Vehicle and trailer weight balance and force indication system and method of use

• US 9,870,653 B1
• Filed: 02/03/2016
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Larron Fritz
• Original Assignee: Larron Fritz
• Inventors: Fritz, Larron, Mercado, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Shardul
• Application Number:
  US15/015,028
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 701 344, 701 37, 701 55, 701 42, 414542, 414469
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/06 Ball-and-socket hitches , e.g. constructional details, auxiliary devices, their arrangement on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/248 for measuring, indicating or displaying the weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/62 involving supply lines, electric circuits, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/08 for incorporation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3735 using a digital network
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3742 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction

Abstract

A system includes a vehicle having a rear bumper and a trailer hitch assembly having a hitch trailer ball; a trailer having a tongue adapted to engage with the hitch trailer ball and a platform configured to carry a load; and a monitoring system having a computer, a sensor operably associated with the computer and configured to measure a weight of the load carried by the trailer, and an alarm operably associated with the computer and configured to notify a user as a predetermined weight threshold is reached.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a vehicle, having;

a rear bumper; and

a trailer hitch assembly having a hitch trailer ball;

a trailer, having;

a tongue adapted to engage with the hitch trailer ball; and

a platform configured to carry a load; and

a monitoring system, having;

a computer;

an external server in wireless communication with the computer, the external server having a database configured to record data associated with the monitoring system and receive vehicle performance data to provide an output relating to a correlation between vehicle performance and load weight;

a sensor operably associated with the computer and configured to measure a weight of the load carried by the trailer;

a device mounted within an interior of the vehicle, separate from the computer and in wireless communication with the computer via a transmitter, the device having a display configured to relay the data associated with the monitoring system, the device further having;

an alarm configured to notify a user as a predetermined weight threshold is reached.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a truck having a flatbed;

and

wherein a second load is carried within the flatbed.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the monitoring system is configured to measure the second load carried within the flatbed.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the hitch trailer ball is secured to the rear bumper of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is secured to the rear bumper of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is secured to the tongue of the trailer.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is a phone.

8. A method to measure a load weight hauled by a vehicle, comprising:

providing the system of claim 1;

measuring a load weight of the load carried by the trailer; and

notifying a driver of the load weight.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting the measured load weight to the device.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

storing the measured load weight in the database.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the notifying the driver of the load weight is achieved via an audible noise.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

notifying a third party if a predetermined measure weight threshold is exceeded.

13. A load weight monitoring system for a vehicle, comprising:

a computer;

an external server in wireless communication with the computer, the external server having a database configured to record data associated with the load weight monitoring system and receive vehicle performance data to provide an output relating to a correlation between vehicle performance and load weight;

a sensor operably associated with the computer and configured to measure a weight of the load carried by the vehicle;

a device mounted within an interior of the vehicle, separate from the computer and in wireless communication with the computer via a transmitter, the device having a display configured to relay the data associated with the monitoring system, the device further having;

an alarm configured to notify a user as a predetermined weight threshold is reached.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the device is a phone.