US 12,109,857 B2
Hitch assembly
David M. Lee, Newport, MI (US); Kenneth R. Laskie, Belleville, MI (US); and Randy Schott, Temperance, MI (US)
Assigned to Midway Products Group, Inc., Monroe, MI (US)
Filed by Midway Products Group, Inc., Monroe, MI (US)
Filed on Jun. 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/210,335.
Application 18/210,335 is a continuation of application No. 16/702,801, filed on Dec. 4, 2019, granted, now 11,679,636.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/775,978, filed on Dec. 6, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0322031 A1, Oct. 12, 2023
Int. Cl. B60D 1/52 (2006.01); B60D 1/06 (2006.01); B60D 1/145 (2006.01); B60D 1/48 (2006.01)
CPC B60D 1/52 (2013.01) [B60D 1/065 (2013.01); B60D 1/145 (2013.01); B60D 1/485 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of connecting and disconnecting a drawbar with a hitch assembly, the method comprising:
providing a receiver tube coupled with a bumper structure, wherein the receiver tube defines one or more transverse slots and a longitudinally-extending opening;
providing a drawbar assembly, wherein the drawbar assembly comprises: (i) an elongated body dimensioned to be received within the opening in the receiver tube, wherein the elongated body defines a longitudinally-extending passageway and one or more traverse slots arranged to correspond with the one or more slots in the receiver tube when the elongated body is inserted into the opening in the receiver tube; (ii) a rod with one or more radially extending pins rotatably received within the longitudinally-extending passageway between a first position and a second position, wherein the one or more radially-extending pins extend through respective slots of the one or more slots in the elongated body and respective slots of the one or more slots in the receiver tube when the rod is in the second position to impede longitudinal movement of the elongated body with respect to the receiver tube when the rod is in the second position, but the one or more radially-extending pins do not extend through the one or more slots in the receiver tube when the rod is in the first position to allow free longitudinal movement of the elongated body with respect to the receiver tube when the rod is in the first position, wherein the rod has a first end extending through the elongated body and a second end connected with a handle, wherein the handle is configured to pivot between a first position and a second position along an axis that is generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the elongated body, and pivoting of the handle between the first position and the second position causes concomitant movement of the rod between the first position and the second position; and (iii) a section extending approximately perpendicularly from the elongated body;
coupling together the elongated body and the receiver tube with a detent feature of the rod by rotating the rod to the second position; and
detaching the elongated body from the receiver tube by rotating the rod to the first position.