Patent Publication Number: US-2022219500-A1

Title: Pivoting Vehicle Trailer Hitch

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Example embodiments generally relate to vehicle towing capabilities and, more particularly, relate to a pivoting trailer hitch that can be operated to alternately extend and retract a trailer hitch under powered control. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Vehicles, and especially (although not exclusively) trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs), often have towing capabilities. A popular option with respect to towing, is to provide a receiver inside which a ball hitch can be removably retained. The ball hitch can therefore be placed in the receiver for enabling towing, or the ball hitch can be removed and stored until needed. When removed, some customers enjoy the ability to utilize the receiver for accessories of various kinds, which further add to the popularity of these features. 
     All that being said, when the ball hitch is provided in the receiver and the vehicle is not currently towing anything, the ball hitch (undesirably for some) sticks out and may either have potential to interact with the ground, or the shin or leg of someone walking by the rear of the vehicle. Still others may consider the extending ball hitch to unsightly. While this could be remedied by removing the ball hitch, such removal is a manual process that requires the operator to leave the vehicle and proceed to the rear to make the corresponding adjustment to remove the ball hitch. Moreover, storage of the ball hitch may create separate issues due to moving around if not rigidly retained in storage on the vehicle, or due to the ball hitch being unavailable when needed in situations where the ball hitch is stored separate from the vehicle. Thus, it may be desirable to develop a solution that addresses some of the shortcomings discussed above. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF SOME EXAMPLES 
     In accordance with an example embodiment, a pivotable vehicle trailer hitch assembly may be provided. The assembly may include a tube frame operably coupled to a chassis of a vehicle and extending transversely across a rear portion of the vehicle, a hitch receiver operably coupled to the tube frame to support a ball mount, and a pivot assembly defining a pivot axis substantially perpendicular to a direction of extension of the tube frame. The pivot assembly may be operably coupled to the hitch receiver and the tube frame to pivot the hitch receiver and ball mount about the pivot axis from an extended position in which the hitch receiver and ball mount extend substantially perpendicular to tube frame, and a retracted position in which the hitch receiver and ball mount extend substantially parallel to the tube frame. The pivot assembly comprises an electrically operated linear actuator operable to transfer the hitch receiver and the ball mount between the extended position and the retracted position. 
     In another example embodiment, a hitch control system may be provided. The system may include a pivotable vehicle trailer hitch assembly, and a controller operable to electronically control movement of a hitch receiver of the pivotable vehicle trailer hitch assembly between an extended position and a retracted position. The pivotable vehicle trailer hitch assembly may include a tube frame operably coupled to a chassis of a vehicle and extending transversely across a rear portion of the vehicle, and a pivot assembly defining a pivot axis substantially perpendicular to a direction of extension of the tube frame. The pivot assembly may be operably coupled to the hitch receiver and the tube frame to pivot the hitch receiver and ball mount about the pivot axis from the extended position in which the hitch receiver and the ball mount extend substantially perpendicular to tube frame, and a retracted position in which the hitch receiver and the ball mount extend substantially parallel to the tube frame. The pivot assembly may include an electrically operated linear actuator operable responsive to input from the controller to transfer the hitch receiver and the ball mount between the extended position and the retracted position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of a powered hitch control system of an example embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of a hitch control assembly of an example embodiment in each of an extended position and a retracted position; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded view of the hitch control assembly in accordance with an example embodiment; 
         FIG. 4A  illustrates a perspective of a locking chain bracket in accordance with an example embodiment; 
         FIG. 4B  illustrates another perspective of the locking chain bracket in accordance with an example embodiment; 
         FIG. 4C  illustrates the locking chain bracket with a guard rotated to expose orifices therein for receipt of locking chains in accordance with an example embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a receiver in isolation in accordance with an example embodiment; 
         FIGS. 6A and 6B  show top perspective views of the electric motor and linear actuator in a retracted position in accordance with an example embodiment; 
         FIGS. 7A and 7B  show top perspective views of the electric motor and linear actuator in an extended position in accordance with an example embodiment; 
         FIG. 8  shows a side perspective view of the electric motor and linear actuator in an extended position in accordance with an example embodiment; 
         FIG. 9A  is a top perspective view of an alternative structure for a hitch control assembly showing both extended and retracted position in accordance with an example embodiment; and 
         FIG. 9B  is a front perspective view of the hitch control assembly in accordance with an example embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Some example embodiments now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all example embodiments are shown. Indeed, the examples described and pictured herein should not be construed as being limiting as to the scope, applicability or configuration of the present disclosure. Rather, these example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. Furthermore, as used herein, the term “or” is to be interpreted as a logical operator that results in true whenever one or more of its operands are true. As used herein, operable coupling should be understood to relate to direct or indirect connection that, in either case, enables functional interconnection of components that are operably coupled to each other. 
