Saf-holland Gmbh

The Holland Group, Inc.

Holland Hitch Company

Rel, Inc.

Steven C Dupay

Randy L Schutt

Gerald W Hungerink

Michael H Ginocchio

Josh E Loukus

Adam Robert Loukus

Mark M Audo

Kurt Dykema

William J Hicks

Eric M Terpsma

Justin D Keatley

Richard T Polanic

Ahmad Nizam Mohamad Jembari

Daniel R Dykstra

Samuel A Martin

David R Pernesky

Jack L Gisinger

Jason D C Howe

Roger L Elkins

Jason D Howe

Kurt A Dykema

Adam R Loukus

A fifth wheel hitch adjustment arrangement for adjusting a position of a fifth wheel hitch plate along a length of a vehicle frame, the fifth wheel hitch adjustment arrangement including a fifth wheel hitch plate, a support arrangement coupled to the fifth wheel hitch plate such that the fifth wheel hitch plate can be moved between a first position along a length of a vehicle frame and a second position along the length of the vehicle frame that is different than the first position, and a drive assembly adapted to couple to a vehicle frame and coupled to the support arrangement, the drive assembly including a rack-and-pinion arrangement, the rack-and-pinion arrangement including a rack member engaging at least one pinion member, the at least one pinion member engaging the rack member of the support arrangement to move the fifth wheel hitch plate between the first and second positions.

Active fifth wheel repositioning slider

A metal matrix composite article is described that includes a metal component, a ceramic component, and a lubricious component. The metal matrix composite article has a first surface and a second surface. The lubricious component is present in an amount that is highest at the first surface and is lowest at the second surface. The ceramic component is present in an amount that is highest at the first surface and is lowest at the second surface. The metal component is present in an amount that is highest at the second surface and is lowest at the first surface. In some cases, the metal matrix composite article is a wear plate for a fifth wheel hitch.

Composite articles, wear plates and methods

A kingpin assembly comprises a housing having a recess located therein, a collar member operably coupled to the housing, and an integral single-piece kingpin having at least a portion located within the recess of the housing, wherein the housing and collar cooperate to rotationally secure the kingpin within the recess of the housing, and wherein the kingpin provides a sole rotational support for the kingpin with respect to the housing and the collar.

Rotating fifth wheel hitch kingpin assembly

Fifth wheel hitch plate

A short span fifth wheel hitch comprising a hitch plate, at least one back rib, a peripheral flange connected to ends of the back rib, and a main rib extending between the back rib and a portion of the peripheral flange, with the main rib being connected to ends of the peripheral flange. The fifth wheel hitch also includes skirts extending from the hitch plate adjacent the back rib. At least two pairs of mounting ribs are located interior of the peripheral flange and the back rib, each pair of mounting ribs including aligned apertures for accepting a mounting pin therein, whereby a mounting bracket can be inserted into a space between the mounting ribs of each pair of mounting ribs and the mounting pin can be placed through the aligned apertures and the mounting bracket to connect the fifth wheel hitch to a tractor.

Lightweight narrow-span fifth wheel

A trailer hitch assembly includes a hitch plate and a locking mechanism. The hitch plate includes a throat for receiving a kingpin of a trailer. The locking mechanism locks the kingpin in the throat and includes a pair of lock jaws whose lock jaw contact surface, which contacts the kingpin, is treated with an alloy obviating the need for a lubricant while maintaining the wear life of the pair of lock jaws.

Fifth wheel hitch requiring reduced or no lubricant

A fifth wheel mounting assembly for mounting a fifth wheel hitch plate to a frame of a tractor that includes a pair of first support members adapted to be fixedly coupled to a pair of rails of a tractor, and each having a plurality of first apertures, and a pair of first mounting brackets each including a plurality of apertures that receive mounting hardware therein, wherein the mounting hardware extends through the plurality of apertures of the first mounting bracket and through the plurality of first apertures of the support members, thereby fixedly coupling the mounting brackets with the support members. Each mounting bracket further includes an inwardly exposed aperture adapted to receive a mounting pin therein for pivotally coupling a fifth wheel hitch plate to the mounting brackets, and a recess. The fifth wheel mounting assembly further includes a structural cross member having ends received within the recesses of the mounting brackets, thereby torsionally coupling the pairs of support members and mounting brackets with one another.

