Ball mount for measuring tongue weight of a trailer
AssigneeWeigh Safe, LLC
InventorKevin McAllister
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ball mount for measuring tongue weight of a trailer is disclosed. The ball mount can include a ball portion having a hitch ball configured to couple with a tongue of a trailer. The ball mount can also include a hitch portion for interfacing with a hitch receiver associated with a vehicle. In addition, the ball mount can include a load measurement device associated with the ball portion to determine a magnitude of a downward force on the hitch ball. The load measurement device can include a reservoir having a fluid and a piston disposed therein, and a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the reservoir. The hitch ball can be configured to exert a force on the piston, thereby affecting a pressure of the fluid in response to the downward force on the hitch ball.
Claims24
A ball mount for measuring tongue weight of a trailer, comprising:
- a ball portion having a hitch ball configured to couple with a tongue of a trailer;
- a hitch portion for interfacing with a hitch receiver associated with a vehicle;
- and
- a load measurement device associated with the ball portion to determine a magnitude of a downward force on the hitch ball, the load measurement device including a reservoir having a fluid and a piston disposed therein, and a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the reservoir,
- wherein the hitch ball is configured to exert a force on the piston, thereby affecting a pressure of the fluid in response to the downward force on the hitch ball.
A trailer tongue weight measuring portion of a ball mount, comprising:
- a hitch ball configured to couple with a tongue of a trailer;
- and
- a load measurement device operable with the hitch ball to determine a magnitude of a downward force on the hitch ball, the load measurement device including a reservoir having a fluid and a piston disposed therein, and a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the reservoir,
- wherein the hitch ball is configured to exert a force on the piston, thereby affecting a pressure of the fluid in response to the downward force on the hitch ball.
A method of measuring tongue weight of a trailer, comprising:
- obtaining a hitch receiver associated with a vehicle;
- obtaining a trailer having a tongue for coupling the trailer to the vehicle;
- obtaining a ball mount having
- a ball portion having a hitch ball configured to couple with the tongue of the trailer,
- a hitch portion for interfacing with the hitch receiver, and
- a load measurement device associated with the ball portion to determine a magnitude of a downward force on the hitch ball, the load measurement device including a reservoir having a fluid and a piston disposed therein, and a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the reservoir,
- wherein the hitch ball is configured to exert a force on the piston, thereby affecting a pressure of the fluid in response to the downward force on the hitch ball;
- engaging the tongue of the trailer with the hitch ball;
- and
- observing the magnitude of the downward force on a display.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.