     Some example embodiments described herein may address the problems described above. In this regard, for example, some example embodiments may provide an ability to pivot the ball hitch (while retained in the receiver, and therefore by pivoting the receiver), to alternate between extended and retracted positions. Moreover, example embodiments may enable such functionality with a relatively simple and efficient design that is both highly effective and also relatively inexpensive to construct. As a result, vehicle performance and driver satisfaction may also be improved. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of a powered hitch control system  100  of an example embodiment. The components of the hitch control system  100  may be incorporated into a vehicle  110  (e.g., via being operably coupled to a chassis of the vehicle  110  and/or electronic control systems of the vehicle  110 ). Of note, although the components of  FIG. 1  may be connected to the chassis of the vehicle  110 , it should be appreciated that such connection may be either direct or indirect. Moreover, some of the components of the hitch control system  100  may be connected to the vehicle  110  via intermediate connections to other components either of the chassis or of other systems or components. 
     The hitch control system  100  may include a ball hitch  120  that may be removably retained in a rotatable receiver  125  (or hitch receiver). The ball hitch  120  may include a ball mount and a ball having any of a number of different ball diameters or standard sizes (e.g., 1⅞ inch, 2 inch and 2 5/16 inch). However, the ball hitch  120  of some embodiments may actually have multiple balls of different sizes, and the orientation of the ball hitch  120  may be changeable to present the desired ball for use in towing. The ball mount and the ball may be made of steel or other rigid and durable material. In some cases, the ball may be attached to the ball mount via a large nut attached to a thread assembly formed at the base of the ball. 
     In an example embodiment, the receiver  125  may define a metallic sleeve inside which the ball mount of the ball hitch  120  may be releasably retained. In some cases, a retaining pin may extend through the receiver  125  and the ball mount of the ball hitch  120  to affix the ball hitch  120  to the receiver  125 . The ball mount may be a substantially solid metallic shaft, and the receiver  125  may extend around all sides of the shaft of the ball mount of the ball hitch  120 . 
     In accordance with an example embodiment, the hitch control system  100  may further include a pivot assembly  130  that enables the ball hitch  120  (and the receiver  125 ) to be rotated between an extended position and a retracted position. In some cases, the pivot assembly  130  may include multiple components or assemblies that are arranged to define a pivot axis (i.e., a single axis) substantially perpendicular to a direction of extension of a tube frame attached to a chassis of the vehicle  110  (and therefore substantially perpendicular to the ground). The pivot assembly  130  may be operably coupled to the receiver  125  and the tube frame to pivot the receiver  125  and ball hitch  120  about the pivot axis from the extended position to the retracted position. In the extended position, the receiver  125  and the ball hitch  120  may extend substantially perpendicular to tube frame, and in the retracted position, the receiver  125  and the ball hitch  120  may extend substantially parallel to the tube frame. 
     Specific components that may be used in some cases to embody the pivot assembly  130  will be described in greater detail below. However, in some cases, the pivot assembly  130  may be operable under electronic control from a controller  140  or control module. In some cases, the controller  140  may be part of an electronic control system of the vehicle  110  that is configured to perform other tasks related or not related to hitch control. However, the controller  140  could be a dedicated or standalone controller in some cases. 
     In an example embodiment, the controller  140  may receive specific instructions from the driver or vehicle operator in relation to pivoting of the ball hitch  120 . The instructions may, in some cases, come from a switch or actuator located inside the cab of the vehicle  110  (e.g., at the steering wheel, control console, dashboard display, etc.). However, the switch or actuator could alternatively be located proximate to the pivot assembly  130 . The switch or actuator may, for example, be a hard key or a soft key in some cases. 
