Hitches and connections for automated guided vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11623482-B2
Application number	US-202217814810-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 25, 2022
Priority date	Jun 18, 2019
Publication date	Apr 11, 2023
Grant date	Apr 11, 2023

Abstract

This disclosure relates to systems and methods of towing, hitching, and connecting devices. In particular, this disclosure relates to tow devices, hitches, and connections for towing item containers behind vehicles, both autonomous and manually guided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tow hitch configured to releasably couple to a wire container, the tow hitch comprising:
a main body, the main body having a front face, a top portion, and a bottom portion;
a hitch receiver disposed on the front face;
at least one top flange disposed on the top portion of the main body;
at least one secondary flange disposed on the top portion of the main body proximate the at least one top flange; and
at least one bottom flange disposed on the bottom portion of the main body opposite the at least one top flange.

2. The tow hitch of claim 1 , wherein the tow hitch comprises at least one support structure, wherein the at least one support structure is coupled to the front face of the main body and the hitch receiver, and wherein the at least one support structure extends in a transverse direction from a longitudinal direction of the hitch receiver.

3. The tow hitch of claim 1 , wherein the hitch receiver comprises an aperture extending a length of the hitch receiver.

4. The tow hitch of claim 3 , wherein a portion of a perimeter of the aperture is defined by the front face of the main body.

5. The tow hitch of claim 1 , wherein the at least one top flange comprises a first vertical portion, a horizontal portion, and a second vertical portion, wherein the first vertical portion is coplanar with the front face of the main body, the horizontal portion is oriented perpendicularly relative to the first vertical portion, and the second vertical portion is oriented perpendicularly relative to the horizontal portion such that the second vertical portion is oriented parallel to and offset from the first vertical portion.

6. The tow hitch of claim 1 , wherein the at least one top flange is a first top flange and further comprising a second top flange.

7. The tow hitch of claim 6 , wherein the first top flange and the second top flange are horizontally spaced apart such that the first top flange and the second top flange are configured to fit in spaces between adjacent vertical wires of a wire container.

8. The tow hitch of claim 1 , wherein the at least one bottom flange comprises a horizontal portion and a vertical portion, wherein the horizontal portion extends perpendicularly from the bottom portion of the main body and the vertical portion extends perpendicularly from the horizontal portion.

9. The tow hitch of claim 1 , wherein the at least one bottom flange is a first bottom flange and further comprising a second bottom flange.

10. The tow hitch of claim 1 , wherein the at least one secondary flange comprises a single flange that extends away at an angle from the front face of the main body.

11. The tow hitch of claim 1 , wherein the at least one secondary flange is configured to secure the tow hitch to a wire container with a snap fit, and wherein the at least one secondary flange is configured to snap under a third horizontal wire of the wire container when a force is applied to the tow hitch, resulting in a first horizontal wire applying a first force against the at least one top flange and the third horizontal wire applying a second force against the at least one secondary flange.

12. A tow device configured to couple to a wire container, the tow device comprising:
a top portion and a bottom portion;
a front face;
a hitch receiver disposed on the front face;
a first top flange and a second top flange disposed on the top portion, the first top flange and the second top flange configured to hook over a first horizontal wire of the wire container;
a first secondary flange and a second secondary flange, the first secondary flange disposed proximate the first top flange and the second secondary flange disposed proximate the second top flange, wherein the first secondary flange and the second secondary flange are configured to be disposed under a second horizontal wire of the wire container such that the first horizontal wire and the second horizontal wire are disposed between both the first top flange and the first secondary flange and the second top flange and the second secondary flange; and
a first bottom flange and a second bottom flange disposed on the bottom portion opposite the first top flange and the second top flange, the first bottom flange and the second bottom flange configured to hook around a third horizontal wire of the wire container.

13. The tow device of claim 12 , further comprising a support flange disposed on the front face and coupled to the hitch receiver.

14. The tow device of claim 12 , wherein the hitch receiver comprises an aperture, the aperture at least partially defined by the front face.

15. The tow device of claim 12 , wherein each of the first top flange and the second top flange comprise a first vertical portion, a horizontal portion, and a second vertical portion, wherein the first vertical portion is coplanar with the front face, the horizontal portion is oriented perpendicularly relative to the first vertical portion, and the second vertical portion is oriented perpendicularly relative to the horizontal portion such that the second vertical portion is oriented parallel to and offset from the first vertical portion.

16. The tow device of claim 12 , wherein each of the first bottom flange and the second bottom flange comprise a horizontal portion and a vertical portion, wherein the horizontal portion extends perpendicularly from the bottom portion and the vertical portion extends perpendicularly downward from the horizontal portion.

17. A tow device configured to couple to a wire container, the tow device comprising:
a top portion and a bottom portion;
a front face;
a hitch receiver disposed on the front face;
a first top flange and a second top flange disposed on the top portion, each of the first top flange and the second top flange comprise a first vertical portion, a horizontal portion, and a second vertical portion, wherein the first vertical portion is coplanar with the front face, the horizontal portion is oriented perpendicularly relative to the first vertical portion, and the second vertical portion is oriented perpendicularly relative to the horizontal portion such that the second vertical portion is oriented parallel to and offset from the first vertical portion;
a first secondary flange and a second secondary flange, the first secondary flange disposed proximate the first top flange and the second secondary flange disposed proximate the second top flange, wherein each of the first secondary flange and the second secondary flange comprise a horizontal portion and a vertical portion, the horizontal portion extending perpendicularly from the bottom portion and the vertical portion extending perpendicularly downward from the horizontal portion; and
a first bottom flange and a second bottom flange disposed on the bottom portion opposite the first top flange and the second top flange, each of the first bottom flange and the second bottom flange comprising a horizontal portion and a vertical portion, the horizontal portion extending perpendicularly from the bottom portion and the vertical portion extending perpendicularly downward from the horizontal portion.

18. The tow device of claim 17 , wherein each of the first secondary flange and the second secondary flange extend away from the front face at an angle.

19. The tow device of claim 17 , further comprising support flanges disposed on the front face and coupled to the hitch receiver.

20. The tow device of claim 17 , wherein the front face is flat.

Assignees

• United States Postal Service

Inventors

• Shiu Leung Man
• Houston Edward F
• Taylor Anthony B
• Nguyen Tuyen Thanh
• Bombaugh Scott R

Classifications

• B60D1/481 Primary

  adapted for being mounted to the front and back of trailers, carts, trolleys or the like to form a train · CPC title

• B60D1/14 Primary

  Draw-gear or towing devices characterised by their type · CPC title

• B60D1/52 Primary

  removably mounted · CPC title

• B60D2001/005

  for carts, scooters or the like · CPC title

• B62D63/08

  Component parts or accessories · CPC title