Abstract:
Disclosed is a protective cover for trailer coupling devices. The protective cover includes a shaft with a hollowed inner core for housing a trailer coupling device and a protective pad that is adjoined to one end of the shaft. When installed, the protective casing cover protects a trailer&#39;s coupling device from adverse weather conditions. Additionally, upon installation, the protective pad of the protective cover serves to prevent or reduce damage to a vehicle when a driver backs up too far while trying to align a vehicle&#39;s trailer hitch with a trailer&#39;s coupling device.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention refers to a device for covering the coupling mechanism of a trailer. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Trailers are frequently coupled with vehicles and used to transport property from location to location. Although trailers vary in regards to size, shape, and structure depending on the cargo the trailer is designed to haul, trailers are usually coupled to vehicles in the same general fashion. A trailer hitch mounted to the back of a vehicle is engaged with and locked to a coupling device present on the front of a trailer. Generally, the trailer hitch is centered on the backside of the vehicle and mounted below the bumper region of the vehicle such that it is out of the driver&#39;s sight while operating the vehicle. Moreover, because the driver must backup and position the vehicle such that the hitch is aligned with the trailer&#39;s coupling device, the trailer&#39;s coupling device is also out of the driver&#39;s line of sight during the coupling process. Accordingly, without the aid of another individual, the driver must guess how far to back up the vehicle before the trailer hitch is aligned with the trailer&#39;s coupling device, which frequently results in contact between the trailer coupling device and the back portion of the vehicle. This contact often causes damage to the paint or structural integrity of the vehicle&#39;s bumper, tailgate, trunk lid, license plate, or any other area of the car in which the coupling hitch makes contact. Additionally, because trailer coupling devices are frequently stored and utilized outdoors, these devices are frequently exposed to adverse weather conditions. Unless the trailer coupling device is covered, adverse weather conditions can negatively impact the aesthetic appearance and structural integrity of the trailer coupling device. 
     Accordingly, a need exists in the art for a trailer coupling device cover that prevents or reduces the damage incurred by a vehicle when the vehicle is backed into a trailer coupling device during the coupling process. Furthermore, a need exists in the art for a trailer coupling device cover that can achieves this function while also protecting a trailer&#39;s coupling device in adverse weather conditions. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention is directed to a protective cover for a trailer coupling device. The protective cover comprises a hollowed shaft having a first end and second end for housing a trailer coupling device and a protective pad that is joined to the first end of the shaft. The protective cover is utilized with conventional trailer coupling devices typically made up of a socket portion that intercepts and rests upon a vehicle&#39;s trailer hitch during the coupling process, a locking lever, and an underjaw mechanism that securely locks a vehicle&#39;s trailer hitch within the socket portion of the trailer&#39;s coupling device when the locking lever is moved from a vertical, upright position to a horizontal position. 
     In one preferred embodiment, the shaft of the protective cover contains an opening of a sufficient length and width as to permit the locking lever of a trailer coupling device regardless of whether the locking lever is in its vertical or horizontal position. In another preferred embodiment, the opening is only of a sufficient length and width as to permit the locking lever to pass through the protective cover when it is in its vertical position. In one embodiment, slits of a particular length and width extend from the side panels of the second end of the shaft to enable the second end of the protective cover to slide past any protruding material that may exist on a trailer coupling device. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the protective pad is enlarged relative to the first end of the shaft in which it is adjoined; in this embodiment the protective pad is sized and positioned such that it creates at least one perpendicular plane between the protective pad and the first end of the shaft. Another advantageous embodiment involves the protective pad being centered on the first end of the shaft and enlarged such that the outer perimeter of the protective pad is greater than that of the first end of the shaft to which the protective pad is connected. Another preferred embodiment of the invention involves the protective cover existing as a single, continuous mold where the mold has a shaft portion and protective pad portion. The mold is preferably made of a rubber material that is resistant to water. 
