Retention mount for trailer cord

A retention mount for an electrical cord of a trailer is described that includes a body, a tab extending away from the body, and a plurality of arms extending away from the body. The tab defines an opening configured to receive a plug of the electrical cord therethrough and the plurality of arms each include a retention portion extending outwardly from the body, such that a cable portion of the electrical cord can be wrapped around the plurality of arms with the retention portions thereof retaining the cable portion on the retention mount. The retention mount can be removably or irremovably coupled to a structure of a vehicle.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure generally relates to cord retention mounts and, more particularly, to cord retention mounts for trailers.

BACKGROUND

Electrical cords that connect trailers to a towing vehicle can pose several issues when unattached to the towing vehicle. When not in use, the electrical cord can be left to hang from the trailer and, to provide sufficient clearance for a variety of towing vehicles and configurations, the electrical cord can be long enough to reach the ground from the trailer. Due to this configuration, the electrical cord can be damaged, get in the way of people working around the trailer, or even provide a bridge to bugs and rodents to climb up into the trailer.

SUMMARY

In accordance with a first aspect, a retention mount for an electrical cord of a trailer is described herein that includes a body, a tab extending away from the body, and a plurality of arms extending away from the body. The tab defines an opening that is configured to receive a plug of the electrical cord therethrough and the plurality of arms each include a retention portion extending outwardly from the body, such that a cable portion of the electrical cord can be wrapped around the plurality of arms with the retention portions thereof retaining the cable portion on the retention mount.

According to some forms, the retention mount can include one or more of the following aspects: the plurality of arms can extend outwardly from an outer edge of the body; the plurality of arms can include at least three arms arrayed around a perimeter of the body; the body can be planar; the opening defined in the tab can include a radial notch; the body, the tab, and the plurality of arms can have an integral construction; the retention mount can include one or more rubber bumpers coupled to the body on a side thereof opposite the plurality of arms to cushion the body against a mounting surface, the body can include one or more wings extending outwardly from a main portion thereof, where individual ones of the one or more rubber bumpers are coupled to one of the one or more wings; the one or more wings can be coplanar with the main portion of the body; the arms can each include a base portion that extends away from the body and the retention portion can be a flange extending outwardly from the base portion; the arms can extend outwardly from the body at a generally constant angle; or the retention mount can include a magnet mounted to the body on a side thereof opposite the plurality of arms, where the magnet is configured to removably secure the retention mount to a structure of a vehicle.

According to further aspects, a retention mount having any of the above forms can be provided in combination with a trailer, hitch, or towing vehicle, where the retention mount is irremovably secured to the trailer, hitch, or towing vehicle. In these forms, the retention mount can be rotatably mounted to the trailer. In further forms, the combination can include a lock to restrict rotational movement of the retention mount relative to the trailer, hitch, or towing vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A retention mount for a trailer is described herein that allows an electrical cord to be stowed in a coiled position when not in use. The retention mount can be removably mounted to a structure of a vehicle, such as mounted to the trailer or a hitch therefor, or can be irremovably secured thereto. The retention mount includes an opening to receive a plug of the electrical cord and arms to have the cable portion of the electrical cord wrapped therearound. In some examples, the retention mount can be rotated with respect to the structure of the vehicle to aid with wrapping the cable portion of the electrical cord around the arms.

Turning now toFIGS.1-9, an example retention mount100is shown that is configured to retain an electrical cord10in a coiled configuration therearound and be mounted to a structure12of a vehicle14. The electrical cord10includes a first end16extending from a trailer18and a second end20having a plug22with a cable portion24extending therebetween. In some examples, the vehicle14can be a towing vehicle or the trailer18. In further examples, the structure12of the vehicle14can be a hitch, a pin box, a body of the vehicle14, such as a wall, bed, or the like, or other components mounted to the body.

Details of an example retention mount100are shown inFIGS.3and4. The retention mount100includes a body102having a top surface104and a bottom surface106. In one example, the body102can have a planar configuration as shown. The retention mount100further includes a tab108that extends away from the bottom surface106of the body and defines an opening110extending therethrough. The opening110is configured to receive the plug22of the electrical cord10therein to retain the plug22in a stored configuration. If desired, the opening110can include one or more radial notches111to be complementary to a perimeter structure of the plug22, so that the plug22can be freely inserted into the opening110. The tab108can be perpendicular with respect to the body102or can extend along an acute or obtuse angle with respect thereto. Alternatively, the tab108can take the form of an enclosure having a cavity sized to receive the plug22.

As shown, the retention mount100further includes a plurality of arms112configured to have the cable portion24of the electrical cord10wrapped therearound. Pursuant to this, each of the plurality of arms112includes a retention portion114that at least partially extends outwardly with respect to the body102, such that a distal end115of each of the arms112is disposed outwardly of a proximal end116.

In one example as shown inFIGS.3and4, each of the arms112can have a bent configuration including a base portion117that extends away from the bottom surface106of the body102and the retention portion114can be a flange that extends outwardly from the base portion117. For example, the flange114can extend between 0-45 degrees, between 0-30 degrees, between 0-10 degrees, etc. with respect to the body102. The base portion116can be perpendicular with respect to the body102or can extend along an acute or obtuse angle with respect thereto.

