Ornamental cover for trailer hitch socket

An ornamental cover for adorning a vehicle, wherein the vehicle has a hitch socket including an opening configured to receive a tongue therein and a wall with a hole therethrough, the ornamental cover comprising:

• a decorative member, and
• a connector mechanism connected to the decorative member and configured to attach the decorative member to the hitch socket, such that the decorative member substantially conceals the opening when the decorative member is attached to the hitch socket,
• wherein the connector mechanism includes:
• a plate with a first surface and an insert connected to the plate and fittable into the opening of the hitch socket so that the plate's first surface faces away from the hitch socket when the insert is fitted into the opening of the hitch socket;
• an elongate ear extending from the insert and being insertable within the hitch socket, the ear having a bore therethrough configured to receive an external, removable fastener to affix the ear within the hitch socket;
• and
• an external, removable fastener extendable through the hole in the wall of the hitch socket and through the bore of the ear, so that the fastener may affix the ear within the hitch socket and against the wall when the insert is fitted into the opening of the hitch socket, and
• an internally threaded nutsert fitted within the bore, wherein the fastener may be threaded through the nutsert.

An ornamental cover for installation to a hitch socket of a vehicle, wherein the hitch socket has a width and projects horizontally from the vehicle and is configured with a rectangular opening for receipt of a tongue of an accessory therein, and also includes a wall with a hole therethrough, and the hitch socket has a width, the ornamental cover comprising:

• a plate with a first surface;
• a decorative element on the plate's first surface;
• an insert connected to the plate and fittable into the opening, wherein the insert is rectangular in shape and is dimensioned to fit within the opening;
• an elongate ear extending from the insert and being insertable into the hitch socket, the ear having a bore therethrough and an external, removable fastener removably received therein to affix the ear within the hitch socket when the ear is inserted into the hitch socket;
• and
• an external, removable fastener extendable through the hole in the wall of the hitch socket and through the bore of the ear, so that the fastener may affix the ear within the hitch socket and against the wall when the insert is fitted into the hitch socket, and
• an internally threaded nutsert fitted within the bore, wherein the fastener may be threaded through the nutsert.

A vehicle having an ornamental attachment comprising:

• a hitch socket defined by at least one wall, the socket including a hollow opening for receiving an accessory therein and a hole in at least one of the walls to receive a fastener, and the walls defining a width for the socket measured across the opening, wherein the opening of the hitch socket is oriented relative to the vehicle so that an accessory may be extended into and removed from the hitch socket along a horizontal axis;
• a bumper with an edge, the bumper attached to the vehicle so that the bumper is above the hitch socket and the edge faces away from the vehicle;
• and
• an ornamental cover including:
• a plate with a first surface;
• a decorative element on the first surface;
• an insert connected to the plate and fittable into the opening, wherein the insert is conformed to the opening;
• an elongate ear extending from the insert and being insertable into the hitch socket, the ear having a bore therethrough;
• and
• an external removable fastener extended through the hole in the wall of the hitch socket and through the bore of the ear to affix the ear within the socket and against one of the walls, and
• an internally threaded nutsert fitted within the bore, wherein the fastener may be threaded through the nutsert.