Abstract:
A trailer and hitch mounting system that includes a hitch insert assembly that is attached to a hitch attachment of a trailer and additionally has a hitch mount. A mounting plate assembly has a mounting plate that is secured to the bed of a truck and has a frustoconically shaped hitch guide with an angled surface that receives and is engaged by the hitch mount in order to guide the hitch mount toward an opening within the hitch guide to place the hitch mount at a predetermined location for securing the trailer to a truck.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/474,333 filed Apr. 12, 2011. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is directed toward a trailer hitch and hitch mounting system. More specifically, and without limitation, this invention relates to an adaptable and improved trailer hitch and mounting system incorporated into a standard trailer and truck. 
     Various types of trailers are known and utilized for hauling a wide variety of items due to their ability to haul loads which are too large in either volume or size to be accommodated by a truck. Many types of trailers, including those commonly referred to as having a “gooseneck”, are characterized by a raised mounting structure designed to be mounted to a mounting structure with a ball hitch installed into the bed of a truck. 
     Although the present mounting structure adequately provides a secure connection between the trailer and the truck, successfully mounting the trailer to the truck&#39;s mounting structure and ball hitch is often difficult, time consuming, and frustrating. Specifically, the current gooseneck hitch system consists of a standard two foot tube that inserts into the trailer with an attached locking mechanism to lock the trailer into place on a typical ball hitch mounted to the bed of a truck. Given that standard sized ball hitches commonly have a diameter no larger than two and a half inches, the present system requires that the hitch tube of the trailer and the ball hitch of the truck are precisely aligned with very little margin for error to ensure that ball hitch is received within the trailer hitch once the trailer is lowered onto the mounting structure. Thus, achieving a proper mounting alignment often requires repeatedly re-positioning the truck to achieve alignment with the trailer or a second person outside of the vehicle acting as a spotter to provide the operator of the truck with directions. 
     Furthermore, currently known mounting systems as described above require a ball hitch to be installed protruding upward from the bed of the truck, with many additionally requiring further structural components such as supporting plates and rails to be installed into the bed of the truck to provide sufficient structural support for the ball hitch and associated locking mechanisms. Thus, currently known systems not only are characterized by difficulties in mounting the trailer to the truck&#39;s mounting structure and ball hitch, but also compromise the utility of the truck itself by requiring a ball hitch and associated mounting structure to occupy and interfere with the bed space of the truck. As a result, there exists a need in the art that addresses these problems. 
     Therefore a primary object of this invention is to provide an adaptable and improved trailer hitch and mounting system that provides an automatic, quick, and easy mounting connection between the trailer and the truck. 
     It is yet another object of this invention to provide an adaptable and improved trailer hitch and mounting system that automatically guides the trailer hitch into a mounting connection with the truck. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide an adaptable and improved trailer hitch and mounting system that is sized to be used with and incorporated into a standard trailer. 
     These and other objects, features or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the specification and claims. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A trailer hitch and mounting system and a method of securing a trailer to a truck utilizing the same. The system includes a hitch insert assembly that is attached to a hitch attachment of a trailer and has a hitch mount. A mounting plate assembly has a mounting plate that is secured to the bed of the truck and additionally has a hitch guide that has an angled surface that receives and is engaged by the hitch mount to guide the hitch mount toward an opening at the bottom of the hitch guide so that the hitch mount is placed in a predetermined location for securing the trailer to the truck. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a cut-away perspective view of a trailer hitch and mounting system with a hitch insert assembly engaging an angled surface of a hitch guide of a mounting plate assembly; 
         FIG. 2  is a side sectional view of a hitch insert assembly and a mounting plate assembly of a trailer hitch and mounting system; 
         FIG. 3  is a side plan view of a hitch insert assembly disposed within a mounting plate assembly at a predetermined location; and 
         FIG. 4  is a cut-away bottom perspective view of a mounting plate assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the figures, an adaptable and improved trailer hitch and mounting system  10  includes a hitch insert assembly  12  which is sized to be integrated into a standard trailer  14 . The hitch insert assembly  12  includes a hitch insert  16 . The hitch insert  16  is an elongated bar or hollow cylindrical tube which extends longitudinally from an upper end  18  to a lower end  20 . The hitch insert  18  is of any size adequate to be secured to a standard hitch attachment  12  of a trailer  14 . 
