Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-19
2001-05-22
Schwartz, Christopher P. (Department: 3613)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234511
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a trailer coupling for motor vehicles, in particular passenger vehicles, comprising a coupling ball, a ball neck, one end region of which is angled and bears the coupling ball, and a drive comprising a drive motor, by means of which the ball neck is movable with the coupling ball from an operative position into a rest position and vice versa.
A trailer coupling of this type is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,583.
A coupling of this type which can be moved by means of a drive conceals a number of safety risks, in particular when actuated incorrectly.
The object underlying the invention is therefore to provide a trailer coupling which operates as safely as possible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This object is accomplished in accordance with the invention, in a trailer coupling of the type described at the outset, in that a control means is provided for operating the drive, this control means allowing either movement of the ball neck or traveling of the vehicle.
Such a control means has the great advantage that it, on the one hand, prevents the coupling being moved during travel, for example on account of an operating error, and, on the other hand, ensures that no traveling with the vehicle is possible during movement of the coupling between operating position and rest position so that it is likewise ruled out that the vehicle will be started during movement of the coupling.
This may be realized in a particularly simple manner when the control means blocks the drive for the movement of the ball neck when the engine of the vehicle is running. In this case, the pivoting of the ball neck can take place only when the engine of the vehicle is switched off. This means that it is ensured that no pivoting of the ball neck can take place by means of the motor drive during traveling.
This may be realized in a particularly simple manner, in particular in the case of an electromotor for the drive, when the control means interrupts a supply of current for the electromotor.
A particularly safe functioning of such a coupling movable in this way may be achieved when the control means allows the engine of the vehicle to run only when the ball neck is in the operative position or in the rest position, i.e., that one of the two positions must definitely be reached before the vehicle can be started. This means that all operating errors of the type that travel with the vehicle takes place with a ball neck located in any intermediate position between the operative position and the rest position are ruled out.
The detection of the operative position and the rest position could take place in various different ways.
In principle, it would be possible to detect the operative position or the rest position of the ball neck via an interrogation, for example an interrogation of the revolutions of the drive. For safety reasons it is, however, particularly expedient when the control means detects the operative position and the rest position of the ball neck via a sensor respectively associated with these positions so that a direct feedback to the control means independent of the drive takes place via this sensor.
The operative position of the ball neck can be interrogated in the most varied of ways. For example, it is possible to interrogate the operative position by means of the sensor in that the ball neck or the coupling ball are in a position corresponding to the operative position. Increased safety is provided when the control means detects the operative position of the ball neck via a sensor detecting a locking position of a locking device. This means that the operative position is detected only when the locking device is in the locking position at the same time and it is thus also ensured that the ball neck is not only located in the operative position but at the same time also secured by the locking device.
A particularly reliable detection of the operative position of this type can, for example, be realized when not only the operative position of the ball neck as such but also the locking position of the locking device are detected either via a mechanical AND operation and a sensor or via two sensors detecting these respectively.
In order to bring about a particularly simple and reliable operation during the movement and, in particular, to preclude the ball neck remaining in any intermediate position between the operative position and the rest position due to any error in operation, it is preferably provided for the control means to operate the motor following a single actuation of a switching element for such a time until the ball neck has reached either the operative position or the rest position.
In order to create the possibility, in addition, of an operator, when, for example, an obstruction appears in the path of movement of ball neck and coupling ball or is discovered only after the switching element has been actuated and thus the movement initiated, an emergency switch is provided.
In principle, it would be possible to design the control means as an additional safety element such that when the switching element is actuated during the course of a pivoting movement of the ball neck this is interrupted.
It is, however, particularly advantageous when, following an actuation of the switching element during the course of the movement of the ball neck between the operative position and the rest position, the control means reverses the direction of movement existing up to this actuation. The possibility is thus created that ball neck and coupling ball will not continue to move once an obstruction has been discovered in the region of movement but will not only interrupt the movement but reverse it, wherein it is assumed in this respect that the ball neck and the coupling ball are moved back, following reversal of the movement, in the direction, from which they come, wherein an obstruction can hardly exist in this direction.
A further safety function is obtained when the control means comprises a torque detection for the drive which detects any overrunning of a torque threshold of the drive. It is thus ensured that even when the ball neck or the coupling ball unexpectedly run against an obstruction no damage can occur either to the obstruction or to the inventive coupling.
The torque detection could serve to supply a signal to the control means which causes the control means to interrupt the movement of the ball neck.
It is, however, even more advantageous when the torque detection generates a signal when the torque threshold is exceeded so that the control means reverses the previous pivoting direction. This ensures on the one hand, in the same way as already explained for the actuation of the switching means, that ball neck or coupling ball do not run against an obstruction and continue to act repeatedly against this but interrupt their movement and even reverse it and thus pivot back, for example, into the position, from which they come.
In the simplest case, it is, for example, provided for the torque threshold to be the same in all stages of the movement.
However, in order to have—particularly in the case of a long holding time of ball neck and coupling ball in the operating position or the rest position—as large an initial break-away torque as possible for leaving these positions, it is preferably provided for the torque threshold in the operating position and the rest position to be higher prior to leaving the same than thereafter. The initial break-away torque for leaving the operating position or rest position is thus increased which does not, however, represent any loss of safety as long as the torque threshold is lowered again after the operating position or rest position is left.
The torque detection can operate in the most varied of ways. A simple solution for this provides for the torque detection to detect the current consumption of the motor.
With respect to the arrangement of the switching element of the control means, no further details have been given in conjunction with the preceding explanations of the individual embodime
Gentner Wolfgang
Kleb Emmerich
Riehle Hans
Riehle Joerg
Bartz C. L.
Lipsitz Barry R.
ORIS Fahrzeugteile Hans Riehle GmbH
Schwartz Christopher P.
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