     In some cases, the hitch control system  100  (and consequently the components of the pivot assembly  130 , the receiver  125  and the ball hitch) may be among various other components or subassemblies  150  of the vehicle  110 . In some cases, various sensors that may be operably coupled to the components or subassemblies  150  may be included, and may provide input to the controller  140  that is used in determining a status of the ball hitch  120  (e.g., extended or retracted). Such sensors may be part of a sensor network  160  and sensors of the sensor network  160  may be operably coupled to the controller  140  (and/or the components or subassemblies  150 ) via a vehicle communication bus (e.g., a controller area network (CAN) bus)  170 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of a hitch control assembly  200  of an example embodiment in each of an extended position and a retracted position, and  FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded view of the hitch control assembly  200 . In this regard, the hitch control assembly  200  includes a tube frame  210 , which may be operably coupled to or may be a portion of a chassis of the vehicle (e.g., vehicle  110  of  FIG. 1 ). The tube frame  210  may generally extend across a rear end of the vehicle and, in some cases, may be located inside a rear bumper or other body structures at the rear end of the vehicle. In some cases, the tube frame  210  may extend in a plane that is substantially parallel to the ground, and the tube frame  210  may extend substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle (and therefore transversely across the rear end of the vehicle). 
     The ball hitch  120  of  FIG. 1  is shown in  FIG. 2  as ball  220  and ball mount  222 , which are disposable inside receiver  224 . The receiver  224  is pivotable inside pivot bracket  230 , which is rigidly mounted to the tube frame  210 . The pivot bracket  230  may be a substantially C-shaped bracket that is mounted beneath the tube frame  210 . The receiver  224  may include a receiving hole  226 , which may receive pivot pin  228 . The pivot pin  228  may also pass through the pivot bracket  230  (and sometimes also through the tube frame  210 ) to define an axis  232  about which the receiver  224  pivots while carrying the ball  220  and ball mount  222  between an extended position  240  and a retracted position  242  shown in  FIG. 2 . The axis  232  is substantially perpendicular to the ground and to the direction of extension of the tube frame  210 . 
     The hitch control assembly  200  may also include a locking chain bracket  250 , which may be connected to an underside of the pivot bracket  230 , and which is shown in detail in  FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C . The locking chain bracket  250  may receive the locking chains, or locking hooks, which may be employed in connection with towing, within orifices  252  defined in the locking chain bracket  250 . However, the locking chain bracket  250  may also have a guard member  254 , that moves in a direction shown by arrow  256  of  FIG. 4A  to provide access to the orifices  252  of the locking chain bracket  250  or moves in the direction opposite arrow  256  to the position shown in  FIG. 3  in order to block access to the orifices  252  of the locking chain bracket  250 . 
     In some cases, a lever arm  258  may be attached to the guard member  252  to pivot when a shaft  259  common to both the lever arm  258  and the guard member  252  is actuated. The lever arm  258  may be not be capable of rotation to the position shown in  FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B  except when the ball mount  222  is pivoted to the extended position  240 . In this regard, the receiver  224  may include a receiving slot  260  that is visible in the perspective view of the receiver  224  shown in  FIGS. 4C and 5 . The slot  260  is aligned with the lever arm  258  only when the receiver  224  is pivoted to the extended position  240 . When this alignment is achieved, the lever arm  258  may be pivoted into the slot  260  as shown in  FIG. 4C  in order to add additional security and robustness (i.e., an additional locking feature) to the structures associated with ensuring the locking chains are able to be put in place when towing. In any other position (i.e., in the retracted position  242 , and any transition position between the retracted position  242  and the extended position  240 ), the lever arm  258  is blocked from moving into the slot  260 , and thereby cannot provide movement of the guard member  254  in the direction of arrow  256  to expose the orifices  252 . The guard member  254  and the lever arm  258  may be positioned manually by the operator in some cases. 
     In an example embodiment, the pivot assembly  130  of  FIG. 1  may include an electric motor  300  and a linear actuator  310  that are operably coupled to each other and to the receiver  224  to pivot the receiver  224  (and thereby also pivot the ball mount  222 ). As shown in  FIG. 5 , the receiver  224  may include a clevis  320  attached to a rear portion thereof. The clevis  320  may be operably coupled to a lead screw  312  of the linear actuator  310  via a carrier pin  314  that rides on the lead screw  312  in threaded engagement therewith. The interaction between the lead screw  312 , the carrier pin  314  and the clevis  320  is shown in  FIGS. 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B and 8 . In this regard, responsive to rotation of the lead screw  312 , the carrier pin  314  moves along the lead screw  312  to carry the clevis  320  with the carrier pin  314  and thereby rotate the receiver  224  about the axis  232  defined by the pivot pin  228 . 
