Patents Assigned to Curt Manufacturing, LLC
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Patent number: 9505364Abstract: A guard apparatus for mounting on a vehicle may comprise a guard structure comprising a plurality of bars joined together and having a major plane, a guard mounting structure configured to mount the guard structure to the vehicle in a manner permitting movement of the major plane of the guard structure between a first position and a second position, and a guard securing structure configured to secure the guard structure in the first position and release the guard structure to move toward the second position. The guard securing structure may be configured to secure the guard structure in the first position using magnetic attraction force.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2015Date of Patent: November 29, 2016Assignee: CURT Manufacturing, LLCInventors: John M. Schulzetenberg, Shane T. Piper
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Patent number: 9452647Abstract: A chain attachment insert has a body with a flat underside, and provides an open loop chain attachment for receiving a chain or hook in a socket in the bed of a truck. A T-bolt portion of the chain attachment insert is received in the socket. A hole through the body extends parallel to the axis of rotation defined by the T-bolt portion, and an interference peg is vertically slidable into the hole after rotation of the chain attachment insert relative to the socket. The interference peg then rests with a portion of the interference peg in the socket to interfere with and prevent the chain attachment insert from rotating relative to the socket. A lock secures the interference peg within the hole in the body.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2014Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: Curt Manufacturing, LLCInventor: Curtis M. Bowe
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Patent number: 9381782Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 10, 2014Date of Patent: July 5, 2016Assignee: Curt Manufacturing, LLCInventor: Kristopher William Schwennsen
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Patent number: 9139057Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 27, 2012Date of Patent: September 22, 2015Assignee: Curt Manufacturing, LLCInventors: Kristopher William Schwennsen, John William Traynor, IV
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Patent number: 9108581Abstract: A grill guard has an LED light bar positioned at a central location within the grill guard. The grill guard includes two vertically extending members and two horizontal members. The LED light bar is mounted within a casing which is integrated into the grill guard, with the LED light bar protected both by the grill guard and by the casing. The preferred mounting arrangement allows both pivoting and fore and aft movement of the LED light bar within the casing.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2014Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignee: Curt Manufacturing, LLCInventor: Jeff Perez
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Patent number: 9016707Abstract: A mounting bracket cantilevers a support arm off the side of a receiver tube of a hitch, using flats on the receiver tube or receiver tube lip to support the cantilevered weight. The support arm is configured to receive and support one or more mating electrical connection structures, with a plug/unplug direction matching the fore/aft direction of the towing vehicle. Flanges of the mounting bracket are pulled toward each other around the receiving tube using mounting bolts which extend on right and left sides of the receiving tube. The mounting bracket is preferably formed from stamped and bent sheet metal.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2012Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: Curt Manufacturing, LLCInventor: Curtis M. Bowe
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Patent number: 8955866Abstract: A ball hitch has an actuator substantially disposed in a towing ball member. The actuator includes a pivotable handle, which in the stowed position forms part of the outer profile of the ball, but which can be pivoted upward to be used to rotate a shaft portion of the actuator. As the shaft rotates, it rotates a paddle with a cam surface housed in a support base for the ball hitch, which pushes on two interference balls. In the stowed position, the cam surface maintains the interference balls projecting outward from openings in the support base to secure the ball hitch into the towing vehicle. When the actuator turns the shaft, the cam surface allows the balls to retract into the support base without changing elevation of the shaft and cam surface.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2013Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: Curt Manufacturing, LLCInventor: Curtis M. Bowe
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Patent number: 8925952Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 9, 2013Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: Curt Manufacturing, LLCInventors: Cody James Leech, Kristopher William Schwennsen, Scott Morrison
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Patent number: 8827298Abstract: Jaws of a fifth wheel hitch have front arms that overlap each other. The jaws are linked for simultaneous movement at the same speed and corresponding positions when closing around the kingpin, and a pawl holds the jaws closed. A handle moves a pawl to unlock the hitch to allow ejection of the kingpin, and once the jaws are open the pawl holds them open. A position indicator is linked both to the handle and to one of the jaws. The position indicator moves between three indications: locked, unlocked and open.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2012Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: Curt Manufacturing, LLCInventor: Joel Diller
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Publication number: 20140138933Abstract: Jaws of a fifth wheel hitch have front arms that overlap each other. The jaws are linked for simultaneous movement at the same speed and corresponding positions when closing around the kingpin, and a pawl holds the jaws closed. A handle moves a pawl to unlock the hitch to allow ejection of the kingpin, and once the jaws are open the pawl holds them open. A position indicator is linked both to the handle and to one of the jaws. The position indicator moves between three indications: locked, unlocked and open.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2012Publication date: May 22, 2014Applicant: CURT MANUFACTURING, LLCInventor: Joel Diller
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Publication number: 20140084567Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2012Publication date: March 27, 2014Applicant: CURT MANUFACTURING, LLCInventors: Kristopher William Schwennsen, John William Traynor, IV
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Publication number: 20140015224Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2013Publication date: January 16, 2014Applicant: CURT MANUFACTURING, LLCInventors: Cody James Leech, Kristopher William Schwennsen, Scott Morrison
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Patent number: 8550485Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 8, 2011Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: Curt Manufacturing, LLCInventors: Cody James Leech, Kristopher William Schwennsen, Scott Morrison
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Publication number: 20130049327Abstract: A mounting bracket cantilevers a support arm off the side of a receiver tube of a hitch, using flats on the receiver tube or receiver tube lip to support the cantilevered weight. The support arm is configured to receive and support one or more mating electrical connection structures, with a plug/unplug direction matching the fore/aft direction of the towing vehicle. Flanges of the mounting bracket are pulled toward each other around the receiving tube using mounting bolts which extend on right and left sides of the receiving tube. The mounting bracket is preferably formed from stamped and bent sheet metal.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2012Publication date: February 28, 2013Applicant: CURT MANUFACTURING, LLCInventor: Curtis M. Bowe
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Patent number: 8177252Abstract: A tube is cut to form a tube-formed box with an opening on its top side. A hitch ball is pivotally mounting on the tube-formed box, so as to extend above the tube-formed box when the hitch ball is in the operative position and to reside within the tube-formed box when the hitch ball is in the inoperative, stowed position. The tube-formed hitch box is joined to and extends through an underbed plate, with the top surface of the tube-formed hitch box higher than the top surface of the underbed plate, so the bed of the truck can ride on the underbed plate up to and even with the tube-formed hitch box. In another aspect, the door of the hitch includes one or more recesses around the finger hole, such as a finger access recess on one top side and a finger grip recess on the opposite bottom side of the door.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2010Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: Curt Manufacturing, LLCInventor: Curt Tambornino
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Patent number: D656437Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2010Date of Patent: March 27, 2012Assignee: Curt Manufacturing, LLCInventor: Curt Tambornino
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Patent number: D664076Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2010Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: Curt Manufacturing, LLCInventor: Curt Tambornino
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Patent number: D685299Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2012Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: Curt Manufacturing, LLCInventors: Kristopher William Schwennsen, John William Traynor, IV