Abstract:
An accessory carrier assembly includes a reversible shank manufactured of a substantially square first portion and a substantially square second portion. The first portion is sized to engage a first hitch receiver and the second portion is sized to engage a second hitch receiver. To attach the accessory carrier to the reversible shank, the first segment is located in amounting assembly either with or without the bushings depending on which type of hitch receiver is available. The accessory carrier is pivotable by removal of a single pin to provide access to a rear of a vehicle. The single pin can be further located in a stop aperture to prevent overrotation of the carrier.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/603,046, filed Jun. 23, 2003, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/668,755, filed Sep. 22, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,636, and a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/668,756, filed Sep. 22, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,658. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a vehicle hitch assembly, and more particularly to a single reversible shank which allows the attachment of accessory carriers to variously sized hitch receivers.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     It is often desirable to increase the capacity of a vehicle to transport cargo by providing a carrier assembly for carrying cargo on the outside of the vehicle. Various carrier racks exist that support cargo at various locations on a vehicle. Some carriers attach to receiver-type hitches available at the rear of many vehicles. Such carriers are easy to attach and can support substantial loads since they fit into a hitch designed specifically for quick attachment of trailers and the like.  
         [0004]     Although many vehicles include a receiver-type hitch, at least two standard sizes of receiver-type hitches are commonly available on various vehicles. Further, as many types of carrier assemblies are available, particular combinations are often incompatible.  
         [0005]     In addition, when a carrier is attached to a receiver hitch at the rear of a vehicle, it can inhibit access to the rear of a vehicle and can interfere with the opening of the trunk, tailgate or doors at the rear of the vehicle necessitating its removal from the vehicle whenever the trunk, tailgate or rear doors must be opened. This presents a significant disadvantage.  
         [0006]     Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a carrier assembly which will fit a multiple of a receiver-type hitches without inhibiting access to the rear of a vehicle.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     An embodiment of the accessory carrier assembly is mountable to a vehicle that has a hitch element. The assembly comprises a first segment, the first segment being capable of telescopically engaging a first vehicle mounted hitch element of a first cross sectional size, a second segment connected with the first segment, the second segment being capable of telescopically engaging a second vehicle mounted hitch element of a second cross sectional size, wherein the first cross sectional size of the first hitch element is not equal to the second cross sectional size of the second hitch element, and an accessory carrier element selectively engageable with the first segment and the second segment so as to permit selective engagement of the first segment with the first hitch element and of the second segment with the second hitch element.  
         [0008]     In another embodiment, a reversible shank mounts an accessory to a vehicle that has either a first vehicle mounted hitch element or a second vehicle mounted hitch element wherein the cross section of the first hitch element is larger than the cross section of the second hitch element. The reversible shank comprises a first segment having a first cross section capable of telescopic engagement with the first hitch element, and a second segment having a second cross section capable of telescopic engagement with the second hitch element, the cross section of the first segment being larger than the cross section of the second segment, wherein the second segment extends from the first segment.  
         [0009]     In yet another embodiment, an accessory carrier assembly is selectively attachable to either a first vehicle mounted hitch element or a second vehicle mounted hitch element wherein the cross section of the first hitch element is larger than the cross section of the second hitch element. The accessory carrier assembly comprises a reversible shank that comprises a first segment having a first cross section capable of telescopic engagement with the first hitch element, and a second segment having a second cross section capable of telescopic engagement with the second hitch element, the cross section of the first segment being larger than the cross section of the second segment, wherein the second segment extends from the first segment, and an accessory carrier element selectively engageable with the first segment and the second segment so as to permit selective engagement of the first segment with the first hitch element and of the second segment with the second hitch element. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a reversible shank assembly for attachment to a plurality of vehicle hitch receivers;  
         [0012]      FIG. 1A  is a phantom top view of a reversible shank assembly;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective partial phantom view of the reversible shank assembly illustrated in a pivoted position relative to a vehicle hitch receiver; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the reversible shank assembly of  FIG. 1  illustrated in a second position for attachment to a second vehicle hitch receiver. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates an accessory carrier assembly  10  for attachment to a vehicle (shown rather schematically at  12 ). The carrier assembly  10  generally includes a reversible shank  14 , and bushings  16 . The reversible shank  14  includes a first segment  18  and a second segment  20 . Each segment  18 ,  20  provides exterior dimensions for mating engagement to a first and second female hitch receiver  22  or  22 ′ mounted to the vehicle  12  and to an accessory carrier  28 . The hitch receivers  22 ,  22 ′ are mounted to the vehicle in a known manner and each defines a first axis  23 .  
