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US 6,883,822 B1Granted
Interchangeable ball hitch assembly
OwnerJerry R. Smithinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hitch ball assembly includes a mounting element secured to a vehicle and having an upright post with a cylindrical end portion provided with a key structure and a hitch ball that is keyed to be mated on that end portion in one rotational state. The hitch ball may be rotated to a second rotational state wherein the key structure is trapped in a cavity in the ball. A latch notch is provided in either the ball or the post, and a latch element in provided the other of them. The latch element can move between a latch position to prevent rotation of the ball thereby to maintain engagement and an unlatch position to permit rotation and thereby separation of the ball from the post. A spring clip may be used to hold the latch element in the latch position.
Claims32
A hitch ball assembly for towing a trailer comprising:
- (A) a mounting element adapted to be secured to a vehicle, said mounting element including an upright post having a cylindrical free end portion with a selected diameter and extending along a longitudinal axis, said free end portion having a key structure disposed thereon of a selected size and shape;
- (B) a hitch ball element having
- (1) a passageway extending along a rotational axis with an entryway that is keyed to the size and shape of said key structure such that in a first rotational orientation, said free end portion may be inserted into the passageway of said hitch ball element to define a mated state and removed from the passageway, and
- (2) an internal cavity communicating with the passageway and configured to permit relative rotation of said hitch ball element on said free end portion when in the mated state between the first rotational orientation and a second rotational orientation wherein said key structure is trapped in the cavity such that said hitch ball element and said free end portion cannot be disengaged from one another;
- (C) a latch notch located on one of said hitch ball element and said mounting element;
- and
- (D) a latch element disposed on another of said hitch ball element and said mounting element and movable between a latch position and an unlatch position such that, when said hitch ball element and said free end portion are in the mated state with said hitch ball element in the second rotational orientation, said latch element can be moved
- (1) into the latch position so as to engage the notch and thereby prevent said hitch ball element from moving from the second rotational orientation to the first rotational orientation, and
- (2) into the unlatch position permitting rotation of said hitch ball element from the second rotational orientation to the first rotational orientation.
6 more elements
A hitch ball assembly for towing a trailer comprising:
- (A) a mounting element adapted to be secured to a vehicle, said mounting element including an upright post having a cylindrical free end portion with a selected diameter and extending along a longitudinal axis, said free end portion including a pair of ears projecting radially outwardly therefrom and oppositely one another to define an ear diameter;
- (B) a hitch ball element having
- (1) a passageway extending along a rotational axis with an entryway having a circular central opening that is sized to receive the free end portion of said post and having a pair of longitudinally extending channels that are sized to receive said ears for passage therethrough, such that in a first rotational orientation, said free end portion may be inserted into the passageway of said hitch ball element to define a mated state and removed from the passageway, and
- (2) an internal cavity communicating with the passageway and having a cavity diameter that is greater than the ear diameter such that the cavity is configured to permit relative rotation of said hitch ball element on said free end portion when in the mated state between the first rotational orientation and a second rotational orientation wherein said ears are trapped in the cavity such that said hitch ball element and said free end portion cannot be disengaged from one another;
- (C) a latch notch located on one of said hitch ball element and said mounting element;
- and
- (D) a latch element disposed on another of said hitch ball element and said mounting element and movable between a latch position and an unlatch position such that, when said hitch ball element and said free end portion are in the mated state with said hitch ball element in the second rotational orientation, said latch element can be moved
- (1) into the latch position so as to engage the notch and thereby prevent said hitch ball element from moving from the second rotational orientation to the first rotational orientation, and
- (2) into the unlatch position permitting rotation of said hitch ball element from the second rotational orientation to the first rotational orientation.
6 more elements
In a tow hitch adapted for towing a trailer, the improvement comprising a hitch ball assembly including:
- (A) an upright post having a cylindrical free end portion with a selected diameter and extending along a longitudinal axis, said free end portion having a key structure disposed thereon of a selected size and shape;
- (B) a hitch ball element having
- (1) a passageway extending along a rotational axis with an entryway that is keyed to the size and shape of said key structure such that in a first rotational orientation, said free end portion may be inserted into the passageway of said hitch ball element to define a mated state and removed from the passageway, and
- (2) an internal cavity communicating with the passageway and configured to permit relative rotation of said hitch ball element on said free end portion when in the mated state between the first rotational orientation and a second rotational orientation wherein said key structure is trapped in the cavity such that said hitch ball element and said free end portion cannot be disengaged from one another;
- (C) a latch notch located on one of said hitch ball element and said upright post;
- and
- (D) a latch element disposed on another of said hitch ball element and said upright post and movable between a latch position and an unlatch position such that, when said hitch ball element and said free end portion are in the mated state with said hitch ball element in the second rotational orientation, said latch element can be moved
- (1) into the latch position so as to engage the notch and thereby prevent said hitch ball element from moving from the second rotational orientation to the first rotational orientation, and
- (2) into the unlatch position permitting rotation of said hitch ball element from the second rotational orientation to the first rotational orientation.
