further support finger is movable in the vertical direction relative to the further housing groove. In the secured position, the outer and inner teeth of the relevant element again mesh, so that the movement of the further support finger in the vertical direction relative to the further receiving groove is prevented. If, for example, the holder device is intended to receive relatively heavy components, it may be advantageous if the holder has at least two or more receiving grooves and supporting fingers. This makes it possible to support the stand particularly reliably with respect to the remainder of the motor vehicle by means of the supporting fingers, without the outer cover held by means of the stand device sinking vertically.

A front end assembly for a motor vehicle according to the invention comprises an outer cover, a bumper on which a bearing part is arranged, and a carrier device according to the invention or a possible embodiment of a carrier device according to the invention, whose carrier is designed for accommodating the outer cover and whose supporting fingers are designed for bearing with their end-face bearing regions in the vertical direction on the bearing part. As already mentioned, the outer cover may be, for example, a radiator grille. However, the outer cover may be any other component or outer cover.

Further features of the invention can be taken from the following description of the figures and with the aid of the figures. The features and feature combinations mentioned above in the description and the features and feature combinations shown below in the figures and/or illustrated in the figures individually can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or alone without leaving the scope of the present invention.

Drawings

In the figure:

figure 1 shows a perspective view of a bracket device for an outer cover of a motor vehicle;

fig. 2 shows a detailed perspective view of the holder device, in which the support fingers inserted into the receiving grooves of the holder device can be seen, which support fingers bear in the vertical direction on the bearing part;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a support finger having corresponding external teeth on opposite longitudinal sides;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the support finger;

FIG. 5 shows a side cross-sectional view of a bracket of the bracket assembly, wherein the bracket has pockets for supporting fingers with internal teeth at different locations;

fig. 6 shows a partial front view of the holder in the region of the receiving groove;

fig. 7 shows a further side sectional view of the holder in the region of the receiving slot, in which the supporting fingers have been inserted;

FIG. 8 shows a top view of the stand apparatus with the bendable rotation lock visible with the support fingers in a release position in which the rotation lock does not prevent rotation of the support fingers;

fig. 9 shows a further plan view of the stand device, wherein the rotation blocking element locks with the support finger and holds it in its fixed position.

In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements have identical reference numerals.

Detailed Description

A bracket device 10 for an outer cover of a motor vehicle is shown in perspective view in fig. 1. The outer cover itself is not shown here. The outer cover may be, for example, a radiator grille or another outer cover for a motor vehicle, which may be housed by means of the bracket device 10. The holder device 10 includes a holder 12 for receiving an outer cover. Furthermore, the holder device 10 comprises support fingers 14 which can be inserted in the vertical direction into the holder 12. In the region of the lower longitudinal end 16, the support finger 14 comprises an end-face bearing region, not shown in detail, for bearing the support finger 14 in the vertical direction on a bearing part 18 of the associated motor vehicle. Thus, the support member 18 is not part of the stent device 10.

Fig. 2 shows a detail perspective view of the region a of the support device 10, which is indicated in fig. 1. In the present case, the supporting fingers 14 are inserted again into the holder 12, and in particular into receiving slots extending in the vertical direction, which are not shown in detail here. The support fingers 14 have outer teeth 20 on their side surfaces, which are not shown in detail.

The support fingers 14 are shown in perspective view in fig. 3. In the present case, a part of the outer teeth 20 can be seen well. The outer toothing 20 of the support finger 14 is configured on two opposite longitudinal sides and is interrupted by the two opposite longitudinal sides which are free of outer toothing.

The support fingers 14 are shown in a side view in fig. 4. In this view, it can be seen well that the outer toothing 20 is formed on this opposite longitudinal side and is interrupted by the other opposite longitudinal side which is free of outer toothing. The longitudinal side with the outer toothing 20 forms a corresponding section of the side surface of the support finger 14, i.e. is a circular arc segment with respect to the cross section of the support finger 14. The longitudinal sides, which are configured without the outer teeth 20, are flat in the present case and therefore do not bend.