         [0016]     The reversible shank  14  is preferably manufactured of a substantially square first portion  24  which receives a substantially square second portion  26 . First portion  24  receives the second portion  26  which is fixed therein by welding or the like. Preferably, the first portion  24  is sized to engage a 2-inch female hitch receiver  22  and the second portion  26  is sized to engage a 1.25-inch female hitch receiver  22 ′. The 2-inch female hitch receiver  22  and the 1.25-inch female hitch receiver  22 ′ are typical of most female hitch receivers and portions  24 ,  26  are preferred sized to engage these common receivers, however, other sized portions may be provided for engagement with a multiple of other sized female hitch receivers.  
         [0017]     The accessory carrier  28  includes a support  30  and a mount assembly  32 . The support  30  is preferably a substantially L-shaped tubular support which defines a second axis  31  substantially perpendicular to the first axis  23 . The support  30  provides for the attachment of a multiple of known carriers (not shown). The carriers can include but are not limited to: bicycle racks; ski racks; snowboard racks; accessory shelves; accessory bustles; and the like. It should also be understood that other accessories attachable to a hitch receiver  22  will benefit from the present invention.  
         [0018]     The mount assembly  32  preferably includes a pair of parallel plates  34  fixedly attached to the support  30  by welding or the like. Other accessories attachable to a hitch receiver  22  can directly include the mount assembly  32  such that the other accessories will benefit from the present invention. A distance sized to receive the larger first portion  24  of the reversible shank  14  separates the plates  34 . A pair of apertures  33  are located through each of the plates  34 . A stop aperture  35  is also preferably located through the plates.  
         [0019]     The second segment  20  of the reversible shank  14  includes a pair of apertures  36 ,  38 . One of the apertures  38  is located through the first portion  24  and the other aperture  36  is located through the second portion  26 . Preferably, the apertures  38  are pierced through the substantially square first portion  24  while the pair of apertures  36  are drilled through the solid substantially square second portion  26 . The portions  24 ,  26  are aligned ( FIG. 1A ) such that one of the apertures  36 ,  38  are concentric and the portions  24 ,  26  are fixed together by welding or the like.  
         [0020]     By collating one of the apertures  36  with one of the apertures  38 , the shank  14  is assured to be retained within the hitch receiver irrespective of which hitch receiver is used. Moreover, by passing a pin through the collocated apertures  36 ,  38  such that the pin passes through both portions  24 ,  26 , retention of the portions  24 ,  26  ( FIG. 1A ) is assured without regard to the joint therebetween. The pair of apertures  36  and the pair of apertures  38  are spaced to correspond with the pair of apertures  33  located through the plates  34  such that the first segment  18  of the reversible shank  14  is attachable thereto.  
         [0021]     The first segment  18  of the reversible shank  14  includes a pair of apertures  38 . The pair of apertures  38  are spaced to correspond with the pair of apertures  36  and the pair of apertures  33  located through the plates  34  such that the first segment  18  of the reversible shank  14  is also attachable thereto. Preferably, a hitch pin aperture  40  is located between the pair of apertures  38  to receive a hitch pin  42  in a known manner.  
