Sensor system for a utility vehicle and fifth-wheel coupling system, utility vehicle comprising said sensor system, and method for same

A sensor system for determining an angular change between a utility vehicle having a trailer coupling and a coupled vehicle trailer, the sensor system comprising:

• a sensor unit having:
• a wheel mounted so as to be rotatable about an axis,
• and
• a rotary encoder connected to the wheel and configured to detect a change in position of the wheel;
• a mount having:
• at least one first fixed part configured to connect the sensor system to the utility vehicle or a part thereof, and
• at least one movable part connected to the sensor unit and mounted so as to be movable on the fixed part;
• and
• a positioning mechanism at least configured to provide sprung bearing of the movable part in an operating position in such a way that the wheel of the sensor unit can be moved into contact with a vehicle trailer or a part of the vehicle trailer,
• wherein the mount is adapted to arrange, at least in the operating position, the wheel of the sensor unit outside a support face of the trailer coupling, next to the support face, in such a way that in the operating position a contact face of the wheel is configured to be moved into a plane formed by the support face, into a region over which a baseplate of the vehicle trailer can move, and
• wherein the positioning mechanism has a connecting part, and the connecting part is adapted to be connected to a closing mechanism, to an activation lever for the closing mechanism, of the trailer coupling of the utility vehicle, in such a way that when the activation lever of the closing mechanism is activated the movable part can be transferred between the operating position and the position of rest.