Connecting device and towing vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11292303-B2
Application number	US-201916257161-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2019
Priority date	Jan 31, 2018
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

A connecting device 1 of a towing vehicle 2 includes a connecting pin 13, a locking arm 22, and an actuator 23. The connecting pin 13 is provided to be rotatable between a connection position where the connecting pin 13 is brought into fitting engagement with a connecting plate 3a of a wheeled platform 3 and a disconnection position where the connecting pin 13 is taken out of the fitting engagement with the connecting plate 3a. The locking arm 22 is driven by the actuator 23 between a locking position where locking arm 22 is locked with the connecting pin 13 such that the connecting pin 13 cannot rotate out of the connection position toward the disconnection position and an unlocking position where the connecting pin 13 is unlocked in the connection position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connecting device provided in one of two connectable elements and configured to connect the two connectable elements to each other and disconnect the two connectable elements from each other, the connecting device comprising:
a connecting member rotatable about a predetermined first axis line between a connection position where the connecting member is brought into engagement with a mating member of another of the two connectable elements so as to connect the two connectable elements to each other and a disconnection position where the connecting member is disengaged from the mating member by movement of the mating member in response to relative movement of the two connectable elements so as to disconnect the two connectable elements from each other;
a locking member movable between a locking position where the locking member is brought into abutment on the connecting member at the connection position and locks the connecting member at the connection position such that the connecting member is not rotatable out of the connection position toward the disconnection position and an unlocking position where the locking member is taken out of the abutment on the connecting member so as to unlock the connecting member at the connection position; and
a driving element capable of driving the locking member such that the locking member moves between the locking position and the unlocking position,
wherein the driving element is composed of a driving device driving the locking member by supply of energy.

2. The connecting device according to claim 1 , wherein a location of abutment of the connecting member where the locking member is in abutment on the connecting member in the connection position is arranged on an opposite side of a first plane on which the predetermined first axis line resides with respect to a location of engagement of the connecting member where the mating member is in engagement with the connecting member.

3. The connecting device according to claim 2 , wherein the first plane is configured to be orthogonal to a first straight line extending in a direction in which the connecting member extends.

4. The connecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting member is configured to be positioned at the connection position by its own weight when it is not in engagement with the mating member.

5. The connecting device according to claim 1 , further comprising a fixed abutment member configured to be brought into abutment on the locking member from an opposite side of the connecting member when the connecting member is at the connection position and the locking member is at the locking position.

6. A towing vehicle comprising the connecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the towing vehicle is the one connectable element.

7. A connecting device provided in one of two connectable elements and configured to connect the two connectable elements to each other and disconnect the two connectable elements from each other, the connecting device comprising:
a connecting member rotatable about a predetermined first axis line between a connection position where the connecting member is brought into engagement with a mating member of another of the two connectable elements so as to connect the two connectable elements to each other and a disconnection position where the connecting member is disengaged from the mating member by movement of the mating member in response to relative movement of the two connectable elements so as to disconnect the two connectable elements from each other;
a locking member movable between a locking position where the locking member is brought into abutment on the connecting member at the connection position and locks the connecting member at the connection position such that the connecting member is not rotatable out of the connection position toward the disconnection position and an unlocking position where the locking member is taken out of the abutment on the connecting member so as to unlock the connecting member at the connection position; and
a driving element capable of driving the locking member such that the locking member moves between the locking position and the unlocking position,
wherein
the locking member is configured to move between the locking position and the unlocking position by rotating about a predetermined second axis line along a second plane that is parallel to a second straight line extending in a direction in which the connecting member in the connection position extends and parallel to the predetermined first axis line, and
the driving element is capable of driving a second portion of the locking member on an opposite side of a third plane parallel to the second straight line where the predetermined second axis line resides with respect to a first portion of the locking member in abutment on the connecting member when the locking member is at the locking position.

8. The connecting device according to claim 7 , wherein a location of abutment of the connecting member where the locking member is in abutment on the connecting member in the connection position is arranged on an opposite side of a first plane on which the predetermined first axis line resides with respect to a location of engagement of the connecting member where the mating member is in engagement with the connecting member.

9. The connecting device according to claim 8 , wherein the first plane is configured to be orthogonal to a first straight line extending in a direction in which the connecting member extends.

10. The connecting device according to claim 7 , wherein the connecting member is configured to be positioned at the connection position by its own weight when it is not in engagement with the mating member.

11. The connecting device according to claim 7 , further comprising a fixed abutment member configured to be brought into abutment on the locking member from an opposite side of the connecting member when the connecting member is at the connection position and the locking member is at the locking position.

12. The connecting device according to claim 7 , wherein the driving element is composed of a driving device driving the locking member by supply of energy and being capable of driving the locking member by a manual operation when the energy is not supplied.

13. A towing vehicle comprising the connecting device according to claim 7 , wherein the towing vehicle is the one connectable element.

14. A connecting device provided in one of two connectable elements and configured to connect the two connectable elements to each other and disconnect the two connectable elements from each other, the connecting device comprising:
a connecting member rotatable about a predetermined first axis line between a connection position where the connecting member is brought into engagement with a mating member of another of the two connectable elements so as to connect the two connectable elements to each other and a disconnection position where the connecting member is disengaged from the mating member by movement of the mating member in response to relative movement of the two connectable elements so as to disconnect the two connectable elements from each other;
a locking member movable between a locking position where the locking member is brought into abutment on the connecting member at the connection position and locks the connecting member at the connection position such that the connecting member is not rotatable out of the connection position toward the disconnection position and an unlocking position where the locking member is taken out of the abutment on the connecting member so as to u

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• FURUNO Takuya
• Otake Yoshito
• Noguchi Sumio
• Watanabe Yasushi

Classifications

• B60D2001/005

  for carts, scooters or the like · CPC title

• B60D1/62

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

• B60D1/02 Primary

  Bolt or shackle-type couplings · CPC title

• B60D1/24

  characterised by arrangements for particular functions · CPC title

• B60D1/36

  for facilitating connection, e.g. hitch catchers · CPC title