     The lead screw  312  may generally extend in a transverse direction (e.g., parallel to a direction of extension of the tube frame  210  and perpendicular to a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle). However, while the clevis  320  is carried by the carrier pin  314 , the arc of rotation of the clevis  320  when the receiver  224  pivots about the axis  232  may require the lead screw  312  to move slightly out of parallel with the tube frame  210 . To accommodate such motion, the lead screw  312  may be operably coupled to the electric motor  300  via a universal joint  330 . The universal joint  330  may enable the lead screw  312  to rotate even while the lead screw  312  is flexed or moved in a direction out of parallel with the tube frame  210  (shown by arrow  322 ) to allow for the full range of motion of the clevis  320  from the extended position  240  to the retracted position  242 . 
       FIGS. 6A and 6B  show top perspective views of the electric motor  300  and linear actuator  310 , and  FIGS. 7A and 7B  show rear perspective views of the electric motor  300  and linear actuator  310 . The receiver  224  is in the extended position in  FIGS. 6B and 7B , and is in the retracted position in  FIGS. 6A and 7A .  FIG. 8  shows a side perspective view of the receiver in the extended position. As shown in  FIGS. 6A and 7A , the carrier pin  314  is at a position along the lead screw  312  that is closest to the electric motor  300  in the retracted position. Then, as the lead screw  312  is turned to move the carrier pin  314  in a direction of arrow  340 , the carrier pin  314  carries the clevis  320  through an arc of rotation while the receiver  224  pivots about the axis  232 . The carrier pin  314  continues to move in the direction of arrow  340  until the position of the carrier pin  314  shown in  FIGS. 6B, 7B and 8  is reached, at which point the receiver  224  has been fully rotated to the extended position. The carrier pin  314  is farthest away from the electric motor  300  when the receiver  224  is in the extended position. 
     Rotation of the lead screw  312  by the electric motor  300  in the opposite direction will draw the carrier pin  314  back toward the electric motor  300 . As such, movement of the carrier pin  314  is in a direction opposite that shown by arrow  340 . The carrier pin  314  carries the clevis  320  through an arc of rotation while the receiver  224  pivots about the axis  232  in a direction of arrow  342 . The carrier pin  314  continues to move opposite the direction of arrow  340  until the position of the carrier pin  314  shown in  FIGS. 6A and 7A  is reached, at which point the receiver  224  has been fully rotated to the retracted position. The carrier pin  314  is, again, closest to the electric motor  300  when the receiver  224  is in the retracted position. In both cases (i.e., moving from the extended position to the retracted position and vice versa), flexion of the lead screw  312  in the direction of arrow  340  is allowed by the universal joint  330 . 
     As noted above, the structures of  FIGS. 2-8  are illustrative of one example embodiment, and other alternative structures may be used in some cases in order to instantiate the hitch control assembly  200 .  FIGS. 9A and 9B  illustrate one such alternative structure in the form of hitch control assembly  400 .  FIG. 9A  is a top perspective view of the hitch control assembly  400  and  FIG. 9B  is a front perspective view of the hitch control assembly  400 . The hitch control assembly  400  of  FIG. 9  is similar to the hitch control assembly  200  of  FIGS. 2-8  with a few exceptions in which alternative structures are employed. In this regard,  FIGS. 9A and 9B  show a ball  410 , ball mount  412  and receiver  420  that may be identical to the corresponding components of  FIGS. 2-8 . The receiver  420  may also be pivoted between an extended position  430  and a retracted position  432  by pivoting of the receiver  420  within pivot bracket  440  in the direction of arrow  434  about pivot pin  442 . In  FIGS. 9A and 9B , both the extended position  430  and retracted position  432  are shown at the same time. However, it should be appreciated that the hitch control assembly  400  is only capable of being in one of the extended position  430  or the retracted position  432  at any given time. 
