Trailer hitch and trailer hitch system

1 . A vehicle hitch, comprising:

a frame configured to be mounted to a vehicle member, the frame including a first support bracket and a second support bracket;

a receiver including:

an upper body rotatably coupled to the first support bracket and the second support bracket using a rotational coupling, and

a lower body defining an opening and an inner cavity;

a mount slidingly disposed within the inner cavity;

a receiver locking mechanism configured to secure the receiver in a stowed position with respect to the frame, and to secure the receiver in a deployed position with respect to the frame; and

a mount locking mechanism configured to secure the mount with respect to the receiver,

wherein the receiver rotates in a vertical plane about a horizontal axis.

2 . The vehicle hitch of claim 1 , wherein the rotational coupling is a pin.

3 . The vehicle hitch of claim 1 , wherein the receiver locking mechanism is rotationally coupled to the first support bracket, and is configured to rotate in the vertical plane about the horizontal axis.

4 . The vehicle hitch of claim 3 , wherein:

the receiver locking mechanism includes:

a body having a lever and a cam surface, the body defining an opening proximate to the cam surface, and

a locking pin, displaceable within the opening, having a shoulder that engages the cam surface; and

during rotation of the receiver locking mechanism, the cam surface displaces the locking pin parallel to the horizontal axis.

5 . The vehicle hitch of claim 4 , wherein:

the first support bracket includes a first contact surface that defines a first opening;

the second support bracket includes a second contact surface that defines a second opening;

the receiver includes a first contact surface, associated with the stowed position, that defines a first recess;

the receiver includes a second contact surface, associated with the deployed position, that defines a second recess;

in the stowed position, the locking pin is configured to engage the first contact surface of the first support bracket, the second contact surface of the second support bracket, and the first contact surface of the receiver; and

in the deployed position, the locking pin is configured to engage the first contact surface of the first support bracket, the second contact surface of the second support bracket, and the second contact surface of the receiver.

6 . The vehicle hitch of claim 5 , wherein the body of the receiver locking mechanism is retained by a first retention tab, and the locking pin is retained by a second retention tab.

7 . The vehicle hitch of claim 6 , wherein the receiver locking mechanism includes:

a spring, coupled to the first support bracket and the body of the receiver locking mechanism, configured to resist rotation of the receiver locking mechanism during unlocking, and assist rotation of the receiver locking mechanism during locking.

8 . The vehicle hitch of claim 1 , wherein:

the mount locking mechanism includes a captured spring-loaded pin configured to translate parallel to the horizontal axis;

the mount locking mechanism is configured to secure the mount in a retracted position with respect to the receiver; and

the mount locking mechanism is configured to secure the mount in an extended position with respect to the receiver.

9 . The vehicle hitch of claim 8 , wherein:

the lower body of the receiver has a first side and a second side;

the second side opposes the first side;

the first side defines a first opening having a first contact surface and a second opening having a second contact surface;

the second side defines a third opening having a third contact surface and a fourth opening having a fourth contact surface;

the third opening opposes the first opening, and the fourth opening opposes the second opening;

the first and third openings are associated with the retracted position, and the second and fourth openings are associated with the extended position;

the captured spring-loaded pin is configured to engage the first and third contact surfaces in the retracted position; and

the captured spring-loaded pin is configured to engage the second and fourth contact surfaces in the extended position.

10 . The vehicle hitch of claim 1 , wherein the inner cavity of the lower body of the receiver and the mount have rectangular cross-sections.

11 . The vehicle hitch of claim 1 , wherein the mount includes a trailer ball.

12 . A method for deploying a vehicle hitch, the method comprising:

unlocking a receiver of a vehicle hitch, wherein:

the vehicle hitch comprises a frame, the receiver, a mount, a receiver locking mechanism, and a mount locking mechanism;

the frame is configured to be mounted to a vehicle member and includes a first support bracket and a second support bracket;

the receiver includes an upper body and a lower body, the upper body is rotatably coupled to the first support bracket and the second support bracket using a rotational coupling, and the lower body defines an opening and an inner cavity;

the mount is slidingly disposed within the inner cavity;

the receiver locking mechanism is configured to secure the receiver in a stowed position with respect to the frame, and to secure the receiver in a deployed position with respect to the frame; and

the mount locking mechanism is configured to secure the mount with respect to the receiver;

rotating the receiver with respect to the frame from a stowed position to a deployed position, wherein the receiver rotates in a vertical plane about a horizontal axis;

locking the receiver in the deployed position;

unlocking the mount from the receiver;

translating the mount with respect to the receiver from a retracted position to an extended position; and

locking the mount in the extended position.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein:

the receiver locking mechanism includes:

a body having a lever and a cam surface, the body defining an opening proximate to the cam surface, and

a locking pin, displaceable within the opening, having a shoulder that engages the cam surface;

the unlocking the receiver includes:

rotating, via the lever, the receiver locking mechanism, and

displacing, via the cam surface, the locking pin to disengage the locking pin from the frame and the receiver; and

the locking the receiver includes:

rotating, via the lever, the receiver locking mechanism, and

displacing, via the cam surface, the locking pin to engage the locking pin to the frame and the receiver.