Ball mount for measuring tongue weight of a trailer
AssigneeLandecor LLC
InventorKevin McAllister
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ball mount for measuring tongue weight of a trailer is disclosed. The ball mount can comprise a ball portion for interfacing with a ball configured to couple with a tongue of a trailer, a hitch portion for interfacing with a hitch receiver associated with a vehicle, and a load measurement device associated with the hitch portion. The hitch portion can be configured to pivot relative to the hitch receiver about a fulcrum in response to a downward force on the ball, with the hitch receiver resisting rotation of the hitch portion about the fulcrum thereby inducing a load on the hitch portion. The load measurement device can be configured to determine a magnitude of the downward force on the ball based on the load on the hitch portion.
Claims14
A ball mount for measuring tongue weight of a trailer, comprising:
- a ball portion for interfacing with a ball configured to couple with a tongue of a trailer;
- a hitch portion for interfacing with a hitch receiver associated with a vehicle;
- and
- a load measurement device associated with the hitch portion,
- wherein the hitch portion is configured to pivot relative to the hitch receiver about a fulcrum in response to a downward force on the ball, the hitch receiver resisting rotation of the hitch portion about the fulcrum thereby inducing a load on the hitch portion, and
- wherein the load measurement device is configured to determine a magnitude of the downward force on the ball based on the load on the hitch portion;
- wherein the load measurement device comprises:
- a reservoir having a fluid and a piston disposed therein, wherein the piston is configured to interface with the hitch receiver and affect a pressure of the fluid as a result of the downward force on the ball;
- and
- a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the reservoir.
A trailer hitch system for measuring tongue weight of a trailer,
- comprising:
- a hitch receiver associated with a vehicle;
- a trailer having a tongue for coupling the trailer to the vehicle;
- and
- a ball mount having
- a ball portion supporting a ball configured to couple with the tongue of the trailer,
- a hitch portion for interfacing with the hitch receiver, and
- a load measurement device associated with the hitch portion,
- wherein the hitch portion is configured to pivot relative to the hitch receiver about a fulcrum in response to a downward force on the ball, the hitch receiver resisting rotation of the hitch portion about the fulcrum thereby inducing a load on the hitch portion, and
- wherein the load measurement device is configured to determine a magnitude of the downward force on the ball based on the load on the hitch portion;
- wherein the load measurement device comprises:
- a reservoir having a fluid and a piston disposed therein, wherein the piston is configured to interface with the hitch receiver and affect a pressure of the fluid as a result of the downward force on the ball;
- and
- a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.