Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-14
2001-07-17
Hurley, Kevin (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
CD12S162000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260874
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION IF ANY:
None.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the art of covers for hitches used to tow trailers, boats and the like behind cars, trucks, sports utility vehicles (SUV), etc. More specifically, the present invention relates to a hitch cover which may be easily inserted and locked into a hitch tube and which may be manufactured inexpensively using a wire form to hold a face plate over the rear opening of the tube. In its most preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a wire form pivotally attached to the rear surface of the face plate (or a component thereof), the wire form being deformed as it is inserted into the tube so that the spring forces of the wire form will hold the hitch cover in place and prevent rattling of the hitch cover during use of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hitches attached to cars, trucks, sports utility vehicles and the like are commonplace. They typically include a hitch tube permanently mounted to the vehicle and a hitch bar which is inserted into the tube and locked thereto, usually with a pin or lock extending through openings on opposed walls of the tube. A ball is mounted at or near the outer end of the bar and is used to mount the trailer or other device to be towed by the vehicle. Several standard sized hitch tubes are encountered in most car, light truck and SUV applications, designated as Class II and Class III. The former has an inner tube opening which is a one and one-quarter inch (1¼″) square, and the latter has an inner tube opening which is also square but with two inch sides.
The hitch tubes include a rearwardly oriented opening which receives the hitch bar. In some hitches the opening is a simple extension of a square piece of tubing, while in other models the opening is surrounded by a flange, a plate or some other component of the vehicle or the hitch tube mounting structure. The opening, while functionally necessary, is not attractive when the hitch bar is removed, and it detracts from the overall aesthetics of the rear of the vehicle. As a result, it has been suggested that covers be provided for the hitch tube opening.
Several styles of covers are currently available, ranging from simple smooth, black plastic devices that are frictionally inserted at the very end of the hitch tube, to very expensive decorative covers. One known decorative cover includes a face plate having a planar rear surface and a flat plate extending from a central location on the rear of the plate. The plate is inserted into the hitch tube until a hole in the plate is aligned with openings in the opposed side walls of the hitch tube, at which time a pin or lock is inserted through the assembly to retain the hitch cover in place. This known hitch cover is cast as a single, integral piece, and accordingly, it is expensive. It furthermore suffers from a problem of rattling unless the hole and pin or lock alignment is nearly perfect.
Another known hitch cover includes a multi-component assembly which is attached to the rear of a face plate. This device is illustrated in the Internet print-out submitted with the application for this patent and entitled HITCH BUCKLE Product Line (dated May 11, 1999). This complex, multi-component product is also expensive and requires assembly before installation.
HITCHWARE™ solid cast aluminum billet hitch covers are illustrated in the accompanying Internet print out dated Sep. 2, 1999. It is believed that the mounting component of this product is a cast, solid square box inserted into the hitch tube with a hole therethrough for alignment with the holes of the hitch tube. This device, due to its construction, is also costly to produce and expensive to buy, thus reducing its attractiveness to impulse buying consumers.
Other hitch covers including tube stock mountings are shown at page 51 of Herrington's, The Enthusiasts' Catalog, Fall 1999, a copy of which is supplied with the application for this patent. These polished, billet aluminum devices are expensive and beyond the price level of impulse buyers who desire an attractive hitch cover.
As seen above, a variety of hitch cover products are currently available, but none of them are sturdy, decorative and inexpensive to manufacture, such that more consumers will be able to afford them. The development of a rugged, inexpensive, rattle-free, reliable and decorative hitch cover would represent a significant advance in this art.
FEATURES AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A principle feature of the present invention is to provide a rugged, inexpensive, preferably rattle-free, reliable and decorative hitch cover which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art hitch covers discussed above.
Another feature of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide a wire form mounting for the decorative face plate of a hitch cover.
A different feature of the present invention is to provide a readily deformable wire form mounting for the decorative face plate of a hitch cover which holds the hitch cover within a hitch tube in a secure, rattle-free manner.
A still further feature of the present invention is to provide a mounting system for hitch covers which may readily be adapted for different sizes of hitch tubes and different shapes of face plates.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a hitch cover which is easy to package, display and ship in a nearly flat arrangement.
A further feature of the present invention is to provide a hitch cover which is sufficiently inexpensive to the end user to permit the end user to purchase several different hitch covers having different decorative displays, e.g. seasonal displays or displays involving different sports, hobbies, etc.
How these and further features of the present invention are accomplished will be described in the following detailed description of a preferred and two alternate embodiments, taken in conjunction with the FIGURES. Generally, however, the features are accomplished by providing a decorative face plate of a hitch cover which may have a variety of shapes, but preferably including a generally planar rear surface. A wire form is coupled to the face plate, the wire form most preferably being made from spring steel and being deformed when it is inserted into the hitch tube, so that the hitch cover will be held firmly in the hitch tube due to the outwardly directed spring forces of the wire form acting on the inner surface of the hitch tube. In alternate embodiments, this feature is eliminated, but a wire form is still used. In its illustrated preferred embodiment the wire form is rotatably coupled to the back of the face plate and includes a generally U-shape adapted to slide along diagonal corners of the hitch tube when it is inserted. The face plate may include a raised rim on the rear surface arranged to slidingly fit within the end of the hitch tube and a sealing/cushioning member (such as an O-ring or gasket) may be provided to prevent rattling of the plate against the hitch tube. In the preferred embodiment, the wire form is designed so that a conventional pin or lock will be captured within the wire form to prevent removal thereof unless the pin or lock is withdrawn. Other ways in which the features of the present invention are accomplished will become apparent to those skilled in the art after the present specification has been reviewed. Such other ways are deemed to fall within the scope of the present invention if they fall within the scope of the claims which follow.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 326834 (1992-06-01), Kuhlemeier et al.
patent: D. 399805 (1998-10-01), Donalies
patent: D. 405744 (1999-02-01), Young et al.
patent: 4040641 (1977-08-01), Riecke
patent: 5603178 (1997-02-01), Morrison
patent: 6007033 (1999-12-01), Casson et al.
Hitch Buckle Internet Printout dated May 11, 1999, (2 pages).
Hitch Ware Internet Printout dated Sep. 2, 1999 (1 page).
Herrington The Enthusiasts' Catalog,, Fall 1999, p. 51 (2 pages including cover page).
Baughman Daniel G.
Finch Ricki Charles
Smith K. Wayne
Bergamot Incorporated
Foley & Lardner
Hurley Kevin
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