Patent Publication Number: US-6990745-B1

Title: Trailer hitch alignment system

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Not applicable to this application. 
   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not applicable to this application. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to trailer hitch alignment devices and more specifically it relates to a trailer hitch alignment system for efficiently connecting a trailer to a vehicle. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Trailers, such as fifth wheel trailers, have been in use for years. A conventional trailer has a hitch that is removably attachable to a pin or ball attached to the vehicle. To attach the trailer to the vehicle, the user must either have a second person to assist them or they must leave the vehicle repeatedly to adequately align the hitch of the trailer (both vertically and horizontally). With a fifth wheel trailer, it is important to have the height of the trailer hitch properly aligned so that the hitch can slidably receive the pin on the vehicle as shown in  FIG. 11  of the drawings. Some products currently commercially available are comprised of magnetic flag members that attach to the trailer and the vehicle. However, these devices are not as suitable for use in vertically aligning a trailer hitch. 
   While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for efficiently connecting a fifth wheel trailer to a vehicle. Conventional 
   In these respects, the trailer hitch alignment system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of efficiently connecting a fifth wheel trailer to a vehicle. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of trailer hitch alignment systems now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new trailer hitch alignment system construction wherein the same can be utilized for efficiently connecting a fifth wheel trailer to a vehicle. 
   The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new trailer hitch alignment system that has many of the advantages of the trailer hitch alignment systems mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new trailer hitch alignment system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art trailer hitch alignment systems, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
   To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a housing structure with a measuring member extendable from the housing structure, a securing member for securing the housing structure to an upper leg portion of a leg of a trailer, a pointer member attached to a distal end of the measuring member, and an indicator line attached to a telescoping portion of the leg. The pointer member is aligned with the indicator line when the trailer is attached to the vehicle and thereafter indicates the proper height of the trailer for connecting the hitch of the trailer at a later time. 
   There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
   In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
   A primary object of the present invention is to provide a trailer hitch alignment system that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices. 
   A second object is to provide a trailer hitch alignment system for efficiently connecting a fifth wheel trailer to a vehicle. 
   Another object is to provide a trailer hitch alignment system that may be utilized upon various types of trailers. 
   An additional object is to provide a trailer hitch alignment system that decreases the amount of time required to connect a fifth wheel trailer. 
   A further object is to provide a trailer hitch alignment system that easily aligns the vertical position of the hitch and pin. 
   Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention. 
   To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of the present invention attached to a trailer leg with the pointer member aligned with the indicator line. 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the present invention attached to the trailer leg with the trailer leg elevated. 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the present invention attached to the trailer leg with the pointer member aligned with the indicator line. 
       FIG. 4  is a lower perspective view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a lower perspective view of the present invention with a spacer member. 
       FIG. 6  is a lower perspective view of the present invention of the present invention with the measuring member extended from the housing structure. 
       FIG. 7  is a top view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a side view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  is a side view of the present invention with the measuring member and pointer member extended from the housing structure. 
       FIG. 10  is a side view of the present invention attached to the trailer leg with the trailer elevated above the desired height. 
       FIG. 11  is a side view of the present invention attached to the trailer leg with the trailer elevated to the desired height. 
       FIG. 12  is a side view of the present invention attached to a conventional trailer. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   A. Overview 
   Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views,  FIGS. 1 through 12  illustrate a trailer hitch alignment system  10 , which comprises a housing structure  20  with a measuring member  40  extendable from the housing structure  20 , a securing member  30  for securing the housing structure  20  to an upper leg portion  12  of a leg of a trailer  19 , a pointer member  50  attached to a distal end of the measuring member  40 , and an indicator line  70  attached to a telescoping portion  14  of the leg. The leg of the trailer  19  typically has an upper leg portion  12 , a telescoping portion  14  telescoping from the upper leg portion  12  and a lower leg portion  16  adjustably positioned within the telescoping portion  14 . The pointer member  50  is aligned with the indicator line  70  when the trailer  19  is attached to the vehicle and thereafter indicates the proper height of the trailer  19  for connecting the hitch of the trailer  19  at a later time. 
