Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-04
2003-04-15
DePumpo, Daniel G. (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
C280S511000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06547271
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a trailer coupling for motor vehicles comprising a pivot bearing body which is rigidly attached to the vehicle and upon which there is mounted a pivotal element that is pivotal about a pivotal axis, a ball neck which extends outwardly from the pivotal element and carries a coupling ball at the end thereof remote from the pivotal element, and a locking device for fixing the pivotal element relative to the pivot bearing body in interlocking manner.
Trailer couplings of this type are known from EP 0 799 732 for example.
In the case of trailer couplings of this type however, a locking device of complex construction is required, said device additionally presenting problems in regard to the degree of free play.
Consequently, the object of the invention is to improve a trailer coupling of the type outlined above in such a manner that the locking device will be of the simplest possible construction and can be implemented in simple manner such that it is free of play.
In accordance with the invention, this object is achieved in the case of a trailer coupling of the type described hereinabove in that the pivotal element is mounted on the pivot bearing body in such a way that it is displaceable along the pivotal axis thereof, and in that, by virtue of a displacement of the pivotal element along the pivotal axis, the pivotal element is moveable into a position wherein it is pivotal relative to the pivot bearing body and into a position wherein it is fixed relative to the pivot bearing body in mutually non-rotatable manner by means of an interlocking arrangement.
The advantage of the solution in accordance with the invention is thus to be seen in the fact that it is now feasible for the pivotal element, which has in any case to be mounted such that it is moveable relative to the pivot bearing body, to be bestowed with an additional movement along the pivotal axis so that, by virtue of this additional movement, it is transferable from a position in which it is rotationally fixed relative to the pivot bearing body into a position in which it is rotatable relative to the pivot bearing body and vice versa.
Thus, the kinematic movements required for the pivotal movement and the fixing of the pivotal element are now transferred to this pivotal element in a constructionally particularly advantageous manner.
This is also especially advantageous for reason that there are no large forces effective on the pivotal element during the pivotal movement itself, so that the pivot bearing itself does not necessarily have to be constructed in such a manner as to accommodate all of the forces effective on the ball neck when in the towing mode, but rather, the interlocking fixing arrangement for the pivotal element can be formed in such a manner that it will accommodate an appreciable proportion of the forces effective on the ball neck when this is in its operative position.
In regard to the production of the interlocking arrangement, no detailed comments were made in the context of the previous explanation of the solution in accordance with the invention. Thus, it is particularly advantageous if the pivotal element is connected to at least one interlocking element in mutually non-rotatable manner so that this interlocking element will move with the pivotal element.
In such an arrangement, this first interlocking element could still be movable in a linear manner along the pivotal axis relative to the pivotal element for example.
Hence, it is particularly expedient if the at least one first interlocking element is arranged such that it is stationary relative to the pivotal element so that it would then be immovable relative to the pivotal element in both the direction of rotation about the pivotal axis as well as along the pivotal axis.
Furthermore, it is expedient if the pivot bearing body is connected to at least a second interlocking element which is substantially non-rotatable relative to the pivotal axis and, by means of which in conjunction with the first interlocking element, a rotational fixing of the pivotal element relative to the pivot bearing body is attainable.
The at least one second interlocking element could thereby be moveable relative to the pivot bearing body along the pivotal axis for example.
In order to obtain an interlocking arrangement for fixing the pivotal element relative to the pivot bearing body which is as free from play as possible, provision is preferably made for the at least one second interlocking element to be fixed immovably relative to the pivot bearing body.
In regard to the effect of the first and second interlocking elements in the case of an arrangement for fixing the pivotal element relative to the pivot bearing body, no detailed comments were made in connection with the previous explanation of the individual embodiments.
Thus for example, it would be conceivable to provide yet at least one further interlocking element for fixing the pivotal element relative to the pivot bearing body in mutually non-rotatable manner, said further interlocking element cooperating with the first interlocking element and also with the second interlocking element.
However, on grounds of providing a solution that is as constructively simple as possible, it is particularly expedient if the first interlocking element or the second interlocking element is adapted to be moved into engagement with the respective other interlocking element.
In order to obtain an arrangement for fixing the pivotal element relative to the pivot bearing body which is as free from play as possible when in the mutually non-rotatable position, provision is preferably made for at least one of the interlocking elements to comprise interlocking surfaces which taper in the direction of engagement, said surfaces serving to fix the pivotal element relative to the pivot bearing body in mutually non-rotatable manner.
The effect produced by these tapering surfaces is that it is thereby possible to create a play-free fixing arrangement which prevents rotational movement about the pivotal axis by a process of co-operation with a further interlocking element that adjoins these tapering surfaces.
In principle, these surfaces that taper in the direction of engagement could be constructed in any arbitrary manner. Thus, it would be conceivable to let these surfaces that taper in the direction of engagement extend parabolically or hyperbolically towards one another.
However, a constructively particularly simple solution envisages that the surfaces that taper in the direction of engagement should extend conically towards one another.
Such surfaces that taper in the direction of engagement have the disadvantage however, that they have a tendency to disengage again from the respective counter-acting surface upon the occurrence of large forces and especially of large torques when the wedge angle is greater than the wedge angle associated with a self-locking arrangement.
For this reason, a particularly expedient solution envisages that the interlocking elements should comprise interlocking surfaces which extend in parallel with the direction of engagement, this thereby preventing the interlocking elements from becoming disengaged in the face of excessively large forces or torques.
It is particularly expedient if these interlocking surfaces that extend in parallel with the direction of engagement adjoin the tapering interlocking surfaces so that, in the event that the interlocking elements are mutually displaced in a direction opposite to the direction of engagement due to the tapering interlocking surfaces, the surfaces extending in parallel with the direction of engagement will always ensure that the interlocking elements will remain in engagement.
In regard to the effectiveness of the interlocking elements, it is conceivable, for example, to construct them in such a manner that they are effective in one direction, whereas, for example, additional interlocking elements, for example in the form of stop members, lead to a blocking action in the other direction of rotation.
However, one particularly expedient solutio
Fischer Michael
Kleb Emmerich
Riehle Hans
DePumpo Daniel G.
Lipsitz Barry R.
McAllister Douglas M.
ORIS Fahrzeugteile Hans Riehle GmbH
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