Cargo accessory matching system

• US 9,656,610 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Horizon Global Americas Inc. (Horizon Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cequent Performance Products Incorporated
• Inventors: McCoy, Richard W., Caruso, Paul Charles, Belinky, Jacob S., Scruggs, Mark Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): BATTISTI, DEREK J
• Application Number:
  US13/838,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20140263512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 224519
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 9/06 at vehicle front or rear rear luggage compartments within vehicle extensible externally of the vehicle body B60R5/041
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

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

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.