     Similar to the examples above, electric motor  450  may drive a linear actuator  452  to cause the rotation of the receiver  420 . However, one difference relative to the example of  FIGS. 2-8  is that tube frame  460  does not lie in a same plane parallel to the ground. Instead, tube frame  460  has a W-shape and the ball  410  fits under one of the apexes of the W-shape of the tube frame  460 . A locking chain bracket  470 , which is attached to the bottom of the pivot bracket  440  is also different in structure than the locking chain bracket  250  of the prior example. Otherwise, operation of the hitch control assembly  400  of  FIGS. 9A and 9B  is similar to that described above. In this regard, the motor  450  operates the linear actuator  452  to rotate the receiver  420  about the pivot pin  442  within the pivot bracket  440  to transfer between the extended position  430  and the retracted position  432 . 
     A pivotable vehicle trailer hitch assembly may therefore be provided. The assembly may include a tube frame operably coupled to a chassis of a vehicle and extending transversely across a rear portion of the vehicle, a hitch receiver operably coupled to the tube frame to support a ball mount, and a pivot assembly defining a pivot axis substantially perpendicular to a direction of extension of the tube frame. The pivot assembly may be operably coupled to the hitch receiver and the tube frame to pivot the hitch receiver and ball mount about the pivot axis from an extended position in which the hitch receiver and ball mount extend substantially perpendicular to tube frame, and a retracted position in which the hitch receiver and ball mount extend substantially parallel to the tube frame. The pivot assembly comprises an electrically operated linear actuator operable to transfer the hitch receiver and the ball mount between the extended position and the retracted position. 
     The assembly of some embodiments may include additional features, modifications, augmentations and/or the like to achieve further objectives or enhance performance of the assembly. The additional features, modifications, augmentations and/or the like may be added in any combination with each other. Below is a list of various additional features, modifications, and augmentations that can each be added individually or in any combination with each other. For example, the linear actuator may include a lead screw and a carrier pin in threaded engagement with the lead screw, and rotation of the lead screw may move the carrier pin to carry the hitch receiver through movement between the extended position and the retracted position. In some cases, the linear actuator may include a universal joint operably coupling a first end of the lead screw to the motor to enable a second end of the lead screw to flex away from the tube frame as the carrier pin moves along the lead screw to carry the hitch receiver between the extended position and the retracted position. In an example embodiment, the hitch receiver may be operably coupled to a pivot bracket via pivot pin defining the pivot axis, and the pivot bracket may be disposed below the tube frame. In some cases, locking chain bracket is operably coupled to a bottom of the pivot bracket. The locking chain bracket may include orifices to which a locking chain is attachable|. At least one of the orifices may be blocked by a guard member when the guard member is disposed in a lock disabling position and unblocked when the guard member is disposed in a lock enabling position. In an example embodiment, the guard member may be operably coupled to a shaft to which a lever arm is also operably coupled, and the lever arm may only be enabled to rotate such that the guard member is moved to the lock enabling position when the hitch receiver is in the extended position. In some cases, the hitch receiver may include a receiving slot disposed at a distal end thereof relative to the ball mount, and the lever arm may be rotatable into the receiving slot only when the hitch receiver is in the extended position. In an example embodiment, the hitch receiver may releasably retain the ball mount in the hitch receiver via a retaining pin that extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis. In some cases, the hitch receiver stays in a first plane substantially parallel to the ground during the transition or transfer between the extended position and the retracted position. In an example embodiment, the tube frame may extend substantially in a second plane parallel to the first plane and the ground. Alternatively, the tube frame may includes a portion that extends out of a second plane parallel to the first plane and the ground, and a ball attached to the ball mount may fit under the portion that extends out of the second plane when the hitch receiver is rotated to the retracted position. 
     Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, although the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings describe exemplary embodiments in the context of certain exemplary combinations of elements and/or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of elements and/or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, different combinations of elements and/or functions than those explicitly described above are also contemplated as may be set forth in some of the appended claims. In cases where advantages, benefits or solutions to problems are described herein, it should be appreciated that such advantages, benefits and/or solutions may be applicable to some example embodiments, but not necessarily all example embodiments. Thus, any advantages, benefits or solutions described herein should not be thought of as being critical, required or essential to all embodiments or to that which is claimed herein. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.