Abstract:
The present invention includes a first laser light source mounted to a towing vehicle and oriented to direct a first laser light beam towards a trailer to impinge on a first marker spot located on a hitch coupler mounted to the trailer. A second laser light source is also mounted to the towing vehicle in spaced apart relation with the first laser light source and oriented to direct a second laser light beam towards the trailer at an angle to the first light beam to impinge on a second marker spot on the trailer when the hitch and hitch coupler are aligned. When the towing vehicle is moved towards the trailer with the first laser beam impinging on the first marker spot and further moved towards the trailer until the second laser beam impinges on the second marker spot, the hitch coupler is aligned with the hitch.

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/983,163 filed Nov. 5, 2004 now abandoned which claimed the benefit of provision application Ser. No. 60/517,998, filed Nov. 5, 2003. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a laser device used in aligning a hitch of a towing vehicle with a hitch coupler of a trailer to permit trailer coupling in a fast and easy manner. 
   When a trailer having a hitch coupler is to be hitched to a towing vehicle having a hitch, it is difficult to align the hitch with the hitch coupler because the driver of the towing vehicle is driving in a reverse direction and care must be exercised in aligning the hitch and hitch coupler together before the hitch coupler can be secured to the hitch. 
   There are many known systems, mainly mechanical systems, for helping in aligning the hitch with the hitch coupler. An example of this type of device is shown in United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2003/0051654 A1. An improvement on these mechanical systems was made when using light sources for use in the alignment process. Examples of these types of systems are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,120,052 and 6,386,572 B1. 
   The present invention provides a significant improvement to known systems by providing an easy and convenient system to permit a user to accurately and quickly align a trailer coupler with a trailer hitch. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a trailer hitch alignment device which uses a pair of laser beams to properly align a hitch mounted to a towing vehicle with a hitch coupler mounted to a trailer. The invention includes a first laser light source mounted to the towing vehicle and oriented to direct a first laser light beam towards the trailer along a longitudinal axis of the trailer to impinge on a first marker spot located on the hitch coupler mounted to the trailer. A second laser light source is also mounted to the towing vehicle in spaced apart relation with the first laser light source and oriented to direct a second laser light beam towards the trailer at an angle to the first light beam to impinge on a second marker spot on the trailer when the hitch and hitch coupler are aligned. When the towing vehicle is moved towards the trailer with the first laser beam impinging on the first marker spot and further moved towards the trailer until the second laser beam impinges on the second marker spot, the hitch coupler is aligned with the hitch. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, a preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1A  is a schematic drawing depicting a towing vehicle and a fifth wheel trailer with a laser device according to the present invention mounted to the towing vehicle; 
       FIG. 1B  is a top view of the schematic drawing shown in  FIG. 1A ; 
       FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of a cover used with the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the cover shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view taken along the line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a front elevational view of the present invention with the cover removed; 
       FIG. 6  is a top view of the present invention shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the present invention shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a left hand view of the present invention shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 9  is an elevational view of a laser light source used with the present invention; 
       FIG. 10  is a top schematic view of a towing vehicle having the present invention mounted thereto together with a trailer having a ball hitch coupler; and 
       FIG. 11  is a top schematic view as shown in  FIG. 10  with the trailer separated from the towing vehicle. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   A laser device  10 , according to the present invention, is shown in  FIG. 1  where, in a preferred embodiment, it is attached to the rearward side of a cab provided on a conventional pulling vehicle  11  such as a pick up truck. Device  10  is centered laterally across the cab of the truck immediately behind the cab of the truck. 
   The laser device  10  includes a cover  12  as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The cover  12  has a “L” shaped configuration as shown in  FIG. 4  with a top wall  16  and a front wall  18 . Wall  18  of cover  12  has three openings  20   a ,  20   b  and  20   c , each opening receiving a laser light source  22   a ,  22   b  and  22   c , respectively. 
   The cover  12  partially encloses a channel base member  24  shown in  FIGS. 5 through 8 . The channel base member  24  includes a top wall  26 , a bottom wall  30  and a back wall  28 . The cover  12  is placed on the channel base member  24  with the top wall  16  resting on top wall  26  of the channel base member  24  and the front wall  18  covering the space between channel base member walls  26  and  30 . 
   Screws (not shown) are used to secure the cover  12  to the channel base member  24 . The screws extend through openings  32  provided in cover top wall  16  and into threaded holes  34  provided in top wall  26  of the base channel member  24 . 
   The channel base member  24  is secured to the towing vehicle with screws or bolts and nuts  36  (shown in  FIG. 8 ) which extend through openings  38  provided in top wall  26  and further through openings  40  provided in bottom wall  30 . 
   The laser light sources  22   a ,  22   b  and  22   c  include a housing for allowing the laser light to be directed outwardly through openings  40   a ,  40   b , and  40   c , respectively. At the end of the housing opposite the openings  40   a ,  40   b , and  40   c  a stem is provided which is fixedly secured to a ball  42  as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . A mounting plate  44  is provided for each of the laser light sources  22   a ,  22   b  and  22   c . The mounting plate  44  has an opening therethrough sized to receive the stem of the laser light sources but also sized sufficiently small to prevent the ball  42  from passing through the opening. Three screws  46  are used for securing the mounting plate  44  to the back wall  28  of the channel base member  24 . When the screws  46  are loosened the light source  22   a  and correspondingly the light sources  22   b  and  22   c  may be swivelled on the ball  42  to a desired position. At the desired position, the screws  46  are then tightened to secure the light source  22   a , and correspondingly light sources  22   b  and  22   c , in the desired position. 
