Trailer hitch assembly for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9914332-B2
Application number	US-201615175138-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2016
Priority date	Jun 7, 2016
Publication date	Mar 13, 2018
Grant date	Mar 13, 2018

Abstract

A trailer hitch assembly for a vehicle includes a tubular beam, a trailer hitch, and a barrel nut. The tubular beam includes a first end sized for disposal within a first vehicle frame bracket, a second end sized for disposal within a second vehicle frame bracket, and a lowered portion therebetween. The tubular beam defines a through-hole at one of the ends. The trailer hitch is mounted to the lowered portion. The barrel nut extends through the through-hole, is secured to the tubular beam, and defines a cavity. The first vehicle frame bracket may define a first ring sized to receive the first end of the tubular beam. The second vehicle frame bracket may define a second ring sized to receive the second end of the tubular beam.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle trailer hitch assembly comprising:
a tubular beam including a first end for disposal within a first frame bracket, a second end for disposal within a second frame bracket, and a lowered portion therebetween for mounting a trailer hitch, and defining a through-hole at one of the ends located centrally between rings of one of the brackets; and
a barrel nut within the through-hole and secured to the tubular beam without contacting the rings.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first frame bracket defines a first ring sized to receive the first end of the tubular beam, and wherein the second frame bracket defines a second ring sized to receive the second end of the tubular beam.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the barrel nut is secured to the tubular beam via welding.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the first end of the tubular beam and the second end of the tubular beam is located adjacent a C-pillar regions defined by a vehicle frame of which the trailer hitch assembly is secured to.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tubular beam defines a substantially square profile.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the barrel nut defines a cavity is sized to receive a tow hook.

7. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a fascia mounted to the frame brackets to partially conceal the tubular beam and defining a cover hole in substantial registration with the through-hole; and
a cap sized for mounting to the fascia at the cover hole to prevent access to the barrel nut.

8. An assembly for a rear portion of a vehicle comprising:
frame rails supporting a vehicle frame;
a first frame bracket defining a first pair of rings and secured to one of the frame rails;
a second frame bracket defining a second pair of rings and secured to another of the frame rails;
a tubular beam spanning between and secured to the frame brackets via the rings, including a central lowered portion, and defining a beam through-hole located between one of the first pair of rings or the second pair of rings;
a C-shaped bracket defining an aperture in substantial registration with the beam through-hole and including a first member secured to an upper outer portion of the tubular beam and a second member secured to a lower outer portion one of the first frame bracket or the second frame bracket;
a trailer hitch secured to the central lowered portion; and
a cylindrical nut sized for disposal within the beam through-hole and the aperture and defining a cavity sized to receive a vehicle component.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the tubular beam defines a shape extending downward at an angle from a first end to the central lower portion and extending downward at an angle from a second end to the central lower portion such that the central lower portion is offset from the first end and the second end.

10. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the tubular beam defines a substantially square profile.

11. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein each of the first pair of rings and the second pair of rings are located adjacent one of two C-pillar regions of the vehicle frame.

12. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the cavity is sized to receive a tow hook.

13. The assembly of claim 8 further comprising:
a fascia mounted to the vehicle frame to at least partially conceal the tubular beam and defining an aperture in substantial registration with the beam through-hole and the aperture; and
a cap sized for mounting to the fascia and covering the aperture to prevent access to the cylindrical nut.

14. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle frame including C-pillar regions and a pair of frame rails; and
a trailer hitch assembly comprising
a tubular beam including a first end located adjacent one of the C-pillar regions, a second end adjacent another of the C-pillar regions, and a central portion between the first end and the second end, and the tubular beam defining a beam through-hole at one of the ends,
a pair of frame brackets, each secured to one of the frame rails and each defining a ring portion sized to receive one of the tubular beam ends,
a C-shaped bracket defining an aperture in substantial registration with the beam through-hole and including a first member secured to an upper outer portion of the tubular beam and a second member secured to a lower outer portion of one of the pair of frame brackets; and
a nut sized for disposal within the beam through-hole and defining a cavity to receive a vehicle component therein.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 further comprising a trailer hitch secured to the central portion of the tubular beam.

16. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein a central axis defined by the nut is parallel with a longitudinal axis defined by one of the pair of frame rails.

17. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein an inner surface of the cavity of the nut is threaded to receive the vehicle component.

18. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the central portion of the tubular beam is offset and lower than the first and second ends of the tubular beam relative to an underlying surface.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Jordan Marcus

Classifications

• B60D1/04

  Hook or hook-and-hasp couplings · CPC title

• B60D1/52 Primary

  removably mounted · CPC title

• B60D1/56

  securing to the vehicle bumper · CPC title

• B60D1/485 Primary

  mounted by means of transversal members attached to the frame of a vehicle · CPC title

• B60D1/565

  having an eyelet · CPC title