Patent ID: 7350798

Claim:
A trailer-side hitch guide for a ball-and-socket hitch, the hitch guide comprising a single guide rod comprising an upper rod portion with a magnetic base for magnetic attachment to a generally vertical front face of a socket-forward portion of a trailer-side hitch socket, the upper rod portion extending upwardly from the hitch socket to a point visible to a driver of a towing vehicle equipped with a hitch ball when the magnetic base is attached to the hitch socket, the guide rod further comprising a lever arm portion extending below the magnetic base forwardly of and below a socket opening on the hitch socket when the magnetic base is attached to the hitch socket, such that a hitch ball being driven into alignment with the hitch socket breaks the magnetic attachment of the guide rod to the hitch socket through the lever arm portion, causing the guide rod to begin to fall over before the hitch ball is vertically aligned with the trailer socket.