Patent Publication Number: US-2011061223-A1

Title: Trailer hitch tool and method

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/242,431, filed Sep. 15, 2009. 
    
    
     1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a tool and method that allow a user to safely and easily couple and uncouple a conventional trailer hitch assembly without having to climb onto the towing vehicle. 
     2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     Trailers are used to transport cargo and come in numerous configurations and capacities. One type of trailer is a gooseneck trailer. The conventional gooseneck trailer couples to a hitch ball positioned near the rear axle of a towing vehicle, such as a pickup truck. Thus, the tongue, or “gooseneck” arches over the rear portion of the vehicle and positions the weight of the trailer over the axle. This coupling arrangement offers advantages over bumper coupling arrangements. A gooseneck trailer, for example, is generally capable of carrying a greater load, is more stable, and has a tighter turning radius than a conventional bumper pulled trailer. 
     While the gooseneck trailer offers several advantages, a gooseneck trailer is sometimes more difficult to couple to the hitch ball than a bumper pulled trailer. Most conventional gooseneck trailers have coupling devices comprised of a pair of plates and a spring loaded locking pin. One or both plates may be moved so as to be in either an open position or closed position. When in the open position, the plates form a circular opening through which the hitch ball may be inserted. When the ball is so positioned, the plates may then be moved to the closed position. In this position, the circular opening becomes elliptical and too narrow for the circular head of the hitch ball to exit. 
     To ensure that the plates remain in this closed position while the trailer is being towed, a locking pin is inserted into an opening that passes through the plates. In order to properly position the plates, the user is required to climb onto the towing vehicle and manually move the locking pin. This activity takes time and occasionally results in injury. 
     What is needed is a device and method that allow a user to safely and easily couple and uncouple a gooseneck trailer without having to climb onto the towing vehicle. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side plan view of a prior art conventional gooseneck trailer coupling mechanism. 
         FIG. 2  is a top side plan view of the trailer hitch tool in accordance with a preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a side plan view of the trailer hitch tool with the leg in the extended position, in accordance with a preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a top and side isometric view of the trailer hitch tool in accordance with a preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a side plan view of the trailer hitch tool depicting the tool with the leg and arm in the stowed position, in accordance with a preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a side plan view of the trailer hitch tool depicting the tool with the leg in the stowed position and alternative extended position, and the handle telescoped further towards the prongs in accordance with an alternative embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a top and side isometric view of the trailer hitch tool in position to be used to move the locking pin handle in accordance with a preferred embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In  FIG. 1 , there is shown a conventional gooseneck hitch coupling assembly  66  that may be placed over a hitch ball  74  mounted on the surface  72  of a towing vehicle. The coupling assembly  66  is generally comprised of a housing  58 , a hitch ball receptacle  76 , a locking pin  60 , a locking pin opening  61 , a locking pin handle  62 , a spring  64 , a first plate  68 , a second plate  70 . A conventional hitch ball  74  is comprised of a ball head  75  and a narrow neck  76 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , there is shown a trailer hitch tool  14  of the present invention, in accordance with a preferred embodiment, which may be used to position a coupling assembly  66  like or similar to that depicted in  FIG. 1 . The tool  14  is comprised of a handle  6 , a rocking portion  8  and an engagement portion  10 . In the preferred embodiment, the rocking portion  8  is comprised of an extension portion, or leg  24  ( FIGS. 3-5 ), and the engagement portion  10  is comprised of a plurality of prongs  18 ,  20 . The leg  24  of the preferred embodiment is hingedly coupled to a middle portion  36  such that the leg  24  may be extended, as shown in  FIG. 3 , or folded, as shown in  FIG. 5 . A gripping portion  30  is positioned on the handle  6 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the tool  14  is formed from tubing and has a telescoping arrangement. Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the tool  14  is comprised of segments  12 ,  16 ,  22 . At a proximal (closer to the user) end of segment  12  is the gripping portion  30 . Segment  12  is slideably coupled to segment  16  at an opposite and of segment  12 . Segment  12  has an inside diameter slightly larger than an outside diameter of segment  16 . The length of the tool  14  may be adjusted to pre-determined settings by a retaining mechanism  34  comprising a projection/detent system  38 ,  40 . In the preferred embodiment, segment  16  has a leaf spring mounted projection  38  that is received by detent  40  in segment  12 . Therefore, segment  16  may be nested within segment  12  as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the rocking portion  8  is comprised of leg  24  and segment  26 . Leg  24  has an inside diameter slightly larger than an outside diameter of segment  26 . Therefore, segment  26  may be nested within leg  24 . The length of said rocking portion  8  may be adjusted to pre-determined settings by a retaining mechanism comprising a projection/detent system  38 ,  40 . In the preferred embodiment, segment  26  has a leaf spring mounted projection  38  that is received by detents  40  in leg  24 . 
