HITCH VIBRATION DAMPENER

Abstract

A height adjustable tow mount assembly wherein locked engagement of corresponding through holes disposed in a tow mount member and an elongate member compresses a dampener member between an abutting front surface of the hitch platform elongate member and a rear surface of the tow mount member to thereby reduce movement and associated vibration between the hitch platform and tow mount member.

Claims

1. A tow mount assembly for hitching a tow accessory to a vehicle, comprising: a hitch platform having a shank tube end configured for telescoped coupled engagement within a receiver tube attached to the vehicle, an elongate member disposed on a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the shank tube member having a front face opposite the shank tube end, and wherein the elongate member further includes a plurality of through holes orthogonally disposed to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member such that the plurality of through holes are equidistantly spaced back from the front surface of the elongate member; a tow mount member having a base member with a rear surface disposed between a pair of opposed flanges extending outwardly from the rear surface and a receiver end opposite to the rear surface, wherein the pair of opposed flanges are configured for slidable correspondence with the elongate member of the hitch platform, wherein the pair of opposed flanges have paired side holes disposed in parallel alignment for receiving a fastening member to thereby secure the tow mount member in coupled engagement with the hitch platform; a dampener member affixed to at least a portion of the planar rear surface of the base member disposed between the pair of opposed flanges; and at least one fastening member configured for coupling one of the through holes of the elongate member between the paired side holes of the opposed flanges such that seated engagement of the fastening member with the side holes squarely couples the elongate member between the pair of opposed flanges such that the rear surface of the elongate member is aligned with the front surface of the rear surface of the base member to thereby compress the dampener member upon the rear surface of the base member.

2. The tow mount assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the front surface of the hitch platform and at least a portion of the rear surface of the base member are configured for coupled correspondence.

3. The tow mount assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the front surface of the hitch platform and at least a portion of the rear surface of the base member are configured for coupled correspondence across a coextensively abutted area that includes a planar interface or a curvilinear interface. The tow mount assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the front surface of the hitch platform and at least a portion of the rear surface of the base member are configured for abutted correspondence with a surface that includes at least a portion of a polygon.

4. The tow mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the dampener member is affixed by adhesion, fusion or coating.

5. The tow mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the dampener member is affixed to at least a portion of the planar rear surface of the base member and wherein the dampener member includes a dampener border of the rear member, wherein the dampener border includes at least a portion of an area within 1 inch of an upper edge, at least a portion within 1 inch of a lower edge and at least a portion within 1 inch of an abutment of the interior side wall of the pair of flanges.

6. The tow mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the dampener member includes a hollow center portion.

7. The tow mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the dampener member is detachably affixed.

8. The tow mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the receiver end includes a radially disposed dual hitch ball comprising a first hitch ball and a second hitch ball of a different diameter than the first hitch ball.

10. A tow mount assembly for hitching a tow accessory to a vehicle, comprising: a hitch platform having a shank tube member having an elongate end portion configured for telescoped coupled engagement within a receiver tube attached to the tow vehicle, a channel member having a recessed column disposed between opposed flanges, wherein the shank tube member is affixed to a back surface of the recessed column such that the channel member is longitudinally disposed along a substantially perpendicular axis opposite to the elongate end portion of the shank tube, and wherein a plurality of spaced pairs of aligned side holes are disposed in the opposed flanges; a tow mount member having a base member configured for slidable correspondence with the channel member, wherein the base member has a planar rear surface between linear side edges, and wherein a pair of opposed side walls are perpendicularly disposed from the linear side edges, and wherein at least one through hole is disposed in parallel alignment with the planar rear surface between the opposed side walls; a dampener member affixed to at least a portion of the recessed column of the channel member; a receiver end opposite to the planar rear surface, wherein the receiver end includes a plurality of tow accessory mounts radially disposed in different directions from a pedestal; and at least one fastening member configured for coupling the through hole of the base block between the paired side holes of the channel member such that securing the base block in squared alignment with the recessed channel of the hitch platform compresses the dampener member against the channel member.

11. The tow mount assembly of claim 10, wherein the plurality of tow accessory mounts include three hitch balls, wherein the three hitch balls have different diameters.

12. The tow mount assembly of claim 11, wherein the plurality of tow accessory mounts further comprises a step member, a tow hook or a pintle hook.

13. The tow mount assembly of claim 12, wherein the channel member further includes horizontal cross members perpendicularly disposed between the opposed flanges and spaced between the aligned side holes, wherein the horizontal cross members provide lateral support for the base member of the tow mount member.

14. The tow mount assembly of claim 10, wherein the plurality of tow accessory mounts include three hitch balls, wherein the three hitch balls have different diameters.

