IP Library Granted Patent US 9,656,610
Granted Patent B2
US 9,656,610 · App. 13/838,200 · Granted May 23, 2017

Cargo accessory matching system

Inventors: Richard W. McCoy (Granger, IN); Paul Charles Caruso (Grosse Point, MI); Jacob S. Belinky (Carleton, MI); Mark Patrick Scruggs (Walled Lake, MI)
Assignee: CEQUENT PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS, INC.
B60R9/06Y10T29/49826
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,656,610
App. No.
13/838,200
Granted
May 23, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cargo accessory system is shown and described. The cargo accessory system may include a hitch mounting member, and a cargo accessory carrier attached to the hitch mounting member, where the cargo accessory carrier is configured to carry cargo. The cargo accessory system may also include a visual indicator incorporated with the cargo accessory carrier. The visual indicator may include a compatibility indicator identifying at least one hitch receiver to which the hitch member is capable of attaching, and a weight capacity identifying a load capacity of the cargo accessory carrier when the hitch mounting member is attached to the at least one hitch receiver.

Claims (36)

1. A cargo accessory system comprising:

a hitch mounting member;

a cargo accessory carrier coupled to the hitch mounting member, wherein the cargo accessory carrier is configured to carry cargo; and

a visual indicator incorporated with at least one of the cargo accessory carrier and the hitch mounting member, the visual indicator indicative of an operational characteristic of the cargo accessory carrier, the visual indicator comprising:

a compatibility indicator identifying at least one hitch receiver to which the hitch member is capable of being operably attached; and

at least one capacity indicator indicative of an operational load capacity of the cargo accessory carrier when the hitch mounting member is attached to the at least one hitch receiver.

2. The cargo accessory system of claim 1 , further comprising a hitch receiver having a hitch visual indicator incorporated with the hitch receiver, wherein the hitch visual indicator includes an indication of an operational characteristic of the hitch receiver.

3. The cargo accessory system of claim 2 , wherein the compatibility indicator of the visual indicator is associated with a dimensional configuration of the hitch mounting member and the visual indicator incorporated with the hitch receiver is associated with a dimensional configuration of the hitch receiver.

4. The cargo accessory system of claim 2 , wherein the compatibility indicator is a first letter and the hitch visual indicator is a second letter whereby matching the first and second letters indicates the hitch mounting member is operatively attachable to the hitch receiver.

5. The cargo accessory system of claim 4 , wherein the visual indicator is a label adhered to either of the cargo accessory carrier or the hitch mounting member.

6. The cargo accessory system of claim 5 , wherein the hitch visual indicator is a label adhered to the hitch receiver.

7. The cargo accessory system of claim 1 , wherein the hitch mounting member is configured to operatively attach a plurality of hitch receivers.

8. The cargo accessory system of claim 7 , wherein the visual indicator includes a plurality of different compatibility indicators associated with a dimensional configuration of the hitch mounting member and identifies the plurality of hitch receivers to which the hitch mounting member is configured to attach.

9. The cargo accessory system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one capacity indicator includes a plurality of capacity indicators associated with different hitch receivers to which the hitch mounting member may be operatively coupled.

10. The cargo accessory system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of capacity indicators are different from each other.

11. The cargo accessory system of claim 1 , wherein the visual indicator includes a plurality of different compatibility indicators and the at least one capacity indictor is associated with multiple ones of the compatibility indicators.

12. The cargo accessory system of claim 1 , wherein the visual indicator includes a plurality of different compatibility indicators, the at least one capacity indicator is one of a plurality of capacity indicators and each capacity indicator is associated with one or more of the compatibility indicators.

13. A hitch match system comprising:

a first visual indicator incorporated with a hitch receiver, wherein the first visual indicator is indicative of an operational characteristic of the hitch receiver; and

a second visual indicator incorporated with a cargo accessory carrier configured to operably attach to the hitch receiver, wherein the second visual indicator is indicative of an operational characteristic of the cargo accessory carrier, the second visual indicator comprising:

a compatibility indicator identifying at least one identified hitch receiver to which the cargo accessory carrier is configured to be operably attached, wherein the at least one identified hitch receiver includes the hitch receiver; and

at least one capacity indicator indicative of an operational load capacity of the cargo accessory carrier when attached to at least the hitch receiver.

