The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 02, 2006
Filed:
Apr. 24, 2002
Gerald W. Hungerink, Holland, MI (US);
David R. Pernesky, Holland, MI (US);
Gerald W. Hungerink, Holland, MI (US);
David R. Pernesky, Holland, MI (US);
The Holland Group, Inc., Holland, MI (US);
Abstract
The fifth wheel hitch lube plate () of the present invention comprises a perforated support member () having a plurality of perforations () and a lubricious material () molded around the perforated support member such that the lubricious material covers both the top and bottom surfaces of the perforated support member and extends through the perforations formed in the perforated support member. Preferably, the support member is a perforated metal plate and the lubricious material is nylon, graphite, or an ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) polyethylene material. The problems associated with utilizing nylon (or similar materials) and bonding it to a support plate are overcome by forming the plurality of apertures in the support plate so that a mechanical cohesive bond is formed between the upper and lower surfaces of the support plate, thereby substantially increasing the lube plate strength, and shear strength, while decreasing the likelihood that the lube plate may buckle.