   B. Housing Structure 
   The housing structure  20  is attachable to a support leg of a trailer  19  as shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3  of the drawings. A securing member  30  secures the housing structure  20  to an upper leg portion  12  of the leg as further shown in  FIGS. 1 through 6  of the drawings. 
   The securing member  30  may be comprised of various fastener structures such as but not limited to a band structure or a fastener structure. The securing member  30  preferably is attached to the first side  24  and the second side  26  of the housing structure  20  for extending about the rear portion of the upper leg portion  12 . The securing member  30  may have a rectangular or curved structure as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  of the drawings. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 4 through 7  of the drawings, the housing structure  20  may include a plurality of mounting flanges  28  that each have an aperture. The mounting flanges  28  receive fasteners that extend into the hitch of the trailer  19 . 
   The housing structure  20  includes a first side  24  and a second side  26  for being positioned upon sides of an upper leg portion  12  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings. The first side  24  and the second side  26  preferably extend from the housing structure  20  to form a U-shaped structure for receiving an upper leg portion  12  having a rectangular cross sectional shape as best illustrated in  FIG. 7  of the drawings. 
     FIGS. 5 through 7  of the drawings illustrate a spacer member  60  having a concave depression  62  positionable between the first side  24  and the second side  26  of the housing structure  20 . The spacer member  60  allows the housing structure  20  to be attached to an upper leg portion  12  having a circular cross sectional shape. 
   C. Measuring Member 
   The housing structure  20  preferably includes a coil unit for dispensing and retracting a length of a measuring member  40 . The coil unit may have a spring actuated coil for retracting the measuring member  40  into the housing structure  20 . The measuring member  40  is preferably comprised of an elongated flexible member such as a tape measure. A locking button  22  is preferably connected to the coil unit within the housing structure  20  for selectively locking and releasing a position of the measuring member  40 . 
   D. Pointer Member 
   A pointer member  50  is attached to a distal end of the measuring member  40  as best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 6  of the drawings. The pointer member  50  may be comprised of various pointer structures capable of being aligned with the indicator line  70 . 
   For example, the pointer member  50  is aligned with the indicator line  70  when a trailer  19  is at a desired vertical height as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 3  of the drawings. If the trailer  19  is not at a desired vertical height, the pointer member  50  is either above or below the indicator line  70  thereby indicating a misalignment of the trailer  19  hitch with the ball or pin of the vehicle as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 10  of the drawings. 
   E. Indicator Line 
   The indicator line  70  is attachable to a telescoping portion  14  of a leg of a trailer  19  as best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 3  of the drawings. The indicator line  70  may be comprised of tape, band members or various other structures. The indicator line  70  may also be directly painted upon the upper leg portion  12 . The indicator line  70  may also be integrally formed within the upper leg portion  12 . 
   The indicator line  70  is preferably horizontally aligned upon the upper leg portion  12  of the support leg. A pair of outer lines  72  may surround the indicator line  70  as further shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3  to provide additional guidance and visibility for the pointer member  50 . 
   F. Operation of Invention 
   In use, the user first attaches the housing structure  20  to an upper leg portion  12  of a support leg of a trailer  19  as shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3  of the drawings. The indicator line  70  is then attached to a telescoping portion  14  of the support leg as shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3  of the drawings. 
   After the housing structure  20  and the indicator line  70  are properly attached to the leg of the trailer  19 , the hitch of the trailer  19  is adjusted to a desired vertical height for attaching the trailer  19  to a vehicle (or the trailer  19  is allowed to be retained in an attached position to the vehicle. The measuring member  40  is then extended from the housing structure  20  until the pointer member  50  is vertically aligned with the indicator line  70  as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  11  of the drawings. 
   What has been described and illustrated herein is a preferred embodiment of the invention along with some of its variations. The terms, descriptions and figures used herein are set forth by way of illustration only and are not meant as limitations. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention, which is intended to be defined by the following claims (and their equivalents) in which all terms are meant in their broadest reasonable sense unless otherwise indicated. Any headings utilized within the description are for convenience only and have no legal or limiting effect.