Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-21
2003-10-07
Boehler, AnneMarie (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
C280S511000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06629700
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gooseneck trailer hitch devices and more particularly pertains to a new gooseneck trailer hitch offset system for increasing the turning radius possible with a gooseneck trailer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of gooseneck trailer hitch devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, gooseneck trailer hitch devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,406,852; U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,353; U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,309; U.S. Pat. No. 2,628,106; U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,199; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 243,000 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,433,503.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new gooseneck trailer hitch offset system. The inventive device is most suitable for use with a vehicle having a bed that contains a hitch ball and a trailer with a cantilevered gooseneck section containing a down tube. The system includes a hitch offset assembly that offsets the axis of the down tube of the gooseneck section of the trailer from the axis of the hitch ball of the hitch of the towing vehicle. The hitch offset assembly comprises a coupler portion to couple to a hitch coupler device, an upright portion designed for coupling to the down tube of the gooseneck structure of the trailer hitch, and an offset portion that extends between the coupler portion and the upright portion.
In these respects, the gooseneck trailer hitch offset system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of increasing the turning radius possible with a gooseneck trailer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of gooseneck trailer hitch devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new gooseneck trailer hitch offset system construction wherein the same can be utilized for increasing the turning radius possible with a gooseneck trailer.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new gooseneck trailer hitch offset system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the gooseneck trailer hitch devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new gooseneck trailer hitch offset system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art gooseneck trailer hitch devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention is most suitable for use with a vehicle having a bed that contains a hitch ball and a trailer with a cantilevered gooseneck section containing a down tube. The system includes a hitch offset assembly that offsets the axis of the down tube of the gooseneck section of the trailer from the axis of the hitch ball of the hitch of the towing vehicle. The hitch offset assembly comprises a coupler portion to couple to a hitch coupler device, an upright portion designed for coupling to the down tube of the gooseneck structure of the trailer hitch, and an offset portion that extends between the coupler portion and the upright portion.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new gooseneck trailer hitch offset system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the gooseneck trailer hitch devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new gooseneck trailer hitch offset system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art gooseneck trailer hitch devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new gooseneck trailer hitch offset system that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new gooseneck trailer hitch offset system which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new gooseneck trailer hitch offset system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such gooseneck trailer hitch offset system economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new gooseneck trailer hitch offset system which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new gooseneck trailer hitch offset system for increasing the turning radius possible with a gooseneck trailer.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide~a new gooseneck trailer hitch offset system which is most suitable for use with a vehicle having a bed that contains a hitch ball and a trailer with a cantilevered gooseneck section containing a down tube. The system includes a hitch offset assembly that offsets the axis of the down tube of the gooseneck section of the trailer from the axis of the hitch ball of the hitch of the towing vehicle. The hitch offset assembly comprises a coupler portion to couple to a hitch coupler device, an upright portion designed for coupling to the down tube of the gooseneck structure of the trailer hitch, and an offset portion that extends between the coupler portion and the upright portion.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new gooseneck trailer hitch offset system that allows for better maneuverability of
Boehler AnneMarie
PopUp Industries, Inc.
Shook Hardy & Bacon L.L.P.
LandOfFree
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