Abstract:
A unitary or integral hitch and beam, which is a single unit that can be installed on vehicles of varying dimensions. The integral hitch and beam may reduce manufacturing time, weight, and parts, thus reducing cost of vehicles with hitches. The beam is cut to length depending on the rail distance of the motor vehicle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to a vehicle trailer hitch, and more particularly to a modular trailer hitch composed of extruded aluminum. 
   Vehicles use trailer hitches to tow trailers or other vehicles. Several different types of hitches exist, including, rear mounted, front mounted, or 5 th  wheel hitches. Trailer hitches must sustain shear, tensile and compressive forces. Trailer hitches are sized and manufactured to transfer forces between the vehicles to which they are connected. Trailer hitches typically have one portion that is permanently secured to a vehicle, and another portion to which the trailer is detachably secured. Some trailer hitches have a cross-beam member attached to the vehicle frame and a hitch receiver nested in the cross-beam. Prior art trailer hitches are constructed of different components, that are usually steel, and each component must be secured to others. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,669,223 (“the &#39;223 patent”) discloses a trailer hitch having “Ends of the strut tube are flattened . . . ” as described in the abstract and in  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the &#39;223 patent. The &#39;223 patent hitch assembly is manufactured from an extruded U-shaped tube having an oval cross-section with flattened ends housing a cast hitch receiver; thus requiring an alloy having a good formability to avoid fracture during forming operations. This is usually not obtainable with common high strength aluminum alloys. The &#39;223 patent requires a newly formed tube for accommodating vehicles with different rail spacing. The beam is fastened to the vehicle at flattened portions ( 20 ) via bolt holes ( 18 ). Also, the &#39;223 patent discloses a bolt connection to fasten the receiver to a frame member or bumper system. The flattened portions ( 20 ) result in the beam having a reduced mechanical moment of inertia, thus the bolted connections (through bolt holes ( 18 )) are only effective in transferring shear loads, and primarily shear loads in the horizontal plane. The connections (using bolt holes ( 18 )) are not effective in sustaining vertical loads. Therefore the &#39;223 patent may require a supplementary bolted connection from the receiver to a vehicle structural member that can hold the hitch towing load in the vertical direction. 
   Due to the worldwide volume of motor vehicle usage, a minor decrease in the cost to produce a beam with a trailer hitch; a minor decrease in the weight of a single beam with a trailer hitch; or a minor decrease in the production time of a single beam with a trailer hitch, can be a significant savings in cost and resources. 
   As can be seen, there is a need for a light weight trailer hitch system with a reduced number of steps to manufacture, and a reduced cost to manufacture. There is also a need for a hitch and beam that can support shear, vertical, and horizontal hitch loads without additional supporting structures. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An aspect of the present invention is an integral hitch and beam, comprising: a beam having two end sections; a rail member securely disposed at each of said end section; and a receiver securely disposed at said beam between said end sections. 
   Another aspect of the present invention is a method of An integral hitch and beam for securing to a vehicle, comprising: a beam having two end sections; a rail member having a beam receiving aperture; a receiver having a connection plate, said connection plate having a bolt aperture; a first reinforcement member secured to both said connection plate and said beam; and a second reinforcement member secured to both said receiver and said beam, second reinforcement member having a bracket aperture therethrough, said bracket aperture capable for receiving a safety chain therethrough. 
   These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a pictorial front view of an exemplary embodiment of the integral hitch and beam of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a pictorial rear view of an exemplary embodiment of the integral hitch and beam of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a pictorial bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of the integral hitch and beam of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a pictorial partial view of an exemplary embodiment of the integral hitch and beam of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a beam of an exemplary embodiment of the integral hitch and beam of the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a hitch receiver of an exemplary embodiment of the integral hitch and beam of the present invention; 
       FIGS. 7A-7C  are isometric views of the sheath of one exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a rail member of an exemplary embodiment of the integral hitch and beam of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the integral hitch and beam  10 . The beam  20  has two opposed end sections  40 , and a receiver  50  disposed therebetween. Each end section  40  may be secured to a rail member  30  via a beam receiving aperture  120  of the rail member  30 . In one exemplary embodiment the beam receiving aperture  120  may be defined by a rectangular shape; thus each respective end section  40  may also be of a rectangular shape to fit within the beam receiving aperture  120 . In one exemplary embodiment, the end sections  40  may be secured within the beam receiving aperture  120  by a weld that secures the end section  40  to the rail member  30  at the beam receiving aperture  120 . In one exemplary embodiment the weld may secure the end section  40  to the rail member  30  by welding at the lower rectangular portion, and the front and rear rectangular portion; if the top rectangular portion is disposed so as to not have sufficient welding access. 