     Although the tool  14  of the preferred embodiment is constructed from tubular steel and has a telescopic arrangement, the tool  14  need not be so constructed. For example, the tool  14  may be formed from any suitable material such as polycarbonate, fiberglass, other metals, or other materials. The leg  25  and arm  36  also need not have a telescopic arrangement. Rather, the tool  14  may be formed from a single piece of material without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , rocking portion  8  is further comprised of a padded sleeve  28 . This sleeve  28  extends over an end of segment  26  and is formed from rubber or similar slip resistant material and prevents the tool  14  from slipping when in use. In the preferred embodiment, leg  24  is hingedly coupled to the middle portion  36 . Leg  24  rotates about pivot post  32  contained within hinge bracket  42  such that when in the extended position, said leg  24  is positioned at approximately a ninety degree angle to said middle portion  36 . When in the folded position, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the leg  24  and middle portion  36  are approximately parallel to one another. The leg  24  and hinge bracket  42  are also comprised of a retaining mechanism comprised of a projection/detent system such that the leg  25  may be locked into position. In the preferred embodiment, leg  24  has a leaf spring mounted projection  38  that is received by detent  40  in the hinge bracket  42 . 
     Referring to the figures and in particular to  FIGS. 3-4 , in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the trailer hitch tool  14  is further comprised of the engagement portion  10 . The engagement portion  10  extends from segment  22  and is comprised of a main prong  18  and a secondary prong  20 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-4 , the main prong  18  of the preferred embodiment is comprised of a base portion  46 , an intermediate portion  48 , and an end portion  50  ( FIG. 3 ). The base portion  46  extends outwardly from, and along the longitudinal axis of segment  22 . The intermediate portion  48  is offset and extends generally tangentially from base portion  46  such that, when viewed from the top, an angle  49  is formed between said base  46  and intermediate  48  portion. In the preferred embodiment, this angle  49  is approximately 45 degrees. The end portion  50  extends upward from the intermediate portion  48  when viewed from the side. As depicted in  FIGS. 3 ,  5 , &amp;  6 , the secondary prong  20  extends generally perpendicularly from the intermediate portion  48  of the main prong  18 , when viewed from the side. 
     With the prongs  18 ,  20  so arranged, ( FIG. 4 ) a main prong end  56  and secondary prong end  54  have a distance  57  between them. Thus, in the preferred embodiment, the main prong  18  and secondary prong  20  form a generally “U” shaped structure with the secondary prong  20  forming one side of the “U” and the main prong  18  forming the other. 
     The prongs  18 ,  20  are structured and arranged to allow a user to move the locking pin handle  62  ( FIG. 7 ) which, in turn, moves the locking pin  60 . In the preferred embodiment, the prongs  18 ,  20  are arranged such that one prong  18  may be placed on one side of a portion of locking pin handle  62  and the one prong  20  on the other side of locking pin handle  62 . In the preferred embodiment, the prongs  18 ,  20  are placed in the area  63  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 7 . While the prongs  18 ,  20  are in this position, the rocking portion  8 , while in the extended position shown in  FIG. 3  may be placed against the surface  72  of the tow vehicle ( FIG. 7 ). 
     In  FIG. 6  the trailer hitch tool  14  is shown in an alternative embodiment. In this embodiment, the middle portion  36  is telescoped further towards the prongs  18 ,  20  to provide a more compact storage configuration. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 &amp; 7 , the operation and use of the tool  14  of the present invention will now be discussed. The user moves one or both of the plates  68 ,  70  so as to be in either a closed or open position ( FIGS. 1 &amp; 7 ). In the open position, an opening is present through which the ball head  75  may pass. In the closed position, an opening is present through which the ball neck  76  may move relatively freely, but through which the ball head  75  is incapable of passing. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , one of the plates  68  is directly or indirectly fixed to the locking pin handle  62  such that when the handle  62  is moved, there is corresponding movement of the plate  68 . Therefore, the user can move the plate  68  by moving the handle  61  laterally. The handle  61  is also capable of being moved vertically such that, upon such movement, the locking pin  60  is moved vertically. Therefore, the user can concurrently move the plate  68  laterally and the pin  60  vertically. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , with the plates  68 ,  70  in the desired position, the user then places a portion of the locking pin handle  62  between the prongs  18 ,  20  and using the rocking portion  8  as a fulcrum, pivots the locking pin  60  to a desired position. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 &amp; 7 , the present invention provides a method of preparing a gooseneck trailer coupler  66  for uncoupling from a hitch ball  74 . This method comprises providing the tool  14 , while standing on an exterior of a tow vehicle  73  having a gooseneck trailer  73  coupled to the hitch ball  74 , and using the rocking portion  8  as a fulcrum, moving the locking pin handle  62  with the tool  14  so as to remove the locking pin  60  from the locking pin opening  61 , moving a retaining plate  68 ,  70  to create an opening through which the ball  74  is capable of exiting. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 &amp; 7 , the present invention provides a method of preparing a gooseneck trailer coupler  66  for coupling to a hitch ball  74 . This method comprises providing the tool  14 , while standing on an exterior of a tow vehicle  73  having a hitch ball  74  inserted within a gooseneck trailer  73  receptacle  76 , moving a retaining plate  68 ,  70  to a closed position so as to create a narrow opening through which the ball  74  is incapable of exiting, while using the rocking portion  8  as a fulcrum, moving the locking pin handle  62  with the tool  14  so as to insert the pin  60  into the locking pin opening  61 . 
     While there has been illustrated and described what is, at present, considered to be a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made, and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that this invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of this disclosure.