Vehicle hitch adaptor and seat assembly

• US 7,229,130 B1
• Filed: 11/02/2004
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ladeen Wilson Wegner
• Original Assignee: Ladeen Wilson Wegner
• Inventors: Wegner, Wesley Gene, Holly, Alan Conrad
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown; Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US10/979,835
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 297/217.1, 297/217.7, 297/463.1, 297/463.2, 108/44, 414/462, 224/519, 224/520, 224/521, 280/415.1, 280/416.3, 280/491.5
• US Class Current: 297/217.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 9/06 at vehicle front or rear rear luggage compartments within vehicle extensible externally of the vehicle body B60R5/041

Abstract

Disclosed is a hitch adaptor adapted to engage a tow plate via a tow ball skirt or base, a tow ball shaft or fastener and a nut or locking device and adapted to receive support structures such as stanchions having deployable panels as seats.

Claims

1. A hitch adaptor comprising;

an adapting sleeve having a first side, a second side, a top side and a bottom side, a front aperture, a back aperture, wherein the top side has an upper ball shaft aperture and a hitch plate aperture, and the bottom side has a lower ball shaft aperture;

a first mounting sleeve fixedly attached on the first side of the adapting sleeve adapted to receive a first substantially vertical support member; and

a second mounting sleeve fixedly attached to second side of the adapting sleeve adapted to receive a second substantially vertical support member.

2. The hitch adaptor of claim 1 further comprising a stiffening member fixedly attached to an outer portion of the bottom side of the adapting sleeve and fixedly attached to the first mounting sleeve and the second mounting sleeve.

3. The hitch adaptor of claim 1 further comprising a first stabilizing member adapted to project from an inner portion of the first side of the adapting sleeve.

4. The ball hitch adaptor of claim 3 further comprising a second stabilizing member adapted to project from an inner portion of the second side of the adapting sleeve.

5. The hitch adaptor of claim 1 wherein the first mounting sleeve receives the first substantially vertical support member via a first aperture and detachably secures the first substantially vertical support member via an engaging member projecting into the first aperture.

6. The hitch adaptor of claim 5 wherein the first substantially vertical support member is a first stanchion.

7. The hitch adaptor of claim 1 wherein the second mounting sleeve receives the second substantially vertical support member via a second aperture and detachably secures the second substantially vertical support member via an engaging member projecting into the second aperture.

8. The hitch adaptor of claim 7 wherein the first substantially vertical support member is a second stanchion.

9. The hitch adaptor of claim 1 wherein the upper ball shaft aperture having a diameter is adapted to engage a tow ball having a height maintaining portion larger in diameter than the upper ball shaft aperture diameter.

10. The hitch adaptor of claim 1 wherein the lower ball shaft aperture having a diameter is adapted to permit the translation of a ball shaft nut having a diameter less than the lower ball shaft aperture diameter.

11. A folding seat assembly for use in combination with a vehicle hitch tow plate, the folding seat assembly comprising:

an adapting member, adapted to be mounted to the vehicle hitch tow plate comprising;

an adapting sleeve having a first side, a second side, a top side and a bottom side, a front aperture, a back aperture, wherein the top side has an upper ball shaft aperture and a hitch plate aperture, and the bottom side has a lower ball shaft aperture;

a first mounting sleeve fixedly attached on the first side of the adapting sleeve adapted to receive a first stanchion; and

a second mounting sleeve fixedly attached to second side of the adapting sleeve adapted to receive a second stanchion; and

a first stanchion, adapted to adjustably attach to the adapting member at the first mounting sleeve; and

a first support member adapted to attach to the first stanchion and

a first panel member adapted to rotatably attach to the first support member wherein the first panel is adapted to rotate upward, in a direction of the tow plate, into a substantially vertical position and to rotate downward, in a direction away from the tow plate, into a substantially horizontal position.

12. The folding seat assembly of claim 11 further comprising:

a second stanchion, adapted to adjustably attach to the adapting member at the second mounting sleeve; and

a second support member adapted to attach to the second stanchion and

a second panel member adapted to rotatably attach to the second support member wherein the second panel is adapted to rotate upward, in a direction of the tow plate, into a substantially vertical position and to rotate downward, in a direction away from the tow plate, into a substantially horizontal position.