14. The hitch match system of claim 13 , wherein the compatibility indicator identifies at least a second hitch receiver to which the cargo accessory carrier is configured to be operably attached.

15. The hitch match system of claim 14 , wherein the second visual indicator further includes at least a second capacity indicator indicative of an operational load capacity of the cargo accessory carrier when the cargo accessory carrier is attached to the at least the second hitch receiver.

16. The hitch match system of claim 13 , wherein the cargo accessory carrier is configured to operably attach to a plurality of hitch receivers and wherein the compatibility indicator identifies the plurality of hitch receivers to which the cargo accessory carrier is configured to operably attach.

17. The hitch match system of claim 16 , wherein the second visual indicator includes a plurality of capacity indicators identifying operational load capacities of the cargo accessory carrier when the cargo accessory carrier is attached to each of the plurality of hitch receivers.

18. The hitch match system of claim 13 , wherein the first visual indicator is a label adhered to the hitch receiver and the second visual indicator is a label adhered to the cargo accessory carrier.

19. The hitch match system of claim 13 , wherein the second visual indicator includes a matrix barcode providing access to at least one Internet website.

20. The hitch match system of claim 19 , wherein the at least one Internet website includes information about at least one of the hitch receiver and the cargo accessory carrier.

21. The hitch match system of claim 13 , wherein the operational characteristic is associated with a dimensional configuration of the hitch receiver.

22. A cargo accessory system comprising:

a hitch mounting member;

a cargo accessory carrier coupled to the hitch mounting member, wherein the cargo accessory carrier is configured to carry cargo; and

a visual indicator incorporated with at least one of the cargo accessory carrier and the hitch mounting member, the visual indicator indicative of an operational characteristic of the cargo accessory carrier, the visual indicator comprising:

a compatibility indicator identifying at least one hitch receiver to which the hitch member is capable of being operably attached; and

at least one capacity indicator indicative of an operational load capacity of the cargo accessory carrier when the hitch mounting member is attached to a particular hitch receiver, wherein the at least one capacity indicator includes a plurality of capacity indicators associated with different hitch receivers to which the itch mounting member may be operatively coupled.

Assignments (11)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2021
From: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKET SERVICES LLC, SOLELY IN ITS CAPACITY AS COLLATERAL AGENT (AS SUCCESSOR TO JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.)
To: HORIZON GLOBAL CORPORATION; WESTFALIA-AUTOMOTIVE GMBH; HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.; CEQUENT CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 055262/0842 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2021
From: HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.; C.P. WITTER LIMITED; WESTFALIA-AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
To: ATLANTIC PARK STRATEGIC CAPITAL FUND, L.P., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055262/0949 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 11, 2020
From: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKET SERVICES LLC
To: HORIZON GLOBAL CORPORATION; HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.
Reel/Frame 053453/0229 →
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKET SERVICES LLC
Reel/Frame 052463/0091 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2020
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: CEQUENT PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS, INC.; CEQUENT CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 052918/0733 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 17, 2020
From: HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.
To: ENCINA BUSINESS CREDIT, LLC
Reel/Frame 052183/0590 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 20, 2019
From: HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.; HORIZON GLOBAL CORPORATION
To: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKET SERVICES LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 048648/0006 →
MERGER Recorded May 10, 2017
From: CEQUENT CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC.; CEQUENT PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS, INC.
To: HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.
Reel/Frame 042435/0260 →
SECURITY INTEREST (ABL) Recorded Jul 8, 2015
From: CEQUENT PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS, INC.; CEQUENT CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 036082/0668 →
SECURITY INTEREST (TERM LOAN) Recorded Jul 6, 2015
From: CEQUENT PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS, INC.; CEQUENT CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 036062/0554 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 2, 2013
From: MCCOY, RICHARD W.; CARUSO, PAUL CHARLES; BELINKY, JACOB S.; SCRUGGS, MARK PATRICK
To: CEQUENT PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 030729/0305 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140263512A1 · Sep 18, 2014