Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-22
2004-03-23
Lerner, Avraham (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
C280S433000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06709001
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to a coupling system and method of use thereof, and particularly to a coupling system for facilitating the mechanical, electrical and/or pneumatic coupling and uncoupling between at least first and second units.
Although this application refers almost exclusively to a coupling system for a cab unit and a trailer unit of an articulated lorry, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the coupling system could be used between any two or more units where mechanical, electrical and/or pneumatic coupling and uncoupling is required. For example, the coupling system could be used between a car and caravan, tractor and trailer or the like.
A lorry typically comprises a cab and a trailer which can be mechanically coupled/uncoupled. The cab supplies the trailer with electrical and pneumatic services in order to provide the trailer with brakes, lights and other facilities.
Conventionally, cabs comprise a fifth wheel unit which provides coupling means thereon to allow coupling with coupling means, typically in the form of a kingpin, provided on a trailer. Electrical and/or pneumatic supply lines are provided on or adjacent the fifth wheel for connection with supply lines on the trailer, thereby allowing the supply of electrical and/or pneumatic services from the cab to the trailer.
The kingpin is normally coupled and uncoupled from the cab via a manual procedure, which involves the driver of the lorry leaving their cab and physically making all the necessary mechanical, electrical and/or pneumatic connections by hand. The driver has to then secure all these connections using tools to ensure that the trailer does not become mechanically disconnected or lose pneumatic and/or electrical power during travel.
A disadvantage with conventional coupling procedures is that the driver is required to leave his or her cab to perform the necessary operations, and in certain countries where coupling/uncoupling procedures occur in remote locations or at service stations, this can leave the driver vulnerable to attack and/or robbery. In addition, once the driver leaves their cab unit, they are at risk of being hit by another vehicle, particularly when the driver is required to couple/uncouple the units in a busy traffic area such as on a motorway hard shoulder. A further disadvantage of the present coupling procedure is that the parts the driver is connecting are typically covered in grease, oil and dirt and the driver often has to kneel or lie on the road surface to make the necessary connections. This inevitably results in the driver becoming dirty which is undesirable to the driver.
There are a number of safety issues associated with conventional coupling procedures which require improvement. One of the major safety problems is that the driver may not secure the coupling means between the trailer and the cab sufficiently. For example, if the coupling means are not secure, continual movement of the same caused by jolts and bumps during transit may result in accidental uncoupling.
In the event of a fire in the cab or trailer, the driver is likely to abandon the cab and trailer since uncoupling the same would take too long and thus put the driver's life in danger. If the fire then spreads, both the cab and the trailer unit, with any goods carried in the same, would be destroyed and would result in large financial loss to the company and/or insurance company.
Coupling systems have been designed to allow coupling of the cab and trailer to be operated by the driver from within the cab. These systems typically include the steps of the coupling means on the fifth wheel and the kingpin being mechanically connected prior to connection of the supply lines. Separate connection of the supply lines and mechanical coupling increases the time taken for the coupling and uncoupling procedures to be completed, thus having the same problems as mentioned above. The coupling mechanisms associated with such systems are often complicated and need a large number of components, thereby making the systems prohibitively expensive and more difficult to keep in good repair.
One known system is described in EP816211 and attempts to overcome the abovementioned problems by providing the supply lines within the cab and trailer coupling units rather than separately, thereby allowing mechanical coupling and supply line coupling to occur simultaneously. The document discloses a trailer kingpin, and a fifth wheel coupling unit on a cab having a movable part located in the coupling unit. A drive unit in the fifth wheel coupling unit drives the movable part into the kingpin to establish coupling therebetween, and is able to retract the movable part when uncoupling of the cab and trailer is required. The kingpin then rotates to allow positioning of the kingpin relative to the movable part of the fifth wheel coupling unit to complete the coupling process. Problems associated with this type of coupling system are that there are no alignment means. Due to the number of connection components in the coupling units, the components have to be cast or moulded and assembled separately and this can be time consuming and expensive. In addition, due to the fragility of the connection components and the fact that all these components are rotated during coupling, the components are susceptible to high levels of fatigue stress and are easily damaged.
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved coupling system which overcomes the abovementioned problems.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a coupling system for a vehicle for coupling at least a tractor unit to a trailer unit, said tractor unit having first coupling means which engage with complementary second coupling means on said trailer unit, said first and second coupling means having one or more service supply lines provided therein and said service supply lines of said first and second coupling means engaging upon mechanical engagement of said first and second coupling means, thereby allowing the supply of services from said tractor unit to said trailer unit and/or vice versa, and characterised in that one of said first or second coupling means is provided with one or more annular protrusions on a coupling surface and the other of said coupling means is provided with complementary annular channels on a coupling surface, said annular protrusions being received in said annular channels upon mechanical engagement of said first and second coupling means, thereby simultaneously or substantially simultaneously allowing the connection and/or communication of at least one of the tractor supply lines with at least one of the trailer supply lines to allow the supply of said service(s) therebetween.
Preferably the coupling system is capable of being operated by a driver within the tractor and/or trailer unit.
Preferably three annular protrusion and three annular channels are provided on the trailer and cab coupling units respectively.
Preferably the coupling means on the tractor and trailer are substantially vertically aligned prior to mechanical engagement/supply line connection. Thus engagement is effected between the two coupling units on a horizontal plane.
Preferably the tractor and trailer coupling means are unitary members, which allow for the mechanical connection and also electrical and/or pneumatic connection on connection of the service supply lines.
Preferably a plurality of facilities are provided on engagement of the coupling means. For example, the facilities can include operation of support legs on the first and/or second unit.
Preferably communication and/or connection of one or more pneumatic supply lines between the tractor and trailer are effected via engagement of the annular protrusions in the annular grooves/channels. The pneumatic supply lines have openings in the grooves and/or protrusions, typically one opening in each groove and one in each protrusion, which communicate on engagement of the tractor and trailer coupling means. Upon connection, air is able to flow, typically from the pneumat
Morgan David William
Robinson Nigel Edward
Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP
One Contact Srl
Reidelbach, Jr. Charles F.
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