IP Library Granted Patent US 12,134,288
Granted Patent B2
US 12,134,288 · App. 17/286,012 · Granted Nov 5, 2024

Safety chain tie down mechanism with t-pin

Inventors: Brian Wayne Ward (Swartz Creek, MI); Curt Nowak (Plymouth, MI)
Assignee: HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.
B60D1/488B60D1/187B60D1/583B60D1/06
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 12,134,288
App. No.
17/286,012
Filed
Apr 16, 2021
Granted
Nov 5, 2024
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3611
USPC
280/495
Abstract

A safety chain tie down assembly is shown and described. The safety chain tie down assembly may comprise a body member, a pin member, and a securing member. The pin member may include a plunging portion configured to engage with a receiver of an under bed hitch mounting device. The pivot motion of the plunging portion may position the pin member between an unlocked position and a locked position. The safety chain tie down assembly may include a securing member that includes a lever, in which actuation of the lever positions the securing member into a secured configuration.

Claims (33)

1. A safety chain tie down assembly, comprising:

a body member comprising a body, a handle, and an anti-rotation member extending from the body member;

a pin member engageable with the body member, the pin member including a plunging portion configured to engage with a receiver of an under bed hitch mounting device;

wherein pivot motion of the plunging portion positions the pin member between an unlocked position and a locked position; and

a securing member including a lever attached to the pin member wherein actuation of the securing member positions the lever into engagement with the body member in a secured configuration.

2. The safety chain tie down assembly of claim 1 , wherein the securing member further comprises a linkage member attached to the lever.

3. The safety chain tie down assembly of claim 1 , wherein the body member further comprises a receiving portion positioned within the body, wherein the receiving portion includes a perimeter wall and a bottom floor.

4. The safety chain tie down assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a body opening positioned along the bottom floor wherein the body opening has a complimentary shape to the shape of the plunging portion of the pin member.

5. The safety chain tie down assembly of claim 4 , wherein the perimeter wall and bottom floor have a generally complementary shape to a shape of a top portion of the pin member such that the body member is configured to receive the top portion of the pin member and the top portion is rotatable relative to the body of the body member.

6. The safety chain tie down assembly of claim 4 , wherein the perimeter wall includes a generally circular configuration to allow a perimeter wall of the top portion of the pin member to rotate when received within the receiving portion of the body.

7. The safety chain tie down assembly of claim 4 , wherein the top portion of the pin member includes a bottom surface configured to abut against the bottom floor of the body member to allow the pin member to be received and rotate within the body member.

8. A safety chain tie down assembly, comprising:

a body member including a body, a handle shaped to define a chain receiving space with the body and an anti-rotation member extending from the body opposite from the handle;

a pin member engageable with the body member, the pin member including a top portion, an elongated portion and a plunging portion wherein the plunging portion is configured to engage with a receiver of an under bed hitch mounting device; and

wherein the plunging portion is configured to pivot relative to the body member to position the pin member between an unlocked position and a locked position.

9. The safety chain tie down assembly of claim 8 further comprising a securing member including a lever attached to the pin member wherein actuation of the securing member positions the lever into engagement with the body member in a secured configuration.

10. The safety chain tie down assembly of claim 9 , wherein the securing member further comprises a linkage member attached to the lever.

11. The safety chain tie down assembly of claim 8 , wherein the body member further comprises a receiving portion positioned within the body, wherein the receiving portion includes a perimeter wall and a bottom floor.

12. The safety chain tie down assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a body opening positioned along the bottom floor wherein the body opening has a complimentary shape to the shape of the plunging portion of the pin member.

13. The safety chain tie down assembly of claim 11 , wherein the perimeter wall and bottom floor have a generally complementary shape to a shape of the top portion of the pin member such that the body member is configured to receive the top portion of the pin member and the top portion is rotatable relative to the body of the body member.

14. The safety chain tie down assembly of claim 11 , wherein the perimeter wall includes a generally circular configuration to allow a perimeter wall of the top portion of the pin member to rotate when received within the receiving portion of the body.

15. The safety chain tie down assembly of claim 11 , wherein the top portion of the pin member includes a bottom surface configured to abut against the bottom floor of the body member to allow the pin member to be received and rotate within the body member.

16. A safety chain tie down assembly, comprising:

a body member including a body, a handle shaped to define a chain receiving space with the body and an anti-rotation member extending from the body opposite from the handle;

a receiving portion positioned within the body, wherein the receiving portion includes a perimeter wall and a bottom floor;

a body opening positioned along the bottom floor;

a pin member engageable with the body member, the pin member including a top portion, an elongated portion and a plunging portion wherein the plunging portion is configured to engage with a receiver of an under bed hitch mounting device; and

wherein the body opening has a complimentary shape to the shape of a plunging portion of the pin member; and

wherein the plunging portion is configured to pivot relative to the body member to position the pin member between an unlocked position and a locked position.

17. The safety chain tie down assembly of claim 16 , further comprising a securing member including a lever attached to the pin member wherein actuation of the securing member positions the lever into engagement with the body member in a secured configuration.

18. The safety chain tie down assembly of claim 17 , wherein the securing member further comprises a linkage member attached to the lever.

19. The safety chain tie down assembly of claim 18 , wherein the securing lever includes a lever handle and a lever body laterally disposed from the lever handle, wherein the securing lever is attached to the top portion of the pin member by a linkage member located at the top body portion of the body member; and

the body member includes an engaging portion such that the securing lever is configured to be biased to engage the engaging portion in an engaged position to prevent rotation of the pin member relative to the body member and to disengage the securing lever from the engaged portion in a disengaged position to allow rotation of the pin member relative to the body member.

Assignments (1)
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 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62746063 · Oct 16, 2018
Related Publication 20210387492A1 · Dec 16, 2021