Patent Publication Number: US-2021171136-A1

Title: Device for moving trailers

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to devices for moving trailers, caravans and for maneuvering the trailers and the caravans. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Situations are frequently encountered when it is not possible to maneuver a trailer, caravan or the like by means of a towing vehicle because of limited space available for example in a yard or on a slipway. It is then necessary to manhandle the trailer, caravan or the like and this often involves hard physical effort, even when a jockey wheel is fitted, and may in some circumstances not be possible unless assistance is at hand. 
     Prior art is replete with various devices. One prior art reference teaches a device for moving trailers, caravans and the like comprises a frame on which a pair of wheels are mounted on an axle which extends through plates at one end of the frame. An electric motor is mounted on a drive shaft and is arranged to drive the axle via a series of pulleys and associated belts. A further single wheel is rotatably mounted in a U-shaped frame or caster which is rotatably mounted in a bearing provided on a plate which is secured to the other end of the frame. 
     Alluding to the above, levering or steering arm or handle is also secured to this end of the frame and a ball coupling for engaging the towing eye of a trailer, caravan or the like is mounted on an L-shaped bar which is secured to gusset plates provided at the said one end of the frame. The electric motor may be an electric drill or a fixed motor driven from the main or a battery. 
     This prior art reference fails to teach a device that will allow the individual the ability to guide the movement of their trailer with unprecedented control and accuracy and zero radius turning ability and to allow a user to steer and guide the parking of any trailer without being connected to a car, truck or other motorized vehicle. 
     The present invention aims to solve this problem by simple and convenient means. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A mobility device (the device) of the present invention is used for moving trailers and for maneuvering the trailers between various locations and obstacles such as, for example, bushes and trees. The device includes a lower end assembly and an upper end assembly or a control unit. The lower end assembly and the upper end assembly share a common axis. The lower end assembly and the upper end assembly are movable relative to one another in vertical direction along the common axis A. In other words, when the lower end assembly is positioned on the ground, the upper unit assembly is moved to and from the lower unit assembly. The lower unit assembly is rotatable about the axis A and around the upper end assembly. 
     The device allows anyone to drive a parked trailer from its parked location to the towing vehicle with precise alignment to the ball hitch of the towing vehicle. The device is self-powered for the purpose of lifting and or lowering the trailer hitch on or off the hitch ball of the towing vehicle and a hydraulic pump and reservoir and a pair hydraulic motors for the forward and reverse movement and the left and right steering. The device is controlled with a wireless hand held remote device through a Bluetooth operation system and or a phone application, which can be downloaded onto your smart phone. 
     The device of the present invention designed to be a permanent part of the trailer and take the place of the existing jack that is mounted on the trailer. This lower unit re-tracks up into the trailer frame allowing for enough clearance between the ground and the bottom of the wheels on the lower unit. This allows the trail to be connected to the vehicle and be driven across country to the users destination. Once the driver has reached there destination and the trailer is ready to be parked, the driver will disconnect all attached items which tie the trailer to the vehicle. 
     Alluding to the above, this is done by unlatching release lever for the vehicle ball, safety chains and electrical connection at the trailer which tie the vehicle to the trailer. The driver will then use the device to take over parking responsibility. First the driver presses the PWR button on the remote. Once power has been turned on to the device it is ready to use. Pressing the UP button will lift the trailer hitch off the truck trailer hitch ball. Next the trailer must be moved away from the vehicle by pressing the REV button on the remote. This will back the trailer away from the vehicle. Before driving the trailer to it final destination the device must lower the trailer to a level position. This is done by pressing the DWN button and watching the level usually permanently attach to a trailer for leveling purposes. Once the driver has the trailer level the trailer is now ready to park using the remote controller. 
     An advantage of the present invention is to provide an improved device for moving trailers guide and park precisely in a specific location a trailer such as camper, utility, boat, horse or any other type of a tow behind a vehicle trailer without being attached to a vehicle. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is to provide the improved device for moving trailers guide to allow anyone to drive a parked trailer from its parked location to the towing vehicle with precise alignment to the ball hitch of the towing vehicle. 
