Automated trailer coupling arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11618289-B2
Application number	US-201916549607-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2019
Priority date	Sep 14, 2018
Publication date	Apr 4, 2023
Grant date	Apr 4, 2023

Abstract

An automated trailer coupling arrangement includes a receiver member supported on a towed vehicle and including pneumatic and electrical couplers, a shuttle member including pneumatic and electrical couplers configured to couple to pneumatic and electrical supply sources and a control arm assembly supported on a towing vehicle and including a carrier member configured to operably couple and uncouple with the shuttle member, and an actuator coupled to the carrier member configured to move the carrier between a first position where the carrier member is coupled with the shuttle member and the shuttle member is spaced from the receiver member, and a second position where the second pneumatic coupler is coupled with the first pneumatic coupler and the second electrical coupler is coupled with the first electrical coupler and the carrier is uncoupled and spaced from the shuttle member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An automated trailer coupling arrangement, comprising:
a receiver member configured to be supported on a towed vehicle and including a first pneumatic coupler and a first electrical coupler;
a shuttle member including a second pneumatic coupler configured to couple to a pneumatic supply source of a towing vehicle, and a second electrical coupler configured to couple to an electrical supply source of the towing vehicle; and
a control arm assembly configured to be supported on the towing vehicle, comprising:
a carrier member configured to operably couple and uncouple with the shuttle member; and
an actuator coupled to the carrier member and configured to move the carrier member between a first position where the carrier member is coupled with the shuttle member and the shuttle member is spaced from the receiver member, and a second position where the second pneumatic coupler is coupled with the first pneumatic coupler and the second electrical coupler is coupled with the first electrical coupler and the carrier member is uncoupled and spaced from the shuttle member; and
wherein the control arm assembly includes a four-bar linkage assembly, and wherein at least one linkage of the four-bar linkage assembly is adjustable between a first length and a second length that is less than the first length.

2. The automated trailer coupling arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the receiver member includes a third pneumatic coupler and the shuttle member includes a fourth pneumatic coupler, and wherein the third pneumatic coupler is uncoupled from the fourth pneumatic coupler when the carrier member is in the first position, and the third pneumatic coupler is coupled from the fourth pneumatic coupler when the carrier member is in the second position.

3. The automated trailer coupling arrangement of claim 2 , wherein the shuttle member includes a first pneumatic input port pneumatically coupled to the pneumatic source and to the first pneumatic coupler, and a second pneumatic input coupled to the pneumatic source and to the third pneumatic coupler.

4. The automated trailer coupling arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the actuator of the control arm assembly includes a pneumatic cylinder arrangement configured to move the carrier member between the first and second positions.

5. The automated trailer coupling arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the receiver includes a housing configured to receive at least a portion of the shuttle member therein.

6. The automated trailer coupling arrangement of claim 5 , wherein the housing defines a first receiver portion having a first width and a second receiver portion having a second width that is less than the first width, and wherein the first receiver portion is configured to guide the carrier member from the first receiver portion to the second receiver portion as the carrier member moves from the first position toward the second position.

7. The automated trailer coupling arrangement of claim 6 , wherein the first receiver portion includes a pair of angled sidewalls.

8. The automated trailer coupling arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the carrier member includes a clamp arrangement moveable between a clamped position where the carrier member is coupled to the shuttle member and an unclamped position where the carrier member is uncoupled from the shuttle member, and wherein the clamp arrangement is biased by a biasing member toward the clamped position.

9. The automated trailer coupling arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller operably coupled to the control arm assembly and configured to move the carrier member between the first and second positions.

10. The automated trailer coupling arrangement of claim 9 , wherein the controller is operated by an operator remotely located from the trailer coupling arrangement.

11. The automated trailer coupling arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the at least one linkage is biased from the first position toward the second position.

12. An automated trailer coupling arrangement, comprising:
a receiver member configured to be supported on a towed vehicle and including a first pneumatic coupler, a second pneumatic coupler and a first electrical coupler;
a shuttle member including a third pneumatic coupler pneumatically configured to be coupled to a pneumatic supply source of a towing vehicle, a fourth pneumatic coupler pneumatically configured to be coupled to the pneumatic supply source, and a second electrical coupler configured to be coupled to an electrical supply source of the towing vehicle;
a control arm assembly supported on a towing vehicle, comprising:
a carrier member configured to operably couple and uncouple with the shuttle member; and
an actuator coupled to the carrier member;
wherein the control arm assembly is moveable between a first positon where the carrier member is coupled with the shuttle member and the shuttle member is spaced from the receiver member, a second position where the shuttle member is received within the receiver member and is coupled to the carrier member, a third position where the shuttle member is received within the receiver member and the first and second pneumatic couplers are pneumatically coupled with the third and fourth pneumatic couplers, respectively, and the first electrical coupler is coupled with the second electrical coupler, a fourth position where the carrier member is uncoupled from the shuttle member and abuts the shuttle member, and a fifth position where the carrier member is uncoupled and spaced from the shuttle member;
wherein the control arm assembly includes a four-bar linkage assembly, and wherein at least one linkage of the four-bar linkage assembly is adjustable between a first length and a second length that is less than the first length; and

a controller operably coupled to the control arm assembly and configured to move the carrier member between the first, second, third, fourth and fifth positions.

13. The automated trailer coupling arrangement of claim 12 , wherein the control arm assembly is configured to be coupled to the towing vehicle such that the carrier member is moveable in a lateral direction relative to a longitudinal direction of travel of the towing vehicle as the carrier member is moved between the first and second positions of the carrier member.

14. The automated trailer coupling arrangement of claim 13 , wherein the actuator of the control arm assembly includes a pneumatic cylinder arrangement configured to move the carrier member between the first and second positions.

15. The automated trailer coupling arrangement of claim 12 , wherein a housing of the receiver member includes a first receiver portion having a first width and a second receiver portion having a second width that is less than the first width, and wherein the first receiver portion is configured to guide the carrier member from the first receiver portion to the second receiver portion as the carrier member moves from the first position toward the second position.

16. The automated trailer coupling arrangement of claim 15 , wherein the first receiver portion includes a pair of angled sidewalls.

17. The automated trailer coupling arrangement of claim 12 , wherein the carrier member includes a clamp arrangement moveable between a clamped position where the carrier member is coupled to the shuttle member and an unclamped position where the carrier member is uncoupled from the shuttle member, and wherein the clamp arrangement is biased by a biasing member toward the clamped position.

18. The automated trailer coupl

Assignees

• Saf Holland Inc

Inventors

• Johnson Marc R
• Redeker Bryan A
• Hewitt Ii Larry D

Classifications

• B62D53/08

  Fifth wheel traction couplings {(tractors for handling trailers in terminals B62D49/007)} · CPC title

• B60D1/64 Primary

  Couplings or joints therefor · CPC title

• H01R13/631

  for engagement only · CPC title

• B60D1/62

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

• B60D1/42

  for being adjustable · CPC title