Rotating Wall-Mounted Hitch Receiver for Compact Indoor Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle trailer hitches and wall-mounted hitches face challenges with indoor storage due to their unbalanced design and weight limitations, encroaching on indoor space when not in use, and difficulty in installation.
Innovation Solution
A wall-mounted hitch with a support bracket and hinge pin allows the hitch receiver to rotate between a use position and a storage position, featuring an offset design for compact storage when not in use, and is constructed to support heavier loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the hitch receiver is permanently mounted to the wall, then it can support heavy loads, but it encroaches on indoor space when no accessory is mounted
Solution Approach 1:
The hitch receiver is made dynamic by introducing a hinge pin that allows rotation between a horizontal use position and a vertical storage position. This transforms the stationary mounting into a movable configuration, enabling the receiver to adapt its orientation based on whether it is being used or stored, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining load support capability and minimizing space occupation.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions the hitch receiver from occupying horizontal space (when mounted parallel to the wall) to occupying vertical space (when rotated 90 degrees against the wall). By changing the dimension in which the receiver occupies space, the invention allows the same component to support heavy loads while minimizing encroachment on usable indoor floor space.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the hitch receiver has a square tubular design, then it can engage with standard hitch accessories, but it is unbalanced and difficult to store indoors
Solution Approach 1:
The square tubular hitch receiver is made rotatable via the hinge pin mechanism, transforming it from a static, unbalanced object that is difficult to store into a dynamic component that can be actively positioned. This allows the receiver to be rotated into a vertical storage position where it becomes stable and easy to store, while maintaining its square tubular design for compatibility with standard accessories.
3Ease of operation
If the wall mounted hitch is designed with a pivot mechanism, then it can rotate between use and storage positions, but it becomes difficult to install
Solution Approach 1:
The hitch system is segmented into distinct components: a support bracket that is permanently mounted to the wall, a hinge pin that provides the rotation mechanism, and the hitch receiver that rotates. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the support bracket for easy wall installation, the hinge pin for simple rotation, and the receiver for accessory compatibility - thereby reducing overall installation complexity while maintaining storage functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A wall mounted hitch for storage of a variety of hitch accessories designed to cooperate with known automobile trailer hitch connections includes a wall mounted support bracket, a hitch receiver, and a hinge pin oriented to allow the hitch receiver to rotate and be stored within the confines of the support bracket without the need to remove the support bracket from the wall.