     Still another advantage of the present invention is to provide an improved device for moving trailers, which is self-powered, for the purpose of lifting and or lowering the trailer hitch on or off the hitch ball of the towing vehicle and a hydraulic pump and reservoir and a pair hydraulic motors for the forward and reverse movement and the left and right steering. 
     Still another advantage of the present invention is to provide the improved device for moving trailers, which is controlled with a wireless hand held remote through a Bluetooth operation system and or a phone application, which can be downloaded onto your smart phone. 
     Still another advantage of the present invention is to provide the improved device for moving trailers to allow an individual the ability to guide the movement of their trailer with unprecedented control and accuracy and zero radius turning ability. 
     Still another advantage of the present invention is to provide the improved device for moving trailers to allow a simple and wireless control which allows a user to steer and guide the parking of any trailer without being connected to a car, truck or other motorized vehicle. 
     The objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from inspection of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout and in which an embodiment of the present invention is described and illustrated. 
     The exact manner in which the foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention are achieved in practice will become more clearly apparent when reference is made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention described in detail in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, where in like reference numbers indicate corresponding parts throughout. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a trailer with a device of the present invention connected to the trailer; 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the device; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the device 
         FIG. 4  is a top schematic view of the trailer with the device connected to the trailer wherein various maneuvering positions of the trailer are shown, as the device is controlled with a wireless hand held remote through a Bluetooth operation system, and/or a phone application, which can be downloaded onto a smart phone. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the screen of the wireless hand held remote. 
         FIG. 6  is a side and cross-sectional view of a lower unit of the lower end assembly of the device; 
         FIG. 7  is a front view of the lower end assembly of the device; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the lower end assembly; 
         FIG. 9  is a top and cross-sectional view of the lower end assembly; 
         FIG. 10  is a rear cross-sectional view of the lower end assembly; 
         FIG. 11  is a top view of an upper control unit; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective unit of the upper control unit; and 
         FIG. 13  is a side view of the upper control unit. 
         FIG. 14  shows a prior art device, used only to lower and upper the trailer to level the trailer relative the ground or surface and the vehicle ball of the vehicle; and 
         FIG. 15  shows the device of the present invention designed to be a permanent part of the trailer and take the place of the existing jack that is mounted on the trailer. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 4 , a mobility device (the device) of the present invention, is generally shown at  10 . The device  10  is used for moving trailers  12  and for maneuvering the trailers  12  between various locations and obstacles such as, for example, bushes and trees, generally indicated at B. The device  10  includes a lower end assembly generally indicated at  14  and an upper end assembly or a control unit, generally indicated at  16  in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The lower end assembly  14  and the upper end assembly  16  share a common axis A. The lower end assembly  14  and the upper end assembly  16  are movable relative to one another in vertical direction as shown at  20  along the common axis A. In other words, when the lower end assembly  14  is positioned on the ground, the upper unit assembly  16  is moved to and from the lower unit assembly  14  as shown at  20 . The lower unit assembly  14  is rotatable about the axis A and around the upper end assembly  16  as shown at  22 . 
     The device  10  allows anyone to drive the parked trailer  12  from its parked location  30  to a desired location  32  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The device  10  is self-powered for the purpose of lifting and or lowering the trailer hitch  34  and a hydraulic pump and reservoir and a pair hydraulic motors for the forward and reverse movement and the left and right steering of the device  10 . The device  10  is controlled with a wireless hand held remote device  36  through a Bluetooth operation system and or a phone application, which can be downloaded onto a smart phone. 
     As best shown in  FIG. 5 , wireless hand held remote device  36  includes a housing  40 , a touchtone screen  42 , a “power” button  42 , a “move forward” button  46 , a “left turn” button  48 , a “move back” button  49 , a “right turn” button  50 , and “up movement” and “down movement” buttons  52  and  54 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other modifications of the options and additional options may be used without limiting the scope of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6 through 10 , the lower unit assembly  14  will now be discussed. As best shown in  FIGS. 6 through 8 , the lower unit assembly  14  includes a housing  60 , to house forward and reverse drive assembly, is formed from metal or any other rigid material without limiting the scope of the present invention. A pair of wheels  62  are connected to and extend from the housing  60 . The wheels  62  are rotatable about drive axle  64  defining a wheel axis. 