     To use the protective cover, the user first aligns the second end of the shaft with the trailer coupling device such that the second end of the shaft is parallel to the socket portion of the trailer coupling device. Once the protective cover is properly aligned, the user then pushes the protective cover backwards onto the trailer&#39;s coupling device until the protective pad is adjacent to the socket portion of the trailer&#39;s coupling device. Alternatively, if the embodiment of the invention that incorporates an opening for the locking lever of a trailer coupling device to pass trough is used, the user begins the installation process by first holding the protective cover in a horizontal fashion above the trailer coupling device. Specifically, the user holds the protective cover in a horizontal fashion such that the opening within the protective cover&#39;s shaft is aligned with the trailer coupling device&#39;s locking lever. The user then lowers the protective cover onto the trailer&#39;s coupling device until the cover rests securely upon the trailer&#39;s coupling device. 
     When the protective cover is successfully installed on a trailer&#39;s coupling device, the protective pad will be positioned such that if a driver backs a vehicle too far back during the coupling process only the protective pad of the protective cover will contact the vehicle. Moreover, upon successful installation of the protective cover, the majority of the trailer&#39;s coupling device will be housed within the protective cover, thus generally protecting the trailer&#39;s coupling device from adverse weather conditions such as rain. Thus, the protective cover is used not only to prevent or reduce damage to a vehicle during the coupling process but also for protecting the trailer&#39;s coupling device from adverse weather conditions that can negatively affect the trailer&#39;s coupling device. Moreover, because the protective cover can be installed and removed form a trailer coupling device easily and without any hardware, the protective cover can be removed and utilized with other trailers as the user desires. 
     Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a protective cover which prevents or reduces damage to a vehicle when a driver inadvertently backs the vehicle into a trailer&#39;s coupling device. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a protective cover for protecting a trailer coupling device from adverse weather conditions. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a protective cover that can be easily installed, removed, and transferred to other trailers. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a cover in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows a top view of a cover in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  shows a bottom view of a cover in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  shows a back view of a cover in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  shows a front view of cover in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  shows a side view of coupling device used in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 7A  shows a side view of a cover being installed in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 7B  shows a side view of a cover being installed in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 7C  shows a side view of a cover being installed in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the Summary above and in this Detailed Description, and the claims below, and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features, including method steps, of the invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, or a particular claim, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with/or in the context of other particular aspects of the embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally. 
     The term “comprises” and grammatical equivalents thereof are used herein to mean that other components, ingredients, steps, etc. are optionally present. For example, an article “comprising” components A, B, and C can contain only components A, B, and C, or can contain not only components A, B, and C, but also one or more other components. 
     Where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or more defined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order or simultaneously (except where the context excludes that possibility), and the method can include one or more other steps which are carried out before any of the defined steps, between two of the defined steps, or after all the defined steps (except where the context excludes that possibility). 
     Turning now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In one aspect, a protective cover  10  for a trailer coupling comprises a generally hollow body having a first end  11  and a second end  12 . The cover  10  is generally hollow and comprises an inner core spanning a length between the first end  11  and the second end  12  of the cover  10 . A protective element  17  is connected to the first end  11  of the cover  10 . In a preferred embodiment the protective element  17  is made of a rubber material. In yet another embodiment the protective element  17  is made of a plastic material. In yet another embodiment the protective element  17  comprises a gel or similar material. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , in a preferred embodiment the protective element  17  is connected to the first end  11  of the cover  10  such that at least one perpendicular plane exists between the protective element  17  and the first end  11 . Nonetheless, alternative embodiments of the invention may comprise the protective element  17  being connected to the first end  11  of the cover body such that an angular plane exists between the protective element  17  and the body  11 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , in a preferred embodiment the cover body has an opening  14  of sufficient length and width such that a locking lever of a trailer coupling device  20  can pass through the opening  14  of the body. As further illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the protective cover  10  of the present invention may comprise flanges  15 . 
     The protective cover  10  may be made of two sidewalls and a ceiling wall. The device  10  may include a slot  13  on one or both of the sidewalls. The slots  13  are configured to extend longitudinally from the second end  12  towards the front end  11 . The protective cover  10  is configured to cover a standard coupling device, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . The coupling device  20 , includes a locking lever  24 , first end  21 , back end  22 , and bolt  23 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 7A-7C , the slots  13  are configured such that the body of the cover  10  may slide past bolts  23  of the coupler  20 . In this way the cover  10  may be secured onto the coupler  20 . Additionally, the slots  13  may allow the cover  10  to slide past other protruding elements  23  when the protective cover  10  is placed onto a trailer-coupling device  20 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 , a preferred embodiment of the protective cover  10  comprises a body configured in a generally rectangular cuboid shape. This shape is based on a standard trailer coupling device  20  as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . It is understood that the body of the cover may take many shapes and fall within the scope of the invention. 
