Methods and apparatus for a dual reacting, single load sensing element coupled to a hitch receiver

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12138973-B2
Application number	US-202318170371-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2023
Priority date	Aug 9, 2019
Publication date	Nov 12, 2024
Grant date	Nov 12, 2024

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for a dual reacting, single load sensing element coupled to a hitch receiver are disclosed herein. An example computer readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed, cause one or more processors to determine a location of a hitch ball of a hitch of a vehicle, determine a load condition of the hitch based on the location and data received from a sensor of a first pin of the hitch, the hitch including a second pin, the first pin to react loads in a first direction and a second direction, the second pin to react loads in the first direction and in response to the load condition satisfying an alert threshold, alert a user of the load condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed, cause one or more processors to:
determine a location of a hitch ball of a hitch of a vehicle;
determine a load condition of the hitch based on the location and data received from a sensor of a first pin of the hitch, the hitch including a second pin, the first pin to react loads in a first direction and a second direction, the second pin to react loads in the first direction; and
in response to the load condition satisfying an alert threshold, alert a user of the load condition.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the second pin does not include a sensor.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the first pin is disposed in a first opening of a pin housing and the second pin is disposed in a second opening of the pin housing, the second opening shaped to prevent the second pin from reacting a load in the second direction.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 3 , wherein the first opening and the second opening are aligned along a vertical axis of the hitch.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to determine the location of the hitch ball by analyzing sensor data from proximity sensors of the vehicle.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to determine the location of the hitch ball based on an output of a camera of the vehicle, the camera mounted to an exterior surface of the vehicle.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to determine the location of the hitch ball based on a model of the vehicle.

8. An apparatus comprising:
memory; and
one or more processors to execute instructions to:
determine a location of a hitch ball of a hitch of a vehicle;
determine a load condition of the hitch based on the location and data received from a sensor of a first pin of the hitch, the hitch including a second pin, the first pin to react loads in a first direction and a second direction, the second pin to react loads in the first direction; and
in response to the load condition satisfying an alert threshold, alerting a user of the load condition.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second pin does not include a sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first pin is disposed in a first opening of a pin housing and the second pin is disposed in a second opening of the pin housing, the second opening shaped to prevent the second pin from reacting a load in the second direction.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first opening and the second opening are aligned along a vertical axis of the hitch.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to determine the location of the hitch ball by analyzing sensor data from proximity sensors of the vehicle.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to determine the location of the hitch ball based on an output of a camera of the vehicle, the camera mounted to an exterior surface of the vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to determine the location of the hitch ball based on a model of the vehicle.

15. A method comprising:
determining a location of a hitch ball of a hitch of a vehicle;
determining, by executing an instruction via a processor, a load condition of the hitch based on the location and data received from a sensor of a first pin of the hitch, the hitch including a second pin, the first pin to react loads in a first direction and a second direction, the second pin to react loads in the first direction; and
in response to the load condition satisfying an alert threshold, alerting a user of the load condition.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second pin does not include a sensor.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first pin is disposed in a first opening of a pin housing and the second pin is disposed in a second opening of the pin housing, the second opening shaped to prevent the second pin from reacting a load in the second direction.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first opening and the second opening are aligned along a vertical axis of the hitch.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein determining the location of the hitch ball includes analyzing sensor data from proximity sensors of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein determining the location of the hitch ball is based on an output of a camera of the vehicle, the camera mounted to an exterior surface of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc
• Methode Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Niedert Andrew
• Giaier Kevin Stanton
• Pearson Elliott
• Rogness Anton
• Giessibl Johannes
• Reed Chad

Classifications

• B60D1/485

  mounted by means of transversal members attached to the frame of a vehicle · CPC title

• B60D1/62

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

• B60D1/06

  Ball-and-socket hitches · CPC title

• B60D1/248 Primary

  for measuring, indicating or displaying the weight · CPC title