Interchangeable Hitch Ball Assembly with Plunger Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hitch ball assemblies are inconvenient to interchange, often requiring users to stoop or lay on the ground for installation or removal, and do not prevent trailer sockets from being connected before the hitch ball is secured, especially in wet or muddy conditions, and previous solutions have been expensive and difficult to produce.
Innovation Solution
An interchangeable hitch ball assembly featuring a ball member, body, passageway, and plunger with a biasing member that allows for easy locking and unlocking, preventing trailer socket connection until the hitch ball is securely attached, using a plunger and locking mechanism that can be operated without disconnection from the vehicle side.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional threaded mounting shank with nut and locking washer is used, then the hitch ball can be securely attached, but the user must stoop or lay on the ground to secure or remove it, causing inconvenience especially in wet or muddy conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The hitch ball assembly is divided into separate components: a removable hitch ball and a stationary body mounted on the vehicle. The ball can be independently removed and replaced without manipulating fasteners at ground level, while the body remains securely attached to the vehicle structure.
Solution Approach 2:
A plunger mechanism acts as an intermediary between the user and the locking member. The plunger can be operated from an elevated position to engage or disengage the locking member that secures the ball to the body, eliminating the need for the user to reach ground-level fasteners.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional hitch ball assembly is used, then the ball can be removed for storage or corrosion protection, but there is no mechanism to prevent trailer socket from being coupled before the ball is secured to the hitch bar
Solution Approach 1:
The locking member is designed to protrude beyond the body before the ball is fully secured, creating a preliminary barrier that physically prevents the trailer socket from coupling to the ball. This preliminary action ensures the ball is properly attached before any connection can be made.
Solution Approach 2:
The plunger serves as a mediator that controls the position of the locking member. When the plunger is in the engaged position, it forces the locking member outside the body to block socket coupling. The plunger can be operated from above to switch between locked and unlocked states.
3Adaptability or versatility
If simple removable hitch ball design is used, then interchangeability is improved, but the production cost and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The assembly is segmented into a simple spherical ball component and a separate body containing the locking mechanism. This segmentation allows the ball to be manufactured as a simple, low-cost component that can be easily replaced, while the complex locking mechanism is contained within the body.
Solution Approach 2:
The plunger mechanism is designed to be self-contained within the body, requiring no external tools or complex assembly procedures. The plunger itself serves as both the operating mechanism and the indicator of locked/unlocked status, simplifying the overall design and reducing manufacturing complexity.
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
Enables convenient and secure interchange of hitch balls without the need for ground-level manipulation, preventing premature trailer socket connection and reducing production costs through a user-friendly and efficient design.
Implementation Method 1
an elongated member positioned within the body. The elongated member may have a first end connected to a head and a second end connected to a plunger. The biasing member may be configured to bias the plunger towards the at least one locking member
Data Source
AI summary
An interchangeable hitch ball assembly that may be easily interchangeable with the hitch of a towing vehicle and that may prevent a trailer socket from being connected to the hitch ball prior to securing the hitch ball to the hitch bar. The hitch ball assembly may include a ball member, a body, a passageway, at least one locking member, an elongated member located within the passageway and biased toward the at least one locking member, and a plunger capable of being moved by the elongated member between a locked position and an unlocked or release position. The plunger may be moved toward the locking member to force at least a portion of the locking member outside of the body to lock the assembly. The plunger may be moved away from the locking member to allow the locking member to retreat into the body and unlock the assembly.