Abstract:
The present invention relates to vehicle hitch receiver accessories. More particularly, the present invention relates to certain tables that may be mounted to a vehicle hitch receiver. According to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, vehicle hitch receiver mountable tables are provide that comprise (i) a hitch end for mounting the table to the hitch receiver, (ii) a frame section comprising a bottom end pivotally attached to the hitch end, (iii) a table support structure pivotally attached to a top end of the frame section, and (iv) a table top attached to the table support structure.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to and incorporates by reference U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/795,380, filed Apr. 27, 2006. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to vehicle hitch receiver accessories. More particularly, the present invention relates to certain tables that may be mounted to a vehicle hitch receiver.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The present invention relates to an apparatus which serves as a portable table that easily mounts to vehicle hitch receivers. Vehicle hitch mounted products, or accessories, have become popular due to an American automotive industry standardization of tow hitch ports integral to the rear frame of the vehicle. Most domestically produced utilitarian vehicles (i.e. SUV&#39;s, pick-ups, vans) feature a square, tubular port, or hitch receiver, intended for the removable attachment of hitches for towing purposes. Common to the market are numerous vehicle-mounted products which removably attach to the vehicle via the hitch receiver. These products include, but are not limited to, bicycle racks, ski racks, pick-up bed extenders, cargo carriers and tables.  
         [0004]     Hitch receiver mounted tables are not new to the marketplace. Several United States patents present various embodiments and adaptations of these tables. U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,458 by Rivera presents a table with provision for mounting an umbrella and barbeque grill. A hitch mounted table with seats and umbrella is described by Anderson in U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,741. A table known in the marketplace is designed to transport on a vehicle in a vertical position pinned in the receiver hitch for transport, but the design does not locate the table close enough to the vehicle. The table assembly sits approximately 20″ from the rear of the vehicle. This is a relatively dangerous and undesirable distance from the rear of the vehicle considering the length and limited vision to the rear of most vehicles with hitch receivers. The top of the known tailgate table is also a single piece which is required to ship to a customer at an oversized category and is therefore expensive to ship. The known tailgate table design does not include a protective cover to keep the top clean while in transit. The table top may be exposed to compounds common to road surfaces such as oil and salt. The known table weighs approximately 50 pounds, which makes it difficult to mount to the hitch receiver. Accordingly, there is a need for a hitch receiver mounted table which mounts close to the vehicle, occupies a small packaged size and is easy to manipulate while mounting to the hitch receiver and during use.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]      FIG. 1  is an exploded right side perspective view of a vehicle hitch receiver and table in the transport position.  
         [0006]      FIG. 2  is an assembled view of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0007]      FIG. 3  is a right side perspective view of the table.  
         [0008]      FIG. 4  is an exploded right side perspective view of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0009]      FIG. 5  is a detailed view of the table support structure.  
         [0010]      FIG. 6  is a right side perspective view of a vehicle hitch receiver and the table in the standing position.  
         [0011]      FIG. 7  is a right side perspective view of a vehicle hitch receiver and the table in the sitting position.  
         [0012]      FIG. 8  is an exploded detailed view of the bottom hinge while the table is in the standing position.  
         [0013]      FIG. 9  is a detailed view of the bottom hinge while the table is in the sitting position.  
         [0014]      FIG. 10  is an exploded detailed view of the top hinge while the table is in the standing position.  
         [0015]      FIG. 11  is a detailed view of the top hinge while the table is in the sitting position.  
         [0016]      FIG. 12  is an exploded right side perspective of the table and cover.  
         [0017]      FIG. 13  is an assembled view of  FIG. 12 .  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0018]     A transportable table of the present invention removably attaches to the hitch receiver of a vehicle. An embodiment of the present invention, generally indicated as the table  1 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-2 , is removably attachable to the hitch receiver  2 , which is generally integral to the vehicle frame and protrudes below the rear bumper  3 . The hitch receiver  2  is of a square, tubular shape with a nominally sized square opening  4 . The table  1 , as do all hitch receiver-mounted accessories, has a square, tubular hitch end  5  that telescopically mates with the hitch receiver  2 . A hitch pin  6 , fabricated of steel round stock, is used to attach the table  1  to the hitch receiver  2 . A nominally sized round through hole  7  perpendicular to the side surface of the hitch end  5 , is aligned with a similarly sized round through hole  8  in the side surface of the hitch receiver  2 . The hitch pin  6  is inserted through both holes  7 ,  8 . The hitch pin  6  is transversely secured by a bridge pin  9  inserted into a through hole  10  perpendicular to the outer surface of the hitch pin  6 .  FIG. 2  illustrates the orientation of the table I in the transport position.  
