Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02203386 1997-06-04
WO 97/07998 PCT/US96/1397I
ANTI-RATTLE DEVICE FOR A
TRAILER HITCH
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/002,695 filed August 23, 1995.
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to receiver trailer hitches and
in particular to an anti-rattle device to eliminate undesirable
noise, movement and vibration sometimes associated with removable
mounts.
Backgvround of the Invention
Receiver-type trailer hitches employ a removable ball mount
which is slidably received into a hitch receiver with a somewhat
loose fit therebetween necessary to facilitate insertion and
removal of the ball mount. The ball mount is secured in the hitch
receiver by a cros~a pin and clip. The most common form of a
receiver trailer hitch employs a ball mount with a square shank
formed from tubing or. solid bar stock which is sized and configured
to be inserted into a complementary receiver tube. The ball mount
may be removed when it is not going to be used. Various ball mount
configurations may he used with a given receiver to accommodate
trailers of various heights or various ball mount lengths.
Receiver-type hitches are also used with bicycle carriers, ski
carriers and other devices having a mounting member adapted for
insertion into a receiver-type hitch.
In receiver-type. hitches it is necessary to provide clearance
between the outer surface of the shank of the ball mount and the
complementary inner surface of the receiver to facilitate easy
insertion and removal of the shank. Also clearance must be
provided between the cross pin and corresponding holes in the~
receiver and shank to facilitate insertion and removal of the
crosspin. The clearance between the shank and the receiver permit
relative movement vertically, laterally and rotationally. The
clearances between the crosspin and the holes in the receiver and
shank permit relative fore and aft movement. While the clearances
are necessary, such erratic movements are undesirable in that they
may result in unwelcome rattle noise, vibration and shock.
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It would be very advantageous if a means could be provided
that eliminates the free play movement between a mount shank, hitch
receiver and crosspin in all directions. The instant invention '
provides such a device.
Summary of the Invention '
It is therefore a primary object of the invention to eliminate
undesirable relative movement between the shank of a removable
mount and the receiver of a receiver-type trailer hitch to
eliminate noise, vibration and shock.
It is a further object to eliminate such undesirable relative
movement in all directions.
It is yet another object to provide a device which can achieve
the foregoing but cannot be inadvertently mistaken by the user as
being the sole means to secure the mount shank in the receiver
tube.
It is yet another object to accomplish the foregoing with a
device that can be used on existing receiver hitches without
requiring modification of either the mount or receiver.
It is yet a still further object to achieve all of the
foregoing by providing a device that is inexpensive and easy to
install.
These and other objects and advantages are achieved by the
invention as will be apparent from the following description,
drawing and claims.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Fig. 1 is a partial exploded perspective of a hitch receiver
and a ball mount to be inserted therein along with the anti-rattle
device of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a partial perspective of the coupled hitch receiver
and ball mount with the anti-rattle device of the present invention
installed;
Fig. 3 is a partial top plan view of the assembled ball mount,
receiver and anti-rattle device of the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a cross-section along line 4-4 of Fig. 3;
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Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the plate of the anti-rattle
device of the present invention;
Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the isolator of the anti-
rattle device of Fig. 1; and
Fig. 7 is a partial perspective of an assembled ball mount
and receiver with an alternate embodiment of the anti-rattle
device of the present invention.
This invention relates to a receiver trailer hitch mechanism
having an anti-rattle device mounted thereto, a receiver having an
open end, and a mount slidably insertable into and removable from
the open end of the receiver comprising: a rigid member
configured for movement along the mount; a deformable elastomeric
member disposed between said rigid member and said receiver; and
tension-ing means having anchoring means for anchoring the
tensioning means to the receiver and means for urging said rigid
member toward said receiver and deforming said elastomeric member
into frictional engagement with said mount in proximity of said
open end of said receiver and inhibiting movement of said mount
within the receiver.
