Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1998-01-02
2001-10-16
Boehler, Anne Marie (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
C280S504000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302426
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to trailer hitches and, more particularly, to a trailer hitch housing independently supported by strengthening ribs provided along the sides of the housing.
Trailer hitch housings are well-known in the art. The housings are connected to trailers by means of bolts, weldments, or similar securement means. The housings are typically designed to cover and support socket assemblies, which are used to releasably attach the trailer to a hitch ball of a pulling vehicle. The housing must, therefore, be extremely strong to maintain its integrity as the trailer is being pulled. Although most housings are constructed of steel or a similarly rigid metal, they are not immune to damage from external forces. As housings are used, they are subjected to many forces which act to deflect or bend the housings. If housings were to succumb to such forces the housing would fail leading to potential injury to both persons and property. Accordingly, internal bracing or end-flanges are typically required to produce housings capable of withstanding these deflecting and bending forces. However, since internal bracing and end-flanges add weight and cost to the housings, it is desirable to provide a housing which is low cost and relatively lightweight.
Housings generally consist of a pair of sides and a cover secured to and mounted between the sides. Alternatively, the housing may be constructed of a single sheet of metal which is formed into a pair of sides and a cover. Several housings have been designed in an attempt to provide a relatively thin, lightweight housing with the strength required for towing a trailer. The two most popular designs are the end-flanged design and the internally braced design.
In the end-flanged design, a small portion of the bottom edges of the sides of the housing are turned outwardly to reduce the tendency of the sides to deflect or bend under pressure. While this design adds stability to the housing, the flanges detract from the aesthetic quality of the housing. Furthermore, the housing must still be constructed of a relatively thick material to withstand deflection between the end-flanges and the cover. The exposed flanges also have undesirable sharp corners which tend to catch and snag on nearby articles.
The internally supported design typically has internal braces or supports which extend between the sides of the housing and are secured thereto by weldments or bolts. As the internal braces must be relatively sturdy and placed throughout the housing, the internal support structure adds a significant amount of weight to the housing. The weldments or bolts making up the internal support structure are often visible on the exterior of the housing and, therefore, detract from the housing's aesthetic quality. Additionally, the placement of the braces within the housing requires a significant amount of additional labor, which adds a significant amount of time and cost to the manufacture of the housing. The braces also block much of the internal portion of the housing, thereby hindering the placement of surge suppressors, locks, or other apparatuses which may need to be placed within the housing.
The difficulties encountered in the prior art discussed hereinabove are substantially eliminated by the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a trailer hitch housing which resists deflection and bending, but is not significantly heavier than a trailer hitch housing having no buckling or twisting supports.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a trailer hitch housing with a strengthening member which does not add a significant increase in bulk to the housing.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a trailer hitch housing having an aesthetically appealing appearance.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a trailer hitch housing which eliminates the need for an internal support structure.
By the present invention, it is proposed to overcome the difficulties encountered heretofore. To this end, a fully externally supported trailer hitch housing is provided capable of operably connecting a trailer to a pulling vehicle. The housing has a first side divided into a first lower plate and a first upper plate by a first strengthening rib. The first strengthening rib is capable of independently supporting and strengthening the first side of the housing as the trailer is being pulled by the vehicle. The housing also has a second side constructed similar to the first side having a second strengthening rib capable of independently supporting and strengthening the second side of the housing as the trailer is being pulled by the pulling vehicle. A housing cover is provided which is attached to and interconnects the first side and second side of the housing. Preferably, the lower plates are smaller than the upper plates and the strengthening rib is disposed across the entire length of the sides, to provide the greatest strength and durability.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1833043 (1931-11-01), Sheldon
patent: 2093608 (1937-09-01), Kelley et al.
patent: 2141919 (1938-12-01), Kotrbaty
patent: 2269976 (1942-01-01), Hyman
patent: 3888517 (1975-06-01), Ray
patent: 5421612 (1995-06-01), Floe
patent: 618135 (1961-04-01), None
patent: 0301153 (1989-02-01), None
patent: 2236514 (1991-04-01), None
Boehler Anne Marie
Davis Brown Law Firm
DICO, Inc.
Herink Kent A.
Rosenberg Daniel A.
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