     FIG. 1  further illustrates a receiver  50  secured to the beam  20 . In one exemplary embodiment, the receiver  50  has a portion that extends rearwardly from the beam  20 . The receiver  50  may have a connection plate  60  disposed upwardly relative to a socket opening  130  of the receiver  50 . The connection plate may be wider than the socket opening  130 . In one exemplary embodiment, a first reinforcement member  70  is L-shaped, and one side contacts the connection plate  60 , and the other side of the reinforcement member  70  contacts the beam  20 . 
     FIG. 2  illustrates a second reinforcement member  80  that may also be L-shaped, and it may on one leg that may be secured to the receiver  50 , and the other leg may be secured to the beam  20 . The second reinforcement member  80  may have an aperture that is equally dimensioned or concentric with that of the socket opening  130 . The receiver  50 , first reinforcement member  70 , and second reinforcement member  80  may be one integral unit, or separately connected pieces. 
     FIG. 3  illustrates a bottom view of the hitch and beam  10 . The second reinforcement member  80  may have a bracket aperture  90  that allows access to secure the receiver  50  to the beam  20  via bolts that fasten the connection plate  60  to the beam  20 . This bracket aperture  90  may also serve to allow safety chains to be placed through the bracket apertures  90 . 
     FIG. 4  illustrates one exemplary embodiment of how the present invention  10  may be secured to the rail  110  of a motor vehicle. In one exemplary embodiment, the rail member  30  may be bolted to the rail  110  of the motor vehicle via vehicle bolt holes  200 .  FIG. 4  also illustrates how a tongue of member of a trailer may be received by the socket opening  130 . 
     FIG. 5  illustrates a cross sectional view of the beam  20 . In one exemplary embodiment the beam  20  may have a height of about 88.40 millimeters, and a depth of about 119.00 millimeters. A top portion  22  of the beam  24  may have a thickness of about 6.00 millimeters. A rear portion  24  may have a thickness of about 8.00 millimeters. A front portion  26  may have a thickness of about 6.00 millimeters. A bottom portion  28  may have a thickness of about 10.00 millimeters. In one exemplary embodiment a curved bottom portion  29  may be disposed at the bottom portion  28  of the beam  20 . In one exemplary embodiment, the curved bottom portion  29  may have a minimum thickness of about 8.00 millimeters, which may be equidistant from the front portion  26  and rear portion  24 . 
     FIG. 6  illustrates the receiver  50 , and the socket opening  130 . In one exemplary embodiment, the receiver  50  has a connection plate  60  that may have a width of about 142.16 millimeters. The connection plate  60  may have a thickness of about 12.00 millimeters. The receiver  50  may have a height of about 75 millimeters. The receiver  50  may have a width of about 72.16 millimeters. The lower and side walls  52  of the receiver  50  may be about 10.00 millimeters in thickness. 
