1. A support structure for a display device, comprising:
a main rail configured to attach to the display, wherein the main rail has a first mating element extending along a portion of the length of the main rail in a path, and wherein the main rail has a profile;
a guide member having a second mating element configured to mate with the first mating element, and a friction pad configured to contact the curved profile; and
a first biasing element operable to apply force between the guide member and the main rail.
2. The support structure of claim 1, wherein the path of the first mating element is a curved path, the profile is a curved profile, and wherein the first biasing element is operable to urge the friction pad upon the curved profile.
3. The support structure of claim 2, wherein the first biasing element is a coiled spring and further comprising an adjustment screw positioned in the coils of the coiled spring operable to adjust the compression thereof.
4. The support structure of claim 2, wherein the main rail has a length, and further comprising a second biasing element positioned between the guide member and the length of the main rail.
5. The support structure of claim 1, wherein the path of the first mating element is a curved path, the profile is a curved profile, and wherein the curved path of the first mating element has a curve of a different radius than the curve of the curved profile.
6. The support structure of claim 5, wherein the curved path of the first mating element has a curve of a substantially constant radius and wherein the curve of the curved profile has a variable radius.
7. The support structure of claim 5, wherein the curved path of the first mating element has a curve of a variable radius and wherein the curve of the curved profile has a substantially constant radius.
8. The support structure of claim 1, wherein the first biasing element is positioned between the guide member and the length of the main rail.
9. The support structure of claim 8, wherein the first biasing element is a leaf spring.
10. The support structure of claim 1, wherein the first mating element is male and the second mating element is female.
11. The support structure of claim 10, wherein the first mating element is a wing rail extending outwardly from the main rail and the second mating element is a recess within the guide member configured to receive the wing rail.
12. The support structure of claim 1, wherein the first mating element is female and the second mating element is male.
13. The support structure of claim 12, wherein the first mating element is a track in the main rail and the second mating element is a protrusion within the guide member configured to extend into a portion of the track.
14. The support structure of claim 1, further comprising a second biasing element extending between the main rail and the guide member operable to provide tension therebetween.
15. A support structure for a display device, comprising:
a base;
a bracket pivotably attached to the base and extending therefrom;
a guide member attached to the bracket having a first mating element and a friction pad therein;
a main rail having a second mating element configured to mate with the first mating element of the guide member, wherein the main rail has a curved profile and wherein the main rail is configured to move along an arc defined by the first and second mating elements; and
a first biasing element positioned in the guide member operable to urge the friction pad upon the curved profile.
16. The support structure of claim 15, wherein the arc has a different radius than the curve of the curved profile.
17. The support structure of claim 16, wherein the arc has a substantially constant radius and the curved profile has a variable radius.
18. The support structure of claim 16, wherein the arc has a variable radius and the curved profile has a substantially constant radius.
19. The support structure of claim 15, further comprising a second biasing element positioned between the guide member and the length of the main rail, wherein the first biasing element is a coiled spring and further comprising an adjustment screw positioned in the coils of the coiled spring operable to adjust the compression thereof.
20. The support structure of claim 19, further comprising a third biasing element extending between the guide member and the main rail operable to provide tension therebetween.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A trailer hitch ball mount assembly comprising:
a shank configured and adapted to be installed into a hitch receiver;
a drop bar extending downwardly from the shank portion;
a plurality of pin receiving locations formed in the drop bar;
a ball support member, the ball support member having a body member that comprises a locking-pin bore and an actuator bore formed therein, wherein the actuator bore defines a sidewall and a groove in said sidewall, wherein the locking-pin bore and the actuator bore intersect;
a locking pin disposed in said locking-pin bore of the ball support member, said locking pin having a distal end configured and dimensioned to be selectively received in one of the pin receiving locations formed in the drop bar to provide height adjustment variability between the ball support member and the drop bar;
an actuator pin disposed in said actuator bore of the ball support member, said actuator pin having a body member extending between a proximal end and a distal end, said body member further having a surface extending therefrom;
a locking ring disposed in said groove of the sidewall of the actuator bore, said locking ring abutting against the surface of the actuator pin to prevent backout of the actuator pin.
2. The trailer hitch ball mount assembly of claim 1, further comprising a cam assembly interconnecting the actuator pin and the locking pin such that rotation of the actuator pin causes the locking pin to move linearly in the locking-pin bore.
3. The trailer hitch ball mount assembly of claim 2, wherein the cam assembly comprises an eccentric protrusion extending from the distal end of the actuator pin.
4. The trailer hitch ball mount assembly of claim 3, wherein the cam assembly further comprises an eccentric recess formed in the locking pin, wherein the eccentric protrusion is disposed within the eccentric recess.
5. The trailer ball mount hitch assembly of claim 1, further comprising a key lock cylinder disposed in the actuator bore, wherein the actuator pin is interposed between the key lock cylinder and the locking pin, and the key lock cylinder engages the proximal end of the actuator pin.
6. The trailer ball mount hitch assembly of claim 1, wherein the ball support member further comprises at least one trailer ball.
