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US 8,523,217 B2Granted
Vehicle frame for trailer coupler system
OwnerJohn I. Anderseninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A coupling mechanism for attaching a fifth wheel RV trailer to a truck for towing. A fifth wheel towball interface which provides unobstructed gimbal action into the connection between truck and trailer. A fifth wheel base having a lightweight structure made from a lightweight material and/or engineered design with lightweight in mind.
Claims20
A lightweight coupler system, comprising:
- a base structure having a first end for coupling to a towing vehicle, and a second end having a first towball, wherein the base structure is configured to dispose the first towball at a height approximately equal to a height of a kingpin on a trailer when the base structure is coupled to the towing vehicle;
- and
- an adapter having a kingpin coupler for coupling to the kingpin, and a towball coupler for directly coupling with the first towball, wherein the kingpin coupler is offset to a side of the towball coupler such that when the adapter is coupled to the kingpin and the first towball, a lowest end of the kingpin is disposed below a highest end of the first towball.
A lightweight coupler system, comprising:
- a base structure having a first end for coupling to a towing vehicle, and a second end having a first towball, the first towball being positioned at a height above the first end of the base structure, wherein the base structure is configured to couple to the towing vehicle at a first rotational orientation and at a second rotational orientation that is approximately 180 degrees different from the first rotational orientation, and wherein the first towball is offset from a center of the base structure such that rotation of the base structure from the first rotational orientation to the second rotational orientation moves the first towball closer to or farther from an end of the towing vehicle.
A coupler system comprising:
- an adapter having a kingpin coupler configured to couple to a king pin of a trailer;
- and
- a towball coupler configured to couple directly to a towball, wherein the kingpin coupler is coupled to and offset to a lateral side of the towball coupler such that when the adapter is coupled to the kingpin and the towball, a horizontal plane is able to pass through both the kingpin and the towball.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.