Automatic securement pin system for a hitch connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10850677-B2
Application number	US-201816015445-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2018
Priority date	Jun 22, 2018
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

An automatic securement pin system for a hitch connector includes a hitch bar having an insert end configured to be inserted into a hitch receiver, a securement pin coupled to the hitch bar, and an actuator coupled to the securement pin. The actuator is configured to engage the hitch receiver to displace the securement pin from an open position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic securement pin system for a hitch connector, comprising:
a hitch bar comprising an insert end configured to be inserted into a hitch receiver;
a securement pin coupled to the hitch bar; and
an actuator disposed entirely exterior to an outer surface of the hitch bar and coupled to the securement pin,
wherein the actuator is configured to engage the hitch receiver to displace the securement pin from an open position,
wherein the actuator comprises a distal tip extending along the outer surface of the hitch bar and configured to contact a hitch flange of the hitch receiver,
wherein the actuator comprises a body portion extending from the distal tip, and
wherein the body portion is coupled to the securement pin.

2. The automatic securement pin system of claim 1 , wherein a lengthwise axis of the body portion is parallel to a lengthwise axis of the hitch bar.

3. The automatic securement pin system of claim 1 , wherein the body portion is an elongate body portion extending in a direction of a length of the hitch bar.

4. The automatic securement pin system of claim 1 , wherein a length of the body portion is shorter than a length of the securement pin.

5. The automatic securement pin system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is mechanically coupled to the securement pin.

6. The automatic securement pin system of claim 5 , wherein the actuator comprises a spring and a cavity, wherein a portion of the spring is disposed in the cavity.

7. The automatic securement pin system of claim 1 , further comprising a bracket coupled to the hitch bar, wherein the securement pin is coupled to the bracket.

8. The automatic securement pin system of claim 7 , wherein the securement pin is pivotably coupled to the bracket.

9. The automatic securement pin system of claim 8 , wherein a portion of the actuator is disposed within an interior of the bracket.

10. The automatic securement pin system of claim 7 , further comprising a housing, wherein at least a portion of each of the bracket, the securement pin, and the actuator is disposed within the housing.

11. The automatic securement pin system of claim 1 , wherein a lengthwise axis of the body portion and a lengthwise axis of the hitch bar are coplanar.

12. The automatic securement pin system of claim 1 , wherein the distal tip is wider than the body portion.

13. The automatic securement pin system of claim 1 , wherein the distal tip contacts the outer surface of the hitch bar.

14. A load carrier system, comprising:
a load carrier;
a hitch bar coupled to the load carrier, the hitch bar comprising an insert end configured to be inserted into a hitch receiver;
a securement pin coupled to the hitch bar;
an actuator disposed entirely exterior to an outer surface of the hitch bar and coupled to the securement pin; and
a spring having a first end contacting a distal end of the securement pin and a second end opposite the first end contacting a distal end of the actuator,
wherein the actuator is configured to engage the hitch receiver to displace the securement pin from an open position.

15. The load carrier system of claim 14 , wherein the load carrier is a bicycle carrier.

16. The load carrier system of claim 14 , further comprising the hitch receiver.

17. The load carrier system of claim 16 , wherein the hitch receiver comprises a hitch flange, and wherein the actuator is configured to engage the hitch flange to displace the securement pin from the open position.

18. The load carrier system of claim 16 , wherein the hitch receiver comprises an aperture, and wherein a tip of the securement pin is configured to be disposed in the aperture in a closed position.

19. The load carrier system of claim 14 , further comprising a housing disposed along the outer surface of the hitch bar, wherein the spring, the securement pin, and the actuator are at least partially disposed within the housing.

20. The load carrier system of claim 19 , wherein the housing is disposed entirely on a single outer surface face of the hitch bar.

Assignees

• Thule Sweden Ab

Inventors

• Viklund Mark

Classifications

• B60D1/52

  removably mounted · CPC title

• B60R9/10 Primary

  for cycles · CPC title

• B60R9/06 Primary

  at vehicle front or rear {(rear luggage compartments within vehicle extensible externally of the vehicle body B60R5/041)} · CPC title