Patent Application
20240391281
This invention relates to the field of tow accessories having hitch ball receivers, particularly relating to a multiple hitch assembly having a dampening mechanism for reducing the relative movement and rattling between a tow accessory base and hitch receiver.
Many vehicles today are equipped with receiver-type trailer hitches. These types of trailer hitches typically are a square tube, normally 1¼″ or 2″ internal height and width, attached to the undercarriage of the vehicle. A second tube acts as a shank and includes outer dimensions slightly smaller than the internal dimensions of the receiver tube and is slidable within the receiver tube. The shank member is connected to the receiver tube by a secured pin inserted through the two tubes.
The shank member may include a standard single or dual ball-mount for engaging with the hitch of a trailer or other wheeled vehicle. Another popular use for receiver hitches is the use as a coupling device for installing equipment racks, ski carriers, storage boxes and other types of carriers having a second tube dimensioned to engage within a receiver hitch tube. This provides a universal system that allows a vehicle user to be able to use various trailer and carriers with a single coupling system.
A particular problem with the use of these receiver coupling systems is play between the receiver hitch platforms and hitch ball or direct tow accessory assemblies. The base of the tow mount or accessory tends to rattle or chatter within the channel of the hitch platform. This rattle or chatter is at best an annoyance and at worst can distract the driver or cause damage to the trailer or the carrier.
There have been a number of attempts to solve this problem in the past. Such attempts typically required the use of specially designed receivers, shanks, or mechanisms that typically adapt size and fasteners to stabilize junctures between hitch assemblies.
One such prior art hitch assembly addressing the latter problems is shown in the prior art height adjustable dual hitch ball flange platform assembly shown, described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,033,563. The latter patented hitch assembly employs two locking pins on an upper and lower section of the dual hitch ball base inserted through corresponding holes in the double flanges to secure and stabilize the hitch ball base at an appropriate height within a vertical channel formed between two outwardly extending flanges.
Although the latter dual pin mount provided the substantial improvements of reduced play, rattling and pivoting of the hitch assembly relative to the vehicle, movement and vibration due to loosening and play between the tow accessory member and hitch receiver platform persists. The movement and noise is exacerbated if the tow accessory is installed on an upper or lower section of the channel and thus not evenly supported along the base of the tow accessory. Such eccentric positioning of the hitch ball along the hitch platform channel and resulting movement causes vibrations and gyrating movement. In extreme driving terrain or weather conditions, even hazardous swaying of the vehicle may result.
Prior art devices further include inserting a rubber device into apertures of a universal tow platform, which preferably fills three apertures adjacent to opposing sides and rear surface or the hitch accessory to snugly secure the hitch ball and thereby dampen movement and rattling. However, since the rubber device is installed in the hitch platform, the hitch ball may not align the rubber device in all position, particularly if used with a dual flange ball that is installed on the uppermost or lowermost portion of the platform.
Although the latter device provided an improvement over prior art hitch assemblies and reduced rocking, swaying and pivoting of the hitch assembly relative to the vehicle, issues arising from loose rattling between the tow accessory member and hitch receiver platform persists. As is readily surmised from consideration of impacts and resulting external forces exerted upon a vehicle and any towed accessory will shake and exert commensurate stress loosening abutting rigid metal surfaces of the hitch assembly and will resonate toward edges of the hitch ball base and platform, resulting in rattling and possible swaying of the vehicle.
Such vibration, noise and directional interference with safely steering the car may be exacerbated if the hitch ball or tow accessory are not tightly compressed along the channel of the platform. This is particularly problematic if the hitch ball mount tow accessory is installed on an uppermost or lowermost end of the channel where the entire length of the hitch ball mount base is not supported along the channel of the tow accessory, which is a particularly prevalent issue associated with dual flange ball. When in upper and lower mounted positions, the base may extend beyond the channel and flanges support exacerbating movement causing rattling and vibrations and may even cause veering, swaying, gyrating and even dangerous pivoting to one side or another of the vehicle that is difficult. This rattle or chatter is at best an annoyance and at worst can distract the driver or cause damage to the vehicle or tow accessory. In extreme driving terrain or weather condition, the swaying or pivoting of the vehicle may be impossible to control.