     A preferred embodiment of a protective cover  10  for a trailer coupling  20  includes a shaft portion having a first end  11  and a second end  12 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the shaft portion has an inner core that is generally hollowed from the first end  11  to the second end  12  such that a trailer coupling device can be housed within the shaft portion. As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the first end  11  of the shaft portion inner core may be configured in a generally round shape to fit securely around the first end  21  of a coupler  20 . Similarly, the second end  12  of the shaft portion inner core may be configured in a generally square shape to fit securely around the second end  22  of a coupler. A protective pad portion  17  is located at the first end  11  of the shaft portion. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the shaft portion of the cover comprises a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a ceiling wall. As further illustrated in  FIGS. 7A-7C , the ceiling wall rests upon the upper horizontal plane of a trailer coupling device  20 . The first sidewall is positioned parallel to one vertical sidewall of a trailer coupling device  20 . The second sidewall is positioned parallel to the opposite vertical sidewall of a trailer coupling device  20  when the protective cover  10  is placed on a trailer coupling device  20 . 
     In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the protective cover ceiling wall has an opening  14  of sufficient length and width to allow a locking lever  24  of a trailer coupling device  20  to pass through the opening  14  when the protective cover  10  is placed on a trailer coupling device  20  and the locking lever  24  is in an upright position.  FIG. 6  illustrates a standard trailer coupling device.  FIG. 7A-7C  illustrate a preferred method of securing a protective cover  10  onto a standard trailer coupling device  20 . The cover  10  is placed above the coupling device  20  with the locking pin  24  aligned with the ceiling hole  14  and the side wall slots  13  aligned with the bolt  23 , or other protruding element  23 . Once aligned, the cover  10  is slid down onto the trailer coupling device  20 , as illustrated in  FIG. 7B . At this stage the sidewall slots  13  have slid past the bolt  23  and the locking pin  24  is protruding through the ceiling wall  14 . Once the locking pin  24  is pushed downward and secured in place, the protective cover  10  is secured atop the coupling device  20 , as illustrated in  FIG. 7C . 
     Although it is preferred that a slot  13  exists in the sidewall of each of the sides of the cover  10 , it is possible to secure the cover  10  set forth herein with only one slot  13 . The slots  13  are generally of sufficient length and width such that the second end  12  of the shaft portion can slide past a protruding element  23  when the protective cover  10  is placed onto a trailer coupling device  20 . 
     It is understood that the device disclosed herein may be manufactured in a number of ways with a number of materials, all known to those of skill in the art. A preferred method of creating a protective cover  10  disclosed herein is with the use of a mold. Preferably, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the shaft portion of the mold is a cuboid. It is further preferred that the device be made of a rubber material. However, it is possible to form the product disclosed herein with plastics and other materials known to those of skill in the art. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the protective cover device  10  for a trailer coupling  20  comprises a mold  10  having a hollowed shaft portion. The hollowed shaft portion has a first end  11  and a second end  12 . The shaft portion is of a generally rectangular cuboid shape and consists of a first wall, a second wall, and a ceiling wall. The ceiling wall rests on top of a trailer coupling device  20  when the protective cover is in use and the ceiling wall has an opening  14  of sufficient length and width as to permit an upright locking lever  24  of a trailer coupling device  20  to pass through when the protective cover  10  is installed. The first sidewall and the second sidewall comprise a slot  13  that is of sufficient size and shape as to permit the second end  12  of the shaft portion to slide past a protruding material  23  when the protective cover  10  is installed. A protective pad portion  17  is connected to the first end  11  of the shaft portion. In one embodiment the perimeter of the face of the protective pad portion  17  is greater than the perimeter of the first end  11  of the shaft portion.