Fifth wheel mounting and cross member assembly

A sensing system employs multiple sensors utilizing mounting structure integrated into a fifth wheel hitch and which is protected from the environment, is capable of accurately measuring forces along longitudinal and vertical axes for providing information as to roll, pitch, yaw, and drawbar load and which utilizes sensors which provide output signals for display and control. In one embodiment, a fifth wheel includes mounting boxes formed on an undersurface thereof on opposite sides of the kingpin receiving slot and a force-sensing unit mounted within each of said mounting boxes. Each force-sensing unit includes a vertical sensor positioned fore and aft of the vertical hitch axis and forward and aft horizontal force sensors.

Force-sensing fifth wheel

The truck rearview mirror assembly of the present invention is used on a truck having a coupling status system for sensing trailer coupling status. The rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror housing adapted for mounting to a truck, a mirror disposed within the mirror housing, and a display carried by the housing. The display is coupled to the coupling status system for displaying trailer coupling status information to a driver of the truck.

Truck rearview mirror assembly having a display for displaying trailer coupling status information

An electronic system that includes a trailer sensor, a lock sensor and a control circuit determine whether a trailer hitch assembly is properly coupled to a trailer. The trailer sensor senses the position of the trailer relative to the trailer hitch assembly and the lock sensor senses the position of the locking mechanism. The control circuit is coupled to the trailer sensor and the lock sensor and masks an output of the lock sensor for a first predetermined stabilization period after the control circuit initially determines that the trailer hitch assembly is properly coupled to the trailer.

Electronic system for monitoring a fifth wheel hitch

An electronic system monitors a trailer hitch assembly that has a hitch plate with a throat for receiving a kingpin of a trailer and a locking mechanism for locking the kingpin in throat. The system determines whether the trailer hitch assembly is properly coupled to the trailer and includes a trailer sensor, a lock sensor, and a control circuit. The trailer sensor senses the position of the trailer relative to the trailer hitch assembly and the lock sensor senses the position of the locking mechanism. The control circuit is coupled to the trailer sensor and the lock sensor. The control circuit determines whether the trailer hitch assembly is properly coupled to the trailer by taking into account the sequence in which the trailer sensor and the lock sensor sense the respective positions of the trailer and the locking mechanism, as well as, the time periods elapsing between the sensing at such positions.

The coupling alignment warning system (CAWS) of the instant invention is designed to provide the driver of a towing unit, e.g., a commercial truck, with visual and/or audible cues that indicate whether the towing unit is aligned relative to a towed unit for proper engagement of the coupling components mounted thereon, including a fifth wheel hitch on the towing unit and a king pin on the trailer. The CAWS combines a laser light source and a series of sensors with a reflective target to provide alignment information to the user. In particular, the system combines a low-power laser diode mounted on the towing unit with a retro-reflective target that is attached, preferably temporarily, on the towed unit. The target will continuously return positive coupling alignment information back to the sensors as long as laser light impinges upon the target, i.e., as long as target acquisition is maintained. The sensors transmit detection signals to a processing unit that includes a microprocessor and relay. The microprocessor is programmed to calculate a threshold level of light that is based on sensed ambient light signals. In operation, the microprocessor decodes the detected light and determines whether the detected light level reaches the threshold level of light. If so, the CAWS indicates to the user that target acquisition has been achieved, and thus, that the towing unit is aligned with the towed unit for positive coupling. The microprocessor also controls the relay, thus controlling the delivery of power to the laser light source so that the system can continually compute an updated threshold level of light based on the ambient light in the surrounding operating environment. As a result, the system minimizes the chance of triggering on false light signals, notwithstanding varying ambient light conditions. The CAWS is particularly useful in zero or low visibility conditions because it can be used in conjunction with mirrors and external reference points to provide reliable position information to the user.

Growing community of inventors

Holland, MI, United States of America

Steven C Dupay