         [0022]     The first portion  24  is telescopically receivable within the 2-inch female hitch receiver  22  and retained therein by the hitch pin  42 . Hitch pin  42  is preferably passable through a hitch aperture  44  and through the corresponding hitch pin aperture  40 . Hitch pin  42  is retained by a fastener  46  such as clip  46 . The hitch pin aperture  40  is provided as the hitch pin  42  for the 2-inch female hitch receiver  22  is typically of a larger diameter than a hitch pin  48  for the 1.25-inch female hitch receiver  22 ′. Accordingly, the pairs of apertures  32 ,  36 , and  38  are preferably of an equivalent size which may be smaller than hitch pin apertures  40  and  44 .  
         [0023]     When the accessory carrier  28  is to be mounted to a vehicle  12  having a 2-inch female hitch receiver  22 , the first portion  24  of the reversible shank  14  is telescoped into the 2-inch female hitch receiver  22  and retained therein by the pin  42 . To attach the accessory carrier  28  to the reversible shank  14 , the second segment  20  is located between the plates  34  such that the pair of apertures  33  located through the plates  34  are aligned with the pair of apertures  36  located through the second segment  20 . A fastener  50  is preferably passed through one of the apertures  33  and through one of the apertures  36  located through the second portion  26 .  
         [0024]     Preferably, because the second portion  26  is smaller than the distance between plates  32 , the bushings  16  are preferably located between the plates  34  and the second portion  26 . Each of the bushings  16  includes an aperture  17  such that the bushings  16  can receive and be retained by the fastener  50  which is passed therethrough. A threaded fastener  52  such as nut  52  is then threaded to the fastener  50  to retain the accessory carrier  28  to the reversible shank  14 . Washers  56  are preferably located between the fastener  50 , nut  52  and the plates  34  such that the accessory carrier  28  can be easily pivoted on a pivot axis  55  defined along fastener  50 .  
         [0025]     A pin  54  is then located through the other aperture  36  in the first portion  24  and the other aperture  33  in the plates  34 . A clip  58  or the like retains pin  54  to the mount assembly  32 . It should be understood that the pin  54  can be another hitch pin  48  for the 1.25-inch female hitch receiver  22 ′ or can be a separate pin such as pin  54 .  
         [0026]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the accessory carrier  28  is now mounted to the vehicle  12  such that the second axis  31  is substantially perpendicular to the first axis  23  (shown in phantom). Importantly, should a user require access to the vehicle  12  through a rear door, lift-gate, or the like (shown schematically at D), only pin  54  need be removed. Preferably pin  54  is removed form aperture  33  and located in stop aperture  35 . The accessory carrier  28  can then be pivoted on the pivot axis  55  ( FIG. 1 ) defined along fastener  50 . Stop aperture  35  forms a stop that contacts the shank  14  to prevent over rotation of the accessory carrier  28  and possible contact with the ground G. Accordingly, the reversible shank  14  provides a clearance C for accessories carried on the accessory carrier  28 . Further, by completely removing the pin  54  from the stop aperture  35 , the accessory carrier  28  can be further rotated.  
         [0027]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , when the accessory carrier  28  is to be mounted to a vehicle  12  having a 1.25-inch female hitch receiver  22 ′, the second portion  26  of the reversible shank  14  is telescoped into the 1.25-inch female hitch receiver  22 ′ and retained therein by the pin  48 . To attach the accessory carrier  28  to the reversible shank  14 , first segment  18  is located between the plates  34  such that the pair of apertures  33  located through the plates  34  are aligned with the pair of apertures  38  located through the second segment  20 . Because the second segment  20  is large enough to fit between the plates  34  at both apertures  38 , bushings  16  are not required. Otherwise, assembly is the same as described above. The accessory carrier  28  can again be pivoted and clearance is again provided for accessories carried on the accessory carrier  28 .  
         [0028]     The foregoing description is exemplary rather than defined by the limitations within. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. The preferred embodiments of this invention have been disclosed, however, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. For that reason the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.