15. The tow mount assembly of claim 14, wherein the plurality of tow accessory mounts further comprises a step member or a hook member.

16. The tow mount assembly of claim 14, further comprising a pintle hook.

17. The tow mount assembly of claim 10, wherein the dampener member is adhered or fused to at least a portion of the recessed column of the tow hitch platform.

18. The tow mount assembly of claim 10, wherein the dampener member is affixed to the recessed column by a plurality of screws.

19. The tow mount assembly of claim 10, wherein the dampener member is affixed to at least a portion of the recessed column of the tow hitch member, wherein the at least a portion of the recessed column includes at least a portion of an area within 1 inch of an upper edge of the recessed column, at least a portion within 1 inch of a lower edge of the recessed column and at least a portion within 1 inch of a corner adjoining the recessed column and the interior side wall of the pair of flanges.

20. The tow mount assembly of claim 10, wherein the dampener member is detachable.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] FIG. 1 is a side view of an exemplary multiple tow mount assembly of the present invention depicting the concealed dampener member in dashed lines.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a top view of the embodiment of the multiple tow mount assembly illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0036] FIG. 2B is a top view of a second embodiment of the multiple tow mount assembly.

[0037] FIG. 2C is a top view of a fourth embodiment of the multiple tow mount assembly.

[0038] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the multiple tow mount assembly illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0039] FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of an second exemplary embodiment of the multiple tow mount assembly.

[0040] FIG. 5 is a side view a third exemplary embodiment of the shank hitch platform of the multiple tow mount assembly.

[0041] FIG. 6 is a top view of the third exemplary embodiment of the multiple tow mount member shown in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

[0042] It is to be expressly understood that the illustrative embodiment is a representation of the invention for explanatory purposes only and is not meant to unduly limit the claimed invention. The representative embodiments of the present invention are intended for use with receiver hitch systems including trailer mounts but also includes other dual or triple hitch mount configurations with or without a step hitch member such as detailed below. As will be apparent in a review of FIGS. 1-6, indistinct variants or species of tow mount assembly illustrated herein are tagged by suffixed hash marks, or , denoting congruent features of the various embodiments. The illustrated as well as alternative embodiments may be used for original equipment installations and as an after-market accessory.

[0043] As illustrated and described in detail below, exemplary embodiments of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-6 depict a hitch assembly 1, 50 including tow mount member 20, 40 wherein vibration and noise emitted between shank hitch platform 10, 10 or 30, and tow mount member 20, 40 exemplifying embodiments wherein dampener member 22, 22, and 32 may be affixed to rear surface 38, 38 of recessed column 8 or base block 24.

[0044] In exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-6, a shank tube of hitch platform 10 or 30 is attachable within a corresponding receiver tube mounted beneath a bumper of a vehicle by well-known mounting techniques, such as by bolting or welding (not shown). In the illustrated embodiment, shank tube 2 is sized and configured for telescoped seating within a 1 inch square or 2-inch square receiver tube (internal dimensions). As is readily apparent, the hitch dampener assembly of the present invention may be employed with other sizes of shapes of hitch receiver tubes and other vehicle attachment mechanisms.

[0045] In the exemplary embodiments described herein, tow mount member 20 is illustrated as a dual hitch ball and tow mount member 40 depicts a tri-ball mount with a step member 6. However, the scope of the claimed invention extends to other mount assemblies including but not limited to tow mount members featuring single or multiple hitch balls, hooks, step mounts and include pintle hooks or any tow accessory mount for cargo, bicycles, motorcycles, wheelchairs, or carriers, such as, for example, cargo containers, platforms and other types of receiver mounted devices.

[0046] In embodiments such as illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, tow mount assembly 1, 1, 1 includes a shank hitch platform 10, 10, 10 including a shank tube end 2, 2 configured for telescoped coupled engagement within a receiver tube attached to a tow vehicle (not shown). Hitch platform 10 includes elongate member 24 disposed on a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the shank tube end 2. Opposite and perpendicularly disposed to shank tube end 20 is elongate member 24, 24, 24 wherein spaced through holes 28A, 28A are disposed and having a front surface 38, 38, 38 that may be variously configured. Exemplary embodiments are respectively illustrated as a parallelogram-shaped block base 24 such as shown in in FIG. 2, curvilinear block base 24 such as shown in tow mount assembly 1 of FIG. 2B and polygonal block base 24 such as shown in tow hitch assembly 1 of FIG. 2C.