The support finger 14 has two radial projections 24 arranged on opposite sides in the region of the upper longitudinal end 22. Furthermore, in the region of its upper longitudinal end 22, the support finger 14 has a recess 26 on the end face, in which a tool can be inserted to rotate the support finger 14 about its longitudinal axis. The recess 26 may have a variety of shapes depending on the tool with which the support finger 14 is to be rotated.

The holder 12 is shown in a side sectional view in fig. 5. In the present case, the already mentioned receiving groove 28 can be seen, which is now provided with the reference numeral 28. Here again, it can be seen well that the receiving groove 28 extends in the vertical direction. The receiving groove 28 has internal teeth 30 at different locations. The support fingers 14, which are not shown here, can be introduced into the receiving groove 28 from above. The support finger 14 can be rotated about its longitudinal axis relative to the receiving groove 28 between a release position and a fixing position. In the release position, the region of the support finger 14 with the outer toothing 20 and the region of the receiving groove 28 with the inner toothing 30 do not mesh, so that the support finger 14 can be moved in the vertical direction relative to the receiving groove 28. In the secured position of the support finger 14, the outer teeth 20 of the support finger 14 engage the inner teeth 30 of the receiving slot 28 such that movement of the support finger 14 in the vertical direction relative to the receiving slot 28 is inhibited or prevented.

Fig. 6 shows the holder 12 in a front view in the region of the receiving groove 28, which is not shown here in detail. The support fingers 14 are introduced from above into the receiving grooves 28 of the holder 12. In the present case, the support fingers 14 are in the mentioned fixed position, which makes it possible to see that the regions of the support fingers 14 with the outer toothing 20 are arranged such that they are arranged opposite the regions of the carrier 12 with the inner toothing 30 which are not visible here.

The stent 12 is shown in fig. 7 along the section B-B indicated in fig. 6, together with the inserted support fingers 14. The support finger 14 inserted into the receiving groove 28 is again in its secured position, which in the present case can again be seen from this that the outer toothing 20 of the support finger 14 meshes with the inner toothing 30 of the receiving groove 28. In order to mount an outer cover, which is arranged on the bracket 12 and is not shown here, for example in the form of a radiator grille, the support finger 14 is firstly arranged in its release position in which the outer teeth 20 and the inner teeth 30 do not mesh with one another, i.e. the respective teeth 20, 30 are not arranged opposite one another. In this release position, the support finger 14 can be moved very easily in the vertical direction relative to the receiving groove 28. The support finger 14 can thus be moved in its release position at least virtually without resistance in the vertical direction downward in the receiving groove 28 and until the end-face bearing region on the lower longitudinal end 16 of the support finger 14 comes into contact with the bearing element 18.

Subsequently, the support finger 14 is rotated about its longitudinal axis and until the support finger 14 has reached its fixing position shown here, in which the outer teeth 20 of the support finger 14 and the inner teeth 30 in the receiving groove 28 are arranged opposite one another. The external teeth 20 and the internal teeth 30 may be configured in the form of corresponding helical teeth. In other words, the outer teeth 20 and the inner teeth 30 may each be configured in the form of a thread section interrupted in the circumferential direction. Thus, as the support finger 14 rotates within the pocket 28, the respective teeth 20, 30 come into engagement at a time, wherein the support finger 14 moves in a vertical direction by the helical teeth as the respective teeth 20, 30 engage each other.

Also before mounting the outer cover, the support fingers 14 may already be inserted into the receiving slots 28. The holder device 10 can have a transport lock 32 which is designed to secure the support fingers 14 inserted into the receiving groove 28 to the holder 12. In particular, the transport lock 32 may have a snap-on connection designed to secure the support finger 14 inserted into the receiving groove 28 on the support 12 and thus within the receiving groove 28.