         [0019]     As shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , one embodiment of the table  1  includes four subsystems, namely, a hitch end  5 , a frame section  15 ; a table support structure generally indicated and a table top  17 . The hitch end  5  consists of a hitch tube  18  that is rigidly connected to a bottom hinge  19 . The bottom hinge  19  has a u-shaped cross-section creating an opening nominally sized to accept the outer perimeter of the frame section  15 . The bottom hinge  19  is pivotally connected to the frame section  15  lower end indicated  20 . The table support structure pivotally attaches to the frame section  15  top end indicated  21 . A top hinge  25 , u-tube  26  and table angles  27  comprise the table support structure. The u-tube  26  is rigidly connected to the top hinge  25  with the table angles  27  rigidly attached to the u-tube  26  by machine screws. The u-tube  26  provides support for the table angles  27 , which in turn support the table top sections  17 . The table top sections  17  are molded as identical pieces.  
         [0020]     The present embodiment of the table  1  features two different positions during use: a standing, or bar, height and a sitting height. The standing height positions the vertical distance from the top surface of the table tops  17  to the ground at approximately 42″ (see  FIG. 6 ), while the sitting height positions the vertical distance from the top surface of the table tops  17  to the ground at approximately 30″ (see  FIG. 7 ). The vertical distances will vary depending on height above ground of the receiver hitch  2  for each model of vehicle. Note the angular positions of the frame section  15  to create the different height positions for the table tops  17 .  
         [0021]      FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate the method of rotating and locking the frame section  15  in place relative to the bottom hinge  19 . The frame section  15  is pivotally retained to the bottom hinge  19  by a hex bolt  30  passing longitudinally through axially aligned mating holes in the frame section  15  and the bottom hinge  19 . To move the frame section  15  from the standing position (see  FIG. 8 ) to the sitting position (see  FIG. 9 ) a locking pin  31  must be removed from the axially aligned holes indicated  32  in the frame section  15  and bottom hinge  19 . The frame section  15  is rotated in the direction indicated R 1  about the hex bolt  30  until the through holes in the frame section  15  and bottom hinge  19  are axially aligned at the location indicated  33 . The locking pin  31  is then inserted into the axially aligned holes at location  33  to prevent further rotation of the frame section  15  relative to the bottom hinge  19 . Moving the frame section from the sitting position to the standing position is the opposite of the procedure described above. A hex bolt  34  passing longitudinally through the bottom hinge  19  acts as a rotation limiting device to keep the frame section  15  from rotating too far in the direction indicated R 1  and possibly causing the table  1  to strike the ground.  
         [0022]      FIGS. 10 and 11  illustrate the method of rotating and locking the frame section  15  in place relative to the top hinge  25  and, therefore, the u-tube  26 , table angles  27  and table tops  17 . The frame section  15  is pivotally retained to the top hinge  25  by a hex bolt  40  passing longitudinally through axially aligned mating holes in the frame section  15  and the top hinge  25 . To move the top hinge  25  from the standing position (see  FIG. 10 ) to the sitting position (see  FIG. 11 ) a locking pin  41  must be removed from the axially aligned holes indicated  42  in the frame section  15  and top hinge  25 . The top hinge  25 , and therefore, the u-tube  26 , table angles  27  and table tops  17 , is rotated in the direction indicated R 2  about the hex bolt  40  until the through holes in the frame section  15  and top hinge  25  are axially aligned at the location indicated  43 . The locking pin  41  is then inserted into the axially aligned holes at location  43  to prevent further rotation of the top hinge  25  relative to the frame section  15 . Moving the top hinge  25  from the sitting position to the standing position is the opposite of the procedure described above.  
         [0023]     A table cover  50 , fabricated of flexible, weather resistant material may be removably attached to the table (see  FIGS. 12-13 ). The table cover  50  is fabricated to the same nominal dimensions as the table tops  17  as they are assembled to the table 1. The inner perimeter  51  of the table cover will overlap the bottom perimeter of the table sections in the same manner a fitted sheet overlaps the bottom perimeter of a mattress. An elastic cord is sewn into the perimeter of the cover  50  to provide retaining tension around the inner perimeter  51 .