The drawbacks of unattenuated rattle or sway may be exacerbated when multi-purpose hitch mounts with more complex structures are used. In particular, triple ball hitches have socket-type balls in a variety of sizes that are typically engineered by soldering or welding fitted surfaces of the respective balls. Hence a single hitch mount can be used to hitch a corresponding socket of a trailer can be hitched to the tow vehicle. Three common sizes of balls are, for example, 1⅞, 2″, or 2 5/16″, but other sizes may be used a main hitch member adapted to be received in a hitch receiver that is attached to the tow vehicle. A pin that secures the main hitch member to the hitch receiver and transmits pulling and braking loads between the tow vehicle and the trailer. In such triple ball conventional hitches, another type of a hitch (such as a clevis or a hook hitch) may be provided on a fourth side of the main hitch member, such that another type of a trailer not having a ball hitch may be towed by the tow vehicle.
A yet further feature combined with tow mounts are hitch steps to facilitate access to spaces on or in the towing vehicle that are out of reach, such as, for example, in truck beds, rooftops or utility vehicle stowage areas. The multifunctionality imparted to so merging variously sized balls together with a step in a single hitch mount provides obvious efficacies such as convenience of having a single multi-use device saving stowage space and fewer pieces to track and find when needed. However, drawbacks associated with the bulk and density as well as piecemeal joining, typically by soldering or welding, of corresponding mated surfaces of the each of the three balls as well as the step may compromise the strength and durability of conventional triple ball mounts. Unfortunately, the impact and torque exerted by the physical load together with the vibration and pressure from the pulling and pushing on the adjoined surfaces and fastener pins of conventional triple ball tow hitch may erode and loosen the adjoined surfaces of components of conventional multiple function hitch mounts thereby compromising their strength, durability and safety.
Moreover, the bulk and density of such multifunctional tow mounts exacerbate the vibrational rattle and sway caused by friction between abutting metal surfaces of the hitch and socket and attachment hardware, such as fastener pins that secure the telescoped tow shank into the receiver of the towing vehicle. Hence, the dampening device and method described and claimed in application Ser. No. 16/518,471 of which this is a continuation in part, and is incorporated herein, is particularly efficacious when applied to conventional triple ball hitches particularly when also equipped with a step.
Yet another disadvantage attendant to conventional mounts for triple ball mounts is the lack of height adaptability. Thus, although the variously sized balls accommodate different socket sizes of tow accessories, they are not adjustable to the height of a particular trailer or other equipment being towed. Towing vehicle hitch heights, for example, between a highly suspended, four-wheel pickup truck as compared to a standard car, may vary considerably. Trailers and other towed equipment and their tow bars also vary in height. This is a particular problem if the towing vehicle hitch receiver sits relatively low to the ground and alternatively a relatively high trailer exerts a lifting action on the back end and wheels while the front is pushed downwardly. In the latter situation, the towed load pressure could cause reverberations and involuntary directional pulls that could ultimately cause the driver of the towing vehicle to lose control and even result in an accident.
Hence, there persists a need for a more durable multiple use hitch mount built to withstand the load pressure and vibrational rattle and torque and is height adjustable in order to better attenuate the play between the hitch assembly platform and base of the hitch ball member and associated noise, vibration and sway.
Addressing such and other drawbacks, the present invention relates to a hitch dampener assembly for mounting between a base of a tow accessory such as a multiple hitch ball and a hitch platform. The present hitch dampener assembly absorbs and attenuates impacts exerted from the movement of a vehicle and tow accessory, dissipates the exerted force at the tow mount base and hitch platform junction, thereby reducing associated play movement, vibration and resulting rattling and swaying.
The hitch dampener assembly of this invention reduces movement between a hitch platform and a hitch mount member deployable in various hitch platform and tow mount configurations whereby compressing the dampener member between squarely aligned planar surfaces through seated coupling within abutted flanges secures the hitch platform/tow mount member junction such that movement and association vibration, noise and sway are reduced.
In various embodiments such as described and claimed herein, the hitch platform includes a shank tube portion configured for telescoped seating within a receiver tube attached to a vehicle and an elongate member disposed on a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the shank tube member having a front surface opposite the shank tube end, and wherein the elongate member further includes a plurality of through holes orthogonally disposed to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member such that the plurality of through holes are equidistantly spaced back from the front surface of the elongate member. The various embodiments further include a tow mount member having a base member with a rear surface disposed between a pair of opposed flanges extending outwardly from the rear surface and a receiver end opposite to the rear surface, wherein the pair of opposed flanges are configured for slidable correspondence with the elongate member of the hitch platform, wherein the pair of opposed flanges have paired side holes disposed in parallel alignment for receiving a fastening member to thereby secure the tow mount member in coupled engagement with the hitch platform.