     FIG. 7A  is a top view of a sheath  100 .  FIG. 7B  is a front view of the sheath  100 .  FIG. 7C  is a right side view of the sheath  100 . The sheath  100  may fit within the socket opening  130 . To aid in securing the sheath  100  within the socket opening  130 , the sheath  100  may have a finger  102  that assists in securing the sheath  100  within the socket opening  130  by the finger  102  mating with a mating aperture of the receiver (not shown). The sheath  100  may have a residual radially outwardly force when disposed within the socket opening  130 , which force pushes the fingers  102  into the respective mating aperture of the receiver (not shown), which restricts the axial movement of the sheath  100  relative to the receiver  50 . In one exemplary embodiment the sheath  100  may have a length of about 152.50 millimeters, a width of about 52.16 millimeters, and a height of about 53 millimeters. The sheath  100  may have an aperture  104  having a diameter of about 18.00 millimeters. The aperture  104  may be disposed about 69.30 millimeters rearwardly from the front of the sheath  100 . The aperture  104  may be disposed about 26.50 millimeters downwardly from the top of the sheath  100 . The finger  102  may jut outwardly from the sidewalls of the sheath  100  by a distance of about 2.25 millimeters. In one exemplary embodiment, the sheath  100  may have about 4 fingers  102 . In one exemplary embodiment a finger  102  may be disposed about 21.50 millimeters downwardly from the top of the sheath  100 , and about 26.50 millimeters rearwardly from the front of the sheath  100 . In one exemplary embodiment, a finger  102  may be disposed about 31.50 millimeters downwardly from the top of the sheath  100 , and about 144.50 millimeters rearwardly from the front of the sheath  100 . The sheath  100  may have a slot  106  running longitudinally along the top of the sheath  100 . The slot  106  allows the sheath  100  to be compressed or squeezed, and inserted within the socket opening  130 , at which point the sheath  100  will have residual stress that tends to force the sheath  100  to expand radially outwardly, which causes the finger  102  to be secured within a respective mating aperture (not shown) of the socket opening  130 . In one exemplary embodiment the slot  106  has a width of about 12.00 millimeters, and has one edge that is disposed about 20.08 millimeters from the left side or left wall of the sheath  100 . 
     FIG. 8  illustrates the rail member  30 . The rail member  30  may have a base portion  32 , and a leg  34  extending upwardly therefrom. The rail member may have a lower branch  36  extending leftwardly of the leg  34 , and an upper branch  38  extending leftwardly from the leg  34 . In one exemplary embodiment, the combined width of the base  32  and the lower branch  36  may be about 67.37 millimeters. The lower branch  36  may extend leftwardly from the left surface of the leg by a distance of about 12.50 millimeters. The base portion  32  may have a height of about 12.00 millimeters. The lower branch  36  may have a height of about 8.00 millimeters. The leg  34  may have a height of about 129.11 millimeters. The upper leg  38  may have a thickness of about 10.00 millimeters. The thickness of the leg  34  may be about 8.00 millimeters. 
   The present invention is not limited to the cross sectional configurations as illustrated. For example the present invention may comprise a beam  20  of different cross sectional shapes, such as square, polygonal, triangular, and circular. 
   The present invention may be made from a variety of materials, including but no limited to Al-alloy of AA 6082 T6. 
   The present invention may withstand loads on the trailer hitch imposed in tension, compression, transverse thrust, upward, and downward forces. In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention may be used for every trailable vehicle up to 10,000 pounds. 
   The present invention may be made of all aluminum parts. The receiver  50  may be an aluminum extrusion that is cut to length. The receiver  50  may have four holes through the connection plate  60  to secure the receiver  50  to the beam  20 . The receiver  50  may accept a trailer coupling bar or tongue such that the interface between both is separated by a steel, spring loaded sheath  100 , which may prevent galling between both of the opposing part interfaces. 
   In one exemplary embodiment, the beam  20  is extruded aluminum having a rectangular cross section, cut to the desired length, depending on the distance between the motor vehicle rails  110 . The beam  20  may be welded to the rail members  30  via three weld lines at either end  40  of the beam  20 . The rail members  30  may be aluminum extrusions, which have a cross section similar to an I-beam. The rail members  30  can be secured to the beam  20  at two large beam receiving apertures  120  by a weld. These rail members  30  may also be secured to each vehicle rail  110  at four bolt hole locations  200 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , there may be two bolt hole locations  200  on the rail member  30  sidewall, and two  200  on the bottom flange face of the rail member  30 . 
   It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.