     Alluding to the above, an extender element or extension rod  66  is connected to the housing  60  and is used to adjustably connect the lower unit assembly  14  with the upper unit assembly  16 . A drive chain tensioner device  68  is positioned in the housing  60  along with a hydraulic motor mounting plate  70 . A drive chain tension knob  72  is mechanically connected to the drive chain tensioner device  68  to adjust tension of the drive chain as required and during installation. A pair of drive wheel axle bearings  74  are mechanically connected to the drive wheel axle  64 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 9 , a top and cross-sectional view of the lower end assembly  14  is shown. The forward/reverse hydraulic motor  70  is mechanically connected to a hydraulic motor intermediate drive gear device  80 , which in turn is connected to a drive wheel intermediate gear device  82 . A hydraulic motor drive chain  84  is engaged about the drive wheel intermediate gear device  80  to translate rotational motion to the drive wheel intermediate gear device  82 . The drive wheel intermediate gear device  82 , through a drive wheel drive chain  88 , translates the rotational motion to a drive wheel drive gear  84 . The drive wheel gear  84  in turn rotates the drive wheel axle  64  in order to move the wheels  64  in forward and reverse directions. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 11 through 13 , the upper unit assembly  16  will now be discussed. As shown in  FIG. 11 , the upper unit assembly  16  includes a hydraulic reservoir  90  fluidly communicated with a hydraulic pump  92 , which in turn connected to a jack  94  engaged with a left/right reduction gear  96  mechanically connected with a left/right drive gear  98  through a drive chain  100 . The upper unit assembly  16  includes a hydraulic flow control unit  102 . The jack  94  includes a jack gear box  124  cooperable with a jack electric motor  122 , which in turn mechanically engaged with a bearing unit  126  cooperable with a left/right hydraulic motor  120  connected with one another with a chain  127 . The hydraulic reservoir  90  and the hydraulic pump  92  are housed in a first frame  130  connected to a second frame  132  which in turn houses the hydraulic flow control unit  102 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 14 and 15 ,  FIG. 14  shows a prior art device  144 , used only to lower and upper the trailer  12  to level the trailer relative the ground or surface  140  and the vehicle ball  141  of the vehicle  142 .  FIG. 15  shows the device  10  of the present invention designed to be a permanent part of the trailer  12  and take the place of the existing jack  144  that is mounted on the trailer. This lower unit  14  re-tracks up into the trailer frame  34  allowing for enough clearance between the ground  140  and the bottom of the wheels on the lower unit  143 . This allows the trail  12  to be connected to the vehicle  142  and be driven across country to the users destination. Once the driver has reached there destination and the trailer  12  is ready to be parked, the driver will disconnect all attached items which tie the trailer  12  to the vehicle  142 . 
     Alluding to the above, this is done by unlatching release lever for the vehicle ball  141 , safety chains and electrical connection at the trailer  12  which tie the vehicle  142  to the trailer  12 . The driver will then use the device  10  to take over parking responsibility. First the driver presses the PWR  44  button on the remote  36 . Once power has been turned on to the device  10  it is ready to use. Pressing the UP  54  button will lift the trailer  12  hitch off the truck  142  trailer hitch ball  141 . Next the trailer  12  must be moved away from the vehicle  142  by pressing the REV  49  button on the remote  36 . This will back the trailer  12  away from the vehicle  142 . Before driving the trailer  12  to it final destination the device  10  must lower the trailer to a level position. This is done by pressing the DWN  52  button and watching the level usually permanently attach to a trailer  12  for leveling purposes. Once the driver has the trailer level the trailer  12  is now ready to park using the remote controller  36 . 
     While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be 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. 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.