Abstract:
A carrier is provided for attachment to the trailer hitch of a vehicle which is light-weight, easy to manufacture and includes a tray that may be fabricated in one-piece from a single sheet of material.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to carriers, and, more particularly, to a carrier for attachment to the trailer hitch of a vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Pickup trucks and many sports utility vehicles are equipped with a trailer hitch typically employed to receive a hitch ball which may be connected to a trailer for towing. In recent years, external carriers have become popular to provide additional transport capacity especially for vehicles that do not have a luggage rack on the roof. These external carriers include a four-sided platform connected to a mounting tube which may be inserted into and secured within the hitch of a vehicle. The platform is configured to support luggage, coolers and similar items, or game in hunting applications, such that the items are readily accessible at the back of the vehicle and at the level of the hitch rather than on vehicle roof. 
     Most carriers of the type described above comprise opposed side walls and opposed end walls which are connected at the ends by welding. A bottom wall, which may be in the form of wire mesh or a solid plate, is welded or otherwise secured to the side walls and end walls to form the platform of the carrier. The mounting tube is welded at the base of the bottom wall with one end protruding from the platform for insertion into the hitch. Carriers of this type are bulky, unattractive and relatively expensive to manufacture in view of the number of welds needed to connect the walls and mounting tube together. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is directed to a carrier for attachment to the trailer hitch of a vehicle which is light-weight, easy to manufacture and includes a tray that preferably may be fabricated in one-piece. 
     In the presently preferred embodiment, the carrier of this invention is fabricated from a single sheet of material such as aluminum. The sheet undergoes a series of bending operations that result in the formation of opposed side walls, opposed end walls and a bottom wall which collectively define a tray having a compartment for the transport of various items. A reinforcing beam is integrally formed with each of the side walls to add structural rigidity to the carrier. A mounting tube is connected to the bottom wall, opposite the compartment, which may be inserted into and secured within the hitch of a vehicle. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The structure, operation and advantages of the presently preferred embodiment of this invention will become further apparent upon consideration of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the carrier of this invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an end view of the carrier shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the carrier herein; and 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of a sheet of material which undergoes bending operations to form the tray of the carrier of this invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings, the carrier  10  of this invention comprises a one-piece tray  12  having opposed side walls  14  and  16 , opposed end walls  18  and  20 , and, a bottom wall  22  which collectively define a compartment  24 . As best seen in  FIG. 1 , each of the side walls  14 ,  16  and end walls  18 ,  20  of the tray  12  extend upwardly from the bottom wall  22  so that the compartment  24  is essentially closed except for an open top. That portion of each of the side walls  14 ,  16  and end walls  18 ,  20  located above the bottom wall  22  is preferably formed with a number of spaced tie-down openings  26 , and the bottom wall  22  is formed with a pattern of tie-down openings  28  except for a center section  30 , for purposes discussed below. A reinforcing beam  32  is integrally formed with the side wall  14 , and a second reinforcing beam  34  is integrally formed with the side wall  16 . Both of the reinforcing beams  32 ,  34  project downwardly from the bottom wall  22 . For purposes of the present discussion, the terms “upwardly,” “downwardly,” “top,” “bottom,” “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to the orientation of the carrier  10  as depicted in the Figs. 
     An important aspect of this invention is that in one preferred embodiment the tray  12  of the carrier  10  may be fabricated in a series of bending operations that significantly reduces labor costs while producing a rigid structure. As depicted in  FIG. 4 , the tray  12  may be formed from a single blank or sheet  36  that is punched to form the openings  26 ,  28  noted above, two notches  38  and  40  described below, and open areas at the four corners. After undergoing the punching operation, the sheet  36  has a side panel  42 , a side panel  44 , an end panel  45 , an end panel  47  and what will become the bottom wall  22  after bending. 
     The side panel  42  has spaced fold lines  46  and  48  located outwardly from the tie-down openings  26 , and spaced fold lines  50 ,  52  inwardly from such openings  26 . The side panel  44  has the same construction. Each end panel  45  and  47  has spaced fold lines  54 ,  56  located outwardly from the tie-down openings  26 , and a fold line  58  at the juncture of such end panels  45 ,  47  with the bottom wall  22 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the side panel  42  is bent along the fold line  52  to form a side edge of the bottom wall  22 . The side panel  42  is folded over on itself, along the fold line  50 , to form both the reinforcing beam  32  and the side wall  14 . As best seen in  FIG. 2 , the reinforcing beam  32  comprises that portion  60  of the side panel  42  between fold lines  50  and  52  and a lower portion  62  of side panel  42  which extends below the bottom wall  22 . As such, the portions  60  and  62  of side panel  42  are essentially doubled up against one another in the folding operation to form the reinforcing beam  32 , which adds overall rigidity and stability to the carrier  10 . The side wall  14  of tray  12  comprises that portion of the side panel  42  which extends upwardly from the bottom wall  22  after the bending operation is completed. The side wall  14  is then bent at fold lines  46  and  48  to form an inverted U-shaped lip  64  so that the top edge of the side wall  14  is smooth and does not present a sharp edge for one handling and using the carrier  10 . The side panel  44  undergoes the same bending operation as side panel  42 , described above, to form the reinforcing beam  34 , side wall  16  and a lip  64  at the top of side wall  16 . Each end panel  45  and  47  is bent along the fold line  58  to form opposed end edges of the bottom wall  22  and respective end walls  18 ,  20  which extend upwardly relative to the bottom wall  22 . An inverted U-shaped lip  66  is formed at the top of each end wall  18 ,  20  by a bending operation along fold lines  56  and  58 . 
     Once the bending operations described above are completed, the side walls  14 ,  16  and end walls  18 ,  20  are oriented generally perpendicularly to the bottom wall  22  and in abutment with one another at their ends. The ends of side walls  16 ,  18  may be connected to respective ends of end walls  18 ,  20  by tack welding, fasteners or any other suitable means. This forms the completed tray  12  of carrier  10  having compartment  24  with a depth equal to the height of walls  14 - 20 , as measured from the bottom wall  22  to the lips  64  of side walls  14 ,  16  and to the lips  66  of end walls  18 ,  20 . Luggage, boxes, coolers and other items may be placed in the compartment  24  and secured by bungee cords, rope or the like connected to any one of the tie-down openings  26  and  28 . 
     In the presently preferred embodiment, the carrier  10  further includes a mounting tube  68 . As best seen in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the mounting tube  68  is positioned along the center section  30  of the bottom wall  22 , opposite the compartment  24 , where it is received within the notches  36  and  38 . The notches  36  and  38  are formed at least partially within both the portions  60  and  62  of respective side panels  42 ,  44 , so that the mounting tube  68  contacts the reinforcing beams  32 ,  34  and the center section  30  of the bottom wall  22 . In this position, the mounting tube  68  may be connected by welding, fasteners or otherwise secured to the bottom wall  22 . Preferably, one end  70  of the mounting tube  68  projects from the side wall  16  of carrier  10  for insertion into the hitch of a vehicle. Such end  70  may be formed with spaced bores  72  to receive a pin (not shown) in order to secure the mounting tube  68  within the hitch. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. For example, while the tray  12  of this invention is described above as being formed from aluminum of similar material, it is contemplated that in an alternative embodiment such tray may be fabricated from plastic or composite material in a bending or molding operation. 
     Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.