A yet further feature of various embodiments is a dampener member. In various embodiments, the dampener member may be affixed to at least a portion of the rear surface of the base member disposed between the pair of opposed flanges. The various embodiments further include a least one fastening member configured for coupling one of the through holes of the elongate member between paired side holes of the opposed flanges such that coupled engagement of the fastening member with the side holes securely engages the elongate member between the pair of opposed flanges such that the rear surface of the elongate member is aligned with the front surface of the rear surface of the base member to thereby compress the dampener member upon the rear surface of the base member.
In various embodiments, at least a portion of the front surface of the hitch platform and at least a portion of the rear surface of the base member are configured for coupled correspondence. The at least a portion of the front surface of the hitch platform and at least a portion of the rear surface of the base member may be configured for coupled correspondence across a coextensively abutted area that is planar or curvilinear. In some embodiments, a portion of the front surface of the hitch platform and at least a portion of the rear surface of the base member are configured for coupled correspondence across a coextensively abutted area that is a portion of a polygon.
The planar portion may be a rear surface of an elongate member with spaced through holes between planar, curvilinear or polygon-shaped side walls, and may be perpendicularly disposed between opposed flanges with side holes spaced in corresponding paired alignment.
In alternative embodiments, paired aligned side holes of flanges extended from side edges of a tow mount member base member may be configured for coupling to corresponding through holes of an elongate member base. The base portion of the tow mount member may be a base block with a planar rear surface and through holes configured for aligned correspondence with corresponding paired side holes of the opposed flanges of the elongate channel hitch platform such that a fastening member couples the through hole of the base portion between the side holes of the opposed flanges such that engagement of the elongated pin with the side holes and the through hole to thereby compress the vibration dampener member between abutted planar surfaces of the hitch platform and the tow mount member.
The vibration dampener member according to the present invention may be composed of an elastomer or any pliable or flexible material capable of absorbing impacts, vibrations and attenuating movement between abutting and adjacent surfaces of a receiver ball or other tow accessory and a hitch receiver. One exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a rubber or elastomer.
Further features and particular efficacies of the present invention are drawn toward a multiple hitch assembly for mounting a tow accessory or a trailer to a tow vehicle having a dampener member for reducing the vibration noise and rattle emanating from the hitch platform and the multiple hitch member, that may be exacerbated with the added mass and density of the multiple tow member and pressure of heavy trailers or loads often towed by such assemblies. Embodiments of the present invention include dampener members employed by various height adjustable hitch platforms configured for telescoped coupling within a receiver tube attached to the tow vehicle deploying an elongate member with through holes for adaptive coupling of a corresponding tow mount member column such that abutted corresponding hitch platform front planar face and tow mount member rear planar face compress dampener member while maintained in squared alignment between opposed flange extending from side walls of either of the abutted planar faces. In the various embodiments, the dampener member may be attached to either the hitch platform front planar face or the tow mount member rear planar face. Protruding from a distal end opposing the rear face of the base member is a multiple tow mount having a receiver end with radially disposed hitch balls or other tow accessory receiver mechanisms.
Embodiments of the present invention may further feature a step and a plurality of hitch mounts that are radially disposed outwardly from the pedestal, a dampener member affixed to the rear surface of the base member such that the dampener member abuts the rear panel of the channel portion to thereby dampen noise emanating from rubbing of the hitch platform and the hitch receiver; and at least one fastening member configured for coupling the through hole of the base portion between the aligned side holes such that locked engagement of the fastening member with the side holes compresses the dampener member upon the rear panel of the channel portion. In various embodiments the channel member may be configured by flanking opposed flanges along vertical sides of a planar front face on the hitch platform opposite the shank end or planar rear face of a tow mount member base member.
In preferred embodiments, the plurality of hitch mounts includes three hitch receiver balls of different dimensions. The hitch ball receivers are in such preferred embodiments standard size ball hitches of 1.25×1.25 inches (3.2×3.2 cm), 2×2 inches (5×5 cm), 2.7×2.7 inches (5.6×5.6 cm). Alternative embodiments may combine or substitute standard for irregular size hitch mounts. In addition, a pintle hook or alternative hitch means may be integrated or combined with the multiple hitch mount assembly of the present invention.
The multiple hitch assembly also includes a step member integrally formed onto the pedestal. In preferred embodiments, two of the three hitch receiver balls are disposed in opposed transverse orientations and the step member is disposed in opposed transverse orientation to another of the three hitch receiver balls. In some preferred embodiments, the step member is a planar surface of a generally rectangular configuration dimensioned to accommodate one foot or both feet of a user and om particularly preferred embodiments, an upper surface of the step member has skid resistant indentations.