[0047] Hence it can be readily seen that front surface 36, 36, 36 has opposed sides that can be variably configured, as respectively illustrated as a parallelogram-shaped such as shown in FIG. 2, curvilinear such as shown in FIG. 2B or polygonal such as shown in FIG. 2C. Disposed in parallel alignment with the rear surface 36, 36, 36 are a plurality of spaced apart and aligned paired holes 28A disposed in opposed flanges 34. Paired holes 28A are configured to correspond with through holes 28B sides of elongate member 24. It can thus be seen that at least a portion of the front surface of hitch platform 10, 10, 10 and at least a portion of the rear surface of the base member 24, 24, 24 are configured for coupled correspondence when fastening member 16 is respectively inserted within aligned through holes 28.

[0048] In some embodiments, such as illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, by dampener 22, 22 may abut front surface 36, 36 only of tow mount member 20, 20. In other various embodiments, such as illustrated in FIG. 2C, dampener 22 between corresponding surfaces of tow mount member 20 can extend about the sides of the interior walls of the hitch platform 10 so as to abut the coextensively abutting walls of base member 24.

[0049] Still referring to FIGS. 1-4, tow mount assembly 1, 1, 1 further includes receiver tow mount member 20, 20, 20 having a respective base member 32, 32, 32 and rear surface 38, 38, 38 disposed between a pair of opposed flanges 34, 34, 34 extending outwardly from the rear surface 38, 38, 38 and a front receiver end 30, 30, 30 opposite respective rear surface 38, 38 38. Extending rearwardly from the planar rear face 38 are opposed flanges 34 configured for slidable correspondence with the side walls of elongate member 24, 24, 24 of hitch platform 10, 10 10, wherein the pair of opposed flanges 34, 34, 34 have paired side holes 36, 36, 36 disposed in parallel alignment, wherein fastening member 16 is received by a pair of corresponding through holes 28A, 28A of elongate member 24, 24, 24 and aligned paired side holes 28B.

[0050] As best illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, dampener member 22 and 22 may be affixed to either tow mount member 20, 20, 20 or hitch platform 10, 10, 10. FIG. 5 illustrates various embodiments wherein dampener member 22, 22, 22 is affixed to at least a portion of surface 36, 36, 36 of tow mount member 20, 20 20 base member 32, 32, 32 such that coupling of fastening member 16 within aligned paired side holes 28B and through holes 28, 28, 28 compresses corresponding dampener member 22, 22, 22 between front surface 36, 36, 36 of elongate member 24, 24, 24 of hitch platform 10, 10, 10 and rear surface 38, 38, 38 of tow mount member 20, 20, 20.

[0051] Coupling of fastening member 16 with aligned side holes 28B and through holes 28A such that respective surface 36, 36, 36 of elongate member 24, 24, 24 and 38, 38, 38 of tow mount member 20, 20, 20 is in seated alignment whereby dampener member 22, 22, 22 is compressed between corresponding coextensive front surface 36, 36, 36 of elongate member 24, 24, 24 and rear surface 38, 38, 38 of base member 32, 32 32. Such compression of dampener member 22, 22, 22 thereby reduces vibration and associated vibration and sway resulting from movement and metal-to-metal contact between abutting surfaces of tow mount member 20, 20 20 and hitch platform 10, 10, 10.

[0052] The illustrated embodiments illustrate an exemplary fastening member 16 as least one two elongate pins configured for coupled engagement with corresponding aligned side holes and having a clip pin hole and wherein the clip is configured to secure the clip pin within the selected corresponding aligned side holes when coupled in locked engagement with the clip pin hole, commercially known as a cotter pin. However, the fastening member may in various embodiments comprise various other clips and retaining mechanisms configured to couple the paired side holes 36, 36 with a corresponding through hole 36 of elongate member 24, wherein the tow mount members are two hitch balls of different diameters.

[0053] Now referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, other exemplary embodiments include tow mount assembly 50 with a shank tube end 52 providing channel hitch platform 30 having paired aligned side holes 48 in flanges 44 for coupling a tow mount member 40 having dual or triple hitch balls and a step member extending from elongate base member 34 sized and configured for slidably fitted correspondence within the recessed column 38. As illustrated in FIG. 5, dampener 32 may be affixed to rear surface 38 of shank hitch platform 30 by a plurality of screws 48.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 6, various embodiments illustrated as tow mount assembly 50 may feature tow mount member 40 having two pairs of through holes 54 disposed between two transverse pairs of opposed side walls of such that base member 44 adaptably rotatable to position the desired receiving hitch ball or step 6 in an upward use position such that paired side holes 48 and a corresponding pair of through holes 54 are positioned to thereby enable coupling with fastening member 16 having two elongate pins received through aligned side holes 48 and through holes 54 so as to seat base member 34 seat in coupled aligned engagement within flanges 44 and recessed column 38 of hitch platform such that tow mount member 40 thereby compresses the dampener member 42 upon the planar rear face 48 of tow mount member 40 so as to dampen vibration associated with the strain, noise and sway emitted by a trailer or other tow accessory.