6 more elements
In a tow hitch adapted for towing a trailer, the improvement comprising an interchangeable hitch ball assembly including:
- (A) an upright post having a cylindrical free end portion with a selected diameter and extending along a longitudinal axis, said free end portion having a key structure disposed thereon of a selected size and shape, and a latch notch located on said post, and;
- (B) at least two hitch ball elements of different sizes, each said hitch ball element having
- (1) a passageway extending along a rotational axis with an entryway that is keyed to the size and shape of said key structure such that in a first rotational orientation, said free end portion may be inserted into the passageway to define a mated state and removed from the passageway,
- (2) an internal cavity communicating with the passageway and configured to permit relative rotation of said hitch ball element on said free end portion when in the mated state between the first rotational orientation and a second rotational orientation wherein said key structure is trapped in the cavity such that said hitch ball element and said free end portion cannot be disengaged from one another, and
- (3) a latch element movable between a latch position and an unlatch position such that, when said hitch ball element and said free end portion are in the mated state with said hitch ball element in the second rotational orientation, said latch element can be moved
- (a) into the latch position so as to engage the notch and thereby prevent said hitch ball element from moving from the second rotational orientation to the first rotational orientation, and
- (b) into the unlatch position permitting rotation of said hitch ball element from the second rotational orientation to the first rotational orientation.
4 more elements
In a tow hitch adapted for towing a trailer, the improvement comprising an interchangeable hitch ball assembly including:
- (A) an upright post having a cylindrical free end portion with a selected diameter and extending along a longitudinal axis, said free end portion having a key structure disposed thereon of a selected size and shape;
- (B) at least two hitch ball elements of different sizes, each said hitch ball element having
- (1) a passageway extending along a rotational axis with an entryway that is keyed to the size and shape of said key structure such that in a first rotational orientation, said free end portion may be inserted into the passageway to define a mated state and removed from the passageway, and
- (2) an internal cavity communicating with the passageway and configured to permit relative rotation of said hitch ball element on said free end portion when in the mated state between the first rotational orientation and a second rotational orientation wherein said key structure is trapped in the cavity such that said hitch ball element and said free end portion cannot be disengaged from one another;
- (3) a latch notch disposed therein;
- and
- (C) a latch element disposed on said upright post and movable between a latch position and an unlatch position such that, when a respective said hitch ball element and said free end portion are in the mated state with the respective said hitch ball element in the second rotational orientation, said latch element can be moved
- (1) into the latch position so as to engage the notch and thereby prevent the respective said hitch ball element from moving from the second rotational orientation to the first rotational orientation, and
- (2) into the unlatch position permitting rotation of the respective said hitch ball element from the second rotational orientation to the first rotational orientation.
6 more elements
An interchangeable hitch ball assembly for towing a trailer comprising:
- (A) a mounting element adapted to be secured to a vehicle, said mounting element including an upright post having a cylindrical free end portion with a selected diameter and extending along a longitudinal axis, said free end portion having a key structure disposed thereon of a selected size and shape;
- (B) at least two hitch ball elements of differing sizes and each having
- (1) a passageway extending along a rotational axis with an entryway that is keyed to the size and shape of said key structure such that in a first rotational orientation, said free end portion may be inserted into the passageway of said hitch ball element to define a mated state and removed from the passageway, and
- (2) an internal cavity communicating with the passageway and configured to permit relative rotation of said hitch ball element on said free end portion when in the mated state between the first rotational orientation and a second rotational orientation wherein said key structure is trapped in the cavity such that said hitch ball element and said free end portion cannot be disengaged from one another;
- (C) a latch notch located on all of said hitch ball elements or on said mounting element;
- and
- (D) a latch element disposed on another of all of said hitch ball elements and said mounting element and movable between a latch position and an unlatch position such that, when said hitch ball element and said free end portion are in the mated state with said hitch ball element in the second rotational orientation, said latch element can be moved
- (1) into the latch position so as to engage the notch and thereby prevent said hitch ball element from moving from the second rotational orientation to the first rotational orientation, and
- (2) into the unlatch position permitting rotation of said hitch ball element from the second rotational orientation to the first rotational orientation.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.