Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Bryce Reinert

Andrew D Niedert

Kevin Stanton Giaier

Joshua Norwood

Carl Montgomery

Jorge Rivas

Rebecca Giaier

Peter Kowalow

Methods and apparatus for a hitch including multiple pins coupled to an outboard frame are disclosed. An apparatus comprising a hitch including a first pin oriented in a first direction and a second pin oriented in a second direction different than the first direction, the first pin and the second pin to couple the hitch to a frame of a vehicle, and a load manager to determine a load condition based on sensor data from at least one of the first pin or the second pin.

Methods and apparatus for a hitch including multiple pins coupled to an outboard frame

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for a load-sensing hitch utilizing a system of strain gauges. An example apparatus includes a receiver tube, a side member, a crossbar coupled to the receiver tube and the side member, the cross including a support including a first end, a second end and a mid-portion located between the first end and the second end, the mid-portion having a cross-sectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of the first end or the cross-sectional area of the second end and a strain gauge disposed within the mid-portion.

Methods and apparatus for a load-sensing hitch utilizing a system of strain gauges

Methods and apparatus for a hitch including multiple pins coupled to an outboard frame are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein include a hitch including a first pin, a second pin parallel to the first pin, a third pin orthogonal to the first pin, and a fourth pin parallel to the third pin, wherein the first pin, the second pin, the third pin and the fourth pin are to couple the hitch to a frame of a vehicle. The example apparatus includes a load manager to determine a load condition based on sensor data from at least one of the first pin, the second pin, the third pin, or the fourth pin.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for a load-sensing hitch utilizing a system of strain gauges. An example apparatus includes a hitch including a first support including a first end, a second end, and a mid-portion located between the first end and the second end, the mid-portion having a cross-sectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of the first end or the cross-sectional area of the second end, a strain gauge located at the mid-portion of the first support, a frame attachment to couple the hitch to a frame of a vehicle, the support coupled to the frame attachment, and a load manager to determine a load condition based on sensor data from the strain gauge.

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Frankenmuth, MI, United States of America

Bryce Reinert