[0055] While the exemplary embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-6 depict dampener member 22, 22, 22, 42, 42 in exemplary configurations, alternative configurations of dampener member may vary in accordance with the use and dimensions of the respective platform, tow accessory and tow vehicle in connection with which it is being deployed.

[0056] Configurations of dampener member 22, 22, 22, 42, 42 in various embodiments can take on various configurations which may include linear, curvilinear, convex or concave portions. In some embodiments, dampener member 22, 22, 22, 42, 42 may include a dampener border of at least a portion of an area within 1 inch of an upper edge, at least a portion within 1 inch of a lower edge and at least a portion within 1 inch of the side edges of a planar front face of an elongate member platform or a corner an abutment of the interior side wall of the pair of flanges. Some embodiments of the dampener member may feature a hollow center portion.

[0057] In various embodiments such as illustrated in FIG. 3, dampener member 22 is provided as an adhered layer applied to rear face 38 of tow mount member 20. In various embodiments, dampener member is affixed to at least a portion of the planar rear face of the base member includes a dampener border of the rear planar member, wherein the dampener border includes at least a portion of an area within 1 inch of an upper edge, at least a portion within 1 inch of a lower edge and at least a portion within 1 inch of an abutment of the interior side wall of the pair of flanges.

[0058] In some embodiments, the dampener member is detachably affixed. As such, dampener member 22, 22, 22, 42, 42 may be provided in a kit form or as an after-market component.

[0059] The composition of the dampener member 22, 22, 22, 42, 42 may include various suitable materials, such as, for example, a polymer, elastomer, rubber or other pliable, impact or vibration-absorbing material of suitable density, flex, and durability and is functionally adaptable to dampen, buffer, dissipate or attenuate, a vibration, impact, shock, stress, strain or torque exerted by an external force. The impact absorbing or dampening composition of dampener member 22, 22, 22, 42, 42 is configurable in any suitable size and shape such as, for example, a curved or circular device, bumper, washer, block, sheet, sleeve or other form that is adaptable to the geometry of the tow hitch platform and mount member.

[0060] In some embodiments, dampener member 22, 22, 22, 42, 42 such as shown in FIGS. 1-6 may be affixed by a single metal screw or multiple screws. Alternative embodiments may affix a dampener member by fusing, adhering of embedding the material to a front surface such as 36, 36, 36, 46 of elongate member 24, 24 or recessed column front surface 46 of hitch platform 30. Commercially available industrial strength epoxies, lasers, milling procedures or other means or materials well known in the art may be employed to thus affix dampener member 22, 22, 22, 42, 42 and corresponding abutting surfaces.

[0061] The scope of the present invention expressly contemplates and includes any shape as well as composition providing the impact and vibration absorbing or attenuation, the extent of which may correspond to the hitch dampener member composition's mechanical properties, including without limitation, vibration and impact absorption capacity, pliability, tensile strength and density.

[0062] As will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art of tow hitch assembly design and engineering, the extent and impact receiving and attenuation capacity of the device of the present invention correlates to the dampener surface area, thickness and density. More specifically, the vibration dampener member 22, 22, 22, 42, 42 surface area, thickness and density correspond with the connection tension of the hitch vibration dampening assembly exerted which is a function of the weight, shape and size, aerodynamics as well as force and torque exerted on the tow hitch assembly when in use.

[0063] Various embodiments of the present invention may include a range of two accessory mount receivers, including various size hitch balls, hooks, clips and carabiners and other mechanisms for mounting a tow accessory. Embodiments may also include mechanisms for locking the receiver mounts in secured engagement such as provided by a pintle hook, locks, biasing members, cotter pins and similar mechanisms. In yet further embodiments, the channel member may further include horizontal cross members perpendicularly disposed between the opposed flanges and spaced between the aligned side holes whereby the horizontal cross members provide lateral support for the base member of the tow mount member.

[0064] It is to be expressly understood that the descriptive embodiment is provided herein for explanatory purposes only and is not meant to unduly limit the claimed inventions. Various embodiments are intended for use with receiver hitch systems including trailer mounts as well as other tow accessories and may be used for original equipment installations or as after-market components.

[0065] Hence, it is to be further expressly understood that these exemplary embodiments are provided for descriptive purposes only and not meant to unduly limit the scope of the claimed inventions. Other embodiments are also considered to be within the scope of the present inventions.