Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ACCESSORY MOUNTING ADAPTER
FOR A TRAILER HITCH ASSEMBLY
This application claims the benefit of LJ.S. Provisional Patent
Application Serial No. 60/243,382 filed on October 26, 2000.
ethnical Field
The present invention relates generally to the vehicle accessory field
and, more particularly, to an adapter for mounting accessories with multiple
mounting bar systems into the receiver boy of a standard trailer hitch
assembly.
Background of the Invention
It has long been known to construct towing hitches that are mounted
to vehicles in order to allow the towing of trailers or the like. In recent
years such hitches have been designed to include a receiver boy having a
rearwardly directed opening or cavity for the receipt of a hitch or draw bar
that carries a hitch ball or other means allowing connection to a trailer.
Examples of such a structure include the Insta-Hitch II and Custom Hitch
Receiver 35365 as manufactured by Reese Products, Inc. of Elkhart,
Indiana. Such a hitch receiver is also disclosed in, for example, U.S. Patent
No. 3,768,837 to Reese, owned by Reese Products, Inc.
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Recent e~Torts to enhance the versatilitv of a hitch receiver have led
to development of various accessories (e.g., both open and closed article
carriers, bike racks, ski racks, tables, winches or other equipment) mounted
by means of an accessory mounting bar or lug in the receiver box of a
trailer hitch receiver assembly. Because of their convenience and suitability
to the particular applicationslinterests of the user, such accessories have
become very popular.
In order to allow for or accommodate trailer towing and accessory
mounting simultaneously, a trailer hitch assembly with both a trailer hitch
receiver and towing accessory receivers has been recently developed and is
the subject of, for example, U.S. Patent Application Serial Nos.
60/19,502, filed April 3, 2000 and 6012.3,486, filed October 26, 2000.
This new trailer hitch receiver assembly includes a central frame member, a
mounting bracket carried on each end of the central frame member for
securing the central ti-ame member to the vehicle, a hitch receiver box
carried on the central frame member and two accessory receivers for
receiving and holding a recreational and/or utilitarian accessory. The two
point mounting for the accessory greatly increases the stability of the
mounting arrangement. Accordingly, a number of accessories will be
manufactured and marketed with multiple mounting posts, lugs or bars in
order to take advantage of this new arrangement.
The present invention relates to an adapter that may be utilized to
mount accessories manufactured with the new multiple mounting lug, bar
or post system on "standard" trailer hitch assemblies that incorporate only a
hitch receiver. Thus, the old trailer hitch assemblies in the field may be
conveniently adapted to receive and hold the new multipostlmultibar
mounting accessory pi°oducts.
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Summary of the Invention
In accordance with the purposes of the present invention as
described herein, an accessory mounting adapter is provided for a trailer
hitch assembly incorporating a receiver box. 'The adapter includes a cross
member, a mounting bar carried on the cross member for securing in the
receiver box of the trailer hitch assembly and a pair of spaced accessory
receivers allowing two-point mounting of an accessory of a type
incorporating multiple mounting posts or bars.
More particularly describing the invention, the mounting bar is
square in cross section and the accessory receivers are circular in cross
section. The accessory receivers project upwardly from the cross member
at an acute included angle (i.e. from about 10°to about 3U°) and
include a
side wall having a pair of opposed apertures for receiving a pin to secure an
accessory thereto. The mounting bar also includes a pair of opposed side
walls each including a pin receiving aperture whereby the adapter may be
secured in the receiver box of a trailer hitch assembly.
The invention may also be described as comprising a T-shaped body
carrying a pair of accessory receivers allowing for two point mounting of
an accessory.
2U Still other objects of the present invention will become apparent to
those spilled in this art from the following description wherein there is
shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention, simply by
way of illustration of one of the modes best suited to carry out the
invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different
?S embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various,
obvious aspects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the
drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not
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as restrictive.
Brief Description of the Drawings
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of
the specification, illustrates several aspects of the present invention and
together with the description serves to explain the principles of the
invention. In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a typical or standard trailer hitch
assembly incozporating a single centrally located receiver box as commonly
utilized to tow a trailer;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the adapter of the present
invention;
Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the adapter shown in Figure 2;
and
Figure 4 shows how the adapter is utilized to mount a multiple
mounting post/bar accessory to a trailer hitch assembly incorporating only a
receiver box.
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred
embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Detailed Description of the Invention
Reference is now made to Figure 1 illustrating a typical or standard
trailer hitch receiver assembly, generally designated by reference numeral
1 U which is mounted to the frame of a towing vehicle. The trailer hitch
assembly 1 U includes a cross bar 1? formed from tubular steel. A receiver
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box 14, also formed from tubular steel, is welded to the cross bar 12. The
receiver box 14 includes a reinforced lip 16 defining a cavity 18 sized and
shaped to receive and hold a hitch or draw bar (not shown) of the type that
carries a hitch ball or other means allowing connection to a trailer. A chain
5 plate 20 formed from a steel plate is welded to both the cross bar 12 and
receiver box 14 to enhance the rigidity of the overall structure and provide
openings 22 for receiving the safety chains of a trailer during towing.
The trailer hitch assembly 10 also includes a pair of mounting
brackets 2~ which may also be formed From steel plate material. One
mounting bracket 24 is welded to the cross bar 12 adjacent each end
thereof. Each mounting bracket 24 includes a mounting flange 26 and each
mounting flange includes two or more apertures 28. Nut and bolt fasteners
(not shown) are extended through these apertures 28 and cooperating
apertures drilled in the frame of the towing vehicle in order to mount the
trailer hitch assembly 10 thereto.