The supporting fingers 14 have a groove shape in the region above their outer teeth 20 (see fig. 3 and 4), on the longitudinal sides of which the outer teeth 20 are groove-cutThe recess 34. The holder 12 has a projection 36 in the upper region, which is adapted in terms of its shape to the groove-shaped recess 34. The projection 36 is arranged like a tensioned beam. If the support finger 14 is now inserted into the receiving groove 28 and is inserted such that one of the groove-shaped recesses 34 faces the projection 36 projecting into the receiving groove 28, the projection 36 is initially pressed radially outward by a distance when the support finger 14 is inserted. Once one of the groove-shaped recesses 34 is arranged at the level of the projection 36, the projection 36 snaps into one of the groove-shaped recesses 34. The support fingers 14 can thereby be held captive on the carrier 12 and thus in the receiving pockets 28.

Fig. 8 shows the holder 12 in a plan view in the region of the receiving groove 28. Support fingers 14 are again inserted into receiving slots 28. The holder device 10 has a rotation lock 38, which in the present case is formed directly on the holder 12. The rotary latch 38 includes a flexible latch arm 40 having a hollow 42. By rotating the support finger 14 about its longitudinal axis from its release position to its securing position, depending on the direction of rotation, one of the two radial projections 24 can first bend the latching arm 40 away, wherein when the securing position is reached, in the event of a snap-back of the latching arm 40, one of the two radial projections 24 enters the recess 42.

In fig. 9, the support 12 is again shown in the same top view as in fig. 8, in which the supporting fingers 14 have been rotated into their fixing position. Since one of the two radial projections 24 is already arranged opposite the recess 42 of the latching arm 40, the flexible latching arm 40 is snapped back again. The recess 42 is shaped such that a form-fitting connection can be produced between the recess 42 and the associated radial projection 24. The support fingers 14 can thereby be held in their fixed position against rotation.

Contrary to the illustration in the figures, the holder device 10 may also have further receiving slots 28 and associated supporting fingers 14. In particular, the carrier 12 can have a plurality of such receiving grooves 28, for example at least two or more, in the transverse direction of the carrier 12, which in turn each have an internal toothing 30. Corresponding to the number of receiving slots 28, the holder device 10 now has a corresponding plurality of support fingers 14 which can be inserted into the corresponding receiving slots 28 in the manner already described and can be rotated therein.

By providing a plurality of support fingers 14 and associated receiving slots 28, heavy components, and in particular heavy outer covers, can be reliably retained and arranged and fixed relative to other components of the motor vehicle. The bracket arrangement 10 can belong to a front end module for a vehicle, which can have, in addition to the outer cover described, for example, a bumper on which a bearing part 18 can be arranged. The support part 18 can also be an integral part of the bumper, for example. To install the front end assembly, the outer cover is secured to the frame 12 of the frame assembly 10. The at least one support finger 14 can be arranged in the manner already described in the at least one receiving groove 28 by means of the transport lock 32 and be provided in a loss-proof manner. The at least one support finger 14 can be lowered into the receiving groove 28 with the arrangement in its release position and down until it comes into contact with the bearing part 18 with an end face. Next, at least one of the support fingers 14 is rotated into its fixed position, as a result of which no relative movement between the support finger 14 and the holder 12 is possible anymore. The relevant outer cover held by means of the holder 12 can thereby be arranged and retained in a fitting precise manner, for example with respect to the mentioned bumper or other component of the motor vehicle.

List of reference numerals

10 support device

12 support

14 support fingers

16 support the lower longitudinal ends of the fingers

18 support member

20 external teeth of support fingers

22 support the upper longitudinal ends of the fingers

24 radial projection of support finger

26 recess

28 holding groove of support

30 inner teeth of holding groove

32 transport lockout

34 trough-shaped recesses in the support fingers

36 protrusions on the support

38 rotating lock

40 flexible latch arm of rotary latch

42 flexible latch arm