This invention further relates to a receiver trailer hitch
mechanism having an anti-rattle device mounted thereto, a receiver
having an open end, and a mount slidably insertable into and
removable from the open end of the receiver and a securing member
for securing the mount in the receiver comprising: a rigid member
configured for movement along the mount; a deformable elastomeric
member disposed between said rigid member and said receiver; and
elongated tensioning means having anchoring means at one end
thereof for anchoring the elongated tensioning means to the
securing member and means at the other end of the elongated
tensioning means for urging said rigid member toward said securing
member and deforming said elastomeric member into frictional
engagement with said mount in proximity to the open end of the
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3a
receiver and inhibiting movement of said mount within the
receiver.
Referring to Figs. 1-6, the anti-rattle device 10 of the
preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a plate
member 12, an elastomeric member or isolator 14, eyebolts 16, 18
and corresponding nuts 20, 22. The device 10 is installed on a
conventional receiver-type hitch generally referenced at 30 which
includes a tubular :hitch receiver 32, a ball mount 34 slidably
insertable into the hitch receiver 32, a crosspin or locking pin
36, and a retaining clip 38. The mount 34 is provided with a
shank 40 typically of square cross-sectional configuration and
slidably insertable into the hollow interior 42 of receiver tube
32 through open end 35. The hollow interior 42 is complementary
in configuration to the shape of the exterior of shank 40 and
sized to provide clearance about all sides of shank 40 to
facilitate insertion into and withdrawal of the removable mount 34
into open end 35 wit=h play necessarily created in lateral,
vertical, fore, aft and rotational directions.
The crosspin 36 is inserted through holes 44, 45 provided on
opposite sides of re=ceiver 32 and corresponding aligned holes 46,
47 in the shank 40 of mount 34. The retaining clip 38 is inserted
through hole 48 at one end of crosspin 36 to secure it in place.
Apertures 44, 45 and 46, 47 are slightly larger in diameter than
that of crosspin 36 to facilitate insertion and withdrawal of the
crosspin 36 thereby necessarily creating clearance or play in the
fore and aft directions.
Ball mount 34 includes an aperture 50 for attachment of a
conventional trailer ball (not shown). While the preferred
embodiment of the instant invention is described in reference to
ball mount 34, it ca.n be used without adaptation or modification
in
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conjunction with any of a variety of mounts insertable and
removable into and from a~ receiver 32, such as hitch mountable
bicycle carriers, sk:i carriers, article carriers, workbenches and
other devices mountable to a receiver 32 of a receiver-type trailer
hitch.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 5, the plate I2 is flat and provided
with a substantially square opening 52 therethrough with a side
dimension D1 slightly larger than that of square shank 40 to permit
slidable movement thereon. Plate 12 also is provided with a pair
of opposed ear portions 54, 56 through which respective holes 58,
60 are provided. The plate member or flange 12 must have
sufficient strength and rigidity to compress the elastomeric member
14 upon being drawn axially forward by an actuating means such as
tension members or e!~ebolts 16, 18 upon tightening nuts 20, 22.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 6, the elastomeric member 14 is
formed from a material such as neoprene which in the preferred
embodiment has an approximately 60 durometer. The elastomeric
member 14 is provided with a substantially square opening 62 with
a side dimension DZ s:Lightly less than that of shank 40 to provide
an interference fit therewith. The elastomeric member 14 in the
preferred embodiment is flat and substantially square in
configuration. However, the elastomeric member 14 could be formed
with any of a variety of cross sections, for example round provided
that it is capable of displacing transversely so that it bulges
into contact with both the outer walls of shank 40 and lip 33 of
receiver tube 32 at open end 35 upon being axially compressed. The
opening 62 may be of any configuration which generally corresponds
to the cross-sectional shape of shank 32.
Eyebolts 16, 18 are conventional eyebolts with eyelets 64, 66,
respectively, at one end of each and the other end having standard
threaded portions 68,. 70, respectively, to receive nuts 20, 24 to
be threadably attached thereto. A hook or other anchoring means
could be provided at the end of each of the bolts 16, IS in place
of eyelets 64, 66. ~?rotective caps 72, 74 may be provided at the
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ends of the threaded portions 68, 70 protruding beyond the nuts 20,
22.
