Patent ID: 6779616
Filing Date: 2004-08-24
Classification: B60D,B60S,B62D

Abstract:
A motorized directionally steerable trailer tongue jack for precisely positioning a tongue of a trailer, comprising:a mounting plate releasably attached to the trailer, wherein the mounting plate has at least a first surface and a second surface; a height adjustment system having a power transmission screw threadedly received by a power sleeve nut, a driving gear rotated by an actuator and adapted to rotate the power sleeve nut about the power transmission screw thereby adjusting the height of the mounting plate, and a nut support formed to receive the power transmission screw and a portion of the power sleeve nut and configured to be secured to the mounting plate first surface, wherein the mounting plate first surface and the power sleeve nut are rotably separated by a sleeve nut bearing system, and the power sleeve nut and the nut support are rotably separated by a nut support bearing system; a drive system, to effect translation of the trailer, adapted to be secured to the power transmission screw, the drive system having a wheel, in contact with a rolling surface, configured to rotate within a wheel housing about an axle, wherein the wheel is driven by an actuator secured to the wheel housing; a steering system, configured to be secured to the mounting plate second surface, having a steering sleeve adapted to receive the power transmission screw and fix the relative position of the steering sleeve and the power transmission screw, a driving gear rotated by an actuator and adapted to rotate the steering sleeve and thereby rotate the power transmission screw and the drive system, and a cover formed to receive a portion of the steering sleeve and configured to be secured to the mounting plate second surface, wherein the mounting plate second surface and the steering sleeve are rotably separated by a steering sleeve bearing system; a control system having a user pendent operatively connected to the height adjustment system actuator, the steering system actuator, and the drive system actuator, permitting a user to control the translation of the trailer via the drive system actuator, to control the direction of translation of the trailer via the steering system actuator, and control the height of the tongue of the trailer via the height adjustment system actuator.