Patent ID: 8202017

Claim:
A hitch for connecting a movable object to a rigid rod, comprising: a semi-rigid main substrate including a plurality of grooves, the main substrate having a first end; a flexible element over at least a portion of an outer surface of the main substrate, the flexible element including a gripping portion being adapted to grip the rigid rod, the gripping portion comprising a periphery which defines an opening, the periphery comprising a first supported portion which is disposed on the first end of the main substrate and is supported by the first end of the main substrate and a flexible second unsupported portion opposite the first supported portion across the opening, the flexible second unsupported portion of the periphery being flexible toward and away from the first supported portion of the periphery such that the opening is changeable between a smaller closed size and a larger open size, respectively; and a clamp connectable between the flexible second unsupported portion of the periphery and the main substrate, the clamp being operable between a first closed position in which the flexible second unsupported portion of the periphery is flexed toward the first supported portion of the periphery and a second open position in which the flexible second unsupported portion of the periphery is flexed away from the first supported portion of the periphery, the clamp comprising a lever that couples the clamp to at least one of the plurality of grooves of the main substrate and a wire link attached to the flexible second unsupported portion of the periphery.