Patents by Inventor Daniel E. Apland

Daniel E. Apland 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: 10773561
    Abstract: A hitch assembly includes a support extendable into a receiver tube attached to a vehicle. A sleeve has a top end and a bottom end. A bracket is attached to the sleeve and is attached to the support to vertically orientate the sleeve. A piston is positioned in the sleeve and extends outwardly of the bottom end. The piston has a lower end that is moveable toward or away from the bottom end. An actuator is mounted on the sleeve and is mechanically coupled to the piston. The actuator is actuated in a first direction to lower the lower end and actuated in a second direction to raise the lower end. A ball mount is removably attached to the piston adjacent to the lower end. A hitch ball is attached to the ball mount and engages a hitch coupler of a trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Inventor: Daniel E. Apland
  • Publication number: 20200009930
    Abstract: A hitch assembly includes a support extendable into a receiver tube attached to a vehicle. A sleeve has a top end and a bottom end. A bracket is attached to the sleeve and is attached to the support to vertically orientate the sleeve. A piston is positioned in the sleeve and extends outwardly of the bottom end. The piston has a lower end that is moveable toward or away from the bottom end. An actuator is mounted on the sleeve and is mechanically coupled to the piston. The actuator is actuated in a first direction to lower the lower end and actuated in a second direction to raise the lower end. A ball mount is removably attached to the piston adjacent to the lower end. A hitch ball is attached to the ball mount and engages a hitch coupler of a trailer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventor: Daniel E. Apland