     Two or more insertion holes  24  extend laterally through the hitch insert  16 . In one embodiment, three insertion holes  24  are provided. The insertion holes  24  are sized to receive a connection pin  26  disposed through both the insertion holes  24  and the correspondingly aligned insertion holes  28  disposed through the hitch attachment  22  of a trailer  14 . The insertion holes  24  of the hitch insert  16  are positioned at pre-defined increments along the hitch insert&#39;s central vertical axis  30  such that the insertion holes  24  of the hitch insert  16  matingly align with corresponding insertion holes  28  disposed through the hitch attachment  22  of a trailer  14 . Thus, the mounting height of the trailer  14  can be adjusted by telescopically extending or retracting the hitch insert  16  within the hitch attachment  22  of a trailer  14 . Also included in the hitch insert assembly  12  is a hitch mount  32  affixed to the lower end  20  of the hitch insert  16 . In a preferred embodiment, the hitch mount  32  is a ball mount. 
     A mounting plate assembly  34  is also provided as part of the mounting system  10 . The mounting plate assembly  34  includes a mounting plate  36  having an outer frame  38  with a flat, planar upper surface  40  and additionally includes a front edge  42 , a rear edge  44 , and side edges  46  and  48 . Disposed within the outer frame  38  is a hitch guide  50 . The hitch guide  50  is comprised of an angled, bowl-shaped, or frustoconical cross section extending downward from the upper surface  40  of the mounting plate&#39;s outer frame  38  into the interior of the mounting plate  36  in between the outer frame  38  and the interior hitch housing. Specifically, the hitch guide  50  includes an upper edge  54  which is on the upper surface  40  of the outer frame  38  adjacent to the front  40 , rear  44 , and side edges  46  and  48  of the outer frame  38  and a lower or terminal edge  56  which forms an opening  58  in the center of the mounting plate  36 . The hitch guide  50  further is comprised of a hitch guide surface which extends from the upper edge  54  to the lower or terminal edge  56  of the hitch guide  50  to define an angled surface  62  extending downwardly at an angle within the interior of the mounting plate to define a centrally located opening  58  within the interior of the mounting plate  36 . 
     A hitch housing  64  is disposed within the central opening  58  of the mounting plate  36 . The hitch housing  64  includes side walls  66  extending downward from the lower edge  56  of the hitch guide  50  to terminal ends  68  which are attached to a lower base plate  70  to form a cup-shaped housing  72  below the angled hitch guide  50  at the interior of the mounting plate  36  for receiving the hitch mount  32  within the interior of the hitch housing  64 . In a preferred embodiment, dimensions of the side walls  66  and the base plate  70  are sized to receive a standard sized hitch mount  32  within the hitch housing  64 . 
     A mounting assembly is also provided as part of the mounting plate assembly  34  and has first and second mounting rails  76  and  78  that extend laterally or perpendicular with respect to the front and rear of a truck  80 . In a preferred embodiment the mounting rails  76  and  78  are aligned with the wheel base  82  of the rear wheels  84  of the truck  80  and are 2″×2″ square beams. The first and second mounting rails  76  and  78  are mounted to a lower surface  86  of the truck bed  88  adjacent to and below an opening  90  cut into the truck bed  88  which receives the mounting plate  36 . Once the mounting plate  36  is placed within the opening  90  cut into the truck bed  88 , the front and rear edges of the mounting plate  36  are affixed to the first and second mounting rails  76  and  78  respectively by fasteners  92  such that the mounting plate  36  is mounted to the mounting assembly  74  flush within the bed  88  of the truck  80 . 
