Patents by Inventor Dean Alan Piper

Dean Alan Piper 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: 6886847
    Abstract: A trailer hitch alignment system provides a system that can be utilized with different trailers without requiring modification of the trailers or requiring minor modifications that require less than a minute or so to effect. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides two acoustic transceivers for directing acoustic signals towards and receiving reflected acoustic signals from a downwardly extending hitch assembly for a gooseneck trailer whereby this unique feature of the gooseneck trailer is utilized as a signal reflector. A timer is utilized to time the transmitted/reflected signals to determine at least two distances for determining a relative position of the downwardly extending hitch. A readout gives the driver ongoing feedback for aligning the gooseneck downwardly extending hitch with the hitch ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Inventors: Alan L. Piper, Dean Alan Piper
  • Patent number: 6769709
    Abstract: A trailer hitch alignment system provides a system that can be utilized with different trailers without requiring modification of the trailers or requiring minor modifications that require less than a minute or so to effect. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides two acoustic transceivers for directing acoustic signals towards and receiving reflected acoustic signals from a downwardly extending hitch assembly for a gooseneck trailer whereby this unique feature of the gooseneck trailer is utilized as a signal reflector. A timer is utilized to time the transmitted/reflected signals to determine at least two distances for determining a relative position of the downwardly extending hitch. A readout gives the driver ongoing feedback for aligning the gooseneck downwardly extending hitch with the hitch ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Inventors: Alan L. Piper, Dean Alan Piper