Hitch Ball Locking Bail Handle and Engagement Indicator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gooseneck trailer hitch balls are difficult to handle and can transfer grease and grime, making installation and removal messy, and lack clear engagement indicators, limiting their use and safety.
Innovation Solution
A hitch ball with a locking bail that functions as a handle and actuator, providing visual, audible, and tactile indications of engagement, preventing accidental unlocking and allowing clean handling by obstructing grime transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a hitch ball is mounted on the tow vehicle, then the hitch ball can be used for towing, but it limits use of the tow vehicle for other purposes and interferes with loading and unloading
Solution Approach 1:
The hitch ball is designed with a movable locking bail that can pivot between different positions. When not in use, the bail can be moved to clear the loading area, allowing the bed to be used for other purposes. The locking mechanism dynamically adjusts between locked and unlocked states based on operational needs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a removable hitch ball assembly is provided, then the hitch ball can be removed when not in use, but it is difficult to discern whether the hitch ball is engaged and locked in position
Solution Approach 1:
The locking bail is designed to be visually distinct and positioned such that its orientation clearly indicates the engagement status. When locked, the bail assumes a specific position that is easily observable, providing immediate visual feedback to the user about whether the hitch ball is securely engaged.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism incorporates audible and tactile feedback through the bail's movement. When the hitch ball is properly locked, the bail clicks into place and can be felt by the user, providing confirmation of engagement without requiring visual inspection of internal components.
3Ease of operation
If the hitch ball is handled during installation and removal, then the hitch ball can be installed and removed, but grease and grime collect on the hitch ball making handling difficult and messy
Solution Approach 1:
The locking bail serves as an intermediary handle that allows users to manipulate the hitch ball without directly touching the greasy surfaces. The bail can be gripped and manipulated to effect locking and unlocking, keeping the user's hands clean while still enabling full operational control of the hitch ball.
Solution Approach 2:
The hitch ball assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: the ball body, the locking mechanism, and the bail handle. This segmentation allows the handle function to be separated from the load-bearing function, enabling clean handling through the bail while the main body remains isolated from direct user contact.
4Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to the hitch ball, then the hitch ball can be securely locked, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking bail combines multiple functions into a single component: it serves as the actuator for the locking mechanism, the handle for user manipulation, and the indicator for engagement status. This merging eliminates the need for separate controls, indicators, and handles, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining secure locking functionality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The hitch ball ensures secure engagement and easy handling, preventing interference during use and maintaining cleanliness, enhancing usability and safety by providing clear engagement status and preventing grime transfer.
Implementation Method 1
The locking piston is slideable within the hollow to selectively obstruct movement of one or more locking bearings within a corresponding number of ports in the base and into the hitch ball body
Implementation Method 2
the bail provides a visual indication that the hitch ball is unlocked from the tow vehicle receiver
Implementation Method 3
a spring disposed within the hollow and in engagement with the locking piston and biasing the locking piston toward the unlocked orientation
Data Source
AI summary
A hitch ball with a locking bail for use with gooseneck hitch assemblies. The hitch ball includes a hitch ball body having a ball-mount on a first end. A second end forms a base that is insertable into a mating receiver mounted in a tow vehicle. A locking bail is pivotably coupled to the hitch ball body and is moveable from an unlocked orientation overlying the ball-mount to a locked orientation extending generally transversely to the hitch ball body. The locking bail is configured to function as a handle when in the unlocked orientation to provide a clean and easily graspable structure for handling and installing the hitch ball in a tow vehicle. The locking bail prevents coupling of a trailer or hitch assembly with the hitch ball when in the unlocked orientation and provides a visual indication of the locked or unlocked state of the hitch ball.