IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,752,817
Granted Patent B2
US 11,752,817 · App. 17/098,978 · Granted Sep 12, 2023

Detachable receiver

Inventors: Thomas Edward Robinson (Warren, MI); Henry J. Guthard (Livonia, MI); Jordan Mazurek (Plymouth, MI)
Assignee: HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.
B60D1/52B60D1/075B60D1/167B60D1/28
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,752,817
App. No.
17/098,978
Granted
Sep 12, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is a detachable receiver apparatus for a hitch assembly. The apparatus includes a body having an attachment portion and a receiver portion. The attachment portion may be selectively attached to a frame of a towing vehicle. The receiver portion may be selectively attached to a receiver member. The receiver member may selectively attach to a hitch bar. In one embodiment, the receiver portion is received within the receiver member. In another embodiment, the receiver portion defines a cavity for receiving the receiver member. The attachment portion may include at least one locking member for selectively locking or unlocking the attachment portion to the frame of the towing vehicle. The assembly may include an actuator for selectively locking and unlocking the locking member.

Claims (32)

1. A detachable receiver apparatus for a hitch assembly comprising:

a hitch receiver tube;

a body attached to the hitch receiver tube, the body having a receiving portion and an attachment portion oriented at a substantially perpendicular angle relative to the receiving portion;

wherein the attachment portion selectively attaches to a connection point on a vehicle;

a receiver coupler selectively attachable to the attachment portion between the body and the connection point; and

wherein the body and the hitch receiver tube are separated members and are configured to cooperate to form a male-female connection between the receiving portion and the hitch receiver tube.

2. The detachable receiver apparatus of claim 1 wherein the receiver coupler selectively locks to the attachment portion.

3. The detachable receiver apparatus of claim 2 further comprising an actuator integrated with the receiver apparatus cooperating with the lock.

4. The detachable receiver apparatus of claim 1 wherein a shoulder is formed on the receiver coupler.

5. The detachable receiver apparatus of claim 4 wherein an actuator selectively locks attachment portion and the shoulder.

6. The detachable receiver apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a hitch ball mount selectively attachable to the receiver tube at an end of said receiver tube that is opposite to an end attached to the body.

7. The detachable receiver apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a hitch ball mount selectively attachable to the hitch receiver tube at an end of said receiver tube that is opposite to an end attached to the body.

8. The detachable receiver apparatus of claim 7 wherein the hitch receiver tube has a substantially square shaped opening for selectively attaching the hitch ball mount.

9. The detachable receiver apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one support fin integrated between the attachment portion and the body.

10. A detachable receiver apparatus for a hitch assembly comprising:

a hitch receiver tube;

a body having an upright vehicle attachment portion and a horizontal receiving portion;

a receiver coupler connecting the vehicle attachment portion to a connection point on a vehicle;

a lock selectively locking the vehicle attachment portion to the receiver coupler; and

an actuator cooperating with the lock to toggle the lock between locked and unlocked positions, wherein the body and the hitch receiver tube are separated members and are configured to cooperate to form a male-female connection between the receiving portion and the hitch receiver tube.

11. The detachable receiver apparatus of claim 10 wherein the receiver coupler is a cylindrical body including an opening which receives a portion of the vehicle attachment end portion.

12. A detachable receiver apparatus for a hitch assembly comprising:

a hitch receiver tube;

a body having an upright vehicle attachment portion and a horizontal receiving portion;

a receiver coupler connecting the vehicle attachment portion to a connection point on a vehicle;

a lock selectively locking the attachment end portion to the receiver coupler; and

an actuator cooperating with the lock to toggle the lock between locked and unlocked positions, wherein a terminal end point of the vehicle attachment end portion has a conical or tapering shape, wherein the body and the hitch receiver tube are separated members and are configured to cooperate to form a male-female connection between the receiving portion and the hitch receiver tube.

13. A detachable receiver apparatus for a hitch assembly comprising:

a body having an upright vehicle attachment end portion and a horizontal receiver attachment end portion;

a receiver coupler connecting the vehicle attachment end portion to a connection point on a vehicle;

a lock selectively locking the attachment end portion to the receiver coupler, the lock comprising a drive actuator vertically displaceable between locked and unlocked positions; and

an actuator toggling the drive actuator between the locked and unlocked positions.

