IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0271028
(2002-10-15)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
4 인용 특허 :
13 |
초록
▼
An offset coupler device for coupling a gooseneck trailer with a gooseneck hitch ball is provided. The coupler has a first member spaced apart from a second member by an offset plate. A ball coupler is provided at a lower end of the second member. In use, the first member is partially received in a
An offset coupler device for coupling a gooseneck trailer with a gooseneck hitch ball is provided. The coupler has a first member spaced apart from a second member by an offset plate. A ball coupler is provided at a lower end of the second member. In use, the first member is partially received in a trailer coupler tube of the trailer and a gooseneck hitch ball is partially received in the ball coupler. The offset coupler effectively increases the relative distance between the gooseneck trailer and the tow vehicle during use.
대표청구항
▼
1. An offset coupler device for use in connection with a gooseneck trailer, the coupler comprising:a first portion, the first portion having a proximal end and a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis being in a generally vertical orientation; a second portion, the second portion having a proximal
1. An offset coupler device for use in connection with a gooseneck trailer, the coupler comprising:a first portion, the first portion having a proximal end and a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis being in a generally vertical orientation; a second portion, the second portion having a proximal end and a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis of the second portion being in a substantially vertical orientation, wherein the longitudinal axis of the first portion and the longitudinal axis of the second portion are generally parallel and non-coaxial; a connector intermediate the first portion and the second portion, the connector coupling the first portion with the second portion wherein the connector has an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the proximal end of the first portion is fixed to the upper surface of the connector and wherein the proximal end of the second portion is fixed to the lower surface of the connector; and a ball coupler connected to the second portion, whereby the second portion of the offset coupler may be coupled with a gooseneck hitch ball of a tow vehicle via the ball coupler and whereby the first portion may be coupled with a gooseneck trailer. 2. The coupler of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion are generally tubular in nature and each have proximal and distal ends.3. The connector of claim 2, wherein the connector is generally plate-like in nature.4. The connector of claim 1, wherein the connector is generally plate-like in nature.5. The coupler of claim 1, wherein the ball coupler includes a shell having a concave portion designed to receive a portion of a gooseneck hitch ball, a shaft adjacent the concave portion and a handle coupled with the shaft to selectively move the shaft between first and second positions.6. The coupler of claim 5, wherein the second portion is generally tubular in nature and has proximal and distal ends and wherein the ball coupler is connected to the distal end of the second portion.7. The coupler of claim 6, wherein the concave portion is partially received in the distal end of the second portion.8. The coupler of claim 5, wherein the shaft includes a flattened portion, wherein the flattened portion faces the longitudinal axis of the second portion when in the first position and wherein the flattened portion faces away from the longitudinal axis of the second portion in the second position.9. An offset coupler device for use in connecting a gooseneck trailer with a gooseneck trailer hitch of a tow vehicle, the gooseneck trailer having a trailer coupler tube with a central longitudinal axis in a generally vertical orientation and having an inner dimension defining an interior space, the offset coupler comprising:a first generally elongate member having a central longitudinal axis, such axis being in a generally vertical orientation, the first member having a proximal end and a distal end and being sized for telescoping engagement with the trailer coupler tube; a second member having a central longitudinal axis, the central longitudinal axis of the second member being in a generally vertical orientation, being non-coaxial with the central longitudinal axis of the first member and being generally parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the first member, the second member further having a distal end and a proximal end; a connector located intermediate the first and second members, the connector coupling the first member with the second member wherein the connector has an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the proximal end of the first member is connected to the upper surface of the connector and wherein the proximal end of the second member is connected to the lower surface of the connector; and a ball coupler, the ball coupler being connected to the distal end of the second member and being designed to receive and couple the offset coupler device with die gooseneck hitch of the tow vehicle. 10. The coupler of claim 9, wherein the upper and lower surfaces of the connector are generally parallel to one another and are planar in nature.11. The coupler of claim 10, wherein the first member is generally perpendicular to the connector and wherein the second member is generally perpendicular to die connector.12. The connector of claim 11, wherein the central longitudinal axis of the first member is approximately 9 inches away from the central longitudinal axis of the second member.13. An offset coupler device for connecting a gooseneck trailer with a gooseneck hitch of a tow vehicle, the gooseneck trailer having a coupler tube in a generally vertical orientation, the coupler tube having an opening at the lower end defined by an interior diameter, the opening designed to receive a portion of the offset coupler device, the offset coupler device comprising:a first member having a central longitudinal axis oriented in a generally vertical orientation, the first member being generally tubular in nature and having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end being designed to be slidingly and telescopingly received in the opening in the coupler tube of the gooseneck trailer, the first member having an outer diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of the coupler tube of the gooseneck trailer; a second member having a central longitudinal axis oriented in a general vertical orientation, the longitudinal axis of the first and second members being generally parallel, the second member being generally tubular in nature and having a proximal end and a distal end; an offset connector plate having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the upper surface is connected to the proximal end of the first member and the lower surface is connected to the proximal end of the second member; and a ball coupler connected to the distal end of the second member, the ball coupler designed to selectively receive the gooseneck hitch of the tow vehicle and to couple the offset coupler device with the tow vehicle. 14. The device of claim 13, further comprising:a first bracket, the first bracket being connected to the first member and to the upper surface of the connector plate. 15. The coupler of claim 14, further comprising:a second bracket, the second bracket being connected to the second member and to the lower surface of the connector plate and wherein the first and second brackets reinforce the connections between the first and second member and the connector plate. 16. A method of increasing the relative spacing between a gooseneck trailer and its tow vehicle, a method comprising:obtaining a gooseneck trailer having a trailer coupler tube with a central longitudinal axis in a generally vertical orientation adjacent the forward end of the gooseneck trailer; obtaining a tow vehicle having a gooseneck hitch ball projected upwardly from a surface thereon; obtaining an offset coupler device having a first member with a central longitudinal axis spaced apart from a second member having a central longitudinal axis by an offset plate, wherein the longitudinal axis of the first member is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the second member, and wherein a hitch ball coupler is connected to a distal end of the second member; connecting the offset coupler with the gooseneck trailer by receiving the first member in the trailer coupler tube; and coupling the trailer with the tow vehicle by receiving the hitch ball in the ball coupler tube, wherein the hitch ball is spaced apart from the central longitudinal axis of the trailer coupler tube.
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