Patents by Inventor Kristopher William Schwennsen

Kristopher William Schwennsen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9381782
    Abstract: A ball mount head has a pivotable connection to a shank portion of a weight distribution hitch. A tilt selector receives a bolt through a hole and is connected to one of the shank portion and the ball mount head with two pegs extending into two of at least three connection points on the ball mount head. An operator selects which two out of the connection points to use, which determines and sets the location of the tilt selector bolt hole relative to the ball mount head, which in turn determines and sets the angular position of the ball mount head relative to the shank portion when the bolt is tightened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Curt Manufacturing, LLC
    Inventor: Kristopher William Schwennsen
  • Patent number: 9139057
    Abstract: An installation adapter includes four downwardly extending tabs which mate into the cylindrical ball tube of an underbed portion of a hitch. A center hole on the installation adapter designates a location for drilling a pilot hole upward through the bed of the pickup truck. Four arms on the installation adapter extend outward from the center hole, covering and protecting the top face of the hitch during hole sawing using the pilot hole downward through the bed material. The installation adapter is preferably molded from a brightly colored polymer material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Curt Manufacturing, LLC
    Inventors: Kristopher William Schwennsen, John William Traynor, IV
  • Publication number: 20150102581
    Abstract: A ball mount head has a pivotable connection to a shank portion of a weight distribution hitch. A tilt selector receives a bolt through a hole and is connected to one of the shank portion and the ball mount head with two pegs extending into two of at least three connection points on the ball mount head. An operator selects which two out of the connection points to use, which determines and sets the location of the tilt selector bolt hole relative to the ball mount head, which in turn determines and sets the angular position of the ball mount head relative to the shank portion when the bolt is tightened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventor: Kristopher William Schwennsen
  • Patent number: 8925952
    Abstract: An above-bed structure having two or more feet is attached into a bed of a truck using inserts which can be removed or retracted to provide a flat, unobstructed truck bed. Each insert includes an above-bed cleat portion and a below-bed peg portion which is received in a below-bed socket. Each insert is received first vertically without substantial rotation into its socket and then by rotation to a terminal point wherein the insert is vertically held by the socket. The above bed structure is then placed onto the inserts such that the feet mate with the inserts to prevent the inserts from rotating away from their terminal point, thus preventing the inserts from being removed from their sockets. The attachment can be completed by inserting mounting pins into aligned holes on the cleat portions and the feet. In one embodiment, the feet are supported on a bed place section of the insert which is offset from the rotational axis of the insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Curt Manufacturing, LLC
    Inventors: Cody James Leech, Kristopher William Schwennsen, Scott Morrison
  • Publication number: 20140084567
    Abstract: An installation adapter includes four downwardly extending tabs which mate into the cylindrical ball tube of an underbed portion of a hitch. A center hole on the installation adapter designates a location for drilling a pilot hole upward through the bed of the pickup truck. Four arms on the installation adapter extend outward from the center hole, covering and protecting the top face of the hitch during hole sawing using the pilot hole downward through the bed material. The installation adapter is preferably molded from a brightly colored polymer material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: CURT MANUFACTURING, LLC
    Inventors: Kristopher William Schwennsen, John William Traynor, IV
  • Publication number: 20140015224
    Abstract: An above-bed structure having two or more feet is attached into a bed of a truck using inserts which can be removed or retracted to provide a flat, unobstructed truck bed. Each insert includes an above-bed cleat portion and a below-bed peg portion which is received in a below-bed socket. Each insert is received first vertically without substantial rotation into its socket and then by rotation to a terminal point wherein the insert is vertically held by the socket. The above bed structure is then placed onto the inserts such that the feet mate with the inserts to prevent the inserts from rotating away from their terminal point, thus preventing the inserts from being removed from their sockets. The attachment can be completed by inserting mounting pins into aligned holes on the cleat portions and the feet. In one embodiment, the feet are supported on a bed place section of the insert which is offset from the rotational axis of the insert.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: CURT MANUFACTURING, LLC
    Inventors: Cody James Leech, Kristopher William Schwennsen, Scott Morrison
  • Patent number: 8550485
    Abstract: An above-bed structure having two or more feet is attached into a bed of a truck using inserts which can be removed or retracted to provide a flat, unobstructed truck bed. Each insert includes an above-bed cleat portion and a below-bed peg portion which is received in a below-bed socket. Each insert is received first vertically without substantial rotation into its socket and then by rotation to a terminal point wherein the insert is vertically held by the socket. The above bed structure is then placed onto the inserts such that the feet mate with the inserts to prevent the inserts from rotating away from their terminal point, thus preventing the inserts from being removed from their sockets. The attachment can be completed by inserting mounting pins into aligned holes on the cleat portions and the feet. In one embodiment, the feet are supported on a bed place section of the insert which is offset from the rotational axis of the insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Curt Manufacturing, LLC
    Inventors: Cody James Leech, Kristopher William Schwennsen, Scott Morrison
  • Publication number: 20120031940
    Abstract: An above-bed structure having two or more feet is attached into a bed of a truck using inserts which can be removed or retracted to provide a flat, unobstructed truck bed. Each insert includes an above-bed cleat portion and a below-bed peg portion which is received in a below-bed socket. Each insert is received first vertically without substantial rotation into its socket and then by rotation to a terminal point wherein the insert is vertically held by the socket. The above bed structure is then placed onto the inserts such that the feet mate with the inserts to prevent the inserts from rotating away from their terminal point, thus preventing the inserts from being removed from their sockets. The attachment can be completed by inserting mounting pins into aligned holes on the cleat portions and the feet. In one embodiment, the feet are supported on a bed place section of the insert which is offset from the rotational axis of the insert.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: CURT MANUFACTURING, INC.
    Inventors: Cody James Leech, Kristopher William Schwennsen, Scott Morrison
  • Patent number: D685299
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Curt Manufacturing, LLC
    Inventors: Kristopher William Schwennsen, John William Traynor, IV