US 12,083,839 B2
Powered trailer hitch
Jerome D. Smith, Dundee, IL (US)
Assigned to POWERHITCH, LLC, Dundee (IL)
Appl. No. 17/059,128
Filed by POWERHITCH, LLC, Dundee, IL (US)
PCT Filed Jul. 26, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/043706
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 25, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/023894, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 30, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/852,687, filed on May 24, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/764,262, filed on Jul. 26, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0170817 A1, Jun. 10, 2021
Int. Cl. B60D 1/06 (2006.01); B60D 1/36 (2006.01); B60D 1/24 (2006.01); B60D 1/52 (2006.01)
CPC B60D 1/065 (2013.01) [B60D 1/36 (2013.01); B60D 1/246 (2013.01); B60D 1/52 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A trailer hitch system for coupling a vehicle to a trailer, the system comprising:
a housing;
a shaft coupled to the housing and being configured to be received within a receiver coupled to the vehicle;
a mounting plate including a swing arm extending therefrom, the swing arm being coupled to the housing such that the swing arm can pivot relative to the housing; and
an actuator coupled to (i) the housing such that the actuator can pivot relative to the housing and (ii) the swing arm such that movement of the actuator causes corresponding movement of the swing arm between a first position and a second position,
wherein a portion of the shaft is disposed within and coupled to an adapter sleeve, the adapter sleeve having a first dimension that is greater than a corresponding second dimension of the shaft to aid in coupling the system to the receiver coupled to the vehicle.