In some embodiments, the fastening member coupling the through hole of the hitch member base member to the aligned side holes of the receiving channel is at least one elongate pin. In preferred embodiments, two elongate pins. It is particularly preferred that in alternative embodiments, the two elongate pins are oriented such that the at least one elongate pin is aligned in a direction crossing another of the two elongate pins. Preferred embodiments further feature a fastening member including two clip pins configured for coupled engagement with corresponding aligned side holes and a clip pin hole and wherein the clip is configured to secure the clip pin within the selected corresponding aligned side holes when coupled in locked engagement with the clip pin hole.
A yet further feature of the present invention is the dimensioning and spacing of one or more through holes of the base member such that the hitch assembly member may be detachably coupled to the channel member of the hitch platform so as to alternatively adjust the height of the multiple hitch assembly while the hitch platform is in coupled engagement with the tow vehicle. Embodiments also include dimensioning the base member such that the fastening member is capable of detachably coupling the through holes so as to detachably couple the multiple tow hitch member to selectively orient a one of the hitch balls and step in an upward use position while the hitch platform is in coupled engagement with the tow vehicle.
The present invention further provides a method for providing a multiple hitch assembly for mounting a trailer to a tow vehicle, comprising the steps of: a channel member having a rear panel disposed between opposed flanges, wherein the shank tube member is integrally connected to a rear surface of the rear panel such that the channel member is disposed along a substantially perpendicular axis along an opposing end to the elongate end portion of the shank tube. A plurality of spaced pairs of aligned side hole are disposed in the opposed flanges, a multiple tow hitch member. Also provided is a hitch platform with a channel member disposed between opposed flanges having a plurality of spaced pairs of aligned side holes and a multiple hitch member having a step platform and hitch receiver ball mounts radially extended in different directions from a base pedestal and the base pedestal has through holes spaced and sized for coupled engagement with the plurality of corresponding aligned side holes. As can be seen, the fastening member detachably couples the corresponding through holes of the multiple hitch member and the hitch platform so as to alternatively secure the hitch balls and step to a use orientation at a selected height.
As further described and illustrated herein, a particularly preferred embodiment includes rubber vibration dampener member affixed onto the back surface of a base of a dual flange ball mount tow mount or accessory. By thus affixing the dampener member to the tow accessory, the anti-rattle engages with the hitch platform and therefore is deployed in all positions regardless height adjustments thereto. A representative embodiment of this vibration dampener device particularly suitable for after-market applications includes a combination of rubber and metal screw thread configured to engage a corresponding threaded hole the back surface of the tow hitch member base.
As used herein, “tow mount member” refers to a range of single, dual, triple or quadruple hitch balls, hooks, clasps and may include other tow hitch mechanisms such as, for example pintle hooks, cotter pins or other hitch mount member for securing an adjustably mounted receiver mechanism on a channel mount platform adaptable to various tow accessories including a trailer or carrier such as a bicycle or recreational equipment racks, ski carriers, storage decks, boxes, cages or bags and other types of carriers and has a height adjustable hitch platform capable of being adapted to the height of a particular tow accessory while coupled within a receiver tube attached to a vehicle.
These and other features will be evident from the ensuing detailed descriptions of representative exemplary embodiment below and from the drawings.
It is to be expressly understood that the illustrative embodiment is a representation of the invention for explanatory purposes only and is not meant to unduly limit the claimed invention. The representative embodiments of the present invention are intended for use with receiver hitch systems including trailer mounts but also includes other dual or triple hitch mount configurations with or without a step hitch member such as detailed below. As will be apparent in a review of
As illustrated and described in detail below, exemplary embodiments of the present invention illustrated in
In exemplary embodiments shown in
In the exemplary embodiments described herein, tow mount member 20 is illustrated as a dual hitch ball and tow mount member 40 depicts a tri-ball mount with a step member 6. However, the scope of the claimed invention extends to other mount assemblies including but not limited to tow mount members featuring single or multiple hitch balls, hooks, step mounts and include pintle hooks or any tow accessory mount for cargo, bicycles, motorcycles, wheelchairs, or carriers, such as, for example, cargo containers, platforms and other types of receiver mounted devices.
In embodiments such as illustrated in
Hence it can be readily seen that front surface 36, 36′, 36″ has opposed sides that can be variably configured, as respectively illustrated as a parallelogram-shaped such as shown in
In some embodiments, such as illustrated in
Still referring to
As best illustrated in
Coupling of fastening member 16 with aligned side holes 28B and through holes 28A such that respective surface 36, 36′, 36″ of elongate member 24, 24′, 24″ and 38, 38′, 38″ of tow mount member 20, 20′, 20″ is in seated alignment whereby dampener member 22, 22′, 22″ is compressed between corresponding coextensive front surface 36, 36′, 36″ of elongate member 24, 24′, 24″ and rear surface 38, 38′, 38 of base member 32, 32′ 32″. Such compression of dampener member 22, 22′, 22″ thereby reduces vibration and associated vibration and sway resulting from movement and metal-to-metal contact between abutting surfaces of tow mount member 20, 20′ 20″ and hitch platform 10, 10′, 10″.
