Methods and apparatus for a hitch including multiple pins coupled to an outboard frame
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsBryce Reinert, Kevin Stanton Giaier, Andrew Niedert, Carl Montgomery
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for a hitch including multiple pins coupled to an outboard frame are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein include a hitch including a first pin, a second pin parallel to the first pin, a third pin orthogonal to the first pin, and a fourth pin parallel to the third pin, wherein the first pin, the second pin, the third pin and the fourth pin are to couple the hitch to a frame of a vehicle. The example apparatus includes a load manager to determine a load condition based on sensor data from at least one of the first pin, the second pin, the third pin, or the fourth pin.
Claims18
An apparatus comprising:
- a load block;
- a first mounting ear extending from the load block;
- a second mounting ear extending from the load block;
- a pin support to be coupled to a vehicle frame;
- a first pin coupled to the pin support and the first mounting ear;
- and
- a second pin coupled to the pin support and the second mounting ear, the first pin orthogonal to the second pin.
A hitch comprising:
- a crossbar;
- a receiver tube;
- and
- a first pin housing assembly coupled to a first end of the crossbar, the first pin housing assembly including:
- a load block;
- a first mounting ear extending from the load block;
- a second mounting ear extending from the load block;
- a pin support to be coupled to a vehicle frame;
- a first pin coupled to the pin support and the first mounting ear;
- and
- a second pin coupled to the pin support and the second mounting ear.
A vehicle comprising:
- a vehicle frame;
- and
- a hitch coupled to the vehicle frame, the hitch including:
- a load block;
- a first mounting ear extending from the load block;
- a second mounting ear extending from the load block;
- a pin support to be coupled to the vehicle frame;
- a first pin coupled to the pin support and the first mounting ear;
- and
- a second pin coupled to the pin support and the second mounting ear, the first pin orthogonal to the second pin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.