The accessory mounting adapter 30 of the present invention is
shown in Figure 2. The adapter 30 includes a 'I°-shaped body having a
cross member 32 and a mounting bar 3~ that both extend in a first plane P,.
The mounting bar 34 is sized, shaped and adapted for receipt in the receiver
box 1~ of the trailer hitch assembly 10. ~~hen properly mounted in the
receiver box 14, cooperating apertures 36 in the side walls of the mounting
bar 3~ are aligned with cooperating apertures 38 in the opposing side walls
of the receiver boa. A connecting pin ~0 is passed through the apertures
36, 38 and apin clip ~2 is secured in the groove 4~ on the end of the
connecting pin opposite the head ~6 (see also Figure ~). The cross member
32 and the mounting bar 34 may both be formed from steel tubing and then
secured together as an integral component by welding or other appropriate
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means.
Multiple accessory receivers 48 are mounted to and carried on the
cross member 3?. Each accessory receiver 48 may be formed from tubular
steel material. One accessory receiver 48 is welded to the cross member 32
adjacent each end thereof. As shov~~n in Figure 2, each receiver 48 provides
a circular port or opening ~0 for receiving a mounting post, lug or bar B of
an accessory A (see also Figure 4). As further shown in Figure 3, each
receiver 48 projects upwardly in a plane P,. As shown in Figure 3, planes
P, and P, define an acute included angle of, for example, between 10-30"
(e.g. ?0°).
It should be appreciated that the structural arrangement of the
mounting bar 34 and accessory receivers 48 benefits the user when
attempting to attach a recreational and/or utilitarian accessory. When
attached to the trailer hitch assembly 10, the accessory mounting adapter 30
projects rearwardly out from under the bumper of the vehicle to which the
towing hitch assembly is secured. Additionally, the accessory receivers 48
project upwardly at an angle of from about 10° to about 30° with
respect to
the mounting bar 34 and cross member 3?. Thus the circular ports or
openings 50 of the accessory receivers 48 are both readily visible and
accessible.
Due to this fact, it is relatively easy for the user to engage the
openings 50 of the accessory receivers 48 with the mounting posts B of a
recreational and/or utilitarian accessory A such as the cargo carrier platform
partially illustrated in Figure 4. At this point, the circular shape of the
'_'S accessory receivers 48 and cooperating mounting posts B concentrically
received therein further insure ease oFconnection. Specifically, since the
ports B and the receivers 48 are both round, they present continuous,
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uninterrupted mating side walls. Accordingly, it is not necessary to index
the posts B in any way to insure proper geometry for mating: simple
alignment is all that is necessary. Additionally, the posts B may be flexed
slightly in virtually any direction during mating as an additional aid when
making the connection.
Of course, it should also be appreciated that the angular orientation
of the receivers 48 means that the lower edge of the receivers project
rearwardly from the vehicle slightly more than the upper edge of the
receivers so that the lower edge forms a ledge or lip upon which a
substantial portion of the weight of the accessory A may be supported
during the connection process. This makes manipulation of the accessory
even easier during connection.
Once properly aligned, the posts B slide readily into the receivers 48.
When filly seated, cross apertures (not shown) in the posts B are in
alignment with the aligned apertures 52 in the receivers 48. A connecting
pin 54 is then positioned in these apertures 52 and a pin clip 56 is used to
secure the pin in position.
The upward angular orientation of the accessory receivers 48 also
provides a number of additional advantages that are, perhaps, not readily
apparent. T'he angular orientation functions to provide a lower lip L on
each accessory receiver 48 which projects outwardly beyond the upper
portion of the receiver and therefore acts as a shelf or shoulder to support
the weight of the accessory when the posts or bars B are initially inserted.
The upward angular orientation of the receivers 48 also insures a
secure connection between the bars B and receivers. Specifically, this
arrangement insures that gravity works with the operator to properly spat
the bars B an the receivers 48 during connection of the accessory A. The
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upward inclination also functions to effectively raise the accessory A from
the ground so that it will clear most curbs and other lilce obstacles that one
might expect to meet during vehicle operation.
'the upward inclination also introduces a moment into the linkage
between the accessory A and the receiver assembly 10 so that fouward
acceleration of the vehicle does not produce only rearward movement
forces on the accessory.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of this
invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It
is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise farm
disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the
above teachings. For example, while only two accessory receivers 48 are
shown on the accessory mounting adapter 30, substantially any reasonable
number may be provided to allow multipoint connection between the
adapter 30 and the accessory A carried thereby. Additionally, while the
ports or openings 50 and the accessoy receivers 48 are circular in cross
section, it should be appreciated that substantially any shape opening
allowing connection to a mounting past may be utilized (e.g., triangular,
square, rectangular, elliptical, pentagonal, hexagonal).
~0 It should also be appreciated that while hollow accessory receivers
are illustrated, the accessory receivers could just as easily be solid bars or
rods so long as the accessory mounting pasts or lugs are of a
complementary shape necessary to allow interconnection. Further,
connection of the mounting postslbars of the accessory in the receivers 48
may be made by means other than the connecting pin 5~- and pin clip
described (e.g., cooperating ball and detente). f~f course, materials other
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than steel may be utilized to construct any or all of the component parts of
the apparatus including the trailer hitch assembly 10, the accessory
mounting adapter 30 and the mounting posts or bars B of the accessory.
The embodiment was chosen and described to provide the best
illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application
to
thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in
various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the
particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are
within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims
when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly,
legally and equitably entitled.
