Westfalia-automotive Gmbh

Westfalia-automotive Gmbh & Co. Kg

Jürgen Peitz

Bernhard Sielhorst

Kay Angermann

Thomas Benda

Martin Wyrwich

Fabian Hils

Hakan Cakici

Kevin Stieben

Martin Düker

Michael Drücker

Martin Duker

Dirk Vahle

Andreas Mersch

Gerhard Hermbusch

Alexander Giesbrecht

Friedrich Domke

Reinhold Aufderheide

Burkhard Weniger

Rheinhold Auderheide

Marcem Luedres

Marcem Lüders

Gerhard Krohn

Marcem Lueders

Andy Modlmeier

René Scheips

Björn Kleinhans

Wilfried Becker

Raimund Hetfleisch

Thorsten Roolf

A sensor device for a towing vehicle coupling with which a trailer vehicle is coupleable to a towing vehicle wherein the towing vehicle coupling has a coupling element for releasably coupling a coupling mating element, which elements are secured to the towing vehicle and the trailer vehicle, and when coupled rotate relative to each another about at least one joint rotational axis, forming a joint, wherein the sensor device has a follower which: is mounted on a bearing body such that it can rotate relative to the coupling element about a follower rotational axis; can be rotatably carried about the follower rotational axis by the rotation of the coupling mating element about the at least one joint rotational axis in order to sense a rotation of the coupling mating element relative to the coupling element about the at least one joint rotational axis, and wherein the sensor device has at least one sensor for sensing a respective rotational position of the follower relative to the bearing body in relation to the follower rotational axis.

Sensor device having a pivot bearing arrangement

A sensor device for a towing vehicle coupling or forming part of a towing vehicle coupling with which a trailer vehicle can be coupled to a towing vehicle wherein the towing vehicle coupling has a coupling element for releasably coupling a coupling mating element, which can be secured to the towing vehicle and the trailer vehicle, and when coupled together can rotate relative to one another about at least one joint rotational axis, forming a joint, where the sensor device has a follower mounted on a bearing body such that it can rotate relative to the coupling element about a follower rotational axis; can be rotatably carried about the follower rotational axis, by the rotation of the coupling mating element about the at least one joint rotational axis, to sense a rotation of the coupling mating element relative to the coupling element about the at least one joint rotational axis, and the sensor device has at least one sensor for sensing a respective rotational position of the follower relative to the bearing body in relation to the follower rotational axis.

Sensor device having an actuator

The invention relates to a sensor device for a towing vehicle coupling () or as a component of a towing vehicle coupling (), with which a trailer vehicle (A), in particular a semitrailer, can be coupled to a towing vehicle (Z), in particular a truck, wherein the towing vehicle coupling () has a coupling element () for detachably coupling a coupling counter element (), which are or can be secured to the towing vehicle (Z) and the trailer vehicle (A), and in the coupled state forming a joint (), they can rotate relative to one another about at least one joint rotational axis, wherein the sensor device () has a follower (), which is mounted such that it can rotate relative to the coupling element () about a follower rotational axis (M), and which can rotate about the follower rotational axis (M) by rotationally following the coupling counter element () during rotation about the at least one joint rotational axis for detecting a rotation of the coupling counter element () relative to the coupling element () about the at least one joint rotational axis, wherein the follower () has at least one frictional connection surface () for frictional contact with the coupling counter element (), and wherein the sensor device () has at least one sensor for detecting a respective rotational position of the follower () relative to the coupling element () in relation to the follower rotational axis (M). It is provided that a plurality of particles () for contacting the coupling counter element () is arranged on the at least one frictional connection surface () and/or that the coupling has a counter follower element () which is arranged or can be arranged on the coupling counter element () and which has a follower surface () having a plurality of particles () for contacting the frictional connection surface ().

Towing vehicle coupling sensor apparatus having friction-type follower

A retractile trailer hitch has a tube shaft fixed on a motor-vehicle frame and an arm having a tubular inner end pivotal on the shaft and an outer ball end. The arm is limitedly axially displaceable on the shaft between locked and unlocked positions. Formations on the frame and on the inner end angularly arrest the arm in its end positions in the locked position of the inner end. The formations are unengageable with each other in the unlocked position of the inner end. A bolt is axially displaceable inside the shaft between a holding position and a freeing position. Balls inside the inner end are coupled to the bolt for axially displacing the arm into the locked position on displacement of the bolt into the holding position and for displacing the arm axially into the unlocked position on displacement of the bolt into the freeing position.

Retractile motor-vehicle trailer hitch

Growing community of inventors

Langenberg, Germany

Jürgen Peitz