   The laser light sources  22   a ,  22   b ,  22   c  are powered from a power source not shown. In a preferred embodiment the power source is a 12 volt battery used with the towing vehicle. A switch (not shown) is used to selectively activate all three laser light sources  22   a ,  22   b , and  22   c . The laser light sources are connected in parallel with wires  23  and  25  which are electrically connected to power cable  27 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
   In operation, the laser device  10  is mounted, in a preferred embodiment, to the cab provided on a conventional pulling vehicle  11  with the laser light source  22   b  being centered laterally across the truck at the longitudinal axis of the truck, immediately behind the cab of the truck. 
   The following description will relate to the use of the laser light sources in aligning a fifth wheel trailer with the hitch of a towing vehicle. As shown in  FIG. 1B , a trailer coupler  48  is mounted to a fifth wheel trailer  50 . The towing vehicle  11  has a trailer hitch  52  mounted on the bed of the towing vehicle  11 . The laser light source  22   b  provides a laser beam  54  and the laser light source  22   a  provides a laser beam  56 . In order to properly orient the laser beams  54  and  56 , the towing vehicle  11  must first be hitched to the fifth wheel trailer  50  with the trailer coupler  48  engaging the trailer hitch  52 . When the fifth wheel trailer has been hitched to the towing vehicle  11 , the laser beam  54  is oriented by loosening the plate  46  and swivelling the laser light source  22   b  so that the beam  54  is directed directly over the hitch  52  and centered on the upright trailer coupler  48 . In a preferred embodiment, an alignment marker strip  64  is attached to the trailer coupler  48  at a central location and the laser beam  54  adjusted to impinge on the marker strip. The plate  46  is then tightened so that the laser light source  22   b  remains in this position. 
   As can be seen in  FIG. 1B , with this orientation of laser light source  22   b , the light beam  54  passes directly over the trailer hitch  52 . Next, the laser beam  56  is oriented, again by loosening plate  46  and swivelling the light source  22   a  to the desired position, so that the light beam  56  is vertically aligned with the light beam  54  on marker strip  64 . The plate  46  is then tightened to secure the laser light source  22   a  at the selected position. With this orientation the light beam  56  passes over the trailer hitch  52  as shown in  FIG. 1B . 
   The two laser light sources  22   a  and  22   b  can now be used to align the towing vehicle  11  having the trailer hitch  52  with a hitch coupler  48  of the fifth wheel trailer  52 . 
   When aligning the fifth wheel trailer with the towing vehicle, the vehicle  11  is driven in reverse until the laser beam  54  is centered on the marker strip  64  mounted to trailer coupler  48 . Reverse movement is then continued until the laser beam  56  impinges on the marker strip  64  at a position vertically above the light beam  54 . At this point, the trailer coupler  48  is directly above the trailer hitch  52  and can be lowered to hitch the fifth wheel trailer  52  to the towing vehicle  11 . 
   The present system can also be used to align a ball trailer hitch  58  mounted to the towing vehicle  11  to a ball hitch coupler  60  mounted to a trailer  62  as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 . In using this device, it is convenient to use the alignment marker strip  64  mounted to the forward facing face of the trailer  62 . In a preferred embodiment, the laser light sources  22   b  and  22   c  are used to align the ball trailer hitch  58  with the ball hitch coupler  60 . As before, the trailer  62  is first hitched to the trailer ball hitch  58  of the towing vehicle  11  before aligning the light sources  22   b  and  22   c . The laser beam  54  again is directed across the top of the ball trailer hitch  58  to impinge on the marker strip  64 . Laser source  22   c  is then oriented, as above described, so that a laser light beam  66  impinges on the marker strip  64  at a position directly above the laser light beam  54 . 
   With this arrangement, and when aligning the trailer  62  with the towing vehicle  11 , the towing vehicle  11  is moved in a reverse direction until the light beam  54  is centered on the marker strip  64 , as was done before with the fifth wheel trailer. The vehicle  11  is then continued in reverse with the light beam  54  centered on the marker strip  64  until the laser beam  66  impinges on the marker strip  64  at a position directly above the light beam  54  as shown in  FIG. 11 . At this position, the ball trailer hitch  58  is aligned with the ball hitch coupler  60 . The coupler  60  may then be lowered onto the ball hitch  58 . 
   The present invention can be used in a similar manner in hitching a towed vehicle having a tow bar to a towing vehicle. In this arrangement, the laser device  10  is mounted to the front of the towed vehicle with the laser beam  54  extending forwardly over the hitch coupler of the tow bar. The marker strip  64  is mounted on the towing vehicle vertically above the hitch provided with the towing vehicle. As before, the towed vehicle must be hitched to the towing vehicle to properly orient a second laser light source, either laser source  22   a  or  22   c . Once the towed vehicle is hitched to the towing vehicle either light beam  56  or light beam  66  is oriented to impinge the marker strip  64  immediately above the light beam  54 . 
   After aligning the light beam  56  or  66  with the marker strip  64 , the laser light sources  22   b  and  22   a  or  22   c  can be used to align the towed vehicle with the towing vehicle for properly hitching the vehicles together. When using the laser device  10 , in this manner, the towed vehicle is driven forwardly to orient the beam  54  on the marker  64 . The towed vehicle is then continued to be driven forwardly until the selected laser beam  56  or  66  impinges on the marker strip immediately above the light beam  54 . At this point the hitch and hitch coupler are properly aligned and may be joined to hitch the towed vehicle with the towing vehicle. 
   While the fundamental novel features of the invention have been shown and described, it should be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, all such modifications or variations are included in the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims: