Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Patent
1995-05-24
1996-05-07
Hurley, Kevin T.
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
340431, B60D 138
Patent
active
055138705
ABSTRACT:
A guidance system for use in docking a movable vehicle with a stationary target, such as a vehicle to be towed, includes a sensing unit pivotally mounted on a towing vehicle in alignment with a hitch member thereof and a display unit, electrically coupled to the sensing unit, the display unit being mounted on the towing vehicle in view of the driver, either directly or through use of a rear view mirror. A tensioned line is stored on a spring and reel assembly within the sensing unit and is adapted to be unreeled therefrom and attached to a connection point on the stationary target that is aligned with a hitch member of the stationary target. Optical switches within a shutter assembly through which the tensioned line passes sense lateral deviations from a position of perfect axial alignment of the tensioned line with the hitch members on both the towing vehicle and the stationary target. Electrical signals from the optical switches are used to appropriately illuminates a plurality of visual turn indicators on the display unit to signal to the driver of the towing vehicle the need for either a left or right turn correction, as required to axially align the hitch members of the towing vehicle and the stationary target. A stop function is provided to visually and audibly signal the driver of the towing vehicle when a predetermined closure distance between the towing vehicle and the stationary target has been reached.
REFERENCES:
patent: Re28590 (1975-10-01), Salmi
patent: 2736885 (1956-02-01), Thompson
patent: 3731274 (1973-05-01), Green
patent: 3938122 (1976-02-01), Mangus
patent: 4017977 (1977-04-01), Light et al.
patent: 4030775 (1977-06-01), Hill
patent: 4173353 (1979-11-01), Steele
patent: 4186939 (1980-02-01), Woods et al.
patent: 4187494 (1980-02-01), Jessee
patent: 4432563 (1984-02-01), Pitcher
patent: 4552376 (1985-11-01), Cofer
patent: 4938495 (1990-07-01), Beasley et al.
Gallinger G. F.
Hurley Kevin T.
LandOfFree
Guidance system for use in docking a movable vehicle with a stat does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Guidance system for use in docking a movable vehicle with a stat, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Guidance system for use in docking a movable vehicle with a stat will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1222193