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US 12,409,689 B2Granted
Trailer jack and transport systems employing a spherical load-bearing transport ball, and sport, recreational and utility trailer systems and methods employing the same
AssigneeOrbitjack LLC
InventorsMark Christopher Schmidt, Edward Joel Rodriguez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A trailer jack and transport system providing improved rolling and steerable motion to sport, recreational and utility trailers, when operating on diverse kinds of ground surfaces, including pavement, dirt, sand, and mud, without use of caster-style wheels. The trailer jack and transport system employs a spherical load-bearing transport ball supported within a frame assembly and configured to allow the spherical wheel to freely rotate in any orientation, on ground surfaces of a diverse nature during system operation.
Claims43
A trailer transport system for mounting to a trailer that can be coupled to a motor-driven vehicle, said trailer transport system comprising:
- a semispherical framework having an interior volume contained by the boundaries of the semispherical framework;
- a set of bearing surfaces provided within the interior volume of said semispherical framework;
- a load-bearing transport ball installed within the interior volume of said semispherical framework, and supported by the bearing surfaces provided therein, and allowing said load-bearing transport ball to rotate freely within said semispherical framework, as defined by the bearing surfaces;
- and
- a support mechanism for supporting said semispherical framework in a transport configuration during transport operations, and also in a storage configuration during storage operations;
- wherein said load-bearing transport ball is able to roll freely in all directions within said semispherical framework when said load-bearing transport ball contacts the ground surface and enables rollable transport of the trailer;
- wherein the bearing surfaces comprise a set of ball-bearing pads mounted within the interior volume of said semispherical framework;
- and
- wherein each said ball-bearing pad comprises a plurality of spring-biased ball bearings that are mounted on a mounting plate having a surface curvature that approximates a portion of a spherical object.
6 more elements
A trailer transport system for mounting to a trailer that can be coupled to a motor-driven vehicle, said trailer transport system comprising:
- a semispherical framework having an interior volume contained by the boundaries of the semispherical framework;
- a set of bearing surfaces provided within the interior volume of the semispherical framework;
- a load-bearing transport ball installed within the interior volume of the semispherical framework, and supported by the bearing surfaces provided therein, and allowing said load-bearing transport ball to rotate freely within said semispherical framework, as defined by the bearing surfaces;
- and
- a support mechanism for supporting said semispherical framework in a transport configuration during transport operations, and also in a storage configuration during storage operations;
- wherein the load-bearing transport ball is free to roll freely in all directions within said semispherical framework when said load-bearing transport ball contacts the ground surface and enables rollable transport of the trailer;
- and
- wherein the bearing surfaces comprise a plurality of spring-biased ball bearings that are mounted between a set of mounting plates having a surface curvature that approximates a portion of a spherical object.
5 more elements
A trailer transport system for mounting to a trailer that can be coupled to a motor-driven vehicle, said trailer transport system comprising:
- a semispherical framework having an interior volume contained by the boundaries of the semispherical framework;
- a set of bearing surfaces provided within the interior volume of said semispherical framework;
- a load-bearing transport ball installed within the interior volume of said semispherical framework, and supported by the bearing surfaces provided therein, and allowing said load-bearing transport ball to rotate freely within said semispherical framework, as defined by the bearing surfaces;
- and
- a support mechanism for supporting said semispherical framework in a transport configuration during transport operations, and also in a storage configuration during storage operations;
- wherein said load-bearing transport ball is free to roll freely in all directions within said semispherical framework when said load-bearing transport ball contacts the ground surface and enables rollable transport of the trailer;
- and
- wherein a brushing mechanism is mounted about the bearing pads said bearing surfaces for brushing loose debris from the surfaces of said load-bearing transport ball while rotating and supported on the bearing surfaces provided within the interior volume of said semispherical framework.
5 more elements
A trailer transport system for mounting to a trailer that can be coupled to a motor-driven vehicle, said trailer transport system comprising:
- a semispherical framework having an interior volume contained by the boundaries of said semispherical framework;
- a set of bearing surfaces provided within the interior volume of said semispherical framework;
- a load-bearing transport ball installed within the interior volume of said semispherical framework, and supported by the bearing surfaces provided therein, and allowing said load-bearing transport ball to rotate freely within said semispherical framework, as defined by the bearing surfaces;
- and
- a support mechanism for supporting said semispherical framework in a transport configuration during transport operations, and also in a storage configuration during storage operations;
- wherein said load-bearing transport ball is free to roll freely in all directions within said semispherical framework when said load-bearing transport ball contacts the ground surface and enables rollable transport of the trailer;
- and
- wherein said load-bearing transport ball comprises a rigid spherical structure capable of withstanding a predetermined weight-bearing load, and coated with a surface texture providing a threading surface for channeling water and preventing slippage and sliding while rolling on the ground surface.
5 more elements
A trailer transport system for mounting to a trailer that can be coupled to a motor-driven vehicle, said trailer transport system comprising:
- a semispherical framework having an interior volume contained by the boundaries of said semispherical framework;
- a set of bearing surfaces provided within the interior volume of said semispherical framework;
- a load-bearing transport ball installed within the interior volume of said semispherical framework, and supported by the bearing surfaces provided therein, and allowing said load-bearing transport ball to rotate freely within said semispherical framework, as defined by the bearing surfaces;
- and
- a support mechanism for supporting said semispherical framework in a transport configuration during transport operations, and also in a storage configuration during storage operations;
- wherein the load-bearing transport ball is enabled to roll freely in all directions within said semispherical framework when said load-bearing transport ball contacts the ground surface and enables rollable transport of said trailer;
- and
- wherein said jack assembly mounting mechanism comprises an angulated joint that allows an elongated jacking post member to rotate away from said trailer when rotated towards a storage configuration, wherein the load-bearing transport ball, supported within said semispherical framework, is allowed to store be stored alongside said trailer.
5 more elements
A trailer transport system for mounting to a trailer that can be coupled to a motor-driven vehicle, said trailer transport system comprising:
- a semispherical framework having an interior volume contained by the boundaries of said semispherical framework;
- a set of bearing surfaces provided within the interior volume of said semispherical framework;
- a load-bearing transport ball installed within the interior volume of said semispherical framework, and supported by the bearing surfaces provided therein, and allowing said load-bearing transport ball to rotate freely within said semispherical framework, as defined by the bearing surfaces;
- and
- a support mechanism for supporting said semispherical framework in a transport configuration during transport operations, and also in a storage configuration during storage operations;
- wherein said load-bearing transport ball is free to roll freely in all directions within said semispherical framework when said load-bearing transport ball contacts the ground surface and enables rollable transport of said trailer;
- wherein a set of electrically-powered motors are mounted relative to said semispherical framework to engage the exterior surface of said load-bearing transport ball, to drive and cause said load-bearing transport ball to rotate in a direction or pathway on the ground surface controlled by a user, to enable the automated transport of said trailer.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.