Towing vehicle coupling sensor apparatus having friction-type follower
AssigneeWestfalia-Automotive GmbH
InventorsKay Angermann, Martin Duker, Jürgen Peitz, Bernhard Sielhorst
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AssigneeWestfalia-Automotive GmbH
InventorsKay Angermann, Martin Duker, Jürgen Peitz, Bernhard Sielhorst
Estimating the term…
The invention relates to a sensor device for a towing vehicle coupling (60) or as a component of a towing vehicle coupling (60), 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 (60) has a coupling element (61) for detachably coupling a coupling counter element (81), which are or can be secured to the towing vehicle (Z) and the trailer vehicle (A), and in the coupled state forming a joint (95), they can rotate relative to one another about at least one joint rotational axis, wherein the sensor device (610) has a follower (620), which is mounted such that it can rotate relative to the coupling element (61) about a follower rotational axis (M), and which can rotate about the follower rotational axis (M) by rotationally following the coupling counter element (81) during rotation about the at least one joint rotational axis for detecting a rotation of the coupling counter element (81) relative to the coupling element (61) about the at least one joint rotational axis, wherein the follower (620) has at least one frictional connection surface (681) for frictional contact with the coupling counter element (81), and wherein the sensor device (610) has at least one sensor for detecting a respective rotational position of the follower (620) relative to the coupling element (61) in relation to the follower rotational axis (M). It is provided that a plurality of particles (683) for contacting the coupling counter element (81) is arranged on the at least one frictional connection surface (681) and/or that the coupling has a counter follower element (990) which is arranged or can be arranged on the coupling counter element (81) and which has a follower surface (690) having a plurality of particles (683) for contacting the frictional connection surface (681).
A sensor device for a towing vehicle coupling or as a component of a towing vehicle coupling, with which a trailer vehicle, in particular a semi trailer, can is configured to be coupled to a towing vehicle, in particular a truck, wherein the towing vehicle coupling has a coupling element for detachably coupling a coupling counter element, one of which is or can be secured to the towing vehicle and the other of which is or can be secured to the trailer vehicle, 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, and which can rotate about the follower rotational axis 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, wherein a plurality of particles for contacting the coupling counter element is arranged on the at least one frictional connection surface and/or in that it 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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.