Vehicle with one or more hitch assemblies

Abstract

A vehicle may comprise a vehicle frame and one or more hitch assemblies mounted to the vehicle frame, in which one of the hitch assemblies may comprise a fixed actuator support bracket, the fixed actuator support bracket including an upper portion and a lower portion. The hitch assembly may further comprise a modular actuator connection bracket including a first bracket end that is connected to the upper portion. A lower link of the hitch assembly may include a lower link end that is connected to the lower portion. The hitch assembly may also comprise an electric linear actuator that includes a first actuator end that is connected to a second bracket end of the modular actuator connection bracket and a second actuator end that is connected to a body of the lower link, in which the lower link is moved by extension or retraction of the electric linear actuator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle, comprising:
 a vehicle frame; and   one or more hitch assemblies mounted to the vehicle frame, the one or more hitch assemblies including a hitch assembly that comprises:
 a fixed actuator support bracket, the fixed actuator support bracket including an upper portion and a lower portion; 
 a modular actuator connection bracket including a first bracket end that is connected to the upper portion of the fixed actuator support bracket; 
 a lower link including a lower link end that is connected to the lower portion of the fixed actuator support bracket; and 
 an electric linear actuator including a first actuator end that is connected to a second bracket end of the modular actuator connection bracket and a second actuator end that is connected to a body of the lower link, 
 wherein the lower link is moved by extension or retraction of the electric linear actuator to pivot with respect to the lower portion of the fixed actuator support bracket. 
   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of the fixed actuator support bracket includes a first pin hole, and the first bracket end of the modular actuator connection bracket includes a second pin hole, and wherein the fixed actuator support bracket and the modular actuator connection bracket are at least held together by insertion of a removable pin or bolt into the first pin hole and the second pin hole. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein the upper portion of the fixed actuator support bracket further includes a third pin hole, and the first bracket end of the modular actuator connection bracket further includes a fourth pin hole, and wherein the fixed actuator support bracket and the modular actuator connection bracket are further at least held together by insertion of an additional removable pin or bolt into the third pin hole and the fourth pin hole. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein the first bracket end of the modular actuator connection bracket is formed by a pair of bracket plates separated by a space plate, the pair of bracket plates including radially shaped plate ends that form a material relief feature. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle of  claim 4 , wherein the material relief feature accommodates a tubular frame member of the vehicle frame when the fixed actuator support bracket and the modular actuator connection bracket are at least held together by insertion of the removable pin into the first pin hole and the second pin hole. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of the fixed actuator support bracket and the first bracket end of the modular actuator connection bracket are pivotally connected by a removable pin at a connection point. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle of  claim 6 , wherein the modular actuator connection bracket pivots with respect to the fixed actuator support bracket at the connection point when an upward force is exerted against the lower link. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the upward force is exerted against the lower link or a tool at least attached to the lower link by a ground obstacle as the vehicle drives over the ground obstacle. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the extension of the electric linear actuator applies a downward force on the lower link to move a free end of the lower link or a support at least attached to the free end of the lower link into contact with ground. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the contact of the free end of the lower link or the support against the ground jacks up an end of the vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the lower link further includes an additional link end that comprises a pin hole, further comprising a tool that is connected to the additional link end of the lower link by a pin that is inserted into the pin hole. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising an electric motor that powers a drive train of the vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a battery that is mounted at least to an additional link end of the lower link, the battery to provide electric power to an electric motor that powers a drive train of the vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the fixed actuator support bracket is mounted to the vehicle frame, and wherein the hitch assembly further comprises a top link including a top link end that is pivotally connected to a top link bracket on the vehicle frame or the fixed actuator support bracket. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle of  claim 14 , further comprising a battery that is mounted to an additional lower link end of the lower link and an additional top link end of the top link, the battery to provide electric power to an electric motor that powers a drive train of the vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the hitch assembly further comprises:
 an additional fixed actuator support bracket, the additional fixed actuator support bracket including an additional upper portion and an additional lower portion;   an additional modular actuator connection bracket including an additional first bracket end that is connected to the additional upper portion of the additional fixed actuator support bracket;   an additional lower link including a first additional lower link end that is connected to the additional lower portion of the additional fixed actuator support bracket; and   an additional electric linear actuator including a first additional actuator end that is connected to a second additional bracket end of the additional modular actuator connection bracket and a second additional actuator end that is connected to an additional body of the additional lower link,   wherein the additional lower link is moved by extension or retraction of the additional electric linear actuator to pivot with respect to the additional lower portion of the additional fixed actuator support bracket.   
     
     
         17 . The vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the hitch assembly further comprises a cross bar that connects the lower link to the additional lower link. 
     
     
         18 . The vehicle of  claim 17 , further comprising a control for activating the extension or the retraction of the electric linear actuator and the additional electric linear actuator in tandem. 
     
     
         19 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the hitch assembly is mounted on a front end, a rear end, or a mid-section of the vehicle. 
     
     
         20 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a battery, wherein the hitch assembly is mounted on a front end of the vehicle and attached to the battery to counterbalance a tool that is connected to an additional hitch assembly that is mounted on a back end of the vehicle.