Hitch ball mount

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9327564-B2
Application number	US-201113024366-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2011
Priority date	Feb 10, 2010
Publication date	May 3, 2016
Grant date	May 3, 2016

Abstract

A hitch device for a trailer mount is provided. The hitch device includes a mounting portion, a receiver sleeve receiving the mounting portion, wherein the receiver sleeve includes a cross-section having a quadrilateral shape. In one aspect, the mounting portion includes a plurality of walls, wherein each of the walls projects towards internal corners of the receiver sleeve. In another aspect, the walls includes a concave portion and a convex portion. In yet another aspect, a center distance between each of first center portions of a first pair of opposing walls is less than an edge distance between each of two first edge portions, and a second center distance between each of second center portions of a second pair of opposing walls is less than a second edge distance between each of two second edge portions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A trailer hitch mount for connection to a receiver attached to a vehicle, the receiver includes a tubular portion formed from a first tube having a rectangular cross-section with a first internal size, the trailer hitch mount including:
a tongue portion having a planar surface with an opening for mounting a hitch ball; and
a mounting portion fixed to the tongue portion and extending in a direction essentially parallel to the planar surface of the tongue portion, the mounting portion adapted to be received in the tubular portion of the receiver and wherein the mounting portion includes a tubular portion formed from a second tube having a cross-section with a second external size smaller than the first internal size, with the cross-section shaped as undulated lobes without the presence of non-arcuate segments so as to be smoothly arcuate through-out the cross-section, and having edge portions with rounded surfaces adapted to engage respective corner regions of the tubular portion of the receiver and a portion intermediate adjacent edge portions adapted to be spaced from walls of the tubular portion of the receiver.

2. The trailer hitch mount of claim 1 wherein the edge portions extend the entire length of the mounting portion.

3. The trailer hitch mount of claim 1 wherein the intermediate portion is defined by a curved surface extending the length of the mounting portion.

4. The trailer hitch mount of claim 1 wherein the receiver sleeve includes a hole and the mounting portion includes an opening, further wherein an attachment structure is configured to pass through the hole and the opening to attach the receiver sleeve to the mounting portion.

5. The trailer hitch mount of claim 1 wherein the mounting portion includes four edge portions.

6. The trailer hitch mount of claim 1 wherein the mounting portion includes four intermediate portions.

7. The trailer hitch mount of claim 1 wherein the tubular portion of the mounting portion has a cloverleaf shaped cross-section.

Assignees

• Breeden Winston
• Brej Thaddeus T
• Winston Products Llc

Inventors

• Breeden Winston
• Brej Thaddeus T

Classifications

• B60D1/155

  comprising telescopic or foldable parts · CPC title

• B60D1/06 Primary

  Ball-and-socket hitches · CPC title

• B60D1/52

  removably mounted · CPC title