Towing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016159174-A1
Application number	US-201414561808-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 5, 2014
Priority date	Dec 5, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A device comprises an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve that is rotatably supported at least partly in an interior of the outer sleeve. A hollow axle is located in an interior of the inner sleeve, and a skewer is supported within an inner region of the hollow axle. The skewer is slidable along an axis of hollow axle. First and second slots are located on the hollow axle. A lever that is rotatable about the axis of the hollow axle includes a mechanism for causing the rod to slide along the axis to change respective widths of the slots.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A device, comprising:
an outer sleeve; a hollow axle that is rotatably supported within an interior of the outer sleeve, and forms an inner region; a skewer that is supported within the inner region of the hollow axle, and that is slidable along an axis of hollow axle; first and second slots that are located on the hollow axle; and a lever that is rotatable about the axis of the skewer and that includes a mechanism for causing the skewer to slide along the axis to change respective widths of the slots.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the mechanism is a helical thread.

3 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising an inner sleeve that is rotatably supported at least partly in an interior of the outer sleeve, wherein the hollow axle is fixably supported in an interior of the inner sleeve.

4 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one bearing disposed between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve.

5 . The device of claim 4 , further comprising a lock collar that holds the at least one bearing in place.

6 . The device of claim 5 , further comprising a spacer next to the lock collar, wherein a side of the spacer opposite a side of the spacer that is next to the lock collar defines a side of one of the slots.

7 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a support arm and a hitch connector arm, the outer sleeve being fixedly mounted to the support arm, and the support arm being mounted at an angle on the hitch connector.

8 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the hitch connector is coupled to a vehicle trailer hitch.

9 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the axis of the skewer is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of at least one of the support arm and the hitch connector.

10 . The device of claim 3 , wherein the inner sleeve is substantially cylindrical.

11 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the outer sleeve is substantially cylindrical.

12 . The device of claim 1 , wherein, at least at two locations on the hollow axle corresponding to the slot locations, the hollow axle is shaped to accommodate bicycle fork pieces.

13 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the lever includes an inner surface defining an opening, and the mechanism is a first helical thread on the inner surface.

14 . The device of claim 3 , wherein:
the skewer is a portion of a skewer assembly including an end cap; the end cap includes a second helical thread on an outer surface; and the end cap is inserted into the opening in the lever such that second helical thread engages the first helical thread.

15 . The device of claim 1 , wherein a first side of one of the slots is defined by a side of the lever.

16 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment cap; wherein the skewer further includes a threaded section on an end, and the adjustment cap is threadably engaged with the threads.

17 . The device of claim 16 , wherein a first side of one of the slots is defined by a side of the lever.

18 . A method, comprising:
attaching a towing device to a trailer hitch of a vehicle, the towing device including a clamp and a pair of slots, wherein the clamp is arranged to secure respective parts of a fork of an electric bicycle in each of the slots; towing the electric bicycle behind the vehicle, wherein frictional engagement of a wheel of the bicycle with a road surface causes the wheel to rotate; and using the rotation of the wheel to generate power with a motor of the electric bicycle.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising storing electricity generated by the motor in a battery of the electric bicycle.

20 . The method of claim 18 , the towing device further including a support arm and a hitch connector arm, the support arm being mounted at an angle on the hitch connector, wherein the clamp is rotatably supported on the support arm.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Anderson Ronald L

Classifications

• B60D1/58 Primary

  Auxiliary devices · CPC title

• B60D1/00

  Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices (fifth-wheel traction couplings B62D53/08) · CPC title

• B62K19/00

  Cycle frames · CPC title

• B60L2200/12

  Bikes · CPC title

• B60L2220/44

  Wheel Hub motors, i.e. integrated in the wheel hub · CPC title