Assignments (3)
FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 18, 2025
From: AIRTEX INDUSTRIES, LLC; AIRTEX PRODUCTS, LP; APC INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, LLC; APC PARENT, LLC; ASC INDUSTRIES, INC.; AUTOLITE OPERATIONS LLC; AVM EXPORT, INC.; BPI ACQUISITION COMPANY, LLC; BPI EC, LLC; BPI HOLDINGS INTERNATIONAL, LLC; BRAKE PARTS INC CHINA LLC; BRAKE PARTS INC INDIA LLC; BRAKE PARTS INC LLC; CARDONE INDUSTRIES, INC.; CARRAND COMPANIES, INC.; CARTER CARBURETOR HOLDINGS, LLC; CARTER CARBURETOR, LLC; CARTER FUEL EXPORT, INC.; CARTER FUEL SYSTEMS, LLC; CHAMPION LABORATORIES, INC.; CWD HOLDING, LLC; CWD INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS I, LLC; CWD INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS II, LLC; CWD, LLC; DALTON CORPORATION; DALTON CORPORATION, KENDALLVILLE; MANUFACTURING FACILITY DALTON CORPORATION, ASHLAND; MANUFACTURING FACILITY DALTON CORPORATION, STRYKER MACHINING FACILITY CO.; DALTON CORPORATION, WARSAW MANUFACTURING FACILITY; EAGLE CASTING, LLC; EAGLE MACHINING, LLC; FIRST BRANDS GROUP INTERMEDIATE, LLC; FIRST BRANDS GROUP, LLC; FRAM GROUP IP LLC; FRAM GROUP OPERATIONS LLC; FRAMAUTO HOLDINGS, LLC; FUEL FILTER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; GLOBAL REMAN VENTURES, LLC; HEATHERTON HOLDINGS, LLC; HOPKINS ACQUISITION, INC.; HOPKINS MANUFACTURING CORPORATION; HORIZON EURO FINANCE LLC; HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.; HORIZON GLOBAL COMPANY LLC; HORIZON GLOBAL CORPORATION; HORIZON INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC; IBI INTERNATIONAL HOLDING COMPANY, INC.; INTERNATIONAL BRAKE INDUSTRIES, INC.; JASPER ACQUISITION CORP.; JASPER RUBBER PRODUCTS, INC.; KTRI HOLDINGS, INC.; KTRI OFFSHORE HOLDINGS, LLC; LONGMAN ENTERPRISES, INC.; PHNX ACQUISITION CORP.; PREMIER MARKETING GROUP, LLC; PYLON MANUFACTURING CORP.; PYLON SOUTH BEND, INC.; QUALIS AUTOMOTIVE, L.L.C.; QUALIS ENTERPRISES, LLC; QUALITOR ACQUISITION INC.; QUALITOR AUTOMOTIVE, LLC; QUALITOR SUBSIDIARY H, INC.; QUALITOR SUBSIDIARY S, INC.; QUALITOR, INC.; REMAN MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL LLC; SDC TX, LLC; SMART CHOICE, LLC; SPECIALTY PUMPS GROUP, INC.; STRONGARM, LLC; TAE BRAKES, LLC; TAE CHINA HOLDINGS, INC.; TMD INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC; TMD MEXICO LLC; TOLEDO MOLDING & DIE, LLC; TRANSPORTATION AFTERMARKET ENTERPRISE, LLC; TRICO HOLDING CORPORATION; TRICO PRODUCTS CORPORATION; TRICO TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; TRIDONEX USA LLC; UCI ACQUISITION HOLDINGS (NO. 4) LLC; UCI INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS PARENT, INC.; UCI INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; UCI INTERNATIONAL, LLC; UCI PENNSYLVANIA, INC.; UCI-AIRTEX HOLDINGS, INC.; UNITED COMPONENTS, LLC; UNIVERSAL AUTO FILTER LLC; VIPER ACQUISITION I, INC.; VIPER ACQUISITION, INC.; WALBRO LLC; WALBRO MIDCO LLC; WEM US CO.
To: GLAS USA LLC
Reel/Frame 071674/0688 →
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 16, 2020
From: GUTHARD, HENRY J.; MAZUREK, JORDAN
To: HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.
Reel/Frame 054437/0639 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 15691140 · Aug 30, 2017
Provisional Application 62381401 · Aug 30, 2016
Related Publication 20210061033A1 · Mar 4, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,552,324