Fifth wheel hitch comfort system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11440599-B2
Application number	US-201816615876-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2018
Priority date	May 23, 2017
Publication date	Sep 13, 2022
Grant date	Sep 13, 2022

Abstract

A fifth wheel hitch assembly for mounting to a towing vehicle and receiving a kingpin of a trailer incorporating a comfort assembly is provided. The fifth wheel hitch assembly may comprise a kingpin receiving assembly attached to a mounting rail via a comfort assembly. The comfort assembly may include one or more pivot bushing assemblies, as well as vertically adjustable, anti-rattle attachment systems. These attachment systems may include a cam assembly and/or a T-pin assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vertically adjustable, anti-rattle attachment assembly for connecting a fifth wheel hitch to a vehicle mounting rail having a side connection aperture and a mounting slot on a top facing of the mounting rail, the attachment assembly comprising:
an attachment bolt having a foot end and an opposing upper end, said bolt received through an aperture in a base plate associate with the fifth wheel hitch;
wherein the foot end includes a loop with opposing flattened faces, said flattened faces cooperating to be received within the mounting slot so that a pull pin, when inserted through the side connection aperture proximate to the mounting rail, passes through the loop; and
wherein the upper end includes a threaded portion to receive a fastener, said fastener being selectively coupled to the threaded portion so as to adjust a vertical positioning of the assembly.

2. The attachment assembly of claim 1 further comprising a cam lever having a cam barrel rotatable in response to movement of the cam lever and wherein the attachment bolt passes through the cam barrel so that the cam barrel is positioned between the fastener and the base plate.

3. The attachment assembly of claim 2 wherein the cam lever includes a looped protrusion having flattened faces cooperating to be received by a second mounting slot on a top facing of the mounting rail proximate to the mounting slot so that a second pull pin, when inserted through a second side connection aperture proximate to the second mounting slot, passes through the looped protrusion.

4. The attachment assembly of claim 2 wherein the cam barrel is integrated as a single piece with the fastener.

5. The attachment assembly of claim 1 further comprising a faucet knob engaging the fastener so as to rotate in concert therewith.

6. A vertically adjustable, anti-rattle attachment assembly for connecting a fifth wheel hitch to a vehicle mounting rail having a side connection aperture and a central mounting slot on a top facing of the mounting rail, the attachment assembly comprising:
a T-pin having a foot end and an opposing upper end, said T-pin received through an aperture in a base plate associate with the fifth wheel hitch;
wherein the foot end includes an elongated base having a pair of opposing shoulder, said shoulders cooperating to be received within the mounting slot and sized so as to allow for rotation of the elongated base within an inner channel along an underside of the mounting rail;
wherein a pull pin is selectively received through the side connection aperture proximate to the mounting rail, said pull pin engaging the elongated base to prevent rotation of the T-pin; and
wherein the upper end includes a threaded portion to receive a fastener, said fastener being selectively coupled to the threaded portion so as to adjust a vertical positioning of the assembly.

7. The attachment assembly of claim 6 further comprising a handle assembly having a keyway aperture, said keyway aperture receiving the upper end of the T-pin.

8. The attachment assembly of claim 7 wherein the keyway aperture is integrated as a single piece with the fastener.

9. The attachment assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the handle includes a second aperture that receives a locking pin to prevent rotation of the handle when the locking pin is inserted in the second aperture.

10. The attachment assembly of claim 7 , wherein the keyway engages the upper end to selectively rotate the T-pin so as to secure the elongated based in the mounting rail.

Assignees

• Horizon Global Americas Inc

Inventors

• Scruggs Mark
• Nowack Curt
• Jolly Derek
• Mercier Gregoire

Classifications

• B60D1/52

  removably mounted · CPC title

• B62D53/0842

  King pins · CPC title

• B62D53/04

  comprising a vehicle carrying an essential part of the other vehicle's load by having supporting means for the front or rear part of the other vehicle · CPC title

• B62D53/10 Primary

  with means for preventing accidental uncoupling · CPC title

• B62D53/00

  Tractor-trailer combinations; Road trains (traction couplings other than fifth wheel coupling B60D {; tracked vehicles comprising at least two articulated parts B62D55/0655}) · CPC title