Universal mounting bracket for an adaptable hitch cover

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9834052-B2
Application number	US-201313935042-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2013
Priority date	Jul 6, 2012
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

A hitch cover is shown and described. The hitch cover may include a base having first and second surfaces, the second surface having at least one engagement member attached thereto. The hitch cover may also include a mounting bracket selectively attached to the at least one engagement member of the base and extending from the second surface wherein the mounting bracket is configured to selectively engage a hitch receiver tube.

First claim

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed:

1. A hitch cover comprising:
a base having first and second surfaces, the second surface having at least one engagement member attached thereto;
a mounting bracket selectively attached to the at least one engagement member of the base and extending from the second surface wherein the mounting bracket is configured to selectively engage a hitch receiver tube, the mounting bracket includes first and second housing members selectively attached together, the first and second housing members include interlocking features, whereby the interlocking features are selectively engaged to attach the first and second housings together;
at least one biasing member attached to the mounting bracket wherein the biasing member is configured to engage a portion of the hitch receiver tube and is configured to apply a biasing force to the hitch receiver tube, wherein the biasing member is configured to generally dampen vibration between the hitch receiver tube and the mounting bracket; and
an aperture positioned in the mounting bracket and configured to accept a locking pin configured to lock the mounting bracket with the hitch receiver tube.

2. The hitch cover of claim 1 , wherein the interlocking features are either one of a tongue and a corresponding groove.

3. The hitch cover of claim 1 , wherein the at least one engagement member includes a plurality of hooks attached to the second surface of the base.

4. The hitch cover of claim 3 , wherein the hooks are monolithically formed with the second surface of the base.

5. The hitch cover of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member includes a flexible finger monolithically formed with the mounting bracket, wherein the flexible finger is configured to absorb vibrations.

6. The hitch cover of claim 1 , further comprising an adapter capable of selectively engaging and generally circumscribing at least a portion the mounting bracket, wherein the adapter is configured to selectively engage a second hitch receiver tube having a second size and the mounting bracket is configured to selectively engage the hitch receiver tube having a first size, wherein the second size of the second hitch receiver tube is greater than the first size of the first hitch receivertube.

7. The hitch cover of claim 6 , wherein the adapter includes at least one adapter biasing member, whereby the adapter biasing member is configured to engage a portion of the second hitch receiver tube generally dampening vibrations between the second hitch receiver tube and the adapter.

8. The hitch cover of claim 1 , wherein the first and second housing members form a continuous cross sectional perimeter once the interlocking features are selectively engaged.

9. The hitch cover of claim 8 , wherein the continuous cross sectional perimeter of the first and second housing members has a shape that is generally rectangular.

10. A hitch cover comprising:
a base;
a mounting bracket selectively attached to the base and extending therefrom, wherein the mounting bracket is configured to selectively engage a first hitch receiver tube having a first size;
an adapter capable of selectively engaging and generally circumscribing at least a portion of the mounting bracket, wherein the adapter is configured to selectively engage a second hitch receiver tube having a second size, the second size of the second hitch receiver tube being greater than the first size of the first hitch receiver tube; and
a first biasing member attached to the mounting bracket, wherein the first biasing member is configured to apply a biasing force to the adapter generally securing the adapter relative to the mounting bracket.

11. The hitch cover of claim 10 , wherein the mounting bracket includes first and second housing members selectively interlocked together.

12. The hitch cover of claim 11 , wherein the base includes first and second surfaces, the second surface having a plurality of engagement members selectively attachable to the mounting bracket.

13. The hitch cover of claim 10 , further comprising a second biasing member attached with the adapter, wherein the second biasing member is configured to apply a biasing force against the second hitch receiver tube and absorb vibrations from the second hitch receiver tube.

14. A hitch cover comprising:
a face plate having at least one engagement member;
a mounting bracket selectively engageable with the at least one engagement member of the face plate, wherein the mounting bracket is configured to selectively engage a hitch receiver tube having a first size;
an aperture positioned on the mounting bracket, the aperture configured to accept a locking pin configured to lock the mounting bracket with the hitch receiver tube; and
at least one biasing member attached to the mounting bracket, wherein the biasing member is configured to engage a portion of the hitch receiver tube, the at least one biasing member is configured to apply a biasing force to the hitch receiver tube, wherein the biasing member is configured to generally dampen vibration between the hitch receiver tube and the mounting bracket.

15. The hitch cover of claim 14 , wherein the at least one biasing member includes a flexible finger monolithically formed with the mounting bracket.

16. The hitch cover of claim 14 , further comprising an adapter selectively engageable with at least a portion of the mounting bracket, wherein the adapter is configured to selectively attach to a second hitch receiver tube having a second size, the second size being greater than the first size.

17. The hitch cover of claim 16 , wherein the at least one biasing member is configured to apply a biasing force to the adapter generally securing the adapter relative to the mounting bracket.

18. The hitch cover of claim 17 , further comprising a second biasing member attached with the adapter, wherein the second biasing member is configured to apply a biasing force against the second hitch receiver tube and absorb vibrations from the second hitch receiver tube.

19. The hitch cover of claim 14 , wherein the face plate and an adapter are disengaged from the mounting bracket when packaged.

Assignees

• Corless Gerald W
• Miller Steven Duane
• Rotenberg Gregory Y
• Horizon Global Americas Inc

Inventors

• Corless Gerald W
• Miller Steven Duane
• Rotenberg Gregory Y

Classifications

• B60D1/605 Primary

  Protection caps · CPC title

• B60D1/60 Primary

  Covers, caps or guards {, e.g. comprising anti-theft devices} · CPC title