Trailer coupling

A trailer coupling for a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a coupling ball;
• a ball neck, one end region thereof being angled and bearing the coupling ball, and the other end region thereof being connected to a bearing element;
• and
• a pivot bearing adapted to be mounted stationary with respect to the vehicle and pivotally mounting the bearing element;
• wherein:
• said pivot bearing has a pivot axis that is adapted to be aligned at an angle to a vertical longitudinal plane parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle;
• said ball neck is pivotable with the coupling ball about the pivot axis from an operative position, in which the ball neck is adapted to extend essentially in the vertical longitudinal plane, into a rest position, in which the ball neck is adapted to extend approximately transversely to the vertical longitudinal plane, and vice versa;
• the coupling ball in the rest position is arranged at a distance from a road surface equal to or smaller than a distance of the angled end region from the road surface;
• and
• a lowest point of the ball neck or coupling ball in the rest position is at least at the level above a road surface of a lowest point of the ball neck in the operative position.

A trailer coupling for a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a coupling ball;
• a ball neck, one end region thereof being angled and bearing the coupling ball, and the other end region thereof being connected to a bearing element;
• and
• a pivot bearing adapted to be mounted stationary with respect to the vehicle and pivotally mounting the bearing element;
• wherein:
• said pivot bearing has a pivot axis that is adapted to be aligned at an angle to a vertical longitudinal plane parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle;
• said ball neck is pivotable with the coupling ball about the pivot axis from an operative position, in which the ball neck is adapted to extend essentially in the vertical longitudinal plane, into a rest position, in which the ball neck is adapted to extend approximately transversely to the vertical longitudinal plane, and vice versa;
• and
• the ball neck and the coupling ball in the rest position are located on a side remote from a road surface of a horizontal plane defined by a lower edge of the pivot bearing.

A trailer coupling for a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a coupling ball;
• a ball neck, one end region thereof being angled and bearing the coupling ball, and the other end region thereof being connected to a bearing element;
• and
• a pivot bearing adapted to be mounted stationary with respect to the vehicle and pivotally mounting the bearing element;
• wherein:
• said pivot bearing has a pivot axis that is adapted to be aligned at an angle to a vertical longitudinal plane parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle;
• said ball neck is pivotable with the coupling ball about the pivot axis from an operative position, in which the ball neck is adapted to extend essentially in the vertical longitudinal plane, into a rest position, in which the ball neck is adapted to extend approximately transversely to the vertical longitudinal plane, and vice versa;
• the projection of the pivot axis onto said vertical longitudinal plane parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is inclined at an angle (.beta.) in relation to the horizontal, said angle being in an angular range of approximately 0.degree. to approximately 60.degree.;
• and
• a lowest point of the ball neck and the coupling ball in the rest position is at least the level above a road surface of a lowest point of the ball neck in the operative position.