     The mounting plate assembly  10  also includes a locking pin assembly  94 . The locking pin assembly  94  includes an elongated handle  96 , a spring  98  and a locking pin  100  within a pin housing  102 . The locking pin housing  102  extends laterally into an upper portion of the hitch housing  64  offset with respect to the center vertical axis of the hitch housing  64 . The locking pin housing  102  extends through a side wall of the hitch housing  64  such that the locking pin  100 , when actuated by the spring  98  and the handle  96 , extends through the locking pin housing  102  into the hitch housing  64 . The locking pin  100  engages a tapered surface or recess of the hitch mount  32  in between the lower end of the hitch insert  16  and the upper end of the hitch mount  32  received within the hitch housing  64  to secure the hitch mount  32  housed within the hitch housing  64 . The handle  96  extends outwardly from the hitch housing  64  under the mounting plate assembly  34  between the mounting rails  76  and  78  to the exterior of the truck  80  over the rear wheel  84  of the truck  80  to permit actuation by the user. 
     In operation, an opening is cut into the bed  88  of a truck  80  sized to accommodate and receive the mounting plate  36 . The rails  76  and  78  are mounted to the underside of the truck&#39;s bed  88  and the outer frame  38  of the mounting plate  36  is placed within the opening in the truck bed  88  and affixed to the mounting assembly  74  by bolting the front and rear edges of the outer frame  38  of the mounting plate  36  to the first and second mounting rails  76  and  78  such that outer frame  38  of the mounting plate  36  is mounted to the truck flush with the truck&#39;s bed  88 . Thus, the hitch guide  50  forms a depression within the truck bed  88  for receiving the hitch insert  16  therein. 
     The hitch insert  16  is inserted into the hitch attachment  22  of a trailer  14  by inserting the insert bar into the trailer&#39;s hitch attachment  22  such that the hitch mount  32  extends downwardly from the lower end of the hitch insert  16  and the trailer  14 . After the insertion, holes of the hitch insert  16  are aligned with the insertion holes of the trailer  14 . Then a connection pin is inserted through the aligned holes of the hitch insert  16  and trailer hitch to secure the hitch insert  16  to the trailer hitch. 
     In order to secure the trailer  14  to the truck  80  using the hitch and mounting system  10 , the trailer  14  equipped as provided above is aligned with the mounting plate assembly  34  secured within the bed  88  of the truck  80  with the handle  96 . Specifically, the downwardly oriented hitch mount or ball is aligned at any point above the hitch guide surface of the mounting plate  36  and the handle  96  and spring  98  of the locking pin  94  assembly are actuated to retract the locking pin  100  from the hitch housing and leave the hitch housing clear of the locking pin  100  to receive the hitch mount. As the trailer  14  and hitch insert  16  are lowered, because of the frustoconical shape of the hitch guide  50  the hitch insert is guided into the centrally located hitch housing by the downwardly angled guide surfaces of the mounting plate assembly  34 . Once the hitch mount  32  has been guided into and retained within the hitch housing  64  at the center of the mounting plate  36  by the guide surface of the hitch guide  50 , the handle  96  of the locking pin assembly  94  is actuated. As a result the spring  98  within the locking pin housing  102  expands to advance the locking pin  100  from the locking pin housing  102  into the interior of the hitch housing in between the hitch mount  32  and the lower end of the hitch insert bar such that the extended locking pin  100  retains the hitch mount  32  securely housed within the hitch housing  64 . 
     Therefore, an adaptable and improved trailer hitch and mounting system  10  has been disclosed that provides an automatic, quick, and easy mounting connection between the trailer and the truck. The system  10  automatically guides the trailer hitch into a mounting connection with the truck  80  with a high margin of error. The system is sized to be used with and incorporated into a standard trailer  14  and attaches to the truck&#39;s frame mounted flush and disposed within the bed  88  of a truck  80  such that the truck bed  88  is left clear when the mounting system not in use. As a result, at the very least, the adaptable and improved trailer hitch and mounting system  10  meets all of its stated objectives. 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other various modifications could be made to the device without parting from the spirit and scope of this invention. All such modifications and changes fall within the scope of the claims and are intended to be covered thereby.