7. The trailer ball mount hitch assembly of claim 1, wherein the ball support member further comprises a pair of spaced apart arms extending from its body member, the pair of spaced apart arms defining a slot for receiving the drop bar.
8. The trailer ball mount hitch assembly of claim 1, wherein the body member of the actuator pin is cylindrical.
9. The trailer ball mount hitch assembly of claim 1, wherein the ball support member comprises aluminum.
10. The trailer ball mount hitch assembly of claim 1, wherein the locking ring is radially compressible.
11. The trailer ball mount hitch assembly of claim 1, wherein the surface forms an annular protrusion around the body member of the actuating pin.
12. The trailer ball mount hitch assembly of claim 11, wherein the annular protrusion is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the actuating pin.
13. The trailer ball mount hitch assembly of claim 1, wherein each pin receiving location is a bore.
14. The trailer ball mount hitch assembly of claim 1, wherein the sidewall of the actuator bore is cylindrical.
15. The trailer ball mount hitch assembly of claim 1, wherein the groove in the sidewall of the actuator bore is an annular groove.
16. The trailer ball mount hitch assembly of claim 1, further comprising an intervening member interposed between the locking ring and the surface of the actuating pin.
17. A method of manufacturing a ball support member for use in a trailer hitch ball mount assembly, said method comprising:
forming a body member;
forming a locking-pin bore and an actuator bore in the body member, the actuator bore defining a cylindrical sidewall;
forming an annular groove in the cylindrical sidewall of the actuator bore;
installing a locking pin in the locking-pin bore;
installing an actuating pin in the actuator bore, said actuator pin having a body extending between a first end and a second end, said body further having a surface extending from an intermediate portion of said body;
installing a locking ring in the groove of the actuator bore such that the locking ring prevents backout of the actuating pin;
wherein rotation of the actuating pin causes the locking pin to advance and retract in the locking-pin bore.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising attaching a trailer ball to the body member.
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising interconnecting the actuator pin and the locking pin with a cam assembly such that rotation of the actuator pin causes the locking pin to move linearly in the locking-pin bore.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the cam assembly comprises an eccentric protrusion and an eccentric slot.
21. The method of claim 17, further comprising installing a key lock cylinder in the actuator bore, wherein the actuator pin is interposed between the key lock cylinder and the locking pin, the key lock cylinder engaging the second end of the actuator pin.
22. The method of claim 21, forming a pair of spaced apart arms extending from the body member, the pair of spaced apart arms defining a slot for receiving a drop bar.
23. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of installing a locking ring in the groove of the actuator bore comprises radially compressing the locking ring.
24. The method of claim 17, further comprising compressing the locking ring in a cylindrical bore of an insertion tool.
25. A trailer hitch ball mount assembly comprising:
a shank portion configured and adapted to be installed into a hitch receiver;
a drop bar extending downwardly from the shank portion;
a plurality of pin receiving holes formed in the drop bar;
a ball support member, the ball support member having a body member that comprises a locking-pin bore and an actuator bore formed therein, wherein the actuator bore defines a cylindrical sidewall and an annular groove in said cylindrical sidewall, wherein the locking-pin bore and the actuator bore intersect;
a locking pin disposed in said locking-pin bore of the ball support member, said locking pin having a distal end configured and dimensioned to be selectively received in one of the pin receiving holes formed in the drop bar to provide height adjustment variability between the ball support member and the drop bar;
an actuator pin disposed in said actuator bore of the ball support member, said actuator pin having a body extending between a first end and a second end, said body further having a surface extending from an intermediate portion of said body;
a locking ring disposed in said annular groove of the cylindrical sidewall of the actuator bore, said locking ring abutting against the surface of the actuator pin to prevent backout of the actuator pin.
a cam assembly interconnecting the actuator pin and the locking pin such that rotation of the actuator pin causes the locking pin to move linearly in the locking-pin bore, wherein the cam assembly comprises an eccentric protrusion extending from the second end of the actuator pin, wherein the cam assembly further comprises an eccentric recess formed in the locking pin, wherein the eccentric protrusion is disposed within the eccentric recess; and
a key lock cylinder disposed in the actuator bore, wherein the actuator pin is interposed between the key lock cylinder and the locking pin, and the key lock cylinder engaging the second end of the actuator pin;
wherein the ball support member further comprises at least one trailer ball;
wherein the ball support member further comprises a pair of spaced apart arms extending from the body member, the pair of spaced apart arms defining a slot for receiving the drop bar;
wherein the body of the actuator pin is cylindrical;
wherein the ball support member comprises aluminum;
wherein the locking ring is radially compressible;
wherein the surface forms an annular protrusion around the body of the actuating pin;
wherein the annular protrusion is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the actuating pin.
26-40. (canceled)
41. The trailer hitch ball mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the locking ring is non-removably disposed in the groove of the sidewall of the actuating bore.
42. The method of claim 17, wherein the installation of the locking ring is non-removable.
43. The method of claim 24, further comprising actuating the insertion tool to place the locking ring into an annular groove.