The illustrated embodiments illustrate an exemplary fastening member 16 as least one two elongate pins configured for coupled engagement with corresponding aligned side holes and having a clip pin hole and wherein the clip is configured to secure the clip pin within the selected corresponding aligned side holes when coupled in locked engagement with the clip pin hole, commercially known as a cotter pin. However, the fastening member may in various embodiments comprise various other clips and retaining mechanisms configured to couple the paired side holes 36, 36′ with a corresponding through hole 36 of elongate member 24, wherein the tow mount members are two hitch balls of different diameters.
Now referring to
Referring to
While the exemplary embodiments illustrated in
Configurations of dampener member 22, 22′, 22″, 42, 42′ in various embodiments can take on various configurations which may include linear, curvilinear, convex or concave portions. In some embodiments, dampener member 22, 22′, 22″, 42, 42′ may include a dampener border of at least a portion of an area within 1 inch of an upper edge, at least a portion within 1 inch of a lower edge and at least a portion within 1 inch of the side edges of a planar front face of an elongate member platform or a corner an abutment of the interior side wall of the pair of flanges. Some embodiments of the dampener member may feature a hollow center portion.
In various embodiments such as illustrated in
In some embodiments, the dampener member is detachably affixed. As such, dampener member 22, 22′, 22″, 42, 42′ may be provided in a kit form or as an after-market component.
The composition of the dampener member 22, 22′, 22″, 42, 42′ may include various suitable materials, such as, for example, a polymer, elastomer, rubber or other pliable, impact or vibration-absorbing material of suitable density, flex, and durability and is functionally adaptable to dampen, buffer, dissipate or attenuate, a vibration, impact, shock, stress, strain or torque exerted by an external force. The impact absorbing or dampening composition of dampener member 22, 22′, 22″, 42, 42′ is configurable in any suitable size and shape such as, for example, a curved or circular device, bumper, washer, block, sheet, sleeve or other form that is adaptable to the geometry of the tow hitch platform and mount member.
In some embodiments, dampener member 22, 22′, 22″, 42, 42′ such as shown in
The scope of the present invention expressly contemplates and includes any shape as well as composition providing the impact and vibration absorbing or attenuation, the extent of which may correspond to the hitch dampener member composition's mechanical properties, including without limitation, vibration and impact absorption capacity, pliability, tensile strength and density.
As will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art of tow hitch assembly design and engineering, the extent and impact receiving and attenuation capacity of the device of the present invention correlates to the dampener surface area, thickness and density. More specifically, the vibration dampener member 22, 22′, 22″, 42, 42′ surface area, thickness and density correspond with the connection tension of the hitch vibration dampening assembly exerted which is a function of the weight, shape and size, aerodynamics as well as force and torque exerted on the tow hitch assembly when in use.
Various embodiments of the present invention may include a range of two accessory mount receivers, including various size hitch balls, hooks, clips and carabiners and other mechanisms for mounting a tow accessory. Embodiments may also include mechanisms for locking the receiver mounts in secured engagement such as provided by a pintle hook, locks, biasing members, cotter pins and similar mechanisms. In yet further embodiments, the channel member may further include horizontal cross members perpendicularly disposed between the opposed flanges and spaced between the aligned side holes whereby the horizontal cross members provide lateral support for the base member of the tow mount member.
It is to be expressly understood that the descriptive embodiment is provided herein for explanatory purposes only and is not meant to unduly limit the claimed inventions. Various embodiments are intended for use with receiver hitch systems including trailer mounts as well as other tow accessories and may be used for original equipment installations or as after-market components.
Hence, it is to be further expressly understood that these exemplary embodiments are provided for descriptive purposes only and not meant to unduly limit the scope of the claimed inventions. Other embodiments are also considered to be within the scope of the present inventions.
This application claims priority to and benefit under 35 USC § 119 (e) of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/223,889 having a filing date of Apr. 6, 2021, of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/518,471 having a filing date of Jul. 22, 2019 issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,628,698, which claims priority to and benefit under U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/711,771 having a filing date of Jul. 30, 2018, which are both hereby incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62711771 | Jul 2018 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 17223889 | Apr 2021 | US |
| Child | 18202949 | US | |
| Parent | 16518471 | Jul 2019 | US |
| Child | 17223889 | US |