' The eyelets 64, 66 are sized to allow the crosspin 36 to
readily pass therethrough. The length of the eyebolts 16, 18 is
' sufficient to span from the crosspin 36 beyond the li.p 33 of
receiver 32 enough to allow for the thickness of elastomeric member
3.4, plate 12, nuts 22, 24, protective caps 72, 74 and permit
adjustment of nuts 20, 22.
Fig. 7 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the anti-rattle
device 10 wherein crosspin 36a is provided with spaced apart
threaded openings 76, 78 to receive standard bolts such as hex head
bolts 80, 82. The hex head 83 in each of bolts 80, 82 is adapted
to receive an Alan wrench (not shown) to rotate the bolts 80, 82
and threadably adju~>t the tension between threaded cross pin 36a
and the plate member 12.
In operation the plate member or flange 12 and elastomeric
isolator 14 are positioned on the shank 40 of mount 34 prior to
inserting mount 34 into the hollow interior 42 of the receiver 32.
For convenience, the elastomeric member 14 in the preferred
embodiment is sized and configured for an interference contact with
shank 40 which enables the flange or plate member 12 and
elastomeric isolator- 14 to remain on and not inadvertently fall
from the shank 40 when not in use. The mount 34 is then inserted
into the receiver 32 so that opposed apertures 46, 47 of shank 40
are aligned with opposed apertures 44, 45 of hitch receiver 32.
The end of cross pin 3& is inserted in succession through eyelet 54
of eyebolt 16 , aperi~ures 44 , 46 , 47 and 45 , and f finally through
eyelet 66 of eyebolt 18. The retainer clip 38 is inserted through
aperture 48 of the cross pin 36 thereby securing it in place. The
plate member l2 is then drawn axially forward while the threaded
ends 68, 70, respectively, of eyebolts 16, 18 are inserted through
holes 58, 60 of plate member 12. The plate member 12 is of
sufficient strength and rigidity to compress and deform the
elastomeric member. Nuts 20, 22 are threaded onto the threaded
portions 68, 70 of eyebolts 16, 18 and tightened thereon by a
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conventional tool such as a wrench (not shown). Protective caps
72, 74 are placed over the exposed ends of eyebolts 16, 18. The
plate 12 is adjustably drawn toward lip 33 of the receiver 32 and '
compresses the elastomeric isolator 14 which is sandwiched between
plate 12 and lip 33 upon tightening of nuts 20, 22. The tension
resulting from tightening nuts 20, 22 onto eyebolts 16, 18 and
against plate 12 causes the elastomeric member 14 to bulge and
deform transversely, both inwardly and outwardly, thereby
increasing the compression contact with the sides of shank 40 while
also pulling the locking pin 36 axially in the aft direction and
eliminating the clearance and any play or fore-aft movement between
cross pin 36 and the apertures 44, 46 and 45, 47 through which it
passes. The increased frictional engagement of the bulging
elastomeric member 14 between the sides of shank 40 and lip 33 of
receiver 32 dampens fore-aft movement and elastomerically limits
movement of the shank 40 relative to the receiver 32 in all
directions, thereby greatly reducing or eliminating undesired
movement, noise, shock and vibration.
Anchoring the forward ends of the tension members 16, 18 to
the cross pin 36 in the preferred embodiment ensures the use of the
cross pin 36 as the primary means to secure the mount 34 in the
receiver tube 32 and precludes the user from inadvertently
mistaking the anti-rattle device as being the sole means of
securing the shank 40 in the receiver tube 32.
The anti-rattle device l0 of the present invention is
inexpensive to manufacture and is readily installed on conventional
receiver hitches without the need for any modification whatsoever
of conventional receivers or mounts.
It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that
modifications can be made to the anti-rattle device of the present
invention without departing from the spirit of the invention or the
scope of the following claims.
