Stabilizer system for an off-road trailer
OwnerJon L. Whippleinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A stabilization system for an off-road trailer may include a hitch ball assembly, a tower assembly, and a stabilizer arm assembly. The tower assembly may include a pivot mechanism that allows the stabilizer arm assembly to pivot about a pivot axis relative to the hitch ball assembly. The stabilizer arm assembly may include one or more arms extending between the pivot axis and the off-road trailer and one or more piston damping assemblies extending between the arms and the off-road trailer. The piston damping assemblies may be configured to exert forces on the off-road trailer in response to the off-road trailer moving with respect to a towing vehicle to reduce further motion of the off-road trailer with respect to the towing vehicle.
Claims20
A stabilization system for use with an off-road vehicle, the stabilization system comprising:
- a hitch ball assembly comprising:
- a tow beam having a first end configured to attach to a trailer hitch receiver of a towing vehicle and a second end opposite the first end, the tow beam defining a central axis;
- and
- a hitch ball coupled to the second end of the tow beam;
- a tower assembly coupled to the hitch ball assembly and comprising:
- a riser beam extending upward from the tow beam;
- and
- a pivot mechanism configured to rotate about a pivot axis that is transverse to the central axis of the tow beam;
- and
- a stabilizer arm assembly coupled to the pivot mechanism and configured to rotate about the pivot axis, the stabilizer arm assembly comprising:
- a first arm extending toward a trailer at a first angle with respect to the central axis of the tow beam;
- a second arm extending toward the trailer at a second angle with respect to the central axis of the tow beam;
- a first piston damping assembly extending from the first arm to the trailer;
- and
- a second piston damping assembly extending from the second arm to the trailer.
A trailer system for towing behind an off-road vehicle, comprising:
- a trailer comprising:
- a trailer frame;
- a trailer body coupled to the trailer frame;
- a wheel assembly coupled to the trailer frame;
- a tongue coupled to the trailer frame and comprising:
- a first tongue section extending from the trailer frame;
- a second tongue section extending from the trailer frame;
- and
- a trailer coupler assembly attached to the first and second tongue sections;
- and
- a stabilizer system coupled to the trailer and comprising:
- a hitch ball assembly comprising:
- a tow structure configured to attach to a trailer hitch receiver of a towing vehicle;
- and
- a towing hitch coupler assembly coupled to the trailer coupler assembly of the trailer;
- a tower assembly coupled to the hitch ball assembly and comprising:
- a riser structure extending upward from the tow structure;
- and
- a pivot mechanism configured to rotate about a pivot axis;
- and
- a stabilizer arm assembly coupled to the pivot mechanism and configured to rotate about the pivot axis, the stabilizer arm assembly comprising:
- a first arm extending toward the trailer;
- a second arm extending toward the trailer;
- a first piston damping assembly extending from the first arm to the first tongue section of the trailer;
- and
- a second piston damping assembly extending from the second arm to the second tongue section of the trailer.
A stabilization system for use with an off-road trailer, the stabilization system comprising:
- a riser beam extending from a hitch ball assembly, the hitch ball assembly configured to couple the off-road trailer to a towing vehicle;
- an arm structure pivotally coupled to the riser beam and configured to rotate about a pivot axis that is perpendicular to a central axis of a tow beam, the arm structure defining:
- a first arm extending toward the off-road trailer at a first angle with respect to the central axis of the tow beam;
- and
- a second arm extending toward the off-road trailer at a second angle with respect to the central axis of the tow beam;
- a first piston damping assembly extending from the first arm to the off-road trailer;
- and
- a second piston damping assembly extending from the second arm to the off-road trailer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.