Device and method for detecting a pivot angle between a vehicle and a trailer device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10414221-B2
Application number	US-201515322363-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2015
Priority date	Jul 2, 2014
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a pivot angle detection device and a method for detecting a pivot angle between a vehicle and a trailer coupling device that is coupled to the vehicle. A transmitter is hereby provided, which is designed for producing an electromagnetic field, as well as a receiver which is designed to detect a field strength of the electromagnetic field, whereby the transmitter and receiver are arranged towards each other on the vehicle and trailer coupling device in such a way that a change of the pivot angle produces a dependent change in the field strength that is detected by the receiver. Additionally, an evaluation device for determining the pivot angle based on the detected field strength is also provided. The disclosure also relates to a transmitter, a receiver and an evaluation device, that are designed for this purpose.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pivot angle detection device for detecting a pivot angle between a vehicle and a trailer coupling device which is coupled to the vehicle, the device comprising:
a first transmitter and a second transmitter, wherein the first transmitter forms a first electromagnetic field and wherein the second transmitter forms a second electromagnetic field;
a receiver that detects a first field strength of the first electromagnetic field and a second field strength of the second electromagnetic field,
wherein the first transmitter, the second transmitter, and receiver are arranged such that a change of the pivot angle produces a dependent change in the first field strength and the second field strength that is detected by the receiver; and
an evaluation device for determining the pivot angle based on the detected first field strength and the detected second field strength.

2. The pivot angle detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the first transmitter is arranged in a region of an upright edge of a first side of the vehicle or in a region of an upright edge of a first side of the trailer coupling device and the second transmitter is arranged in a region of an upright edge of a second side which is opposite to the first side of the vehicle or of the trailer coupling device.

3. The pivot angle detection device according to claim 2 , wherein the receiver is placed on a longitudinal vehicle axis or on a longitudinal trailer axis.

4. The pivot angle detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the first transmitter is a Bluetooth, RFID, WLAN or NFC transmitter.

5. A transmitter designed for the pivot angle detection device according to the first transmitter of claim 1 .

6. A receiver designed for the pivot angle detection device according to claim 1 .

7. An evaluation device designed for the pivot angle detection device according to claim 1 .

8. The pivot angle detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the first transmitter and receiver are arranged towards each other.

9. The pivot angle detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the first transmitter is configured to emit a unique identification code and the receiver is configured to identify the identification code.

10. The pivot angle detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the evaluation device determines the pivot angle through at least one of trigonometric calculations, characteristic diagrams, and stored test results.

11. The pivot angle detection device according to claim 1 , further comprising a coupling, wherein the coupling is one of a fifth wheel coupling, a Rockinger coupling, or a ball coupling.

12. The pivot angle detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot angle is a curve pivot angle between the vehicle and the trailer coupling device.

13. The pivot angle detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot angle is an inclination angle between the vehicle and the trailer coupling device.

14. The pivot angle detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the field strength decreases with increasing distance between the first transmitter and the receiver.

15. The pivot angle detection device according to claim 1 , further comprising a shield configured to at least partially screen the receiver from the electromagnetic field, wherein the dependent change in the field strength that is detected by the receiver is caused by the shield.

16. The pivot angle detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the trailer coupling device comprises a trailer and a pivot plate attached to the trailer, wherein the pivot angle is between a longitudinal pivot plate axis and a longitudinal trailer axis.

17. The pivot angle detection device of claim 1 , wherein the receiver is fixed to the vehicle, wherein the first transmitter is fixed to the trailer coupling device, and wherein the second transmitter is fixed to the trailer coupling device.

18. The pivot angle detection device of claim 1 , wherein the receiver is fixed to the trailer coupling device, wherein the first transmitter is fixed to vehicle, and wherein the second transmitter is fixed to the vehicle.

19. A method for determining a pivot angle between a vehicle and a trailer coupling device which is coupled to vehicle, the method comprising:
producing a first electromagnetic field through a first transmitter,
producing a second electromagnetic field through a second transmitter,
detecting a first field strength of the first electromagnetic field with a receiver, wherein the first transmitter and the receiver are arranged on at least one of the vehicle and trailer coupling device in such a way that a change of the pivot angle leads to a dependent change in the first field strength that is detected by the receiver,
detecting a second field strength of the second electromagnetic field with the receiver, wherein the second transmitter and the receiver are arranged on at least one of the vehicle and trailer coupling device in such a way that a change of the pivot angle leads to a dependent change in the second field strength that is detected by the receiver, and
determining the pivot angle based on the detected first field strength and the detected second field strength.

20. A pivot angle detection device for detecting a pivot angle between a vehicle and a trailer coupling device which is coupled to the vehicle, the device comprising:
a transmitter, wherein the transmitter forms an electromagnetic field;
a first receiver receiver that detects a first field strength of the electromagnetic field; and
a second receiver spaced from the first receiver, wherein the second receiver detects a second field strength of the electromagnetic field,
wherein the transmitter, the first receiver, and the second receiver are arranged such that a change of the pivot angle produces a dependent change in the first field strength and the second field strength respectively detected by the first receiver and the second receiver; and
an evaluation device for determining the pivot angle based on the detected first field strength and the detected second field strength.

Assignees

• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen

Inventors

• Burkhart Michael
• Rösch Thomas
• Halsdorf Georges

Classifications

• B60D1/30 Primary

  for sway control {; Sway alarm means} · CPC title

• B60D1/62 Primary

  involving supply lines, electric circuits or the like · CPC title

• G01S3/14

  Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction {(aerial arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00; combinations of different interacting aerial units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q21/29; aerials or aerial systems providing at least two radiation patterns H01Q25/00)} · CPC title

• B60D1/06

  Ball-and-socket hitches · CPC title

• B60D1/245

  for facilitating push back or parking of trailers · CPC title