Fifth wheel hitch isolation system
AssigneeHorizon Global Americas Inc.
InventorsRichard W. McCoy, Eric J. Stanifer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fifth wheel hitch may include at least one support frame capable of engaging with a towing vehicle. The fifth wheel hitch may further include a cross-member attached to the support frame and an isolation system operatively coupled with the cross-member. The isolation system may include a beam engaged with the cross-member about a first axis, where rotation of the beam about the first axis is dampened via a cross-member isolator. The isolation system may also include a skid plate engaged with the beam about a second axis, where rotation of the skid plate about the second axis is dampened via a wing isolator.
Claims11
A fifth wheel hitch comprising:
- a pair of support frames selectively attachable to load bed of a towing vehicle;
- a cross-member positioned between the pair of support frames;
- a beam rotationally secured with said cross-member;
- a skid plate rotationally secured to said beam, wherein said skid plate rotates about a transverse axis;
- and
- a dampener engaged with said beam, wherein said dampener dampens radial displacement of said skid plate along 360 degrees of said transverse axis while allowing free rotation of said skid plate about said transverse axis.
A fifth wheel hitch comprising:
- a pair of support frames selectively attachable to load bed of a towing vehicle;
- a pair of mounting brackets attached with the pair of support frames;
- a cross-member positioned between the pair of mounting brackets;
- a beam secured with said cross-member about a first axis;
- and
- a dampener secured to said beam about said first axis, wherein said dampener dampens longitudinal displacement of said beam generally along said first axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.