Patent ID: 8231035

Claim:
A storage unit for storing a trailer hitch assembly comprising: a housing which is mounted on a support element to store a hitch assembly, the hitch assembly including a support bar having a hitch ball mounted on one end thereof, a receiver pin accommodating hole defined through the support bar and a receiver pin, the housing including (1) a tubular body having a first end, a second end and a longitudinal axis extending between the first end of the tubular body and the second end of the tubular body, (2) a bore extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis and extending between the first end of the tubular housing and the second end of the tubular housing, the bore being sized and shaped to slidably accommodate the support bar of the hitch assembly, (3) a first side wall, (4) a second side wall, (5) a third side wall connecting the first side wall to the second side wall, having a receiver pin accommodating hole defined therethrough and a fastener accommodating hole defined therethrough, (6) a fourth side wall connecting the first side wall to the second side wall, the fourth side wall being in facing relationship with the third side wall, the fourth side wall further including (a) a first wall having a first end and a second end which is spaced apart from the second end of the tubular body in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the tubular body, (b) a second wall having a first end and a second end which is spaced apart from the second end of the tubular body in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the tubular body, (c) a third wall connecting the first wall of the fourth side wall to the second wall of the fourth side wall, the third wall having a mounting fastener accommodating hole defined therethrough, the mounting fastener accommodating hole in the third wall being aligned with the fastener accommodating hole defined through the third side wall of the housing, (d) the first wall of the fourth side wall and the second wall of the fourth side wall being spaced apart from each other and defining a channel therebetween, the channel being oriented and located to open into the bore of the housing, and (e) a fifth wall portion located between the second ends of the first and second walls of the fourth wall and the second end of the tubular body, there being a spacing between the channel of the fourth wall and the second end of the tubular body, the fifth wall portion having a receiver pin accommodating hole defined therethrough, the receiver pin accommodating hole in the fifth wall portion being aligned with the receiver pin accommodating hole defined through the third side wall of the housing, the receiver pin of the hitch assembly being accommodated through the aligned receiver pin accommodating holes defined through the first wall of the housing and the fifth wall portion of the fourth wall of the housing when the hitch assembly is accommodated in the tubular body of the housing.