In the illustrated form, the retention portion114is generally, e.g., 0-5 degrees, parallel with the body102. In another example, as shown inFIGS.8and9, the arms112can extend away from body102at a generally constant angle. In this form, the entire arm112provides the retention portion114. The arms112can extend at any desired angle, such as generally 45 degrees, or within a range of between 15-60 degrees, 25-50 degrees, etc.

The retention mount100can include any desired number of arms112. For example. The retention mount100can include 2 arms112as shown inFIG.9or 3 arms112as shown inFIGS.1-8. In other examples, the retention mount100can include 4 arms, 5 arms, or more as desired and as suitable for a sized of the mount100and a length of the electrical cord10. Further, the arms112can be symmetrically arrayed about the body102. In the illustrated form, the arms112can extend from a perimeter edge118of the body102. Further, it will be understood that the arms112can have any of the configurations described herein regardless of the number of arms.

The body102can have any desired shape, such as generally circular, as shown, triangular, square, or other polygonal and/or curvilinear shapes. In one example form, the portions of the retention mount100can integrally formed, such that the body102, the tab108, and the arms112can be made from a single piece of material. For example, the body102and arms112can be cut from a piece of suitable material. Thereafter, the tab108and opening110can be cut from the body102and the tab108and arms112can be bent to desired orientations, with the arms112having a double bend configuration to form the second, flange portions116. The arms112can include more bends to accommodate other shapes if desired. Of course, one or more portions of the retention mount100can be fixed or otherwise coupled together by any suitable process, such as welding.

As shown inFIGS.5and6, the tab108and the first portion114of the plurality of arms112establish of depth for the retention mount100to receive the cable portion24of the electrical cord10therearound. So configured, a user can insert the plug22into the opening110of the tab108and wrap the cable portion24tightly around an exterior surface120of the first portion114of the arms112to place the electrical cord10in a coiled configuration. The second portion116of the arms112can be sized to extend to or beyond a diameter of the coiled cable portion24to prevent the cable portion24from slipping off of the arms112and retain the cable portion24on the retention mount100in the coiled configuration. The retention device100can be configured to restrict rotational movement when mounted to the structure12of the vehicle14, as described in more detail below.

In one example form as shown inFIGS.3-6, the retention mount100can further include a magnet122to thereby removably couple the mount100to the structure12of the vehicle10. In this form, the structure12can be made from a suitable metal to have the mount100securely coupled thereto to hold the electrical cord10in the coiled configuration. The magnet122can be coupled to the body102adjacent to the top surface104thereof, so that the tab108and arms112extend away from the structure12when the retention mount100is secured thereto with the magnet122. The magnet122can be coupled to the body102by any suitable mechanism, such as rivets124, welding, etc.

In order to protect the vehicle structure12from damage, the retention mount100can further include one or more bumpers126coupled to the body102adjacent to the top surface104thereof such that the bumpers126contact the vehicle structure12rather than the body102. In one example, the body102can include wings128that extend outwardly from a main portion130of the body102and the bumpers126can be coupled to the wings128. The bumpers126can be secured to the body102by any suitable mechanism, including rivets, welding, press-fit plugs132, etc., and can be made from any suitable material, such as rubber or the like. As such, the wings128and the main portion130can be coplanar with one another, such that the body102has a planar configuration.

So configured, utilizing the retention mount100of this form, a user can insert the plug22into the tab opening110and the cable portion24can be wrapped around the arms112. Thereafter, the user can secure the retention mount100to the vehicle structure12in a desired location using the magnet122, which holds the retention mount100in a fixed position with respect to the vehicle14, including rotationally, such that the cord10cannot unwind from the retention mount100. Alternatively, the user can insert the plug22into the tab opening110either before or after securing the retention mount100to the vehicle structure12, and the rotate the retention mount100with it secured to the vehicle structure12to wrap the cable portion24around the arms112.

It will be understood that the retention mount100can be removably secured to the vehicle structure12by any suitable mechanism. For example, the retention mount100and vehicle structure12can include cooperating locking structure, such as snap-fit, tongue-and-groove, etc., the retention mount100can include a suction cup, and/or the vehicle structure12can include a container or arm to hold the retention mount100in place.

In other example forms, such as that shown inFIG.7, the retention mount100can be fixedly secured to the vehicle structure12, such that the retention mount100cannot be removed therefrom. For example, the retention mount100can be welded or fastened to the vehicle structure12using bolts, rivets, or other fasteners. As discussed above, the vehicle14can be a towing vehicle or the trailer18and the vehicle structure12can be a hitch, a pin box, a body of the vehicle14, such as a wall, bed, or the like, or other components mounted to the body. The retention mount100can be fixed to the vehicle structure12without being able to move relative to the structure12or, if desired, the retention mount100can be rotatably fixed to the vehicle structure12, such as by bearings or the like. Such a configuration would allow a user to insert the plug22into the tab opening110and then spin the retention mount100to wrap the cable portion24around the arms112. In these forms, the retention mount100or vehicle14can include a lock134, such as a pin, latch, or the like, to selectively restrict the retention mount100from rotational movement.

It will be appreciated that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments. The same reference numbers may be used to describe like or similar parts. Further, while several examples have been disclosed herein, any features from any examples may be combined with or replaced by other features from other examples. Moreover, while several examples have been disclosed herein, changes may be made to the disclosed examples within departing from the scope of the claims.