Pin box assembly with gooseneck coupler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11084343-B2
Application number	US-201815936549-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2018
Priority date	Sep 21, 2010
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

A pin box assembly with gooseneck coupler for coupling a towed vehicle to a towing vehicle is described. The pin box assembly may include a first member capable of being secured to a towed vehicle and a second member pivotally coupled to the first member about an axis of rotation relative to the first member. The pin box assembly may further include a gooseneck ball coupler coupled to the second member, and a suspension system coupled to at least one of the first and second members, the suspension system damping motion between the first and second members.

First claim

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed:

1. A towing assembly comprising:
a first member capable of being secured to a towed vehicle;
a second member pivotally coupled to said first member about an axis of rotation wherein said second member pivots relative to said first member about said axis of rotation;
a gooseneck ball coupler having a socket configured to engage a ball, the gooseneck ball coupler coupled to said second member, wherein said axis of rotation is located forwardly and upwardly from said gooseneck ball coupler; and
a suspension system coupled to at least one of said first and second members, said suspension system damping motion between said first and second members, wherein said suspension system includes a biasing member positioned entirely rearward of said gooseneck ball coupler.

2. The towing assembly of claim 1 further comprising a pin member coupling said first and second members together, said pin member defining said axis of rotation.

3. The towing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said second member moves in a plurality of directions relative to said first member via said axis of rotation.

4. The towing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said second member is rotatable upwardly about said axis of rotation and downwardly about said axis of rotation.

5. The towing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said suspension system includes at least one shock absorber.

6. The towing assembly of claim 5 , wherein said at least one shock absorber is rearward of said axis of rotation and said gooseneck ball coupler.

7. The towing assembly of claim 5 , wherein said at least one shock absorber is located rearward of said gooseneck ball coupler and forward of said biasing member such that said biasing member is rearward of said at least one shock absorber.

8. The towing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said biasing member is an air bag.

9. The towing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said suspension system damps longitudinal motion and vertical motion of said second member relative to said first member.

10. The towing assembly of claim 1 further comprising an upper hard stop and a lower hard stop limiting motion of said second member relative to said first member.

11. The towing assembly of claim 10 further comprising a damping block located on said lower hard stop.

12. The towing assembly of claim 11 further comprising a ledge coupled to said second member that engages with said damping block when said second member is rotated fully downwardly.

13. A towing assembly for coupling a towed vehicle to a towing vehicle, said towing assembly comprising:
a first member configured to be attached to said towed vehicle in a fixed orientation;
a second member coupled to said first member about an axis of rotation wherein said second member pivots relative to said first member about said axis of rotation;
a suspension system coupled to at least one of said first and second members, said suspension system including a biasing member capable of restricting relative movement between said first and second members, said suspension system positioned rearward of said axis of rotation; and
a gooseneck ball coupler attached to said second member and capable of moving upon movement of said second member, said gooseneck ball coupler configured to engage and disengage with a ball portion of a gooseneck ball on said towing vehicle.

14. The towing assembly of claim 13 , wherein said axis of rotation is located forwardly and upwardly from said gooseneck ball coupler.

15. The towing assembly of claim 13 , wherein said suspension system comprises a damping member, said suspension system damps longitudinal motion of said second member relative to said first member and damps vertical motion of said second member relative to said first member.

16. A towing assembly comprising:
a first box member capable of selectively attaching to a towed vehicle;
a second box member pivotally secured to said first box member about an axis of rotation;
a gooseneck ball coupler coupled to said second box member, said gooseneck ball coupler configured to engage a ball portion of a gooseneck ball;
a biasing member coupled to said second box member, said biasing member restricting relative motion between said first and second box members; and
a bump stop isolator attached to only said second box member opposite said biasing member, said bump stop isolator providing suspension to said second box member in a direction generally opposite to that of said biasing member.

17. A towing assembly comprising:
a towed vehicle attachment assembly configured to be attached to a towed vehicle in a fixed orientation;
a lower jaw assembly pivotally coupled to said towed vehicle attachment assembly;
a suspension system coupled to at least one of said towed vehicle attachment assembly and said lower jaw assembly, said suspension system including a pneumatic member capable of restricting relative movement between said towed vehicle attachment assembly and said lower jaw assembly;
an automatically adjusting air relief system operatively secured with said suspension system, wherein said air relief system automatically adjusts said pneumatic member from being over inflated to maintain said pneumatic member in an operative state; and
a gooseneck ball coupler attached to said lower jaw assembly and capable of moving upon movement of said lower jaw assembly, said gooseneck ball coupler configured to engage and disengage with a ball portion of a gooseneck ball on said towing vehicle, wherein said pneumatic member is positioned entirely rearward of said gooseneck ball coupler.

18. The towing assembly of claim 17 wherein said pneumatic member comprises an air bag.

19. The towing assembly of claim 18 , wherein the air relief system includes an air relief valve wherein said air relief valve adjusts automatically said air bag from being over-inflated.

20. The towing assembly of claim 19 , wherein said air relief valve automatically adjusts the air pressure of said air bag upon said air bag restricting relative movement between said towed vehicle attachment assembly and said lower jaw assembly.

21. The towing assembly of claim 17 further comprising an indicator configured to alert the user when the said air relief system is under-inflated.

Assignees

• Horizon Global Americas Inc

Inventors

• Curl Michael R
• Mccoy Richard W

Classifications

• B62D53/08

  Fifth wheel traction couplings {(tractors for handling trailers in terminals B62D49/007)} · CPC title

• B62D53/0828 Primary

  Removable or fold-away traction couplings for non-specialised tractor vehicles · CPC title

• B62D53/0871

  with stabilising means, e.g. to prevent jack-knifing, pitching, rolling, buck jumping (stabilising in general B62D37/00; tractors B62D49/08) · CPC title

• B60D1/065

  characterised by the hitch mechanism · CPC title

• B60D1/249 Primary

  for damping in the pulling direction and being integrated with the hitch, e.g. resilient dampers integrated with the hitch · CPC title