Rotating Hitch Ball Assembly with Retaining Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional triple ball hitches require complete removal from the receiver to rotate and change ball sizes, making them cumbersome and insecure, especially in environments where multiple drivers may not have access to the lock key.
Innovation Solution
A multiple hitch member design with a main hitch shaft and outer hitch tube that allows rotation without removing the hitch from the receiver, featuring a retaining plate to prevent removal and a pin system for secure locking and positioning of different hitch elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional triple ball hitch is locked to the hitch receiver with a pin and lock, then security against unauthorized removal is improved, but the time required to change ball sizes increases significantly due to the need to locate the key, unlock, remove, rotate, and re-install the hitch member
Solution Approach 1:
The hitch assembly is divided into two functional segments: a stationary main hitch member that remains locked to the receiver, and a rotatable outer hitch member containing the balls that can be independently rotated and locked into position. This segmentation allows the security function to be maintained on the main member while the outer member provides quick ball size changes without requiring key access.
Solution Approach 2:
The lock mechanism is extracted from the outer hitch member and placed solely on the main hitch member. This allows the outer member to be freely rotatable for positioning different balls, while the main member maintains the security function. The lock is taken out of the critical path for ball size changes, eliminating the time loss associated with key access.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a conventional triple ball hitch uses a square tube main hitch member with a square receiver opening, then the hitch member is prevented from rotating relative to the receiver, but it becomes necessary to completely remove the hitch member to rotate it to a different position for changing ball sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The hitch is segmented into a fixed square main hitch member that provides stability through its square-receiver interface, and a separate rotatable outer hitch member that contains the balls. The outer member can rotate independently on the main member, allowing ball size changes without removing the hitch from the receiver, while the main member maintains its anti-rotation stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer hitch member is nested within the main hitch member, allowing it to rotate freely on the main member's circular cross-section. The outer member contains the balls and can be rotated to position different balls at the top, then locked in place with a pin. This nested configuration allows rotation functionality without compromising the stability provided by the square main member-receiver interface.
3Strength
If a conventional triple ball hitch weighs about 25 pounds, then it provides sufficient strength to handle towing loads, but it becomes cumbersome to remove from and re-install in the hitch receiver
Solution Approach 1:
The heavy hitch assembly is segmented into a main hitch member that remains installed in the receiver, and a lighter outer hitch member that can be easily removed and re-installed. The outer member contains the balls and can be quickly detached by removing a pin, allowing users to replace worn balls or adjust positions without the effort of removing and re-installing the entire 25-pound assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer hitch member containing the balls is extracted as a separate, independently removable component from the main hitch member. This allows the outer member to be easily handled and re-positioned without moving the heavy main member that remains secured to the receiver. Users can quickly swap the outer member or rotate it to change ball positions without the physical effort of handling the entire assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
A multiple hitch member assembly is described for connecting a trailer to a tow vehicle where a hitch member is rotatably with respect to a main hitch member that is connected to a hitch receiver on the tow vehicle, where the hitch member carries a plurality of hitch elements (e.g., ball hitches of varying sizes) and where with the main hitch member secured to the hitch receiver the hitch member is rotatable to position a desired hitch element to be connected to a trailer or the like such that the hitch member cannot be removed from the main hitch member.