Trailer coupling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9266401-B2
Application number	US-201314386022-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Apr 16, 2012
Publication date	Feb 23, 2016
Grant date	Feb 23, 2016

Abstract

A trailer coupling with a ball support and a coupling ball arranged at a free end of the ball support. A coupling ball holder is fitted onto and can rotate on the coupling ball. A locking element is provided on the coupling ball holder by which the coupling ball holder is secured against being inadvertently removed from the coupling ball. An angle measuring device, provided on the coupling ball, comprises sensors which can detect rotation of the coupling ball holder relative to the coupling ball about a rotation axis. The position of the locking element, relative to the coupling ball, can be determined using the sensors.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A trailer coupling with a ball support ( 4 ), and a coupling ball ( 3 ) being arranged at a free end of the ball support ( 4 ),
a coupling ball holder ( 2 ) being fitted onto and being rotatable on the coupling ball ( 3 ),
a locking element ( 7 ) provided on the coupling ball holder ( 2 ) by which the coupling ball holder ( 2 ) is secured against being removed from the coupling ball, the coupling ball having a groove that extends at least half way around the coupling ball, and an angle
measuring device comprising a plurality of sensors which are spaced apart from each other and located within the groove inside a periphery of the coupling ball ( 3 ) and by which rotation of the coupling ball holder ( 2 ), relative to the coupling ball ( 3 ) about a rotation axis ( 11 ), is detectable, and
a position of the locking element ( 7 ), relative to the coupling ball ( 3 ), being determinable by the sensors ( 15 ),
the locking element ( 7 ) is delimited, in a circumferential direction relative to the rotation axis ( 11 ), by lateral edges ( 16 , 17 ), whose position is determinable by the sensors ( 15 ), and a distance between the coupling ball holder and each of the lateral edges of the locking element defines a respective free space, and
the free spaces are arranged in an area of the lateral edges of the locking element, each of the sensors detects the free spaces when aligned therewith such that a position of the free spaces are determinable by the sensors.

2. The trailer coupling according to claim 1 , wherein the position of the locking element ( 7 ), relative to the coupling ball ( 3 ) in a plane ( 13 ) that extends perpendicularly to the rotation axis ( 11 ), is determinable by the sensors ( 15 ).

3. The trailer coupling according to claim 1 , wherein the locking element ( 7 ) and the coupling ball holder ( 2 ) together form a ball socket ( 10 ) that encloses the coupling ball ( 3 ), and the ball socket, other than at the free spaces ( 18 , 19 ), contacts the coupling ball ( 3 ) in the circumferential direction ( 24 ).

4. The trailer coupling according to claim 1 , wherein the sensors ( 15 ) are either distance or pressure sensors and include a central sensor, and the sensors are arranged on a circumference of the coupling ball ( 3 ) at defined measurement angles around the rotation axis ( 11 ) with respect to a longitudinal axis of a vehicle that bisects the rotation axis and defines a position of the central sensor.

5. The trailer coupling according to claim 1 , wherein the groove is an annular groove and the sensors are embedded in the annular groove.

6. The trailer coupling according to claim 1 , wherein the locking element ( 7 ), fitted on the coupling ball holder ( 2 ) and in contact with the coupling ball ( 3 ), is removable from the coupling ball ( 3 ).

7. The trailer coupling according to claim 1 , wherein the ball support ( 4 ) is supported by a tractor vehicle and the coupling ball holder ( 2 ) is supported by a trailer vehicle.

8. A trailer coupling with a ball support ( 4 ), and a coupling ball ( 3 ) being arranged at a free end of the ball support ( 4 ),
a coupling ball holder ( 2 ) being fitted onto and being rotatable on the coupling ball ( 3 ),
a locking element ( 7 ) provided on the coupling ball holder ( 2 ) by which the coupling ball holder ( 2 ) is secured against being removed from the coupling ball ( 3 ), the locking element has lateral edges, and a circumferential distance between each of the lateral edges and the coupling ball holder defines a gap, the coupling ball having a groove that extends at least half way around the coupling ball, and an angle
measuring device is solely provided on the coupling ball ( 3 ) and comprises sensors ( 15 ) by which rotation of the coupling ball holder ( 2 ), relative to the coupling ball ( 3 ) about a rotation axis ( 11 ), is detectable, the sensors including a central sensor and are located within the groove and inside a periphery of the coupling ball at different defined measurement angles from a longitudinal axis that extends through the rotation axis and the central sensor, and the sensors detect the gaps as the coupling ball holder rotates about the rotation axis,
a rotational position of the locking element ( 7 ), relative to the coupling ball ( 3 ), being determinable by the defined measurement angle of the sensor ( 15 ) which is aligned with the gap in the rotational position of the locking element, and
the sensors ( 15 ) are inductive distance sensors.

9. A trailer coupling comprises:
a ball support and a coupling ball, the coupling ball being fixed to a free end of the ball support and defining a vertical rotation axis extending through a center of the coupling ball, and the coupling ball having a groove that extends at least half way around the coupling ball; a coupling ball holder
coupling the coupling ball and defining a horizontal plane that extends through the center of the coupling ball, and the coupling ball holder being pivotable about the rotation axis with respect to the coupling ball;
a locking element being supported on the coupling ball holder and engaging the coupling ball to prevent vertical displacement of the coupling ball holder along the rotation axis with respect to the coupling ball, lateral edges of the locking element delimit the locking element in a circumferential direction relative to the rotation axis, the locking element is supported such that a free space is formed in the circumferential direction between each of the lateral edges and the coupling ball holder;
an angle measuring device is solely arranged on the coupling ball and comprises a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors being fixedly located within the groove and inside a periphery of the coupling ball and around a circumference of the coupling ball, the circumference of the coupling ball being located in the horizontal plane of the coupling ball holder that extends through the center of the coupling ball, and the plurality of sensors being inductive distance sensors that are spaced from one another by measurement angles having vertices at the center of the coupling ball, the plurality of sensors comprise a central sensor aligned on a longitudinal axis that intersects the rotation axis; and
the plurality of sensors detecting the free spaces in the horizontal plane for determining rotation of the coupling ball holder relative to the coupling ball.

10. The trailer coupling according to claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of sensors are located around the circumference of the coupling ball at known measurement angles, two sensors of the plurality of sensors adjacent to the central sensor and positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis are arranged at a same measurement angle away from the longitudinal axis such that rotation of the coupling ball holder relative to the coupling ball is determined by the location of the plurality of sensors which detect the free space.

11. The trailer coupling according to claim 9 , wherein the groove is an annular groove, and the plurality of sensors are fixed in the annular groove at known articulation angles.

Assignees

• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen

Inventors

• Klank Michael
• Stratmann Julian
• Pydde Lutz
• Vortmeyer Jens
• Elbers Christoph

Classifications

• B60D1/62

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

• B60D1/28

  for preventing unwanted disengagement, e.g. safety appliances · CPC title

• B60D1/58 Primary

  Auxiliary devices · CPC title

• B60D1/065 Primary

  characterised by the hitch mechanism · CPC title

• G01B7/30

  for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes · CPC title